A massage therapist that I used to go to on a regular basis but hadn't been to in six months reached out to me to let me know that she is moving. When I first saw the email subject, I thought she was moving to another location and not out of state.
She is one of the first therapists that I found when I first got into massage therapy. After communicating with her about the move, I immediately booked an appointment and thought about all the times that I didn't go because I couldn't find a slot or day to my liking. Ugh, sometimes you just have to think outside the box and be flexible.
At any rate, I was so touched that she reached out because I would have been crushed had she left town without me getting the chance to say goodbye.
I really enjoyed and benefited from my massage and energy therapy sessions with her. She is warm, professional and serious about her craft. Part of me wants to regret the infrequency of my visits but the other part of me wants to lean into the grateful part -- that I got a chance to see her once more.
This morning I was reading a local publication called The Healthy Planet and I really like this issue's Holy Mole cartoon. Massage definitely makes me feel more appreciative and alive.
Also, the fall foliage has been a welcome and beautiful distraction. I've had my camera out for the last two days...
The last time that I went to see my massage therapist, she noticed a change in my muscles. Said they had more fluidity/movement and wanted to know if I was doing anything different.
Not taking kettlebell class is the only difference I could think of.
My muscles have always been dense, the MT tells me, but there had been an extra element of rigidity.
Lest you think that's the only thing that my MT told me, she also notices that there's usually resistance in my right arm when she goes to pull it back but that's normal since the heart chakra is there; it's a position of vulnerability and people are prone to protect their hearts.
Another change has been weight loss. I thought that kettlebell class would help me lose weight but weight didn't come off until post-kb. Maybe my body was totally stressed out by the class which was high intensity a lot of the time and my body did feel all scrunched up the day after.
I'm sure some of the weight loss can be attributed to kicking a Werthers habit that started when I wanted something to entertain my mouth while at a Cirque du Soleil show in the beginning of 2013.
I also got very hooked on Rudi's organic bread but went back to buying sandwich thins.
Overall, I'm trying to be less rigid with exercise and food to a certain extent. One of my friends at work offered me a macaroon. I usually don't just eat food that people hand me but I'd participated in her macaroon birthday gift and I'd never had one so I chose the crown chakra-colored one and ate it. Figured it would be no worse than the Kashi bars that I like to eat. Thank goodness the French bakery is not in my neck of the woods. Enjoyed the jam et al...
I was torn between climbing and swimming up until the last minute. When I voiced my dilemma, the intern in my office said that she always finds swimming more relaxing.
I went swimming.
Just as I was about to switch to the backstroke, this man asked if he could share my lane. I switched back to the front crawl because I didn't want to accidentally hit him. My body feels more open and prone to wildness during the backstroke.
My lane mate told me that the water might kill him. I was incredulous when he told me that it was too warm. While it wasn't arctic, it was still chilly.
Had weird, intense dreams about my car. In one part of the dream, my car just stops all functions and everything goes dark and when I try to restart it, not a light or spark. Nothing. Later, some relatives come to tell me that my rental car has a flat tire...
I bought a group coupon back in May with the intention to try hot yoga at this studio in the fall. Going on Sunday meant that I would have to give up Pure Yoga ’s Sunday class but it’s good to try new things. Right? Except, there are days when I want to blend in and be anonymous which is hard to do when you barely have hair and your skin tone is quite brown and I had a feeling that I was going to stick out at this studio. Everyone was, of course, super nice.
I arrived early in order to register and I asked this woman about the locker room and she said that there wasn’t really one and that if I were leaving the class I’d better put my mat down first and it did end up being a sardine-like situation but no one seemed to care.
It was a Vinyansa –type class: chaturanga, cobra or up dog, downward facing dog etc. I have long known that my downward facing dog leaves a lot to be desired. The teacher, Seabrook, came over and placed her feet on my hands then tried to adjust my arms. Oh, you’re a strong one, she said. Yeah, I’m kind of like a tree in that way...
The next time Seabrook came over she helped me twist. I immediately told her that my shoulders were tight but I still got adjusted. You have tons of space, she said. The lesson from that interaction is that I should at least attempt things before I give up on them.
I kept thinking that the hour was a very long one but when I looked at my iPod I saw that class had been one and a half hours even though the schedule, I thought, said one hour. Thanks to my neighbor who asked me if I was okay when I showed signs of staggering...
