Oh, what a difference a year makes. 12 months ago, I was laid up on the couch in a cast. Today, I have 365 days worth of recovery stories. This is my end-of-year recap.
Tag: Geriatric Gymnast
Waking Your Inner Child Through Adult Gymnastics
I've seen so many people awaken their inner child in my adult gymnastics classes. If you need to make a case for starting gymnastics, this is it.
Help Shape Geriatric Gymnastics: Join Our Beta Reading Team
I'm seeking beta readers for my upcoming book, "Geriatric Gymnastics: Flipping, Recovery and Defining Life on Your Terms". Interested in joining the GG team? Read on!
Giving Voice to The Geriatric Gymnast
Time to write another book! When I started writing about gymnastics in this blog in 2020, there was a “someday I’ll write a book” vibe. I’d write about all of the feelings I was processing, the ups and inevitable downs I had experienced. If anything, it was a way to track and remember my journey. But… Continue reading Giving Voice to The Geriatric Gymnast
Achilles Recovery: My 6 Month Snapiversary
For half a year, I have been recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. The gunshot snap. The boot and crutches. The long, painful, drawn-out healing process. Here’s how strategic healing, positive mindset and proper preparation made the first six months of my recovery go smoothly. When you are 53 and doing athletic things, you wonder… Continue reading Achilles Recovery: My 6 Month Snapiversary
Achilles Tendon Recovery: 21 weeks
Time heals all wounds. As I approach the five month mark in my Achilles recovery, I am happy report many more skills that have been added to my movement rotation. This post reflects on balancing the equation between safety and progress. May 18, 2025 As fast as my recovery may seem to the outsider, it… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: 21 weeks
Achilles Tendon Recovery: 4 months
I've officially passed the four-month mark since rupturing my Achilles tendon at the gym. It was an awful disruption in my existence. To commemorate my resilience and commitment to healing, I did something I've missed since that fateful day. I flipped! April 16, 2025 If you don't know me, I'm an adult gymnast who started… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: 4 months
Week 16 Achilles recovery: PT is coming to an end
In the past month, my biweekly physical therapy was reduced to once a week. At first, it was my March work schedule that limited my time. In April, it seems I've reached plateau. PT sessions have become, shall we say, too easy. Now what? April 9, 2025 Last week, I found out what was going… Continue reading Week 16 Achilles recovery: PT is coming to an end
The mental toll of Achilles injury
It's been over 3 months since my Achilles tendon rupture. This is a reflection on the quest to balance fear and progress through long-term injury recovery. March 26, 2025 Not too long ago, all of my posts were about the progress I was making at the gym. I’ve celebrated the baby steps and the big… Continue reading The mental toll of Achilles injury
Achilles Tendon Recovery: 10 Weeks Post-Surgery Progress
It's been ten weeks since the surgeon put my Achilles tendon back together again. This article shares exercises I'm working on, strategies for pain and fear management, and my comeback progress.
Recovering from Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Personal Timeline
I thought I'd share the highlights and milestones in each phase of my recovery so far. I'll keep updating this as I continue healing. I won't lie: this healing process is long and grueling. I have worked very hard to keep progressing safely. Because of that work, I have consistently felt at least 1% better… Continue reading Recovering from Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Personal Timeline
Achilles tendon recovery: 8 weeks post surgery
Here's an update about my progress and trials 8 weeks after Achilles tendon surgery. February 12, 2025 I know that 8 weeks is a fraction of time when it comes to Achilles tendon recovery. I’ve made great strides (pun intended) in that time. In the same breath, I realize just how far I have to… Continue reading Achilles tendon recovery: 8 weeks post surgery
Achilles Tendon Recovery Week 6: Balancing Progress and Safety
At six weeks post-surgery, my recovery is going very well. When I compare my progress to some of the published protocols, I've been slightly ahead of the curve. That begs the question, am I progressing too fast? Am I risking re-rupture down the line? January 29, 2025 Read about my Achilles tendon story from the… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery Week 6: Balancing Progress and Safety
Achilles Tendon Recovery: Best Practices for Healing
Healing from Achilles tendon repair surgery is no fun. But, it is manageable. In this post, I'm sharing the best practices that help me stay centered and keep my progress moving forward. Recovering from an Achilles tendon injury is a long, arduous journey. In my last post, Achilles Tendon Recovery: Five Weeks Post-Op Progress, I shared… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: Best Practices for Healing
Achilles Tendon Recovery: Five Weeks Post-Op Progress
It's now five weeks after the surgeon repaired my Achilles tendon. Here, I'm sharing what I have found to be my next steps in a long recovery process. Read to the end for some pro-recovery tips. January 23, 2025 At my four week follow-up last Thursday, the surgeon gave me the okay to hobble a… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: Five Weeks Post-Op Progress
Achilles Tendon Surgery: Healing With Apolla Performance Socks
Rehabilitating from an Achilles tendon rupture is a long, arduous process. What has really helped in phase two of healing are my Apolla Performance socks. January 20, 2025 The short history: On December 15, I ruptured my Achilles tendon. Completely and definitively. On December 18, the surgeon put me back together, just in time for… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Surgery: Healing With Apolla Performance Socks
Achilles Tendon Surgery: Four Weeks Post-Op Progress
Four weeks and one day after my Achilles tendon repair surgery, I returned to the doctor for my second follow up. Spoiler: it went really well. January 18, 2025 Earlier this week, I posted Achilles Tendon Rupture: What Can I Do? It looked at the progress I've been making and how I've been inserting myself… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Surgery: Four Weeks Post-Op Progress
Achilles Tendon Recovery: What Can I Do?
