Do the best you can with both your heart and mind

          Cheerfulness and Gladness - those are the emotions associated with the Crocus flower
                                                These greeted me on my walk today

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Day 4 Fitness

WARM UP  - Even when you workout for 10 minutes, you should warm up for a few minutes. It gets the circulation going, gives you a few minutes to focus on your body and tune it.

Stand upright (like you've just heard good news!) with your chest lifted and your shoulder blades pulled together in the back and down. Take a few deep breaths and then begin your warm up - anything warm up you'd like.

Oh yeah - And wear comfortable clothing -

                       Ha! This is what I found when I googled "photos of people doing crazy things"
                                                I love this guy, he really doesn't look so bad.

When you do these exercises just..... do the very best you can.

So far we have worked on exercises that strengthen chest, back, big muscles of the lower body and shoulders. Today we'll continue with shoulder, lower body and back extensors. Tomorrow we'll do a biceps and triceps exercise with stretches. 

FRONT LUNGE - strengthens thighs, hamstrings (back of thighs) and buttocks

You don't have to hold weights. If you are not familiar with this exercise do it holding on to a chair.

Start with feet together or apart.

Take a big step forward with your right leg.

Bend both knees. Your right knee should be directly over your right ankle and left knee points to floor but does not touch the floor.

To return to start position - press your right foot into the floor and bring your body up and back.

Alternate sides and do 8-16 total

UPRIGHT ROW - Shoulders

Start with hands on top of thighs.

Keep dumbbells close to your body and slowly lift them up along your torso until they are in a position that your arms are straight across from elbow to elbow.

Lead the exercise with your elbows and do keep the weighs close to your body.

Imagine that you are pulling up a very tight zipper.

Slowly return to start positon.

Do 2 sets of 8 (heavy weights) or 1 set of 16-24 (lighter weights)

BACK EXTENSION - it is important to strengthen the deep muscles along the spine. If you have low back pain proceed with caution.

Press your pubic bone into the floor, pull your belly in and lift your chest off the floor. Do not tense your low back.

Pause and slowly lower back down.

You may only come up a few inches -this is fine, no worries.

Do 8 or more if you'd like.

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These are two water collection systems. One I saw this morning in a nearby neighborhood in Baltimore and one at a family's home we visited in Viet Nam. Both represent to me kind ways to treat our earth by conserving water. 

I have a teeny-tiny bit of Native American heritage (Seminole). Because of that I'm drawn to the teachings of our First People.

Here is the website for a chant called Lakota Water Spirit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKnIuR6Fh0c

And here is a Lakota writing passed down from White Buffalo Calf Woman

Lakota Instructions for Living

Friend do it this way - that is,
whatever you do in life,
do the very best you can
with both your heart and mind.

And if you do it that way,
the Power Of The Universe
will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are in Unity.

When one sits in the Hoop Of The People,
one must be responsible because
All of Creation is related.
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all.
And the honor of one is the honor of all.
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.

If you do it that way - that is,
if you truly join your heart and mind
as One - whatever you ask for,
that's the Way It's Going To Be.


Much love and Happy March 1st!!!

Donna Rae