Challenges

This week, I've spent at least fifteen minutes every evening with Mady Morrison, dragging my roommates along with me. They join in every night now - it's sort of relaxing, stretching and unwinding collectively. The YouTuber has different videos, which are sometimes 15 minutes long, 30 minutes or even just a 10-minute morning stretch. There are a lot of yoga elements built in that are linked to the concept of mindfulness. You haven't heard of it yet? Then check out Mindfulness here!

There are stretching exercises specifically for beginners, which is me. But also the videos for everyone have supporting elements in them that make it easier for less stretched people (i.e. me). Did you know that a robe belt is a super tool for stretching? I don't know if I'm getting any closer to the ground with the units (see above), but I look forward to stretching and mobilizing my body every night. After what feels like 10 hours a day at my desk, it's a soothing change of pace. I am positively surprised and will probably do one or the other stretching/yoga exercise with Mady even after the Challenge. Let's see if I'm as limber as she is at the end - but I highly doubt it!

What can I say: my initial euphoria of the first week has subsided. Maybe it's because I don't see Mady now, or just resignation that I'm still as stretched as a block of wood. I started the week with another fitness influencer who is a part-time closet and promises a 10-minute "Mobility Fitness Routine" that you can do every morning. I'm no expert, but it all seemed a little uncoordinated to me. A little bit of shoulder here, a little bit of leg there, and all the exercises felt like they were done at the speed of light. So a lot of exercises in a very short time. Until my unstretched self has halfway found the position, the Influencer was already at the next exercise. I highly doubt that this brought the stretch I was hoping for. I did, of course, try other videos with the stretching theme. One was with a physical therapist. Initial exercise: sit upright and stretch out legs - easy I thought. Then, as if the man had read my mind, he said, "A lot of people prop themselves up doing this. That's not the goal of the exercise." I don't think I've ever pulled my hands away so quickly in embarrassment - and lo and behold, the exercise wasn't so easy anymore. Further on, the physiotherapist showed with a patient how to get used to different exercises. In fact, the video is intended for beginners. The man's final plea at the end of the video: every normal person must get his hands to his feet when stretching his legs out in a sitting position. Those who fail to do this should work on it. At this point he lost me as a "viewer" - Mady has never asked for such an impossible thing!

This week I had a lot to do. Somehow the last week of lectures is always more exhausting than the weeks before. Nevertheless, I haven't lost sight of my challenge - although I would have liked to. Since I'm testing something new for you guys each week, I've been stretching myself with an app. This suited me quite well, as you can easily incorporate the exercises in between and don't necessarily have to unroll the yoga mat. So every evening after my long day at my desk, I sat there and circled my shoulders, head, and many other parts of my body. In the app you could see with an animated figure how the exercise should look like. It's actually pretty cool, if it weren't for the absolutely annoying computer-animated voice that tortures you emotionlessly through the exercises. Regardless of this, the exercises are sustainable and easy to integrate into everyday desk life. I find that doing a few stretches now and then while sitting down seems to help me get through the exam period reasonably back and headache free. The only problem is that I'm probably super stretched out in the shoulder and head area now, but my legs continue to cling to my body like an unbending piece of wood. Well, maybe the last challenge week will bring the hoped-for breakthrough.

Spoiler to start: last week didn't bring the breakthrough I was hoping for. I tried a mix of Mady and App and focused - perhaps out of convenience - on my upper body. I almost get my arms crossed behind my back now! I do notice one change now, though: I'm not quite as bad at stretching. At least my cat no longer turns away distraught when I try to do the dog looking down. I also have to admit that I'm already enjoying the almost daily stretching with Mady - I even follow her on Instagram now. Even though I won't be nearly as stretchy as she is, each exercise makes me feel good in an absurd way. The other day I was talking to a friend about lockdown and how hard the road to an athletic me is like before Corona - guess who he recommended to get a little more exercise in my day? That's right: Mady!