After 18 months of college, I’ve found myself sitting at a desk a lot more which left me feeling really stiff lately. I stumbled upon Heather Robertson’s workouts when I was searching for a stretching video. I tried her stretch routine, loved it, did it daily for two weeks straight, and now I’m seven weeks into her twelve week workout plan. I am definitely building muscle and improving my posture, and feeling much less stiff. I like her short and intense workouts (around 30 minutes including warm-up and stretching) with minimal equipment. That is right up my alley.
I saw this article about “radio calisthenics” (rajio taiso) in Japan. Basically the whole nation takes part in these short daily stretching routines together that are broadcast on the radio. This initiative was actually inspired by a 15-minute US radio exercise routine that was broadcast in the 1920s. From a young age, the Japanese do these exercises together. How uniting is that?!?
In Prague, a 1600 foot table was set across a historic bridge for community members to gather and celebrate the end of coronavirus (they were quick to close their borders and while their numbers have been relatively low, the pandemic is technically not over there). The thought of doing something like this in the USA is laughable right now, but it is a beautiful coming together that gives me hope for gathering with others and celebrating the end of all of this. Our country is so divided, I think an outdoor dinner party could be really uniting. Everyone has to eat, right? That’s one thing we all have in common.
PS, I made this lemon cake for my daughter’s birthday. It is so so good!