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[nicolecometa]

30 Day True Yoga Challenge

commitment and consistency has been my weakness, but doing this challenge has helped me try to be as consistent as i could until i finished the last video. 

(07/30/2020 - 08/28/2020) 

I’ve done yoga with my mother every saturdays when i can and when i’m not feeling lazy. the typical yoga my mother and i would do requires strength of the body and yet tranquility of the mind. i have more of the strength than the tranquility, and this consequently have me sleeping in the middle of the a child’s pose or corpse pose instead of focusing on my breath and observing my buzzing thoughts. 

with quarantine changing our entire lifestyle, i craved the flexibility and strength that yoga helps me enhance. however, the sole intention is to find tranquility of the mind where i’m at ease with my body and i enjoy the process of slow and mindful movements with the breath. i found Yoga with Adriene on youtube, who creates challenges and yoga videos with distinct purposes in order to improve her audience or to introduce them to the world of yoga without intimidation or bore. 

i clicked on to her 30 Day True Yoga Challenge, and i’d say that i recommend this to anyone, especially those who are starting out yoga. Adriene gives out modifications of the poses, constantly reminds her audience to breathe, and connected with the audience through meaningful interactions. 

to be frank, i wasn’t consistent. i sometimes miss more than a day which almost led up to 4 days of missing yoga practices. this resulted in performing 2 or 3 yoga videos in a day instead of once a day consistently. however, i tried my absolute best to keep one video a day, which sometimes made me feel like i needed more. i think it would be suitable to have one yoga video of the challenge and another yoga video that’s not from the challenge or a quick workout beforehand. despite the lack of consistency, i was committed. i didn’t give up whenever i miss a day or so, i simply dust off yesterday’s guilt and do as much yoga videos i could do in a day. it was satisfactory to finish the challenge despite the mental hardships and laziness, but Adriene’s encouragement and praise pushed me to finish the challenge and remember to breathe and take it easy on myself. 

i didn’t want to measure my weight or any significant kind of improvement. this challenge, i believe, was to challenge myself mentally. i found a bit of tranquility of the mind which i opt to develop in the incoming months as i integrate yoga in my workout routines at least 5 days a week. this kind of tranquility of the mind is realizing that health cannot be measured solely on the numbers of the scale or how difficult the exercise was. health is about taking care of your body in the best way that you could because there will be instances when you don’t feel like you want to do a HIIT work out, so take it easy with yoga or easy workouts. or when you don’t feel like doing easy workouts, there are many challenging exercises to integrate in your workout routine. furthermore, i slowly am becoming more mindful with the way i go on about my day in order to fulfill my time and make me feel grounded instead of idling in my clouded head. 

overall, the 30 day yoga challenge by adriene is the best challenge i’ve done. i recommend this to everyone and anyone to take things easy and slow to be at peace with their minds and the strifes in their lives. 

[nicolecometa]

Read-A-Thon Challenges

i’ve been having Read-A-Thon since December of 2019. it came to me as a new strategy to dedicate strictly 24 hours to read as many books as you want, no matter the pages, the genre, the medium, etc. you essentially make your own rules and a group to keep you company in your journey of reading an ambitiously amount of books within a span of a day, whether or not you have an all-nighter. 

This 24-hour Read-A-Thon challenge gave me an opportunity and a setback. In terms of opportunity, I could read at least four books in my To-Be-Read (TBR) List, which adds to my goal for 2020 in reading 100 books. With the total five Read-A-Thon Challenges this year, so far I’ve read 44 books. This opportunity allows anyone to finish a book they’ve been putting off or challenge their ability to speed-read. Essentially, the opportunity is creating a new reading goal that can be achieved in the limited time frame. The setback, however, would be the harm upon your mental and physical well-being. If you are determined and hyper-fixated in reaching your reading goal in the 24-hour Challenge, you are most likely to take copious amounts of caffeine and become unwilling to take a nap. At some point, you may forget to eat, shower, socialize and so on. Your mental and physical health may take a toll if you don’t take an occasional break, especially if you proceed with the challenge frequently.  

