Tuesday, August 29, 2017

September 2017 Pole Dancing and Fitness Challenges

πŸ’œπŸ’œ SEPTEMBER CHALLENGE!πŸ’œπŸ’œ Here we go again.... Another fun month of creating combos (every other day, with rest days in between!) Yay! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰ . To play, follow the steps below: 1. Repost the flyer and tag two friends to play 2. Follow the hosts @kristen.bethanie and @dredee1983 and tag us both in all your entries! 3. Post a video of your combos using the moves listed for each odd numbered day of the month. Use the hashtag #septembercombochallenge , and don't forget to tag the hosts! All entries must be received by October 3, 2017. Winners will be announced October 6, 2017. Winners will be chosen at random from the pool of participants who meet all eligibility requirements listed above. . @kristen.bethanie will post the sample videos for days 1-15, and @dredee1983 will post the sample videos for days 17-29. . πŸ†PRIZESπŸ† 1st place will receive a Darkside Fitness shirt 2nd place will receive rainbow smoke leggings 3rd place will receive a set of TheraBand resistance bands . πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ Happy poling!

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*********** CONTEST GIVEAWAY ************ πŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺ Hey there I have teamed up with @aerialbeauty and @uniqueaerialists to host an awesome aerial hoop contest #30daysoflyra for all of our amazing followers! This contest will be a 30-day aerial hoop challenge open to anyone who wants to participate. This exciting event will be for the month of September where all the hosts will be taking you through a pose/combo a day! Any level can participate and we encourage all to join in the circus fun. We have arranged for some amazing sponsors who want to show their love for your dedication and hard work as well. Hosts: @aerialbeauty @aerialpixie @jadore.vanessa @uniqueaerialists Sponsors: @werkshop @circusconcepts @koruailtd Prizes: Werkshop leggings will be giving a pair of legging from their Circus themed leggings to one winner Circus Concepts will be giving one winner the choice between an aerial hoop, aerial straps or 75% off of Spanish Web. Winner must pay shipping and handling. Koruai Yoga Jewelry will be giving TWO winners one Japa Mala necklace and one yoga mat bag Rules: Must be following all hosts and sponsors involved (Hosts: @jadore.vanessa @uniqueaerialists @aerialbeauty @aerialpixie / Sponsors: @circusconcepts @werkshop @koruailtd ) Repost this picture tagging three friends who you think would like to participate. Must participate all 30 days Must use #30daysoflyra Be sure to tag or mention in your comments all hosts and sponsors involved The hosts will post the night before in case there are any questions to which pose will be done. Since we know not everyone has access to an aerial hoop we wanted to be sure to let you know ahead of time what each pose is so that if need be you can take pictures and videos ahead of time. Check out the list below: 9/1 - Mermaid pose 9/2 - Amazon pose 9/3 - Bird pose aka Birdie 9/4 - Single knee hang 9/5 - Elbow hang from top or bottom bar (any variation) 9/6 - Gazelle Split 9/7 - Conditioning exercise of participant’s choice 9/8 - Man in the moon pose 9/9 - Hip hang (any variation whether a forward fold or split hip hang) 9/10 - Running man 9/11 - Star on the bar pose

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Ready to take on September with a new yoga challenge. @yogizach you interested? #Repost @luckyvitamin (@get_repost) ・・・ The #LuckyVitaminYogaChallenge starts next Friday! Since September is National Yoga Month, we're encouraging you to #SpreadTheWellness by posting a pose a day. Thanks to our sponsors @MandukaYoga @YetiYoga @GlyderApparel, we'll be selecting 3 winners at the end of September to win one of three awesome prizes! ----- DETAILS ABOUT THE CHALLENGE: Starting September 1st, post a photo or video of the pose of the day. Our everyday LuckyVitamin yogis will be showing you each pose 😊 Feel free to modify the pose based on what you feel comfortable with! ----- HOW TO PARTICIPATE: 1. Repost this challenge photo and tag a friend to participate with you. 2. Follow @luckyvitamin @MandukaYoga @YetiYoga and @GlyderApparel to be eligible to win. 3. Post the pose of the day each day and tag @luckyvitamin @mandukayoga and use #LuckyVitaminYogaChallenge in your posts. 4. Be encouraging and leave likes and comments on other challenge participants posts! ----- Will you be joining us? πŸ˜ƒ . . #LuckyVitaminYogaChallenge #yogachallenge #SeptemberYogaChallenge #yoga #IGyoga #IGyogafam #yogaeverydamnday #yogagram #yogafit #yogalove #yogapractice #yogainspiration #yogapose #yogalife

