Peggy was teaching the other day and talking about a position where the picture shows your tush all the way down on your heels.
Then she said:
“That is not available for all people, like my husband.”
Thanks, honey.
But she’s right.
For years I’ve watched people look at the person demonstrating an exercise, a photograph in a book, or somebody on a screen and assume that’s where they’re supposed to get.
Why?
That’s their body.
You’ve got yours.
The picture can show you the movement. It doesn’t get to tell you what your movement is supposed to look like.
Maybe you go farther next month.
Maybe you don’t.
Maybe your body is built differently.
Maybe there’s an old injury involved.
Maybe Tuesday is different from Monday.
Peggy’s instruction was basically: go into the stretch that’s available to you without pain.
Not the stretch in the picture.
Yours.
I like that.
Although I could have done without being the class example of the guy whose tush isn’t getting there.