Connie's Log

[Connie Brown]

Hi RadiantCST folks,

Welcome to our brand new very own private forum here at CST Forums.
This is where we can post our logs with respect to CST recovery of motion and doing the food.

One difference about these movement logs from our RR food journal, is that we type it online. The disadvantage of that is we lose the handwriting connection Kathleen talks about.

But the advantages are worth it. We get to learn from each other and, because we can ask questions or comment on logs, we get synergy in our personal practice. yay. Over time we will see more and more connections because we can literally link and learn from each other as we go.

[Connie Brown]

Oh I forgot to mention. You add log entries as a reply to your first one. that way, we get one person's log in sequence and it is easy to follow.

Sunday, May 23

AM warrior wellness
still a bit wired in the morning and hard to settle down mentally.
RPE 3
RT 7

PM Body-Flow after the plane trip
Arm Screws
shinbox switch
long leg roll
RPE 3
RT 7

Truth to tell this was not very much fun as I am feeling low BE already.
So I "went deep" and kind of slow. If it were music it would be mournful.

Something is up with my left arm screw. I think it is connected to my clubbell skill practice that I am working on so will just see where it is a bit clunky.

[Scott Sonnon]

Connie,

Thanks for the intro. I'll be taking the entire day to go "deeply" as well, and don't dare touch any weight until I can resolve any travel tension from sitting for so many hours, but also to recover from the obvious BE crash coming after such a necessary and enjoyable 'high' at Ranch.

Keep us updated on your arm.

I'd also like to add, that although the internet doesn't have the 'handwriting' impact which Kathleen suggests, it can be useful for the community aspect of it, as you suggest. In particular, one of the most successful aspects of this is the collaborative understanding of "Rate of Perceived Exertion" and "Rate of Technique". Sharing these RPEs and RTs helps restore the intuition appreciation for the internal experience rather than the external so overemphasized in the 'fitness industry.'

[Connie Brown]

What a gentle hint. I went back and put in RPE and RTs.

xox

[Connie Brown]

Date: Tuesday, May 25

Time: 7:00 Am 10 minutes

Place: hotel room

Energy Level: 5. before breakfast as we were going straight from restaurant to training room.

Exercise Selection: shoulder figure 8s, neck cardinal motions, elbow circles, pelvic circles, knee circles, ankle circles, tried toe ones

Sets: one time head-to-toe

Repetitions: 3-5 reps per joint

Rest Period: none, going from exercise to exercise. none were fast.

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): 3

Rate of Technique (RT): 10

Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): overall 1. Except elbow circles on the inside plane, RPD =4

Sensations: some stiffness and creaky. From travel days and restless night.

Feelings: sad about creaky, sad about no fun in the coming day.

Images: none

Thoughts: interesting that shoulder circles were no discomfort, but elbow circles were. and the discomfort was not on the elbow but somewhere between elbow and top of shoulder. couldn't pinpoint more closely.

Questions: none

[Connie Brown]

Date: Tuesday, May 25

Time: 8:00 PM 5 minutes

Place: hotel room

Energy Level: 7. after fabulous dinner of salmon, veg, wild rice

Exercise Selection: flat-footed squats, lumbar circles.

Sets / Reps: flat-footed squats, 3 times, just seeing what it felt like with different foot widths and angles. Lumbar circles, 2 times each direction, resting in each of the 4 directions front/back/right/left.

I chose the flat-footed squats because I liked watching Scott and Ann Margaret doing a partner squat at one breakfast and I wanted that graceful thing too. Not just cuz Robert got me excited (that too tho)

Chose the lumbar circles from soooo much sitting and driving the last two days.

Rest Period: 2 mins

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): 6

Rate of Technique (RT): 7

Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 4.

Sensations: on the squat, quite a bit of generalized tension that I was able to move to selective tension. On the lumbar circles, I got my Very First Lower Back Pop going forward once. what a surprise! quite audible.

Feelings: sad about extra bulk. Happy that when you adopt a wide stance with the lumbar circles it feels really good and -- drum roll -- my knuckles drag. I went quite far in the back direction and remembered "backbends" from long ago. will be able to do them Real Soon Now.

Images: none

Thoughts: a bit drifty and dreamy especially with the lumbar circles.

Questions: none

[Connie Brown]

Date: Wednesday, May 26

Time: 8:40 AM 5 minutes
Place: ladies' room at training facility
Energy Level: 8, mentally wired
Exercise Selection: shoulder figure 8s, neck, lumbar circles, four corner balance drill
Sets / Reps: 5 circles each direction; FCBD to count of 10 each point
Rest Period: none
RPE: 2
RT: 10
RPD: 1 except for left shoulder 2
Sensations: twinge left shoulder, crepitus neck 3 on a scale of 1 - 10
Feelings: impatient - felt like the rest were waiting for me (they weren't)
Images: ice skating on one leg with FCBD back position. whee
Thoughts: none except for exercises

Questions: on the lumbar circles, are knees locked?
this is funny. To the wide-eyed amazement of the roomful of trainees, I rescued a dropped laptop from crashing to the floor with my awesome pinch grip. Is improved reaction time a by-product of this kind of training?
------------
noon, 5 min walk after lunch

------------
Time: 8:50 pm 10 minutes
Place: my room at home, finally
Energy Level: 2 exhausted
Exercise Selection: WW head-to-toe without FCBD
Sets / Reps: 5 circles each direction
RPE: 2
RT: 8
RPD: 1
Sensations: slow all over
Feelings: too tired
Images: none
Thoughts: none

[Scott Sonnon]

Do your lumbar circles with knees unlocked and bent.

