Springtime photos

Fun names

I know many of you keep track of interesting names that you find in the course of doing your work. Here is a list of fun names from Irene.

• Fairy Lane
• Minnie Monor
• Hope Noble
• Daily Brewer
• Virginia Pork
• Violet Dove
• Golden Day
• May Day
• Winter Day
• Daisy Gardener
• Nector White
• Warfman Fisher
• Waterman Fisher
• Short Beams
• Joseph Free Cheeseman
• Horse Paynter
• Prince Short
• Hazel Green
• Worth Laughlin
• Merry Christmas Galehouse

Article by a colleague

Here is a link to an article by one of our EI project colleagues at the University of Michigan. He's been doing research on COVID-19. We thought you might be interested in the article.

Arms Monday

On Mondays with use hands weights to do arm and upper body exercises. We do the exercises while standing up, but you could probably do most of them sitting in a chair. If you’re a beginner, you might consider doing the exercises a few times without using hand weights. If you are using weights, begin with lighter weights, and as the exercises get easier, increase the amount of weight you’re lifting. Always use a smooth and controlled motion to lift the weights.

Here are the exercises. We do anywhere from 10 to 16 repetitions of each exercise. We don’t necessarily do the exercises in the order they are listed here.

Overhead press

Holding a weight in each hand, the starting position is with your elbows bent so your hands are near your shoulders. The move is to straighten your arm and reach above your head. At the top of the move, your arms are fully extended toward the ceiling. Return your arms to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Chest press

Hold the weights in each hand at chest level. Your elbows should be bent at the sides of your torso. Extend your arms in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended and parallel to the floor. Return your arms to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Double-arm rows

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, one foot forward and one foot back. Bend at your hip flexors, pulling your belly button to your spine. Hold a weight in each hand with your arms extended straight toward the floor. Pull the weights up with both hands by bending your arms and shooting your elbows up behind your back. You should feel your shoulder blades come together. Your hands will be at chest level. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You should feel this exercise in your back muscles.

Bicep curls

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold one weight in each hand with your arms hanging at your sides and palms facing your legs. Press the sides of your arms from the elbow to your shoulder against your body. This is to anchor your arms so that only the lower half moves. Lift the weights by bending your arms at your elbows. While lifting your arms, twist them so your palms face your chest. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You can do this move with both arms at the same time or do each arm individually. We’ll often do several double-arm bicep curls then finish off the move with single-arm bicep curls.

Bicep curls with extension

I don’t actually know what the second half of this move is called. Sorry. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold one weight in each hand with your arms hanging at your sides and palms facing your legs. Press the sides of your arms from the elbow to your shoulder against your body. This is to anchor your arms so that only the lower half moves. Lift the weights by bending your arms at your elbows. While lifting your arms, twist them so your palms face your chest. At the top of the bicep curl, keeping your hands in the same position facing your chest, extend your arms straight to the ceiling. Return to the position at the top of the bicep curl. Return to the bicep curl starting position. This is one repetition.

Tricep kickbacks

Hold one weight in each hand. Extend your arms behind you with your elbows bent. Your hands are holding the weights at the level of your bottom, but behind it. Keep your arms stiff from the elbow to the shoulder. Extend your lower arms so that you straighten your arms behind you. Return your arms to the starting position by bending them at the elbows. This is one repetition. You can do this move with both arms at the same time or do each arm individually. We often combine this move with the bicep curl. One bicep curl and one tricep kickback being a single repetition.

Overhead French press

This is another exercise for your triceps. Hold a weight in each hand. Extend your arms above your head, holding the weights together. Bend your elbows so your lower arms are just over your head, parallel to the floor, and the weights are at the back of your head. This is your starting position. Straighten your arm, so they are extended toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Lateral raises

Hold one weight in each hand. Bend your elbows 90 degrees so that you are holding the weights in front of you just below your chest. Keeping your arms bent, raise them out, so the elbows are in line with your shoulders. Your elbows and shoulders should form a line that is parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Shoulder raises

We usually do shoulder raises one arm at a time. This allows us to focus more on form in a move most of us find somewhat difficult. In the starting position, your arm is hanging by your side. Lift your arm so it is extended straight out to your side at about chest height and parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position. Lift your arm so that it is extended straight in front of your at about chest height and parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other side. These are difficult and we usually only do about six repetitions.

