Today's Morning activity was FEATS OF STRENGTH, in which I challenge my kids to do physical labors while chanting "FEATS OF STRENGTH! FEATS OF STRENGTH!" at them.
For feats of strength today, I got out some old fitness things that have sat unused in my closet for years... my adjustable dumbbells and my body wedge. I had the best of intentions to use them (and did for a while) until I became a devotee of Shovelglove, which I evangelically endorse and still return to on occassion.
But it struck me that although I wasn't using them, no reason the kids couldn't use them. So they became obstacles to overcome by... FEATS OF STRENGTH!
For the first feat of strength, Zephyr had to lift two 2 and a half pound dumbbells over his head, starting with his arms all the way out, while laying on a slope:
With Heraclean effort, he accomplished it. His form was not pretty, but he's just a beginner. Lyric wanted to give it a shot as well.
Actually not so bad, but it was more of a press.
Then I had Zephyr try to use his butt to touch the top of the slope 10 times in a sort of proto-squat. FEATS OF BUTT STRENGTH!
Not sure if it shows up in the picture enough, but Lyric was lying on the wedge trying to pinch Zephyr's butt when he touched the wedge BECAUSE HE IS A TRICKSTER. Such are the perils one must have to face when attempting a FEAT OF STRENGTH!
As a mythic penalty, I made Lyric dangle upside down on the wedge and try to do a sit up. He did two! FEATS OF STRENGTH! FEATS OF STRENGTH!
NEW FEATURE THIS MONTH! I'm going to grade myself everyday to take a more honest accounting of what's working. I'm a pretty tough grader. Today I would say was a B+... I got to teach the kids a bit about muscles like triceps and pectorals, and I got to use materials that were under utilized, but I could have done more on the scene setting were I more present in the moment. Room for improvement!
Lyric raising a 2.5 pound disk. FEATS OF STRENGTH! FEATS OF STRENGTH!