Yoga For Guitar Players

[veinbuster]

How are your breakdowns going so far? I know my core is not that great for this stuff, because of the working out and sports I do, nothing really focuses on my core.

About 15 years ago, we had an employee who was 60 years old and really looked to be in good shape. (I won't say his name, but for all the Indiana boys here, here's a clue. His son (from Cincinnati) played for IU and Bobby Knight. Left there... one of those guys who transferred to get away from The General, and then played in the NBA and then Europe). Anyway, our guy said he still did 100 pushups and 100 setups per day. And what he said was, as he got older, he couldn't do as many at a time, but he still made sure to do his 100 every day. I was doing pushups up until a month or so ago when I got sick the first time. I got up to 160 in 4 sets of 40. Then up to 150 in 3 sets of 50. Then got bronchitis right before vacation and have only done a couple days worth since. When I was doing that, I was doing 3 days a week, not every day. But when I get over this, I"ll be back to square one with that. Probably able to do 45-40-35-30 or so til I get worked back up.

I'm interested to see how I'll do on this core challenge when I get feeling better. I doubt I'll do well, but NEED to do it, so I'm in... soon as I'm feeling better.

A few years ago a friend issued a 100 push up challenge - 100 in one set. I think it took me about three weeks to work up to that. After that I continued to do 3 sets of 50 a couple times a week for a few years. It made it reasonably easy to take a challenge to do 22 push-ups a day for 22 days (veterans awareness was the motivation). I didn’t want to commit to 22 days so did the 22 sets on the 22nd day of the month. They got really hard.

I got away from that when I retired and 30 feels like a lot in one go now, perhaps in part to ongoing shoulder issues.

These planks I’m doing in 3 or 4 sets during my normal half hour morning routine. The rest is more about maintaining flexibility than it is about strength. I do feel fully awake after the planks. My morning currently looks something like:
Long plank
6-8 minutes stretching while on my back
Plank
4-6 minutes sitting stuff
Plank (if I have less than 7 minutes in the first two)
4-6 minutes on my stomach
Finish plank time
Standing stuff
Inverted core stuff (unless I’m not at home)

Minus the excessive planking, this is the start of my day 350-360 days a year.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

You're a beast!

ha, I'm no beast. I'm a skinny basketball player dude. The only thing that was ever a beast on me, was of course my legs. No, not joking about Speedo modeling here. LOL When I was 35 I could still do all the weight on the squat machine at the club I worked out at. 550lbs 10 times first round, at least 8 the second round. It was circuit training. Next machine was leg extension, and I could do all the weight on it 10 times, next one was calf raises, all the weight 10 times. Trust me, I had some of the big body builder dudes give me some really funny looks when they followed after me and saw me using all the weight on those machines. Then, I'd hit the upper body stuff and be doing like 50lb. curls and 150 bench press. LOL Shooters don't have big arm muscles! But basketball players usually have legs that are much stronger than they look. I was working out there twice a week and still playing basketball 2-3 days a week then. And,... that was a long time ago. LOL

 

[ScottR]

You're a beast!

A girly man beast maybe..

 

[Deleted member 5962]

A girly man beast maybe..

Watch it, sparky! I’m no beast, but I know the woman who lives with you and she’s a fellow redhead.

 

[alantig]

How are your breakdowns going so far? I know my core is not that great for this stuff, because of the working out and sports I do, nothing really focuses on my core.

I’d say so-so. My longest plank has been 90 seconds. Yesterday I think I did six minutes in one session, four the next. Today I worked at home, so I broke it up a little more - three minutes the first session, four the second (90, 45, 45, 60). About to finish up the last of them. I’m still dealing w/the effects of the back issue I had in September (turns out it’s a bulging disc) - numbness in the right foot, sometimes up the leg. I also have a history of tendinitis in my shoulders, and I haven’t done those exercises in a while, and I think that’s my second weak point right now. But I’m going to finish the challenge.

Because that’s what Gene, Paul, Peter, and Ace would do!

(FWIW, my wife does planks w/Wii Fit, and I’ve been able to hold up longer than her on most of my planks. I think it’s my inherent laziness - I figure the more I do upfront, the less I have to do later!)

 

[Shawn@PRS]

A few years ago a friend issued a 100 push up challenge - 100 in one set. I think it took me about three weeks to work up to that. After that I continued to do 3 sets of 50 a couple times a week for a few years. It made it reasonably easy to take a challenge to do 22 push-ups a day for 22 days (veterans awareness was the motivation). I didn’t want to commit to 22 days so did the 22 sets on the 22nd day of the month. They got really hard.

I got away from that when I retired and 30 feels like a lot in one go now, perhaps in part to ongoing shoulder issues.

These planks I’m doing in 3 or 4 sets during my normal half hour morning routine. The rest is more about maintaining flexibility than it is about strength. I do feel fully awake after the planks. My morning currently looks something like:
Long plank
6-8 minutes stretching while on my back
Plank
4-6 minutes sitting stuff
Plank (if I have less than 7 minutes in the first two)
4-6 minutes on my stomach
Finish plank time
Standing stuff
Inverted core stuff (unless I’m not at home)

Minus the excessive planking, this is the start of my day 350-360 days a year.

With this any your cycling, you're obviously in great shape. I want to be you when I grow up!

 

[dmatthews]

I had to look this stuff up...
Cuz ya know...
So here is my finding:
spank the plank
The act of playing a musical instrument called the guitar.
hey dudes, I will catch u later I am going to go spank the plank.