Response time definitely decreases with CST. It was one of the major points that I originally created the system (since my performance in martial art depended upon it.)

[radiantkd]

Can you say more about the response time thing. What? How?

kathleen

[Connie Brown]

Date: Friday, May 28

Time: 9:00 AM 5 minutes
Place: ladies' room work
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: WW = four corner balance drill, leg circles, lumbar circles
Sets / Reps: 5 circles each direction; FCBD 10 seconds each point
Rest Period: none
RPE: 2
RT: 10 except for four corner balance drill wobbly (?)
RPD: 1
Sensations: a little stiff in the back, surprisingly
Feelings: perky
Images: imagining a video of that wobbly FCBD, ish
Thoughts: none except for exercises

------------
Time: 12:50 pm 10 minutes
Place: office at home
Energy Level: 2 after dental surgery at 10 am
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness™ head-to-waist = shoulders, neck, arm screws, elbow figure 8s, wrist, fingers, thorax
Sets / Reps: 5 circles each direction
RPE: 2
RT: 8
RPD: 1
Sensations: twinges on front of shoulder during elbow circles
Feelings: mouth pain
Images: none
Thoughts: Disappointed, not able to get back to Clubbells. It's been since before Ranch! first Ranch, then 2-day biz trip, then 2 days "no strenuous exercise" per oral surgeon.

[Scott Sonnon]

To accomplish a task three things happen:
1. Reaction time (time to register the stimulus and begin response)
2. Movement time (time to physically respond on task)
3. Response time (reaction time + movement time) CST decreases the signal to noise ration which improves reaction time. Doing so, more effectively uses the information coming in through mechanoreception; which is composed of movement or kinesthetic sense, position sense (of one's bones), and force/tension sense (of one's movement or pressure to one's body).

CST also obviously increases biomechanical efficiency which decreases movement time. It does so since a relaxed muscle can move more efficiently and accurately than a muscle which begins tense. Also, since CST "educates" one's muscles to proportional force (just enough effort to accomplish the task), one moves with greater speed and less task error.

As a result CST decreases total response time.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Saturday, May 29

Time: 9:10 AM 30 minutes
Place: living room in front of VCR
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness™ full intermediate program
Sets / Reps: 5 or 10 circles each direction, whatever the tape did
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 9 (elbow figure 8s not up to speed)
RPD: 1
Sensations: very tired (burn) doing ALL the leg exercises
Feelings: brought up short
Images: I was imagining outfit changes in my head like Barbie. would I want tight workout clothes like Scott in Body-Flow? or loose like in Warrior Wellness? Or tailored like Babe Zaharias in those golf skirts (what happened to those? they sure look better than big-butt shorts.) When I am no longer so fat I want plus fours.
Thoughts: Hmm related to Tension Blindness (http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2383), when I first started the Intermediate of WW I skipped a couple of exercises, thinking "not now" and ever since then I forgot there were exercises to go back and pick up!!! I had been doing the ones I knew from memory.

But everyone got me all excited about looking at tapes again.
Hey I also figured out that the infamous kilt circle was from WW Intermediate - no wonder it was practiced, I had been practicing it. wahla.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Monday, May 31

Time: 8:25 AM 30 minutes
Place: living room
Energy Level: 9. Morning is definitely my high-energy time.
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness 2/3 intermediate program
.... swipes
Sets / Reps: swipes 10# 2 sets of 20, 1 set of 10
Rest Period: 90 seconds
RPE: 8
RT: 9
RPD: 2
Sensations: feeling wonderful
Feelings: happy that I could still swipe after 2 weeks off
Images: Doug Szolek's transformation from Frump to Pump.
...he looks so much more confident
Thoughts: planning how to work in the 3 x 12 check-in for CST epsilon
in these daily sessions.

Time: 7:30 PM 15 minutes
Place: living room
Energy Level: 5
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness last 1/3 intermediate program
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 9
RPD: 2
Sensations: a little tired
Feelings: happy
Images: higher legs (image only, not real today)
Thoughts: nil

[Connie Brown]

Date: Tuesday, June 1

Time: 10:30 AM 15 minutes
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, waist down
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 7
RPD: 3
Sensations: nause on lumbar circles. Throat closed sometimes (hey!)
Feelings: frustration is the only enemy. hate nausea.
Images: what if someone saw this? cat, what are you lookin at?

