Pushups

I did 15 pushups today. I know that might not sound like much, but I have never done pushups before this month, and never ever 15 before today. I mean the real kind of pushup with only hands and toes on the floor and the rest of me like a board, or a door off its hinges. I can do a million lady pushups, with knees on the floor. These were not lady pushups, they were army pushups.

I have been lifting weights since last November, getting to the point where I can do pushups. Before that I was doing yoga, but it was too difficult for me and I was having trouble fitting the classes into my schedule. Whenever I practised at home the dog would pant on me and the cat would sit on me.

Ectomorph - the praying mantis body-type (not me)
Endomorph - the over-stuffed chair body-type (sometimes me)
Mesomorph - taking-up-space-with-functional-mass body-type (me more and more these days)

I have some practical reasons for this (prevent bone loss in my middle-to-later years, develop core strength for ease of movement and less aging-related pain, regain strength lost to a couple of year's struggle with hyperthyroidism) but really I like having big muscles. So there it is. I'm not planning to turn into some muscle magazine woman's head on a man's body - I'm too curvy for that to ever happen. I just like being strong. I like saying to the guy who's just finishing on the leg press, "That's okay, leave it loaded. I'll use it like that." Upper body is still more of a challenge, but it's coming along. I don't need to ask for help lifting things nearly as often, and I can finally do pushups. The exercises don't take long, and the routine is almost like a meditation. I go to the gym when it's quiet, and just move through the progression almost like a yoga flow. I feel relaxed and energized when I'm done, and more aware and respectful of all of my major parts.

I also love that my daughter is doing sports even though she's not a super-jock type. Acting, singing, drawing and writing are her favourite things, and she's really talented. But she also plays volleyball and basketball, on actual teams at school. I never did that - always thought of myself as too awkward or slow, a liability to any team. I'm very happy she doesn't feel that way. By doing some activity myself I'm hoping to show her that I am inspired by her example, and also to set an example too, by not gradually giving up exercise just because middle age has arrived and life is very busy.

I'll be 43 in November. I will probably never be able to do 43 pushups. I will probably live at least another 43 years. Wouldn't it be cool to be 86 years old with good, big muscles? I can just hear the little ones say, "Grandma, show us some pushups."

Question: Why the heck not?

mompoet - pumped in a mom sort of way