Later On In The Day
When I arrived at my massage therapist’s office, she checked in with me as usual. I told her that I had migrating neck and shoulder tension. She wanted to know if it was from day to day. No, from fifteen minutes to fifteen minutes, I told her.
As I’m on the table, my mind is going 100 MPH. I tell myself: the face is soft…the face is soft…let go, yadda, yadda, yadda. Then she stretches my neck from the center to Timbuktu and I wonder if necks are supposed to stretch that far even though I’m confident that my MT knows what she’s doing. As my neck is in the Timbuktu region, I inexplicably and suddenly relax but feel like crying. Don’t cry I tell myself. Too late. They are tears of the silent kind that roll out like water from a faucet with worn washers.
My MT encourages me to let whatever it is come to the surface. I eventually ask for some tissue because where there are tears, there’s snot. I was going to offer to put the tissue on the floor and then pick it up later but she told me to give it to her.
Me: Thanks
MT: Wherever you are -- that’s where I’m at…
Went to see Pilobolus yesterday. They were brought by Dance St. Louis and, before the show, DSL put up facts about dancing and it makes me want to pull out my workout DVDs that incorporate dancing and it also makes me want to finally take a Zumba class.
One quote on the marquee still sticks with me: Dancers are the athletes of God. After seeing Pilobolus, I can’t disagree.
One of my friends told me that massage is a luxury and, to a certain extent, it is. Even though I go back and forth about whether or not I’m being decadent, I do know what stress has done to my body and I know what it’s capable of doing. It’s been a crazy, seemingly never-ending week and, if I could, I’d head straight to a massage therapist. At any rate, I wanted to share some of things that massage therapists have said to me…
Compared to the right, the left side of your back felt tight and your hamstrings...What have you been doing to your body?
Me: Were you on automatic?
MT: I tune out. I mean that I tune out in order to tune in...I'm listening to the music etc.
Explanation to me after foot was massaged, an area that I usually have avoided...
Me: It (calf) smarts when I put pressure on it.
MT: Then, I apologize in advance for what I'm about to do.
When you call, tell them to make a note to warm the oil...
Your shoulders look good...
Oh, that's good; that's deep into the muscles.
Response when I said that my armpits were sore
I can see the tension.
When I told MT about tweaked neck…
Me: You certainly are chipper today.
MT: I've been massaging all day. It's kind of like the feeling you get working out at the gym.
You're tight today so let me know if I go too deep…
Lifeguard: Your body is like mine. I have swimmer's legs.
I've got news for the lifeguard. I've been swimming for only three and a half years; the legs have always been thick...
I'm probably going to dream about planks.
After student yoga teacher killed us with planks and downward facing dog.
I think that I chalked you.
Lisa after giving me a hug when I entered the climbing gym.
Don't forget that there are stairs.
Massage therapist to me after an 80 minute massage
Me: I thought you had given up this gym.
Jeremy: No, I do like the other gym better but I'll climb wherever I have someone to climb with...
I finally got the feel of the living room.
A coworker who decided to have a staycation and said that he normally is so tired by the time that he gets home, he usually goes straight to the bedroom.
I'm a fanatic about everything that I do.
My S-I-L after we discussed her extension of the pantry
What? It's healthy...
My brother after I started preparing oatmeal as he took his breakfast casserole, which consisted of two dozen eggs, sausage, cheese, potatoes etc., out of the oven.
There's something going on with your body. I thought I felt it last time. Now, I'm for sure. There's movement in your body. There's always been a denseness there but this is new. I don't like to ask people if they've lost weight but...muscle weighs more than...
Massage therapist
MT: Your neck was tight.
Me: It didn't feel tight.
MT: (Chuckling) That's because you're used to it being that way.
Dreamed that I was sleeping in a room with four beds. I had one bed. A teenage male and woman occupied the others. I sensed someone was on the other side of the door and went to open it.
My father was on the other side. When I let him in, we exchanged a few words then he got into bed.
I had a massage by an extraordinary MT yesterday. She has quite the repertoire of techniques and I never feel like an hour is short with her because the experience is so solid.
She told me that my shoulders, which usually feel like granite, were much better. I really think it's yoga that has taken care of the shoulder tightness.
Post-massage, I was in a dazed state and ultra-relaxed which, I think, allowed me to sense my father at the door.
I must have asked a lot of questions this day because my colleague told me about an expression the Germans have which, basically, translates to Why, why, why is the banana bent?
It sounded much better in German.
Just ignore him. He could swim all night.