Fly

This is similar to the chest press, but your arms are in a slightly different position, so you’ll work slightly different muscles in your chest. Hold a weight in each hand. The weights are held in front of your, but instead of your arms being straight, they are curved like you’re hugging a tree or a telephone pole. Leading with your bent elbows, open your arms. Keeping your elbows bent, close your arms again like you’re hugging the tree. This is one repetition.

Reverse fly

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, one foot forward and one foot back. Bend at your hip flexors, pulling your belly button to your spine. Hold a weight in each hand with your arms extended toward the floor, but instead of your arms being straight, they are curved like you’re hugging a tree or a telephone pole. Leading with your bent elbows, open your arms. You will feel your shoulder blades come together. Keeping your elbows bent, close your arms again like you’re hugging the tree. This is one repetition.

Dead lift to upright row

You’ll remember that we did this exercise on leg day. I thought we could repeat it here because it involves both legs and arms. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Tuck your belly button to your spine to protect your back. Bend at your hip flexors (not at your belly button) with your arms hanging in front of you. Keep your back straight. In the down position, your arms (with or without weights) are dangling toward the floor. Do not bend your knees. As you return to the standing position, pull up your arms so that they are bent at the elbow and your hands are in line with the top of your chest. It’s like your using both hands to pick up something from the floor. This is one repetition. If you’re doing this correctly, you’ll feel a stretch in the back of your legs.

We end this workout with a plank. See last Wednesday’s post for instructions on how to do a plank.

AnnaLisa's morning walk

Thanks to AnnaLisa for sharing pictures from her morning walk yesterday. I have to agree with her that the light was beautiful. Enjoy!

Bands Friday

On Fridays we exercise with resistance bands. These are long, thin pieces of plastic that you can stretch in all directions and easily vary the resistance. To vary the resistance on the band, change where you are holding it. That is, to make it easier with less resistance, hold the band nearer to the ends. To make it more difficult with more resistance, hold the band closer to the center. What I really like about using resistance bands is that for many of the moves, you use your body to anchor the band. This helps to work your core even while you’re doing other exercises.

Here are some band exercises. We do anywhere from 10 to 16 repetitions of each exercise.

Overhead stretch

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the band with both hands spaced a comfortable distance apart. Extend your hands above your head, so the band is parallel to the floor. Stretch the band by lowering your arms to your side. At the bottom of the move, your arms should be sticking out to your sides, parallel to the floor. Return your hands to the starting position. This is one repetition. If the move is too easy or too difficult, adjust the position of your hands on the band.

Chest-level stretch

The next move is similar, and we usually move directly into it from the first stretch. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the band with both hands spaced a comfortable distance apart. Extend your arms so they are straight, and your hands are in front of you. Hold the band so it’s parallel with the floor.  Open your arms so that they are sticking out to your sides, parallel to the floor. Return your hands to the starting position. You’re opening and closing your arms. This is one repetition. If the move is too easy or too difficult, adjust the position of your hands on the band.

The next two moves I like to combine with a mini-squat. This is just a partial squat in which you bend your knees then come right back up to a standing position.

Overhead, single-arm stretch

Place the band behind your back and hold it at chest level. While holding the band, and using your back as an anchor, extend one arm to the ceiling. Return it to the starting position. Extend the opposite arm to the ceiling. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Across the chest, single-arm stretch

Place the band behind your back and hold it at chest level. While holding the band, and using your back as an anchor, extend one arm to stretch the band across your chest. Return it to the starting position. Extend the opposite arm across your chest. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Lat pulls

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the band in both hands. To anchor the move, extend one arm straight out, so your hand is somewhere between eye-level and just above your head. Keep this arm still. Your hands should be comfortably spaced on the band and at the same level at the beginning of the exercise. Use the non-anchor hand to pull the band down and back. This is single motion, not a two-step process. You hand will end up at the level of your hip and slightly behind it. Return to the starting position. You should feel this exercise in your back muscles. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching arms.

Chest press

Band around your back at chest level. Holding the band in both hands, elbows bent so your hands are at chest level. Extend both arms straight in front of you, so they are parallel with the floor. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You are pushing the band in front of you. If you want to make this move a little more difficult, don’t release all the tension in the band when you return to the starting position.

