Sttrrreeeeccccchhhhhh……………..

So Chuck prescribed me a list of “integrated stretches” designed to strengthen and loosen the muscles in my toes, feet, calf, thighs, butt and lower back. Well that can’t be too bad since my cats seem to leisurely stretch all the time. No big deal. Besides, real men grunt a lot and toss big weights around so how hard can stretching be. I think probably only ‘girly men’ stretch. I can just hear me now “Oh mosaicmom I am so tired today and simply must rest from all that stretching I did yesterday.” Oh brother.

Well anyway, some of these excercises have cute little names such as wallbangers (my favorite), sagittal plant lunges, frontal and transverse wall patterns, walking figure 8’s (did those a lot in college), basic functional obliques and gait exercises and several different stretches that affect the hammys, the hips and lower back. No problem. This looks to be easy stuff.

So it took two days to finally get around to starting on this new program of simple stretches. However, after an hour of studing the photos and practicing the moves I was pooped. These things are killers!!!! My butt does not like to be pulled and twisted – it would rather just hang around and be cute. My back feels like spaghetti and my thighs are going to burst at any minute. All of this from just stretching? Maybe something is going on here. I need to give this program a chance.

It is now two days later and I have figured out the moves and can them without the photo guides. My reps are increasing and I actually kind of enjoy this stuff. I work at it in the morning and evening. Stretching has never been a part of my life, but now it is concomitant with a commitment to master something new and perhaps improve my ability to do physical things. Being excited to go stretch – is this me? I am not sure yet ---- but I have to go back and face Chuck in two weeks for a follow-up. Don’t want to disappoint one of my life heroes. Stay tuned…….