It's just what it looks like: I time my planks then file them away, determined to last a little longer tomorrow. And sometimes I do, for several days in a row, then one day I'll collapse nearly a minute short of my personal best. I'll pound the mat like Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes, then I'll get myself together - you've got to stay cool at Equinox - and move on with my day.
I'm feeling good. I think the performances are speaking for themselves at the moment. For me, it was always about being mentally tough and hanging in there at certain points and step-by-step, day-by-day putting performances together and all of a sudden the tide starts to turn and you start scoring goals. That is the life of a centre forward. In football, as a player you have to control the controllables
To say South Africa exploded a few cosy theories would be the understatement of the rugby year. So much for the idea, for example, that France would avenge the injustice of their World Cup quarter-final defeat to the Springboks. That entering the final quarter with a narrow lead and an extra man would translate into inevitable glory. That even without their talisman Antoine Dupont they still had more than enough tranquiliser darts to keep the big beasts safely at bay.
After a run of nine matches for club and country without a goal and pressure mounting on the man signed for 64m in the summer, a huge wave of relief swept over the Emirates Stadium when Gyokeres scuffed home from close range via a deflection off David Hancko during a pulsating second half when Mikel Arteta's team showed again that they mean business this season.
A quick practice is sort of antithetical to yin yoga. It's defined by extended holds that not only target your physical tension but boost your mental resilience. Yin yoga asks that you go to your edge, recognize it, and stay there. It's all about slow stretches and stillness that, ultimately, help you sit more comfortably with discomfort. But let's be real. We live in an aggressively busy society, which is probably why shorter sequences with these longer holds resonate with readers.
"I watched them [highlights] back, as painful as it was, just to see what I can avoid or what went wrong," she said. "Then after I had to watch some good highlights to remove that from my brain!"
"As the (2023-24) offseason went, I was like, 'Man I don't know if I want to do this again. I really don't'" Banda said. "It was to a point where I was talking about hanging 'em up."
To everyone who's been part of my journey so far, I have some difficult news to share: I've been diagnosed with cancer. It's been a lot to take in, but I've already started treatment and I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the love and support of my family and close friends.
