I’ve entered the 6th week of my stretching journey. In today’s program (12), we focused on the following muscles: calves, quadriceps, and ankles.

Throughout this journey, I’m semi-regularly tracking my progress because I have this vision — a very clear image (which almost brings me to tears thinking about it) — of me moving gracefully, without pain: the source of pain turning into source of pleasure. This vision is somewhat far into the future, anywhere between 2-5 years (by then, my age will be between 38-41).

Notes

• Total duration of today’s program about 19-20 minutes
• Equipment relied on was 1) a mat to support the knees 2) chair for the squat and 3) bolster to adjust the seiza position, the Japanese kneeling position
• The focus was on the calves, quadriceps, ankles
• Listened to my wise mind and added much needed adjustments like both sitting on the bolster, resting my ankles on top of a folded up sweater since ankles could not sustain being pressed against hardwood floor. In the past, I avoided adjustments, perceiving myself as weak. But I’ve abandoned that idea, welcoming adjustments to create an environment that’s conducive for relaxing into the stretch
• Today I experienced another instance of actually enjoying stretching, no longer trying to “search for” or “experience” pain. Instead of forcing myself through the pain, pushing through the pain. I’m minimizing and avoiding it all together. Those previous strategies (e.g. no pain no gain), do not serve me in my quest of becoming a supple leopard.
• I’m continuing to open up to finding alternative exercises at varying intensities that work for my body
• Eye opener experience for me is (and continues to be) tilting the pelvis (or as they say “tucking the tail”), which avoids tweaking my lower back during certain exercises like the quadriceps stretch