Monday, July 15, 2013

I'm SPLIT Over Tai Cheng Week 10

Well, that lil gain of last week was blown out of the water with my 3.6 lb loss this week.  The sun was shining, I got to be outside, and all was good!

As Gray Cook says, "Extension equals reflex stabilization."  That's just a fancy word for saying posture gives you balance.

Dr. Cheng says this during Neural Reboot 4 while doing the ankle rolls (may not be 100% word for word).  I'd like to find Cook's original wording on this subject but I'm not familiar with him.  If anyone can pinpoint this reference please let me know.

Now on to the scary part of the Reboot.  I have NEVER EVER been able to do the splits.  Not as a preschooler in ballet and tap and definitely not now.  For it to be sneaked in on me like this is just cruel! LOL  Eventually you're supposed to look like this.

Photo Credit: CS87 via Compfight cc


Photo Credit: CS87 via Compfight cc

So I don't come ANYWHERE near either of those.  Here's what Dr. Cheng had to say about this week and the splits in particular.


The new foam rolling was for T-spine mobility.  No pain from it but I can feel the pressure around my shoulder blades.  I've labeled this picture to show the section that's rolled.

Photo Credit: Rob Swatski via Compfight cc

The sequence time was a big disappointment.  Here I was ready to put the first two sequences together.  Instead, it was repeating the sequence separately from weeks 3 & 6.  I really want to put it all in one fluid motion now not piecemeal anymore!


Pretty Strong Medicine

27 comments :

  1. I think I better read up on Tai Cheng. I found your blog in the middle and I don't "get" what it's all about, but if they think you need to be able to do a split, I'd high tail it outta there. Jus sayin' ;-)

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    1. The splits are a part of the Neural Reboot portion for the last 4 weeks of the Tai Cheng program. I guess for any other workout it would be called the warm-up.

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  2. Cassandra for me doing the splits comes naturally. One thing that's important is to use breathing and also bend from the bottom of the spine to facilitate. He uses more or less the same tecnique you learn in yoga.

    However, I'm not sure all people can do splits. Or that it's even good for them. If you don't warm up before you do it you can really harm yourself. Can't help wondering why you feel it's essential to do the splits? It's not going to make it easier to lose weight:-)

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    1. Dr. Cheng said the splits are to open up the hips. He stresses doing the splits not how far you can go.

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  3. Congrats on this weeks loss!!!! Way to go.

    Increasing your flexibility seems like a smart idea and I can certainly see the value, but doing the splits? Not sure I see the correlation between that and good health.

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  4. I've never been able to do a split either so don't feel bad!!! I use to be able to get pretty close but I would get stuck in the position and watch out wearing socks on carpet!!! Ouch!!!

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    1. I'm barefoot on carpet yet I'm still sliding LOL.

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  5. Oh my.... those splits. This was quite an interesting read!

    --Visiting from BB LinkedIn Group. :)

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  6. Congratulations on your weight loss! I've never been able to do the splits, either. I'd love to be able to loosen that area enough to improve my flexibility.

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  7. I used to be able to do a split......about 32 years ago. In my quest for better fitness I don't consider the split to be an ultimate goal, but flexibility would be nice. Thanks for more info.

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  8. Congratulations on coming closer to your weight loss goal. I am not able to do the splits either but I say try your hardest and keep up the great work. :-)

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  9. I could do the splits in gymnastics when I was in High School...a few years ago..I could even put my foot behind my head. I think the flexibility is great. I might try his method and see how it goes. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I could put both my legs behind my head (at the same time even) yet still couldn't do the splits.

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  10. Whoa! From ankle rolls to splits? That's ambitious! But the posture note is important. Too many of us slump at our desks, slouch when we walk, instead of holding up our heads and throwing back our shoulders. Not only do we look better, we feel good about ourselves! My mother always bugged me about my posture, and it's only now that I see ... she was right ...

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    1. I have crappy posture at my desk not only because of the slumping or what not growing up but also I'm constantly moving positions because it's uncomfortable.

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  11. I like the overall way that you're taking responsibility for your own health (whether it's flexibility, weight loss, etc.). I try to do the same thing, and of course my writing/blogging reflects that. Awhile back I penned a post called "Sitting Disease And How To Cure It," the focus being on increasing our movement in such a sedentary culture. It seemed to resonate for people.

    Also, I wanted to thank you for the comment/question you left on my post about social gatherings. I went ahead and answered your question with a reply-comment. Hope it's helpful.

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  12. Ayayay! I remember trying to do the splits in high school; I couldn't possibly get there now. Good luck on this journey & I hope it helps with your quest for good health.
    Congrats on the loss this week!

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  13. I'm so inflexible, I wonder if the splits would even be possible? Good luck on the attempt to get their. Any gain in flexibility is well worth it, but if you get to the splits, then that's even better!

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  14. Congrats on the big weight loss this week! That's awesome you're trying to do the splits. I'm not sure I'm flexible enough to do that, but it would be cool to do nonetheless!

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  15. Ok, first off...CONGRATS on the weight loss! Those splits look painful! I used to be able to do one, but now...don't think so!

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  16. Congrats on your loss & thanks for linking up with us! So happy to have you!

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  17. Somehow I don't think that I could the splits fast or slow. I can only image what it would do to the groin muscles. It is wonderful that you are continuing to lose weights. Good luck with the splits.

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  18. Congrats on your weight loss! I could never do splits either- crazy!

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  19. Yeah, I don't know about splits. I was never bendy enough. I will say I love a foam roller - they are awkward to use but you do see benefit from them. Good luck!

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  20. Well done on the weight loss!
    I guess if you keep trying you may get those splits happening, but just doing it the best you can will probably have the same impact as getting right down. Good luck with it :)

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  21. That's a lot of weight lost for one week! Congrats :)

    I've never been able to do splits, either. Of course, I never danced or was even very physically active for most of my life. But, even when I was a workout fiend in college and for a few years after, I was never that limber.

    My great athletic achievement is that I can always touch my toes no matter how much weight I gain or how infrequently I exercise!

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  22. Hi Cassandra, this is CS87. I just wanted to thank you for featuring my photos in you blog post. I am happy that I am good enough to be used as an example.

    Don't be discouraged if you can't do a full split. Flexibility for most people takes a long time to gain. It's not something that can be achieved over night, or even across several weeks. Just like with muscle gain, or weight loss, it takes time and dedication. (Although, I'm sure that you know this already)

    It took me several months to achieve a split, and many more to prefect it. I have been stretching for just over 11 years now, and I still enjoy my flexibility. I wish you good luck in your current, and future goals.

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