Dear Blog-ary:
Yesterdays class met at Gyro beach. In the past we’ve gathered on the grass, under the shade of the trees. Sometimes we venture off, away from the crowded areas to find a set of hidden stairs to climb. Last night’s session was a first for me, as we enjoyed our entire workout on the sand, facing the water. Cadboro Bay inlet was incredibly calm. As the workout progressed I could track the semi-transparent moon as it inched upwards in the sky above a cluster of sailboats calmly anchored in the bay. Although we were focusing at our stations and concentrating on our technique, we all took a moment to admire the breathtaking view.
I arrived to class feeling quite stiff from Tuesdays upper body training. We began by power walking across the sand and jogging back again. Once my muscles had a chance to warm up, I could feel my stiffness beginning to dissipate and it felt good to release the lactic acid that had built up in my back and arms.
We spent our time working on a series of lower body strengthening workouts broken up with timed kettle bell segments. We rowed in the sand using equalizer bars, lunged off beach driftwood and perfected our double and single handed kettle bell swings, with the occasional groan or grunt. Loreli, of course, added in a few surprises, or “special treats” as she likes to refer to them as. We’ve come to understand what her interpretation of a “treat” is and try to avoid them by showing her how much fun we’re already having!
After class was over, I was able to spend some one on one time chatting with Loreli. I had some dietary questions I had wanted to ask her and she was more than happy to speak with me. She gave me some great suggestions and encouraged me to make some adjustments in my diet in order for me to feel my optimal best before and after a workout.
I left for home, my shoes full of sand, feeling that I had taken another step in the right direction on my path to self awareness and full body wellness . . . Kirsten Wolf