Journey to the Center of the Body - Week One (of 16)
By Joey De La Cruz
Happy Spring Fellow Humans! After what has felt like several long winters on this planet, the flowers are going to bloom once again. Proving that no matter what happens on Earth, nature’s incessant flow forward through the cycles of life continue on, no matter the weather. As spring approaches and we are preparing to get back into the world, I know there will be many people all over the world saying, “I need to get my summer body!” Or “I want to look my best and be in the best shape of my life!” This need and desire to feel and look our best, to have our best body is one we all share. I know that I have thought and said these lines to myself over and over again. Leading me to a realization, I will go on a journey, a 143-day, 20-week, body transformation counting down to my 35th birthday!
What started out as a simple journey of transformation turned out to be much grander then I ever could have expected. Soon, I realized that I was on a full-fledged Journey to the Center of the Body! After some time to reflect on this journey I feel it is that time of the year to share my journey to be a guide stone for others who are going to embark on their adventure this Spring.
What follows is a journal of this Journey to the Center of the Body, complete with notes, dates insights and comments on each entry after time for reflection which prove, transformation and adventure can lead you far from your intended destination. What started out as a simple straightforward journey to be fit quickly deviated into a full-blown expedition of the body, mind, sexuality, spirit, habits, diet, heart, emotions and much more. But before I give too much away, let’s just start with one step. Day one.
As you read this blog, I invite you to begin your own 20-week journey to the center of YOUR body. This journey has changed my life for the better, and I trust that if you take the first step, your life might evolve in ways. Expect the unexpected, prepare yourself and let us take the first step together as we begin this Journey to the Center of the Body.
143 Day Body Transformation to 35 Years of Life
By Joey De La Cruz
Begin: May 19th, 2020
Intro:
Balls deep in quarantine. In my aptartment with time and now a new adventure. This adventure will be into and through the body with the destination: a 35-year-old wet dream inducing phenomena to be born on October 9th, 2020. My 35th birthday. Often we are provided gifts from others, but this year I am the only one who can present this gift. As resident and keeper of this physical temple it is my duty, privilege and honor to begin the hard work as we set out on this adventure to gift Joey De La Cruz a scandalous birthday reveal.
Methods:
A combination of various home workouts and beach exercises consisting of primarily body-weight exercises, yoga, Tai Chi, inversions and anything that comes along. Full cocoon mode.
Lets Go:
143 Days to Victory Day:
Body Check: Weight fluctuates between 175-185lb generally. Some discomfort and range of motion issues in left shoulder. Joints have a tendency of popping often. Overall feel pretty darn fit, good and limber, a solid base has been prepared. Now it’s time to give it a fucking stir. Goals are Full Body & Core muscle mass, definition, strength, stability, flexibility, endurance increase. Stress present in the body, tightening of right inner hip/upper leg noticed recently. Some tightness in the neck. No inversions have been attempted. Goals include particular yoga postures: Frog, Tree, Side Ninja, Lord of the Dance, Peacock, Lotus, Crow, Supported headstand, handstand, Feathered Peacock.
Equipment available:
- 2 x 15lb barbells
- 2 x 2.5lb ankle weights
- 2 x Perfect Pushups
- 2 x Yoga Block
- Yoga Mat
- Head Balance Pod
- Muscle Roller
- Two Elastic Bands
- Strap
- Mind
- Body
Evolving Schedule:
Morning: Yoga routine to stretch, modified to include more resistance with bands for warm up. Workouts: Variable flow exercises targeting listed goals.
Evening:
ONE HOUR MINIMUM REQUIRED DAILY
Document results, narrate body checks, journal the adventure so we have a story to tell at 35.
T-143: Tuesday: May 19, 2020
Hesitant to get started, some resistance and a flair up of tension in the neck and down the left side of the spine, I think my body can anticipate and the journey ahead, eating a few Raisinets as comfort food. Initial photos taken at 7:09pm May 19, 2020. Free flow exercises begin. “Become the Bull” by Atreyu is the first song that plays on Elliot’s (my friend) workout playlist. My back makes fart noises when I do leg raises. Work out complete at 8:25pm. Total body wake up, light exercises, Home Workout App (in Apple Store), little sweat, working thought some range of motion discomfort/weakness. The seal has been broken, first full body exercise since Colorado drinking party. Feels good to move the body and the image of a wet dream on Oct 9 is beginning to form and motivate the workouts, it’s not for me, it’s for someone else, in the future. Day 143 in the books.