Double-arm rows

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, one foot forward and one foot back. Use your front foot to stand in the center of the band. Bend at your hip flexors, pulling your belly button to your spine. Hold one side of the band in each hand with your arms extended straight toward the floor. Pull the band up with both hands by bending your arms and shooting your elbows up into the air. Your hands will be at chest level. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You should feel this exercise in your back muscles. Complete all repetitions one side before switching to the other side.

Bicep curls

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, one foot forward and one foot back. Use your front foot to stand in the center of the band. Hold one side of the band in each hand. Press the sides of your arms from the elbow to your shoulder against your body. This is to anchor your arms so that only the lower half moves. Pull up the band by bending your arms at your elbows. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. You can do this move with both arms at the same time or do each arm individually. We’ll often do several double-arm bicep curls then finish off the move with single-arm bicep curls.

Tricep kickbacks

Anchor the band around your waist. Hold one side of the band in each hand. Your arms should be bent with your hands holding the band near your bottom. Keep your arms stiff from the elbow to the shoulder. Extend your lower arms so that you straighten your arms behind you. Return your arms to the starting position by bending them at the elbows. This is one repetition. You can do this move with both arms at the same time or do each arm individually.

Tricep extensions

Hold the band in both hands. Your arms should be bent so your hands are at about chest height. One arm is the anchor and will not move. Keep your arm you will move stiff from the elbow to the shoulder. Straighten that arm by extending it to your side away from your body. The arm you extend with be a little lower than the other arm. Return your arm to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions one side before switching to the other side.

Shoulder raises

Stand with a foot on one end of the band. Hold the other end in your hand on the same side of your body. In the starting position, your arm is hanging by your side. Lift your arm so it is extended straight out to your side at about chest height. Return to the starting position. Lift your arm so that it is extended straight in front of your at about chest height. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other side. These are difficult and we usually only do about six repetitions.

Side bend with a twist

Stand with a foot on one end of the band. Hold the other end in your hand on the same side of your body. This move will be similar to the side bend we did in yoga. Extend your arm and the band over your head. Tip to one side until you feel the stretch. Hold for a couple of counts. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do four or five of these before moving on to the twist.

For the twist, instead of extending your arm, stand with your elbow bent and your hand at about shoulder level next to your body. You want to feel some resistance on the band. With your hips remaining forward, twist your torso away from the band. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do four or five of these. Switch sides and do both exercises.

We end this workout with a plank. No need to use the band for this. See Wednesday’s post for instructions on how to do a plank. Come back Monday for arm day!

Coralee's sourdough starter

Upon reading this post, I think you will all be very impressed with Coralee. She writes:


Here's the instructions I followed for making my sourdough starter:

http://www.wildyeastblog.com/raising-a-starter/

I used spelt flour instead of rye flour to get it started, I couldn't find rye anywhere, which seemed really weird. But I think you can do it with pretty much any whole grain with good results.

I've made these brownies:
https://www.wildyeastblog.com/sourdough-brownies/

and these crackers:
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-crackers-recipe

and today I'll bake a focaccia bread using it!


And since we're talking about sourdough. Here is a book recommendation: The novel Sourdough by Robin Sloan. Make sure you don't let your sourdough get out of control.

Yoga Thursday

After all of yesterday’s leg exercises, you might be feeling like you need a good stretch. Lucky for you it’s yoga Thursday! A note about breathing. I’m not a yoga teacher, so I can’t tell you the proper times to breathe. Make sure you don’t hold your breath. Notice your breathing and make an effort to breathe and expand your rib cage.

The first half of our routine is the same as Tuesday’s. Please see Tuesday’s post for instructions for doing the following poses:

• Mountain pose
• Side bend
• Torso twist
• Tree

After completing the standing poses, it’s time to get on the floor.

Cobra

Lie down on your stomach with your legs together. Place your hands, palm down, on the floor beneath your shoulders. Push yourself up, so that only the bottom half of your body is still on the floor. Hold the pose for several seconds.

Superman

Lie down on your stomach. Extend your arms over your head. They should be straight and resting on the floor. Lift your arms and your feet off the ground, like you’re flying. Look straight ahead or at the floor. Hold the pose for a few seconds. Return your arms and feet to the floor. Repeat a couple of times.