I did experience such setback. I refused to take at least an hour or so of sleep, which resulted in absolute drowsiness and difficult concentration throughout the morning. This becomes counterintuitive if you want to speed-read or finish that book. It made me realize that losing some hours for sleep wouldn’t hinder your reading progress, it would benefit you in terms of focus and wakefulness. 

Would I recommend such reading challenge? I would definitely recommend, especially if you dedicate the 24-hours in the weekends and have a group to read the same or their respective books. Just remember to take care of your well-being to enhance the enjoyment of reading. 🪐🌱

[nicolecometa]

Review: Shame is an Ocean I Swim Across

(posted April 29, 2020) 

"...I never fixed myself, I am my own arduous endeavor

I light myself on fire for everyone

I am the arsonist and the lover..."

(Mary Lambert, Shame is an Ocean I Swim Across)

trigger warning: childhood sexual abuse, rape, incest, self-harm, (attempted) suicide, body shame 

A collection of poems that discusses the deep traumas and harsh experiences Lambert had in her life, and yet there is love and acceptance and redemption in between. Mary Lambert is known for singing, songwriting and spoken word performing where she shows her emotions and vulnerability to her audience (Mary Lambert, n.d.). This poetry book displays a side of her, perhaps, to connect to audience who could empathize, or express what she must've kept inside for years, or raise awareness upon these heavy topics and its significance to be discussed and dealt with properly.

This book was interesting in a way that subverted my expectations with the idea of poetry. Even though I'm a poet myself, I have yet to broaden my poetry horizons and learning from different poets and writers and gain insight upon their works. Lambert has a certain style in her poems, which is heavily focused on being raw and bold to her ideas and experiences. These poems are free-verse with modern language, thus allowing her to be as straightforward as she could whenever.

I commend Lambert for sharing a piece of her life to me, despite not knowing her prior to the poetry book. Her book made me feel like I'm a friend who lent her an ear as she speaks what's been bottling up inside her. However, there are many parts where I couldn't empathize or feel attached because I never experienced them myself. It may also be difficult for certain portions of the audience to understand Lambert's struggles, thus not connecting as she may have expected to. Though, we must not merely look into such experiences but the words she wrote and how she pieced them together to illustrate her pain and joy.

Her writing style is not my preference, although it was enjoyable to read. I prefer a more flowery kind of writing in order for the perceived emotions and imagination to bring a stronger attachment to the poems. I believe that some readers would prefer her kind of writing as it doesn't always beat around the bush and it has simplicity to them.

Overall, I rate the book a 4/10. Despite my seemingly positive review, it's not the kind of book I'd pick up again. Maybe it could be something you'd like to read and can relate to. Mary Lambert is unique to her writing style and voice to her work and issues upon them. Thankfully, her expression upon heavy topics aforementioned above could at least let someone know that they aren't alone.

References:

Artist Bio - MARY LAMBERT. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://marylambertsings.com/about/

[nicolecometa]

Review: The Music of What Happens

(posted in April 29, 2020) 

“We drive, and I'm thinking about users and abusers, like my mom says. The time my dad swung me around by my feet and I got hurt, and how he told me to man up. Who came up with that? Who came up with all those rules and ideas about how a guy's gotta be?” (Bill Konigsberg, The Music of What Happens) 

trigger warning: sexual assault/rape & family death 

Max and Jordan are two teenage boys living in Arizona, suffering from its immense heat and dealing with one major problem. Jordan and his mom was about to be homeless. Max reluctantly helped in selling food in Jordan's food truck, but neither of them were familiar in the type of business. Later, they both succeed in their sales, and they began to develop feelings for each other. However, both have their respective issues that they had to face on their own and with family and friends. The book ended in a sweet note that they're happy together despite the imperfectness and difficult traumas to overcome.