T-142: Wednesday, May 20
It’s 1:12pm, no stretch in the morning, felt fucking groggy/hungover from this stupid shitty joint, bad weed. Resistant to get on the mat, looking up exercises, want to set some goals for this workout, but might just free flow for an hour or so. Gotta get in it now, we will start with the morning stretch and add on and then get into more exercises. 2:30pm we can stop. The time is 3:06pm, with a couple breaks I have put in some solid work. Sweating more than yesterday, full intensity was up from D143. Again, I’m not doing this for me anymore, I doing it for this asshole that will get to enjoy the fruits of this labor on his birthday. Attempted first supported headstand, will need to dedicate more time to that every day. Legs warming up, some struggle through the core, left shoulder a little iffy through the Hindu pushups but second round was better. Feeling the body again, not so much an emphasis on doing the workout just to do it, but as this is an adventure into the body, feeling every movement and feeling the body is already at the forefront of awareness. This is not for me, give to this guy in the future. Mat is sweaty, feels good to have gotten after it. Game myself a quarantine haircut, now a shave and a panini. Day 142 in the books.
T-141: Thursday, May 21
Body Check: Soreness around the shoulders, triceps, a firming in the arms. My right hip is a bit tense and tight, a discomfort of sorts, going to try and work though that with some stretching and balance poses to edge out the strength training. Hitting an hour yoga class meow, with the intention of really feeling the body, not just to do the workout. How deep can we go?
-- Just completed a wonderful ‘yoga for balance’ exercise that had me aware of all the judgement we place on our bodies, within and without. How often I needed to be reminded during this practice to just be with what is, there’s a tightness there, a tension there, a burst of magic here, just be with it and observe with the breath. Remember to breath and be with whatever you find, that’s part of the adventure, the journey, there is no destination, this is a journey that will continue and change and shift everyday until the day I leave this body. This is why the re-frame into a journey, an adventure was so vital. I can see it now like the old movie, Jules Vern set it down so beautifully in Journey to the Center of the Earth, only this Earth is made of sweat, blood and tears, among a few other essential ingredients. Removing this judgement is so vital to enjoying every place where I am, yes there will be challenges and struggles along the way, that’s the nature of a proper adventure, but to not be affected by it, to simply recognize it as a piece of equipment that you may or may not discard somewhere along the path. Struggled with the inversion, still put more effort into it. Hips are still tight, no where close to any kind of splits. Pro and Re-traction of the shoulders was a great practice that I will do more of. (YouTube: One hour yoga for balance, Kino Yoga) It’s vital to remember how much the mind plays into the state of the body, an agitated mind will create an agitated body, in physical exercise we also work the mind, and allow all to be transformed. Body check: Feeling looser, slight headache, going to drink lots of water, starting now. Its fascinating how holding a simple balancing posture or stretch can be just as difficult if not more so than lifting heavy weights, probably with an even more holistic benefit. This was a good practice, good sweat. The time is 1:10pm, I plan on hitting the longboard for the first time in a LONG time, cruise around town and probably do some more stretching later tonight.
T-140: Friday, May 22
No stretch in the morning. Body check: Not so sore today, little more strength in the triceps, elbows and shoulders. Constantly thinking about the adventure into the body and that has provided me more incentive and motivation to keep this on my mind and to ask myself, “when are and what will we do on our adventure into the body today?” It’s funny how I’ve found a new set of yoga videos and teachers specifically that cater to my new mindset and goals, ‘funny’, right, you know exactly who and what is expressing that to you, la Pachamama.* Today we will start our one-hour class with a short meditation. Here we go. (some time later) I haven’t left the mat and now write cross legged. There is a subtle difference between doing work and being a work of art. I am beginning to feel more without judgement and more pure awareness of my body. I feel for the first time the up dog, the stretch in the core of my belly and abs, the release the elongations of tissue and sinew. Instead of doing this pose as a transition to another place it became a destination of itself, one that I left all to briefly today in this practice, but at least I recognized this new destination. There was a profound feeling in by belly when I did a series of hugging stretches with the leg bent into a twist. I was hugging a bent leg into my chest, holding them close together as in an embrace, an embrace I had not felt before, that inspired a warmth, a subtle surge of energy in my core, my belly that was beginning to make it’s presence known. There is a difference between being the exercise and doing it. Being allows you to be present in the moment of the workout and not working out with some future goal or idea or ability in mind that doesn’t exist in the moment, you can just be with yourself and enjoy the moment, whatever that brings. It comes back to the breath, in a pose, breathing in deeply gives a whole new set of sensations as the breath itself and the lungs stretch the body from the inside out. I was just sitting cross-legged and had to get up and out of it, not quite there yet. I am more in a place of just feeling the body as opposed to forcing it towards some destination miles away before we’ve even made it a couple feet. This change in mindset, from a one-off day of routine exercise to a journey with my body, an adventure to really get acquainted for the first time really has altered my whole mindset when it comes to the body, in just three days. Yes, there are still goals and objectives I want to cross, but they will come, slow and steady wins the race, every step counts, even a mild yoga practice that focuses on new stretches and new ideas. How the workout should look and feel will color the rest of the journey and take me down a path I probably least expect. The feeling originating my belly from that twisting hug stretch is something I look forward feeling again. (Beginner Ashtanga Primary Series, Kino Yoga YouTube) We will see if there is another exercise we do later, but this was a profound set into the journey today, an now I wish to awaken my belly even further. If I don’t see you later, the journey into the body day 140 in the books. (Update) I made love to myself later in the evening. Self-Care. It felt good.