Locust

This pose is similar to the superman, except your arms are in a different position. Lie down on your stomach. Let your hands rest at your side. Raise your head and look forward. Keeping your arms straight and palms down, lift them off the floor. Lift your legs off the floor. Hold the position for a few seconds, then return your arms and legs to the floor. Repeat a couple of times.

Cats and cows

Move onto your hands and knees. Your hands should be underneath your shoulders, and your back should be like a tabletop. For the cow pose, raise your head and put your tailbone in the air while making your back concave (like a cow in the pasture). Hold the pose for a few seconds. I usually like to inhale during the cow pose and exhale during the cat. For the cat pose, drop your head and tailbone and arch your back (like an angry cat). Hold the pose for a few seconds. Alternate between the two poses several times.

Downward facing dog

I know this is a copout, but I can barely do a downward dog, and describing it is even more difficult. If you’ve ever seen a dog stretch, that’s what it looks like. I haven’t really felt like I should link to online demos of poses, but I don’t think I can avoid it for this one. Here are instructions from Yoga Journal https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/downward-facing-dog

Some pose that is definitely not Monkey

Based on my online search, the pose we’ve been calling monkey, is not a monkey. If probably just some sort of forward bend. Stand up. Bend at your hip flexors. Do not bend your legs. Keep your back straight like a table top. Rest your palms on your shins. You should feel the stretch in the back of your legs. Hold the pose for a few seconds.

Drop like a ragdoll

This is really just a forward fold. No need to stand up from the previous pose. Fold over at your hip flexors and let your arms dangle toward the floor. Your back is no longer like a table top. Your limp like a ragdoll. If it’s more comfortable for you, fold your arms so that the opposite hand is holding each elbow. Hold the pose for a few seconds.

Return to downward dog and repeat the sequence of three poses.

Moon flowers and sun flowers

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your hands above your head. I usually do this with my arms slightly curved and my hands meeting at the top. While you do a basic squat, bend your arms and pull them down. You will look kind of like a “W” and you should feel your shoulder blades push together. Return to the starting position. This is a moon flower.

For the sunflower, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your hands above your head. I usually do this with my arms slightly curved and my hands meeting at the top. While you do a basic squat, swing your arms down (sort of like you would when you make a snow angel) so that your hands cross at the bottom. Keep your back straight. Return to the starting position.

Alternate between moon flowers and sunflowers for several repetitions.

Finish up with legs up a wall. See Tuesday’s post for instructions.

Tomorrow is bands day. We’ll see if I can figure out how to describe those moves. Have fun doing yoga!

Photo from Noelle

Noelle wanted to inspire you with her healthy breakfast.

Leg Day Wednesday

Today is everybody’s favorite – leg day. Just kidding. I don’t think anybody really likes it, but we need to work all the body’s major muscle groups. We divide our lunchtime workouts among different body parts because the workouts are so short. If we only work on legs they get a lot more exercise than they would if we also worked on arms or abs. This routine is mostly squats and lunges with a few other things mixed in. We do 8 to 12 repetitions of each move. That might not seem like much after your first set of squats, but it’s tough after you’ve done four or five sets. Don’t move too quickly. You want the muscles to do the work and not have momentum carry you. Make your motions smooth and controlled. We usually do these exercises holding hand weights, but that isn’t necessary. Especially if you’ve never done exercises like these before, you might want to do them without hand weights the first few times.

Here are the exercises. I’ve probably forgotten some. We don’t usually do them in any particular order. Most of the time we don’t have time for all of these. I generally try to intermix other exercises with the squats, so that we get a little bit of a rest from them. You might need to search for video demonstrations online.

The foundation for many of these exercises is the basic squat.

Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart. The motion is like sitting down in a chair. Bend your knees while moving your bottom backward. Do the movement slowly at first to get the idea of what it should feel like. If you’re not sure how to do it, pull up a chair and very, very slowly sit down and pay attention to how your body is moving. As you bend your knees, make sure they do NOT cross over your toes. If your knees stick out in front of your toes, you’re doing it wrong, and it will begin to hurt. Squeeze your butt as you stand up. Bending your knees then standing back up is one repetition. You can do a basic squat with your hands hanging by your sides. I often bend my elbows and bring my fists together at chest level, but that’s not necessary. You should master a basic squat before moving on to variations.

