Occasionally (especially in the summer), I like to watch American Ninja Warrior. The obstacle courses look fun, and the people who run those courses are amazing athletes! I’ve been thinking for the last few years that it would be fun to try out a course, so I was really excited when I found out that there’s a new Ninja Warrior-style gym in town. I discovered it accidentally while I was shopping at Kohls. In the past, I would have never considered trying something like this, but I want to live a more exciting life, so I decided to go. ( I also tried out some temporary butterfly tattoos to see if I want to get one permanently. I’m still on the fence about that, and unfortunately they washed off before my trip to Ninja U. That seemed like a good place to wear tattoos.) One of my colleague’s wanted to try Ninja U too, so we went together. We’re both early 40s and in pretty good shape, but the course was incredibly difficult. You need huge amounts of upper body strength to do it successfully. The course had rubberized ramps that you run up, bars that you swing from and a warp wall (unfortunately no water obstacles). There’s a climbing wall with no harness, so if you fall, you splatter on the mat below. Fortunately, I could only make it about a foot off the ground, so it was a short fall for me! There were a lot of little kids swinging effortlessly like little monkeys, which made me feel very old. My colleague suggested that the experience would make us more empathetic toward even older people with mobility problems. Long story short, neither of us are going to make it on TV. I’d like to try the course again. It’s good exercise and it’s something interesting and different to do. It might be especially good in the winter when it’s hard to get outside.
After my Ninja U experience in the morning, I tried a stand up paddle board yoga class that afternoon. I’ve done paddle board a few times on the ocean, and it was hard. I felt like the waves were against me any way I went. This time, I was on a lake with calm water so it was much easier. Yoga on a paddle board is really good for balance. I fell once but managed to stay on my board. I don’t remember slipping, but all of the sudden, I was on my butt on the paddle board! Next time I go, I’m planning to just get a paddle board and paddle around on my own.
Both activities were a lot of fun, but I could barely move for three days afterward!
Traveling with Emily! 