Field Notes for Autumn

I started to title this “field notes for the fall,” but then decided “autumn” was wiser. I’ve not dipped into this blog since I took my fall this past June... Autumn. Let’s stay with autumn. It was a substantial fall and the journey back to today’s echo-bike calories and the 20” box-step-overs has been a patient, steady one. Lots of opportunities to be slowed down, pay attention to things I often miss, consult and learn with folks who know more than I do about good, functional movement.

Some things I’ve simply had to learn again, though I already knew them. Like you should never enjoy a stiff Manhattan the night before you do a five-set deadlift, burpee, and situps (one set every 3:30 minutes) WOD. Just don’t. Save yourself and your body from the extra stress after the ingested stress of a (no matter how tasty) cocktail. That WOD did show me a lot of other things I’m learning, though, as I tend more carefully to precision in movement and expansion of my skill-set into upper body strengthening. I’m focusing some of my goals on lower-core activation (which I’ve never really done, covering with other muscles) and upper-body recovery-strength-building so to return to the rig, if I may.


I’d been wanting to work with Training Nation for a while now, to re-educate my upper body to use big muscles for big muscle work, instead of my habituated moves of using small muscles for large muscle work. Knowing it would stress my deltoids and my shoulders without correction, I’ve just stayed off the rig…but I admit, I miss it a little. So…it was on my horizon to consult with TN toward that re-education.


Then my big ankle sprain at the end of June goaded me into working with Dr. Alex for steady rehabilitation of my ankle, calf muscles, range of motion, etc. It’s been good to have a steady mirror as I move back into the level of activity I love–CF 3-4 times a week, Peloton and rucking 3-4 times a week–sharing my body’s communications, soreness, fears. I can push because of my drive, but I want to use my drive wisely. Dr. Alex helps translate that for me, which has been marvelous.


The DL/burpee/situp workout touched the core-work I’ve been tending, however. Whether it’s a common thing for women or just my own proclivities, I’ve had a complicated relationship with my abdomen for as long as I can remember. Particularly my lower abdominals, which I don’t even know how to activate that well. From waist up? Good. I’ve always simply compensated with arm or quad muscles for basic hollow-rock movements. I’m finally going there, I’ve decided. Time to activate my lower abdominals and just tend whatever emotional baggage arises as it does.


This means I’ve been doing an elementary exercise to isolate those very muscles: lie on my back, knees-raised, shoulder-blades off the ground, arms extended toward my knees…static hold. It feels silly, given I’ve done hollow rock holds at CF boxes for years…but I’ve always known I’m compensating with quads, given I’m quad dominant. The tabata clock is guiding my practice, and my capacities are increasing, which is satisfying. Starting felt like primary school though. Shaky. Could only hold for 10-15 seconds at a time. Except in the EMOM strength thing we did before the DL/burpees/situps. My capacity has grown, which pleased me!


Which then tormented me during the workout… I noticed when my lower core is spent, my lower back takes over, which is precisely what I’m trying to re-educate my body to avoid. I started with one DL weight, then lowered it, simply to honor that my lower core/lower back was spent. Burpees took forever.


Then I remembered this same weariness from when I went rucking recently. Brian and I like to take our heart-dog Nala on a 2.2 mile walk around Bergamo Preserve, or at least the driveways and landscaped grounds. I’ve taken to adding a 10-lb vest, just experimenting with its cardio-contributions. After a morning of lower-core tabata work, the end of the ruck stressed my lower back. I’d spent my capacity, apparently.


So, note to self…the work is happening AND my capacity remains low. Unless I compensate, which I want to stop doing. 


Slow down, then. 

Pay attention. 

Do the small exercises and the mobility stretches each day

Trust the pace of the process.

Keep showing up...lean into supportive community.



And watch the mornings-after a cocktail this fall. I love me a good ‘perfect Manhattan’--less sweet, artfully made by my beloved–but days ‘after’ need to be rucking or Peloton.


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