(1) IntenSati Success (2) Exercise Pain (3) Writing Stuffs

(1) Missy’s and my free IntenSati class for BeFitNYC.org Launch Week

THANK YOU to everyone who came to the BeFitNYC.org launch week event that Missy and I held this past Saturday. Our IntenSati class was a huge success and I am still so happy with how many people showed up — even with the 11th hour location change from Central Park to an indoor space because of the weather.

We selected the biggest studio in Simple Studios and the room was still packed. It got hot and sweaty, but the class was so much fun I don’t think we minded much! I’m not generally a big sweater; I walked to and from work on that 100 degree day in NYC last week, a little over a mile each way and did not sweat a drop. But in this class, I was completely soaked, the bottom of my ponytail was sopping wet, my face was shiny and I felt awesome. I’ve only done IntenSati once before (when Missy taught for the first time!), but I got so into this class! Our instructor Lindsay was extremely motivating and awesome, and I had the best time. I still find myself repeating the catchy affirmations to myself — which I believe is the point.

Enjoy our butts:

Here I am with Missy in our post-class glow (sweat).

I loved the class so much that I decided to go to a CoreSati and IntenSati class at Equinox with Missy next week to take class with its founder Patricia Moreno! I completely get why Missy and many other people love this class so much. I wish I had the courage to try it when the gym I used to belong to offered it a few years ago! I thought IntenSati meant “intense” (it doesn’t) so I was scared away.  This was before I became a hardcore awesome exerciser.

So the giveaway winners.

I’ve gotta be honest, I threw in my very own Physique 57 DVD because I know you all get wet for that class, so I was a little surprised more people didn’t RSVP just to say no to enter the contest. Oh well. Better odds for the winners and really, I am beyond thrilled by how smoothly the event went.

The winner of the Physique 57 Classic 57 Minute Full Body Workout and IntenSati Great Body, Great Life and other DVDs prize pack goes to Emily!

And the runners up  who won a free YogaVibes class — and I have to apologize, I had 3 classes to give away, not 5 like I initially thought —  are Sam, Grace and Amber.

Thank you so much for entering and thank you for helping make NYC your gym! This is not the end of my partnership with BeFitNYC.org so I hope to announce more exciting events soon.

(2) On to the next topic:

I tried a new class on Friday that temporarily destroyed me. In addition to physical bruising and torn skin, I thought I messed up my hip again. I spent Sunday crying and being angry at myself. I work so hard in the classes I know well — mostly Refine and Core Fusion, but I also know how to modify yoga, barre, strength, cardio and other similar classes — that in this situation, the exercises were all so new and different that I had no idea my hip would take it so badly. I did not think that I might destroy all the work I did for months over the course of ONE hour.

It did not hurt at all during the class, and I didn’t do the things that I know typically affect it, like turning my hip out. However, looking back, there was definitely flexion over 90 degrees as part of exercises like bear crawls, but the class was a boot camp and you kind of just have to go with it. It was intense and I didn’t really think much except how to push through in the moment. I didn’t think before or during the class about whether something so unfamiliar might be a bad idea. I was so excited to review the class for NBC New York, a brand new type of class for me — which, I must add, was the hardest workout of my life and actually very awesome for people who like ass-kicking boot camps — that I just didn’t think much about how my body would respond.

I was not being dumb by going to the class. I was not in any hip pain before or during. I just wish I thought more about my decision to try something I would not automatically know how to modify. I got a little too confident in my own abilities, when in reality I am just a girl who learned how to modify the things she does every day. I am not a fitness professional or expert (although I have been toying with this idea lately . . .) and therefore I do not have the knowledge to adjust to every possible fitness scenario. Lesson learned. While I am marathon training, I am going to stick to exercises I am comfortable with — and there are plenty of classes I can try that fit that formula — and not go for anything too out of the ordinary.

After the marathon, when I am not as concerned about my ability to run for 5 straight hours, I can revisit different types of workouts.

So I basically spent Sunday feeling depressed and beating myself up (I am trying to be less of a bitch to myself, but it is hard) because my hip was hurting more than it ever did when I was injured. I could barely walk and I could not even lift my leg to get into bed! I had to get in on my good side and then use both hands to hoist my other leg up onto the bed. I also could not put on a pair of pants. I was certain I destroyed my months of hard work, rest and healing that I went through to get my hip better. Up until last week, I was running again! Pain-free! And then suddenly I could barely even WALK. My hip was swollen. I was scared.  I was a wreck. I was sure the marathon was not happening. I was sure I would never even get to go back to Refine or Core Fusion. I iced and Tiger Balmed like it was my job.

I woke up on Monday feeling a LOT less pain. It still hurt, but I felt much more hopeful about my future. I made the (hard) smart decision to cancel the Core Fusion Cardio class I had spent all week looking forward to. The dramatic difference from Sunday to Monday made me suspect this was not a re-injury; rather, just a little inflammation from trying something different. And now, Tuesday morning, I feel almost completely better. The difference between Sunday and Tuesday is incredibly drastic. I am still going to take it easy this week, but I am confident now that I will be OK.