This book was a good read, even whilst listening to an audiobook! I've read a few of the LGBTQ+ books, and this was refreshing as it tackles with many issues which can be subtle or explicit upon both characters. Such issues include ethnicity, toxic masculinity, sexuality, addiction, family death, and sexual assault/rape. I'm glad that these issues are brought up in the book, but there may be readers or listeners that can be triggered by those scenes that has sexual assault/rape, and death. I believe there should be a warning at the back of the book and in the beginning of the audiobook because this kind of topic is very sensitive. Nevertheless, it's interesting to see the perspective from two boys of different ethnicities, family background, and peers, and how Konigsberg was able to interconnect them with each other.

The characters are relatable and unique in their own way.

At first, I was a little annoyed with Jordan's behavior towards his job to sell food in the truck, knowing he would be homeless if he doesn't make ends meet. But, it takes perspective to understand and sympathize how people have certain reactions when faced with a deep problem. And Jordan's behavior is understandable and justifiable, he was in denial that his home will be taken away from him since his father passed away. But, it doesn't always mean it's a right way to react. Then again, he was only 17 years old and the burden was on him as his mother has a gambling addiction. In the end, he took initiative and helped Max with the business.

With Max, his kind of denial was refusing the existence of his vulnerability. His father taught him the idea of being a "man", which is to push down emotions and not discuss serious topics but to make fun them. I'm pleased to see Konigsberg show toxic masculinity in this subtle way without using such term. Toxic masculinity became prevalent in the 21st century, coined by Dr. Terry A. Kupers (Roberts, 2019). However, the topic is belittled by many when it is very important to how boys are raised and what knowledge are they given about how they're supposed to be with themselves and other people. In this character, his father implicitly made fun of a rape situation that Max gave as well as the instance when Max "came out" as gay to him, which includes penetration and being less of a "man". In the end, Max cut his father off from his life.

Overall, I like the book. I like the writing style and voices of these two characters. The issues are brought up and they should be, however a warning would benefit further readers and listeners who could find those issues very sensitive. Nevertheless, it shows that these problems exist and that even people with different sexual orientations go through them because they're not as different as you think.

I rate this book an 8/10.

References:

Roberts, S. (2019, January). The Classroom Origins of Toxic Masculinity. Retrieved from: https://longreads.com/2019/01/25/origins-of-toxic-masculinity/

[nicolecometa]

where i’ve been

it’s been at least two months since i’ve updated. 

the truth is i’ve lost my discipline and my spark to keep writing and updating my life through this blog. i think it stems down from my fear and excitement that i have too much ideas at once and i don’t know where to start. what’s most significant is the fear i have which hindered me from taking action. my head is up in the clouds, thinking over each and unnecessary detail to the point i find it difficult to bring myself to log into the blog and type away whatever comes to my mind. scheduling didn’t work either and i’ve been spending more time with people than with myself. 

this month, i’m beginning to change. i’ve changed and learned about many things in the month of july. i’ve learned about love as much as i’ve learned about loss and grief. in the beginning of august, i’m beginning to learn how to give myself space to breathe and to take a step back to become introspective about what’s going on with my life and the world around me. 

i’m in college now, in UA&P. so far, the first two weeks were easy as i’ve formulated rules and restrictions to get my tasks done before i could have more free time and fun in the weekends. i’m learning how to spend time with myself like writing journal entires, meditating, and taking care of my body, which includes sleeping decent hours, exercising, and eating healthily. 

i have incoming plans for this blog and goals that i want to accomplish as a way to remind myself the important reasons for starting this. see you then! 

[nicolecometa]

7/7 jumprope

the final day (june 19, 2020) 

i took a long break for my mental and physical state. i had to reflect on the idea of comparison and why does it still affect me. thankfully, my friend told me to grab inspiration from what people do in their workout routines and their creative work pieces. it’ll take me a few more days to find my creative juices, though i know that i would have to exercise some discipline in my life in order to rediscover my inspiration. 

however, i was on the first day of my period, so i could only limit my skip count to 40 each round. my friend worked out with me, supporting each other as we struggled in our respective workout routines. this time i stuck with my 30 minutes as i listened to my body if i needed more rest or pushed myself a little more. after the workout, i decided to go into deep stretches, which lasted 30 minutes. i’ve done splits, increasing my flexibility as it’s been more than 3 months since i’ve stretched deeply. 

i’m glad i finished the “7 day” jumprope even if it wasn’t thoroughly consistent at the end. it put me in a mental journey, which takes work but it’s something to help us learn and grow from where we initially began. i’ll take up on a new challenge, preferably a new routine to include with the jumprope exercise. 

