I’m a day late in getting the workout recap to you. I sat down last night to write it and was going to do a high level overview on the Spring Equinox but then inspiration took over and it became its own post. I love it when that happens. 🙂
Friday was spent in the studio teaching two sessions of Spring Break Boot Camp along with a class I teach every week. A few times a year we offer a special two-hour “boot camp” where we combine yoga flow, bodyweight intervals, core work, back bends and deep stretch.
I always love introducing my yogis to the personal trainer side of me and kicking their butts with squats, push ups, lunges and burpees. They actually love it and have been begging us for months to add a few bodyweight training classes to the schedule. We’re considering it this summer!
Post boot camp recovery looked like sushi, wine and catching up with one of my best friends who took our evening session at Namastay Kitchen.
I slept in on Saturday morning and then headed back to the studio to teach my 11:15 and a private after that. I really enjoy private sessions. It’s so nice to work with people one-on-one and to really get to their specific needs when it comes to yoga. In this session we went over pelvic floor strengthening, bandha activation, back bending technique to avoid spinal compression and some work on arm balances and inversions.
I was starving when I arrived home and made a snack plate of turkey avocado wraps and apple slices with cashew butter. This is one of my favorite snacks!
The rest of my Saturday passed in a blur of taxes and spreadsheets. I took a pause at 6 to get a massage. I am trying to make them a weekly or bi-weekly practice. We have some amazing therapists at the studio and staying on top of bodywork always makes me feel so much better overall. This deserves a separate post but I am a terrible jaw clencher and it translates to dental issues and neck pain which is no fun. Massage helps so much. I kinda wanted to cry in relief and throw up at the same time when she was stripping my jaw on Saturday. Finding someone who is good at facial massage is a gift.
My fiance and I were hoping to have a Saturday night date after a long week of work but that plan was thwarted when we had a no show employee in the restaurant. He ended up having to step in and work front of house (perks of being a business owner…you do ALL the jobs!). I hung out at the bar and kept working on my taxes (really fun Saturday night).
While I was working I ordered an awesome salad. This is our “Remix Salad” and I added add avocado, salmon and vegan coconut milk ranch. It was so good! I received an email last week from a Charlotte reader asking if Namastay Kitchen is open to the public. YES! It is! If you live in Charlotte, we would love for you to come in. It’s completely separate from the studio and our food is BOMB!
(Email me or message me on FB and I’ll send you a coupon if you want to try!)
Sunday morning brought a much needed sleep in (I don’t think I made it out of bed until 10…it was awesome) and pancakes! I recently received a box of ALDI gluten-free baking mix to sample so my fiance suggested pancakes. We both spread almond butter all over them along with the maple syrup and I served them with a mix of mango, strawberries and citrus and scrambled eggs.
I teach HIIT and Total Strength once a month at the Dowd Y and this was my weekend to teach. I really enjoy these classes. Teaching at the Y is a great “check-in” that helps keep me connected to the needs of the general gym population instead of always working one-on-one with long-term clients or only teaching yoga. I really like having to use all of my cuing and teaching skills to teach a class that accommodates all fitness levels and offers high and low modifications.
The weekend ended with my favorite dinner ever! Corned beef and cabbage!!! I cooked the corned beef, carrots, potatoes and onions in the slow cooker this afternoon and then used this recipe my dad recommended from Ina Garten to cook the cabbage (mmm…butter).
Quick workout recap…
Monday
Hot yoga
Tuesday
1 mile treadmill warm up and then three rounds…
2 minutes sled push
1 minute push ups
2 minutes walking lunges
1 minute battle ropes
2 minutes stairs
This was a great under 30-minute workout!
Wednesday
Training session + hot yoga
Thursday
3.5 mile run
Friday
Training session
Saturday
REST
Sunday
Teach HIIT and Total Strength
Let me know if y’all want the workouts I taught, I’ll post them this later week if so.
Tell me about your weekend.
How often do you get massages or bodywork? (I’m super interested in trying acupuncture and reflexology too!)
love it when you post what you teach so please do! massages are so important– would love to make them bi-weekly as well P)
Hey Katherine – I will share them! I am making a serious effort to make bodywork a priority.
I would love to see the workouts, I always need new ideas!
yes, please post workouts taught. thanks!
Please post the workout!! Love getting ideas/inspirations while I take myself through my own workout. Thanks!
Yes I would love the workouts!
just wondering, do you ever do any cable exercises when at the gym? I have started using just recently and would love any exercises you can throw my way. thanks!
Yes, please post workouts from the 2 classes you taught.
I frequently use your workouts as my own inspiration — please post them!! 🙂
I would love to see the HIIT and strength workout!
I always love to see your workouts – great ideas you have!
Thank you so much Caroline! I will share!
The Remix Salad looks awesome!!! Also, is there internet at Namastay? Sounds like it would be a good place to do a little work during lunch.
Massage is such a treat and my favorite place is Y2 – I used to go to massage envy, but I’ve switched and signing up for the monthly massage at Y2.
