Gemma v. Chaos

[Elastigirl]

Bent arm bear is HARD! Woot for sticking with it and improving. 

[Gemma]

 15m version of Resilience - Legs, Shoulders, and Back 

Everything felt pretty good with this. I nixed the Single Arm Swing, since that is the exact motion that led to my current shoulder discomfort and I don’t need or want to stretch an already hypermobile joint - I did Quadruped Shoulder Circles instead.

The Sumo Walk was only possible at about quarter-squat depth, but I was able to keep my chest up. The Shrugs were surprisingly fatiguing.

Prep
→ Resilience Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Single Arm Swing Side To Side Quadruped Shoulder Circles
→ Seiza to Sumo Squat

Practice
→ Resilience Prone Swimmers
→ Resilience Crab Shoulder Shrugs
→ Resilience Sumo Walk

[Gemma]

Yesterday: 

30m version of Elements - Single Arm Baby Frogger and 3-Point Bridge 

Shoulder felt good today, and the knee seemed to deal with the Baby Froggers better than it has before, so - yay!

Single Arm Baby Frogger is still really difficult, but I am able to move forward a bit. This seemed to be more of a challenge to my coordination than my strength, the ‘throwing the arm forward’ thing rarely happens right at the same time as the hop.

In 3 Point Bridge most of my focus was on keeping the shoulders stable. I have a tendency to try and get more height in my hips by overextended at the shoulder.

Deep Frogger was tough. My feet are not anywhere close to going past my hands, I think I might have managed to get them a bit closer to my hands than I have in the past.

Practice
→ Single Arm Baby Frogger
→ 3 Point Bridge

Play
→ Deep Frogger

Push
→ 3-Point Bridge
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Seated Clasped Hands Extension
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Crab Walk F&B
→ Circuit Basic Frogger
→ Circuit Basic Monkey
→ Circuit Basic Bear

 

 

Today:

15m version of Resilience - Ankles, Shoulders, and Core 

This all felt good. Shoulder was pain free.

Prep
→ Resilience Table Top Arm Thread & Extension
→ Tall Kneeling Arm Raises
→ Supine Ankle Circles

Practice
→ Resilience 3 Point Cross Body Low Reach
→ Resilience 3 Point Cross Body High Reach
→ Resilience Toe Squat

[Gemma]

15m version of Respiration - Deep Focus 

I’m adding these sessions back into the rotation because I still find myself holding my breath during challenging movements.

Prep
→ Respiration Prep Twisting
→ Respiration Prep Shoulder Shrug Circles
→ Respiration Prep Open/Cross Arms
→ Respiration Prep Elbows Up/Down
→ Respiration Prep Arm Rotation

Practice
→ Respiration Box Breathing 4 Count
→ Respiration Sumo Walk
→ Respiration in Place 2:8:4:2
→ Respiration Box Breathing 6 Count

[Gemma]

15m version of Elements -  Lower Intensity Option 🚀
 

I chose the LI session not because of fatigue or injury, but because today is pretty full and I was short on time. What I've learned: I can work out in my office, on my lunch break, locomotoring around my desk wearing business casual and shoes, and it all still works. I didn't do the workout I planned to do today, but I did do something
 

Prep
→ Frog Stretch
→ Quadruped Spinal Circles
→ Quadruped Wag Tail
→ Wrists - Palms Down, Fingers Facing Knees
→ Standing Straight Leg Hip Circles

Play
→ Crab Walk R&L
→ Basic Frogger
→ Basic Monkey
→ Basic Bear

Push
→ Standing Straight Leg Hip Circles
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Wrist Circles

[Gemma]

30m version of Elements - Straight Leg Monkey and Bear Bent Arm Leg Thread 🚀

 

Everything felt pretty good, but I am not even close to strong enough yet to manage the Bear Bent Arm Leg Thread. I tried it once on each side, then did regular Bear Leg Thread for the rest of the time. 

The Push circuits are getting easier/less fatiguing. 

