Just Push Play

So I had my MRI today.

I think I am becoming a pro at them.

When the guy doing the test asked what was wrong with my left knee (he could see the scars from the surgeries on the right knee) I told him:

"My left knee got jealous that my right knee has gotten all the attention so now it wants equal time..."

Then I went on to explain how I was an idiot for running...

Mind you I sandwiched the MRI between J'taime Jamie's spin class and a workout with my poor darling Dimples who although he was sick and about to cough up a lung still found a way to come out and train me.

He (Dimples) took it easy on me until we know what is going on with the knee. I figure what is done is done...

We played with some new toys today. He made some bands that he wraps around a tree limb and I grab the handles and do various exercises with them (similar to TRX bands).

I also bought a stability ball for us to play with. I refrained from buying a pink one (I thought Dimples might look stupid chasing it around).

He blew it (the stability ball) up yesterday. I had fun bouncing around on it.

Today I got to do push ups, sit-ups and pull-ups on it...I like bouncing around better.

It reminds me of a hippity-hop...remember them?

Once I went to Lake Austin Spa. I went with a group of very fun girlfriends. We took a stability ball class.

The balls at the spa had, for lack of a better word (and Dimples loved this), "teats" on it...you know some long rubber prongs.

They were for keeping the balls from rolling around...nowadays the balls just roll, but this was about 10 years ago when it was a new thing.

So me and the girlfriends go into the room for the class.

The room is darkened. Enya music is playing.

Soothing environment.

I'm not sure which one of us did it first (probably me), but we jumped on the balls, grapped the rubber "teats" (whatever) and began to hop around like we were on hippity hops.

We had a blast.

We worked up a bit of a sweat.

We were bouncing around like 4 year olds.

And then the instructor walked in...

She laughed and claimed that NO ONE, absolutely NO ONE had bounced around on the balls like that until us...

I think she asked if we were drunk.

When we returned again she said "here comes trouble...".

The spa was wonderful, the food was incredible (for spa food), the spa treatments were the bomb, but nothing beat those few minutes that we abandoned our adult selves and became children again bouncing on the balls and laughing until we were crying.

Sometimes, you just need to be a kid.

I turn into a kid a lot during my workouts but I have a feeling that the stability ball will turn me into a toddler.

Maybe that is why I like my workouts with Dimples so much...we play...

He pushes me but he does it in a fun, playful way. He gets my heartrate up and gets me burning the calories but we have a lot of fun while we do it. I think that is what keeps me coming back...that I have fun.

Spin class is the same way. I love my instructors...they are the sweetest...but it is also all about the fun music and we all laugh and have fun while the class is going on.

I love the bootcamp that Dimples does for me and my mama friends. We laugh so much that sometimes he has a hard time getting us to pay attention and work. But we do. And I'm so proud of my Warrior Princess C who continues to celebrate her year of kicking cancer by working out with us. I'm proud of all my bootcamp mamas because we all have our own reasons to be there...and we get to have fun doing it.

Dimples played basketball last week as his workout. He said he really loves to play it and it is a great workout for him...more fun than just running 3 miles.

We are going to ride bikes next week as part of our workout. It will be fun to try something different...I'm tempted to add a bell and a flower basket to my bike like I had when I was 10...except that I don't think they will fit...and I have clips instead of pedals so if I crash that basket will explode.

But that is what a workout should be...it should be fun. And sometimes you have to find a way to play while you get your heartrate up.

I spent a few months doing nothing more than the elliptical. I burned calories and worked on my cardio fitness.

I didn't hate it, but I can't say that it was fun.

When I walk into JayVee or J'taime Jamie or Spinderella's spin classes, I have a blast...I have fun...and if I have the Amazing Katherine next to me I have fun AND a cheerleader.

And when I am with Dimples...be it personal training or bootcamp, I have a blast...and the time passes so quickly.

I guess what I am saying here with all of this "play" is that if you are looking to get started on doing something for yourself, find something FUN that you enjoy doing so you will do it.

Maybe it is tennis...maybe it is basketball...maybe it is riding your bike...maybe is is pilates class...maybe it is karate...but find something that you ENJOY doing...something that will keep you coming back for more.

For me it is spinning and Dimples...that is my form of play.

And I might just have to take that stability ball around the park for a spin...just gotta find a way to hold onto it while I hop...

Inspiration Song: "Just Push Play" by Aerosmith. Because you can just push play and have some fun...or just push play on your iPod and get moving...

Bye Darlings...stop reading this and go out and play!