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Be on πŸ”₯ Who's on board my "1000 Cardio & Core Challenge"? Direct link to full video on my bio page. πŸ‘†SAVE this video. Tag 2 friends and get them to join you. 😈 . Anybody & everybody CAN complete this challenge. We want to slowly progress through the weeks, alright? 1st week - 250reps, 2nd week - 500reps, 3rd week - 750reps and 4th week - 1000reps! Aim to do this challenge at least 3 times weekly and try to beat your personal best timing. How long does it take you to complete 1 set? Let me know in the comments below. πŸ‘Š . EXERCISES (25reps each) 1) Jumping Jacks 2) Squats 3) Skaters 4) Push-ups 5) Mountain Climbers 6) Plank Jacks 7) Hip Thrust 8) Crunches 9) Flutter Kicks 10) In-Out Squats . #jsohactive #hernetwork #fitness #fit #fitgirls #fitnesschallenge #fitnessmotivation #fitnessgirl #fitspiration #workout #workoutmotivation #workoutvideo #squatchallenge #squats #transformationtuesday #transformation #bodypositive #bodytransformation

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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Low Carb Diet: Zucchini Noodles

I'm so in love with zucchini noodles! I can't believe I waited so long to experience the deliciousness that this vegetable offers in the form of noodles when spiralized.  I tried a Pinterest inspired recipe where I made a lemon chicken garlic zoodle (that's how people refer to zucchini noodles) dish that was absolutely amazing.  Check out the recipe below for this mouth watering dish.

Ingredients
  • 2 medium zucchinis (peeled)
  • 1 garlic clove (chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • Boneless chicken breasts (cut into chunks, I usually use 1 large chicken breast for just my husband and I)
  • Pepper for seasoning
 Equipment
  • Non-stick cooking skillet or wok
  • spatula
  • spiralizer
  • knife
  • cutting board 
Steps
1. Start by adding some olive oil to skillet or wok to brown the chicken. Season with lemon juice and pepper.
2. Once chicken is browned, add garlic.
3. While chicken is cooking, spiralize zucchini using 3mm blade to create spaghetti size noodles. Add noodles to skillet after chicken has started to brown.
4. Season zucchini noodles with lemon juice and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes on low-medium heat.  Serve when noodles are to desired tenderness.

Additional Ingredients
You can also add spinach, tomatoes, and black olives. Top dish with Parmesan cheese.  



Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Favorite Home Gym Equipment

I've collected quite a bit of fun fitness gadgets over the years.  I love having the ability to change up my fitness routine to keep myself from getting bored.  Aside from the expensive fitness toys like a dance pole, I do have some more affordable favorites that I wanted to share with my readers.  Check out my list below of my go to affordable home fitness essentials.

1. Mini Stability Ball: I took a Ballet Barre series class at my local YMCA a few months ago and many of the exercises in the class focused around this miniature stability ball.  I immediately fell in love with the use of this little ball as it focused on muscles that I hadn't been able to target with my regular workouts.  You can purchase one of these balls from Amazon.com.  I ordered mine from Pure Barre's website.  I also believe if you have a local Pure Barre studio, you can purchase one from their on site studio boutique. 

2. Resistance Bands: This shouldn't come as any surprise considering I'm currently hosting a Pinterest Fitness Series of 4 weeks of resistance band routines for all my followers. If you've been following my blog and social media posts then you will have noticed all the posts for this month have focused on this particular piece of equipment.  Resistant bands are a staple for any home gym.  They are convenient for travel and versatile in their many uses.  You can get a total body workout that you will be feeling the next day with just a resistance band. An amazing piece of equipment for strength and toning work.

3.  Workout Labs Exercise Cards: Not necessarily a piece of equipment but an essential workout tool nonetheless.  All you need is an exercise mat or a small carpeted space where you can perform any number of the exercises you choose within the deck.  I love these cards for implementing ideas for conditioning with my students in my aerial silks classes.  These are also amazing for travel or when you want to get in a quick workout without having to mess with a DVD or online video access. 

