We know if we are right- or left-handed. The one hand can do remarkable things and the other hand is just pathetic. It is helping me type right now, but that’s about the entire skill set. I can’t even eat soup with the wrong hand. It does nicely hold my coffee while I do other things with my “good” hand.

We also have a dominant leg/foot. One side of your lower body is doing more of the heavy lifting than the other. A way to test which is your dominant leg is to stand on one leg at a time (while being close to something you can grab onto when you start to wobble all over the place) and see which leg can support you for a longer, more stable time. That is your dominant leg. Do several tests for a better gauge.

I am right-handed, but my left leg is much stronger than my right. There are so many things that prove this as I move through the gym. You have one leg stronger, too, and it will help you to know which one it is. So take some time and do the test and figure it out.

Today’s workout:
2-3 sets
lay down on your back, roll to the right until you are on your stomach, stand up
lay down on your back, roll to the left until you are on your stomach, stand up
5 bilateral (both arms at the same time) curls with or without weight (DB)
rest as needed, fully recover between sets

There are several different ways to get up off the floor – IF you can get up off the floor. This is something we used to do without even thinking, no considering, no strategy needed. We just got up. If you can still just get up – hooray. If you need help getting up, plan for that before you get down on the ground.

I have been doing these crazy workouts for over 13 years and I strategize before each and every single one. If you are going to need help getting up off the floor, get it ready and available before you begin. If you are uncertain if you will need help getting up, get help ready and available before you begin. If you don’t need it, great. If you do, thank goodness it’s available.

If you are needing a chair to help push yourself up from the ground, make sure that chair is stable. If you are pushing on the chair and it skitters away, you will lose your balance and fall. This is the exact opposite of the goal. So make sure the chair or whatever booster you are using is non-skid or wedged against an immovable object.

When we were looking for the stronger leg above, this was also part of our strategy. If you are rising, one leg at a time, you want your weaker leg to do the pushing while your stronger leg is doing the lifting. For me, when rising from a lunge position, I push off with my right (weaker) foot (toes curled under and pushing to rise) and do the heavy standing part with my left (stronger) leg. I can do it the other way, but I am far less stable. Begin with the best chance of a good outcome.

Coach Craig (aka Firefighter Craig) writes our workouts. At least 95% of them have us, at some point during the workout, on the ground and getting back up. Why? Because it is that important. As we age, we lose the ability to move when we don’t make the opportunity to do the movement. Not falling is extremely important to your future good health. But there are just times when, whoops, stuff happens. Being able to get back up means you are off the floor quicker than if you have to wait for Fire and Rescue to come and get you. It also means you are one badass, able to do the hard things. So that’s fun.

Have as much fun as you can and
Stay balanced.

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