Right I am on 2.1 L5 Day 46. Tracy Anderson takes it to new heights in Year 2. There is the added challenge of the chair. It is used in a number of ways -- a blocker to ensure you are reaching the right angles, a balance bar and a support for planks.
Thus far on omni I have managed without having arms on my chair. I simply adjust my hold. I saw no reason to shell out more money for a chair with arms. The important things is that the chair needs to be sturdy enough to climb on and easy enough to move about.
You should be able to get under it but in the first level, I found I was getting claustrophobic and so Imagined the chair about me. It worked.
Tracy uses ankle and wrist weights -- both lighter (1.5 lbs). I have taken to stopping the dvd and transferring my wrist weights to my ankles. It works. You only want to add the weights AFTER you can do the exercises with perfect form and for the required number of reps. The fact that she is wearing the weights is an invitation, not a commandment for every workout on that level. I did check with the TAM team. It makes sense.
I have also learnt that precise form is essential. Not only do you want to hit the angles (the higher the leg, the tighter, the bum) but you also want to keep the tempo. Sometimes going too quickly can make the exercises easier. This is unfortunately true of the planks so I am trying to be mindful and slow down. The positioning of the knee is key in many leg lifts. A slight shift in the foot position during a lunge can make a difference to where you feel it. And arm positioning can mean the difference between balancing or falling. I learnt this the hard way on this level when in the second to the last exercise I didn't have my support arm down at right angles to my body. I keep gently toppling and then I looked and saw. Adjusted and I could do the bloody exercise.
My No Sugar January is going well. I do feel a lot less bloated. My mid morning cravings have gone and I am often no hungry for an afternoon snack. I went through a period last year of feeling like I was starving all the time which was when I discovered nutrient rich starchy carbs.
My daughter made some pretzels the other day which had honey as the fifth ingredient. they tasted wonderful but my body reacted badly. I was up half the night with stomach cramps from bloating. I am not sure if it was from the sweetener, the sesame seeds or the poppy seeds. I had wondered if I had an yeast overgrowth (because of the craving for sweet things) and hence part of the reason for the No Sugar Jan. The reaction could have been the yeast going into over drive. Anyway, I shall be terribly strict for awhile and then test. again. I really don't want a repeat...
I am currently writing a synopsis for my latest Viking partial and preparing to send it to my editor -- whenever she lets me know about the revised one. Fingers crossed.
1 comment:
Hi Michelle! I have been reading your posts about Tracy with much interest. Are you still training with her method? I am currently doing Meta Hip MT, have only made it to level 2 so far but hope that I will do the entire 90 days. Thank you for sharing. Take care, Sofie
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