Time: 3:15 10 minutes
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, waist up
Rest Period: none
RPE: 2
RT: 10
RPD: 1
Sensations: elbows better. LOTS of tension in shoulders.
Feelings: awkwardness on simultaneous shoulder rolls

Time: 8 PM 2 minutes
Place: office
Energy Level: 5
Exercise Selection: flat-footed squat
Rest Period: none
RPE: 5
RT: 7
RPD: 6
Sensations: hurts to hold this one
Feelings: depressing
Images: imagining less bulk
Thoughts: nil

[Scott Sonnon]

Float around a little in the FF Squat, from the pelvis - work towards very slight circles.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Wednesday, June 2

Time: 10:30 AM 15 minutes
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, waist down
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 8
RPD: 2
Sensations: much smoother overall today. The FCBD is so much easier when I do it first instead of last
Feelings: happy
Images: I just love the FCBD ; imagined getting better

Time: 3:15 10 minutes
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness™ intermediate, waist up
Rest Period: none
RPE: 2
RT: 10
RPD: 1
Sensations: good overall
Feelings: confidence

Time: 8 PM 5 minutes
Place: office
Energy Level: 5
Exercise Selection: flat-footed squat
Rest Period: none
RPE: 5
RT: 7
RPD: 6
Sensations: floating around is much easier
Feelings: pouty; I wanted to be able to rest in it like Scott's picture in Body-Flow; also amused
Images: casting back - can't remember ever needing a FF squat in my life. no wonder it is new
Thoughts: Time management is officially a problem. Ref Patti's comment on wild enthusiasm. I am so wired at night to explore CST movement and material that I go to bed too late for me. Also, loved ones are complaining that I am not "present" to them in the 6-9 pm time slot, something about having face stuck in computer. I haven't heard that complaint in years. I guess I must face the fact that I really do have other priorities too and limits to time on CST, so must adapt to "slower" output etc.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Thursday, June 3

Time: 10:30 AM 15 minutes
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness™ intermediate, waist down
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 8
RPD: 2
Sensations: paying attention in particular to the cardinal Lumbar circles. Slow
Feelings: happy
Images: the drawing in the CST mag for the lumbar cloverleaf. Just having fun tracing the circles in the air

Time: 5:30 PM 25 min
Place: back deck. Beautiful weather.
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: 10# performance swipes
Sets/Reps: 18 sets of 6 in 18 minutes
Rest Period: each minute was 1/3 swing, 2/3 rest
RPE: 7 (cardio and grip fatigue)
RT: 8 (couple of bumps on back when I was tiring)
RPD: 1
Sensations: two weeks off and I felt a little less grooved
Feelings: fabulous to be swinging again. The rest period helped.
Images: that digital photo Kathleen took where my backswing hand position is wrong! made it easy to do it right.

Question: About mental stamina and focus for this 25-minute session. Seems like with fewer long sets it is easier to focus. Is that just me? 18 sets felt interminable right around the 11-12 mark.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Saturday, June 5

Time: 10:30 AM 15 minutes
Place: living room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness™ intermediate, waist down
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 8
RPD: 2
Sensations: still paying attention Lumbar circles. Slow
Feelings: calm & mild
Images: mirror. I am relaxing around mirrors even. now I want to see what the movement is doing instead of averting my eyes at current appearance. that is progress

Time: 7:30 PM 20 min
Place: living room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: 10# swipes
Sets/Reps: 16 sets of 7 in 18 minutes
Rest Period: each minute was 1/2 swing, 1/2 rest
RPE: 8
RT: 7
RPD: 1
Sensations: little higher volume = little less control
Feelings: nothing out of ordinary
Images: confusion. I kept changing between performance swipes and OCS swipes. I think I was doing the OCS ones to take advantage of the springiness in the armpit cast position but what I wanted was the training advantage of the other swipe but was not 100% confident of being able to maintain form since this was an incremental increase day. just thinkin

[Connie Brown]

Date: Tuesday, June 8

Time: 7 AM 15 minutes
Place: living room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, head, shoulders, wrists, hands, chest
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 9
RPD: 1
Sensations: twinge front of both shoulders
Feelings: impatience
Images: bigger ROM

Time: 4 PM 10 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, spine, hips, legs, FCBD
Rest Period: 2 mins after spine circles
RPE: 5
RT: 3
RPD: 4
Sensations: nausea on lumbar circles, legs cramping
Feelings: frustration
Images: smoothness, grace

Time: 5:30 PM 10 min
Place: living room
Energy Level: 5
Exercise Selection: swipes with 10#
Sets/reps: 7 x 7
Rest Period: each set 25 sec swing, 35 sec rest
RPE: 8
RT: 7
RPD: 6
Sensations: continuing nausea
Feelings: defeated
Images: -
Thoughts: Getting more clarity on the shoulder twinges. I think it has to do with how fast/slow I recover from a session of swipes. closed/packed shoulder problem? also when I was doing an AM/PM split with swipes and 5# taskmaster skill practice, it was worse - not enough rest time for me at this point in my progress?

Questions: On a day when energy is low, how do you tell if it is a low biorhythm day and you should respect it, or whether it is your inner pansy quitting too soon with discomfort.

How to work with nausea? I have been having it with the lumbar circles - whenever my head goes out of upright position. (also happened with body-flow long leg rolls). I tried pausing at different points in the lumbar circle for an exhale and control pause but no difference (at least today). Also, once the nausea set in, it came up again a couple hours later during swipe practice. This is like when I was a kid and got motion sickness which lingered for hours after I had quit moving. Hmm

[Scott Sonnon]

Connie,

AM/PM split: You may need more rest time.

Biorhythm vs. Inner Pansy: How do you tell the difference between your bodily sense of nutritional needs and BE withdrawals?

