Setting the Record Straight

Jon taught us to do minimal stretching before we started walking and always take time to do all of our leg stretches after we walk. He taught us well. That's what we did, even when he wasn't with us.

On Wednesday, after our cardio workout, we found a good place to do our leg stretches. An empty room with a ballet bar on one wall and a short balance beam just the right height for us to put our heels up on. At the end of our stretching, a male staff member of the city sponsored activity center, where our fitness center is, stuck his head in the door and told us that we should stretch prior to working out, not afterward.

 I realize now, that he must have assumed that we were doing something other than "just walking" during our workout that day. However, I have to be honest and tell you that I was irritated that he tried to tell us to stretch before we walked (which is not exactly what he said -- but what I heard). After confirming my trainer's instruction with a walking/running expert, I toyed with the idea of thanking this gentleman (the next time I saw him) for his interest in our apparent ignorance but that he may not be qualified to advise others. After all, he is not a personal trainer. The Fitness Center states in their procedures and policies that the staff can instruct you on how the machines work, but that is as far as they can go. They do not and can not advise you in any other way [my paraphrase].