Basic squat with a twist

Do a basic squat. When you stand up from the move, twist your torso to one side. It helps guide the move if you bring your hands (chest level, fists together) up with you rather than hanging them at your side. Do another squat, and when you stand up, twist your torso and arms to the other side. Alternate from side to side for all your repetitions.

Plie squat

Get in the position for a basic squat. Point your toes outward. Hold your hand weights in front of you with your arms extended downward. The motion, like the basic squat is to sit down and stand up. To get more advanced, do all your repetitions of the squat, then do about ten “pulses.” That is, you’ll do ten more squats, but you won’t fully stand up between repetitions. It really works your inner thighs.

Basic squats with kicks

Do a basic squat, but when you stand up, kick one leg backward. On the next squat, kick the other leg backward. Let your arms swing naturally to keep your balance. Alternate kicks for all repetitions.

Another variation

Do a basic squat, but when you stand up, kick one leg out to the side. On the next squat, kick the other leg out to the side. Let your arms swing naturally to keep your balance. Alternate kicks for all repetitions.

Sit and kick

Stand with your feet together. Like a basic squat, the motion is to sit down and stand up. When you stand up, kick one leg forward. On the next squat, kick the other leg forward. Let your arms swing naturally to keep your balance. Alternate kicks for all repetitions.

Squat, hips, overhead press

Stand with your feet together. Like a basic squat, the motion is to sit down and stand up with your hands hanging at your side. As you stand up, bring your hands (and weights if you’re using them) to your hips. Then reach your hands (and weights) over your head, so your arms are extended straight in an overhead press. The squat to the overhead press is one repetition.

Hip adductions and abductions

I’m not entirely sure these are the correct names for what we do. These are exercises for your hips and your balance. You’ll probably also feel it in your thighs and backend. Feel free to hold on to a chair for support. Stand up. Flex one foot to the side (don’t point your toes), so your foot is point out. Lift your flexed foot off the ground and swing it forward and back a few inches leading with your instep. Moving your foot forward then back to the starting position is one repetition. Do about 12 to 15 of these. After all your repetitions, reverse the motion of your foot. Again, leading with the middle of your foot, swinging your foot backward then returning to the starting position is one repetition. Repeat with the opposite foot.

Basic lunge (split squat)

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, one foot forward and one foot back. Make sure your knees are soft and not stiff. Give yourself a moment to feel balanced. Make sure your legs aren’t too close together as that will prevent you from being properly balanced. If you need to, use a chair for support. The move is to kneel down and stand up. Sort of like when someone gets down on one knee to propose. Unlike the basic squat, you are moving straight up and down, do NOT thrust your bottom out behind you. As you lower yourself, make sure your knee does NOT cross over your toes. This is wrong, and you will find it causes knee pain. To return to the standing position, push through the heel of your front foot. Complete all repetitions on one side then switch so the other foot is forward. You can let your hands (with or without weights) hang at your side, or move your arms to help with your balance. For a more advanced set, do all your repetitions of the lunge, then do about ten “pulses.” That is, you’ll do ten more lunges, but you won’t fully stand up between repetitions.

Backward lunge

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend one knee as you step backward with the opposite foot. Pressing the heel of your front foot into the floor, return the foot you stepped backward with to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one side then switch so the other foot steps back. I often bend my elbows and bring my fists together at chest level as this helps with my balance.

Forward lunge

This move is like the backward lunge except that you will step one foot forward rather than backward. Push with your heel to return your foot to the starting position. I often bend my elbows and bring my fists together at chest level as this helps with my balance.

Forward lunge with torso twist

This is a forward lunge with extra movement before you return your foot to the starting position. As you step forward raise your hands (with or without weights) and put them together at chest level. Keeping your hands in that position, twist your torso to one side while keeping your hips forward. Twist your torso to the opposite side. Move your torso back to the starting position. Return your foot to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one leg before switching to the other side.

Dead lift to upright row

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Tuck your belly button to your spine to protect your back. Bend at your hip flexors (not at your belly button) with your arms hanging in front of you. Keep your back straight. In the down position, your arms (with or without weights) are dangling toward the floor. Do not bend your knees. As you return to a standing position, pull up your arms so that they are bent at the elbow and your hands are in line with the top of your chest. It’s like your using both hands to pick up something from the floor. This is one repetition. If you’re doing this correctly, you’ll feel a stretch in the back of your legs.