I also have tried acupressure & I LOVE it!!!
Erin – I’m SO happy that you are enjoying the massages. Our therapists are great! 🙂
Yes, we have wifi. Grab lunch and hang out and work. The food is awesome!
Would love to see the workouts!! Yes, please post!
I will share – probably Wednesday!
I wish I had taken up St Patty’s day as a reason to make some irish food! I totally bypassed the holiday!
It’s always a good time to make Irish food! The whole month of March counts! 🙂
I hate massages but I always used to forget this. I’d get jealous of other people booking themselves massage appts or when walking past the massage rooms at the gym. So then I’d finally book one for myself. And then remember during that massage that I absolutely HATE being touched. I don’t even bother anymore. I know I’m weird; I just don’t like them!
Hi Sarah – I just wanted to respond and say that there is NOTHING wrong with feeling like this! You are NOT weird at all and honor yourself if that is a boundary for you.
Honestly, I felt the same way for a long time. I was never someone who really loved touch until I did yoga teacher training and learned about the power of touch through assisting. I’m just a lot more comfortable with it now and but it’s taken me a while and a lot of practice. When it comes to massage, I find that I am much more comfortable with female therapists.
I love the variety in your days and workouts! As always, your meals look fabulous. I can’t wait to try Namastay!
Thanks Sarah! See you tomorrow! 🙂
I need to try the Namastay kitchen the next time I am in town! Yum!
let me know when you’re in town!
I tried to get a massage once a month or at the minimum every two months. I really believe that bodywork is an important part of staying healthy, especially when you are very active. I wish that my health insurance covered massages, but unfortunately most view it as a luxury only. I am a big supporter of acupuncture and dry needling. It has helped me get past nagging pain and persistent inflammation. The dry needling hurts so good. 🙂
I couldn’t agree with you more on the health insurance. I think that most HSA’s cover massage so at least you could do it pre-tax. I really want to try acupuncture and dry needling for some long-term stuff I’ve had in my hip!
Acupuncture is the best! I had a lower back strain after my last powerlifting competition and it has helped me so much in recovery. Plus it really balances hormones and provides incredible overall stress relief. I’m also a big fan of gua sha (back scraping), which increases blood flow to tight muscles — it’s not exactly fun while you are getting it done but it helps sooooo much. Give it a try!
Laura – this is great to hear! I really want to try it. I have some long-term “gunk” in my right hip and I really think it could help. And I’ll take all the help I can get with stress relief! 🙂 I’ve never heard of gua sha but I want to read about it now!
i do massage 1-2 x per month and wish it was more. ive seen the same person for years so its awesome she knows my body so well. she helped me a lot with tmj and neck pain issues as well. i did get some relief in migranes years ago with needling in the neck and back of my head. sounds worse than it was i got numbed for it. i have had some relexology sessions by my massage therapist and by others. mine i like the others ive had it just didnt do much for me. i think i just need that combined with a regular massage.
i have heard great things about dry needling. i love that your therapist can combine reflexology with your massage! that’s great. i agree that it’s nice to work with someone long-term. i totally think that they do “know” your body better than anyone else.
I, too, would love to see the workouts. Always interested in trying something new :o) And I am trying to get a massage just once a month (starting small). Hopefully it’ll be a habit I can incorporate more and more!
Once a month is a great goal! I’d be happy if I can stay disciplined enough to end up there in the long run!
Yes would love to see the workouts! And also would love to hear more about what the massage therapist did to your jaw!
Hey Abby! I don’t know…she said she was treating it like TMJ. It was painful and intense but felt so good at the same time. I have definitely experienced relief after the massage. She said I had so many knots. She worked a lot of trigger points and the muscles in the jaw.
Sauteed cabbage is one of my favorite sides. One of the variations I rotate through is adding a little toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, and sriracha and/or red pepper flakes. Delicious.
That sounds so good! Thanks for the recommendation!
Have you ever considered Botox to help with your muscle clenching? There are different techniques that could help in your masseter and temporalis areas (I am dentist in AL, but you could check with yours locally). Random sounding I am sure, but it works! I also love your workout recaps…
Hey Rayne! Thanks so much for the comment and suggestion. I have tried it and it works. The only issue is that it’s so short-lived and expensive long-term. I got a night guard recently but it’s so uncomfortable and I’m having a hard time getting used to it. The clenching is terrible and causes me dental issues (including cracked fillings) and pain. 🙁
I am glad you have tried it, but yes it is expensive! The night guard is a great option if you can keep it in ? I find most patients go through phases with it though, so hopefully yours will get better!
I wish i could make a weekly massage happen!! I’m so bad at getting myself to take the extra time to stretch that during the last massage I got, the masseuse warned me of injuring myself in the future if i don’t take more time to stretch and recover!
LOVE this week of workouts. Amazing. I especially love your BALANCE.
Acupuncture/massage… 2x month. But get this, used to be 3x week! Hard when insurance doesn’t cover it. It is VITAL to my happiness! Honestly, the art of therapeutic touch is really healing. Thoughts? What is your take on it?