12
Mar, 2020

Meditation

This is going to be crucial to your future health. So, start practicing now!

Meditation 101: A Beginner’s Guide from Gobblynne on Vimeo.

2
Aug, 2020

Check Your Oxygen saturations

Lon Kilgore wrote in ‘The Paradox of the Aerobic Fitness Prescription” (Crossfit journal) that improvements in oxygen management could be driven by dropping Oxygen saturation during/after exercise. The logic of the General Adaption Syndrome (Seyle) requires an alarm phase to provoke adaptations.

“In the intermediate trainee and beyond, it is the depression of oxygen saturation as a result of interval training that forces the muscle to adapt to improve its ability to extract and consume oxygen to power exercise. Oxygen saturation is a marker of the specific driving force of VO2max gain*. If a beginner does long-slow-distance work and blood oxygen saturations drop 1% or less to 97%, this is enough to drive adaptation. But intermediate, advanced, and elite trainees need more. They need a drop in oxygen saturation to as low as 91%, maybe even lower for an elite athlete”

This observation was supported by David Lin et al who wrote “Oxygen saturations and heart rate during exercise performance” There is a fascinating write up here This basically showed that at a certain level of work, you can see a  drop in O2 saturations

i

“SpO2% desaturations during maximal performance levels with power bursts into the clusters as revealed in this test could lead to measures of intense interval training providing an important augmentation to sports conditioning. “

This mornings workout was a 15 minute AMRAP of 20 kettlebell swings, 15 double unders 150m sprint . I decided today, I’d take my pulse oximeter down. About half way through, straight after my double unders and during the run I managed to get my pulse ox on and this reading came up.

After a quick  recovery our workouts always end with a disgusting stair climb to our flat ( to get home and haul the kettlebells back up) At the top it always feels as if you are going to die. As I reached the top I managed to get my pulse ox back on and whilst my heart rate was 160, my O2 saturations were 97. It took me a while to get my phone out so I only got a photo after my heart rate had dropped to 152

My take home conclusion  is that the variation in a Crossfit workout combined with power (in his case jumping in the double unders) really stresses the oxygen system. The requirement to rapidly change from one exercise to another  takes the body by surprise and has it scrabbling around for oxygen like a pandemic government trying to buy PPE. BY comparison the rhythmic stair climb. which felt disgusting, and produced a highish heart rate, didn’t disturb my normal reading of 97%.

Obviously this is an old Pulse oxmimeter, this wasn’t a clinical environment ( no lab rats, no one had a clip board), but it was an in treating bit of citizen science!)

If you have never heard of it *According to wikipedia “Oxygen saturation is the fraction of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin relative to total hemoglobin (unsaturated + saturated) in the blood. The human body requires and regulates a very precise and specific balance of oxygen in the blood. Normal arterial blood oxygen saturation levels in humans are 95–100 percent”

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8
Aug, 2020

DWF: a curry and a cute workout.

Here are some action picks from todays curry task. Everything you need to make a 4 block curry meal, with a bottle of beer.

Using yesterdays pulled chicken and some stock made from the bones, it was chicken curry time. 93g of rice (3 blocks) 120 g of chicken (4 blocks) buried in a sauce of stock and tomatoes, plus tomato puree with onions, ginger, toasted and crushed cloves, coriander, garlic, curry powder and a bit of coconut milk powder.

This sort of meant there was room for an extra 9g carb block (1 block). I sneaked in a beer at 12g of carb, so 3 g over But I knew I was going to do this so I slightly cut back a previous meal.

Nice, but I should have put a bit of chilli in. For me the ginger and clove is enough of a bit, but today it would have been better with a bit of chilli.

THE WORKOUT

An escalating ladder of 1 D/B snatch L&R, 1 push up, 5/10 V sit ups. Then 2 D/B snatch left/right, 2 push ups, 5/10 V sit ups ( 5 for kate, 10 for me.) The V sit up work stays the same each round) ( next round is 3 D/B 3 push ups)

As high up the ladder as you can as you can get in 13 minutes. Depending on the stimulus, you may want a light, medium or heavy dumbbell.

It was surprisingly disgusting .

This is day 3, so tomorrow is a rest day!

To keep up to date with fitness, physical therapy and mindfulness tips join my mailing list here:

30
Aug, 2020

DWF: A bank holiday Sunday workout, hum and a push up challenge

A bank holiday Sunday morning WORKOUT

Set out a run between 2 points 10m apart.Make sure you have a stop watch or the ability to time. So, with a constantly running clock, its 3 rounds of

as many shuttle runs in 1 minute
as many squats in 1 minute
as many burpees in 1 minute
as many walking lunges in 1 minute
as much rest as you can get in 1 minute

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Day 4 tasks

Task 1) Please try this fun type of food diary.

If you have dieted before, the chances are you tried to do a food diary and failed badly. A food diary is often where you detail the food you have eaten, weight it, measure it, and record calories.

If you have an emotional connection with food this task is utterly impossible!

Todays task is to complete a “LOVELY” food diary

Record the next 2-6 snacks /meals you have.  (This could be coffee and bun, porridge, a sausage, a roast dinner ) NO calories, NO weighing. 

