We have a new webpage and our blog is a part of that now!
To continue following Playfully Fit and our blog, go to:
www.playfullyfit.com
Will miss posting here for sentimental reasons! :-)
Thank you blogger for a wonderful run!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Gym Phobia
If it's been a while since you've been to the gym, you might find that you've become a little more hesitant to walk in the door. You're not alone.
Before I go further, let me say that I use the term "gym" loosely. Your "gym" could be outdoors, a climbing gym, a yoga studio, a martial arts dojo, a circus school, a fitness center or anywhere else where you exercise on a regular basis.
It starts with a missed training session, a skipped class or a cancelled workout with a friend. Something came up. You were under the weather, work got too busy, you had a social obligation that couldn't be changed. And then the next day...well...what's one more day of skipping the gym? The third day, "Hey, this is getting pretty comfortable. I like sleeping in (or coming home early)." More difficult yet is when travel interrupts your workout schedule - especially if you don't keep up some sort of exercise routine while you're on the road.
I'm not talking about when we miss our workouts because something major has happened in our lives. Those things can't be avoided. We adjust and adapt as best we can. What I'm referring to are those episodes when we simply experience a slow attrition. Our willingness to get in that gym door and start our workout simply fades. And before we know it, we've stopped going to the gym and can't imagine how we will ever get back to it.
The idea of going back to our regular workouts, training sessions, classes becomes a bit daunting. Further avoidance builds distance, anxiety and worry that we won't be able to keep up, will embarrass ourselves in front of others, or have to "start all over again." Staying home and not working out becomes its own self-fulfilling prophecy and helps reinforce the reasons we develop for not getting back into our workouts.
The good news is that avoidance of this nature - where our rational mind knows that there is really no actual danger - evaporate quickly in the face of decisive positive action. I.e. if I go to the gym, walk in the door, put on my workout clothes and start to move, my physical actions will help to change my thoughts, and the fear I was feeling will lessen and eventually evaporate.
The other great thing is that many of us have experienced at one point or another a desire to avoid something that is actually good for us. This usually happens when the thing that is good for us also makes us emotionally or physically uncomfortable. We know how to help each other through these challenges. Tell your friends what's happening and ask for their support!
No easy solutions here, but a desire on my part to see more people who start off with great dedication to their workouts stick with the plan and continue moving forward. Bumps in the road are inevitable. The trick is to recognize them as such and not let them stop you. Just look at them as little opportunities to reinforce your commitment to your own wellbeing.
Before I go further, let me say that I use the term "gym" loosely. Your "gym" could be outdoors, a climbing gym, a yoga studio, a martial arts dojo, a circus school, a fitness center or anywhere else where you exercise on a regular basis.
It starts with a missed training session, a skipped class or a cancelled workout with a friend. Something came up. You were under the weather, work got too busy, you had a social obligation that couldn't be changed. And then the next day...well...what's one more day of skipping the gym? The third day, "Hey, this is getting pretty comfortable. I like sleeping in (or coming home early)." More difficult yet is when travel interrupts your workout schedule - especially if you don't keep up some sort of exercise routine while you're on the road.
I'm not talking about when we miss our workouts because something major has happened in our lives. Those things can't be avoided. We adjust and adapt as best we can. What I'm referring to are those episodes when we simply experience a slow attrition. Our willingness to get in that gym door and start our workout simply fades. And before we know it, we've stopped going to the gym and can't imagine how we will ever get back to it.
The idea of going back to our regular workouts, training sessions, classes becomes a bit daunting. Further avoidance builds distance, anxiety and worry that we won't be able to keep up, will embarrass ourselves in front of others, or have to "start all over again." Staying home and not working out becomes its own self-fulfilling prophecy and helps reinforce the reasons we develop for not getting back into our workouts.
The good news is that avoidance of this nature - where our rational mind knows that there is really no actual danger - evaporate quickly in the face of decisive positive action. I.e. if I go to the gym, walk in the door, put on my workout clothes and start to move, my physical actions will help to change my thoughts, and the fear I was feeling will lessen and eventually evaporate.
The other great thing is that many of us have experienced at one point or another a desire to avoid something that is actually good for us. This usually happens when the thing that is good for us also makes us emotionally or physically uncomfortable. We know how to help each other through these challenges. Tell your friends what's happening and ask for their support!