T-139: Saturday, May 23
Woke up this morning with a little stiffness in the neck, did my morning yoga routine and feel better, it’s crazy how a little stretch in the morning can relax and open up all your muscles and therefore blood flow to the rest of the body. Looking forward to seeing where the adventure takes us today! Body Check 9:52am: Feeling more as ease, less stress and anxiety, enjoying my book and the upcoming day. Hip feels a little looser, left shoulder still a little clicky. 10:30am, time to dive into today’s journey. Completed two of the same exercises from the other day, more strength, added weight, still working on not being distracted and having my mind wander, trying to keep it in place, within my body. Good sweat today, little warmer in my apt. It’s 12:19pm, with a little break we did three of the Home Workout routines again, this time felt way stronger, we are waking up. My mental awareness is now more in my body, I feel the tightness in my palms more, and work on stretching them out, I feel the bridge of my right foot after a few days long boarding for the first time. I feel a bit more grounded in my body, which is nice, it’s my home and I want to feel welcome here. Again, I can see and hear more judgement, but it has taken a step to the background, coming forward is the allowance of what is and the knowledge that it all doesn’t have to be complete today, in fact it never will be. Although this particular journey has a goal to be completed in 139 days, the journey will continue onward. Stronger for sure already. And hopefully we can get in yesterday’s stretch routine in later today also, that would really benefit me. Remember that DLC.
T-138: Sunday, May 24
I roll out my mat and say “I have to do this or I will regret it.” The journey calls to me, even though I am feeling OK and know that I could take Sunday “off.” But in an adventure, there are no “off” days, everyday, every moment must be lived to the fullest, we will never get that moment back, and these moments, of which so many pass, and of which so many pass by us unnoticed as individual leaves fall from a tree, blow away into the past by the winds of change. Can you tell I’ve been reading Proust? Ok, we return to the stretching workout from a couple days ago, let us go deeper, especially into that leg check stretch that started to awaken an inner feeling of unknown warmth and power. Music on, sweat on, let the journey continue. Regret is not on the menu today, we have made more progress on our inversion, and had a couple twinge releases, one in the upper left foot near the big toe, I mean, how often do I really point my toes. And there was a master cramp approaching in the bridge of my right foot after a body lift I have attempted twice in the last years. How familiar am I with my side body? Each of my ribs support me yet I rarely give them the courtesy of a hello or how are you doing? I am in my body, but only now am I turning on the lights, seeing and feeling what it really means to be in the body. So often I have meditated with the intention to leave the body behind, but now I am coming to see, I want to fall deeper INTO the body. Now, I see myself FULLY occupying every molecule, every cell of my body, only by going through the physical landscape can we transcend it. I was trying to get to space by jumping off the surface of the Earth and not even considering taking a Rocket ship. The body is meant for the physical world, the mind occupies the body, but is of many worlds, which is why I can see us so often neglecting the very house that cradles and nurtures the mind and spirit. The body seeks full expression just as the human who occupies it does. This journey is teaching me much, mostly that the body loves to move, that it needs to move, rest can recharge, too much rest begins to decay. It was a simple routine today, nothing too extreme, but I can already feel the improvement from a few days ago. Everyday counts, and the countdown is on. Regret is not on the menu today, we ventured deeper into the body and are becoming familiar with its expressions, some of which have lain in wait, latent, for just this moment to arise, just when they are needed most, they will happily rise to the occasion, even if they resist or fight at first, but seeking in the end, their fullest expression. T-138, in the books.
