Day one of my ab workout was ungraceful and uncomfortable. I actually wrote a note to the woman who provided Women’s Health with the workout, Hanna Eden (a ridiculously hard-bodied cross-fitter whose claim to fame seems to be her hairdo and her HIIT training, in that order–I’m trying not to be angry about that) asking her from some clarity around a move she calls a “loaded bear crawl.” If you google that, you will get videos of grunting dudes crawling around gyms with weight belts clipped to weight stands–and they are dragging the whole stands around. Since that is definitely not what the two illustrations in the magazine seem to be demonstrating at all, I reached out. She hasn’t written back.
But by god, I did what I could. And at lunch, I went on a walk and there were so many blackbirds calling in the trees and it was a little drizzly and I saw a red-tailed hawk hunting.
My whole day, despite adding nearly an hour of movement, was actually on schedule for the first time in weeks. I didn’t have papers to grade, so it wasn’t quite a Christmas miracle, but I got everything done for all three jobs and even got to take a bubble bath and work on an essay that’s due next week. The essay is probably pretty terrible, but like my graceless V-ups, it is the practice that counts. No one is going to remember me forever for a bad essay (unless it is mean). But with practice, I might write one they remember.
Anyway, the endorphins have me all jacked up with optimism. This makes working out again easy. Tomorrow I will do four rounds of my favorite sun salutation. It’s from a decades old yoga video featuring Ali McGraw and her instructor, Erich Schiffman. Also, another 30 minute walk. I’m thinking of trying to fit in a 3 mile hike this weekend. See? So optimistic!
It’s when the novelty-buzz fades and a ton of work appears that I am less reboundy. When I start to feel that way, I’ll try and remember to come back here to day one of February for the reminder.