While I have lived my life as a creative person, fitness stole my heart's passion. Recently I have applied to an artist residency with Sibyl's Shrine for Black mothers and had the pleasure of running though my projects.
I know why I chose to be a group ex instructor. It was one of the few ways to earn a living that put my musical theatre training to use. I remember dancing for 3 hours 5 days a week and loving it. I even adored my performing arts meager physical education program. We played 6 base kick ball, have you heard of it? It was genius.
We didn't have field to play in so we played kick ball in the gym. To get the full use of the space, we played all four corners of the gym and had three long stretches of floor to cover between 2nd and 3rd, 4th and 5th, and the killer 5th to 6th base. Oh I remember pumping my legs so hard trying to beat the ball whizzing by my head. It was sort of like dodge ball as well, because people could camp out on bases up to 4 people. A key strategy to getting to 6th base would be to have team mates run at the same time.
I look back on those days and the excitement I felt is still real today. Movement is art. I look at my career as a figure model and perhaps am particularly proud that I have captured my body's transition through the years. I remember looking at photos and critiquing myself. That is probably why I was so interested in body composition. What can I say, I do enjoy how toned I am and was not going to sacrifice that to get a bigger butt. But I still wanted a bigger butt. My journey as a model also captured the transition my body went through after having children. Interestingly enough, I wasn't interested in posing nude until after I had children. Now I see how my stomach has changed, or should I say breast tissue and skin.
Had I never took interest in my body as art perhaps the movement that got me to these transitions wouldn't have happened. I have not danced 3 hours 5 days a week in 12 years, but I certainly move just as much. Whether I am teaching class or riding my bike or chasing my kitten, I am moving to express that creative background. Now working out is a different element of art. I think perhaps the art to master most is pain. Well not pain, discomfort. Many of us look for that discomfort to gauge whether or not we are having a good work out.
For me I want to feel my discomfort not during the work out, but about 2 days later. During the work out I am looking for muscle fatigue, but not that I can barely move discomfort. So the art of my workout is choosing the right combination of exercises paired with just the right amount of rests and performing those exercises to the best of my ability. Now that I describe it to you do you understand what I mean? Yes, if you do your work out you are being an artist.
As an artist, what will you create?
Enjoy this little artistic project if you will:
10 Superman planks (hold 2 sec in the eccentric or up phase)
10 Inchworms
20 Alternating back lunges
10 Chair Squats
20 Alternating front lunges
50 Jumping jacks
50 High knees
Don't feel the need to do these all at once. Sprinkle them throughout the day to keep the artistic juices flowing and inspiring.