T-137: Monday, May 25
The days are flying by, and a new sensation has recently arisen that intrigues its own acknowledgement. There is a spot in my mouth, on the right side on the back side of my jaw, that seems to be revealing a pain, a coming to the surface of former hurt being released, a rising and then feeling of a pain that must have been tucked below the surface of my consciousness. For it arises along with certain thoughts, concurrently and coinciding with certain emotions, ideas or beliefs that have begun to change the way I see, view and interact with life. This is an interesting development as I can see how this acute feeling of simple pain is a message, a beacon that long held beliefs or ideas of how I lived my life. The pain of misunderstanding or unconscious beliefs have risen to the surface so they may be seen a final time before disappearing upon the horizon of the present, leaving fresh new possibilities in their .... wake. I did my morning yoga routine, my breath in my body becomes more stable, I feel more IN my physical body and feel differently than before, new events have since taken place and I can feel a steady shift, as I continue this adventure to the center of the body, my entire life has begun to take on a more adventurous spirit, and Joey the adventurer, is eager to regain his title as champion and commander of this life. Beach time, attempted many, failed mostly all of my attempts for a supported handstand. Went over the top too much, need to find the new center of balance. More pro and re-traction exercise, forearm plank with shoulder movement. 7:07pm, couldn’t resist another 30 min stretch to make sure I got in a proper amount of time and feel good about putting this day in the books. Breathing big into the side body feels nice right now. Working on stretching the shoulders and my right hip will need to more TLC. But feeling good overall. I think the T-137 is in the books.
T-136: Monday, May 26
It’s 9:22 am and I took advantage of a cloudy morning to get back out on the road. After a coin toss indicated in the positive, I took off for my 5-mile run down to the marina and back. I’m grateful that after a couple weeks of drinking and not really MOVING I was able to up and go and complete the run in relative ease, not pushing myself too hard but also making sure that we get some work out our efforts. At mile 2 I was struggling a bit in the lungs and quads were hot, but we managed to make it there and again, it felt good to get up and move. A cupcake Merkabah** came to me in my dreams last night and transported me from North Boulder Park (in Boulder, CO, my hometown) to another location with a pool where dolphins being kept, and I was told that they were not to be kept captive for human enjoyment. I then placed my hand on a dolphin with intention seeking to transport it back home. Journey to the center of the body not only means the physical body, but the mental and subconscious journey. Feeling and understanding my physical body more fully I believe without a doubt will allow me to better access the mental, spiritual, emotional body that lives within and beyond my physical structure. It’s still early in the day and I know another adventure into the body awaits, for today we explore more. (UPDATE) 9:36 delayed entry: tingles all over the body, the runners high has hit the epidermis, big breaths spread the lungs, they got some fresh air today! I am constantly thinking about the journey now and in these days where hours are yet plentiful I find myself filling them with breaths into the body. We completed a basic 8 moves of Tai Chi today and I could literally feel the force-field of my being though my hands and body. Then we went back for another hour of Ashtanga Beginner Yoga stretching (KinoYoga YouTube). I felt that there is some resistance under my left shoulder blade, breathing into that space was unbalanced compared to the right, a cave of something unpleasant feels like it resides there, unwilling to accept a full breath without making it...known. I will need to send more breath to that whole shoulder area. Then here was a tinge, sharp and deep in the backside of my left knee. It was a deep release that had to do with pointed toes. It was very particular, and I can see now that each of these moments its like an individual tiny knot coming undone along the long rope of my being. It’s 5:11pm now, and after those journey's I think it’s safe to say that I will go treat myself to a beverage and a stroll on the beach. Today was a full day of adventure, I am grateful for my body, choose positive thoughts, be present and just breath into the body, for breath is life. T-136 in the books.
*Pachamama: Earth Mother, the energy of the universe. Please visit www.pathstopachamama.com for more information.
**Merkabah: Also spelled Merkabah, comes from a Hebrew word meaning chariot, or vehicle, and can also be defined also as light, spirit, body. The Merkaba Symbol is a shape made of 2 intersecting tetrahedrons that spin in opposite directions, creating a 3-dimensional energy field. You can activate this vehicle of light around your own body with practiced meditation and breathing techniques. The merkaba is said to provide protection and transport your consciousness to higher dimensions. The merkaba shape reminds us of the potential power we can wield when we unite our own energies in pursuit of connection and growth. (Source: https://www.soul-flower.com/blog/merkaba-symbol-sacred-geometry/)
Photo Source: https://blog.karma-yoga-shop.com/merkaba-symbole/