For our mid-week dare, we’re taking a break from push-ups and doing squats and inversions instead:

20 squats
30 second hold inversion
20 squats
30 second inversion
20 squats
max hold inversion

The squats can be any kind: weighted back squats, front squats, overhead squats, goblet squats, or air squats. Go as heavy as you’re able. The inversions are getting your hips above your shoulders any way any how: a downward facing dog, an L-shaped handstand, a handstand with either your back or chest facing the wall, or a headstand. If you’re name is Zahra or Daniel, try handstand shoulder taps.

Let us know in the comments your flavor of squats and inversions.

This is the Palestinian poet Samih al-Qasim, who died last year at the age of 75.This short work captures the difficulty and necessity of poetry under conditions of intense repression.

Slit Lips
Translated by Abdullah al-Udhari. Victims of a Map. Al Saqi Book (2005)

I would have liked to tell you

The story of a nightingale that died.

I would have liked to tell you

The story…

                  Had they not slit my lips.