The Joy of Exercising With Family
Anybody can exercise with a friend, but can you handle working out with a family member?
Family members can be brutally honest. Sometimes we need some unfiltered criticism to keep us on track.
Most of our time together, my sister and I spend in restaurants and bars. We enjoy listening to live music but not at 9pm at night. We are getting ready for bed at 9pm, not gearing up for a night out. We are in constant search of a good band at happy hour or brunch. That is more our speed. We always enjoy ourselves, but we thought we should start doing something more beneficial for our aging bodies. So we decided to look for a yoga class and then go out to eat afterward.
Yoga
While doing research, I found an instructor that would come to our home for a private session. Being able to start something new in privacy and at our own pace, sounded very appealing. Both of us have taken yoga in the past, but it has been a while. We have similar body types, so we knew we would have many of the same limitations.
We booked the instructor for Sunday mornings and invited our sister-in-law to join us. At the time, we were all over 60. The three of us would push aside the furniture and go through the poses directed by the instructor. There were a lot of grimacing and awkward moments at first. We always tried to respect the concentration and silence, but sometimes it was hard not to crack a joke or laugh when someone fell or farted. But we were there to help each other up and then remind us of it at every family gathering.
This became an event we cherished for several years. We stopped only because the instructor moved out of town. We tried to find a new instructor but had no luck. Going to a big class was just not going to be the same. Whenever we are together, we still look back on those yoga sessions and how much we enjoyed them.
It was our private Sunday morning service.
The regularity of the sessions made it a convenient vehicle to stay close and offer support or criticism, whether it was needed or not.
Pilates
In our search to replace our yoga sessions, a friend strongly suggested we start taking Pilates classes with her instructor. The instructor had a small studio and held private or small group lessons. This would be an excellent way to replicate our private sessions without having to clean the house. You couldn’t ask for a better situation.
After just a few sessions, we were hooked. Not only had we found a good location but a really exceptional teacher. Her knowledge of how the human body works and her vast training and experience have made her a real find.
My sister and I take Pilates twice a week. Sharing in this experience with each other and having the opportunity to check-in and nurture one another is priceless. Because of the value it provides, we are less apt to skip a session. Plus, there would be a lot of questions and possible abuse if you bailed.
My sister-in-law dropped out of the group, but my daughter has joined. It has been valuable working out next to someone who is 30 years younger than you are. We don’t necessarily compete, but it is nice to have a gauge as to how you are doing. I’m proud to say I can keep up with my daughter most of the time. It feels good and is very motivating.
We are going on 3 years of Pilates and have no plans of stopping any time soon, except a quarantine. It has become part of our weekly routine. When we are not there, we miss it and feel disconnected.
Seeing each other in person is much better than a phone call or texting. You get a much clearer picture of how a person is doing emotionally and physically. It brings you closer. And since you are taking part in an organized activity, it keeps the petty family arguments to a minimum.
We still reward ourselves with food and/or drinks afterward. It is that expectation that often gets us through a tough class.
