I am not very limber. This is ironic, for every year on first of January I vow again to do regular stretching.
Once upon a time I used to be quite plastic; back when I was regularly participating in yoga. Alas, from lack of practice I am quite stiff.
This week I am rolling out my dusty and neglected stretching mat to achieve the longtime goal and Bucket List item of touching my nose down to my kneecaps.
Good luck.
Every time I get on the mat and give out little grunts of pleasure at the relief of it all I wonder why on earth I don’t regularly do this. My favorite stretches are those done lying on my back. Twisting my legs back and forth, left to right, makes me feel like whats-her-name in “Young Frankenstein”: “Roll, roll, roll, roll!”.
I proceed next to put both feet up into the air as if awaiting a pelvic exam. This ignominious position is called The dead bug”. It is slightly undignified but it is a marvelous way to stretch ou the lower back.
I think I have the tightest hamstrings in the world; most of my stretches are attempts to loosen up them up. This is another ‘legs in the air” pose. The butt goes up against the wall with the legs up/soles to the ceiling and hands back behind the head. Oh! What joy I slowly spread my legs to make a “V”. Lovely! This would be oh-so serene position is marred by Harper who likes to take this opportunity to lick my face and forehead. It is rather distracting, trying to zen with the universe only to have a dog slurp you between the eyes.
What feels best is stretching the shoulders and “lats”, whether on the floor in a ‘salaam’ or while standing in a doorway, hands on each side, and falling forward. A good grip is required lest you fall forward.
Once upon a time I was able to do all sorts of marvelous yoga poses with exquisite names such as “The dog”, “the cobra”, and “the warrior’. But not now. I wonder if it is possible to do them again. Perhaps I am too far gone.
Well, I may not be capable of bending down so my nose can snip my kneecap but it feels jolly good fun to try.
I will keep you posted if I pull anything.
Spo-Reflections 
14 comments
June 19, 2014 at 10:55 PM
Raybeard
Yes, sadly ageing brings stiffness to all the parts where you don’t want it and flaccidity where you do..
Presumably at some point in your life you’ve tried ‘Alexander’.
Btw: If I could do what the guy in the last pic is doing I’d be my own best friend for life!
June 20, 2014 at 1:34 AM
anne marie in philly
teri garr: “roll, roll, roll in deh hay!”
this post sounds so sensual if you read it aloud.
and I concur with raybeard; why do you think I began going to the gym 3x/week 3 years ago? it helps tremendously with my arthritis! DOOOOO EEEEET!
June 20, 2014 at 3:14 AM
David
Enjoy, and do tell us where it hurts before and after.
June 20, 2014 at 3:28 AM
Blobby
Doing an inversion, where your legs/hips are higher than your heart is excellent for circulation. We spend so much time standing or sitting the pumping of your blood to get it to move from below the waist is difficult. A few minutes per day upside down (so to speak) is wonderful for you.
June 20, 2014 at 6:22 AM
Urspo
I was hoping to hear from you and hear your thoughts! Indeed ! my favorite positions for yoga and stretching seem to be ‘legs in the air” types. This feels wonderful on the back and it makes my mind go pleasantly at-ease like no other type of meditation.
June 20, 2014 at 3:40 AM
larrymuffin
Can I watch and take pictures, sounds kinky?
June 20, 2014 at 6:23 AM
Urspo
Yoga and stretches have no erotic charge for me but put me into a lovely dwam. I’ve often wonder how is this accomplished in ‘naked yoga”? I certainly could not do so!
June 20, 2014 at 9:04 AM
Raybob
Teri Garr – “roll, roll, roll in ze hay!”
My great-grandmother told a story about her husband, William Ambrose, that he was a little stick of a man, but he couldn’t bend to tie his shoes. This trait was passed down to my dad, his brothers, their kids, and to me and my brother. We are sooo not limber.
There was one summer in college between Freshman and Sophomore years in which I stretched, ran cross country, and swam every single day. At the end of that summer I could place my palms on the floor from a standing position, and could do a perfect piked position, head between my knees with legs straight.
Alas. Several weeks ago I stepped out of the car and tweaked a facet jointt in my back, making it impossible for me to stand for about a week and a half.
The good news is that it comes back gradually.
Keep at it. A daily roll in the hay is healthy for you.
June 20, 2014 at 12:13 PM
Paul Brownsey
Do you know Britten’s operafication of AMND? There’s a sort of Oberon-Puck frisson there…
June 20, 2014 at 9:04 PM
fearsomebeard
I love my yoga! Just started for the first time back in April and cannot believe the positions I can now get into. It is work but so relaxing!
June 21, 2014 at 11:54 AM
Greg
I will say that stretching has helped my back pain and sciatica…as has walking. Keep up the good work and don’t pull anything!
June 21, 2014 at 12:16 PM
jayinva
I can pull the only part of my body I wish to have pulled with one hand and no danger of damage. I do need to stretch more!
Peace ❤
Jay
June 22, 2014 at 8:49 PM
Erik Rubright
I bet my hamstrings are tighter than yours! I’ll have to try that stretch to see if I can get them to lengthen a little.
September 21, 2014 at 12:02 PM
Ron
“Once upon a time I used to be quite plastic; back whenI was regularly participating in yoga. Alas, from lack of practice I am quite stiff.”
“Plastic” or quite “elastic”? Lack of exercise makes you quite stiff? That isn’t what makes me “quite stiff.” However, looking at a certain (Canadian) gentlemen’s yoga poses does make me quite stiff.