Stimuli

Did I mention that I am a bit of a hockey fan? I should clarify – did I mention that I am a bit of a Canucks fan? No? Well, I am and have been since long before my favourite Number 16 (that is Vancouver's own, Trevor Linden) was drafted to the team. So when last week’s opening playoff game landed on my Wednesday night Life-Designs Training Camp class, it was a true conundrum.

You see when I decided to get back to a regular activity of some sort AND write about it, it was with the thought that life sometimes has a habit of getting in the way of the best laid plans, which is what has happened over the past number of weeks.

The month of March started off well – my five weeks worth of workouts with Andrea and the great group from our class had me looking forward to my twice weekly dose of activity. The month was cut short by two weeks’ worth of spring break and another few weeks of fighting off one of the many bugs that were making the rounds.

As spring break wrapped up the two weeks off had stretched into three plus some and heading back to class seemed a daunting task.  I’m happy to report that I showed up on the Monday and after a few walking lunges with a medicine ball stretched overhead, I was reminded that it had indeed been a few weeks.

When Wednesday arrived with the first Canucks playoff game on TV, I was truly torn.  I pushed the envelope just a little by watching the entire first period and squeaked in as the warm-up was underway.  I didn’t completely abandon my boys in blue, after a great 40 minutes with Andrea and the five other dedicated classmates, I was back in time to see the puck drop on the third period and the Canucks take the first win of many more on the run to take Lord Stanley’s Cup.

We all have our “Canucks playoffs” whether they show up in the form of a social engagement, extra hours at work or catching up on spring yard work, the key is to learn how to balance that with our fitness goals and never let our own personal Stanley Cup get out of sight.

This month’s focus is shoulders, arms and chest. Our Fitness and Nutrition contributor, Andrea Ferguson’s next article will provide five exercises you can do at home as we lead into sleeveless tops and bathing suit season.