Nausea: How did you deal with the nausea as a child?

[Connie Brown]

Biorhythm vs. Inner Pansy: How do you tell the difference between your bodily sense of nutritional needs and BE withdrawals?
With nutritional needs it is by differentiating the different kinds of "hunger" - stomach, heart, and head.

So a movement parallel would be, different kinds of tired. I will watch for what those are. I know two so far: an overall feeling versus specific muscle areas. Last night was an overall one.


Nausea: How did you deal with the nausea as a child?
By being still, playing possum = my universal antidote to all physical ickiness. I am hoping to learn an alternative that involves movement, :D

[Scott Sonnon]

There is a stillness attained only through mobility. I'm not being cute. If it regards the vestibular, it will normalize with continued practice. If it is some mild form of anxiety related to residual muscular tension 'covering an issue' then with practice you'll identify and release it eventually. Either way, you're in process and doing very well!

[Scott Sonnon]

Regarding the Inner Pansy... I struggle with it daily. Without proper nutrition, like Kathleen says, it becomes mightily amplified. With movement we give it voice... but only by letting our movement talk to us can we heal. So keep trusting your intuition. Some days you just gotta kick back, take a full break, get some perspective, rest, and trust that you won't 'fall off the movement wagon' because you did.

[Connie Brown]

There is a stillness attained only through mobility. I'm not being cute.
Actually this makes total sense, because there will be no more buzz/hum/noise from tension. Just like when you clean up the food the head noise ceases.

[Scott Sonnon]

Amen!!!

[Connie Brown]

Date: Thursday, June 10

Time: 7 AM 15 minutes
Place: living room
Energy Level: 4
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, head, shoulders, wrists, hands, chest
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 9
RPD: 1
Sensations: sluggish; up too late last night
Feelings: -
Images: still laughing from my wake-up dream. I was traveling with Jerry Seinfeld and everywhere we went, we ran across someone from my life, and I would say how are you? and they would say, well I am into Clubbells. And I would do that Elaine thing and push them and say "Get OUT!"

Time: 4 PM 10 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, spine, hips, legs, FCBD
Rest Period: 2 mins after spine circles
RPE: 5
RT: 3
RPD: 4
Sensations: still sluggish
Feelings: interested
Images: Patti you will like this. I changed the "movement envelope" on those lumbar circles that made me nauseous. I softened the attack, leveled out the decay, and increased the duration all at a softer volume. It was REALLY fun to manipulate the variables this way and i found out two things: 1, it is the rate of change of position off vertical that causes problems, and 2, it takes more muscle strength to go slow enough to stay under the radar of nausea.

attack = how fast to launch into the exercise
decay = rate of change of movement, 0 = completely even & steady
duration = how long it takes to complete a rep
volume = how far to the extreme to take the ROM

Time: 5:30 PM 10 min
Place: living room
Energy Level: still sluggish
Exercise Selection: swipes with 10#
Sets/reps: 16 x 7
Rest Period: each set 25 sec swing, 35 sec rest, extra rests after last 4 sets
RPE: 8
RT: 7
RPD: 4
Sensations: much variability in the swing, not machine-like but not sloppy
Feelings: patient
Images: -
Thoughts: thinking about changing my morning routine so the hard session is in the morning.

Questions:-

[Pattimeow]

Patti you will like this. I changed the "movement envelope" on those lumbar circles that made me nauseous. I softened the attack, leveled out the decay, and increased the duration all at a softer volume. It was REALLY fun to manipulate the variables this way and i found out two things: 1, it is the rate of change of position off vertical that causes problems, and 2, it takes more muscle strength to go slow enough to stay under the radar of nausea.

attack = how fast to launch into the exercise
decay = rate of change of movement, 0 = completely even & steady
duration = how long it takes to complete a rep
volume = how far to the extreme to take the ROM

Oh Connie!!! I love it! LOL!
softened the "attack", leveled out the "decay", and increased the duration (which is the "sustain"), and then the softer volume lead to the "release" (musical envelope = attack, decay, sustain, release). Oh this is awesome Connie! I think you ought to post this over on the symphonic movement thread, where I talked about the movement envelope! You describe it perfectly! Wahoo!!!!!!!!! :lol:

[Scott Sonnon]

Definitely need to expand that and include it on the thread, Connie!

[Connie Brown]

Date: Friday, June 11. A WW day.

Time: 9 AM 15 minutes
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate head thru hands
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 9
RPD: 1
Sensations: twinge front of both shoulders
Feelings: calm, happy
Images: always and already graceful, masterful

Time: 4 PM 10 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, chest, spine, hips
RPE: 4
RT: 8
RPD: 3
Sensations: all good, minimal nausea
Feelings: frustration resolved!