[nicolecometa]

6/7 jumprope

feeling under the weather (june 11, 2020)

i had a lot of my mind, much worse than i had last time. this tampered my performance greatly as i mentally compared myself to other people who are getting more fit, the fact that my father missed me, college applications, and more to say. the storm didn’t help, it only aided the sombre mood in my mind. 

i ended the jumprope session short to 15 minutes and sat in with the rain. my cat was by my side. i wanted to scream, run in the rain and let all these feelings out. but, my mother was there, and she wouldn’t like the idea of me running around to get drenched and possibly get sick. i extended my arm, raindrops hitting my skin and i felt its cold bite. one thing i knew from this -- i needed a mental break. 

[nicolecometa]

5/7 jumprope

still difficult... 

i was struggling in making a skip routine for a song because of another cramp attacks on my feet, which was more prominent on my right than the left. i aim to find stretches to loosen the muscles, and find techniques to massage the muscles after the session. however, i managed to reach more than 30 seconds in a skip routine from a song called “Juice” by Lizzo, my record so far was 44 seconds. i hope i could surpass 10 more seconds then 20 seconds to reach a minute. little by little, i know i could do it. 

i did feel a little discouraged with my session today, thinking how amateur i am when skipping. perhaps, i could incorporate a youtube video that has jumprope exercises to make things interesting and exciting. i want to push myself and see how much i have done since day one. and yet, i have a tendency to fizzle out and be demotivated. it’s something i need to work on, and be disciplined with what i’m set out to do. 

i’ll find a fun youtuber who could help me in this jumprope journey! see you then!

[nicolecometa]

tudor era or victorian era? lana del rey or florence and the machine? rings or necklaces? sunny days or rainy nights? rose gold or white gold? coffee or hot chocolate? hugs or kisses?

[nicolecometa]

diary: too much ideas

dear diary, i have too much ideas. 

now, there’s nothing wrong with having ideas. it’s fantastic that i have an abundance of ideas, inspired by the experiences i gained in my life. this also means there’s progress, and i could witness my growth as a writer. the downside of having too much ideas is my inability to prioritize and become easily overwhelmed with what i want to do. with both adversities, i’m paralyzed, unable to take on a project, and i become bitter about it. it creates a never ending cycle, and i intend to break it. 

so far, i have 13 poem projects, an AC AU Fanfiction, NaNoWriMo, and an actual novel that i have been putting off for years. i only have two legit poem projects that i completed last year, and it baffles me positively and negatively. on a positive aspect, it gave me hope, knowing i could finish a project if i put my heart and soul into it. and yet, negatively, those were the two projects i have seriously finished but it took a lot of time. i didn’t work on the projects every single day, there had been months when i abandoned it then came back to finish before it was needed to be checked by a teacher. i’d like to mention that these two poem projects are for CAS. this made me realize that i could only finish a project when an authority figure is watching over my shoulder, and it’s disappointing. 

but, i’m glad of being aware of my writing abilities and my discipline. since i’m not a high school student anymore, i have to own up to my decisions and my creative content. realizing that i can’t rely on someone else to dictate what i should do when it comes to writing, i have to find methods and habits to get my creative juices flowing and figure out which project should be the utmost priority. 

i plan on to read from experienced authors/writers/bloggers and watch youtubers on their tips and tricks to get their work done, especially when one has a ton of projects and is still working in a company or a full-time student. i know it wouldn’t be successful once i applied their tips onto my life, it’s a trial-and-error process -- meaning there is failure, but failing wouldn’t be the end of everything. it means one thing is not working, maybe something else will. 

examining my list of projects, there is one thing i have to focus first. it is April Poem Prompts. I have 22 prompts to go, and it may sound a lot. however, if i do at least 2-3 a day, i would be able to focus on another project full time. i could find time to brainstorm on each project, divide the weeks on each project, and make deadlines for each. it is important to stop and smell the roses -- appreciate your capacities, take things one step at a time, learn from others, and know that slow and steady progress is valid and valuable. 

