Out of all the positions I’d imagined being unsuitable for, a 3rd grade chaperone was never on the list.
Outside of the historic Old Adobe , breathing in the salt air of Cannery Row, I took a moment to rest on the wooden railing that separated the porch of the museum from the town square. The sound of seagulls echoed in our ears, mingling with the excited chatter of the children arranged in something like a circle. Somehow, resting turned into leaning, which turned into perching, and before you could say “cow hide,” I had a small group of 8-year-old boys attempting to balance their bodies on their hands as I showed them how to clamber on the 2x4’s.
“Excuse me!” the teacher called out sharply. “Please stay inside the boundaries of the museum and don’t lean on the structure itself.”
He was similarly unimpressed when, 10 minutes later, we were competing to see who had the longest or highest jumps, swiftly putting an end to the wildly popular strategy of launching off the benches that bordered the museum’s entrance for more “air time.”
By the time the class was walking along Alvarado to get ice cream, I no longer accompanied them. Chaperone identity in pieces , I bought a couple of loaves of bread at the adjoining bakery and hightailed it back to my car, digesting the fact that even at my advanced age, I’m incapable of sitting still.
Clearly, I’m a terrible role model for the children… or am I?
Embracing the Silly
I mortify my kids often. Loudly breathing outside in the mornings, high kicks in the kitchen, and stretching with impunity in front of their friends, my impact is measured in eye rolls and exclamations. But these same kids take over my workout studio with their friends whenever the opportunity arises, spinning on the Yoga Trapeze, singing and vibrating on the Galileo, and leaving exercise equipment all over the house in the aftermath of their playdates.
Mastering Joy, Not the Mundane
As adults, we are expected to stop doing “silly things.” To be able to sit still, not fidget, and focus on the task at hand. But really, who made those rules, and more importantly, who’s watching? By injecting play into life’s mundane moments, we become masters of joy rather than experts at the ordinary.
One of my favorite clients, who has adventured through life for 80+ years, often arrives at his sessions with a movement project he’s given himself that week. Recently, his balance remarkably improved, and he told me that he’d started brushing his teeth with his eyes closed. His electric toothbrush has a 3-minute timer—a good amount of time to challenge the vestibular system. I started trying this myself, adding in a single-legged stance, some knee bends, etc. Honestly, it’s a much safer approach than my original strategy of combining jumping jacks with oral hygiene (which prompted some serious sideways glances from my husband).
Your Grab Bag of Goodies:
I have a few gifts for you this week
1. Jump Around.pdf : A list of suggestions for things you can do around the house to keep your mobility up and embarrass the heck out of your children. Get ready to reinvent your regular routines.
2. 10-Minute Mobility: A short routine that improves your balance, alignment, and range of motion. Using light weights, you’ll move through the basic spinal ranges of motion, activating your pelvic floor and reorganizing your body with some basic feedback about “center.”
3. Stairway to Heaven : For those of you who follow me on Instagram, I made a cool thing on the Stall Bars last week. Here’s an equipment guide in case you want to set it up for yourself. (And yes, I’m planning on teaching some classes about it. Clicking on the guide will add you to the list of “first to know.”)
4. Online Classes Coming Soon: I’m planning some online classes this Spring. Click HERE to be added to the waitlist for a Gyrotonic XS workshop, and HERE to join the waitlist for the “Vibes for Everyone” LifePro class series.
Finally, I take requests. Is there something you’d love to learn about your body? A specific workout you'd like my take on?
Hit reply and send me your thoughts.
Keep playing and stay young,
Domini Anne