Time: 5:30 PM 10 min
Place: living room
Energy Level: 6
Exercise Selection: WW intermediate legs and FCBD
Rest Period: none
RPE: 6
RT: 7
RPD: 4
Sensations: wobbly
Feelings: patient

[Connie Brown]

Date: Saturday, June 12
WW and bagpipes at night

Time: 9 AM 15 minutes
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate head thru hands
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 10
RPD: 1
Sensations: warmth and looseness. very good
Feelings: calm, happy
Images: none
Thoughts: right back to project (weekend work)

Time: 4 PM 15 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate, chest, spine, hips, legs, FCBD
RPE: 4
RT: 8
RPD: 3, hips stiff
Sensations: tiring fast with leg movements
Feelings: impatient

In the evening I joined the pipe band for a routine
performance at our sponsor's restaurant.
I continue to see benefits in the physical
side of playing the pipes, from the CST training.
- shoulders strong, closed, and packed, easy
not to do the no-no "piper's hunch"
- hands quick and stronger (feels like)
- wind better, core feels like it can go forever
- stairs/marching around less distressing
(I used to secretly dread the LONG flight up to the practice hall,
from having to catch breath afterward)

What a great crowd it was. Good BE! Lots of sailors in town
when the "fleet comes in" to celebrate Portland's Rose
Festival. :wink:

[Scott Sonnon]

Awesome, Connie.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Sunday, June 13
Warrior Wellness day

Time: 12 noon 20 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate head thru solar plexus
Rest Period: minute between spine circles
RPE: 4
RT: 9
RPD: 2
Sensations: twinge front of both shoulders; lower back "releasing"
Feelings: very hopeful
Images: fleeting, none?
Thoughts: slow, steady spine circles take a lot of time!

Time: 7 pm session blown off - visit from family member.
went to bed early.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Monday, June 14
Happy Flag Day
Warrior Wellness day

Time: 3:30 10 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate hips -> FCBD
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 6
RPD: 2
Sensations: hips cramping on leg side circles, feet burning
Feelings: chipper
Images: -
Thoughts: 7 sec each position on FCBD - balance not good

Time: 6:00 10 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 6
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness intermediate head->spine
Rest Period: minute between spine circles
RPE: shoulder twinges on elbow figure 8s
RT: 7 sloppy on the circles - rushing to dinner
RPD: 3
Sensations: ow on the shoulders
Feelings: -
Images: like I was in someone else's body! more fluid than mine
Thoughts: planning tomorrow's CB session

[Connie Brown]

Date: Tuesday June 15
Clubbells and Warrior Wellness

Time: 10:30 10 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness int hips, spine, legs
Rest Period: none
RPE: 2
RT: 6
RPD: 4
Sensations: stiffness low back and top of hips
Feelings: enjoyment
Images: regrettable outfit (mirror)
Thoughts: spine circles are releasing tension!

Time: 11:30 30 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: swipes 10# 16 sets of 7 in 19 minutes
Rest Period: 12 sets at 60 sec/set, 4 sets at 90 sec/set
RPE: 8
RT: 7 inattention to form, a couple of bumps
RPD: 2
Sensations: grip and wrist fatigue, L shoulder not always packed
Feelings: bit o fear about shoulder
Images: tenor drum flourishes combined with WW and BF
Thoughts: love this workout time - high energy, middle of day.
I think my L shoulder issues are a tension chain with R hip.
pretty neat

Time: 6 pm 15 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 5
Exercise Selection: WW int head -> chest
Rest Period: n/a
RPE: 2
RT: 8
RPD: 2
Sensations: twinge with arm screw
Feelings: just tired
Images: -
Thoughts: -

[Connie Brown]

Thursday June 17
WW and CBs

Time: 10:30 am 10 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness head -> shoulders
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 9
RPD: 2
Sensations: L elbow stiff, neck stiff all around
Feelings: just good
Images: -
Thoughts:

Time: 11:30 10 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: swipes 10#
Sets/Reps: 16 x 7 in 17 min
Rest Period: 1 min per set at top of minute
RPE: 7
RT: 8 still some bumps
RPD: 2
Sensations: grip tired; R hip cramp; elbows don't match in back position
Feelings: cheerful
Images: relaxed face
Thoughts: when is the RPE on this going below 6? slow progress

Time: 4:15 10 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 6
Exercise Selection: WW Int chest-spine-hips-legs
Rest Period: pause after spine circles
RPE: 4
RT: 7
RPD: 4
Sensations: R hip cramp; dizzy on spine circle bending backward
Feelings: discouraged (my bad; contrasting back arch with Doug & Scott)
Images: relaxed face
Thoughts: when is the RPE on this going below 6? slow progress

Questions: I really want 100 10# swipes in one set and was using
a density cycle recommended for Malb ages ago for a 20-minute time slot.
I seem stuck on the step of 16 sets of 7 in 16 minutes,
and RPE stays at 7-8. Do I keep doing it until the RPE drops to 6,
or can I move to the next step with an RPE of 7, or am I kidding myself
about effort (either too much or too little)?

Possible tension chain from R hip to L shoulder. The image
I got today (finally) was sitting with left leg folded under
which I do a LOT and it raises my R hip. Could this simple habit
be hinking my left shoulder and elbow? Is hinking a word?
it should be.

[Scott Sonnon]

Wait until a 6, Connie. Give yourself time to adapt before progressing. What handedness are you?

