Today I took a 45 minute spin class and an hour of Yoga for Athletes class.
It always amazes how quickly I can loose touch with my body...doing hip openers, focusing on opening the low back, and even the adductors (inner thighs).
Which brings me to my most simple concept today...why wait til after the holidays and a "new year's resolution" to begin the journey of focusing on my most healthy body ever?
My previous entry spoke of visualization, and anything I have ever read about visualization also stated that you can visualize ANYTHING you desire. If there is a shape you would like to see yourself in, VISUALIZE IT! ...but there is a catch...following up the visualization with an ACTION PLAN and sticking to it.
Don't wait til New Year's to get that body back...start today and live in the body, and the joy of having it today (watch yourself, don't think it is a "future" deal only...it is NOW, this allows happiness to begin today)
Have a great day!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
VISUALIZATION Testimony
WOW!
I got such a gift today, the reminder of how visualization techniques work.
Being an athlete my whole life, I had a few of my coaches (the really good ones) teach visualization techniques.
I remember being an 11 year old wondering why I was laying on the pool deck-out of the water-dripping wet, told to do this "drill".
The "drill" was having us lay on the deck, eyes closed. We were asked to envision the next event we planned on swimming at the next championship swim meet. We were asked to completely picture the entire scene, what the pool area looked like, who was there, who was timing us...all the details of the surrounding scene. We then were asked to look right at our competition in the lane next to us, then look left. We were told to get on the blocks, and BANG! the starter gun went off....we were asked to envision our dive into the pool, the feeling of adrenaline and water surrounding our bodies as we came up for a big breathe of air to surge forward in our strokes...feeling the water, and every breath....
The rest was left up to us to finish this race...and in the time we knew we were wanting to do.....
I thought the coolest part was when the coach got quiet, and he let us lay there, visualizing our swim, only telling us to sit up when we hit the wall and touched the touch pad for our time.
I did not know he had actually started his watch...and wanted to see how close to reality we would come...Would we really sit up at the right time? Our goal time?
I learned so much from this drill....I immediately understood after that why he did it. Other coaches after him had done other sorts of visualization drills, but this was my very first recollection of doing a drill that was out of the pool...something that would help my swimming more then any drill I could do in the pool.
If you would like to read another story about another successful visualization experience that I have had regarding the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon, then feel free to look into John Assaraf's (from the Secret) Vision Board Book. My story has been published on page 37.
Aloha!
Stephanie
I got such a gift today, the reminder of how visualization techniques work.
Being an athlete my whole life, I had a few of my coaches (the really good ones) teach visualization techniques.
I remember being an 11 year old wondering why I was laying on the pool deck-out of the water-dripping wet, told to do this "drill".
The "drill" was having us lay on the deck, eyes closed. We were asked to envision the next event we planned on swimming at the next championship swim meet. We were asked to completely picture the entire scene, what the pool area looked like, who was there, who was timing us...all the details of the surrounding scene. We then were asked to look right at our competition in the lane next to us, then look left. We were told to get on the blocks, and BANG! the starter gun went off....we were asked to envision our dive into the pool, the feeling of adrenaline and water surrounding our bodies as we came up for a big breathe of air to surge forward in our strokes...feeling the water, and every breath....
The rest was left up to us to finish this race...and in the time we knew we were wanting to do.....
I thought the coolest part was when the coach got quiet, and he let us lay there, visualizing our swim, only telling us to sit up when we hit the wall and touched the touch pad for our time.
I did not know he had actually started his watch...and wanted to see how close to reality we would come...Would we really sit up at the right time? Our goal time?
I learned so much from this drill....I immediately understood after that why he did it. Other coaches after him had done other sorts of visualization drills, but this was my very first recollection of doing a drill that was out of the pool...something that would help my swimming more then any drill I could do in the pool.
If you would like to read another story about another successful visualization experience that I have had regarding the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon, then feel free to look into John Assaraf's (from the Secret) Vision Board Book. My story has been published on page 37.
Aloha!
Stephanie
Friday, November 21, 2008
It's a blog day afternoon
AHHHH!
A little trip to the East Coast for a wedding reminded me of East Coast swimming, INDOORS. Yes, I grew up on the East Coast, and yes, spent all my first 21 years of life in indoor pools.
I have to say the brand new swim complex I swam at in Greenwich, Conn was amazing.
The brisk cold air outside, and warm tropical chlorinated pool area inside. I did not realize how spoiled I have become swimming in outdoor pools year round until I went through this experience. I reminissed about blustery cold winter mornings at o'dark thirty in Northern Massachusetts before school, and a quick brisk run with wet hair after the second practice as we headed to heated cars to get home to a late dinner....oof.
