I’ve fallen of my workout routine so badly. From doing 20-30 pushups daily to none for a looong long time. While I want to just beat myself up about it, I’m just going to do this:
3 slow, mindful pushups.
That doesn’t feel like much. That’s never going to make me buff. That’s not going to really make me stronger in any measurable or visible way.
But I know that from 3 pushups, it’s much easier to get to 4. And from 4 pushups, it’s much easier to get to 5. You get where I’m going with this.
It’s also just a way to activate those muscle groups again, to tell my old squeaky joints: Hey guys, we’re gonna do this thing again. Get your stuff together. Be with me here.
Yeah, this was a lot easier in my twenties. I could just willpower through stuff. Joints just worked fine. It’s different in your fourties. But this too is life. Things change. I have to accept this, then I might as well just enjoy it for the short term until I no longer have to listen to creaky joints. There is no shame in being old. And being out of shape. Do those 3 pushups. And then do them again. And again. And then add one more. But give your body the time it needs to adapt. As you get older, you got to learn to be more in touch with your body, listen more to what it has to tell you, because it becomes more unforgiving. Slow down your workouts, give yourself more time to recuperate, and just be here with yourself.
I like this! Just did my 3 pushups!