[Connie Brown]

Right handed.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Saturday, June 19

WW and Evening Bagpipe Parade

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: WW int head -> hips
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 8 (spine circles clunky, everything else 10)
RPD: 2
Sensations: noticed knee action on tight hip circles!
Feelings: chipper
Images: -
Thoughts: wow, there's a lot going on below the hips
when you really smooth out those tight hip circles

Time: 6:30 PM 10 min
Place: Sheridan, Oregon. Beautiful setting
Energy Level: 10
Exercise Selection: 2.5 mile parade, piping
Rest Period: none
RPE: 9 (overheated - see questions below)
RT: 10 degrading to 0 !!
RPD: 8
Sensations: puffy hands, feet, breathless, red face, stop sweating
Feelings: frustration
Images: -
Thoughts: how to stop overheating

Questions:

Overheating! I got into the red zone after 45 minutes and had to stop playing. Me and my doc think this is the temp management challenge that happens around menopause. Temp was 95, first time this season so I wasn't used to it.

Fuel, check. Hydration, double check. Rest, check. sodium/potassium in balance, check. Open collar and dress as cool as possible, check.

What else can I do to not overheat? To give you an idea of the motion it is walking at a 3 mph pace while doing the motion of unscrewing a tight jar top and blowing up a balloon at the same time at about 20 psi.

[Scott Sonnon]

Connie,

Have you ever considered "chilly necks" - basically a cooled gel pack work like a necklace?

[Connie Brown]

Yes I considered it and was hoping it would be a last resort. We are a uniformed unit and somehow it's not on the list of regulation gear. I brought it up with the quartermaster and he said, okay, should I also stock up on old-people shoes, misting hats and rolling oxygen tanks for when we are 80. (We crack ourselves up.)

However I AM the pipe major so if I get one, everyone gots one. I am starting to like this idea...

[Connie Brown]

Date: Tuesday, June 21

WW and CBs

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW spine -> FCBD
Rest Period: minute halfway through spine circles
RPE: 4
RT: 8 (spine circles clunky, everything else 10)
RPD: 4
Sensations: tightness R upper back hip, sore hip ab/adductors
Feelings: dislike extra bulk
Images: full backbend coming

Time: 11:30 AM 13 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 10
Exercise Selection: swipes 10#
Rest Period: none
Sets/Reps: 9 sets of 7
RPE: 5
RT: 9 (back position bump before fully grooved)
RPD: 2
Sensations: nausea, BS drop (just before lunch)
Feelings: frustration at BS, hope & confidence with swings
Images: feel great from inside out, don't look great from outside in
Thoughts: must make up the full session on Thursday.
Also on one of those sets I hypnotized myself and accidently
did 10 reps before I "came to" and remembered they were sets of 7.
ONE - and - TWO - and - THREE and...

Time: 3:00 PM 15 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW int head -> chest
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 10
RPD: 4
Sensations: elbow figure 8s, tension or pain
Thoughts: I want a longer neck.

[Scott Sonnon]

Your neck is perfect and beautiful.

[Pattimeow]

Also on one of those sets I hypnotized myself and accidently
did 10 reps before I "came to" and remembered they were sets of 7.
ONE - and - TWO - and - THREE and...

OH Connie! LOL! This sounds like my old exercise addiction days. I never did know how to count back then, one hundred and one, one hundred and two, one hundread and three...oh yah, was supposed to be 7! :wink:


I want a longer neck.

Connie, you may not know this about me, but I HATE my neck. I have what I call a "turkey neck", instead of a beautiful neck like those pretty women where it goes straight back from the chin and then down, noooo!!! mine has to SLOPE, argh! Will CST give me a longer sleeker neck and eliminate my "turkey"? :lol:

[Scott Sonnon]

Patti,
I don't know who first put that horrible image in your mind, but they should be strangled. :x I volunteer. :twisted: You have a perfect neck - beautiful, supple, mobile and... perfect. The tension hides this from you.

[Pattimeow]

Patti,
I don't know who first put that horrible image in your mind, but they should be strangled. I volunteer. You have a perfect neck - beautiful, supple, mobile and... perfect. The tension hides this from you.

Thank you Connie. I guess I am stuck with this neck anyways, whether I like it or not. It is interesting that you said the tension hides this from me, because most of my tension when I do my WW beginning workout is in my neck, not elsewhere. Do you really think that as I do this, and release that tension that my neck will "appear" beautiful to me? I've always thought that if I ever had money and courage for plastic surgery this is what I would want done, a neck job. Because it makes my face ugly. :(

Patti

[Connie Brown]

Thank you Connie.
That was Scott but I wish I had said it too.

You know, I wonder if this idea of "ugly" is the last of our unreal, out-of-balance feelings, and something that will be healed when we finally add healthy movement.

We know a food imbalance makes us have feelings that are out of proportion to reality, but at the time, they seem real. I could tell you until the grassfed cows come home that you are always and already pretty, but we know how that goes.

I think the same is true for our idea of our physical bodies and the shape they are and how they move. As we heal our movement it will all look MUCH different.

I should have said what I want a longer neck FOR. a swinging Egyptian. If I was going to put in a General Change Order for body parts I would not start with the neck. :lol:

[Pattimeow]

That was Scott but I wish I had said it too.

Sorry Scott, when I read the reply I guess it sounded so much like
Connie's "voice" that I wasn't paying attention to who wrote it. :(
What a nice thing for you to say Scott. As I continue to do CST I hope that I will be able to believe that I am beautiful. Whew, my body image stuff is very strong, and I know that CST and my recent endevor at facing some deep denial about something, will lead me to a healthy image of myself.

