Rajah's exercise journal (comments very welcome :) )

[Rajah]

Oh yeah, it was doing just fine an hour after doing the Tai Chi. Apparently my ankles are just a little weak and I need to build them up.

 

[Rajah]

Got more Tai CHi in the past two nights. Still can't seem to get those transitional moves right. But I'm picking up the next move I'm trying to learn, and I remember enough of it that I've discovered just putting in the Beginners DVD and leaving it on the menu starts up the background music in a sequence that's exactly the right length for each set of warmups, and which works well for doing the Beginner's sequence. Then I just switch DVDs to the 24 Forms and try to learn the next form. I just wish I could get those transitional moves right. I don't know why I'm having so much trouble with them.

 

[marsh0013]

hey tammi, just checking in to see how you're doing

i'm sure those ankles will get used to it, just build it up slowly so you don't hurt them too badly. you're doing a great job with all this tai chi, hope it's making you feel good, both physically and mentally

have a great day

 

[Rajah]

Thanks Marcia.

Well, I skipped doing anything last night, but tonight (Mon) I got another 30 minutes in, and reviewed the instruction on those transitional moves I keep messing up on. I've almost got one of them down.

 

[Desiree]

Good luck Tammi on getting those moves down! You sound like you're doing fabulously!!! Keep up the good work!

 

[Rajah]

Thanks Desiree


Went to the embroidery guild last night and helped set up and take down the tables, so that counts as some exercise. Then came home and made it through the Tai Chi warmup and the first half of the beginner's sequence before the phone rang, so that's all I got.

 

[DoeWDW]

Tammi, good for you!! I'm glad to hear you're getting to the Embroidery Guild meetings. You always make it sound like such a good time! Helping with set up and tear down is definitely exercise!!

I'm also happy that you're sticking with your Tai Chi on a regular basis. It sounds like a safe haven from the hectic world we live in. You'll have all those moves down very soon I'm sure and sometimes just trying and doing the best you can is enough.

 

[marsh0013]

hey tammi, just checking in on you to say hello

what a great way to get in some exercise at the embroidery guild! get it wherever you can, and how fun that it can be with doing something you really enjoy

keep up the great work, and have a great day today

 

[Rajah]

Doe -- I love this guild. It's a fantastic group

Marcia -- Thanks



Well, no Tai Chi yesterday (actually, technically, while I was waiting for my mom I did one brief 5-minute run thruogh the moves of the beginner's sequence, but that wasn't really into the Tai Chi aspect, it was really goofing off to see how the puppy would react ) but I did something much better

I took yesterday afternoon off, and my mom and I went up to Bayou Bend (a mansion with huge grounds that are absolutely gorgeous in the spring) to see the azaleas. They were in peak bloom yesterday and we walked all over the grounds, even twice over a couple of areas, and took a ton of pictures. Which means for me doing several deep knee bends and getting into odd angles to get the picture I want, "weight" lifting in the form of the camera and my purse, and lots of walking. Outdoors in the beautiful weather.

And what's really neat -- usually after a day like yesterday, I'm really sore the next day because of all the unusual exercise (deep knee bends especially). Not even the slightest bit stiff or sore today. And the only thing I'm doing differently than in past years is 2 weeks of Tai Chi. It helps a lot more than you might think!

 

[marsh0013]

tammi, bayou bend sounds absolutely wonderful!! and what a great way for you to get in some exercise . fresh air, beautiful scenery, plus the added bonus of moving around. how wonderful

hope you have a great day today

 

[Rajah]

Marcia -- Bayou Bend has some very nice gardens, and during the spring when the azaleas are in full bloom, they are among the most beautiful gardens I've seen. I know there are prettier gardens out there, but I haven't been to them yet And I'd venture to say the Bayou Bend gardens are the most beautiful in Houston during the time when the azaleas are blooming.




That was strange. I wasn't stiff yesterday morning, but by bedtime I was quite stiff. I was also very tired, so only did about 10-15 minutes of Tai Chi, and think I rushed through it. It helped a little, but would have been better if I hadn't rushed so much.

*Today* I'm stiff again when I woke up, and rather tired. Still not really sore, though.

 

[Desiree]

Hopefully the stiffness will go away today! You seem to be doing really well with your Tai Chi! I'm glad that it's working for you!

Have a great Friday!

 

[Rajah]

Changed up my routine a bit yesterday. Mid-afternoon at work I was so wiped out and stiff I decided to try my Tai Chi right there at work and was able to go through the whole routine. (Helps that my cubemate was gone for the weekend ) That took about 15 minutes.

I was going to do another round last night before bed but was just too tired.

Today I'll be surprised if I get any Tai Chi in, but we're going to the rodeo again so I'll get my exercise.

 

[Rajah]

Nope, no Tai Chi. I'm way too tired, but we got a *lot* of walking in, and quite a bit of stair climbing, so I sure don't think I'm slacking by skipping Tai Chi tonight

 

[Desiree]

It's good to take a break sometimes. How was the rodeo? Hope you guys had a great time!

Wishing you a healthy and happy Sunday!

 

[marsh0013]

hehe, i'm picturing you doing tai chi in your cube at work . but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do

and since you got in so much walking and stairs, you're definitely not slacking by skipping tai chi. get some rest and you'll be ready for it again tomorrow

hope the rest of your day goes well

 

[Rajah]

Desiree -- the rodeo was great!! We had a fantastic time. The only disappointment was that the horse show portion was over and they were just having mules that day.

Marcia -- hey, it worked. LOL! And I'm probably going to do it again today after my cubemate goes home, since I'm so sore.




As for exercise -- I absolutely did not slack on Saturday, if how sore I was yesterday (and still today!) was any indication of the amount of exercise I got. LOL! I almost couldn't climb the stairs yesterday, I was so sore.

Mid-afternoon, I did my Tai Chi and that helped a bit, but that's all I did yesterday and only about 15 minutes.

I'm still really sore today, too.

 

[Rajah]

Another boring day yesterday

I'm even still a little sore and quite stiff today. :/

Just did about 15 minutes of Tai Chi in the office yeserday afternoon after my cubemate went home, then went to my mom's and went through some boxes looking for stuff, then "weight"-lifted some clothes back to my place. Man those clothes can get heavy. LOL!

 

[Rajah]

Put my Tai Chi back at the end of the day again yesterday, about an hour before bedtime. I haven't been sleeping well the past two nights and it's either due to taking 2 benadryl at bedtime or not doing Tai Chi just before bed. I did only 1 benadryl and my Tai Chi late, and slept very well again last night. I think there's a connection.

Got 20 minutes of the Tai Chi in again, and think I'm finally getting those transitional moves down right. Now I just need to find a chance to learn more of the new moves again, because I just haven't had time to put in the next DVD lately.

 

[Rajah]

Skipped doing any Tai Chi or exercise night before last, I was just too tired.

But last night I did about 30 minutes of Tai Chi again, and learned 2 new moves. Or, rather, went through the initial introduction on 2 new moves.

I'm so close to being able to learn the "24 Forms" set! I've got most of the moves down now, so I'm excited that soon I'll be able to learn how to string them together into something that is more than the beginner's set.

One thing I really want to do is master the 24 Forms (or at least get to where I'm confident I can do them without having to go through the DVD instruction) and keep advancing until I can get into the version that uses swords. I don't know why, but having a sword (totally decorative, you probably start out with a dowel stick) seems so neat. Not one of those huge midieval ones like you can get at Cinderella's Castle (though those are neat, too), but a rapier-type.