Power Shift

I am in a funny field.  As much as I love my job, I sometimes deeply dislike my industry.  There are times when I feel that the fitness industry caters to the worst in human nature:  vanity, pride, pretense, discrimination and the like.  That is not what I want to do.

I want to empower people.

For some people, empowerment works out to a newfound ability to do fun things without pain.  Maybe that’s as simple as being able to kneel down to garden or as complicated as finishing a first or fifth or eighth marathon.  For others, learning to lift heavy objects in the literal sense teaches them to lift the heavy metaphorical objects off their own psyches; I believe in self-rescuing princesses.  Sometimes empowerment does involve losing weight, but I prefer to focus on how we feel (stronger, lighter, more energetic) than how we look.

In practice, what this means is that my studio is a place where it is okay to sweat and look messy and to wear whatever is comfortable.  We celebrate victories of all kinds.  When things are tough, we breathe through them.  We take the time we need to stretch and recover.

Our material culture will constantly point out our flaws.  Many of us firmly believe that we will never be enough.  Let’s fight the power and be our most awesome selves instead.

Monday Workout: Of course there are squats

As I often do, I included squats in this week’s workout.  Not everyone does the same kind of squats.  For some clients, squats with the stability ball or TRX are more appropriate.  Some clients can use the challenge of the BOSU or the turntable.  Sometimes we do sumo squats.  Changing up a workout can be as simple as altering what version of a favorite exercise we do on a particular day.  Feel free to adjust as needed.  Three rounds.

woodchoppers	30
ball slams	20
rescues	10
opposite knees	30
bench press	20
skullcrushers	10
suitcase swings	30
squats	20
brains	10

Friday Book Report: Relax and Renew

I confess that I have a bias against restorative yoga.  Most of the time, I’d just rather take a nap.  However, Judith Lasater’s book Relax and Renew provides a good introduction to why one might consider restorative yoga instead of napping.  Hint:  knowing how to relax while awake is a useful skill.

Restorative yoga, as described in this book, is all about Stuff.  Lasater recommends using lots and lots of them to get the most possible support, allowing for maximum relaxation.  Fortunately, the chapter on coping with jet lag includes some useful make-do suggestions if you don’t happen to travel with a mat, six bolsters, 27 blankets, an eye bag, a sandbag, and an emotional support animal.  (Just kidding:  the book says nothing about emotional support animals.)  I have, in general, a tendency toward minimal Stuff in my fitness, but a person who really wants to feel pampered might gravitate toward this way of coaxing the body into a more supple, relaxed, and gentle place.