So, for now I will simply continue to move, and continue to release the tension in my neck.

Taking a breath,
Patti

[Connie Brown]

Date: Thursday, June 24

WW and CBs

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW int legs -> FCBD
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 3 legs clunky, wobbly balance today
RPD: 4
Sensations: stiff R hip, burning feet, elevated HR on legs
Feelings: judgemental! who needs that coming from my own self
Images: love stillness on balance and if movement gets me there - want it
Thoughts: I like WW in thirds because the middle and lower need so much work

Time: 11:30 AM 25 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW shoulders, swipes 10#
Sets/Reps: 16 sets of 7 in 18 minutes
Rest Period: extra minute after sets # 8 and 11
RPE: 6
RT: 9 (back position bump before fully grooved)
RPD: 2
Sensations: 1000% better with pre-workout snack; huff n puff
Feelings: cheery
Images: -
Thoughts: love this time slot; need snack beforehand
Questions:
Since we are learning about integrating CST and RR - how come the guys coming to the food, post BOTH food and movement, and those of us coming to the movement, post only movement? I feel like a slacker in comparison. My inner competitor wants to know.

[Scott Sonnon]

Connie,
Are food logs for RR public or private only?

[Connie Brown]

Private as a regular thing, and then posted for fine-tuning or troubleshooting.

[Scott Sonnon]

So, in other words, the CST guys are used to posting their logs publicly, so just consolidated. I don't think it's a problem from the other direction, just a different point of departure.

[Connie Brown]

ok, thanks for the thots.

[Connie Brown]

Date: Friday, June 25

WW and Body-Flow day

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW spine -> FCBD
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 7 getting better on the legs & balance
RPD: 4 hips
Sensations: tightness R upper back hip
Feelings: chipper

Time: 5:30 PM 15 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 6
Exercise Selection: shin box, flat foot squat, long leg rolls
Rest Period: lots in between
RPE: 5
RT: 2
RPD: 5
Sensations: weight/tension in ff squat; less dizziness in rolls
Feelings: grim
Images: mud-covered yearbook picture; this was me, full page
in HS yearbook, covered with mud in gym suit (!) after losing the
junior-senior mud tug o war. a valiant effort as I recall. I
wonder who my secret enemy was on the yearbook staff.. but what
it reminded me of was, high point of body control for body-flow type movements.
Thoughts: baseball game tonight

[Connie Brown]

Date: Saturday, June 26

WW and CBs

Time: 11:30 AM 30 min
Place: hm living room
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: WW int, head -> chest; 5# CBs, 5x5 taskmasters, 3x12 arm park
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 8
RPD: 3
Sensations: twinge front L shoulder on taskmasters
Feelings: cheerful

Question: This left shoulder twinge has been going on forever, where is some adaptation. Isn't it supposed to get better if it's a WW ROM issue or go away if it is a getting stronger issue?

[Scott Sonnon]

Can you explain this twinge in more detail? What activates it, what it feels like, what resolves it?

[Connie Brown]

Say with a parry cast, the twing happens at front of shoulder when the arm is halfway between start and back position, horizontal to the ground, just when the weight gets pulled around the side.

Here's where the log comes in handy. from previous posts. Hm, I see I could be more specific:


]Something is up with my left arm screw. I think it is connected to my CB skill practice (taskmasters) that I am working on so will just see where it is a bit clunky


Thoughts: interesting that shoulder circles were no discomfort, but elbow circles were. and the discomfort was not on the elbow but somewhere between elbow and top of shoulder. couldn't pinpoint more closely.


Sensations: twinges on front of shoulder during elbow circles


Sensations: twinge front of both shoulders (WW shoulder circles), day after volume Swipes


Thoughts: Getting more clarity on the shoulder twinges. I think it has to do with how fast/slow I recover from a session of swipes. closed/packed shoulder problem? also when I was doing an AM/PM split with swipes and 5# taskmaster skill practice, it was worse - not enough rest time for me at this point in my progress?


Sensations: twinge front of both shoulders

[Connie Brown]

Monday, June 28

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW hips -> FCBD
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 7 wobbly balance
RPD: 1
Sensations: foot, calf burn; fatigue quickly; elevated heart rate
Feelings: calm, focus
Images: reading Mighty Atom - wonder what his daily ROM was

Time: 3:30 PM 15 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: WW int head -> spine
Rest Period: minute between spine cardinals
RPE: 3
RT: 8
RPD: 3
Sensations: nausea spine circles; hip, shoulders some stiffness, no biggie
Feelings: -
Images: -
Thoughts: hm, maybe those 6 hours of sleep affected my performance today. These summer evenings are so tempting to stay up too late

[Connie Brown]

Date: Wednesday, June 30

WW and CBs

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: wk ladies room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW int legs -> FCBD
Rest Period: minute between leg circles
RPE: 4
RT: 7 (leg circles clunky, balance sometimes < 10 sec )
RPD: 2
Sensations: tightness R upper back hip, effort on hip ab/adductors
Feelings: -
Images: -
Thoughts:

