My First Lesson

I grew up playing tennis. Being a long-time tennis player, I thought I’d crush pickleball. I presumed that this game was for players who find tennis too tough on the knees. While at Canyon Ranch, my sister and I took a lesson.

Our instructor described the game as a cross between ping pong and tennis. Indeed, having hand-eye coordination helps, but the game is played quite differently. Once we started playing, we caught on quickly. Except I don’t think we grasped all the rules of play. Later in the day, we ran into a woman who said, “oh, I saw you on the Pickleball courts. That’s an interesting swing you both have.” Our swings were tennis swings. That is not the same swing you use in Pickleball.

Pickleball 101

I vowed to play when we returned. My community offers a four-week clinic. It was certainly worth trying. The rules are fairly easy to catch onto; it’s the terminology and some of the rules. There’s the kitchen and dink shot. Then there is the service order.

Once you catch on to the basics, you are set. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve watched some very skilled players on the court. It’s a great cardio workout if you play with equally matched players.

Watch it on YouTube to get more comfortable with the game. There are plenty of websites to read up on the rules.

In The Beginning

But how did the game get its name? And who came up with the rules and silly terms, including kitchen, dink shot, volley llama, for instance?

Perhaps the three men who created the game in 1965, Joel Pritchard, William Bell, and Barney McCallum, spent too much time on Hole 19 after golfing. That’s not exactly how they came up with the game. Returning to their summer home on Bainbridge Island, they encountered a bored teenager. How many of us have kids who are bored and complaining about having nothing to do at home? My first thought wasn’t to create a game for the family to play, but somehow, I wish I had.

So, in a nutshell, the property had an old badminton court, but Pritchard and Bell could not find a full set of rackets. They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. Since the badminton court had been paved over, the ball bounced well, so they lowered the net. Joan Pritchard, Joel’s wife,  came up with the name based on her experience watching college crewing in Marietta, Ohio. The non-starters would compete against other non-starters in a just-for-fun “pickle boat.” That’s a whole other explanation that you can read about yourself.

I wish I had known that about Pickleball when we went to Bainbridge Island a few summers ago.

Pickleball Equipment

As a beginner, I invested in an inexpensive Pickleball set. It came with two graphite paddles, four balls, and a sling bag. The cost was $54.99. The balls lasted about two months before they lost some bounce. I purchased replacements on Amazon. They were terrible, even with the great reviews. I returned them and bought Franklin Pickleballs. I will eventually replace my paddle with a better paddle.

Pickleball Attire

Some of my friends play in leagues with tournaments. Their team wears some really cute outfits. Since I play golf and tennis, these skirts work for both.  It’s funny because tennis skirts are trending now, sold as a fashion item. So that means it’s easy to find different price points.

My Outfit Details

Newsflash. I like fashion. I wear what I am comfortable, but I don’t go out without attempting to look put together. Golf clothes. Workout clothes. Yoga clothes… whatever the sport, you’ll find me in something presentable. Mind you, most people play in anything comfortable. And that’s perfectly acceptable. It’s just not me.

Everyday Polo Tank – I bought it in blue and white.

Momentum Seamless Polo Tank – Black.

Ace Tennis Skort – Blue and Black

I’ve since invested in a few new pieces, including:

Bandier– I purchased the high waist rigor skort and pro featherweight tank in white.

The Court is Calling

And, again, since tennis styles are all the rage, some shops carry them, some pricy and some reasonable.

Alo Yoga – I have their Muse sweatpants and sweatshirts in three colors (thank you, athleisurewear trend). Their apparel is of great quality, so I trust their tennis wear will be equally as good.

Alice + Olivia – I’m just sharing. This is their new pickleball line.

Beyond Yoga – I am a fan of their yoga outfits. Going to check out their tennis & pickleball shop

Bloq-UV – I try to be careful in the sun, so I grabbed a few full-zip crop tops.

Everyday Yoga

Fabletics

Gap

Lululemon

Spanx

William Murray – Known for their golf line, carries fun skorts in different patterns.

Shoes & Socks

I have had trouble in the past with Plantar fasciitis.  Strong, supportive socks are a must. My go-tos are Bombas and Feetures®. Yes, they are a little pricey, but they are some of the better high-performance socks.

As for shoes, you will want a good pair of court shoes. The same type you would wear to play tennis. I rotate between my Reeboks, Nikes, and On Clouds.

