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Thursday, June 7, 2012

The house of stiffies

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Genetics are said to be responsible for much more than we currently know. 

I am happy to play my part and provide some new evidence to the research and confirm that hamstrings actually also get handed down when genes are being mucked about with in the womb.

Mr H can barely sit on the floor to play lego. FiL Huey often laughs that he has never been able to sit with his legs crossed, even as a child. I myself have a fear of yoga classes as my hamstrings act like a piece of wood and do not stretch, bend or mould no matter which way I try to breathe.

Watching the little Hueys at dance class last week it become very clear that they have been burdened with the Curse of the Stiffie Hamstring. 

The touch your toes exercise was only completed with some major bending of knees.

The splits seem a very distant goal. 

Might be time to start doing some home stretches. 

For those of you blessed with elastic hammies - you don't know how lucky you are.












12 comments:

  1. I'm terribly unflexibke but my sister isn't which she always points out.
    Gotta give her something though.

    As for the pic, of course I feel the need To stretch like that on a random street corner. Who doesn't?

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha! Yes, can you imagine me trying to do that on my way to work - excuse me people, nothing to look at here, just stretching.

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    2. I totally sympathise: I've never even been able to touch my toes.

      When I was little, I'd watch the other girls at ballet easily do the splits, while I hovered high off the ground

      My first thought on seeing that picture:
      Cat and scratching post.

      Ipomen Scarlet

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  2. i recently started yoga, thinking i would be ace at it after doing prenatal yoga. yeah i'm not. my hamstrings are good enough, but i end up hyperventilating when i'm supposed to be 'quietly observing' my breath. oh and my gut gets in the way ;)sarah

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  3. I have the lovely stretchy hammies... I have passed these along to the smallest boy (aged 6 1/2) - who, up until recently, would bite his TOENAILS!! He can still do it, however now that he's allowed to use the clippers, takes himself off to cut them in a much more civilised fashion. The bigger boy is more like his daddy - a stiffie!

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  4. Oh poor darlings. There is always the chess club? No hamstring needed there.

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    Replies
    1. Yes Rin, I am thinking netball, swimming or choir might be better!

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  5. I am from the non-stretching gene pool. I have passed this on to my kids.
    I have always been a little envious of the toe touchers.

    As for that image, sure, she got up there... but what I really want to do is see her get down. Gracefully.

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  6. oh clairey !! i have got the good genes!! I can flex and stretch and have 3 kids with great flexiablty so the foot clinic tell me so it could be a good thing not having flexiable joints as you keep clear of the foot clinci!! netball would be great !

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  7. Oh I am quite stiff too - any remedies ?
    I tried yoga a few weeks ago - my friend keeps inviting me back but I've ben legitimately engaged and escaped the torture....

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  8. I'm almost wishing I was condemned to tight taught hammies earlier in life. You see, life - in it's normal cruel way - blessed little me with the ability to cartwheel and backflip my way through childhood. I was one of those weird kids who could put her feet behind her head & walk on her knees (now there's a visual that would make me popular with a Chinese contortion group today). But thanks to the ravages of time, a few extra kilos & and no yoga or stretching for the past twenty years, I can't even sit cross legged. Stiff as a board. To have once had a taste of a loose hammie, and now be like concrete is cruel. :-(

    ReplyDelete

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