Squad Day 8: Positive Affirmations, Endurance, Functionality, and a Little Happy Dance
“The rain kept falling for two days, the temperatures plummeting with it. Leaves lay scattered around Velaris, and the Sidra was now a silver snake, sometimes hidden by the drifting mists. The females showed up every amn day without fail.” Cassian, pg 412 of ACOSF
I’m glad I woke up to dry skies, even if they were dark and grey. The ground and trees still very soggy from the downpour that was yesterday and the night before. I’m not opposed to going for walks in the rain, but I would probably wuss out about working out in the rain. I’m not quite there yet in my Valkyrie journey. The leaves though, they’re falling. Autumn is here and coming in swiftly. I had to sweep the porch off this morning before I could roll out my mat, there were so many yellow leaves that had fallen during the storm.
Day 8 of Valkyrie Squad is Functional Mobility, and after watching the first few moves, I decided it’s probably exactly what I need anyway, so I’m gonna do it and speak positive affirmations into myself during. Phrases like “I love myself, so I push myself,” and “Working out makes my body and mind feel better.” I have a couple different apps on my phone that provide me with positive affirmations for the day and they help when I wake up with a less than positive mindset. I wasn’t exactly grumpy this morning, but I was struggling with the idea of working out, I really wanted to go back to bed. Not from exhaustion, or lack of sleep- I slept great; just a general sleepiness that made me want to cocoon myself in my quilt.
I got into Morning Mindstilling first thing and did my deep breaths. Today I did this inside, usually I’m on my mat for this, but with the cooler temperatures in the morning I’m finding it harder to focus my breathing, while my body is cold. During Mindstilling this morning I had a lot of random thoughts about how much I wanted to go back to bed. I had to keep starting my count over again, until ultimately I started Mindstilling over just so I could focus on breathing.
” Tell yourself, I am the Rock upon which the Surf Crashes. Your thoughts are the surf. Let them crash over you.” – Gwyn, pg 408 & 409, ACOSF
That phrase really is helpful when your mind is a messy pile of complaints.
“I acknowledge these thoughts, and I am letting them go. I am focusing on my breathing. These thoughts exist, and I am letting them pass me by.” – Nesta, pg 409 & 410 ACOSF
I like exercising outside, it’s my preference. And in my cramped living situation, it would be almost impossible to get a workout in, indoors, without waking someone up. Which leaves my only option to figure out how to endure the cold as it comes and use it to my advantage and cultivate that mental and physical toughness. I know from working out and living in Alaska for nearly a decade, that exposing yourself to harsh conditions repeatedly can build endurance, and a type of fortitude that is easily lost if it’s not practiced regularly. The Illyrians aren’t wrong about living in the mountains- the cold and harsh conditions do make a certain kind of strong.
I grabbed my new workout leggings- a little thicker than the light weight ones I’ve been working out in, my mat, my weights, and I got my whiny butt outside. Speaking of weights, I got real weights! My best friend, always asking me about my training and giving me the best support, found me some second hand weights with interchangeable plates- they range from 5-30lbs, and are in pretty decent shape. No more sand filled laundry jugs for me.
Old but gold
And those leggings- a full size SMALLER than I was wearing in July. I started thinking about all the other little changes I’ve noticed in the way my clothes fit me: my bra band looser, the cups fit better, the knees in all my pants a little baggy, shirts aren’t as snug around my middle or my chest. I’ll need to update my progress pictures! Now I was in full celebratory workout mode; ready to tackle my workout.
Functional Mobility: essentially the act of moving the body in ways that we move regularly, but adding weights and repetition to strengthen the muscles used for those movements. Lots of core, back, glute, and shoulder engagement.
After warm ups, today's workout consisted of a lot of compound movements. Workout moves that combine more than one basic exercise component, enabling more muscle engagement during the work. Today's workout was actually not super long, the warm up taking up almost as much time as the workout itself. But damn was it effective. My glutes are so freaking sore.
We finished this up with some glute stretches, which I needed because my poor cheeks were about to cramp up. This workout was short but intense, and my muscles are still very much shaky. I know I’ll really be feeling these this evening.
Photo by Mark Stebnicki on Pexels.com
I’m really glad I worked out this morning, even though my attitude wasn’t quite as enthusiastic at first. It’s always kind of funny, because every time I don’t want to work out, if I just do the thing I always feel way better afterwards.
It started raining again as soon as I finished my workout so I had to quickly grab all my gear and hustle inside. Walk with Yrsa is postponed until the rain stops or slows down a bit later. She will probably harass me until we go and then pout the whole time from the puddles.
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