💾 Archived View for jsreed5.org › log › 2023 › 202308 › 20230815-stretches.gmi captured on 2024-05-26 at 15:00:03. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2023-09-08)
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I was more physically active when I was a kid, engaging in sports like basketball and going on hiking trips with the Boy Scouts. I also did gymnastics for a short time, but I didn't have much interest in the sport and I dropped out after one season. In the aftermath I quickly lost much of my flexibility.
Today, after working desk jobs for almost seven years, I can barely reach my shins without having to bend my knees. My legs in particular are very stiff, with my back not far behind.
I was recently recommended a self-care app called Finch. I love Finch--as I've been going through some touch mental work lately, it's been a big help for me--and I'll write a review of the app eventually. But one of the self-care activities Finch can prompt the user to do is stretching, and I've tried to take advantage of it in recent weeks.
The first time I tried doing stretches with the app, I could barely even sit upright with my legs fully extended in front of me. My core and abdomen were so tight that I found myself leaning slightly backwards, only able to align my spine vertically with great effort. The initial back and calf stretches were grueling; I felt stiffness and some slight soreness for days afterward.
But as long as I kept stretching every day, I found myself reaching just a little further each time. I was soon able to sit upright with my legs flat on the ground. My reach slowly went from the top of my shin to the bottom: I'm close to my ankle now. My calves are looser and less prone to cramping. And I feel a bit of strength returning to my core, helping to prepare me for more intensive exercises like crunches.
On my journey to better health, I want to do more than just lose weight. I want to increase my strength and flexibility, and possibly improve my nimbleness too. I still have a long way to go, and in terms of weight I've actually slid backward in the last year. But I'm trying to get myself back on track.
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[Last updated: 2023-08-15]