Pickleball Gifts

If you have serious players in your family, consider some of these cool gifts:

Pickleball bag – you can even monogram it and give it as a gift

Vera Bradley Pickleball Paddle

Or you can get them a new outfit or balls…

Dink Responsibly

It’s important to stay hydrated when playing sports. These environmentally-friendly water bottles are perfect for Pickleball.

Social Etiquette

Now, this is the best part of pickleball. It is a social game where you will find laughter, music, and even adult beverages if you go to a Dink & Drink event. FYI Dink is the term for a return upward trajectory shot that lands just over the net in the opponent’s no-volley zone, also known as the kitchen. Everyone is out to have some fun. That’s not to say there aren’t some very competitive games.

And although a person’s idea of etiquette can be complicated, I did find it amusing that Nude Pickleball is the biggest sport at many nudist resorts in Florida with their July 4th pickleball tournament  aptly called “Clothing Independence Day Tournament.”

If you want to get in some cardio, have fun, and even meet new people, I recommend trying Pickleball. No big dill, I mean deal, right?

Pickleball, anyone?

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I first learned about a 30-day yoga challenge on the Today Show.  Adriene Mishler is a yoga teacher from Austin, Texas. According to her website, she is also an actress, writer, and entrepreneur. Adriene talked about her 30-day yoga challenge, a practice she started in 2015. I was new to yoga but decided to give it a try. I’ve been hooked since. This year, I  again did  Adriene Mishler”s 30-Day yoga challenge.

Yoga is critical for my mental health. I can work on my own mindfulness and inner peace through yoga and meditation. And it is so much easier now with smart TVs to stream. I set my mat next to my bed as a reminder to practice.

Making the Time To Practice

My current exercise regimen includes three days of weight training and three days of riding my Peloton bike. Additionally, I take a slow-flow yoga class almost every Wednesday morning. But I wanted to do Adriene Mishler”s 30-Day Yoga Challenge.

That meant creating a schedule, so I did not miss a day. One of the best parts of her yoga challenge is that it is geared to every level. And each practice is fairly short. Some are closer to 25 minutes, and some are only about 18 minutes.

How It Started

At first, I started my mornings with that day’s challenge. Typically, I spend about 15 minutes stretching every morning. Some of the stretches are yoga poses, so it seemed repetitive to do a yoga class.

I also found myself missing a weight training session or a bike ride. This was not how I envisioned adding the yoga practice. The idea was to show up even if I didn’t want to sacrifice my other workouts.

Changing My Routine

MOVE is the theme of 2022’s  30-day yoga journey. Adriene Mishler titled it MOVE by stating, “Movement is how we engage with life… so how you move matters. This is a journey. To move your mindset. To align with purpose….”

To keep my other exercise routines, I decided to try yoga in the evenings before dinner. That allowed me to close out my day with a practice that included breathing, meditation, and a fairly easy flow.

How It Ended

I found myself looking forward to my early evening yoga practice. My sleep habits were getting better. It was relaxing and a great way to alleviate stress or anxiety from the day. 

Additionally, there was a noticeable physical change as the month progressed. My muscles were more toned, and my core was much stronger. I cannot say I am practicing every day now, but I try to take one of her classes a few nights per week.

Where to Find Adriene Mishler’s Yoga Online

Adriene Mishler”s 30-day yoga challenges are free. It did take me time to find the next day’s practice on occasion, as they do not always show up in consecutive order. But it stays up all year. You can find Yoga With Adriene on YouTube.

Items I Love For My Yoga Space

Last but not least, apparel and accessories! When picking your outfit, you don’t have to invest in anything expensive. It’s all about being comfortable. If you don’t have a room in your house or outside for these items, don’t fret! Even with just a couple of these items, you will notice an increase in your mood after practice.

Yoga Mat: No matter where you’re practicing, you’ll want to ensure you have a mat. Throughout your poses and movement, you must have support under your body. Everyday Yoga has a nice selection of mats at a reasonable price. Feel free to get creative and use one that matches your personality or the tone of your practice. Manduka mats are the most expensive, but they are also great mats. You want one that doesn’t cause slippage while in a pose, especially if your feet get sweaty (ugh, yeah, we get it). 

Athleta – I happen to love their ⅞ tights, although they are on the pricier side.