No easy solutions here, but a desire on my part to see more people who start off with great dedication to their workouts stick with the plan and continue moving forward. Bumps in the road are inevitable. The trick is to recognize them as such and not let them stop you. Just look at them as little opportunities to reinforce your commitment to your own wellbeing.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Laura's Laws of Leadership - Plus One of My Own
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| Laura Goodin - photo: Michael Salerno |
Laura has been a friend of mine for almost 20 years. In addition to her current leadership roles as producer, director and mom, Laura has taught self-defense and martial arts to people of all ages and spent over a decade as an emergency-management professional, leading, training, and managing a corps of paid and volunteer media officers and participating in the development of state- and national-level emergency-management policy.
1. Feed 'em. Whatever that means.
You have to "feed" your team what will give them sustenance, energy and encouragement as a whole while also "feeding" each person's unique motivational needs. You need to know your team members and provide the best support you can to help them be successful. One of the greatest tools I have begun to use in this regard is Process Communication or PCM. For more on this, visit my friends at Next Element Consulting.
Laura pointed out that "feed 'em" also often literally means "Give them something to eat." It's amazing how clearly that will communicate to your people that you care about their welfare. I can attest to the impact of such a seemingly simple gesture. Years ago when I was working at an outdoor adventure school, we were unpacking in the cold rain from a large expedition. Our manager came out of his warm, dry office, started up a portable stove, and made hot chocolate for us all. This simple gesture not only strengthened the loyalty I already felt; it also gained him about 4 more hours work from each one of us.
2. Make their success more important than your own.
I think this is perhaps the most important leadership rule I know. As a leader, my goal is and always has been to help my participants, team members and clients shine! It is not important that I am out ahead getting the spotlight - unless that is necessary for a particular purpose. What is most important is that each person on my team is doing what they do best and challenging themselves to grow in areas where they need further development.
3. Lead by example (this one's from me).
If you want your team to excel, show them how to do it. You may not be performing the same functions as others on your team (that's why you have a team!), but you must show the same energy, spirit, enthusiasm, talent and commitment to what you are doing.
You also have to model good self-care. Working on a high-functioning team is exhilerating but also tiring. Model good work-life balance and encourage your team-mates to take care of themselves. Practice what you preach, as they say. Especially in the fitness industry, we need to walk our talk!
I have been fortunate to have worked with a number of fabulous leaders over the years. I have been "well-fed" both literally and figuratively! I hope to use that sustenance to create something beautiful for a brand new team!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Continuous Improvement is the Name of the Game
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.”
This quote has been sticking in my head lately. I’ve seen it attributed to Mark Twain, and also to Tony Robbins. Either way, this saying holds a lot of truth when it comes to developing and maintaining a lifelong fitness program.
For many people, taking that first step into the gym to sign up for a membership is the result of months of thought and preparation. But it is only one part of the process. Did you know that only 40% of people who join gyms continue coming regularly after the first six weeks of their membership? In my opinion, gyms share the responsibility for that very poor statistic, but that is a subject for another post.
If you’ve passed that first six-week hurdle and are exercising regularly, congratulations! If you’re still working on it, don’t give up. Experiencing failure along the way is a natural part of any growth process; the important thing is to learn from what went wrong and make changes that help you move forward in a better way on your next attempt. Take small steps and keep moving forward. Some days, it’s just a matter of packing up your workout clothes and walking out the door. Start doing something. Once you’ve started, you’re likely to continue!
Once you’ve become a regular exerciser, you still have to keep updating and changing what you do to keep your workouts fresh and challenging! Your body will get used to what you are doing if you do it over and over again, and you will become more efficient at it. Therefore your workouts will become less and less challenging over time - resulting in fewer benefits to you! Our bodies need challenge in order to improve!
Workouts can be progressed and adjusted in a number of ways depending on what you want to accomplish and what works well for your specific goals and needs. It’s not just a matter of lifting more weight. There are a number of variables at play and the important thing is to change the right ones to help you keep moving forward.
If you are working with a trainer, that partnership should result in you continuously changing and progressing your workouts as you get better at what you do. Other ways to keep your fitness program fresh include taking classes from seasoned and talented instructors, working out with a partner who challenges you in a good way, or signing up for an event you want to participate in such as a race or other fitness challenge and working toward that goal!
The important thing is to keep raising the bar in ways that are appropriate for you. You’ll have more fun in the process and keep your workouts interesting!