A swimmer about his lane partner. I was huffing and puffing as I watched his friend do the front crawl and rock the bilateral breathing.
Woman in the locker room (who had just finished dressing her hand baby in layers of puffy clothes) with a sheepish expression on her face: I forgot my undergarments.
Me: It happens.
Woman: It's a good thing I'm going straight home.
We're opposites; you're at 12 and I'm at six. A colleague on our astrological differences.
Those walls are not going to climb themselves.
David to me as I waited on a route to open up.
You have a lot of conflicts.
Wynne to me as I was telling her how I used to struggle with my harness when I first bought it.
I'm done.
A massage therapist unceremoniously ending a session.
Bruce: Are you lead certified?
Me: Not yet. I don't climb 5.9's cleanly yet.
Bruce: You definitely want to take your time. There's no need to rush it.
Dave: Yeah, I always say "No Zero to Hero." Rock climbing is about fun. It's about the journey. I have so many other things in my life that are hard. I want this to be about fun...
Me to friend: Did you volunteer?
Friend: I was VolunTold.
When your weight varies by three pounds, it's not a weight gain but, if there's a 10 pound difference, that's officially a weight gain.
In between stints of going to a licensed massage therapist, there's a student clinic that I go to. I've read that the effects of massage are cumulative and I like to go on a Sunday because I feel it's a great way to decompress as I face the work week.
I've also thought about not going to the clinic because the massages are 50 minutes, you have to fill out a feedback form, some students have awkward methods (I know, they're students) and a supervisor comes into the room twice to check on the student which is kind of weird. You're also not allowed to request anyone so you usually work with a different student therapist -- not the ideal situation for someone who takes time to adjust to new people.
I went on Sunday and got someone who had a really sure touch which reminded me that I have gotten students who've been better and more creative than some licensed therapists.
As I'm feeling out the feedback form, I hear the supervisor on duty ask this other woman if she would like a second massage for free because they had cancellations and the students need practice. Then, he asks me. I chuckle and say hell to the yeahYes, someone's got to do it.
The second student asks if I have any areas that I want focused on. Given that I just had a massage, I tell her if there's any technique she wants to try to knock herself out. I enjoy giving people carte blanche at times. I hardly ever say a word to my barber because I know that she's got skills.
Student Two decided to do myofascial release which I'd heard of but wasn't quite sure what it was supposed to do. Interestingly enough, when she was doing MR on my shoulder, it felt very good even though my shoulder wasn't bothering me that morning; it has been an on-again off-again thing with shoulder tension. We had this whole symphony of deep breathing going on. I felt like we were breathing for world peace or something.
Student Two was great -- felt like she had a knack for bodywork and her presence was excellent. Like Student One, she had such a sure touch. She also knows how to start and finish a massage -- muy importante.
It's funny that as I contemplated not going back to the clinic, I get two great back-to-back massages and I really did feel like I was doing my part to help students get necessary training. The supervisor thanked me as I walked out. I laughed and told him that if he ever needed that kind of assistance again, I would be more than happy to help.
My body was all constricted. Neck, check. Shoulders, check. Upper back, check. My neck was particularly stiff.
Massage Therapist: Have you been stretching?
Me: Ye...,um, no.
After she asked that question, it dawned on me that I had not properly stretched in about three months. I had been feeling okay and just stopped incorporating stretching into my regimen. So, it's back to regular stretching to prevent constrictions.
April, I hardly knew ya -- here's a look back at how things went down. There wasn't very much exercise diversity this month but there was exercise. ☺
10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones!
Stretching, 2 x's
Bicycling, 6 x's
Give Me 10!
Fat Blasting Cardio, 1 x
Lawn Mowing, 1 x
Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training
15-Minute Upper Body Circuit, 7 x's
Rock Climbing, 6 x's
Route Tally for April 30th:
Spring Cleaning, Ascended, 2x's; Down climbed, 2 x's, 5.6 Let Me Smang It Girl, 5.8 Eats, Shoots and Leaves, 5.9 (Attempted)*
I Think We've Met Before, 5.9 -- Ascended 2 x's Lead Tag Friendly, 5.9 Pandora's Box, 5.9 The End of 2010, 5.9** The Maze, 5.9 (Attempted)
Swimming, 5 x's
Treadmill, 1 x (Only Time Spent at Gym)
Walking, 19 x's
Wii Fit Plus, 1 x
*Eats, Shoots and Leaves is not a very friendly route at all. I actually bought the book for which the route is named in New York almost four years ago. I had banned myself from book-buying but couldn't resist after reading the joke on the back cover.