We always end our Monday, Wednesday, Friday sessions with a plank.

Forearm plank or high plank

Lie down on the floor. Line up your elbows with your shoulders and rest your forearms on the floor. Flex your feet so your toes are on the ground and lift your body. Only your forearms and toes should be touching the floor. Tighten the muscles of your core, butt and thighs. Make sure you keep your body straight. You might want to do this in front of a mirror to check your form. You don’t want your bottom sticking up in the air. Hold the position. Try to work up to a minute or longer.

A high plank is the same except you hold yourself up with your hands rather than your forearms. Your arms are straight and in line with your shoulders. I don’t know which is more difficult. I prefer a high plank, because a forearm plank feels like it cuts off the circulation to my arms. Sandy usually prefers a forearm plank, but will sometimes switch between the two.

A modified plank might be a good place to start if you’ve never done one before. Instead of flexing your toes, put your knees on the floor. You will be held up by your hands and knees, instead of your hands and toes. Still tighten the muscles of your core, butt and thighs. Don’t be discouraged is you can’t hold a plank for very long the first time you do it. Do it for a few seconds then rest. You’ll see improvement in you continue doing a plank a few times a week.

Come back tomorrow for yoga Thursday!

Springtime in Virginia

I've had a request for a few photos of flowering trees to cheer us all up. Here you go. I can add more later if you're interested.

Yoga Tuesday

I was thinking yesterday as I was on my living room floor doing my plank, that I missed my lunchtime exercise sessions with the ladies at the office. For those of you who don’t know, a few of us spend 10 or 12 minutes during lunch every day exercising. Since Tuesday is yoga day, and Noelle suggested that we use the blog to keep in touch, I thought I’d lay out our routine for anyone who’s interested.  If anyone wants to exercise together, we can always have a Zoom meeting.

Here is Tuesday’s yoga routine.

Mountain pose

Stand up with legs should width apart. Spread out your toes. Roll your shoulders down and back (they shouldn’t be up by your ears), so you have good posture but your back isn’t stiff. Imagine there is a string attached to the top of your head pulling you up straight. Hang your arms at your side, palms facing in.

While you’re in mountain pose breathe in to the count of three. Breathe out to the count of five. Repeat two more times.

Another breathing exercise.

Stretch your arms out in front of you, interlace your fingers so your palms are facing away from you. Inhale as you move your arms above your head. Pause. Separate your hands. As you exhale, bend your arms as you pull them down. You will look kinds of like a “W” and you should feel your shoulder blades push together. This will open up your chest a little bit. Repeat two more times.

Side bend or side stretch (sorry, I’m not a yoga teacher sometimes I don’t know what the poses are called).

From mountain pose, raise both arms straight over your head. Interlace your fingers with your palms facing down. Tip to one side with your hands extended above your head. You should feel the stretch on the side of your body, but it shouldn’t hurt. You only need to bend enough to feel the stretch. Hold the stretch for 10 to 12 seconds. Move back to the center and tip to the other side. Hold the pose for 10 to 12 seconds. Repeat again on both sides.

Torso twist

From mountain pose, extend both arms in front of you at approximately chest height. Fingers outstretched and palms facing down. Keeping your hips facing forward. Twist your torso, so that one hand is pointing forward and the other is pointing backward. Your head is turned to the back. Hold the pose for 10 to 12 seconds. Move back to the center. Twist to the other side so that the opposite hand and your head and pointed backward. Repeat on each side.

Tree

From mountain pose, move one foot to rest its sole against the opposite leg. If you’re a beginner or have balance issues, stand next to a chair and use it for support. If you feel you can do it, move the sole of your foot to rest against the calf of the opposite leg. Do NOT rest your foot against the opposite knee. Open up your hips. Your knee is pointing out to the side not the front. Put your hands together in prayer position (unless you need to hold onto a chair). If you’re feeling like you can do it, raise up your arms like the branches of a tree. Work up to holding this pose for at least 30 seconds. Repeat standing on the opposite leg. If you’re really advanced, you can rest your foot against the inner thigh of the opposite leg instead of the calf. I can’t do that; I think my legs are too fat.