When you suffer a life-altering injury, you have choices to make: to do or not to do. Four weeks after rupturing my right Achilles tendon, these are the choices I am making to recover well. January 12, 2025 In response to the title question, the answer is: I can do a lot. Even sporting a… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: What Can I Do?
Overcoming Achilles Injury: My Return to the Gym
On one regular Sunday FUNday, I ruptured my Achilles tendon on a tumbling pass at the gym. Three weeks later, I returned to the gym to take back my life, one hobbling step at a time. When you endure an injury that requires surgical intervention, it seems to overtake your life. Everything you do is… Continue reading Overcoming Achilles Injury: My Return to the Gym
Geriatric Gymnasts in the Spotlight
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!! My Geriatric Gymnast story is highlighted in the Atlantic! Read on for more information. I am fully entrenched in all flippy things Paris 2024. Like the rest of the world, I love watching the glory of Golden Girls Simone, Suni, Jordan, Jade and Hezly, and the greatness of the bronze boys Paul, Brody,… Continue reading Geriatric Gymnasts in the Spotlight
Hot June Challenge, Geriatric Gymnast Style
What do Geriatric Gymnasts do in the heat? We pull it back a bit, but we still know how to have fun. Read on for some tips and examples of how we navigate class in the hot summer heat. The heat is on! Tuesday was one of those long, hot days just before summer begins.… Continue reading Hot June Challenge, Geriatric Gymnast Style
Practice makes habits
Whether you are a newbie or veteran gymnast, this article might be helpful when you consider how you create consistency in your training habits and why the journey is so darn hard. Gymnasts, particularly those of us “of a certain age,” work to develop complex physical skills through the obstacles of body limitations, fear and… Continue reading Practice makes habits
Mental Breakthroughs 2
Two years ago, I wrote an article about some of the mental blocks I've managed, largely due to injuries sustained, and the mental breakthroughs I've made in trying to overcome them. Months later, I did a little research and realized that the reason for the blocks was due to our lizard brain, the part of… Continue reading Mental Breakthroughs 2
Weight-loss 12: Tricky 2023
It seems I’m posting these weight-loss journey reports biannually now. Apparently, I wax weight management when my work life wanes; during winter break and just as summer starts. A year ago, I recalled in part 10 the food challenges during my November reverie (birthdays, anniversary, Thanksgiving) and into the winter holidays (Chanukkah latkes and Christmas… Continue reading Weight-loss 12: Tricky 2023
Sometimes you break yourself, part 8
I'm approaching the end of week seven post-fifth metatarsal break and the foot is healing, slowly but surely. My follow-up appointment was on Friday morning, just two days before the end of the seven-week mark. Another set of X-Rays were taken and unfortunately, it didn't look that much different from the one taken the week… Continue reading Sometimes you break yourself, part 8
Sometimes you break yourself, part 7
It's been a couple of weeks since my last update. I'd been putting it off until this week's doctor's appointment, the anticipation of which was a source of anxiety and a bit of dread. I finally returned last week to the gym, not to flip, but to coach. It was good to breathe the air,… Continue reading Sometimes you break yourself, part 7
The Geriatric Gymnast chats with painter Tessa Lang
On the eve of the launch of her brand new Chtapodi Collective line, Tessa Lang was so gracious to sit for a chat to talk about her artistic journey and diving into the world of wearable art.
Geriatric Gymnastics
Talking about how the Geriatric Gymnast blog started.
Changed for the Better: special episode #2
In Ask Tirro episode 2, Hernz Laguerre, Jr puts me in the hot seat. We talk about my "second act" and what direction I think it will go. There's even a Lightning Round!! Tune in!
Progress isn’t linear
"Progress isn't linear" is one of my favorite sayings. It applies to everyone for everything that we work for, but I have had to lean into it as I have spent my time over the last 15 years doing adult gymnastics. It's how I have been able to keep flipping in my 50s.
Stacey's Headspace 