Yoga Fitness – Yoga with Katrina Ariel

Massage, Yoga, and Listening to Your Body

March 12, 2010Katrina Ariel4 Comments

oak-child I didn’t go to boot camp this morning. It’s a little silly, really, considering I wrote this great blog post yesterday about how to get out of bed early, but that wasn’t my problem. The alarm went off, I got up, and then I checked in with my body.

See, I had the most amazing massage yesterday evening. It was truly one of the best massages I’ve ever had, given by a very gifted woman named Serra Wobbema.

And I was more tight than I’ve been in a long time on a massage table, owing to the super fun, intense, body changing, super strengthening work I’ve been doing in my New Orleans boot camp.

The massage was thorough, deep, and very necessary. I should’ve scheduled it for a Friday.

I sat on the edge of my bed this morning at 4:30am, and my back and neck told me not to go work out. They said, “That massage was excellent. We’d like some recovery time, thank you very much.”

7 Tips To Help You Wake Up Early (Another Fitness Boot Camp Story)

March 11, 2010Katrina Ariel11 Comments

(Even if you aren’t getting up for a fitness boot camp, you might find some great ideas for your morning routine in this article.)

The last two mornings it’s been incredibly hard to wake up at 4:35am for boot camp. A rather commanding voice inside my body has tried to persuade me to just get back into bed, but I know I just have to get myself going and I’ll be okay.

Truly, I’m not always thrilled to wake up for my New Orleans boot camp, but I am DEFINITELY always glad I did!

Those first 15 minutes are the hardest, and I’m super grateful I have a morning routine that guides me out the door.

Here are some things I do that might help you get going on the mornings where you really just want to stay in bed:

1. I set out my clothes ahead of time AND I put my alarm clock (cell phone) right on top of the pile. That way when the alarm goes off, I actually am already at my clothes when I turn it off. All I have to do is get dressed, and falling back into bed is a lot less likely.

2. I remind myself why I’m doing this: Because I feel so much stronger and healthier, and I can see the results in the mirror. Because it makes me feel so ALIVE, like I’m really living each day to the fullest, when I begin my day with such an intense workout. Making it meaningful in this way really helps.

Getting Over The Intimidation Factor (Day 2 of my Fitness Boot Camp Stories)

February 23, 2010Katrina Ariel

pincha Somehow I woke up before my alarm. 4:27 am to be exact, though I could’ve stayed in bed another 13 minutes, I was awake and ready to go to my second day of New Orleans Boot Camp.

It was harder today. We did longer holds in squats, lots of running, crunches, knee lifts, jumping jacks, pushups and a nice extended hold in plank, among other things. There were several times where I had to draw from reserves rooted deep in my will power.

Plus it was wicked cold and windy. I did most of the workout with my toque on (that’s Canadian for winter hat, if y’all didn’t know.)

Yet, as the sky grew lighter the birds started serenading us. The oak trees looked down, maybe laughing a little in their leaves.

Jonas, our fearless leader a.k.a. commander in chief, would every so often remind us to center. Which goes pretty deep for me, like right into the core of my being and way down into the heart of the earth. I’m not sure that’s exactly what he’s getting at, but it sure works in my world. And each time I noticed the bigger picture in this way, it helped me connect with the strength I needed to keep going.

Really, it was great!

My First Day of Fitness Boot Camp: Get Ready, Kamloops

February 22, 2010Katrina Ariel4 Comments

60512144 It’s barely 5am, it’s dark out, foggy, and I’m wondering if I’m a little crazy as I drive through the dark streets of New Orleans to my first day of Fitness Boot Camp. I have another month or so here, and I’m determined to be in the best shape ever when I head back to Whistler in April, then on to Kamloops in May.

The program is called an “Adventure” New Orleans Boot Camp for Women, and I’m thinking that part of the adventure is the whole waking up at 4 something in the morning and actually getting your self there. I’m not alone, though. There’s at least another 50 women here with me.

But it’s fun! Sure, it’s really hard, but I like it!

My boyfriend’s friend, Jonas, runs the boot camp. It’s the most successful boot camp around, and it’s giving me ideas to run something similar in Kamloops – heavily influenced by yoga of course.

Jonas keeps telling us we’re just getting warmed up. Even when the class is more than half way over. It makes me smile.

He’s making us keep moving, giving orders, counting reps. His commanding voice projects through the small area of the park we’re in so that everyone can hear him. He’s making me work really hard. And then he stops by the woman next to me to check on her and his voice is so encouraging and caring. I grin wider.