This quote has been sticking in my head lately. I’ve seen it attributed to Mark Twain, and also to Tony Robbins. Either way, this saying holds a lot of truth when it comes to developing and maintaining a lifelong fitness program.
For many people, taking that first step into the gym to sign up for a membership is the result of months of thought and preparation. But it is only one part of the process. Did you know that only 40% of people who join gyms continue coming regularly after the first six weeks of their membership? In my opinion, gyms share the responsibility for that very poor statistic, but that is a subject for another post.
If you’ve passed that first six-week hurdle and are exercising regularly, congratulations! If you’re still working on it, don’t give up. Experiencing failure along the way is a natural part of any growth process; the important thing is to learn from what went wrong and make changes that help you move forward in a better way on your next attempt. Take small steps and keep moving forward. Some days, it’s just a matter of packing up your workout clothes and walking out the door. Start doing something. Once you’ve started, you’re likely to continue!
Once you’ve become a regular exerciser, you still have to keep updating and changing what you do to keep your workouts fresh and challenging! Your body will get used to what you are doing if you do it over and over again, and you will become more efficient at it. Therefore your workouts will become less and less challenging over time - resulting in fewer benefits to you! Our bodies need challenge in order to improve!
Workouts can be progressed and adjusted in a number of ways depending on what you want to accomplish and what works well for your specific goals and needs. It’s not just a matter of lifting more weight. There are a number of variables at play and the important thing is to change the right ones to help you keep moving forward.
If you are working with a trainer, that partnership should result in you continuously changing and progressing your workouts as you get better at what you do. Other ways to keep your fitness program fresh include taking classes from seasoned and talented instructors, working out with a partner who challenges you in a good way, or signing up for an event you want to participate in such as a race or other fitness challenge and working toward that goal!
The important thing is to keep raising the bar in ways that are appropriate for you. You’ll have more fun in the process and keep your workouts interesting!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Empowerment and Fear
For me, being a personal trainer and teaching group exercise classes is about empowerment. My goal is to help people understand themselves better and learn how to move more efficiently and effectively.
My time in the industry has been rather brief so far - just four years. But that follows almost 20 years of adventure-based and experiential education and about 10 years of clinical social work. In those fields, empowerment is the focus: helping people access and build on their strengths.
We say that empowering others is our focus in the training field as well, but sometimes I see other motives coming into play. There are all sorts of reasons for this, but, from my perspective, diluting our motive threatens the effectiveness and honesty of our work.
One way that our motives can get clouded is by fear.
Fear that there will not be enough money
Fear of making a poor decision
Fear of competition.
There are likely many other fears as well, but these are three that come to mind for me.
For gym owners and managers, giving in to that first fear (that there will not be enough money) can affect their policies for managing personnel and distract them from listening to members (without whom there would be no business). As a trainer, fear that there will not be enough has always led me to greater stress and lower self-confidence. I have learned not to give energy to this fear and instead put my focus on my work.
I still struggle from time to time over fear that I will make a poor training decision. But over the years, the biggest lesson I have learned is to trust my instincts. I am not perfect, and I will sometimes make a mistake, but if I approach my work cautiously and with respect, continue to learn, access all of my senses (including intuition), and really listen to my clients, I am putting myself in the best position to make good decisions.
The last fear: fear of competition, is a tough one. With all the messages I can infer from media these days about how perfect I am supposed to be and how everyone else is having a fabulous time while I'm trudging through the trenches, it's easy to succumb to a belief that others are better than I am and that they will usurp whatever small piece of the market I have. However, I have found that for the most part, we are all in the same boat together. Trainers that I have come to respect focus on learning from and helping one another. As a result, we all benefit and can do our jobs more effectively.
I try to check in with myself when I sense that I'm giving in to fear. It usually shows up as anxiety and I feel a little "off." At those times, I try to stick close to nature and take in the sounds and smells of my surroundings. I also pray to be at one with my higher power and to not let my ego or emotional confusion block that clarity.
My time in the industry has been rather brief so far - just four years. But that follows almost 20 years of adventure-based and experiential education and about 10 years of clinical social work. In those fields, empowerment is the focus: helping people access and build on their strengths.
We say that empowering others is our focus in the training field as well, but sometimes I see other motives coming into play. There are all sorts of reasons for this, but, from my perspective, diluting our motive threatens the effectiveness and honesty of our work.
One way that our motives can get clouded is by fear.
Fear that there will not be enough money
Fear of making a poor decision
Fear of competition.
