Learning by Example

Last week I was reading an online article about Dara Torres, the American swimming phenom, who just recently took the 100 meter freestyle gold in the first meet of the Mare Nostrum tour held at Canet, France with a blazing time of 54.61. That’s awfully fast for a forty year old mother! One subject the article covers is her extensive flexibility training to which she devotes between an hour and half to two hours three times a week, supplemented with regular massage, mostly to help clear the lactic acid resulting from her training. Quite a lot of time spent out of the water for something I hadn't ranked as a high priority. In fact I cut back my own flexibility training from two hot yoga sessions a week to only one on the premise the time would be better spent lifting weights or actual swimming. Apparently I’m wrong so I’m back to my regular two per week. Here’s hoping Dara knows what she’s doing. 'Course I don't train as hard as Dara.

Speaking of yoga I'm now able to hold my arms straight with hands clasped overhead whereas I couldn't completely straighten out my left arm at the elbow before, so a little better streamlining for my turns. Plus this week I was able to touch my toes from a sit up without needing a second effort. So a little more flexibility in my back too, even if the feat was accomplished at the end of an hour and a half yoga session. Not much but progress never the less.

I started out with a picture of Dara holding her baby, but for some reason the picture was copyright protected. There is a magnificent Maxim picture of her on the net, but discretion won out over my using that one and finally a further search turned the picture used above. I think it's the best of the bunch.