[nicolecometa]

4/7 jumprope

trying out something new (june 08, 2020) 

I had a little setback, I couldn’t reach my 75-100 skips goal that I established in my previous post. I tried to push myself too hard in reaching the goal, which cost my a cramp on my right foot and accidentally hitting my own arm with the jumprope. I could feel myself getting frustrated at the inconvenient pain, and I wanted to stop and call it a day. Then, I shook my head, what a ridiculous thing to think about as I recalled my motivation for doing this challenge. Again, it’s all about the health and not comparing myself through numbers or the people who could skip faster and longer than me. 

I realized that I’m in my own health journey, which shouldn’t be compared to someone else’s. With my health journey, I could change the rules and the routine; no one can force me to do it or not. In the middle of the session, I changed it up. I skipped to the rhythm of the song -- I hopped on one foot then the other, skip-run, skip-jacks, and so on and so forth. It involved a lot of coordination and quick thinking to match to the beat of the song whilst keeping things interesting. This made me see how poor my coordination and my stamina was when trying to mix up movements for more than 30 seconds. This led me to make a new goal for day 5, which is to make a skip routine to one song. I don’t have to maintain the same skip movements, but I’d like to prolong more than 30 seconds, maybe reach for a minute. 

After the session, I was happy that I didn’t throw my jumprope in frustration. I simply figured out a new way and moved on. I should repeat that understanding with all the things I do. Until next time! 

[nicolecometa]

muscle soreness

i’ve experienced sore muscles throughout my life since the concept of exercising was introduced to me, but i never knew the science behind it. (or i may have forgotten it when it was taught in biology class) 

Muscle soreness/tenderness are known to be Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) due to the lengthened muscles or eccentric muscle contractions from prolonged movements and exercises that has not been done before or has been intensified. The muscle tenderness usually last for 3-5 days, and the severity begins during the 1-2 days after exercising, meaning that this is the beginning of muscle growth. However, the occurrence will decrease overtime if the individual continues to perform the exercise repeatedly. 

According to Richard Weil, he stated, “The answer is swelling in the muscle compartment that results from an influx of white blood cells, prostaglandins (which are anti-inflammatory), and other nutrients and fluids that flow to the muscles to repair the "damage" after a tough workout. The type of muscle damage I am referring to is microscopic (it occurs in small protein contractile units of the muscle called myofibrils) and is part of the normal process of growth in the body called anabolism.” 

You can treat DOMS with a few tips and tricks: 

rest

ice packs 

painkillers 

massage 

take gradual approach to the new routine

To conclude, DOMS is normal because of a new exercise routine or increased intensity. The muscle tenderness means there is muscle growth and repair happening in the body. It’s best to take rest, and work on other muscles, but you can continue to workout! Just don’t push yourself!

Sources: 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/pain-after-exercise/

https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/muscle_soreness#:~:text=Lactic%20acid%20is%20a%20normal,onset%20muscle%20soreness%20or%20DOMS.

https://www.24life.com/the-science-behind-sore-muscles/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1456053/

[nicolecometa]

day 3/7 of jumprope

the muddled mind medicine (june 07, 2020) 

my mind was occupied the entire day. i went to work first thing in the morning, i watched a movie. it doesn’t sound like work, but i had to observe what was happening and why it was happening. then, i had to articulate my thoughts on a document before posting under my films page. right after, i began writing down all of my poem ideas i wanted to do, i brainstormed its contents, which burnt me out. my head was foggy because i have been sitting for the majority of the time, focused and thinking constantly. it drove me to the brink of laziness, i nearly chose to skip this day until i remember WHY i’m doing this -- it’s for my health in the long run. 

