Takkie Thursday

I have dubbed every Thursday ‘Takkie Thursday’ from now on. And no, I do not work for Standard Bank. As mentioned before, I have to (and am happy to) attend a compulsory exercise session every Thursday at lunchtime,  and usually fit in a few kilometers on the takkies in the afternoon. So, there is really no point in getting dressed for anything other than sport. *bliss*

Thursday’s exercise session with Lauren and Alice at the HKE was a thrill. Catherine (my classmate) and I, paired up and did various exercises as set out by the HKE students. This included structured sets including 10 to 15 reps of each exercise. Peck decks, hamstring curls, lunges, ‘the plank’ and a couple of others served my motivation to improve core strength. (You can Google these terms if you like, but Cath and I will be posting explanatory photo’s soon!) The Abductor/ Adductor machine was a giggle for each one that experienced it.

As you might know, it requires you to either squeeze your legs together or push them apart, on a horizontal plain. The HKE only has the one type –  the abductor machine. Ofcourse the sexual innuendo of the machine gave us a giggle, but more the fact that it has a variety of colloquial names: the ‘yes/no’ machine, the ‘gyne’ machine, or according to Gareth Cliff, the ‘slut or nun’ machine.

What was most valuable about this session, is that most of the exercises we learnt can be done at home. Catherine and I are both keen exercise enthusiasts, and took on the session in gym bunny style: jokes, giggles and talk about unappreciated fat. But, this did by no means influence the focus on exercise – an excellent manifestation of multi-tasking.

The leg raises hurt my lower back a little - it is something I have always struggled with. I know that my core strengh is terrible and that a couple of thousand sit-ups are needed to change that. *sits up straight in office chair* But, apparently, core strength is not just about working your stomach, but you lower back as well. And so, Alice imparted some useful advice: the ‘superman’ exercise. Intended to strengthen the lower back, this is how it is carried out: lie flat on your stomach with your arms stretched out in from of you or folded beneath your chin. Lift arms, head and legs simultaneously and essentially balance on your abdomen. Repeat in 2 or 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps. And, in my case, repeat a couple of million times after that. (Superman soundtrack not included.) 

Friday morning I got out of bed with a shock – the seemingly easy exercises actually caused some stiffness in the muscles! I patted myself on the back, promised to continue the exercises at home and packed my takkies for a holiday in the hometown of Johannesburg.