Practice
→ Bear Bent-Arm Leg Thread
→ Straight Leg Monkey

Play
→ Cross Step Bear

Push
→ 3-Point Bridge
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Seated Clasped Hands Extension
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Crab Walk F&B
→ Circuit Basic Frogger
→ Circuit Basic Monkey
→ Circuit Basic Bear

[Gemma]

15m version of Resilience - Wrists, Back, and Shoulders 

Everything feels pretty good today. I really feel like the Crab Shrugs are going to be useful in building the strength to keep my shoulders properly in place. Single Arm Frogger Walk is still incredibly difficult and I am feeling it more in my quads than my wrists, but keeping at it. The Butterfly Shrugs are going to need a fair bit more time seated  

Prep
→ Single Arm Swing Side To Side
→ Quadruped Sidebend
→ Wrist Circles

Practice
→ Resilience Crab Shoulder Shrugs
→ Resilience Butterfly Shrugs
→ Resilience Single Arm Frogger Walk

[Gemma]

30m version of Elements - Bent Arm Baby Frogger and Swing Set 

Felt great today. I surprised myself by being able to actually do a Bent Arm Baby Frogger! Did those for the first minute, then the L elbow started to complain so I finished out the time with straight arm versions, but overall my Froggers are definitely getting stronger.

I love the Around the World but I need to work on my control. A couple of times I came down too hard on the R hand and my wrist really didn’t like that. Slow it down!

Swing Sets are fun.
 

Practice
→ Swing Set
→ Bent Arm Baby Frogger

 

Play
→ Around The World
 

Push
→ 3-Point Bridge
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Seated Clasped Hands Extension
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Crab Walk F&B
→ Circuit Basic Frogger
→ Circuit Basic Monkey
→ Circuit Basic Bear

[Gemma]

30m version of Elements - High Monkey Prep and Bear Bent Arm Leg Thread 🚀
 

Objectively I am quite sure I have gotten better at all of this since the first time I went through Elements. 
 

Subjectively, anything with the word 'Flow' in it still makes me feel like the world's biggest clutz   I'm okay with that, as long as I keep up at all this I will get smoother at it, I'm sure. But ... lol 
 

The High Monkey Isometric was great, though - I think I'm starting to get a feel for how to properly push down against the ground almost enough so I don't have to jump to move my feet because my arms are taking enough of my weight. 
 

Practice
→ Bear Bent-Arm Leg Thread
→ High Monkey Isometric

Play
→ Monkey Free Flow
→ Bear Free Flow

Push
→ 3-Point Bridge
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Seated Clasped Hands Extension
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Circuit Basic Monkey
→ Bent Arm Bear

[Emissary2Ornj]

On 2/28/2022 at 7:04 AM, Gemma said:

I really feel like the Crab Shrugs are going to be useful

Uh-oh. Now I have another movement to research. I'll add it to my "check this out" list of exercises.

 

13 hours ago, Gemma said:

Objectively I am quite sure I have gotten better at all of this since the first time I went through Elements. 

It's really interesting to me that I took 2.5 weeks from doing some GMB movements and still was improving when I got back to them.

 

I have not attempted any flows yet. The ones I've seen around the website look like they require excellent control, and I am still solidifying the basic movements.

[Gemma]

9 hours ago, Emissary2Ornj said:

Uh-oh. Now I have another movement to research. I'll add it to my "check this out" list of exercises.

 

 

This guy does them with his fingers pointed forward at his butt - GMB teaches 'em with fingers out to the side. Might be worth trying both to see which feels better.

 

 

[Gemma]

15m version of Resilience - Ankles, Legs, and Back 🚀
 

Toe Walks are my favorite. I know my ankles need the extra strengthening, and these feel like a completely doable way to help them out. The Cossack Squats are much harder, but not from hip tightness. Pretty sure it is just from strength deficits. 
 

Prep
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Standing Straight Leg Hip Circles
 

Practice
→ Resilience Prone Swimmers
→ Resilience Cossack Squat
→ Resilience Toe Walk
 

[Gemma]

45m version of Elements - Bent Arm Baby Frogger and Crab to Frogger Transition 🚀

 

Thanks to some feedback during E-live, I am starting to really enjoy the Underswitch transition and feel as though I have some control in it.  Had fun practicing that today. 

