Saturday, September 5, 2015

Sweaty Saturday: Hatha Yoga + More in Pictures

I eased into my Sweaty Saturday because my very first yoga class in China wasn't until 9:00. After a small breakfast and some coffee, I was off to meet my friend Young.


The studio was already bustling with activity (which I thought was a good sign) and after a little confusion at the door over shoes, we were directed to room #2 for Hatha class.


The website describes Hatha as:
The most ancient, complete and popular form of yoga for mental and physical health.  Hatha yoga with simply yoga breath and deep relaxation to finish.  This class is perfect for those who are new to yoga or just want a gentle stretch.
A gentle class, ideal for beginners, that focuses on sun salutations, the 12 basic Shivananda postures and a final deep relaxation. The basic asanas in the Shivananda sequence are traditional postures that have been practised for centuries.
When we entered the room, our instructor waved us and one other new girl to the front and told us her English was not very good so she would only be speaking Chinese during instruction. Not what I was expecting, but ok. I can watch and imitate. Then she added that most of the class were regulars, so there might be some poses that we couldn't do. Again, no big deal.


Our instructor was very helpful during the class, often coming over to us (and others) to adjust our poses. But since the class had mostly repeat, experienced participants, she included many challenging and some difficult poses. Even though there were several that I couldn't do at all, I still had a good workout and can now work on improving.

After class mrC and I had lunch.

Cheesy quinoa and tuna

I read a little.


We ran some errands and bought some pre-cooked corn for dinner.


Gluten free Skyline chili spaghetti :)

After dinner we walked for Gelato.



We stopped at our favorite bike store for a new bell for my bike.



The weather tonight was so nice. Nice enough to run. If I ran at night.




Have you ever taken a "beginner" class that wasn't?
Are you a morning or evening runner?





Friday, September 4, 2015

Friday Fun: Yoga, Chiropractor, and a PB

After breakfast mrC and I took a walk so that I could sign up for a free yoga class at YogaLife. The girl behind the counter spoke very little English, but a very nice Chinese woman coming out of a class helped answer my questions. I signed up for Hatha which is good class for beginners. The class is tomorrow and I'm really excited.


Then we dropped in to First Chiropractic. We met Doctor Steve, an American doctor, who could see us right away. We both completed an assessment and then received an adjustment. The method of adjustment was different than the traditional cracking that we are used to. Doctor Steve uses the IQ Impulse technique which is a computer aided tool that produces a controlled force. After our adjustments, we were sent off to an assistant for some therapy. I had a sort-of neck massage and my IT bands rolled with The Stick (OWW!). mrC learned some stretches.


My fitness highlight of the day: during day 4 of my plank challenge, I set a PB on the standard plank. I don't know why I did it in my dress except that I was worried I would forget to plank after we came back from lunch.




Any advice before my first China yoga class?
Do you see a chiropractor?


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Running Loops, Planking and Beets BLU

I expected it to be raining when I woke up this morning, so I was pleasantly surprised to see dry walkways when I looked out the window. I didn't waste any time lacing up my Mizunos and heading out. It's a holiday in China (70th Anniversary of Victory Day), so the streets were bare compared to the normal rush, even at 6:30 in the morning.


Hanging out with my MRTT group while in the states and reconnecting with the SWIC hiking group, has inspired me to start a running group! Today I scoped out a possible route that would loop us through town and keep us in the shade. It was a little short of the 3 miles I was hoping for, so I will try to fine tune that on my next run. I was also thinking of doing a 1 mile loop/out-n-back that would be more flexible for varying experiences because we could repeat it but give runners the option of what distance they want to do.


My post run planking continues to be successful. I'm getting daily motivation from the challenge I joined. Here is a clip of day 3 just for fun. I also timed how long I could hold a standard plank. I'm hoping to improve my time by the end of the challenge.



On my last few few runs, I have been testing a new heart rate monitor from Beets BLU that I was given to review. I have used it with a couple of different apps and it has worked exactly as I expected. There is no hassle to link up the device (just a quick read of the instructions) and my heart rate was visible instantly. I really like the compatibility of this device as I often switch between different workout apps. I also like that you DON'T have to use the Beets BLU app since it can work with so many others, but the Beets BLU app is good too.




Do you prefer running loops or out-n-backs?
Do you use a heart rate monitor when you work out?




Disclosure: I was sent a Beets BLU Wireless Heart Rate Monitor for the purpose of review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Exploring Shenzhen on Foot: Chiwan

One thing that I do a ton of here in China is walk! I can wrack up 10,000 steps before lunch time some days which is really good for my FitBit challenges. My friends in the hiking group know how to help with that.

Today we explored an area of Shenzhen (where I live) called Chiwan. From our Monday hiking summit on Nanshan Mountain, we can see the other mountain which inspired our trip today.

Xiaonan Mountain: aka Little Nanshan Mountain - 850 steps

I met up with the small group and after waiting out some rain underground in the metro station, we walked to catch a bus to Chiwan. From the bus stop we had to walk a little ways up the road to get to the entrance of the mountain. There was quite a bit of construction going on, but a friendly Chinese man on a scooter guided us through. We followed the road until we found the steps. 850 steps later we were at the top where we found an very large observation area and an old fort. Although this mountain is approximately the same climb, the mass is smaller than our regular hiking mountain. Hence the name, little.



Tomb of the Last Emperor:

Our descent off the mountain took us right by this historical spot. Song Shao Di Mu became emperor at age 7 in 1278. When losing a battle with Mongols, his protector Lu Xiufu took him and jumped into the sea. Legend says his body washed up in Shenzhen near the Tian Hou Temple in Chiwan.


By the end of our exploring, my feet were toast, but I completed day 2 of my plank challenge: up/downs and arm lifts. I did 3 sets of 5. Then I relaxed.


Are you a FitBit user?



Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Coffee and Treadmill Tuesday

I'm starting a new tradition.

It's not taking over the making of cheesy scrambled eggs. mrC is MUCH better at it than I am :)


Every Tuesday the Shenzhen Women's International Club, SWIC, meets for coffee. Three times a month it's at the Hilton where I have a membership to the fitness center. For an hour or so we mingle over coffee and treats, catch up, and make plans.


Today I packed my gym bag so I could hit the fitness center after coffee. I figured since I'm already there, why not make a regular date with the treadmill?

After a quick change in the locker room, I hit the treadmill for a good 30 minute run.


I forgot the Nike+ shoe pod that connects to my watch, so I had to run holding my phone (no armband either) while using the Nike+ app, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I can't remember the last time I used the app, so it gave me time to check out what's new with it.

After logging a comfortable 3 miles, I added another new (but old) tradition: planks. When I first started running in Ohio, my friend taught me to plank after our runs. When I moved to New Hampshire that sort of fell by the wayside.


I cooled down with some post-run stretching and biked back to apartment. My legs seem happier when I go for a little spin on the same days that I run.



Do you have any fitness traditions?
What do you do after a run?







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