Core Competencies
Nov. 5th, 2010 02:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wigglewhiz...and no, I don't mean the boring worky kind.
I got back into my workout today, having taken quite a few days off lately to prepare (or more accurately, STRESS about NOT PREPARING) for my interview, and spending basically the last two days completely crippled by the desire to post-mortem Every. Single. Detail. of the interview and freak myself out about my performance, second-guessing myself, etc etc. (I have managed to be kind to myelf and largely avoid such destructive behaviour but... it's RIGHT THERE on the periphery of my consciousness ALL THE TIME and it's awful).
Anyway, aside from such bloody irritating things such as my resistance band SNAPPING while I was working out - it's one of those horrible, latex-y, giant rubber bandy ones that I DO NOT WANT (prefer the bungee cord stylee ones) but came with the EA Sports Active programme - I had a little bit of an epiphany today, and I was wondering how many other bellydancing and exercising flisties might have kind of the same experience.
I don't like exercise. I just... don't like it. I would LIKE to like it, to have that endorphin rush, to be able to do it without grumbling or complaining, to feel like I was getting something out of it besides a beet red sweaty face. However! You might remember I commented recently on how much I enjoy the boxing that I do, and how it's the only thing that gives me an endorphin rewardy feeling that I can enjoy for a bit. And I've been feeling a little discontented with my work out (roughly 1/3 resistance band/weights and 2/3 cardio), because I really don't feel my core is being worked enough.
Today I decided randomly to do a little bit of Wii Fit as a warm-up for the EA Sports Active workout. I did the Step Aerobics thing (with a riser to get the Wii off the ground more), and the Rhythm Kung Fu and the Marching Band thing, just to warm up my legs and feet. The EA Sports Active always contains some running, and I've discovered that that's PAINFUL when the house is cool like today and my feet are cold. Anyway, after doing the usual little warm-up routine I randomly decided to do some Hula Hooping, to get the core going and work the waistline a little.
It. Was. Awesome.
Not in the OMG, I've TOTALLY had a workout way, because I don't think *any* of the Wii Fit programmes are hard enough to make you feel like you've actually worked out rather than pissed about a bit. But in the Weeeeeeeee, Endorphin Feel-Good Boost! kind of way - and it suddenly dawned on me that I ONLY get the endorphin rush from exercise WHEN IT WORKS MY CORE.
I love the Cardio Boxing. It's awesome. But when I don't concentrate on my technique it just becomes cardio and I get that familiar tired, humiliated feeling that I always get from exercise. When I concentrate on my technique, making sure I'm engaging my core with every strike, that's when the endorphin rush kicks in.
So! I'm wondering if this is just A Thing, and that anybody familiar with gyms and exercising will be going: "well, DUH", or whether this is because my body ENJOYS using the core muscles because it's so familiar with activating them when dancing. Obviously your body responds best (and quickest) to exercise types that it's familiar with - I'm not dancing at the moment, so my poor body is starving for the core stimulation it once had.
What do you think, flisties - core activation endorphin rush because we're dancers, or just because That's The Way Exercise Works, Dummy?
I got back into my workout today, having taken quite a few days off lately to prepare (or more accurately, STRESS about NOT PREPARING) for my interview, and spending basically the last two days completely crippled by the desire to post-mortem Every. Single. Detail. of the interview and freak myself out about my performance, second-guessing myself, etc etc. (I have managed to be kind to myelf and largely avoid such destructive behaviour but... it's RIGHT THERE on the periphery of my consciousness ALL THE TIME and it's awful).
Anyway, aside from such bloody irritating things such as my resistance band SNAPPING while I was working out - it's one of those horrible, latex-y, giant rubber bandy ones that I DO NOT WANT (prefer the bungee cord stylee ones) but came with the EA Sports Active programme - I had a little bit of an epiphany today, and I was wondering how many other bellydancing and exercising flisties might have kind of the same experience.
I don't like exercise. I just... don't like it. I would LIKE to like it, to have that endorphin rush, to be able to do it without grumbling or complaining, to feel like I was getting something out of it besides a beet red sweaty face. However! You might remember I commented recently on how much I enjoy the boxing that I do, and how it's the only thing that gives me an endorphin rewardy feeling that I can enjoy for a bit. And I've been feeling a little discontented with my work out (roughly 1/3 resistance band/weights and 2/3 cardio), because I really don't feel my core is being worked enough.
Today I decided randomly to do a little bit of Wii Fit as a warm-up for the EA Sports Active workout. I did the Step Aerobics thing (with a riser to get the Wii off the ground more), and the Rhythm Kung Fu and the Marching Band thing, just to warm up my legs and feet. The EA Sports Active always contains some running, and I've discovered that that's PAINFUL when the house is cool like today and my feet are cold. Anyway, after doing the usual little warm-up routine I randomly decided to do some Hula Hooping, to get the core going and work the waistline a little.
It. Was. Awesome.
Not in the OMG, I've TOTALLY had a workout way, because I don't think *any* of the Wii Fit programmes are hard enough to make you feel like you've actually worked out rather than pissed about a bit. But in the Weeeeeeeee, Endorphin Feel-Good Boost! kind of way - and it suddenly dawned on me that I ONLY get the endorphin rush from exercise WHEN IT WORKS MY CORE.
I love the Cardio Boxing. It's awesome. But when I don't concentrate on my technique it just becomes cardio and I get that familiar tired, humiliated feeling that I always get from exercise. When I concentrate on my technique, making sure I'm engaging my core with every strike, that's when the endorphin rush kicks in.
So! I'm wondering if this is just A Thing, and that anybody familiar with gyms and exercising will be going: "well, DUH", or whether this is because my body ENJOYS using the core muscles because it's so familiar with activating them when dancing. Obviously your body responds best (and quickest) to exercise types that it's familiar with - I'm not dancing at the moment, so my poor body is starving for the core stimulation it once had.
What do you think, flisties - core activation endorphin rush because we're dancers, or just because That's The Way Exercise Works, Dummy?
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Interesting
Date: 2010-11-05 01:57 am (UTC)i don't get it from running, elliptical, etc, only a well cued cardio class. It can be any kind of cardio, though.
i think form is THE most important thing when you're exercising, and if your core is NOT engaged, you're gonna wind up hurting yourself.
I went from teaching 10 - 12 hours a week of cardio and dance to nothing.
And I can't seem to get my butt back in a gym. sigh.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-05 12:08 pm (UTC)But as belly dancers we've become accustomed to feeling those yummy sensations in the core when a movement is right, and I guess hooping might activate that same feeling in similar ways (I don't know because I've never been able to make it work!) So, is it dance necessarily or is it the familiarity of the nice feeling that we have come to know and love, combined with soothing repetition? Who knows?