The last time I posted ... Monday?... I mentioned that I signed up for a couple virtual AARP classes. The first one was yesterday. I had trouble finding it. I kept looking for the Zoom link. It was on Facebook, live from Alabama. It was listed as "Mindful Movement Workout Session". The listing said "Put on your stretchy clothes and join in as health educator Jerri Haslem leads attendees in a variety of low-impact exercises ranging from chair movements to light weight-training exercises, with an emphasis on moving mindfully. Practicing mindful movement — paying attention as you move to what’s going on in your body — can help you ease tension and find calm in stressful situations as well as enjoy feelings of well-being." Imagine my surprise when the instructor was standing. She began with squat like movement. My knees said hell no. I only stuck around 10 minutes. I couldn't do a single thing other than march in place. I didn't get to the chair or meditation portion.
I barely made it in time. I had a doctor's appointment first. Being in AFib I knew what the end result would be — ablation. today I found out it's scheduled for February 12. I'll be having my first CT scan he week before. I got a book to read and it's got lots of gross pictures.
Today I received a text from Pam asking how I was and did I want to do yoga Friday. I said sure and went into the app to schedule. It wasn't there. Pat said, "well it's Wednesday you can go today." So I mentioned that to Pam and we ended up going. And it was my favorite instructor, not the regular Wednesday one.
As I'm driving home I remembered that I signed up for that class in Alaska. Again, after stopping at the grocery store, I barely made it home in time. This one was called "Chair Stretch and Strength". The listing said: "The chair exercises in this stretching and strengthening workout are low-impact movements performed while seated that are designed to improve flexibility, strength and cardiovascular health. We begin with a head-to-toe warm-up of dynamic and static exercises to stretch the muscles and connective tissue. Next, we’ll do a series of mild stretching and strengthening movements integrated with your breath. Midway, we’ll pause for a three-minute guided relaxation. " It was as advertised. We never got out of the chair. We stretched everything that could be stretch. It was weights, yoga, mindfulness, qi chong, tapping and even laughter yoga. The savasana was in the middle, which was odd.
This was not the instructors first time at the rodeo. He knew his shit. And he probably knows all those forms of ancient movement. He also mentioned that he also taught Tai Chi virtually.
The weirdest thing was he had everyone turn OFF their video. I have never been in a zoom where that has happened. Usually you're being begged to turn it on.
Pat thought it was silly. But I actually liked it, in a touchy-feelly-granola-hippie way. And if it keeps my AFib in check I'm all in.
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