Squad Day 33: Hip Mobility and Core
The hot Rosemary and Lavender infused bath I took after dinner last night must have been full of fae magic, because I slept hard all night and woke up without an ounce of sore muscles this morning. I was still kind of sleepy when the alarm went off, probably due to the heaping scoop of epsom salts I added to my bath last night, but after a few quick stretches and some cold water on my face, I was awake and ready.
It’s about 10 degrees cooler outside this morning than it was yesterday, so it looks like I’m going to be doing another workout in my legwarmers. My husband finds my fashion choices to be hilarious as the days get colder- think hobo, and you’re catching onto my layering techniques and fall style. He may laugh, but he’s the one who taught me how to layer clothes for the cold, so jokes on him.
Novice 2.0 schedule is for Hip Mobility and 25 minutes of Core, and to be honest I am incredibly grateful for that Hip Mobility sequence. When I started doing Sam’s workouts, even before Valkyrie Squad launched, I had an intense ache and tightness around my left hip that wrapped around my left side. It would flare randomly and I’d find myself getting cramps there, tossing and turning at night, and in general being uncomfortable the majority of the time. I’m not even sure when it started up, and I’m even more at a loss for when it went away, but it’s gone. The only thing I can attribute to it’s disappearance is the regular Hip Mobility that is woven into nearly every workout. My work on pelvic tilt and posture correction is just another layer of the healing that has been taking place, and for sure a factor in my pain reduction.
So you know I did those hip circles first thing today, feeling that weird little in between glute muscle working hard. It’s such an interesting feeling, because it creates an ache in a very specific spot as the muscle warms up and is worked over. Like I can pinpoint exactly where that Glute Medius muscle is when I do Hip Mobility, and clearly it’s super weak on me because it only takes about 3 rotations before I start feeling that soreness building.
25 minutes of Core came next, and I was ready for something to warm up the rest of me, doing something mildly gentle like Hip Rotations warmed up very specific muscles, but not my whole body. I said earlier, it’s a bit colder today, and leg warmers or not, I was chilled. Dead Hyberns have become my favorite core move, I’ve felt so much improvement and strength from doing these so often. Prone Crunch Twists were next, and I didn’t shy away from them like I used to. I kept my block under my hips for both moves to keep my low core engaged and not stress my low back. Opposite Arm-Leg extensions came next and man did I feel something different since the last time. I actually felt my core engage from my hip to my rib, no more ache in my low back, and no more teetering on my knee. Every day I think it’s just going to be another round of a workout I’ve already done, and yet there’s so much improvement, noticeable improvement, that I’m shocked almost daily. I remember how much this workout kicked my butt last month, and this month the moves are easier, and more effective because my form has improved so much.
I was nice and warm by the time I finished my workout, so I stayed on my mat for a bit to do some Mindstilling. I laid flat on my back and kept my hands on my stomach so I could feel the muscles expand and contract with my breath, slow and controlled. I could really feel the muscles I just worked through with those deep slow breaths, and the slow contraction as I exhaled and emptied my diaphragm. Mindstilling while on my back is literally just another core workout, fine tuning all the smaller muscles on the inner abdominal wall as I breathe.
Last night Sam added a new round to Valkyrie Squad, and it’s mysterious as to what it will entail, but I’m so excited! Now, training doesn’t stop at Valkyrie level, but continues into Ataraxia. I wonder what that part of the program will contain?! I can’t wait to find out. Ataraxia is described to mean “Inner Peace,” in the books, a level of cool collectedness that Nesta acquires while defending the pass of Enalius while Emerie hauls Gwyn on her back up the last climb to the top of Ramiel. It’s also the name of Nesta’s long sword, forged by her own hands, killer of Lanthys in the prison, Made from Nesta’s brand of magic. My curiosity is humming under my skin.
Time to walk the floof, she’s patiently waiting for me to get my shoes on and get going already.
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