like a bendy straw

flexibility. I love it, I miss it..and I'm getting some of it back!

When I was a kid, I was a gymnast, training several times a week and competing. I loved gymnastics. I hated competition, though. For hours a week, I was stretching, conditioning, dancing, tumbling, and flipping. I had a six pack and remarkable flexibility.

Do you remember the presidential fit tests we did in elementary school? With the sit and reach? I had a crowd gaping at me at the sit and reach. Splits? I could do not only regular splits with ease, but I could do splits with both my feet up on low balance beams, hitting the floor. I could pick up a foot and put it right next to my ear, no problem. I could even do the Kristy Phillips beam mount. If you are old enough to remember, she mounted with a handstand, then brought her feet over to meet her hands on the beam, in a major back bend, before standing up. On a beam.

I miss this flexibility dearly! Until fairly recently, I could still rock a great bridge and maybe bust out a back walkover, but I seem to have lost even most of that. Okay, I can still do a bridge, but only on a good day, and not for long.

However - I'm getting it back! One of my favorite workouts in p90x is the stretch day. I LOOOVE the stretch day. My favorite stretch is the one-legged hamstring stretch. The other day, I went to do this stretch, and BAM! forehead makes contact with leg. I could have thrown a party, I swear. I have a list of flexibility feats I need to get back:

1) Forward bend with forehead to legs - done!
2) Right, left and center splits
3) Bridge
4) Finally, I want that foot up against my ear again.

How long should I give myself? My goal is 3 months for 1-3, 6 months for 4.