Tänään oli sitten se lievällä kauhulla odotettu elämäni ensimmäinen täysimittainen zumba, 55 min. hikeä ja huohotusta. Viileä sali oli alussa ihana, mutta kun lopetti seisomisen, hikeä puski kuin saunassa. Onneksi väkeä oli sen verran vähän (kiitos kesälomien ja -kelien), että takarivistä näki hyvin korokkeelle, jolla ohjaaja zumbasi. Tuijotin koko tunnin ajan ohjaajan liikkeitä ja yritin tehdä perässä. Jalat alkoivat jo ihan kivasti totella - käsistä en puhu mitään, sillä en niitä juuri käyttänyt... yksi asia kerrallaan. Zumba oli siis positiivinen kokemus. Kiitos jumppakaverilleni, joka minut sinne houkutteli!
Yritin etsiä netistä linkkiä teemalla hikolu-liikunta-aineenvaihdunta, mutta en löytänyt tyydyttävää. Olen aina ollut kova hikoilemaan. Kädet ovat aina yleensä kosteat ja lämpimät, samoin jalkapohjat. Hikoilen siis normaalistikin keskimääräistä enemmän. Kasvot punoittavat jo pelkästä liikunnan ajattelemisesta. Olen kuullut sanottavan, että runsas hikoilu liikunnassa on hyvä merkki, ja mitä enemmän liikkuu, sitä paremmin saa hien pintaan eli aineenvaihdunnan vilkastumaan. Onko näin? Kuka tietää? Minun pitäisi, sillä olen erilaisissa yhteyksissä lähes koko elämäni ollut liikuntaan liittyvien asioiden kanssa tekemississä. Mutta enpä nyt vain tiedä, mitä nykytutkimus asiasta sanoo. Linkkivinkkejä siis otetaan vastaan :-)
Edellisessä päivityksessä mainitsin terassikukkien hankinnan. Kävelin toissapäivänä naapurini kanssa 3 km päähän Aleniuksen puutarhalle ja ostin sekalaisen seurakunnan kukkasia. Palatessa piti istahtaa Sokeri-Jussin terassin varjoissa kuumuutta paossa. Ei sitä nyt itseään sovi helteessä läkähdyttää :-)
Eilisiltana teimme samaisen naapurini kanssa piknikin Kiikelin rantaan, jossa valokuvasimme ja maalasimme näkymää Pikisaareen, joimme kahvia ja söimme eväitä. Kyllä oli mukavan rentouttavaa.
Rentoutukaa tekin! Tehkää juuri sitä, mitä haluatte, jos suinkin elämä antaa myöten. Aina se ei anna.
It was in mid April when I last did some serious exercising. After my second calf injury I bought a new pair of trainers as the nurse at the walking clinic suggested. It was not before yesterday when I actually put my feet into them and went to Zumba!
What on earth does happen in my life? Yes, I have been extremely busy both at work and with my other commitments but isn't it depressing that the same patten repeats itself over and over again: If I need to leave something out from my life and reschedule it seems to be an easy option to stay away from the gym.
My calf injuries kind of gave me an excuse to stay away from the gym. For Goodness sake I could have some some weight exercise! I have written before about how important energy management is instead of time management. From that point of view my past weeks haven't really been that bad. I have focused on things which have been pending and which have taking my mental energy for a long time. Now eventually they are successfully finished and I SHOULD have energy and time for something else.
The beginning of year hasn't really been what I expected it to be in terms of exercise, weight loss and well being. There is no need to dwell on regrets and bad feelings.
"The first step towards getting somewhere, is to decide that you are not going to stay there where you are."
That is exactly what I am going do. Upwards and onwards!
Ma 23.5. juoksu 40 min.
Ti 24.5. juoksu 30 min. (myrskytuulessa ja rankkasateessa)
To 26.5. juoksu 30 min.
Pe 27.5. hohtokeilailu 1,5 t
La 28.5. pihatalkoot 1,5 t ja irkkutanssikunssi 2 t
Su 29.5. irkkutanssikurssi 2 t
Ja noista lajeista tietysti mielenkiintoisin oli irkkutanssi.
Picture this: Olet reippaasti keski-ikäinen ja reippaasti ylipainoinen, etkä ole koskaan harrastanut balettia tai muuta varpailla liikkuvaa meininkiä, ja tehtäväsi on viettää kaksi tuntia kahtena perättäisenä päivänä lähes pelkästään varpaillasi hyppien.
