As u know, I’ve been rock climbing since last April. I’ve missed a few weeks recently because of work, because of life and well because at the end of the day, it is a workout and every now again, I just don’t feel like going – it is what it is. As hard as it is, I really thoroughly enjoy it although sometimes I can’t help but feel badly for the person who is side climbing with me at the time. Those volunteers deserve awards because dealing with my left hand and arm and, every now and then my left leg, is a mini workout itself. Side note:when Rebecca evaluates and measures my left hand grip, the scale barely gets a reading, but i’ll bet that if she were to measure when one of Catalyst volunteers is trying to pry it open to grab a hold on the wall, the reading will qualify me for American Ninja Warrior…but as usual, I digress. I’ve come to realise that I’m glad that I never started rock climbing before. Hear me out…
Years ago, G and i started yoga. She absolutely hated it and I absolutely loved it. Thinking back, one of the reasons that I loved and looked forward to the class was that it wasn’t ur typical workout with machines and reps and weights and blah blah blah. It was (for me) in the same category as dancing because I was getting exercise in without its feeling like a workout. Attending yoga class was the one thing I did religiously…until I didn’t. lol. Anyhoo, as ms invaded my body and things started changing and I realised that there were things that i just couldn’t do any longer, i discovered adaptive yoga. I contacted the lady who taught it and she came to the house once (can’t remember y it was just the one time but it might have simply been a scheduling thing cuz she came during a workday). We kept in touch and at some point, she told me that she was going to start a class after hours, was I interested? Hell yeah! Sign me up…
If I’m remembering correctly (which is debatable), I think I went to 3 classes. I re-read this post and clearly I wrote it after the first class because eventually, I really, really disliked it – it was actually depressing. I couldn’t do the simplest things and on top of that, even though there were other people in the class, I felt like I was the worst and struggling with everybloodything the most. It was a constant reminder of things that I could no longer do – I was completely disinterested.
Admittedly, now that time has passed and we have (kinda) learned to live together comfortably, no not comfortably…without as much conflict, maybe I will revisit? No promises although I told Taylor that I’ll incorporate her Pilates classes at Shepherd next year (even got Dr. Gilbert to write a prescription for it so that I can pay with my FSA card).
I really believe that had I started rock climbing as an able bodied, normal person, I would have felt the same way about it. Sometimes I look at other climbers and I wish I could scale up the wall like Spidey too but I am not discouraged by it and it certainly does not depress me, the left arm/hand annoy me when they don’t corporate and I cuss a lot (and apologise for it) but I’m not discouraged. Luckily I have no reference point and have no idea what that’s like. So I keep going at my speed doing as much as I can all the while willing that hand and arm to stop acting the fool and just relax a little and open up for us so I can grab the blasted hold.
Allyuh hol’ it dong…till next week!