Everyday Systems

Hey all! I just did SG and made it to 10 minutes before I started to feel tired... My hands and arms were really feeling good, and I'm sure it won't be long before I can do the full 14 again... If I have to do 10 minutes I don't care, I just want to get back to my original pact of doing it five days a week, every week!
I felt so happy dancing around with my "partner"!
It's true (G)Love!
All hail the mighty Warrior Deb!!!!
I'm back
Rahhhhhhh!!!!!!
LOL....
Thanks guys for being so supportive, especially Ariel, and Dee, while I've been laying low...
xoxo!

You're doing the right thing, Deb. Ease up to 14 minutes. The hard part is getting started every N day, the danger once you've started is overdoing it. Sounds like you're doing great on both fronts.

Yay... Diva Deb is back!!!!! (if you can call me Ariel of the Awesome Arms, then I can call you that... ) Congrats on getting back in the saddle again! And good for you for not pushing past 10 minutes. An injury/setback is the last thing you need. You're already doing better than I did when I started

Not much news on me. I'm still doing a basic SG - shovels, chops, butter churns, lever flips and squats (yes those have no real-world meaning, but somehow it just doesn't feel like a complete workout unless I specifically target my legs some of the time). The churns are by far the hardest for me. I can barely do 50 (total). Surprising, bc they didn't look all that hard when I first read the description, but they wear me out - and hit the abs more than I expected too! Anyway, it's all good.

Ariel King,

I noticed your location, I'm in Morristown. Go Vols!

Jay

Hi Jay! Cool -- another Tennessee SGer!! Go Vols indeed (I'm not actually a football fan, but I'll say it for your sake ) I wish I knew where everyone was from; it would be interesting to know how many states and countries Reinhard has influenced with his idea.

Hey International League of Shovelglovers!
I have been totally out of the SG world for the past two months... Well today I was feeling like I needed a major pick me up... So I picked up the trusty hammer (poor thing has been treated like a stepchild! All neglected in the corner of my room...)
Well I only mustered up about 9 minutes today, and it was all really slowwwwwwwww....... I was trying to do "Chop down the door" aka "The Fireman", but it was more like "Timidly knock on the door so quiet no one will know you are there...." LOL..
Still, it did *something*... A few hours later now and my biceps are telling me "Hey leave us alone!"
I actually hurt my left knee a bit the other day in Yoga, so I skipped practice today to let it heal... I was a bit upset that I wasn't being more in synch with my body signals... Well *S#it* happens right?
At least it gave me a chance to pick up my stepchild hammer again and reconnect to it... Even in super slow motion, and a somewhat depressed state, it had a very positive and unique effect on me... It's really unlike any other weightlifting regime I can think of...
Funny.. When I was at the gym last week, I tried a few things with the "Cable" machine... This is *supposed* to be more of a free range of motion weight station... I was looking at the chart of suggested movements on the thing and they had one which was called "Chopping Wood"... I'm sorry, but there is no way I could ever effectively fool myself into thinking that I was chopping wood with a cable attached to a nautilus machine!
I'll just stick with the sledge..
It seems my hand and arm strength have diminished a little bit.. Well at least the grip part.. I have to stop taking long breaks from this...
From now on you will be seeing me every week.. Even if this means not doing 14 minutes... Chances are, I'll be up to that soon, but if not, heck 8 minutes is still far more desirable than *no minutes*!!!!
It feels nice to notice the immediate tonicity of my biceps... I will just have to couple this with stretching before and after... I did notice something I didn't like about SG (I know sacriledge! LOL)
Well at least for me, when I was SG'ing often, I found that my shoulder girdle really tightened up, but in a *not good* way... I want my chest and arms to be strong, but not bound up or restricted... That started to happen... I realized that when I tried to do some Yoga stretches and my chest just wouldn't budge... SG may not be the only reason for this, as my massage has the same "shortening" effect on the biceps and pec muscles... So does being on the computer a lot.. Just from positional shortening....
Well let's hope post stretching will counterbalance it all! I've been quite negligent about it, and unlike our Reinhard, I don't find "Yawning" stretching to be good enough! LOL.....
Glad to be posting again with all you Warriors!!!!!
Hope to be back up to my old "Rahhhh"-ing self fairly soon!
Love,
Deb
(Rahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL... )

Keep it up, Deb. Rahhhhh away, and use your hara!

Thanks Freakwitch!
I certainly will!
Peace and Glove,
Deb

Deb, good for you for getting back to it!

