One Mississippi

When I was growing up and we were playing touch football, the linemen had to count one, one-thousand, two, one-thousand, three, one thousand, etc. before they could rush the quarterback.  We didn’t have enough kids to play all of the positions, so we usually went with a center, a quarterback, and a receiver.  The count delayed the rush and gave the receiver time to go out for a pass.  It worked out even if you had more guys on each side.

By the time I was a father and playing with the kids in our yard, or at the vacant lot, the kids were chanting one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, etc. We had new phrasing with the same rules and results.

I’ve been reading online about a twenty-eight day “chair yoga” routine for seniors.  Once you look at one, you start getting bombarded with other similar routines.  They have a common goal – increase core strength. Since my core is rounder than it is strong, I thought I might give it a try.  Upon further investigation, the only thing I was certain of was the suppliers promoting the various books and wall charts were making money. If you watch a video showing the results of the twenty-eight-day challenge, you’ll see a Lardo being transformed into an Adonis.  They can do anything with animation.

In any case, I’ve taken the plunge.  I purchased two books via Amazon Prime and began my challenge.  I saved them to my Kindle.  Using the Kindle allows me to scroll from page to page to view the next “yoga challenge”.  It’s very helpful.  If I bought a fancy wall chart I’d have to redecorate, and I’m not doing that.  My Kindle is an arm’s length away, and I just move from page to page as necessary.

I began my workouts a couple of days ago.  You do a series of warmups before going through the ten yoga exercises.  On the first day I was exhausted after doing warmups, but I carried on.  I learned you can work up a sweat just sitting on your butt.

When you get to the exercises, you do each set for thirty seconds and then rest for thirty seconds before starting the next.  I don’t have a timer, so I’ve been counting one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi all the way to thirty.  I do the same during the rest period.  I count out loud so I’m sure to stay on track.

I’ve learned over the years that it’s important to breathe while you exercise.  My physical therapists emphasized that after each of my knee replacement surgeries. You’re breathing, you’re counting, and moving various parts of your body, all while maintaining a death grip on the chair you’re sitting on, so you don’t fall off.  That’s a lot to keep track of.

Yesterday, I ordered a digital timer so I can stop with this Mississippi nonsense.  That will take one challenge off the table and, hopefully, make the process run more smoothly.

So far, I’m convinced of one thing.  All this deep breathing and counting out loud is firming up my jaw line.  That’s progress.