So... I have concluded that everyone here has completed said task.
Way to go everybody!!!

Runs away... (that's exercise, right?)

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I’d say so-so. My longest plank has been 90 seconds. Yesterday I think I did six minutes in one session, four the next. Today I worked at home, so I broke it up a little more - three minutes the first session, four the second (90, 45, 45, 60). About to finish up the last of them. I’m still dealing w/the effects of the back issue I had in September (turns out it’s a bulging disc) - numbness in the right foot, sometimes up the leg. I also have a history of tendinitis in my shoulders, and I haven’t done those exercises in a while, and I think that’s my second weak point right now. But I’m going to finish the challenge.

Because that’s what Gene, Paul, Peter, and Ace would do!

(FWIW, my wife does planks w/Wii Fit, and I’ve been able to hold up longer than her on most of my planks. I think it’s my inherent laziness - I figure the more I do upfront, the less I have to do later!)

No, I know from previous attempts. 90 seconds is a pretty good plank if you are just starting them.

 

[ScottR]

Watch it, sparky! I’m no beast, but I know the woman who lives with you and she’s a fellow redhead.

Pfft, man I ain't scared of her...when she's asleep.

 

[veinbuster]

With this any your cycling, you're obviously in great shape. I want to be you when I grow up!

I think I’m doing ok on the fitness front. I expect many of my age to live well into their 90s and I’d really like to keep everything working. I’m not especially strong or fast though.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

I think I’m doing ok on the fitness front. I expect many of my age to live well into their 90s and I’d really like to keep everything working. I’m not especially strong or fast though.

That is my goal as well. I'm not looking to add years to my life, just life to my years.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

ugh... walking pneumonia. Might be a few weeks before I can join in the fun. No wonder I haven't felt like working out.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

ugh... walking pneumonia. Might be a few weeks before I can join in the fun. No wonder I haven't felt like working out.

Damn, that sucks. Get well soon

 

[Sekunda]

I'm hosting a 3 day Plank Challenge on my Instagram page, Still Life Yoga. It consists of 10 minutes of planking per day, for three days. You can do one plank for 10 minutes, 20 planks of 30 seconds each, or break it up however you'd like. And it only lasts for three days, starting on January 2, 2019. Who wants to play along?

I saw that last night... I might give it a try, just started my no wheat diet again. Already lost about 10 pounds just dropping wheat products. You have some great vids on there!

 

[alantig]

ugh... walking pneumonia. Might be a few weeks before I can join in the fun. No wonder I haven't felt like working out.

That sucks. I hope you get past it soon.

Shawn posted a video last night of his full 10-minute plank. He said he focused on his breathing, so when I did my first batch this morning, I decided to do the same. Two reasons - to focus, and to pass the time. If I look at the stopwatch, it messes with my mind and I seem to tire faster. So, close my eyes, start the plank, and my goal is to do 10 deep, controlled breaths in the minute I'm planking. If they're slow, maybe it'll be 90 seconds. Get through the 10, ignore the fatigue in my shoulders, open my eyes...holy s*&t, I'm 12 seconds away from two minutes! We got back from lunch, so I decided to squeeze another session in since I'm going to a hockey game tonight - same thing happened. I got two minutes on my first plank by focusing on the breathing.

Maybe there's something to this after all...

 

[Shawn@PRS]

That sucks. I hope you get past it soon.

Shawn posted a video last night of his full 10-minute plank. He said he focused on his breathing, so when I did my first batch this morning, I decided to do the same. Two reasons - to focus, and to pass the time. If I look at the stopwatch, it messes with my mind and I seem to tire faster. So, close my eyes, start the plank, and my goal is to do 10 deep, controlled breaths in the minute I'm planking. If they're slow, maybe it'll be 90 seconds. Get through the 10, ignore the fatigue in my shoulders, open my eyes...holy s*&t, I'm 12 seconds away from two minutes! We got back from lunch, so I decided to squeeze another session in since I'm going to a hockey game tonight - same thing happened. I got two minutes on my first plank by focusing on the breathing.

Maybe there's something to this after all...

When teaching yoga, I often say "take 5 more deep breaths". I know this will usually take about 1 minute. Because planks are pretty strenuous, we're more likely to breath at a slightly quicker pace. So in theory, focusing on 60 deep breaths should take us past the 10 minute mark. Although, it's not as easy as it sounds.

 

[alantig]

Although, it's not as easy as it sounds.

My shoulders agree!

 

[Shawn@PRS]

My shoulders agree!

Surprisingly, the outside of my calf muscles are sore. I think the muscles are called the Fibularus Longus. I would never suspect my legs to hurt after a 10 minute plank

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Surprisingly, the outside of my calf muscles are sore. I think the muscles are called the Fibularus Longus. I would never suspect my legs to hurt after a 10 minute plank

that's normally from concentrating the weight of your foot on inner part of the foot. If you spread your weight evenly across the ball of your foot, it pulls on your whole calf. If you put more eight on the big toe area, the outside of the calf pulls harder. You probably already knew that.

Edit: But I didn't know Fibularus Longus. I just knew Medulla oblongata and Schindleria praematurus

 

[veinbuster]

I did notice that my breathing is much smoother with my arms fully extended than on my elbows. That wasn’t intuitive, but I can convince myself that it makes sense. I can hold the plank much longer with controlled breathing.