I sat with my knees pulled to my chest, staring at the dusty floor.
> "They say... movement is medicine," I muttered.
Not the kind in bottles. The kind where your own sweat is the cure.
I took a deep breath. The kind that fills your chest like you're about to lift a mountain.
"Alright. Let's begin."
---
📋 Today's Goal (beginner routine):
10 Push-ups
10 Sit-ups
10 Squats
1 Minute Wall Sit
10 Jumping Jacks
Just five things.
Easy, right?
That's what I thought… until I touched the ground.
---
🔹 Push-ups
I laid my palms on the floor. Felt rough under my skin.
Arms straight. Toes grounded. Body flat.
> "Just ten."
One. My elbows bent, body dropped.
Chest hovered above the floor.
Two. My arms shook.
Three. "Huff—" breath escaped me.
Four. My back dipped a little. I corrected it.
Five. My face was red now.
> "No. Don't stop."
Six. Arms trembling.
Seven. Wrists crying.
Eight. Sweat on my forehead.
Nine. I collapsed.
No, not yet.
Ten. I pushed back up, shaky but victorious.
> "This... is not easy."
I rolled onto my back, gasping.
---
🔹 Sit-ups
I bent my knees. Locked my fingers behind my head.
> "Pull up. Breathe out."
One. My belly curled.
Two. My spine groaned.
Three. "Huff."
My legs wanted to fly up.
Four. "No! Stay down."
Five. I squeezed my core.
Six. My breath stung.
Seven. "Why does my stomach feel like it's on fire?"
Eight... Nine... Ten.
I laid flat. Eyes to the ceiling.
> "My stomach has muscles? Since when?"
---
🔹 Squats
Feet shoulder-width apart.
I dropped down.
One. Knees bent. Back straight.
Two. "Huff!"
Three. My thighs screamed.
Four. "What did I do to deserve this?"
Five. Burn.
Six. Tremble.
Seven. Is this how trees feel in the wind?
Eight. Nine. Ten.
I stood, gasping.
> "Why do my legs feel like jelly?"
---
🔹 Wall Sit
I leaned my back against the wall. Slid down like I was sitting on an invisible chair.
> "Just one minute."
Ten seconds in: easy.
Twenty seconds: thighs started shaking.
Thirty seconds: "Who invented this torture?"
Forty-five seconds: I clenched my teeth.
Fifty-five: "Come on, Artic."
One minute. I collapsed to the floor, legs numb.
---
🔹 Jumping Jacks
This was supposed to be the easy part.
Jump. Clap. Land.
One. Two. Three. My heart thudded like a drum.
Four. Five. Six. Sweat flew off my forehead.
Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.
I stopped. Bent over.
Breathing like I just climbed a mountain.
---
🌅 Artic's Last Thought
> "My body is weak. But I'm not ashamed. Because now I know where I stand."
Tomorrow, maybe I'll do 11 reps.
Or maybe I'll just show up again.
But I moved today.
And that means something.
....
Now repeat 10 push-ups 10 situps ...
10 squats
Feet shoulder-width apart.
I lowered my body down.
One. My knees bent. The floor stared back up at me.
Two. "Huff—" I pushed back up.
Three. My thighs, already sore from yesterday's walk to the stream, quivered.
Four. My lower back tightened.
> "Come on… it's just ten."
Five. My breath shortened. My arms dangled uselessly in front of me, trying to balance.
Six. My left knee wobbled.
Seven. "Hah… I can do it… I—"
My heel slipped.
The world tilted.
And I fell.
Hard.
My body crumpled to the floor like a sack of wet grain.
My knees slammed down first. My palms tried to catch me, but they slid on sweat.
I sat there. Panting. Mouth dry. Chest burning.
> "I… I didn't finish," I muttered.
I stared at the wall like it had betrayed me.
My legs refused to move.
My thighs were on fire, like little coals had been tucked under my skin.
I couldn't stand. I couldn't squat. I couldn't even crawl for a moment.
> "So this… is my limit?"