There are likely many other fears as well, but these are three that come to mind for me.
For gym owners and managers, giving in to that first fear (that there will not be enough money) can affect their policies for managing personnel and distract them from listening to members (without whom there would be no business). As a trainer, fear that there will not be enough has always led me to greater stress and lower self-confidence. I have learned not to give energy to this fear and instead put my focus on my work.
I still struggle from time to time over fear that I will make a poor training decision. But over the years, the biggest lesson I have learned is to trust my instincts. I am not perfect, and I will sometimes make a mistake, but if I approach my work cautiously and with respect, continue to learn, access all of my senses (including intuition), and really listen to my clients, I am putting myself in the best position to make good decisions.
The last fear: fear of competition, is a tough one. With all the messages I can infer from media these days about how perfect I am supposed to be and how everyone else is having a fabulous time while I'm trudging through the trenches, it's easy to succumb to a belief that others are better than I am and that they will usurp whatever small piece of the market I have. However, I have found that for the most part, we are all in the same boat together. Trainers that I have come to respect focus on learning from and helping one another. As a result, we all benefit and can do our jobs more effectively.
I try to check in with myself when I sense that I'm giving in to fear. It usually shows up as anxiety and I feel a little "off." At those times, I try to stick close to nature and take in the sounds and smells of my surroundings. I also pray to be at one with my higher power and to not let my ego or emotional confusion block that clarity.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Using "Sex" to Sell Fitness
I just saw a class advertised as “sexercise.” What in the world is that? It looks to me like it’s a cheap way to try to draw attention to a class by using sex, once again, to SELL.
While having a healthy sex life and exercising on a regular basis each have a positive impact on our physical and emotional health, and they can certainly enhance one another, I think of them differently. For me, sex is something really personal and intimate. Exercise, while it can have its moments of closeness and a different kind of intimacy, is not the same thing.
When sex is used to sell fitness, I find that the message actually cheapens both. Sex becomes a commodity rather than a connection, and fitness becomes something we do to make ourselves more “sexy” - therefore commodifying ourselves.
As a trainer, I hear daily about people’s dissatisfaction with their bodies. I do my best to help people improve their health and become more comfortable with themselves. For me, the beauty of a person is who they are radiating through the body they are in. So looks matter, but what really really matters to me is who’s inside.
So please, don’t try to sell me fitness by confusing it with sex. The two are different things. I will go to the gym or work out wherever I choose and feel good about myself, my body and my experience. When I choose to have sex with someone, I will do that on my terms - far out of sight of any marketing person!
While having a healthy sex life and exercising on a regular basis each have a positive impact on our physical and emotional health, and they can certainly enhance one another, I think of them differently. For me, sex is something really personal and intimate. Exercise, while it can have its moments of closeness and a different kind of intimacy, is not the same thing.
When sex is used to sell fitness, I find that the message actually cheapens both. Sex becomes a commodity rather than a connection, and fitness becomes something we do to make ourselves more “sexy” - therefore commodifying ourselves.
As a trainer, I hear daily about people’s dissatisfaction with their bodies. I do my best to help people improve their health and become more comfortable with themselves. For me, the beauty of a person is who they are radiating through the body they are in. So looks matter, but what really really matters to me is who’s inside.
So please, don’t try to sell me fitness by confusing it with sex. The two are different things. I will go to the gym or work out wherever I choose and feel good about myself, my body and my experience. When I choose to have sex with someone, I will do that on my terms - far out of sight of any marketing person!
Monday, September 3, 2012
How Hard Should I be Working?
How Hard Should I be Working? (Part 1 - Philosophy)
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| Practicing my front kickthrough! |
That’s the place you want to be in most of your workouts. If you challenge yourself less than this, you are merely going through the paces - which sometimes is ok. It’s ok to take it easy and just have a relaxing run or spend some time lifting weights because it feels good. These are “recovery workouts” where you return to your comfort zone to refresh and restore. Conversely, if you push too hard, you run the risk of injuring yourself. I’ve done this numerous times - ignoring that little voice in my head that says “stop” because I want to reach a certain number of reps, or a certain speed, or worst of all, show off for someone! Next thing I know, I’m hurt. Again.
So how hard should you push? Exercise should be engaging. You are training your mind, body and soul as you move. You have the opportunity to form new neural pathways as you challenge yourself in different ways, creating opportunities for your body to continue to develop and for your movement to become more efficient. As you build your skills, things that used to feel difficult will start to feel effortless. That’s when you up the ante and try something new that challenges your edge.