my goal for today’s jumprope session was to do an upper body workout after 100 skips. i did my dynamic stretching before performing the 100 skips. of course, i couldn’t do 100 skips all at once, so i divided by 25-50 skips then took a quick breath and continue again. i’m quite impressed with my progress as i started doing 10-20 skips, now i’m doing 25-50 skips. my next goal is to reach 75-100 skips. 

also i did some upper body workout to get my blood flowing & muscles working: 

4 sets of 10 reps 

shoulder press  

bicep curls 

tricep kickbacks 

front & side raises 

back row 

right after, i did static stretching on my legs and my arms. especially on my calves since they were really sore, it felt good to do so. soon as i finished my stretching, it started to rain and i was tempted to dance under the rain with some songs that could make me feel like the main character. but, i sat instead and watch the rain fall and the way clouds overwhelmed the sky, i smelled its freshness, helping me clear my mind of today’s hard work. 

[nicolecometa]

[nicolecometa]

movie review: elisa y marcela

(image from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6704898/mediaviewer/rm2250270464)

synopsis: In 1885, Elisa and Marcela meet and form a great friendship, which grows into a forbidden love that they have to keep hidden. In 1901, Elisa adopts a male identity in order to marry the woman she loves.

(synopsis: Google) 

SPOILERS BELOW

summary: It began in 1925, following a woman in a train, making her way to a small house in the middle of nowhere to meet an elderly woman. They seem to recognize each other. The elderly woman was Marcela Gracia Ibeas, and the woman was Marcela's daughter, Anna. Going back to 1885, Marcela found herself lost in Teacher-Training College for Teachers in A Coruña until Elisa Sánchez Loriga helped her get dry from the rain and led her to the designated classroom. This was the start of their friendship — Marcela told her horrific ten years of being an orphan; Elisa told her dream of riding a horse across the sea; Marcela and Elisa spent time together to the point intimacy was apparent in the eyes of Marcela's parents. They forced Marcela to attend boarding school in Spain. During their three years of separation, they sent letters to each other, disclosing their desires. When they reunite, both decided to live together to work. However, their neighbors were suspicious of them, causing Elisa deciding to change their identity as her male cousin, Mario Sanchez in 1901. Elisa fabricated her past in order to marry Marcela in their small church, however this caused a downhill of hatred and discrimination from their village. The two fled to Portugal only to be imprisoned where Marcela gave birth to a girl named Anna, which she left behind as the couple later fled again to Argentina. Retuning to 1925, Anna, grown up, asked Marcela if all she had done was worth it. Marcela didn't say a word, but rose from her seat to meet Elisa with a horse by her side.

critique: The movie was riveting.

It was visually compelling as to how the director, Isabela Coixet, captured the landscapes, intimacy between two people, and further displays of emotions through a black-and-white filter. Perhaps, she aimed to bring significance to the emotional and sensual tone throughout the film rather than the being engrossed with colors. One scene I appreciated is the enjoyment between Marcela and Elisa by the sea, the camera trails to the garments they dropped onto the sand, and the camera moves with the waves as the couple splashed water at each other. The focus was between the two, the merriment they shared, and wanted the audience to experience this, too.

The story of Elisa and Marcela was impactful in Spain and Portugal as their perceived scandal has been exposed. Coixet's interpretation of the events the couple experienced displayed hope and yet fear for their safety and wellbeing due to the explicit conflicts they underwent. The film brings social issues that were common at the time, which were the lack of women's rights due to patriarchy (Marcela's father) and the discrimination of queer people and couples (the villagers hatred against the couple). Their story told in the eyes of Coixet's was effective as it wasn't rushed or slowed down too much, and the film showed their friendship, intimacy, and sensuality comprehensively. However, I can't say that it was perfect.

What came to my mind as I watched the movie were:

What happened to Marcela's parents? Do they still keep in touch with her?

Does Marcela know the truth of her real parents?

What happened to the man that was pursuing Marcela? Was he the father of her child?

How does Anna know Elisa and Marcela's whereabouts?

