Now That's a Stretch
I don’t remember the last time I tried to sit cross legged on the floor in what we the un-woke once called Indian style. It’s painful because I have very tight hip flexors. I even hate doing yoga on account of how we all start with legs tucked under. My quads don’t cooperate and my feet cramp – even with two blocks under my butt.
I shuffle when I run due to too-taut hamstrings, and wobble during walks thanks to arthritic hips. This is what happens when long-time runners give short shrift to stretching. I’m not light. I’m not lithe. And I’m certainly not limber.
With that as the setup, allow me to introduce my word for 2022: Stretch. I need the daily reminder as I near a milestone birthday and, well, feel my true age. That makes this year’s word as practical as it is multi-purpose and metaphorical.
Kids, jobs, school, pups, grandkids and a geriatric pit bull with bladder issues have all robbed me of the requisite warmup-exercise-cooldown ritual. I’ve long stripped any workout to its essentials: dress, drink, potty, then hurry it up before someone gives me something else to do.
Failing to properly stretch leaves you prone to injury. It makes hikes harder, especially when scrambling or bouldering are involved. It makes you look slow in race photos, even while sprinting. More practically, if we don’t maintain muscle flexibility, it becomes more difficult to do simple things like bathe and clothe ourselves as we transition from middle-aged to senior to elderly.
That’s why I’m going to devote more time to pre- and post-exercise stretches. Nothing fancy. Just the five to seven stretches I should always do yet don’t. Now with more intention – and time.
I’m going to do more BodyBalance along with BodyPump with my Les Mills On Demand subscription. This will stretch the value of the services. And continue attending A Very Important Meeting sessions as well as a Mindful Writers group I joined after completing a six-week challenge. Meditation might not seem like “exercise,” but training the mind falls into the same category for me.
I’m going to remember to stretch after a long walk or hike too. Somehow in my mind those activities don’t do as much damage. Plus, I don’t time myself as I do with runs, and therefore tend to immediately move to the next task upon completion. Not in 2022.
I’m also going to stretch myself creatively. I’ve had this large canvas for years now, and this will be the year I paint on it. Maybe buy more canvases to do the same. I’m hoping the shift in artistic pursuits reignites my passion for writing ‘cause right now the pilot light keeps going out.
I’m going to stretch our food budget because of a new law taking effect this weekend that requires Californians to dispose of food waste differently. Maybe if I buy less food and cook normal portions, it will be easier for us to comply by having less waste to begin with.
I’m going to stretch my finances by spending less and saving more, which will happen because apparently the stars are aligning for me. Here’s what my horoscope has to say about 2022: “It looks like 2022 is going to be great on your bank account — expect to remain financially prosperous for most of the year.” I’ll also stretch frequent flyer miles to cover a family trip back east this summer, Covid willing. Speaking of travel, I’m going to expand my radius to include more day trips throughout Greater Southern California. I’m still not as adventurous as before the pandemic, but I’m going stir crazy here in San Diego.
What I am not going to do is stretch myself too thin. Looking back, this is the one goal where I always come up short. Time to reestablish boundaries and not extend myself to the point of misery. My life, that is. My hips and leg muscles? Arms and shoulders? Back and core? They’re in it for a long stretch.