4. Foam Roller: Such an important piece of equipment for flexibility and injury prevention.  When you workout a lot your muscles can get achy and tight. It's important to factor in a self care routine so as not to over stress your muscles and cause injury.  A foam roller can be a great tool for working on areas of the body that are over worked and tense.  With regular use of the foam roller, you will experience less post workout soreness related to muscle tension. I will often use my foam roller before and after a workout as both a warm up and cool down approach. 

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Summer of Self Exploration

This summer has been a rollercoaster of emotions and changes.  My sweet little Boston Terrier has had issues on and off with pain in the neck region for several years.  In the first week of June he started having pain and was unable to walk.  He was paralyzed in both his front and back left legs.  After being told by a neurologist he may have a brain tumor and we were expecting the worse, he underwent a MRI and was diagnosed with a herniated disc at cervical vertebrae number 3 and 4 with a large amount of bruising and compression on the spinal cord.  He also was diagnosed with intervertebral disc disease at C5 & C6.  Treatment was recommended as an aggressive medication approach and if that did not work, then surgery.  Little guy was on bedrest for several weeks and pain meds every six hours.  It was an intense month of June but after three weeks, he started to walk again and regain voluntary control of his legs.  A month later he was weaned off pain medications and I started to wean him from his steroids.  He also began a physical therapy regimen where I began increasing his leash time around the neighborhood.  We have stuck to a strict no jumping up and down from furniture and no stairs policy in our home.  It has been very challenging and I have been extremely grateful for having opted years ago to work as a school nurse and have the ability to have my summers off.  I really wish we would have done the MRI a year prior when he was taken to the vet for a severe pain episode and they diagnosed him with a pinched nerve.  If we knew what we were dealing with, we could have made lifestyle changes to prevent this bad episode from happening.  I guess you can't really go back or have regrets but just be grateful that everything is better now and we know what we need to know now.  He has always lived a very active lifestyle and I want to maintain as much of his activity as possible.  We've gotten creative with how we're incorporating getting him out and about and the jogging stroller I purchased for him has become more of his means of travel nowadays than a luxury for when he gets tired walking.

In the midst of dealing with my ailing pup, I started to work on studying tarot.  I've always wanted to learn what the cards mean so I wouldn't have to rely on looking up meanings for every card in books.  It has been such a fun and interesting experience of study this summer.  I have learned a lot about myself in the process.  I look at tarot cards more in a holistic approach and a form of brain mapping.  A tool that helps you to organize your thoughts regarding situations or just daily happenings.  I don't believe in tarot cards as a means to foretell the future, unless you count self fulfilling prophecy from a reading but even then its not technically a means of "telling the future."

This summer has allowed me to have a lot of self reflection and put into perspective situations I have had to go through. I hadn't really had the desire to sit down and write.  With everything going on with my dog and some other things I haven't discussed that went on at the same time as everything with my dog, this summer has been highly emotionally draining that has taken it's toll mentally and physically. I've just recently returned to being able to teach my aerial classes after having been put on bedrest myself for a few weeks.  The tarot studies were a welcomed distraction.  I'm hoping to get back on track with blogging and my fitness journey.  I'm exploring new things with recipes so I plan on sharing those experiences here and how they relate to both pole dancing and aerial.  I also moved my home pole to another area in my home which will allow me more space. I'm hoping to gain some inspiration to get back on the pole and look forward to diving back in with pole related content very soon. 

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

August 2017 Pole Challenges

It's a new month and I'm ready to get motivated and back on track with fitness after having the summer off.  I'll be incorporating my very own Pinterest Fitness Series utilizing the resistance bands this month in addition to some pole workouts and circus physio.  Check out the fun fitness August challenges below!