Try to get the most from your workout - not by pushing past the point of pain or where your body wants to stop - but rather by training smart. Focus on your craft. Find your learning edge and push gently at it. Be consistent in your practice, changing the variables when things start to feel “easy,” learning from your mistakes and reinforcing your successes.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
"Ready, Hep!"
I love thinking about metaphors that apply from movement to life. Currently, Ive been thinking a lot about what it means in the art of flying trapeze to go across with a trick to the catcher. I have to be ready, wait for his or her call, have the right timing, present myself in just the right way so that I can be caught, and pull it all together so that the process is seamless, fluid, and directs the energy in just the right way.
Going across to a "catcher" in life can be tough for me. I tend to be impatient and to rush things. I don't like to wait for someone else's timing. But if you want to get a really good, safe catch and not lose anyone's energy, the timing has to be right. And it is the catcher's call.
Going across to a "catcher" in life can be tough for me. I tend to be impatient and to rush things. I don't like to wait for someone else's timing. But if you want to get a really good, safe catch and not lose anyone's energy, the timing has to be right. And it is the catcher's call. Monday, June 18, 2012
Giving Credit Where Credit is Due - Thanks, Al Kavadlo!
In my journey to learn more about bodyweight training, I came across a trainer in New York who has been a fabulous source of information and instruction. His name is Al Kavadlo.
He has made time not only to train in person but to share his knowledge via the web and in writing. His latest book, Raising the Bar, is fantastic.
I was thinking of working on a pull up tutorial for this blog, but today I saw his and think really that I would prefer just to highlight the great work that he has done on the subject. I hope you enjoy watching and learning from Al!
Here's the link.
Enjoy your pull ups everyone! :-)
He has made time not only to train in person but to share his knowledge via the web and in writing. His latest book, Raising the Bar, is fantastic.
I was thinking of working on a pull up tutorial for this blog, but today I saw his and think really that I would prefer just to highlight the great work that he has done on the subject. I hope you enjoy watching and learning from Al!
Here's the link.
Enjoy your pull ups everyone! :-)
Saturday, June 16, 2012
How I Got into Climbing
According to my mom, I got into climbing at an early age - after realizing that I wasn't very good at it.
In PE class at school, we had to do a fitness test and part of that test was to do a flexed arm hang (chin over the bar) for some number of seconds (I can't remember how many). Apparently I had problems with it, came home and asked my mom if we could get a pull up bar. She did me one better and got me a small jungle gym. I was off to the races.
In high school, I went with some fellow students to a high ropes course (this is like an obstacle course except built in the trees). One of the elements required me to climb up a tree while holding using a rope to help me climb. I tried and tried, but I couldn't do it - already tired from the many elements that had come before.
And then a friend said to me "You have all the power in the world." It really hit me. Somehow I took that in and climbed the tree with no problem at all. That experience remains a powerful memory to this day.
I came to love climbing on ropes courses after that and spent many years as a facilitator helping others to face and address their own perceived physical limits.
I continue to challenge myself as I build skills on the flying trapeze and trampoline. And the wonderful opportunity I have to help others grow right along with me as an aerial conditioning instructor is bringing me even more insight and learning.
All of this to explain a bit how I came to this and where my roots are. For anyone who is struggling with your first pull up, stick with it. Work through a progression (see upcoming blog post) and keep trying. Recognize your mini-successes along the way and stay focused on your goal.
It's all about practice, commitment and time. We will all reach different places in our arts. I have no idea how far I will be able to go from that first chin up. But I will keep taking on new challenges and with commitment, practice and support, I hope to continue to grow and learn for a long time.
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| That was then, this is now. |
In PE class at school, we had to do a fitness test and part of that test was to do a flexed arm hang (chin over the bar) for some number of seconds (I can't remember how many). Apparently I had problems with it, came home and asked my mom if we could get a pull up bar. She did me one better and got me a small jungle gym. I was off to the races.
In high school, I went with some fellow students to a high ropes course (this is like an obstacle course except built in the trees). One of the elements required me to climb up a tree while holding using a rope to help me climb. I tried and tried, but I couldn't do it - already tired from the many elements that had come before.
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| Many years later |
I came to love climbing on ropes courses after that and spent many years as a facilitator helping others to face and address their own perceived physical limits.
