Gotta Keep Moving!
Most mornings I get to my Tai Chi around 10 a.m,
Thats my first of two workouts for the day. You know what they say, move it or lose it, so even though I’m dealing with back, neck, and knee pain, I must stay in motion or everything will lock up, I’ll get fat, and then I will become unhealthy.
I do what I canny taking the advice of my doctors, the meds they recommend and supplements I have experience with and know that they work, and exercise. Recently, I got my nails done and my manicure fellow said Tai Chi was a waste of time. 😑 Well, what do you expect from a tennis player?
He feels like my time would be better spent playing pickleball and I told him, “dude”! I cannot play that because of my knees. He just wouldn’t listen. He literally lectured me on putting less in my body and putting more effort into the movement, like I don’t know that!
I wish I could play pickleball. Everywhere we went while on the road, folks were up at the crack of dawn and we could hear the balls pinging from a great distance. It’s insanely popular, yet one has to know their limitations and I do!
In the afternoons I do some type of walking workout-usually for 15-30 minutes. Lately, I’ve been into Keikoflex workouts, or Japanese walking which focuses on interval training. You walk at a slow pace for three minutes followed by a fast pace for three minutes. Sometimes with weights, sometimes with other arm movements integrated into the workout making it a full-body workout.
It sounds difficult, but the moves are really easy to follow. The more you do the easier they become. For example, when I began, I was so sore and stiff that balance was an issue. Now my balance is great! I can kick, or raise one foot at a time while simultaneously reaching for it with the opposite hand no problem.
I couldn’t do squats in the beginning either but now because of Tai Chi it only bothers my right knee sometimes. I’m taking Osteo-Biflex for that though and it’s really helping a lot!
I do try to rest on Sundays but I must do my stretches every day no matter what. Otherwise, I start having severe back pain again.
So yes, for me motion is lotion and the only thing really keeping me going.
The lovely folks at physical therapy are helping me get past my neck issues but my hand is still numb. It’s getting better though because I can once again curl my hair and clip my nails. Sounds like such a small thing but when you can’t do it, it feels much bigger.
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