Siitä oli kuulkaa hellurei ja hellät tunteet kaukana!
Tiesin, että painajainen oli alkanut, kun tanssinopettaja näytti ensimmäiset askeleet: nilkat sirosti ojennettuina, lähtö balettiasennosta, hyppy ilmaan ja paluu takimmaisen jalan varpaille, kantapäät eivät kosketa maata ja hyppyaskeleissa ne hipovat pakaraa (paitsi minulla...). Toisinaan jalat kiertävät etukautta, toisinaan takakautta, toisinaan hypähdellään eteenpäin, toisinaan taakse tai sivulle. Ja koko ajan varpailla, tottakai. No, oli siellä välissä sellaisiakin tansseja, joissa käveltiin.
Mutta ei siinä vielä kaikki: lisäksi piti opetella koreografiat. Ja minä kun en mene edes zumbaan, koska sekoan aina askeleissa. Tässä piti omien askelten lisäksi muistaa, milloin vaihdetaan paikkaa parin kanssa, milloin pyöritään oman ja milloin naapurin parin kanssa, milloin myötäpäivään, milloin vastapäivään ja milloin milläkin otteella.
Mukana oli porukkaa teini-ikäisistä vähän vanhempaan. Minä olin vanhin, mutta ei se menoa haitannut. Osalla oli oikeaoppiset, pehmeät irkkutanssitossut, suurin osa oli sukkasillaan, kuten minä. Sehän se tuskaa olikin. Kahden tunnin varpailla pomppimisen jälkeen lauantaina jalkaterät ja nilkat olivat muusina, mutta urhoollisesti menin paikalle myös sunnuntaina. Loppupäivä menikin sitten miten kuten köpötellessä jalat tönkköinä.
Kaloreita hommassa kului kiitettävästi: n. 800 kcal molempina päivinä. Eka päivänä tosin alkoi fysiikka pettää pitkässä ja vauhdikkaassa tanssissa. Jouduin jättämään viimeisen kierroksen väliin, kun syke viiletti yli laskennallisen maksimin. Mutta huohottivat siinä kyllä muutkin.
Harjoittelimme céilí-tanssia: kolme reel- ja yhden jig-tanssin.Vauhtia ja yhteentörmäyksiä piisasi, mutta välillä tanssi oli ihmeen sujuvaa. Ja mikä tyydyttävintä: opin jopa koreografiat! Kummallista oli sekin, että vaikka askeleet eivät nyt aivan oikeaoppisesti opettajan tahdon mukaan pakaroita hiponeetkaan, varvastelin ja hypähtelin uskollisesti sen minkä pystyin tanssit läpi. Opin jopa näpsäyttämään jalan kivasti toisen jalan sääreen hyppyaskelten aluksi.
Oulussa ei irlantilaista tanssia pysty harrastamaan, mutta tuumin, että syksyllä voisi kokeilla sen korvikkeena country-tanssia, joka myös on pitkään kiinnostanut. Oulun country-tanssiseura North-Hill Country Dancers järjestää syksyllä rivitanssin peruskurssin yhdessä Oulu-opiston kanssa. Laitanpa harkintaan.
Ja lopuksi esimerkki yhdestä tanssista, jonka opettelimme: An Rince Mor. Näillä naisilla meno on ehkä hieman sutjakampaa kuin meidän alkeisporukallamme. Mutta hauskaa yhtä kaikki!
p.s. Tuo video näyttää vähän tökkivän, joten tässä suora linkki YouTubeen. Tökkii se välistä siinäkin, mutta selaimen päivittäminen näyttää auttavan.
MerjaFin
Right. Time to do something creative! What do the girl do when she gets into the trouble twice whilst enjoying Zumba? Yes; she elevates the leg, uses cold compressor over the ruptured calf muscle and have a break from her exercise. Her compulsory break lasts two weeks for the first injury and the second break is still on kind of test phase.
What else does she do apart from getting impatient and grumpy? Well, she celebrates the kind nurse who encourages to seek solution and support from a good old retail therapy.
"I would recommend you to use a good pair of cross trainers rather than a regular jogging / walking / running ones....". And I am on my way.