**Thanks to Patti who coached me up The End of 2010. She was on the ground belaying and coaching. I heard Keep on moving. Keep on moving. Keep on moving. I did keep moving and it felt really good.
The climbing crew is all over the place. Patti is dealing with some wall situation. It's Chris' son's birthday. Joe climbs as his schedule allows and Becky -- not sure what she's doing. All that to say, climbing will take place tomorrow; I shifted gears, called Anita who swims with me and doesn't mind going on Saturday or Sunday.
I took my bike along too because today was gorgeous and I couldn't resist hitting Grant's Trail after swimming.
I often feel like I need to say something like namaste before I get in the pool. Despite my struggle with front crawl breathing et al., the pool provides untold peace. In addition to working on front crawl breathing, I also worked on doing the sidestroke on my left side.
By the way, I so want this Halloween-inspired swimming suit available at Swim Outlet. Then, I could really assume my identity as Super 'Drea. ☺ After all, I do change (quickly) into a lot of costumes. Really, you should see how fast I get from work to Kate's class and how I change clothes somewhere in between.
And guess what? I just happened to win a $100 gift certificate from Swim O.
Congratulations!
SwimOutlet.com has sent you a $100.00 gift certificate!
MESSAGE:
Congratulations Andrea! You have won a $100 gift card in honor of our Twitter launch. Thank you for being a valued SwimOutlet customer!
My shoulder feels great. I lifted my bicycle out of the basement and onto the bicycle rack with no problem and I also encountered no nasty tugs when I did the sidestroke. I wanna thank the academy my massage therapist who has been significant regarding my shoulder success.
I have been quietly freaking out about the number on the scale rising. Ironically, my friend was uncluttering and came across some pictures of when I was really living large...
I took a few pictures which set my mind at ease to a certain degree...
If you exercise with others, does the scheduling ever get complicated?
Hope you're having equally stunning weather in your town and that you were able to exercise outside.
The shoulder situation made a comeback and I've been treating it with massage therapy but a funny thing would happen on the way to massage therapy: the pain, discomfort and soreness (from exercise) would just about disappear.
The second time the pain disappeared prior to my appointment, I figured something psychological might be going on.
The day after the last massage that I had the discomfort, which had already switched sides of the shoulder, returned to my upper right arm, my shoulder blade and sometimes on the side of my neck. The shoulder blade situation felt like a tight little radius of intensity and heat with a kink right in the middle.
My friend (HC), her sister and I went to Community Acupuncture's open house today. After treatment, my friend asked me what I thought.
Me: It is what it is...
That's when I realized I was in a foul mood and stressed-out.
I have been feeling stuck and there is little wonder that my muscles are in a holding pattern.
I'm frustrated with rock climbing no matter what my belay partners tell me about my tenacity and strength.
I'm frustrated with front crawl breathing even though I've been told that everyone struggles with it.
I'm frustrated that I seem unable to lose more weight. One year plateau anyone?
I have angst about my new body and I didn't see that one coming.
I may have fitness fatigue.
And my face? Even it looks strange after weight loss.
While I was waiting on my friend and her sister to finish up their acupuncture sessions, I read through The Asian Diet book and one of the things it said about stress is that your body holds on to weight. Imagine that...
A few weeks ago, I was talking to my friend Lori and I was reluctant to vent. I told her that I sounded ungrateful and she told me that I wasn't being ungrateful; I was just expressing how I feel.
I also have a tendency to not want to own up to sadness etc. because, in the back of mind, I feel as if things might get worse if I vent. Not sure where I got that idea from and, having said that, turning the calendar page from August to September made me sad. I even took the calendar off the wall for a while.
I went rock climbing yesterday and swimming today. Clearly, if I had a serious shoulder injury, I would not have been able to climb or swim.
Just acknowledging, though, that I haven't been feeling cheery has taken some of the weight off my shoulders. I'm sure that floating helped too...
Postscript: Since I'm getting stuff off my shoulders, even though I swim laps, my treading bites and I am not wholly comfortable with the deep end.
My friend that I work with had quite the laugh as I walked down the stairs as we headed to lunch. I was walking, as she said, on eggshells.
Monday: Rock Climbing Tuesday: Cardio and Muscle Class (I told Kate that she does not know her own strength.) Wednesday: Rock Climbing = eggshell walk
I went to get a massage because life is short I've been trying to maintain my exercise pace.
