Flexibility

Don't let the title make you think I'm getting off the subject of turning 30. What flexibility has to do with age should become clear after I tell you a little story.

As I've gotten older I slacked off on exercise for a few years. The end result of that slacker mentality is that I no longer have strong, toned arms and shoulders. I've also lost pretty much all the flexibility in my arms. I didn't realize this would be a big problem until recently.

I've notice that my bra straps tend to start drooping and slipping off my shoulders as the day wears on. My shoulders are curved downward which provides a convenient slope for my straps. Now most bra companies tell you that the problem isn't your shoulders, it's the bra. I wish that were true in my case. No matter how well fitting the bra or how tight the straps, late in the day the straps start to slide.

So I gave up trying to find a better bra and instead invested in a gadget from an infomercial. The Strap Perfect (available at https://www.strapperfect.com) seems like the perfect solution, the way to create a T-back bra when you cannot find one in your size.

This morning I followed the directions to slip my straps through the gadget and pull the straps together. It was difficult but I managed to get my body into a super tight, crossed back form but there are two things I've discovered.

1. I have no idea how to get out of the bra because I cannot actually reach the gadget where it has shifted between my shoulder blades. I'm no longer flexible enough to reach behind me or to slip the connected straps down over my shoulders.
2. I had zero slippage of straps today - WHICH I LOVED - and my assets stayed lifted and in place.

So I found a great gadget to solve my problem BUT I now lack the flexibility to make it work.
Go figure. What this means in respect to turning 30 is that no matter how old I get, I've got to keep my body in shape and stretch. On a side note, my 6 year old niece could totally reach her arm over her back and unhook such a contraption. Of course, she can also do a split and push ups from a handstand which I don't recall ever being able to do.

If the drawback of reaching our 30s means we lose flexibility, then the benefit of this problem is that it motivates us to get serious about taking care of ourselves.