The very nice shop assistant at JD's tested my feet to find out my arch hight and asked lots of questions. Oh dear. How complicated it is to bye just a pair of trainers! I was advised to use an inner gel arch for extra support and cushioning. I have never heard about "Gel Arch" - productsbut apparently they are very good. Who knows? I am an easy victim to try anything to get back on track.
And can you believe my luck? As a bonus I got all those extra accessories I didn't ask nor needed. Hmmm.
Now I have my first pair of K-Swiss. They better to be good ones. I am going to test drive them this week.
Edit: I hope you like the lady bird! She was enjoying the glorious summery Sunday and +25 C heat wave which has now gone.
Brilliant. IT happened again! I am full of doom and gloom in my search for my inner dancer. This time it was my right calf which went. Just like that. When I was again enjoying myself. In the middle of the dance; a sharp pain, not been able to straighten my leg or bear my weight. Cold, compressor and elevation - yes yes I know!
March gone. Done and dusted. How did it all go: Exercise and heath: The calf injury at the beginning of the month forced me to give up exercising for two weeks. It was very frustrating and I was impatient to get back on track. Mid March I started my exercise programme again at first with cross training and weight lifting, next balance and then back to zumba. And it went a bit pear shaped again as I did three zumba sessions in a row every other day. Obviously my body didn't like it and developed a mild flue. Tisk tisk. Nothing major but a little chesty cough started to lurk there in the mornings. Lessons learnt
- do not do three zumba sessions in a week however much you love it if you not fit to do so
- everything in moderation and in balance: variety, variety
- go back to the basics: a little cardio, short weight lifting followed by a bodybalance session is really what I need to do regularly
- exercise less (time wise) but do it more often
- no more than two zumba sessions per week and have a longer break between them
- MerjaUK you are stiff like a stick: Research for a home stretching programme which would be SHORT but effective Eating: My daily calorie intake is planned for - 500 kcal / day in order to lose approximately 2 kgs per month. This hasn't happen regardless that I have followed the system. What a puzzle. Either I'm cheating, or I fill some estimates wrong or my metabolism is so slow that I should aim for bigger daily calorie loss. This is something I need to look at this month. Emotions. Fine. I am a happy bunny and zen with my "Fit for Fifty" plans and actions.
Next Steps: Carry on. Give love away: EDIT Food for Thoughts: "To be a miner of diamonds,
take care of your picks and shovels.
To be a miner of your spiritual Self,
take care of your body, breath, and mind.
But don't confuse the tools and the goals."
Do I need to say more! It just happend. I was happy zumbaing on Thursday and suddenly there was something that felt like a kick on the side of my left calf. I didn't slip or lose my balance and this happened 40 minutes into the session. The Big Unpleasant Surprise: And snipping pain. And the first aid. And the cold compressor. And elevation. And rest.
I have never experienced anything like this:calf strain or torn calf muscle. Oh dear, I am not laughing as nobody knows at the moment how long this takes to heal and when I am able to go back to my exercise plan. The doctor just said to see how it goes and rest. Airy Fairy.
And what is the difference anyway with a rupture and distension? Just the other ends of the same thing I believe. On Thursday and Friday I couldn't put weight on my left foot at all and I was unable to stand straight. My calf was really really painful. I am not a happy bunny as I am still limping.
However thinking back to February I am pleased. I eventually won the battle against nasty flue bugs and finally felt well towards the end of the month. Back to the gym experience has been great and weight loss is happening on steady slow pace. Now I have a bit of a challenge in March as frustration and disappointment are the words in my mind: How to keep positive regardless of my injury?
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Edit: Maaretta - welcome to our blog!
Edit 2: Welcome you travellers in the Universal Blogland from Finland, Great Britain, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, New-Zealand, Italy, United States, Canada and Belgium
I am not a dancer. I have never been and I'm not sure if I ever will be. Just a little clarification for our non Finnish readers: Finns love to dance. And this passion for dancing has grown to the national peculiarities which have profoundly influenced in my relationship with dancing. Let me explain:
The Finnish folk dance. The pride and joy of all primary school spring performances. There are very precise national styles around the country, steps, choreographies and THE right way to do it. The Finnish folk dance tradition has inspired many school teachers to aim for the same perfection in their school plays. However - what did it mean to me when chosen to do a Christmas Cookie Dance turning around and around on the spot wearing a big brown cardboard circle on my tummy instead of floating like a Snowflake in lace tutus.How I envied those snowflakes.