I think that because I have this hip injury, it reacts to the unknown by becoming inflamed. I think that is all that happened here. I do not think I permanently destroyed it. I do think that after some rest, I will be fine. Lesson learned — and thankfully this happened before marathon training and not during. This experience also serves as a reminder that I am not 100% better (and I might not ever be) and I need to continue to be cautious and modify exercises in my classes. Even if I think I can try something, right now, as I begin to train for the ING NYC Marathon, is not the time to experiment.

It helps to think of everything as a lesson.

(3) And lastly, I want to share some of my newest writing with you.

My guest post on the Real Business at Xerox blog with my time managing tips*



*Any time management tips taken from me are at your own risk. By reading this, you agree that negative outcomes cannot be blamed on Dori Heather Manela, including but not limited to: inability to get out of bed; neglecting responsibilities until the last possible second; weeks-old dishes toppling over the sink; clothing flung on all surfaces; a bedroom in complete and total disarray; flies; wrinkled clothing; a torn-apart bedroom because you can’t find anything, even after creating dedicated spaces for things — you won’t actually put your things in those spaces; inanimate objects taking over your bed so all you have for yourself is a tiny corner at the top; and, an overabundance of old books that have not yet made their way to the donation box at the library 20 blocks away, despite owning an old-lady shopping cart (which currently functions as a place to throw bras).

14 comments on (1) IntenSati Success (2) Exercise Pain (3) Writing Stuffs

  1. MelissaNibbles
    June 14, 2011 at 9:08 am (13 years ago)

    I totally relate to how you felt on Sunday. I sometimes think my body can handle more than it’s ready to (my bad back) and blow my modifications to the wind. I only end up crying in bed later. Just try to remember to slow your roll next time 🙂

    Reply
  2. melissa
    June 14, 2011 at 9:16 am (13 years ago)

    Can’t wait to read your time management article. Sorry about the painful class, but at least you’r feeling better! Also I so wish I could have been to Intensati class, I need to try it, but congrats on the success–and sweat.

    Reply
  3. Jess
    June 14, 2011 at 9:56 am (13 years ago)

    Wow. I am SO GLAD your hip is ok and wasn’t seriously injured. I was worried as I read through your post but SO relieved by the end. Whew!! Congrats on the successful class on Saturday, wish I was in NYC to join you guys!!

    Reply
    • Jolene
      June 15, 2011 at 9:14 am (13 years ago)

      ditto to what Jess said!! So glad that you are feeling better!

      Reply
  4. Missy Maintains
    June 14, 2011 at 10:42 am (13 years ago)

    So happy our class was a success! Can’t wait for you to come to Patricia’s next week! Perfect birthday weekend even if I was about to pass out haha. Sorry about ur butt but I did enjoy seeing it Saturday morning.

    Reply
    • Dori
      June 14, 2011 at 10:43 am (13 years ago)

      I showed so many new people my butt!

      Reply
  5. emily
    June 14, 2011 at 10:55 am (13 years ago)

    yay! i never win anything!! i’m excited since i’ve never done physique 57 before but i hear good things. see you tonight and at bootcamp thursday.

    Reply
  6. Sam @ Mom At The Barre
    June 14, 2011 at 11:46 am (13 years ago)

    Wow, the hip situation sounded terrible. I was cringing with pain while reading it. I’m so glad it’s better. I’m also really glad the Intensati turn-out was great (how could it not be?!), and do hope to make it to the next event you organize.
    Excited about the Yogavibes class! Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Grace @ Balancing Me
    June 14, 2011 at 12:45 pm (13 years ago)

    Okay, so first things first: you seriously need to stop beating yourself up. Things happen that are out of our control, and the best we can do is try and be smart and listen to our bodies. You want to be fresh and ready for marathon training, and you will be! (I mean, you want to run the marathon and see my to-be incredibly colorful cheery sign in November, right? Okay, thought so.) You are an incredibly positive and thoughtful person, and I know that you’ll be careful with your limits!

    Second of all: I won something?! I never win anything! This is fantastic! Thank you so much 🙂

    Reply
  8. Amber
    June 14, 2011 at 1:51 pm (13 years ago)

    I’m so glad your hip is feeling better! Please take care of yourself!

    I loved the time management article. I also have a hard time being flexible when it comes to planning my workouts weeks in advance and then trying to make time for friends (that is probably why I don’t have any anymore, ha!) so it really hit home for me.

    Also, I won! Yay! Thank you!!!

    Reply

4Pingbacks & Trackbacks on (1) IntenSati Success (2) Exercise Pain (3) Writing Stuffs

  1. […] June 21, 2011 at 6:08 am Excellent news: My hip is back to normal. What happened last week was just irritation from a new workout, and I definitely did not re-ignite te injury. I am now […]

  2. […] finally! My first race post injury is complete. I was supposed to run the Celebrate Israel Run 4 Mile race in June, but my hip was bothering me after brand new exercises […]

  3. […] I thought IntenSati meant “intense.” (It doesn’t.) Now that I know the class, I love it! I also avoided yoga for years for the very same […]

  4. […] we had to change the location (it was too rainy for Central Park), lots of people came and it was a huge success as evidenced by this photo of my ass:And even though I guaranteed had entry to the ING NYC […]

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