If you cannot detail the food, just say “ snack 1 or meal 2”. The task is not to look at macros or carbs, it’s to identify the following issues   a) how hungry were you b) where did you eat it c) what emotions did you feel before you ate it d) how did you feel afterwards.
My good friend Kiran (who helps me support emotional eaters) made this video to help you see the value of this task!

https://youtu.be/SAuJdXknt5E


Please, please give it a go

Task 2) Drink a small quantity of citrus juice ( a splash of lemon or lime juice) in water before each main meal.Task 3) Ground and Release.

This is one of the riskiest exercises we do on this 5 day course.

Get your chair and put it back to the wall. Sit down, with your feet on the floor in a comfortable upright seated position.

Remind yourself of the contact points exercise you’ve been doing every day.

Good

I’d like you to think of something mildly stressful. If stress goes from 1-10 with 10 being awful, I want you to think of a 3 to 4.

I now want you to become aware of your physical reactions to stress.

Without judgement. I’d like you NOT to think about the event or chew over it, but identify the physical expression of stress. You may get tense, feel a tightness in your chest. You may sweat.

I feel a pounding in my ears.

Here is a bigger list of physical sensations that others have reported.

Faster breathingReduced visual field
Difficulty breathingHair standing on end
Tightness in chest or bellyLosing bladder /bowel control
Faster heart rate/pounding heartRacing thoughts
nauseaAnxious thoughts
Butterflies in stomachrumination/looping thoughts
Dry mouthAnxiety or panic
Clenched jawImpatience irritation or rage
Pale and cold skin
Sweaty palmssadness
sweatingshame
Hunched postureoverwhelm
dizzinessrestlessness/fidgeting

Don’t spend too long here.

Now bring your attention to the points of contact you’ve been working over the last few days. Feel where your feet touch the floor, feel your bottom firmly on the seat. Feel how safe you are. I want you to focus on the felt sense of support,  this isn’t a thinking process.

Once you begin to focus on your contact points, you will sense the physical sensation of stress going away, or being discharged! These are the likely symptoms

shaking/tremblingcrying
twitchinglaughing/giggling
Slower deeper breathingyawning
Slower heart ratesighing
Relaxation in the chest of bellyStomach gurgling
tingling/buzzingburping
Waves of warmthfarting
chillscoughing
Flushed  skin/sweatingitching

(Ref: Stanley “ Widen the Window”)

Once you feel the sensations of stress disappear, you are good to get on with your day.
Good luck with these drills!

3
Apr, 2019

Some breathing practice

Here are some useful methods to improve your breathing.

  1. Pursed lips

According to the Cleveland Clinic, pursed lip breathing has a range of benefits:

  • Improves ventilation
  • Releases trapped air in the lungs
  • Keeps the airways open longer and decreases the work of breathing
  • Prolongs exhalation to slow the breathing rate
  • Improves breathing patterns by moving old air out of the lungs and allowing for new air to enter the lungs
  • Relieves shortness of breath
  • Causes general relaxation

Practicing this technique 4 to 5 times each day  can help.

  • Keep your mouth closed, and take a deep breath through your nose hold for 2 seconds
  • Put your lips together and blow through them. (some say like a whistle, but don’t whistle. It’s annoying.) This is known as “pursing” your lips.
  • While continuing to keep your lips pursed, slowly breathe out by counting to 4. Don’t try to force the air out, but instead breathe out slowly through your mouth.

2) CO-ORDINATED BREATHING

Co-ordinated breathing uses 2 steps and combines them with an exercise (say a push up)

  • Inhale through your nose before beginning an exercise.
  • While pursing your lips, breathe out through your mouth during the most strenuous part of an exercise.

3) DEEP BREATHING

Deep breathing flushes your lungs and makes sure you have  expelled all that dank horrible air that been skulking in the outer reaches of  chest.  You  can now  breathe in more fresh air, accept if you are in London, where its packed full of pollution.

Here’s how to practice deep breathing:

  • Sit or stand with your elbows slightly back. This allows your chest to expand more fully, but you are still breathing through your Diaphragm.
  • Inhale deeply through your nose.
  • Hold your breath as you count to 5.
  • Release the air via a slow, deep exhale, through your nose, until you feel your inhaled air has been released.

4)THE DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING

The diaphragm is an important muscle involved in the work of breathing. People with breathing “issues” tend to rely more on the accessory muscles of the neck, shoulders, and back to breathe, rather than on the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing helps to retrain this muscle to work more effectively. Here’s how to do it:

  • While sitting or lying down with your shoulders relaxed, put a hand on your chest and place the other hand on your tummy
  • Breath in through your nose for 2 seconds, feeling your tummy move upwards. You’re doing the activity correctly if your stomach moves more than your chest.
  • Purse your lips and breathe out slowly through your mouth, pressing lightly on your stomach. This will enhance your diaphragm’s ability to release air.
  • Repeat the exercise as you are able to.
26
Sep, 2020

DWF: 3 day metabolic conditioning cycle, fixing pain, weight loss stuff!

The DWF, or daily workout and food is aimed at giving you some basic conditioning ideas. For some it’s the only thing they do, for many it’s just part of your training day.

Most days you also need to work on skill ( I often focus on gymnastics), Strength and therapy drills: I need always focus on my vulnerability to Plantar fasciitis, Patello-femoral and back pain. By having a sensible self applied therapy regime, you can stop the problems before they start.

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