As I reach the gym, walking leisurely and listening to an audio book, I usually switch my years-old earbuds to music. For reasons of its own, the beats and rhythm drive most of the repetitions when we lift and at times your favourite song helps you push the last few, most effective reps.
Today, while I was in the middle of the fourth lifting exercise, my music app played an unknown song from the coke studio. Though it was not-so-quaint, its beats kinda kept me going. Right after a minute, during the rest between sets, the singer ‘Sona Mohapatra’ and the chorus emphasised Khusro nizaam ke balh balh jaiye. As exercise is meditation for some people, sufi fusion, at times takes me to the zone.
I finished my lifting routine per schedule and switched on to the mat for my next exercises. And it was my favourite, elbow plank for today. Recovery from months-long injury and damage to vitals due to Covid-19 had pulled me back and left at the starting line, where holding elbow-plank was as hard as the first few rides for a child. From ‘7 mins anyday, anytime, anywhere’ I was down to ‘thank god, finally I touched 60 secs’.
But today was different, for I had new music to listen to while I plank. As I took position and switched on the timer, chimes of sitar, xylophone and drums at 120 bpm started pushing me. Mai to piya se naina lada ayi re, the song’s title had a different meaning for me today. Held my position strong till four mins and I looked at the music app. Still 44 secs were left to end the song. The lyrics ahead were what had caught my attention when I listened to the song for the first time, balh balh jaiye (devote ourselves, sacrifice to thy god). Fully charged, I devoted myself to the exercise I was doing and it was 4:56, 4:57, 4:58, 4:59, 5:00 on the timer before I relaxed. This is the second time I got a push via music while doing a plank. Once I hook onto a song, it kind of competes with me in a race between length of the song and my holding time. Perhaps this is the reason I so like Nusrat Fatheh Ali Khan and his long qawalis.
Today’s five minutes of plank was dedicated to the devotion and sacrifice each one of us do to keep ourselves healthy for a happy, disease-free and long life. May you get all the power to devote your full energy in keeping yourselves in best shape.
#ChelteRahiye #Move #StayHealthyLiveHappily
