Learning to Walk Again

I always figured if I put on my tennis shoes I should go for a run. It was the best use of my time: more calories burned and more cardio capacity gained. Life, as it were, has since reminded me that there is great value in "just" walking.

Lesson 1: I've dealt with some chronic health issues over the past ten years. The flare-up episodes were hard for me, and I rarely had the energy to run or go to the gym. But, Bailey always wanted (and needed) to get out at some point during the day. So, even if I didn't feel like it, we'd go for a walk. Fresh air, blood circulation, and some Vitamin D are good for the body, mind, and soul.

Lesson 2: So, apparently it's true that your body goes to heck when you turn 30. Okay, I don't completely believe that, but I did find it ironic that I tore my ACL (for the second time) within a month of my 30th birthday. It's like the soccer gods were telling me "I ain't as good as I once was" (lyric courtesy of Toby Keith). While I waited the two months for surgery, I was only allowed to walk. Running would have likely caused further damage to the meniscus or other ligaments. So Bailey and I settled into a slower pace for our evening outings.

Lesson 3: After I had the surgery, I had to wear a "peg leg" brace to keep the weight off my knee for three weeks. When I finally got the okay to start walking, my gait was definitely not normal. Because my leg had been held straight that long, I had to consciously remember to bend my knee when putting one foot in front of the other. It was a humble reminder of how we often take everyday activities for granted.

Lesson 4: I'm now 3 months post-op and walking feels normal again. The knee is doing well and I'm allowed to ride the exercise bike and do lots of physical therapy exercises, but still no running. So, Bailey and I continue to walk.

I've discovered that walking is refreshing and restorative in different ways than running. Many of you know that there is good research that proves this and/or you've experienced it yourself. I've only recently learned that it is worth taking "just" a walk. Of course, the open-mouthed, tongue-wagging enthusiasm of my walking partner helps too.

Yoga: pigeon anyone?

I'm not going to lie; I've always been skeptical of yoga. It's just really not my kind of recreational activity. I run, I play soccer, or if I go to the gym, I typically do spin class or some other cardio. Maybe it's the sterotypical image of a Chinese monk sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, with his hands on his knees humming to himself that left me uninterested. Or maybe it's just because I don't sit still very well.

At any rate, in an effort to address some chronic and very frustrating health issues, I decided to give it a try. Because I've never been good at a series of body movements (we learned early on I should stick with soccer rather than dance), it took me awhile to learn the basic routine.

Now, if someone would have told me that yoga is just great stretching and strength and balance training, I'd probably have been doing sun salutations a lot sooner.

I didn't realize how often I tense my shoulders and neck muscles, nor did I consider the importance of stretching out my upper body on a regular basis. Just being aware of this tendency and tension has helped me address it and, consequently, helped me to relax. It's important to remember to keep the shoulders down and away from the ears, and to sit up tall so your spine is lengthened. We all have a tendency to slouch and to pull our shoulders up and tense our neck muscles, especially when we're stressed. I find myself doing it when I sit at the computer all day.

In yoga class, I still can't believe that I can work up a sweat moving that slow. It never occurred to me that it's not about how fast you're going; it's about the strength, balance, and flexibility required to keep all your muscles engaged and move from one pose to another in succession.

On a side note, I read an article recently that claimed real Christians shouldn't practice yoga because it was so obviously part of a religion that was based on self-reliance principles in polarized contrast to Christianity. Really? I don't think God is that shallow. Like any activity, there is a range of involvement, and you can get out of it what you want. My mom goes to Tai Chi class (my dad calls it "Kung Fu," just to be funny) for the stretching and relaxation benefits; as she says, "I'm just talking to a different (the) God." I think God is okay with that. I think yoga can actually be a great complement to the Christian walk. It helps me slow down, appreciate life, and live in the moment.

Oh, and pigeon is one of my favorite poses. It's such a great stretch.

Namaste.