I chose a 45 minute session because I had time, but also because it let me go very, very slowly in the Practice and Play while still feeling like I was getting a lot of quality practice in on these skills. I was paying a lot of attention to my breath tonight, and I stopped and rested whenever I caught myself breathing through my mouth. 

My shoulders are fatigued, but there is no pain, even with all that time in Crab and all of those Underswitch transitions

 

Prep
→ Frog Stretch
→ Quadruped Spinal Circles
→ Quadruped Wag Tail
→ Wrists - Palms Down, Fingers Facing Knees
→ Standing Straight Leg Hip Circles

 

Practice
→ Crab to Frogger Combination
→ Bent Arm Baby Frogger

 

Play
→ Crab Free Flow
→ Frogger Free Flow

 

Push
→ 3-Point Bridge
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Seated Clasped Hands Extension
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Crab Walk F&B
→ Straight Arm Baby Frogger

 

 

[Scaly Freak]

This may be completely off topic... but was it in one of your threads I saw a link to a very detailed post/article with ankle strengthening exercises? It started by going into detail about the anatomy of the ankle and foot, and proceeded to various exercises intended to strengthen all the tiny muscles in both, while also stretching them and increasing ankle mobility.

 

I stared reading the article, remembered that I needed to get back to work and stopped, and now I can't find it again.  

[Gemma]

3 minutes ago, Scaly Freak said:

.It started by going into detail about the anatomy of the ankle and foot, and proceeded to various exercises intended to strengthen all the tiny muscles in both, while also stretching them and increasing ankle mobility.

 

 

I don't remember if I posted it or someone else did, but was it this one? 

[Scaly Freak]

4 minutes ago, Gemma said:

 

I don't remember if I posted it or someone else did, but was it this one? 

 

YES! Thank you

[Emissary2Ornj]

1 hour ago, Gemma said:

I am starting to really enjoy the Underswitch transition and feel as though I have some control in it.

That is great! I didn't know anything about the Underswitch until you or someone mentioned it in the past week or so. Then I realized I'd been doing a baby version of it in my workouts when I get up from doing Hollow Body Holds to do deadlifts. So now it's on my radar for an actual intentional practice!

 

1 hour ago, Gemma said:

My shoulders are fatigued, but there is no pain, even with all that time in Crab and all of those Underswitch transitions

Win! That's amazing. I'm actually feeling a little DOMS in my shoulders after really focusing on my posture in Crab Walk this morning. Like, really odd places in my shoulder I don't think have ever been sore before.

 

I loooooove Quadruped Spinal Circles.

I really learn a lot from how other people play with the workouts. It's funny how just focusing on different thing (your breath, for instance) can change up the exercise.

[Gemma]

30m version of Resilience - Wrists, Shoulders, and Core 🚀

This felt great. I saved my workout for this evening because I knew I'd need it after a long drive in a small car, and I'm glad I did. This was a great post-travel hotel room workout. 
 

I modified the Table Top Walk to a Bear, but kept the focus on sloooowwwly pulling the hands off the ground and placing them back down. It felt the same in my wrists, but gave me a bit of stretch in the low back and hamstrings too. I'm not strong enough to do this with my knees floating yet, and the hard flooring hurt my knees when I tried to crawl with them down. 

The Cross Body Reach and Swing Set are some of my favorite movements. 

 

Prep
→ Quadruped Spinal Circles
→ Tall Kneeling Arm Raises
→ Hand Clench

 

Practice
→ Resilience Swing Set
→ Resilience 3 Point Cross Body High Reach
→ Resilience Table Top Walk
 

[Gemma]

15m version of Elements - Spiderman and High Monkey 🚀

 

Short, sweet hotel room workout. Bit rushed this morning, but still needed something. Spiderman is definitely getting better. High Monkey still super tough. The Play combo is great. 

Prep
→ Supine Hip Circles
→ Walk Into Squat
→ Quadruped Spinal Circles
→ Quadruped Shoulder Circles
→ Wrists - Palms Down, Fingers Facing Knees

Practice
→ High Monkey
→ Basic Spiderman

Play
→ Cross Step Bear to 3-Pt Bridge to Monkey Combination

Push
→ 3-Point Bridge
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Seated Clasped Hands Extension
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Crab Walk F&B
→ Circuit Basic Frogger
→ Circuit Basic Monkey
→ Circuit Basic Bear
 

[Emissary2Ornj]

That is an amazing amount of work  for only 15 minutes.