Hi Deb,
If you are worried about tightening up in the shoulders, chest and arms give the Indian club workout that Reinhard posted before a go (http://ejmas.com/pt/ptart_dick_0101.htm). I just use the bars of two dumbells for the workout, even thoud they are light if you do 5 of each of the swings suggested it is quite a serious workout. My chest, shoulder and arms feel great and mobile afterwards, but the workout makes you stronger at the same time. I really feel great after this workout (lunchtimes in the park in the sun is good). If you just keep a pair of light clubs next to you shovelglove and do some of the big shoulder swings at the end of your workout (or anywhere during it), I guarantee you will feel better.
Phil.

Thanks Phil! How's life down under mate?
I like the idea of clubs, especially because "club" seems like a cool way to get out my agression! LOL..But most likely I won't be getting any, in the near future.. I am broke!
I'll just try to swing and stretch without em for now...
And getting outside in the sun really sounds like a great idea!
Hope you are well over there!!!

Have fun combining proteins!
See you later
Peace,
Deb

No worries Deb!
I know it is sacrilege in this day and age but I reckon that this light club exercises are better than stretching any day. Especially for the upper body. Keep it real in Great Neck! My son is named after the Hudson River.

Phil.

Sorry all, no glove today.. I did four hours of chair massage in 85 degree heat at an outdoor event.. I am totally spent!
I have just enough energy to lift a fork and maybe enough left to brush my teeth later..
SG is definitely not happening till I recover! LOL....
Hope you are all shoving it with the shovel!!!!
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Deb

Wheeeeeeehaaaaaawwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just blasted through that 14 minutes!!!
I did mostly shovelling, hoisting, fireman (and we have a great doorway for "real life" practice!!! Excellent visual aide!)
Then I also did some Yoga poses while holding the glove, but watchout!!!!
It's kindof risky to try and balance while holding a weight other than you!!!
Fortunately no boo boos occurred!
Then the last two minutes of SG consisted of some major rapid fire squats while holding the SG in the hoist position but with two handed hold, and not lifting it.. just letting the weight hang on my spine as I did the squats..
Made it to about 40 and then my knee said "Take a break!!!" so I switched to one last minute of freestyle kickboxing to shake out those legs which were stoking those squats!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm coming to get you Ariel!!!! See you in a few weeks and I'll match your 100...Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeeeeeehaaaaawwww!!!!!!!!!!!
She's Baaaaaaack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please everyone, kick my ass if you don't see me post a SG workout within a day or two! I want to do this 5 days a week....
I didn't eat anything before, and I think it actually helped me somehow..
I am feeling great!!!!!!
Seriously, I need help keeping this up for a while before it just becomes second nature, so I'm serious.. If I'm not here almost every day, please bother me about it! There's no reason not to do this awesome workout...
Thank you Reinhard you brilliant man!!!!!!

Long live the Glove!
Warrior Deb!!!
Founder of the Pact of Blood!
Raaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Deb, as Rob Brezsny would say, Kick Your Own Ass:

Kick your own ass Now Now
Kick your sweet ass Now

No pride No fear No shame
Your body never lies
No guilt No sin No blame
Your body never lies
No grudge No spite No greed
Your body never lies
No gloom No doom No doubt
Your body never lies

:: Freakwitch puts his trickster hat on and sneaks out of the room ::

Ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

He's right about the "body never lies" thing!!!!!!!
Thanks Pagan Musical Freakwitch!!!

Peace and Love,
Om Shanti (town)
Deb

WAY TO GO DEB!!!! So... have you done your 14 minutes today yet? Hmmm? *tap tap tap* Don't make me come up there and do my 100 squats in your face!! GO DEB GO!!!

I'm not much of an @ss kicker, but let me make a suggestion.

Do 14 minutes. Even if you rest for two minutes, twice, do 14 minutes.

Ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Ariel and Kevin!!!

Ariel that tapping is making me laugh!
I hereby ask that, instead of kicking my ass, you all cumulatively kick my ass manager's ass!!!!!
I have never felt so infuriated by any individual I have ever worked with and I'm not exactly a new person in the world, so I've had my share of lame ass bosses... Well she makes them all seem like Julie Andrews....

I'm eating my dinner now, but then I will be kicking my own ass!!!

