So, I was an absolute bum and took the last three days off from Pilates. It was the weekend. That's my excuse. I got caught up in a myriad of different projects and, by the time I remembered Pilates, I was tired, it was late, and I wasn't going to do them.
I got back aboard the train today for a few reasons but mostly because I missed it. I generally do better on the days I do Pilates than the days I don't. Yesterday I ran for the first time in awhile and I think I might have pulled something ... that knowledge in mind, I decided to do today's videos, which focused on stretching.
I started with the first video, which was a stretching one and one I liked. It's relaxing, challenging, and all together a good workout. I didn't have trouble with most of it. Not until I reached The Bridge anyway. That movement still befuddles me.
Admittedly, I'm a few days out of practice and by this point in the video I was just starting to find my form. But this movement requires a level of flexibility I haven't achieved yet. The way she gets her hands to bend back like that is hard enough but then to LIFT myself with those hands, that's where I find it superbly difficulty.
I did better this time around. I managed to get about a fourth of the way up before my body came back to the carpet, but I don't know how she manages it. That kind of flexibility seems impossible for me to achieve, but what looks impossible now may not be impossible later.
I moved onto the second video after that, which I found a bit laid back as well. I'm glad it was, because I needed to ease back into this today. The video focused on, you guessed it, the butt. Cassey and her followers seem to have a fixation on their butts being firm, toned, and good looking.
I want to tangent off into the psychology of this, because males (speaking as one) don't frankly give a damn about butts. They're good for sitting. They're good for making funny noises. They're good for ... more sitting. That's about it. I kinda care about how mine looks, but no one has mentioned to me one way or the other how it's perceived. Until someone does, I'll continue on with the assumption that it's fine.
But it seems for females/women/girls/chicks (anymore?) that the butt is a central focus of attention. This has been confirmed to me a few times throughout my adventures in life (if one can call them adventures) and I get they want it to look "sexy" and "toned" for others, hopefully for themselves as well.
I just feel that, as a society (and the human race overall), we place way too much emphasis on the butt and how it looks. I know that in history, at least as far as I'm aware, a nice butt and set of breasts meant the woman in question would be fertile. Fertility is good.
But modern society has moved well beyond that at this point and we've objectified both things to insane levels. I'm not saying we should jump to the other direction and just say "Hey, be as slovenly and out of shape as you want!" but I am saying there's a difference between healthy and sexy. One does not necessarily mean the other in my mind.
Okay, end of tangent.
Anyways, the second video was challenging as well, though no one particular movement stood out to me as tough. All were mildly so but I succeeded (to varying degrees) at all of them.
I'll be trying to do the next two days of Pilates workouts. Thanks for reading, see you next for Day Eighteen.
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