Aerie by American Eagle – I am only 5’1” and a massive fan of their 7/8 leggings for comfort, maneuverability, and how well they hold up in the wash. I especially like the OFFLINE by Aerie high-waisted leggings.

Lululemon: When I want to treat myself, I splurge on the Align high-rise pants and tanks. They’re super comfortable.

Alo Yoga — My daughters introduced me to Alo during the pandemic, and I now have several of their airbrush leggings, ribbed Muse sweatpants, and sweatshirts because who doesn’t live in comfy outfits? 

Zella– Nordstrom’s answer to workout apparel: they are super comfortable and hold up well. I try to grab a few new pieces when they go on sale.

When I do yoga at night, I often wear my sleepwear, which is just as comfortable. After all, isn’t yoga all about being comfortable?

Pass on these great tips, tell your friends, and like us on Instagram,  TikTok, and Pinterest.

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Have you ever woken up with foot pain? It may be plantar fasciitis. It has been over three years since I was diagnosed. Fortunately, after six months of having injections and staying off my feet, the pain is gone. I attribute that to doing foot stretches EVERY day since my diagnosis in 2020, including rolling my foot on a tennis ball.  And I consistently wear supportive shoes or orthotics in my shoes. You don’t need to hit me on the head twice. The idea of having this extremely painful foot inflammation again is all the motivation I need.

Walking around barefoot on a hard floor and pavement was the culprit. So although exercising is encouraged, as is getting fresh air, it’s all about wearing supportive shoes. If you have high arches, as I do, that also makes you more prone to plantar fasciitis. It is quite common with runners too.

What Does Plantar Fasciitis Feel Like

The type and location of foot pain vary for everyone. Mine was in my heels and the side of my foot.  I could barely put pressure on my foot; so severe was the pain. It feels like sharp, stabbing pain near the heel. Because my feet were not stretched during the evening, the mornings were the worse. I did what many of us do and googled home remedies. Between Google and TikTok, it can be overwhelming.

The plantar muscle runs down the center of your foot. It is inflammation of the tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. Plantar fasciitis is very common. There are more than 3 million cases per year. It is usually self-treatable and self-diagnosable. After four months of foot pain and still not seeing enough improvement, I did seek medical advice.

Before going to the doctor, I tried several remedies. First, I ordered a splint that would stretch the foot. I rolled a tennis ball around the foot to loosen the inflammation. And I lived on anti-inflammatories. Other suggestions include freezing and rolling a water bottle along the bottom of the foot.

Luckily, I had no additional foot issues after having the foot x-rayed. My podiatrist told me they saw an enormous increase in plantar fasciitis during the pandemic as more and more people took to walking and running outside.

One thing about plantar fasciitis is that it has to heal on its own Some of us heal quickly. The first time I had plantar fasciitis was more than ten years ago. The orthopedic put me in a boot 24-7, which healed quickly. Wearing a boot is uncomfortable; I would pull it off in the middle of the night. I strongly encourage adding stretching exercises to your daily routine.

Best Exercises for Plantar Fasciitis

The three illustrated exercises below came from the podiatrist I went to for treatment.

Stretching your feet is critical. Katie Couric recently shared a video of foot exercises, many of which I already do daily.

You also want to do stretches that strengthen the foot, ankle, and calf muscles. Think calf raises and plantar fascia stretches.

Supportive Shoes

In addition to daily stretching, I wear special orthotics in my shoes. Being a shoe addict, it is difficult to give up wearing some of my more fashionable shoes. You cannot wear an insole in backless sandals or mules. But I have been able to wear an orthotic in certain summer sandals.

Brands I Recommend

Protalus – I have every one of their insoles. You pick yours based on your foot symptoms and the type of shoe. The H-75 is pretty narrow and does not run the full length of your foot. I am using these for sandals with a back, and while sometimes they slip, if you have the sandal on tightly, they will stay in place and allow me to wear some of my flatter sandals without discomfort. I even use an orthotic while on the Peloton.

The other insole that comes recommended is the Powerstep Insoles.

Feetures socks – These socks are another layer of protection. You can purchase them on their website. Athleta and Dick’s also sell them.