Runner’s lunge

With legs facing front, stand with one foot forward and one foot back, with your legs a couple of feet apart. Your front knee is bent, and your back leg is straight. If you rest your back foot flat against the floor, you’ll feel a stretch in your calf muscle. Lean forward to feel a stretch in your hamstring and lower back. If you want, bend over your front leg and rest your hands on the floor on either side of your front leg. Make sure your knee does not extend over your toes. Move the toes of your front foot up and down to feel a stretch or straighten and bend your leg. But you can remain in the more vertical version of this.

Triangle pose (you might want to Google this one)

Stand with your legs a couple of feet apart (whatever feels comfortable). Point one foot to the side. Open your hips and point the other (back) foot forward. The instep of your back foot should be in line with the heel of your front foot. Your feet will kind of look like a spread out “T.” To do the modified version of this pose, bend your front knee (the one with the foot pointing to the side). Bend to the side and rest your elbow on your bent knee. Raise the opposite arm straight over your head. Turn your head and look up at your extended hand. To make this more advanced. Straighten your front leg, and bend so that you can reach your straight arm down to your heel. Sorry this is really difficult to describe.

Warrior 2

You’re going to start the way you started the triangle pose. Point one foot to the side. Open your hips and point the other (back) foot forward. The instep of your back foot should be in line with the heel of your front foot. Your feet will kind of look like a spread out “T.” Hold your arms up and out to the side. Move your arms so the front arm is extended over the front leg and the back arm is extended over the back leg. Fingers together; palms facing down. “Sit” or maybe sink down into the pose. Make sure your front knee does not extend over your toes.

I don’t remember what this pose is called, sorry.

Relax your arms from the warrior 2 pose. Point one foot to the side. Open your hips and point the other (back) foot forward. The instep of your back foot should be in line with the heel of your front foot. Your feet will kind of look like a spread out “T.”  Rest your front arm on your front knee. Take your back arm and extend it over your head. It shouldn’t be straight up in the air. It should be pointing the same direction as your front knee. You should feel a stretch on the side of your body that has the extended arm. Make sure your front knee does not extend over your toes.

Warrior 1 “Exalted Warrior”

Release your arms from the previous pose. Your torso will be facing a little more in the direction of your front knee for this one than it did for the previous warrior pose. Point one foot to the side. Open your hips and point the other (back) foot forward. The instep of your back foot should be in line with the heel of your front foot. Your feet will kind of look like a spread out “T.” Extend both arms straight above your head. Fingers together, palms facing inward. Look up toward your hands. Sink down into the pose. Make sure your front knee does not extend over your toes.

Go back up to runner’s lunge and repeat the whole sequence on the other side. Try to hold each pose for a few seconds.

We often like to end our session with an inversion pose. This is supposed to help with circulation.

Legs up a wall

Lie on the floor on your back. Try to scoot your bottom as close to the wall as you can. Extend both legs straight up so they are resting against the wall. If you want, extend your arms above your head. That is, rest your arms on the floor, extended straight over your head. Hold the pose for about two minutes. Or longer if you want. After about two minutes my feet start to fall asleep.

Sorry if these instructions are hard to follow. You should be able to find demonstration videos of these poses online.

Have fun doing yoga! Stay tuned tomorrow for leg day. WooHoo!

Grandchildren progress report - March 4

Here is our progress on the Grandchildren sample as of yesterday, March 4, 2020.

Grandchildren Sample	POW	Non-POW	Total
Total RecIds Completed	214	271	485
RecIds Completed in the Last Week	18	15	33
% Sample Completed	--	--	17.2
Total Grandchildren (including new)	--	--	33428
New Grandchildren Added	302	467	769
Total Grandchildren Completed	2778	3500	6278
% Grandchildren Completed	--	--	18.78
Birth Dates Added	2761	3427	6188
Death Dates Added	2437	3123	5560
Death Causes Added	472	640	1112
Found 1930	1201	1402	2603
Found 1940	1513	1883	3396
Living Grandchildren	44	39	83
New Living Male-line Great Grandsons Found	65	204	269
New Living Male Greats Found in Last Week	9	4	13
Child Death Causes Added	--	--	82

Total sample = 2826