Curl put me into my car after work yesterday. He did 3 squats while holding me. I told him that I will have to tell Phil about it. I got to Barwis a little bit late and Phil razzed me a little bit. It was Friday, so the mat and the plyo boxes were out and I knew what we were going to do. Phil had me lay on the mat for the stretch. Of course, I started groaning because it hurt and Phil started saying, “Shhh.” I asked him if he was starting that again because I have told him that somehow that doesn’t soothe me. Yesterday, I was really diggin’ the music at Barwis. All of the trainers control the music with apps on their phones and at the start of every new song, amid my yelps of pain, I asked who was controlling the music.
After like the fourth time asking and like the millionth time I was gasping and yelping in pain Phil told me to, “Shutty-Uppy.” And I started to laugh. I asked him where that came from and he explained r his sister-in-law, Maria, started it and that his Mom tells him that all the time. I asked him how to spell it and said that I was going to spell it with an “ie.” He told me that it was spelled with a “y” and gave me a “duh!” look. Okay, it’s HIS word; I’ve NEVER heard it before. Another GREAT song came on and I explained why I really dug that song. Phil said, “You know, you are being Chatty McChatterson instead of being Ms. Shutty-Uppity.” I laughed and explained that there were good tunes on the radio and then the stretch was over.
Time for the hard part. The kneeling. Phil explained which muscles I needed to squeeze and it was on the third one where a switch was flipped. I thought about what Chris had said to me SO long ago about new pathways being set. Yeah, I think that was what was going on here! I was excited! I still had to have the UTMOST concentration but I believe that when Phil told me to stop holding it and I can sit back that from that point on, I gracefully sat back on my heels instead of collapsing down. I could be COMPLETELY wrong about this because I don’t know what I look like but I am going to say that that is how it is now. It sounds better.
When we were done. Phil brought my chair over and lifted me off the mat and did some fancy-shmancy maneuver to place me back into my chair. He told me that was impressive and I told him that Curl did three squats while holding me. I don’t want to start some “Strong Man” competition. Both men are strong and Phil is SUPER strong. Yesterday, I knelt 10 times for 30 seconds a piece. Except for the last one. Phil said that I held that one for 1 minute. The mat was positioned so I could not see the clock. So I knelt for 5 minutes and 30 seconds!!! I got into my car by myself yesterday as well. Phil told me that I did a good job and put his fist out. I hesitated wondering if I could grab it tight enough, hold it, and yell, “Joystick.” I didn’t think I could but in my hesitation we did the weird “hand-clasping” thing until Phil forced my hand into a fist and shook it yelling, “Joystick.”
I REALLY feel that a switch HAS been flipped. Last night, even though I was tired, transferring was easier and I felt that I was standing taller. Even today, as I sit and write this post, I feel that I am sitting TALLER! My butt STILL hurts but I’m okay with that.