Vionics – My first purchase was their slippers which I always wear around the house. I’ve learned how bad it is to walk barefoot on hard floors. I recently bought the Vionic Beach Collection Pismo Lace-Up sneaker. I purchased the white ones from Nordstrom, but they did not have my size in some of the other colors I liked. You can also find them at Dillard’s.  That is where I got the sneakers in black and, for summer fun, seafoam.

Birkenstocks – My foot doctor approves these for arch support, so I have several. I am fortunate to have a Birkenstock store nearby, but you can grab them at most department stores.

Marion Parke – These were huge splurges since I was so upset about having to wear shoes I did not like. A foot and ankle surgeon created them. This luxury footwear is tasteful and discreetly comfortable.  I now have the Carly Braided Leather Thong Sandal with Contoured Footbed and the Charlotte Leather Slide Sandal with Contoured Footbed.

Other highly recommended brands include Hoka One One Bondi 6, ECCO sandals, Olokai, Brooks Adrenaline GTS 21, Asics Gel Cumulus 22, Kayana, or Nimbus models.

Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis Syndrome

I do the stretches the doctor gave me.  The doctor also recommends using a tennis ball. You can use Voltaren gel if the pain is severe, like mine.

In conclusion, I advise people with plantar fasciitis to listen to their bodies. If I had done that instead of trying to power through the pain, perhaps I would not have exasperated the situation and healed faster.

Let me know any tips you have or if my tips help you!

The post Do You Have Plantar Fasciitis? appeared first on HaveUHeard.com.

I started doing yoga several years ago after being invited by friends. I had been recently widowed and downsized our home. Naturally, I was feeling a lot of anxiety and stress. I never thought of myself as much of a yoga person. I’m more of a gym and outdoor sports person, but I thought I would try it. 

They offer yoga classes at my development, so I signed up and started taking classes once a week. Initially, I was intimidated as I did not know the downward dog from cat-cow from pigeon pose (and why there are so many yoga poses named after animals). HaveUHeard that most theories revolve around the idea that ancient yogis mimicked what they saw around them. It appears that the ancient yogis found imitating animals and nature to be an enlightening experience for both the body and mind (think tree pose, mountain pose, and wheel pose). It was also believed that yogi masters modeled their practices after the animals they observed, hoping to balance their emotions and stress patterns.

I admit I struggled at first, but I was hooked once I got over my fear of doing the poses wrong and concentrated on my breathing and doing the poses to the best of my physical ability. My daughters also love it. They beat me to the yoga mat, having caught the “namaste bug” during their college days. My younger daughter needed an elective one semester and even took it as a class.

Keeping Stress at Bay 

There’s a reason the practice of yoga is over 5000 years old. It has been proven to alleviate stress. Honestly, who doesn’t have to manage stress at some point? Research has shown that yogis enjoyed significantly reduced stress levels within seven weeks of regular practice. Students saw their academic performance increase, and adults had more focus at work.  This, in turn, also may lead to more confidence. Additional benefits are greater clarity of mind and a sense of peace, even in the face of stressors. 

Not only is it good for your emotional well-being, but it’s also great for your physical health. And it’s a practice that almost anyone can do, from gym rats to future former couch potatoes.  It strengthens one’s core, tones muscles while also making them limber, and stretches out the contortions that slouching at our desks or over our cell phones brings to bear on our bodies daily. Even better, there is plenty of yoga to choose from virtually and in person.

Finding a yogi that resonates with you makes a huge difference. I liked our instructor, but eventually, she left, and I had difficulty relating to the new instructor. I’m happy to say the original instructor has returned, so I can retake her classes as it is done outside, with a limit on the number of people.

Yoga with Adriene

I also practice Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. She kicks off each year with a 30-day free yoga journey. The classes are about 25 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time for me in the mornings.  She guides practices for all abilities, so it is easy to find one suitable for your preferences.

Both of my daughters also take online yoga classes. One of my daughters likes Yoga Joint.

You can sign up for 30 days of online classes for free. My other daughter also does Yoga with Adriene and likes Popsugar Yoga workouts on YouTube. So many great yoga instructors have switched to virtual classes, so it is fairly easy to find a class.

The one challenge I have had is that sometimes my hands and feet will slip on the mat; I like the Manduka yoga mat towel, which helps make my mat a little more slip-resistant. I also love these great designs for yoga towels from Society6.

Check my blog on Home Workouts With My Daughters for other yoga recommendations, from mats and blacks to yoga outfits.

Namaste 

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