·       Lock down Lessons
·       Social Distancing Tip 5:  Priorities
·       Movement of the week:  Lateral Dumbbell Hops
·       Gratitude WOD Tues May 26, 2020 9am
·       Athletics Gym WODs Starting June 2, 2020

Lockdown Lessons
Dear Strange Time:

What have you taught me?  Grab hold of this topic for a family dinner. Around the table, let’s go.  As the world slowly starts back, it is a good time to take stock of what we’ve gone through. Let’s ask, “What  worked, what didn’t, what could I have handled differently, why did it go down that way,  what are the positives to be gleaned from the experience?”   The purpose of this reflection is to be better prepared for a similar situation in the future, lest it occur.  This time around, I was taken aback by lock down. Why was that? I realize I wasn’t paying enough attention to the world around me. Compounding the problem was our discontinuing delivery of our newspaper without me making the switch to digital news. Step one, I have committed to reading the Sun on-line each day for local and national news and to reading the front page of the New York Times, on-line for international news, though it is such a great paper, I am drawn in to the Health and Home Life sections regularly.  The on-line New York Times is free to all Vancouver Public Library card holders. Simply, login to VPL website, go to digital newspapers, NYT, enter your library card number and voila, instant access.

Looking to identify more lessons learned from these difficult times.  A work in progress ….

Social Distancing Tip 5.  Priorities.
Walking up Broadway with my friend Debby this week, we looked in wonder at people getting their hair cut and nails done.  The novelty!  But neither of us felt ready to make a step back in.  We decided the  best approach to this re-entry would be to choose our top priority and add that to our week.  One new thing a week to start.   Week one, get hair cut. Week two, do one gym workout.  Prepare yourself psychologically for the fact that it will be a different experience when you go. Don’t take it to heart.  New world, new ways to work around. Deep breath.  This is now.

Movement of the week – Lateral Dumbbell Hop-Overs
Enough with the burpees, here is an easy movement to set-up that works on your balance, agility, coordination, power, cardio-vascular endurance, and stamina.  Also called dumbbell over and backs, the movement involves hopping over 1 or 2 dumbbells and jumping back over the other way.  That is one rep.  Out of the gate, I found it was a hard slog to get a rhythm going and a struggle to complete five reps in a row.  Slowing it down, focusing on maintaining a soft knee in landing and jumping on a yoga mat helped. Set up with a fairly narrow stance, feet almost together, soft bend in knee and hop up and over. Avoid twisting or sideways motion of knee.  Land on toes, down onto heels.

Getting faster and more confident with practice.

Incorporating lateral drills, like these hops, into your training will reduce your risk of injury by helping you build more balanced strength in your lower body muscles; glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves.  Hip abductors and adductors also get a workout.

Want to make it harder? Perform one leg hops, though suggest starting over a thin line and working your way up to higher one – leg hops.

Don’t get caught off balance.  Practice these jumps and next time you lose your footing, you will likely catch yourself faster.

Get hopping!  Here’s a WOD to try.

5 Rounds
15 lateral DB hops
10 DB Lunges
15 lateral DB hops
8 DB Front Squats
15 lateral DB hops
6 DB Thrusters
:30 wall sit

Aim to add 5 seconds to wall sit each round.

Use heaviest DB weight that allows good form and unbroken reps throughout. Increase reps by 5-10 if only light DB available.

Challenge Gratitude WOD: Almond Park 9am Tuesday May 26, 2020
Last week of the May Challenge is upon us. We are excited the end is near.  If you are free on Tuesday morning at 9am join us at Almond Park for our Gratitude workout. We will spread out per social distancing requirements.  Love to have you WOD with us!

 

Gratitude WOD: Complete 1 Round for Time*

Full                                                                  Half
100               Air Squats                                  50
10                 Burpees
90                 Jumping Jacks                           45
9                   Burpees
80                Walking Lunges                         40
8                   Burpees
70                Second plank                             35
7                   Burpees
60                 Plank Jacks                                30
6                   Burpees
50                 Air Squats                                  25
5                   Burpees
40                 Walking lunges                          20
4                   Burpees
30                 Plank Jacks                                15
3                   Burpees
20                 Push-ups                                    10
2                   Burpees
10                 Plank up downs                         5
1                   Burpee                             

Choose full or half version, burpee reps stay the same.  Plank Jacks: assume plank position; keep abs tight, back flat, jump legs out like scissors then jump back together, repeat. Plank up-down, assume plank position, go down on right elbow, then down on left, back up to full plank, repeat.

Athletics in the Gym
Athletics classes return to gym June 2, 2020 with a modified schedule of 7pm Tuesday/Thursday and noon Sunday.  COVID -19 safety regulations require an hour between classes and a 6-person class maximum.  New cleaning procedures and social distancing practices in place.  Attendees have their own station to work out in, that is set up for them and where their belongings can be kept for class duration.  Your own space.  Your own equipment. Less time spent in set-up. Concurrent Zoom WOD option available.  

Appreciate returning to gym is not the best option for everyone. Efforts are also underway to organize outside Athletics WOD options. Will keep you posted.

Any questions please email:  [email protected] or text 604-809-5805

Start where you are, work with what you have, for where you are right now.   

Hats off to a good last week of May 2020. Summer we are coming for you!

Shades