Day 61

Week 8, Day 2 Dynamix done. Yesterday was a milestone day for me. I didn't know this until around 11pm, but when I found out, I got really excited. For most who read this (if anyone other than my friend Jeff) will think this is not such a huge deal. That reason is because what I couldn't do before last night was something you learn to do at a very young age and since my car wreck I have avoided and usually at the behest of my practitioners. When I had my car wreck in 1995 and my back went into a tailspin, I ended up going to Texas Back Institute in Plano. The ortho there gave me a list of do's and don'ts. In that list was no more situps, along with no exercise for 2 years and never to run again, even on a treadmill. That last one I attempted and regretted it and since then, have stayed within his list. That was until last night.

Last night I was laying down on my bed and decided to attempt to sit up and I did. I had not been able to do this for a long time, and I had tried, many times. I tried this move as recently as 2 weeks ago on the bed without success. Now most of you will ask how do I get up or even out of bed without raising up. Well for one thing I use my arms to push myself up while on my side. I will also swing my legs off the bed and use their weight as a counter balance to help lift my upper body. It really isn't that difficult. The same techniques are used to get stroke patients out of bed after suffering a stroke and having limited use of their upper body. Doing this on my bed is one thing, because it's easier than on a solid surface, so I migrated onto the floor and I was able to do it as well, mind you with more effort, but still able to do it.

What does this mean? Well for me a lot, for others probably not so much. My core has been my weak point for a long time and it is a chore to get it stronger. I had to scale back my plank schedule because I knew my core was the issue. All the workouts and planking and pushups all play a part into what changes are taking place and at the "core" of it all is I am building a better body. It is not an overnight thing, quite on the contrary, it is a tough long road that one day will afford me many more days as a fitter and more healthy person. Hopefully one that has less sciatic nerve pain due to the strength training I am doing. This also shows me that not only can I have a strong core after my original back injury, but I might actually be able to run some time in the future. I might be more fit, healthier and stronger than I was way back when. I find that last part hard to believe, but who knows. My conclusion to all of this is simple. Health and fitness is not a given or a right. It is something you have to take and take it daily. If you want to be fit and have better nutrition then you have to put effort into it. You have to be persistent, meaning every day. You have to be dedicated to it by not giving up no matter how bad you do one day, one meal or one workout. Just remember that failing is part of succeeding, without our failures we wouldn't know what success is like.