Damn that little box!

"The Box" : assessment tool to measure hip and trunk flexibility.

I was asked to participate in this blog as a means of capturing one side of the demographics of our UBC community in our fitness initiative. (You will deduce more about this demographic in future blogs, suffice it to say that sunscreen is more important for the top of my head than shampoo). 

But following the fitness assessment that was provided at the start of our program I began to think that this wasn’t quite right. Although I ‘scored’ excellent in 3 categories I was cautioned that these values are based on population statistics, and I should not become too complacent, content even, with my physical state.  So I can’t represent a demographic. I am unique.  I am not a statistic.  At most I am a demographic of one. 

But back to the box.  It doesn’t believe in demographics either. As part of the fitness assessment it did show, in its simple, cruel, embarrassing, one-to-one, non-demographic way that there is room for improvement.  Core flexibility. The object of the test was to sit on the floor and try to reach beyond your toes.  No cheating by bending your knees!  Right.  You can guess where that went. So my goal in this project is to continue what I consider to be a reasonably active lifestyle and put some emphasis on increasing flexibility.  As step one, I’ve dusted off a copy of Richard Hittleman’s 28-Day Yoga exercise program (1978 edition: another clue to ‘my’ demographic!) and begun again with a renewed sense of purpose. Stay tuned.