I did 30 minutes of elliptical trainer today... Some major screwups at work, due to incompetence of my new manager/boss and then she just tried to spin doctor the whole situation onto me!!! OMG she is cruising for a bruising!!!!
Was so upset by my jerk boss that I just left the place and skipped my Yoga...
I was too angry to stay around there before going postal....

I think today I will imagine her face as a target for my SG... Nah...
I'll just have fun like usual!!!
Screw her...
I'm just gonna put on some Dead and try to forget about it...

Thanks for writing!
Peace and Glove...
Deb

Okay my 14 minutes are present done and accounted for!!!!
Just finished and have a nice dewey sweat goin!!!!

All I have to say is,,,,,,

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you! LOL...
Well good night fellow Warriors all over the world...

Rock on!
Peace and Glove,
Warrior Deb
Pact of Blood

GREAT JOB, you get your star for the day!!! Sorry the manager is being such an a$$ in need of a kicking... That is really a downer for an otherwise good job! Yuck!

Thanks Ariel!!! Ooooh... When I saw your post, at first, I thought your were gonna come up here and get in my face!!! LOL.... Yeah!
I'm about to do SG for today....
(on my bosses head!)
So you can stay in Knoxville for now...

Actually, I'm just gonna change my schedule to one day a week there, and find something else in the meantime along with my private practice...
I am happy with this decision and it will still entitle me to go to Yoga if I like with my Guru Larryji, and if, God willing, the boss finally gets bumped from the club, I could always add more hours when, and if, that happens...

Peace and Glove!
Here I go!!!!!!!!
Deb

Okay, I did SG just now... Was great! When I got a little tired, I just sidestepped in place... The inspiration for this move was taken from the last scene in Magical Mystery Tour, when John, Paul, George and Ringo all side kick their way down a big flight of stairs (ala the Rockettes...)

Anyway,,, It went great, and I did two sets of my own version of weighted squats... I've actually been doing these from the get go last year, but they are different than Hindu squats..
Let's just call them Debbie squats!
And I mainly do them when I'm feeling my arms need a minute or two off.. I lay the whole SG along my spine with the weight on my behind, then in a flat back pose, I just go up and down from there...
I did two sets, of 38 squats.. Pretty good to get the breathing going!!!!
I was gulping down the air! LOL..
And Freakwitch, how's this for Serendipity????

I have most of my music in a library on I tunes on the comp...
I picked out my usual SG song.... A 12 minute live version of "Franklin's Tower" from a show in the 90's...
When the song is over, it just skips to the next checked item on the list...

The Rob Bresny song came on afterwards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ha ha ha!!!!!!!

It was like I was getting an honorary visit from you, and a reminder to Kick my own Ass! LOL.....
Cool!

Peace and Glove all!
Warrior Deb
Founder of the Pact of Blood!

Raaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Shovelglovers!

I did a combo routine today, on my first offical day of "unemployment" LOL.. (actually I also work for myself so that's an exaggeration..)

If I'm not rushing out on a schedule to get out the door, what I'm doing now is getting my workout in before I eat my late breakfast...
It's great to have Shovelglove and it's still something I really love (never really stopped, but when I started working at the gym, I pretty much took a hiatus from it because I was already going to two to three 90 minute Yoga classes a week and that seemed sufficient..)

But hey!!!
Shovelglove is still fun as hell!!!
Now, since I've been away for a little while, I'm doing the 14 minutes but it's not entirely SG... I did 6 minutes of SG at first, then I did 100 crunches with the Ab Roller, then I did some more SG... Then I did about five minutes of Warrior and Triangle poses and Headstand...
I'm getting quite good at that Headstand!!!
I actually wound up with a 17 minute workout, and could have continued but, I have to get some other things done that must happen..
(Cleaning this disaster area!)

I have much less trouble getting up, and I'm working on coming down from it with control in my core, not just flopping down onto my feet...
Ultimately, I would like to be able to get into headstand without too much use of "momentum" and be able to very smoothly lift up from my abs and move into a full headstand very slowly and fluidly with control, and my breath...

I did it three times and stayed up for at least thirty seconds or more each time... That's a big improvement from a few weeks ago, when I could only stay up for about 5 or 10 seconds before "falling"...

Yay!!!!

Thanks Reinhard for developing a lifesaving exercise which you can do, pretty much anywhere, any time!!! And teaching us to "carve out" that time for ourselves every day!

Warrior Deb (All of them, Warrior I, II, and III!!! LOL...)
is back and better than ever!!!!!

Rahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great day!
Peace and Love,
Deb