Saturday evening's dance; the national gathering together in early 70's, the first reality TV show in Finland hosted by the national star Heikki Hietamies. Everybody after or before Saturday's sauna sat on their bums to watch other people dancing on the telly. Yes, you read it right. On the telly. More than two million people for 15 years spent every Saturday evening watching other people dancing. (It is a massive amount of people in a country whose total population is about 5 million.) They say that even cows' milking times were altered because farmers' wives wanted to see this programme. To produce this programme in a truly Finnish way the educational section was included as well. The dance maestro Åke Blomqist taught the steps for the different dances so that the nation learned them THE right way. This video about how to dance Disco Danceis a classic. So- it is in my nuclear thinking that my role is to admire how other people dance correctly.
Dancing restaurants and lavatanssit are two peculiarities which are a bit difficult to explain to other nationalities. Dancing restaurant is the restaurant where you go not to eat but to dance. Some of them might be regular restaurants in the daytime or early evening and some are purely open just for late night dances. Lavatanssit is the same thing but usually in a purpose built dancing pavilion either in a town or in the country side. The most popular of them are still those in the countryside and by the river. I believe that the origin to "lavatanssit" is from the agricultural period when farmers and their families gathered to together to celebrate the mid summer Sun and to have fun together. Both the traditions e.g.dancing restaurants and lavatanssit still exists and they flourished when I was a teenager. A teenager who was afraid of two things which might or might not might occur when you go to dancing places: a) will anybody come to ask me to dance (yes this is still the tradition!) and b) if so, can I dance this particular dance! What stress. I am sure that its is not a surprise for anybody reading this far that visiting dancing restaurants or lavatanssit weren't my favourite hobbies. And I didn't learn to dance as I didn't get the practise.
Finns love Finnish Tango. Not Argentinian or other Latin tradition but their very own Finnish version of tango. They have even a festival for a Finnish Tango, Tangomarkkinat. Which I have never visited. But watch on the telly! Hours and hours of it. Hours and hours were also spent in high school to learn vanhojen päivät tanssitThe Eldest Dance. Again a peculiar Finnish tradition when young people dance formal dances in a formal way wearing nowadays very formal and expensive costumes. It is a bit like a Prom but for those students who become the eldest at the high school when the last class leaves the school to prepare themselves for matriculation tests. I did "vanhojen tanssit" as everybody has to do and it was a stress. But also kind of important and fun.
So I have a dilemma: I am not a dancer but I believe that there is a little dancer inside me. I have seen hours and hours of dancing in my lifetime (on the telly, remember) but have a very little experience of dancing myself. I feel very safe in this county where the bride and groom's first dance is not a waltz like in Finland but a freesyle disco dance. I enjoy seeing funny Morris dances in the streets and school assemblies where everybody joins together to dance in their own style. Only Stricly Come Dancing gives me a little reminder of the past: I am again watching other people dancing on the telly!
I like Zumba -in the English style. The zumba instructor in my gym doesn't bother to give verbal instruction, to name the steps or rehearse the dances.He just points in the air the directions and how many times to do what ever. I am learning by doing and enjoying. Everybody is just smiling and having fun. No pressure no corrections just a great example and a great atmosphere. Wake y, wake y my inner dancer.
When I was driving to the gym I wondered why there are so many cars in the car park and the queue at the reception. My colleague has told that Thursday's Zumba is popular and yes it was! I lasted exactly 2 songs and after that I just did my own things. Boobs and bums everywhere: The hall was packed with ladies - all sizes, shapes, genders, fit and fat ones happily together. Great fun. Olé Zumba!
Next week there will be a warden at the door and only 70 people who have booked their place are allowed in. I will be one them.
As an exercise today was a little on a hard side.
Total time 58 min
Calories burnt 629
HR average 136
On my own zone 11 min
Fat burnt 35%
This just tells how unfit I am. What a great starting point. I am on the bottom pile.
Eilisiltana teimme samaisen naapurini kanssa piknikin Kiikelin rantaan, jossa valokuvasimme ja maalasimme näkymää Pikisaareen, joimme kahvia ja söimme eväitä. Kyllä oli mukavan rentouttavaa.
