Squad Day 39: Quick Core Work
The way I needed today to be a short workout, and that’s exactly what’s on the schedule.
My husband has been dealing with some gut health issues, and is home for the day today, so I didn’t get up at 5am like I usually do. I did get up for a bit to check the weather, and it was gusting violently outside, there was no way I could work out outside in that without a full body workout to keep me warm. So back to bed I went, for a couple hours.
Before I could do my workout though, I needed to do some mobility. The rain and wind from yesterday, and more that is coming this afternoon, has my body tense and my joints stiff. Especially in my hips. I stood at my kitchen counter and did Hip Circles between sips of hot tea, and a few Standing Quad Stretches because the lunges I did yesterday are still very much being felt today.
I got out my Pilates Ball and was excited to use it. I’ve been using it anytime I needed to do core work or was in a pose that required my knees to be bent and kept hip width apart. Even sitting still at the table, I’ve noticed that if I hold that ball between my knees, I can feel the low core engage immediately, as well as my inner thighs. Those notoriously jiggly and weak areas will be no more!
The warm up for today’s workout felt so, so good. First we did Side Laying Chest Openers, that provided a light twist in the spine and side body. I timed my breath with each movement and I actually got my back to pop in a few places.
The first move was an upper core crunch, using the pilates ball as a prop under our chests. I tried to do a couple reps to test out how my low back would feel, before fully committing to the set. I got 4 reps in and then my low back was aching. I switched this move for a low core variation. I placed a yoga block under my feet, and the pilates ball between my knees. I raised my hips into a hip bridge, but then focused on doing a slow roll down from the chest to my hips. This way I still got upper core engagement, and low core engagement, without causing my hips to tilt and hurt my back.
We did a variety of Hybern moves and planks, I got real creative with my swearing during this one, if only Sam could hear me, she would be cackling.
When we finally released those planks, it was time for Childs Pose and our cool down stretches, and I thanked the Cauldron and the Mother that it was over.
My core was already sore from the planks and sit ups yesterday, and I know that in a couple hours I’m going to reach “it’s hard to stand up right,” mode and I’ll be finding all the excuses to be in Corpse Pose.
When I take Yrsa for her walk in a bit, I think we will take a different route than our usual neighborhood routine. It was trash day today, so the road is full of garbage juices and random chunks of left behind trash and I don’t want to deal with her yanking me all over the place to try and get herself a snack, or roll in those lovely garbage juices. Yes, she is that awful about it. In fact, Yrsa routinely gets herself in trouble my sifting through our own trash can in the kitchen, and literally nothing will stop her. There might be some dispute in her Papers, because I’m pretty sure she’s part raccoon.
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