Mostly the relationship between Marcela and her parents as they forced her to attend boarding school whilst her mother attempts to bond with her through secretly reading books. It would be interesting to see what happened to them, even if it would be brief, because I believe there needs to be closure and their interaction could be the catalyst of Marcela's independence to be with Elisa.

As much as I want to praise this movie, it had multiple sex scenes that are absurd. I skipped the three other sex scenes as the couple had used objects for pleasurable means such as an octopus, seaweed, and milk in that order. The first sex scene, however, was dragged on. As I believe it was an artistic choice to display nudity and lust, I think sex scenes needs to be concise. Even if the director wants us to understand their longing for each other, some people can be uncomfortable. Not to the mention, the added sex scenes could have been used to answer the questions above. It shows what was important in Coixet's perspective, which is the forbidden love and hidden relationship of two women.

Elisa y Marcela, directed by Isabel Coixet is an excellent film with minor flaws. Her interpretation of the couples' experiences were displayed effectively in terms of social issues and the love they had for each other. Although, the records of Elisa and Marcela after their escape to Argentina was unknown, leaving anyone to imagine, whether or not they lived happily in the end. This means that there could be future films directed by a male or female, showing their interpretation of Elisa and Marcela's relationship from beginning and a mysterious end.

recommendation: it's best to watch when 18+ as it contains NSFW.

rating: 7/10

[nicolecometa]

day 2/7 of jump rope

better than yesterday. 

you could say i recovered from yesterday’s soreness. actually, i didn’t. my right calf was still sore, but it didn’t cramp like yesterday. i learned my mistakes and drank 2 whole bottles of water to be hydrated and performed dynamic stretches on my legs and ankles to prevent tightness in my muscles. there are benefits of dynamic stretching before a workout and static stretching after a workout, i never knew how important warming up and cooling down is for one’s body. it took me years to understand because my PE teacher never explained it, neither did my personal coach. i don’t blame them. it was my own part to play to be informed about exercising and stretching in order to perform outstandingly. 

did i perform outstandingly? well, there was progress and sweat. my small goal was to do 15-20 skips then take 3 breaths in before repeating the same goal. I didn’t count the total skips I did at the end, but I believe it may have been over 300 skips for 30 minutes. I struggled with breathing this time, resulting a small cramp on my stomach. It showed how poor my stamina is due to putting less significance on cardio exercises. I grew up being exposed to how cardio exercises wouldn’t be effective in burning calories or gaining muscles, but at this point, all i care for is my health. I’m very fortunate that i didn’t obtain any heart or lung problems like my mom and my brother. But, I may have the likelihood of gaining these problems overtime if i continue to have this sedentary lifestyle. 

going back to dynamic and static stretching, they’re both different. dynamic stretching are essentially for warming up the body and its joints. what it does is allowing the blood to flow through the muscles and “heating” it up. it’s important because your muscles can become tight and easily cramped, and one is very susceptible to become injured. my kind of dynamic stretching involves the leg pendulum (moving one leg back and forth), spine rotation, ankle rotation, and arm/shoulder circles. this helps to wake my body up and ready to use the jumprope. static stretching, on the other hand, cools down the muscles and decrease the likelihood of stiffness after the workout. this is pretty common in PE, which should be at the end of the class instead of the start. my kind of static stretching includes the muscles like, calfs, thighs, hamstrings, triceps and shoulders. 

right now, my calf muscles are sore. i aim to take this a little easy for the next day, perhaps incorporating exercises for the arms, and to provide some research about muscle soreness. i’m quite curious of the biological process of muscle soreness, i’ve completely forgotten it, but i’m willing to educate myself about it and hopefully retain what i’ve learned. 

until next time! 

[nicolecometa]

jumprope playlist

i listened to upbeat songs on spotify and compiled them into one playlist. i usually have them shuffled and skip a few songs if i’m not feeling the beat. 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0oaYG5FMOyFxXOyr6u09XT?si=6zUmpRmwSDyykuE8pqxXYA

my top 3 songs at the moment: 

Alright by Kendrick Lamar

Juice by Lizzo 

Under Pressure by The Protomen