I love the East Coast, and quite frankly there are so many things about it I do miss...the dramatic change in the four seasons, the seasonal change of clothing, curtains, tires on cars, shoe collections, bed linens etc...everything changes...sooo cool. Wouldn't change my upbringing on the East Coast at all...love the sense of family, and what I call "direct friendliness"...people are more direct, they hold doors open, are polite saying with eye contact-GOOD MORNING! I love that! I also like that Thank You is heard, and said with a smile.
I find it easy to strike up conversation with NorEasta's, especially Bostonians (my home turf).
Today I pay homage to the female athlete who swims year round, despite the bloody temperature outside! I think it takes a lot of guts to adorn a swimsuit when the rest of the outside world is layered up to thier chinny-chinny chins in winter garb.
You go girl!
A little trip to the East Coast for a wedding reminded me of East Coast swimming, INDOORS. Yes, I grew up on the East Coast, and yes, spent all my first 21 years of life in indoor pools.
I have to say the brand new swim complex I swam at in Greenwich, Conn was amazing.
The brisk cold air outside, and warm tropical chlorinated pool area inside. I did not realize how spoiled I have become swimming in outdoor pools year round until I went through this experience. I reminissed about blustery cold winter mornings at o'dark thirty in Northern Massachusetts before school, and a quick brisk run with wet hair after the second practice as we headed to heated cars to get home to a late dinner....oof.
I love the East Coast, and quite frankly there are so many things about it I do miss...the dramatic change in the four seasons, the seasonal change of clothing, curtains, tires on cars, shoe collections, bed linens etc...everything changes...sooo cool. Wouldn't change my upbringing on the East Coast at all...love the sense of family, and what I call "direct friendliness"...people are more direct, they hold doors open, are polite saying with eye contact-GOOD MORNING! I love that! I also like that Thank You is heard, and said with a smile.
I find it easy to strike up conversation with NorEasta's, especially Bostonians (my home turf).
Today I pay homage to the female athlete who swims year round, despite the bloody temperature outside! I think it takes a lot of guts to adorn a swimsuit when the rest of the outside world is layered up to thier chinny-chinny chins in winter garb.
You go girl!
Friday, November 7, 2008
5 tips for swimsuit care
The other day I was at swim practice and was chatting it up with the girls, and we got on the topic of why their swimsuits didn't last very long. The girls were besides themselves when they figured out that they way they were currently caring for their suits was actually doing more damage then good, hence their swimsuits short lifespan.
Aside from chlorine being the basic fabric killer, there are things you can do to shorten or extend the life of your swimsuit. (this is standard protocol for any suit made of content being nylon/lycra, poly lycra, or cotton lycra blend).
#1 The most important: immediately after wear, gentley ring out, and hang to dry. The girls had fessed up that it was common for them to roll their suit in a towel, and leave it in the towel, in their hot car, or trunk of car, for a few hours or all day. The best piece of advice I can give is to hang it, even drape over the front seat, or hang it from the hooks where hangers for clothes are in your car. Simply the suit needs to breathe, and dry.
#2 The suit does not have to be put in the wash machine. The reality is: if you do not plan on standing next to the wash machine the exact moment it is done to remove your swimsuit, then don't bother putting it through. You can wash it, but again, relating to Tip #1, DO NOT LEAVE IT WET OR DAMP FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. A damp swimsuit in a dark loaded wash machine is the perfect set up for mold to set in, and the dampness and air together/for any length of time, start to eat away at the elastomera (elastic fibers) of the fabric. Your better higher quality swimwear will make it through the wash, other swimsuits with less quality construction will not.
#3 Do not put in dryer. Again, elastic fibers cannot withstand the heat, and they do melt and or dry and crack. A medium lit area, without extraneous amounts of heat will be best. (I hang on my bedroom door knob, and have for years...it is a great little spot and accomplishes the task at hand)
#4 Keep suit from fading by not leaving it in direct sunlight to dry......your swimsuit will fade (just like a colored cotton t-shirt hung out on the line in direct sunlight) it will have the same fading effect....so a cool place out of direct sunlight is best.
#5 It is not necessary to use powerful soaps to wash and rinse your suit. Bleach will destroy a swimsuit instantly. The nylon/polyester/cotton and elastic fibers can not survive bleach. At swim practice a lot of girls while shampooing hair will rinse down our suits with general bath soap or shampoo, and this is plenty sufficient.
If you are an avid chlorine pool swimmer, then choose poly/lycra or poly only fabrics for the most longevity-you will get more bang for your buck...but again, if you apply the right care for your swimsuit, you will always get plenty of bang for your buck!
That is my tip for the day!
Ahoy Swimsuit girls!
Aside from chlorine being the basic fabric killer, there are things you can do to shorten or extend the life of your swimsuit. (this is standard protocol for any suit made of content being nylon/lycra, poly lycra, or cotton lycra blend).