I tried someone new but, as luck would have it, a mere 30 minutes before the appointment, my soreness evaporated, poof. I was in complete disbelief...
New therapist: Is the pressure firm enough?
Me (verbally): Roger that.
Me (internal train of thought): If she is capable of a firmer touch, I can't handle the truth.
Therapist: Relax your head.
Me (another train of thought): So frustrated that I couldn't relax my head or breathe deeply for that matter. I felt like I was literally fighting for control of my head but was powerless to surrender.
I think I was so tense because I didn't know what to expect since, of course, everyone has their own way of doing things. In addition, for someone stubborn and who insists on doing most things for herself, letting someone else takeover is hard. In addition, as the friend mentioned above would say, I'm too serious.
Newbie told me that she doesn't talk a lot during massages which is always fine with me because I don't talk during massages either and I'm not talkative in general. In fact, I could easily go to an isolated place and be a recluse meditate.
So, this new therapist is cool and has an eclectic massage style. While other therapists proudly note that they've worked for Cirque du Soleil, she's like Cirque du Soleil; there's the main stage and, then, you're liable to catch someone climbing a suspended ladder in your peripheral vision. What I really mean is that I recognize excellence when I see it.
At the end of the massage, she thanked me. Are you kidding? I should have been the first one to press the gratitude button but she beat me to it. I think I'm gonna stick with this one and not because she said thanks but because of the way she said thanks, because I felt profoundly taken care of, the pressure was perfect and the hour felt long. In addition, I got extremely good vibes from her. Reason enough don't you think?
If you get massages, do you have a hard time relaxing at first? Do you have a hard time relaxing in general?
I'm out -- gonna attempt to get in touch with my frivolous side.
Quote of the Day: Not all therapy is relaxing, but all relaxation is therapy....Paul Ingraham
Inhale as early as possible and for as long as possible.
Try to keep one eye in the water.
Keep your head on the same plane as your body.
from Freestyle Breathing Technique video
If it is in the wrong position, soon everything else will be, too.
In swimming as in life, you gotta get your head in the right place.
from Breathing While Swimming by Coach Dee, Excel Triathletes Blogspot
The greater the distance between your finger tips and your toes, the better.
Have Goggles, Will Swim, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Triathlon Training
In proper freestyle swimming, the head moves with the body to take the breath; it never moves independently. You don’t want any lifting of the chin to take a breath. You don’t want any looking forward or to the side of the pool to take a breath. You want to rotate your head in line with the your body…
Bob Bowman
Indulgences
Alexia Oven Fries (Olive Oil, Rosemary, Garlic)
Almond Butter, Creamy With Sea Salt (Trader Joe's)
Banana Split SO Delicious Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Minis (Made With Coconut Milk & Agave Sweetened Center)
Bunny Grahams (Annie's Homegrown)
Chocolate-Covered Peppermint Sticks (Bogdon)
O'Coco's Organic Baked Crisps
Soy Creamy Mini Chocolate Sandwiches Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert (Trader Joe's)
TLC Banana Chocolate Chip Soft n' Chewy Bars (Kashi)
Kryptonite
Bahlsen Truffet (Meringue Biscuit with Cocoa Cream Filling and Swiss Milk Chocolate)
N.Y.L. (New York Laundry): Relaxing, Exercise, Shopping, A Fun Time, Being Seen In, Anything
Navy Blue Speedo Ultraback (RIP: Jan. 2009 to July 2009)
Steamfresh Specially Seasoned Southwestern Corn
Trader Joe's Multigrain & Flaxseed Water Crackers
Wasa thin & crispy rosemary flatbread
Mantra
The Best Life Diet is not a diet in the usual sense of the word. You don't go on it, then off it as the term diet typically implies. It is, instead, a diet in the traditional sense of the word: a way of eating - for life. It's based on a well-balanced regimen of interesting, satisfying, nutrient-rich, and easy-to-find-and-prepare foods...
Roasted Red Potatoes With Chive Butter Sauce (Steamfresh Lightly Sauced)
More Climbing Advice
To climb fluidly and under control, you must settle in and relax.
from How To Rock Climb! by John Long
Put your weight on them (feet), trust them, and utilize them to save your strength by resting on them... Feel stuck? Look for a foot hold, exhale, and move to it.
from Mock Rock: The Guide To Indoor Climbing
Motivation
I'm going to give it all that I have then I'm gonna give it all that I don't have.
