Day 13: PURE CARDIO/CARDIO ABS

Today was the first today I was actually scheduled to do Cardio Abs, but I think I've done it three times already. This combo is 55 minutes of working out, but's doable because you get a break in between and because Cardio Abs is mostly seated (although you have to do those two dreaded sets of power jumps and tuck jumps first). It's probably a good sneak peek of month 2, however. Scheduling this on the sixth day was evil. But I motivated myself through it by thinking of it as training for the fit test coming up the day after tomorrow.

On a sour note, one of my knees has felt the slightest bit twingy since yesterday. I mostly feel it when walking up the stairs and it's very subtle, but there. Also, my lower back feels a little "off." I have occasional lower back pain due to an unstable sacroiliac joint. (Ladies, if you have low back pain, this is a very likely cause, especially if you've ever had children and/or have some natural flexibility.) I spent some time last night stretching, in particular sitting in hero (sitting between the heels), internal hip rotation that also gently stretches the inner knee as long as you're open enough to sit safely in the posture. I also spent time opening my hips, as tight hips often pull on the knees and lead to knee pain. In fact, tightness at a specific joint location can lead to dysfunction two joints away!

The other thing I do to pop my sacrum back into place if it's out is to wrap a yoga strap around my ankles so my legs are hip-width, lie on my stomach, and lift my legs and chest while pressing strongly outward against the strap. If your sacrum is misaligned, you'll feel a gentle pop and like magic, the sore lower back disappears. I did that today before the workout, and now, a couple of hours later, both my lower back and my knees feel fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that careful application of yoga will keep my joints in working order. I can't practice yoga in the way I usually do as I'll overtrain -- but therapeutic yoga is going to be a must. I hope some of my tips can help some of you as well.

Done with week 2! I'm one-fourth of the way there! Now I can spend the rest of the day relaxing on the couch watching the Winter Olympics (we uber-northerners love our snow sports) and enjoying V-day dinner. Tomorrow, another Epsom Salt bath and some more therapeutic yoga. I feel pretty great right now.

Oh, I don't recommend hemp protein as a supplement. You get only half the protein for the same number of calories as whey, and it also tastes like ground-up rope with a dash of nutty hay mixed in. Feh!