#1 The most important: immediately after wear, gentley ring out, and hang to dry. The girls had fessed up that it was common for them to roll their suit in a towel, and leave it in the towel, in their hot car, or trunk of car, for a few hours or all day. The best piece of advice I can give is to hang it, even drape over the front seat, or hang it from the hooks where hangers for clothes are in your car. Simply the suit needs to breathe, and dry.
#2 The suit does not have to be put in the wash machine. The reality is: if you do not plan on standing next to the wash machine the exact moment it is done to remove your swimsuit, then don't bother putting it through. You can wash it, but again, relating to Tip #1, DO NOT LEAVE IT WET OR DAMP FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. A damp swimsuit in a dark loaded wash machine is the perfect set up for mold to set in, and the dampness and air together/for any length of time, start to eat away at the elastomera (elastic fibers) of the fabric. Your better higher quality swimwear will make it through the wash, other swimsuits with less quality construction will not.
#3 Do not put in dryer. Again, elastic fibers cannot withstand the heat, and they do melt and or dry and crack. A medium lit area, without extraneous amounts of heat will be best. (I hang on my bedroom door knob, and have for years...it is a great little spot and accomplishes the task at hand)
#4 Keep suit from fading by not leaving it in direct sunlight to dry......your swimsuit will fade (just like a colored cotton t-shirt hung out on the line in direct sunlight) it will have the same fading effect....so a cool place out of direct sunlight is best.
#5 It is not necessary to use powerful soaps to wash and rinse your suit. Bleach will destroy a swimsuit instantly. The nylon/polyester/cotton and elastic fibers can not survive bleach. At swim practice a lot of girls while shampooing hair will rinse down our suits with general bath soap or shampoo, and this is plenty sufficient.
If you are an avid chlorine pool swimmer, then choose poly/lycra or poly only fabrics for the most longevity-you will get more bang for your buck...but again, if you apply the right care for your swimsuit, you will always get plenty of bang for your buck!
That is my tip for the day!
Ahoy Swimsuit girls!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
WELCOME to the Sportkini Blog
Welcome!
A blog for women who want to join in on discussion about their water sport/competitive activities, their triumphs and pitfalls, ongoing challenges, fun bits of helpful tidbits about race sites, great races to race etc...this is a place for positive stuff!
Bring your friends! Chime in!
Find out about the new developments with the best swimsuit ever, the Sportkini. Feel free to give your constructive comments and new ideas.
I love success stories, and here I would love to hear about your stories of success. They fire me up and motivate me! Sharing them, no matter the size of the "success", as it is very personal, I assure you, will be appreciated.
I want to share my knowledge from my entire life having been dedicated to water sports. I literally have lived in my swimsuits my whole life (hence this is where the concept of the sportkini generated-through my own personal experience).
Here is a sampler of a few of my athletic ventures...with more to come! Competitive swimming, long distance ocean swims(lived in HAWAII), triathlons (HI Ironman finisher!), cross country running, outrigger canoe paddling(all around the South Pacific), flatwater kayaking, surfski paddling, hiking and my next target, kiteboarding!!
To me finding out how to run my body like a ferrari and not a jalopy lead to my curious fascination of athletic performance, hence, a degree in PHYS ED, EXERCISE SCIENCE/NUTRITION seemed appropriate.
Then further down the road, so that I could make my premiere product the SPORTKINI, I dove into my Associates Degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Apparel Manuacturing.
I invite you, come along for the ride, read along, and be part of the excitement this blog!
You will find cool fun and interesting facts here!
I will post again tomorrow!
A blog for women who want to join in on discussion about their water sport/competitive activities, their triumphs and pitfalls, ongoing challenges, fun bits of helpful tidbits about race sites, great races to race etc...this is a place for positive stuff!
Bring your friends! Chime in!
Find out about the new developments with the best swimsuit ever, the Sportkini. Feel free to give your constructive comments and new ideas.
I love success stories, and here I would love to hear about your stories of success. They fire me up and motivate me! Sharing them, no matter the size of the "success", as it is very personal, I assure you, will be appreciated.
I want to share my knowledge from my entire life having been dedicated to water sports. I literally have lived in my swimsuits my whole life (hence this is where the concept of the sportkini generated-through my own personal experience).
Here is a sampler of a few of my athletic ventures...with more to come! Competitive swimming, long distance ocean swims(lived in HAWAII), triathlons (HI Ironman finisher!), cross country running, outrigger canoe paddling(all around the South Pacific), flatwater kayaking, surfski paddling, hiking and my next target, kiteboarding!!
To me finding out how to run my body like a ferrari and not a jalopy lead to my curious fascination of athletic performance, hence, a degree in PHYS ED, EXERCISE SCIENCE/NUTRITION seemed appropriate.
Then further down the road, so that I could make my premiere product the SPORTKINI, I dove into my Associates Degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Apparel Manuacturing.
I invite you, come along for the ride, read along, and be part of the excitement this blog!
You will find cool fun and interesting facts here!
I will post again tomorrow!
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