08 JanChest AND Hips

First things first, get your head out of the gutter. Only Tom has access to that website, well him and anyone with a valid credit card. JUST KIDDING!

I didn’t post my New Year’s resolution here out of fear. All I wanted to accomplish this year was a push-up. One lousy push-up. Something I’ve wanted to do for over two years. Pretty much since the day I joined the Y. And my fear was that another year would go by push-up-less. And that’s just embarrassing.

Tonight I went to my weekly sculpting class. The class consists of working the large and small muscle groups by doing lunges, squats, use of free weights, sit-ups, push ups, etc. And being that this was the first class of the year there were many new faces and therefore the teacher was very thorough in her descriptions of the exercises. So when we got to the (dreaded) push-ups she described proper form in extra detail. “When you are ready, lower your chest and hips.” And for the first time ever I did a push-up.

Here’s the deal. I have always suspected that my lack of push-up ability was due to form and not strength. I’m not going to win a bar room brawl today or tomorrow but I know in my heart of hearts I am strong enough to do one stinking push-up. But what about my form was wrong?

So I lowered my chest AND hips. And BINGO. My first push-up. Right down to the floor, right back up, 90 degree angles in my arms. I had never LOWERED my HIPS before. Seriously? For two years I left my big ass up in the air? And because of that I felt like a fitness failure? Now that’s embarrassing.

Until today I would cringe when the teacher would call for push-ups. And by the way, push-ups are a part of EVERY class I take from kickboxing to yoga to pilates to sculpting. But today, today I secretly wanted just one more set.