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| Doing what I love |
All of this to explain a bit how I came to this and where my roots are. For anyone who is struggling with your first pull up, stick with it. Work through a progression (see upcoming blog post) and keep trying. Recognize your mini-successes along the way and stay focused on your goal.
It's all about practice, commitment and time. We will all reach different places in our arts. I have no idea how far I will be able to go from that first chin up. But I will keep taking on new challenges and with commitment, practice and support, I hope to continue to grow and learn for a long time.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Fear
I've been thinking about fear a lot lately. How fear can be a healthy and wise thing - but also a potentially dangerous thing - when it comes to movement.
I've spent a lot of my working life in educational settings where we helped people face and overcome their fears of any number of things - including heights, climbing, confrontation, facing an attacker and fighting back... In the environment of a supportive and enriched educational setting, people grew in both skills and confidence - and their level of fear transformed into more of a sense of awareness and alertness - and readiness to respond appropriately to the situation - with skills they had learned and practiced - and to trust in their ability to figure things out.
I came to those work environments through my own personal experience as a student - having had the opportunity to face my own fears and anxieties and work to overcome them. I now see those kinds of situations, where there's a goal I want to achieve - but that I'm also afraid of - as the stuff of life. The way I grow. I know that by taking my own small steps and being consistent, I'll get there eventually.
And now I'm a student of flying trapeze. And trampoline. And scared again. Of different things to some extent. There's the physical reality of learning how to move in new ways, twisting and turning and landing on my back. But there's also the fear of comparison. Am I growing and learning as fast as the person next to me? How do I measure up?
In the learning environment I'm in, where there's someone there helping to keep me safe - with a belay, with a spot, by making sure my progression is appropriate to my abilities - there's room to work on fear. Especially if I admit that it's there.
This is important because at least for me, fear can cause me to rush - or to hold back at the last moment, or change my plan in mid-air. That lack of conviction and belief that I will do what I said I would do - is potentially dangerous. And...of course, knowing that breeds more fear. Which makes me more likely to make the same mistake again.
For now, I'm focusing on small steps. Expanding my comfort zone inch by inch. And I've decided not to compare myself to others. I'm working on what I'm working on and I'll get there when I get there. The important things for me are to keep trying, be honest and real and enjoy the learning process. I'm a lot safer that way.
I've spent a lot of my working life in educational settings where we helped people face and overcome their fears of any number of things - including heights, climbing, confrontation, facing an attacker and fighting back... In the environment of a supportive and enriched educational setting, people grew in both skills and confidence - and their level of fear transformed into more of a sense of awareness and alertness - and readiness to respond appropriately to the situation - with skills they had learned and practiced - and to trust in their ability to figure things out.
I came to those work environments through my own personal experience as a student - having had the opportunity to face my own fears and anxieties and work to overcome them. I now see those kinds of situations, where there's a goal I want to achieve - but that I'm also afraid of - as the stuff of life. The way I grow. I know that by taking my own small steps and being consistent, I'll get there eventually.
And now I'm a student of flying trapeze. And trampoline. And scared again. Of different things to some extent. There's the physical reality of learning how to move in new ways, twisting and turning and landing on my back. But there's also the fear of comparison. Am I growing and learning as fast as the person next to me? How do I measure up?
In the learning environment I'm in, where there's someone there helping to keep me safe - with a belay, with a spot, by making sure my progression is appropriate to my abilities - there's room to work on fear. Especially if I admit that it's there.
This is important because at least for me, fear can cause me to rush - or to hold back at the last moment, or change my plan in mid-air. That lack of conviction and belief that I will do what I said I would do - is potentially dangerous. And...of course, knowing that breeds more fear. Which makes me more likely to make the same mistake again.
For now, I'm focusing on small steps. Expanding my comfort zone inch by inch. And I've decided not to compare myself to others. I'm working on what I'm working on and I'll get there when I get there. The important things for me are to keep trying, be honest and real and enjoy the learning process. I'm a lot safer that way.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
If it feels like a fight, something's not right
This past Sunday was "Epic Battle Day" in silks class. It seemed that no matter what skill I was working on, I would find the hardest and most complicated way to do it.
The cool thing is that before a couple of days ago, I had no idea that I was overworking in my aerial skills. At least now I'm aware.
First lesson learned was on flying trapeze. Working on my take off, we made a basic change that, while seemingly simple, altered the whole way I leave the board, saving my shoulders and allowing for more movement in my swing. I look forward to finding what other wonderful new discoveries will come from this one small change.