Time: 11:30 AM 17 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: swipes 10#
Rest Period: 30-60 extra sec after sets 5, 10, 13
Sets/Reps: 15 sets of 8 in 17 mins
RPE: 7
RT: 9 (only lacking machine-like consistency)
RPD: 1
Sensations: mahvelous, strong, loose, HR 110-140
Feelings: hope - I can do this!
Images: -
Thoughts:

[Connie Brown]

Date: Saturday, July 3

WW and CBs

Time: 10:30 AM 10 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW legs -> FCBD
Rest Period: none
RPE: 4
RT: 8
RPD: 1
Sensations: normal leg and foot burn
Feelings: la de dah
Images:
Thoughts:

Time: 12:00 PM 25 min
Place: home back patio
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: mills, swipes 10#
Sets/Reps: 12/12, full choke, on mills; swipes 15 sets of 8 in 15 min
Rest Period: 1 extra minute after set #8
RPE: 7-8
RT: 5 on mills, 9 on swipes
RPD: 2
Sensations: grip fatigue towards end
Feelings: pretty darn good

Questions: A couple of idle questions today.

first, on the Four Corner Balance Drill, what effect does a lot of extra weight have? Do I put more demands on balance than a person of optimal BF levels? Requiring more of the underlying muscle, I mean.

second, an observation on fatigue and selective tension. At the end of my session today, when I was getting pretty tired, I noticed much better use of momentum and tight-loose-tight on the swings. Just to conserve energy it seemed like I jettisoned all the extraneous tension - which meant that before, I was more tense than I needed to be?

[Scott Sonnon]

I presume larger bodyweight would have be more intense in the FCBD.

One of the coaching techniques I've used (to my students' misery) is post-fatigue practice, so that their technique improves - as you've described.

[Connie Brown]

Sunday, July 4

Warrior Wellness

Time: 8:30 AM 15 min
Place: home front porch
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness head -> chest
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 8
RPD: 1
Sensations: hiccup in R shoulder, motorcycle rolls
Feelings: chipper

Time: 8:30 PM 15 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 6
Exercise Selection: WW spine -> FCBD
Rest Period: min in between cardinals on spine
RPE: 2
RT: 7
RPD: 4 nausea (speed)
Sensations: gentle ROM today
Feelings: a bit impatient

[Connie Brown]

Date: Monday, July 5

WW

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW spine -> FCBD
Rest Period: minute halfway through spine circles
RPE: 4
RT: 8 (spine circles clunky, everything else 10)
RPD: 4
Sensations: tightness R upper back hip, sore hip ab/adductors

Time: 3:00 PM 15 min
Place: home back porch
Energy Level: 7
Exercise Selection: WW int head -> chest
Rest Period: none
RPE: 3
RT: 10
RPD: 4
Sensations: elbow figure 8s, tension or pain, clunks in motorcycle shoulders

[Connie Brown]

Tuesday, July 7

Warrior Wellness and CBs

Time: 10:30 AM 15 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness™ hips -> FCBD
Rest Period: short pauses in between spine circles
RPE: 4
RT: 7
RPD: 2
Sensations: R hip cramp, nausea
Feelings: I can do stuff

Time: 11:45 AM 20 min
Place: home back yard
Energy Level: 8
Exercise Selection: 10# mills 8/8, swipes 8 x 8
Rest Period: each setat top of minute
RPE: 6
RT: 5 (mills) 9 (swipes)
RPD: 4
Sensations: didn't feel strong

Time: 3:30 PM 10 min
Place: wk ladies' room
Energy Level: 6
Exercise Selection: WW head - chest
Rest Period: none
RPE: 2
RT: 9
RPD: 1
Sensations: gentle ROM today
Feelings:

[Connie Brown]

Date: Tuesday, July 13

WW

ruh-roh - "forgetting" journal here and there
(right now it's in my room and should be with me!)

Last Friday: CB session
Sat, Sun, Mon: WW

WW and CBs

Time: 10:00 AM 10 min
Place: work ladies' room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: WW legs -> FCBD
Rest Period: none
RPE: 2
RT: 7 wobbly everywhere; lack of focus
RPD: 1
Sensations: normal
Thoughts: buzzing after exciting meeting; couldn't settle down

Time: 11:40 AM 16 min
Place: home living room
Energy Level: 9
Exercise Selection: swipes 10#
Sets, reps: 15 x 8 in 15 min
Rest Period: extra 30 sec after set #s 5, 10
RPE: 6
RT: 9
RPD: 1
Sensations: strong, loose, coordinated
Thoughts: I do SO much better with CB sessions every 3 days, not Tu-Thu-Sat for example

[Paul K]

Connie,

Good for you; use your Clubbells every three days if that’s what your body tells you. Intuitive Training provides the greatest benefits for your body because it’s precisely what your body needs.

Namaste,
Paul

[Connie Brown]

Thanks Paul! it means a lot coming from you who has a big ol' capacity for work. :)

[Connie Brown]

I will close this thread and start another one over at the CST Forum Training Logs.

This is to get ready for when I am CST certified - the CST coaches post on the more public forum so we can all help popularize this wonderful system.

I figure if I start now when nobody is watching it will be easier. :wink:

See ya over there!

[Scott Sonnon]

Great work you've done to date, Connie. I look forward to reading your continued progress!