CORE STRENGTH

CORE STRENGTH

Humor me! Sit down near the front of a comfortable straight back chair. Place one foot firmly on the floor, straightened the other leg. Do not allow the heel of the straight leg to touch the floor. Without using your hands, stand all the way up and sit down. Can you do it?

I thought my core was strong. When these instructions were issued at the beginning of the workout, “piece of cake,” I thought. The instructor demonstrated the exercise while the class warmed up. Her demonstration added to my confidence -this was doable. When I reached the exercise in the rotation, I sat on the edge of the twenty-inch cube, placed the right foot solidly on the floor, stretched the left leg and foot out in front, breathed in, and then engaged my core. Much to my chagrin, my buttocks stuck to the cube as if it were glued in place. Coach V saw the struggle and instructed me to let the left heel rest on the floor and try again. I broke the seal of glued buttocks but barely. Did I stop? No! three sets of 40 seconds each, I was no closer to standing and sitting than when I started. Clearly my core strength was not what I thought, and more intense strengthening is warranted. Not that day, but a few days later I celebrated having the discipline to continue to show up after having a reality check.

Physical challenges are almost always connected to a spiritual or emotional component - after all, strength, or weakness in one area affects the other. I have a heightened awareness of my core strength physically, but what about my core personal strengths or beliefs? A quote from the author, Julia Cameron, came to mind, “I speak my truth and build my life upon it.”

My truth: I value people more than possessions, I practice unconditional love, I endeavor to treat others as I wish to be treated. Much to my chagrin, I have frequent encounters with others where these truths are not evident in me. I know what I should be able to do but, in the moment…What can I say? My inner core is not as strong as I think it is. This weakened core strength is most often demonstrated when I am behind the steering wheel of an automobile.

Several times a day I attempt the routine mentioned above. A strong physical core is essential for balance, stability especially of the lower back, agility, reducing or preventing pain, and reducing lower body injury.

As I walked around the exercise studio days later, I stumbled and went for a full-face forward body slam. Before I successfully completed the maneuver, I saved myself. The save was in part due to improving physical core strength.

Perhaps one never fully knows how strong they are physically, emotionally, or spiritually until they are tested.

2 Timothy 2:15

PONDER THIS THOUGHT---“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” Bob Marley