March 30, 2023: My Body Characteristics (2), Stiff, Tall with Long Arms and Legs （ボクの体の特徴（２）、硬い、手足が長く背が高い）

As I described in my previous article, I am tall with long arms and legs. On the other hand, I have a stiff body and had hated doing stretches since I was a child. It was nothing but a pain for me. And it had killed my enjoyment. For example, when I was in junior high school, I joined an athletics club to enjoy long-distance running and training. But I was sometimes reluctant to go to the club since I had to do stretches such as seated forward bend.
However, since I began stretching about a few years ago, I have been aware of some changes in my stiff body. My body has gradually become more flexible. I am able to do deeper forward bends while seating, without pain. And I am also able to do the middle split stretches a little better than before. As a result, one day, I was told by my wife that my body got much more flexible than before. She also asked me if I could lock my hands behind my back. But, unfortunately, I have still been unable to do that.
At that moment, it occurred to me that my arms and legs were long enough to make up for my stiff body. Historically, human beings have survived by adapting to changing environments. Our skin colours have changed according to the environment where we have lived in. So it is not unnatural that my arms and legs have grown so long to compensate for my inflexible body.

　前回の記事に書いたように、ボクは背が高く、手足が長いです。その一方で、ボクの体はめちゃくちゃ固く、小さいころからストレッチが嫌いでした。ストレッチは苦痛以外の何物でもなく、ボクの楽しみを奪っていました。例えば、中学生の時に陸上部にはいり、長距離走を楽しんでいたのですが、時々、部活に行きたくなくなる時がありました。ストレッチをやらされる時です。
　でも、数年くらい前からストレッチを始めたおかげで少し柔らかくなってきました。前屈もかなり曲がるようになり、股関節も以前に比べるとだいぶ開くようになりました。そのおかげ、妻からは「だいぶ柔らかかくなったね。」と言われ、「背中で手を組めるようになった？」と言われたのですが、手はいまだに組めません。
　この時に、ふと、ボクの手足が長いのは、体の硬さを補うためかと思いました。人類は、環境変化に対応して生き延びてきた歴史があります。人の肌の色も、住む場所の環境に応じて変化してきた。したがって、ボクの体の手足が長いのも、硬い体の不自由を補うためと考えても不思議ではありません。