Well, so much for less drama!!!!!!!!! Movin' on.
For some time now I have resisted the use of chemical cleaners in my home. I use a steam cleaner for the floors, granted the carpets need more help due to pets, etc. I try to use steam to clean the bath and such as well. I was trying to find a way to clean some copper cookie cutters that have hung on the kitchen walls and thus collected grease and grime, let alone the change in patina of copper.
Eureka! I found a great way to do it. First, I tried running them through the dishwasher but that was a miserable disaster. Then I tried soaking them in hot/warm soapy water with the addition of salt and white vinegar. After soaking for at least 10 min. I used a non-abrasive dish scrubber and it worked beautifully. They are back on the wall, above the stove and looking great. Yay me!
Now for some exercise. Squats. Probably the most functional of exercises and one of the least favorites of clients. As we get older in age, we start losing strength. We begin to "coast" through our existence doing as little as possible and only thinking about what we should do when the accident has already happened.
I have watched my sis and many others just plop down into a chair or bench. Those last couple of inches to land on the seat, toilet, chair, sofa or bench. Do you plop? It is't uncommon but it can be dangerous.
If this happens on a seat of some sort that doesn't have arm rests on it, you could lose your balance on the way down and fall off the seat and onto the floor. So much possibility for injury and so preventable, in most cases.
If you do plop you will probably, eventually, need handlebars installed or help getting back up. If that happens on a toilet seat you will soon be kissing your independence good-bye. I am doing whatever I can to prevent any of my clients from going through that embarrassment.
It's a lose of ROM (range of motion) and muscle strength that causes us to plop onto a seat. We don't have the strength in the legs and hips to control our own weight on the way down let alone to get up without help.
Whether you do squats free-standing, with a TRX, sit-down/stand-ups or seated leg strengtheners a la Burdenko, you need to find your starting point and get to work. Even in my water classes, I have my clients do squats, plies, and sumo squats. Something is better than nothing if done with intention.
It's very easy to just bounce your way through squats in the water so you must really pay attention to using the muscles and not rebound through the exercises.
For myself, I've been doing some bench presses, TRX rows and step-ups on a workout bench. The step-ups were (actually still are) a little dicey for me to do what with my knee issues, but I did do them. Slowly, with trepidation at first, but then more and more confidence and strength developed and I get through them much faster now.
We are all guilty of not doing what we should from time to time but all we need to do is take that 1st step. No matter how many 1st steps we have to take. Don't give up on yourself. You're worth it.
Peace out and keep dancin'