flex

It's probably no secret to anyone who knows me even slightly that I like to keep myself reasonably fit and strong. I always enjoy a good bout of exercise, the more rigorous the better. I feel happier and energized after a good workout, and conversely, I get pretty cranky when I haven't done anything physical for a little while.

I'd say I'm pretty fit, although I do probably eat too many baked goodies and I have a horrible weakness for anything chocolate. Oh, and ice cream. I can never say no to ice cream. Still, overall, I'm pretty pleased with my body and how it looks, but I'm even more thrilled that I have had the good luck to avoid both major genetic issues and catastrophic injuries so that I can still do (nearly*) all the exercise I want. I think I forget how lucky I am way too often, and even more often, fall into the trap of judging my body by standards set by people concerned with appearances alone (pop culture, magazines, advertisements, television, etc.). I guess writing that down makes it seem a little bit ridiculous, but I think all of us, men and women, boys and girls even, are under so much pressure to look a certain way that we forget how amazing we actually are, despite an 'imperfect' shape.

I am so impressed at some of the stuff that humans can do with their bodies, and some people** inspire me to keep working on mine. A lot of  other people perhaps don't share this sentiment, and may find themselves considering those who spend large amounts of time and care on their bodies to be freaks, or perhaps 'having no life' except for their sport. I even know some folks who consider fitness junkies to be hopelessly self-centered.

I don't want this blog to turn into some sort of fitness-tracking or diet-watching board, since I'm not really that interested in everybody knowing my business, and I'm certainly not interested in publishing how many Tim Tams I ate or how bad I'm supposed to feel about it. No sir! Instead, I would like to occasionally publish a few milestones, such as the fact that I can now do a one-legged (aka pistol) squat on my left leg, and am patiently persisting on getting the right one up to speed. I think that's pretty cool, and perhaps I will inspire a couple folks to try to do something they normally never would have tried. Just make sure you warm up first.



* Nearly- I tore my ACL in high school and have given up all sorts of field and court sports in the interest of keeping my leg in one piece. I miss those sports sometimes, but in general I'm pretty happy with a mix of climbing, running, swimming, yoga, gym-type stuff, and whatever else comes my way.

** These people include crazy awesome climbers whose physical strength and mental grit is almost beyond understanding . I am also impressed by people like my old yoga teacher, Alyona, who has incredible calm and cheerfulness combined with amazing strength and flexibility. And if anybody out there wants a humbling workout, check out Zuzana Light. Don't be fooled by her scanty attire and the chesty camera angles, her workouts are tough as nails.