Who here has stubbornly TIGHT shoulders πŸ™‹πŸ»πŸ™‹πŸ» Well, you’re in LUCK- @physioflexSF, @catie.brier.contortion, and @Cirque_physio are hosting a week-long SHOULDER FLEXIBILITY CHALLENGE, which has been tailor-made to safely coax those stubborn shoulders into gaining more mobility! Throughout the week, you’ll be given exercises, stretches, and end-range strengthening drills that will not only improve your active and passive shoulder flexibility, but also help decrease your risk of injury πŸ’ͺ πŸ†PRIZES πŸ†(because lets be real, we all love free stuff!!) πŸ₯‡ FIRST PLACE will receive the @cirque_physio active flexibility program for shoulders and upper back, along with a 30 minute Skype consult with @catie.brier.contortion, so they can maximize gains made during this challenge! πŸ₯ˆSECOND PLACE will receive the @cirque_physio active flexibility program for shoulders and upper back πŸ₯‰ THIRD PLACE will receive the @PhysioflexSF tank of their choosing (link in bio!!) ✨TO ENTER✨: Here’s what you have to do to officially enter the #PhysioFlexShoulderChallenge: 1️⃣ Follow hosts and sponsors: @cirque_physio, @catie.brier.contortion, and @physioflexSF 2️⃣ Repost this photo along with what you want to get out of the challenge, be sure to tag hosts and sponsors, with the #PhysioFlexShoulderChallenge hashtag! 3️⃣In your entry post, tag THREE friends to join you in the #PhysioFlexShoulderChallenge! πŸ’ͺThe challenge starts NEXT MONDAY, July 31st, so stay tuned for more instructions πŸ’ͺ

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Calling all the women of Instagram ! πŸŒ™ We, as women, are powerful together ❤ From 1st to 10th of August, we are bringing you #WomenYogaTribe to embrace the beauty of our community and what makes us unique ! 🌟 For ten days, we will celebrate our divine feminine energy. We will inspire and lift each other up thanks to our daily asana. . To participate and be eligible for prizes : 1) Repost this flyer & tag 3 friends who would be interested in joining us. . 2) Follow and tag all 4 hosts AND all 11 sponsors in your posts. Your dear hosts 🌈 : @stardivakhushi @mylittleyogi @carolineanne92 @carreyia Our super generous sponsors 🌈 : @dharmabumsactive @mayanyogatribe @bunniesandzen_yoga_accessories @bohemian_island @yoga_democracy @gypsyarts @heal_meow @malamalamajewelry @liforme @yogapaws @yogisurprise . 3) Post a new picture everyday using #WomenYogaTribe . 4) Make sure your profile is public so we can see your posts in our challenge gallery. . We can't wait to share this adventure with you. #WomenYogaTribe will connect us all ! πŸ‘­πŸ‘­πŸ‘­

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My beautiful pole mates ❤️ ✨✨New Pole Challenge for August!✨✨We hope this will be a fun way to challenge you to learn new things, and to link moves together into combos. This challenge is open to ANY skill level, and moves can be modified or done from the floor if needed. The most important thing is to do your best and have fun! Hosts will post examples of the moves the day prior. If you have questions about a particular move, don't be afraid to ask! To participate, follow the steps below... 1. Follow @kristen.bethanie and @forthelove_ofpole on Instagram 2. Repost this post and tag 2 friends to join us 3. We have made this an "every other day" challenge, to allow time for resting and catching up. All entries must be received by September 3, 2017. 4. Winners will be announced September 6, 2017. 5. Remember to use the hashtag #augustcombochallenge in all your posts, as well as tagging @kristen.bethanie and @forthelove_ofpole so we can be sure to see your entries! 6. Prizes: 1st place winner will receive a $50.00 giftcard to @Vekkerla, 2nd place will receive new legwarmers, and 3rd place will receive one bottle of Dry Hands πŸ¦„πŸ¦„πŸ¦„πŸ¦„πŸ¦„πŸ¦„πŸ¦„

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Do you have ballerina dreams? Join our #elegantbodyballetchallenge with The Pole Ballerina @elegantjacqueline of @elegantbodypilates. Improve your grace and elegance and get entered to win some amazing prizes in the process! How do you enter? 1. Repost this image. 2. Follow your challenge sponsors @elegantjacqueline @elegantbodypilates @artistaapparel @mighty_grip @xpoleus @123poling.com_pole_tutorials 3. Post your challenge videos daily. There will be 14 moves total. Prizes: @artistaapparel- Ballet Top & Ballet Leggings (shown) @mighty_grip - A surprise goodie bag of your #1 leading grip products @xpoleus - A premium goodie bag with Xpole branded merchandise, DVDs, and more! @123poling.com_pole_tutorials - A FREE one month subscription The challenge begins Monday, August 7th, so get ready! Winners will be announced Monday, August 21.

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