[Gemma]

15m version of Elements - Bent Arm Monkey and Spiderman 🚀
 

Last of the hotel room workouts. I'm getting better at incorporating Cross Step Bear into Bear flows. The Leg Sweep is still super awkward; even on a smooth vinyl floor I'm not coming around a full 180° and am quite wobbly. I think I have improved in the Bent Arm Monkey. The Straight Leg Monkey is still quite challenging. 

Prep
→ Frog Stretch
→ Quadruped Spinal Circles
→ Quadruped Wag Tail
→ Wrists - Palms Down, Fingers Facing Knees
→ Standing Straight Leg Hip Circles

Practice
→ Basic Spiderman
→ Bent Arm Monkey

Play
→ Bear Free Flow
→ Squat Leg Sweep 

Push
→ 3-Point Bridge
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Seated Clasped Hands Extension
→ Kneeling Back Flexion to Prone Lying Back Extension
→ Straight Leg Monkey
→ Twisting Bear

[Gemma]

On 3/8/2022 at 4:50 PM, Emissary2Ornj said:

That is an amazing amount of work  for only 15 minutes.

 

It felt rushed, and it didn't feel like a "good" workout - just a "doing something is a million times better than doing nothing" workout. The difference between 15, 30, and 45 minute sessions is never in the exercises; those are always the same. The Practice and Play times are shorter or longer (2:30, 5, or 7:30, usually) and the main Push exercises will be done once in a 15 minute workout, opposed to 2 or 3 circuits in the longer sessions. 

[Gemma]

15m version of Resilience - Wrists, Ankles, and Core 🚀
 

I am definitely feeling more strength in my wrists in the Seal Walk. I don't really feel the Knee to Floor so much in my ankles as I do in my quads and knees, I think that's just a function of needing more strength in the squat. The Iguana Walk is getting better, there were a few 'steps' where my control was wobbly and either my hand or knee came down faster than I meant them too, but not that many of them compared to the ones where I did maintain control. 
 

Prep
→ Quadruped Spinal Circles
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Hand Clench

Practice
→ Resilience Iguana Walk
→ Resilience Squat Single Leg Knee to Floor
→ Resilience Seal Walk
 

[Emissary2Ornj]

On 3/10/2022 at 6:15 AM, Gemma said:

The difference between 15, 30, and 45 minute sessions is never in the exercises; those are always the same.

Thanks for explaining the shorter workouts; I'd seen that concept around the GMB site before and had wondered about it.
I can understand it feeling rushed, but you're right - it checks the box and you were moving.

 

3 hours ago, Gemma said:

I am definitely feeling more strength in my wrists in the Seal Walk.

I really like how wrist strength gets developed as a matter of course with the floor exercises. I'm too impatient to isolate wrist strength work, but I had to capitulate and add in wrist mobility work to my warm up. I'm glad I've done it; wrists were the limiting factor to my floor work not so long ago. I think Seal Walk looks HARD! Especially that one version where the model was on the backs of their hands.

[Elastigirl]

4 hours ago, Gemma said:

15m version of Resilience - Wrists, Ankles, and Core 🚀
 

I am definitely feeling more strength in my wrists in the Seal Walk. I don't really feel the Knee to Floor so much in my ankles as I do in my quads and knees, I think that's just a function of needing more strength in the squat. The Iguana Walk is getting better, there were a few 'steps' where my control was wobbly and either my hand or knee came down faster than I meant them too, but not that many of them compared to the ones where I did maintain control. 
 

Prep
→ Quadruped Spinal Circles
→ General Kneeling Lunge
→ Hand Clench

Practice
→ Resilience Iguana Walk
→ Resilience Squat Single Leg Knee to Floor
→ Resilience Seal Walk
 

I haven't tried the Resilience workout yet. It sounds interesting. Right now I'm doing Floor Loco and the mobility.