What does this mean for fitness overall?
My thinking is this: Look for efficiency in your movement. Try not to make things harder than they need to be. If what you are doing feels like a struggle or a battle, it's likely that there's a more efficient (and therefore easier) way to do it.
Learning new skills often involves sifting through various attempts before finding that "sweet spot" where everything falls into place.
The cool thing is that before a couple of days ago, I had no idea that I was overworking in my aerial skills. At least now I'm aware.
First lesson learned was on flying trapeze. Working on my take off, we made a basic change that, while seemingly simple, altered the whole way I leave the board, saving my shoulders and allowing for more movement in my swing. I look forward to finding what other wonderful new discoveries will come from this one small change.
What does this mean for fitness overall?
My thinking is this: Look for efficiency in your movement. Try not to make things harder than they need to be. If what you are doing feels like a struggle or a battle, it's likely that there's a more efficient (and therefore easier) way to do it.
Learning new skills often involves sifting through various attempts before finding that "sweet spot" where everything falls into place.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Moving out of the box
So why am I so interested in animal movement, breakdancing, challenge course, martial arts and flying trapeze? What do these forms of movement and exercise have in common and how can they improve our health, fitness and wellbeing?
Integrated movement - our bodies move as a whole - everything is interconnected and moving in this way in a safe and efficient manner helps us learn healthy movement patterns that we can use in everyday life.
Balance, stability, change of direction, force production, momentum, physical strength, adaptability and responsiveness to outside forces
For many of us, these movements are “out of the box” in terms of our regular daily patterns, and building our capacity to move in these ways builds confidence in our ability to learn and adapt to new challenges.
Integrated movement - our bodies move as a whole - everything is interconnected and moving in this way in a safe and efficient manner helps us learn healthy movement patterns that we can use in everyday life.
Balance, stability, change of direction, force production, momentum, physical strength, adaptability and responsiveness to outside forces
For many of us, these movements are “out of the box” in terms of our regular daily patterns, and building our capacity to move in these ways builds confidence in our ability to learn and adapt to new challenges.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Keeping your workout planning priorities in order
There are so many standardized workouts out there right now. Too many for me to count. While I’m all for working through a progression and following a methodology, I worry that people sometimes lose sight of the importance of really looking at the individual you are working with. Whether it’s a 1:1 training client or several people in a class you are teaching, it’s important to be ready to make changes on the fly based on what participants are bringing to you on a given day.
In my view, the person always comes before the workout. Assess the person and then develop the workout based on what you see and learn about them that day. It’s good to be prepared with a plan and a progression, but be ready to make changes on the fly.
This is true for your own workouts as well. Set a goal; have a plan, but listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
In my view, the person always comes before the workout. Assess the person and then develop the workout based on what you see and learn about them that day. It’s good to be prepared with a plan and a progression, but be ready to make changes on the fly.
This is true for your own workouts as well. Set a goal; have a plan, but listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Trampoline!
Seriously folks! I've started taking trampoline lessons as a way to improve my aerial awareness. Now "aerial awareness" is a term I only learned a few years ago - b/c it pertains to knowing where one is in space when flying (trapeze, but also acrobatics, tumbling, trampoline, figure skating...think of events and activities where people "fly" and aerial awareness is key.
I left my last lesson with my body singing. Even hours later, I felt like my cells were rejuvenating and growing as if they were brand new! My body was literally buzzing with new learning and new connections.
And this after only doing basic back drops for an hour. Much of that time was also spent looking at and talking about the physics of aerial rotation, vectors and the like. All new to me.
Wish I had a picture to share with you! We'll take care of that next time! :-)
I left my last lesson with my body singing. Even hours later, I felt like my cells were rejuvenating and growing as if they were brand new! My body was literally buzzing with new learning and new connections.
And this after only doing basic back drops for an hour. Much of that time was also spent looking at and talking about the physics of aerial rotation, vectors and the like. All new to me.
Wish I had a picture to share with you! We'll take care of that next time! :-)
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Fitness, fun and discovery
Thinking a lot about fitness these days. The business of it. The marketing of it. The messages the "industry" sends out. And my own value system.
In my view, fitness should be fun. Staying healthy should be part of what we all strive to do on a daily basis. Finding the joy in all this is what fitness is all about!
Discovering passion in movement. Learning what your capabilities are and how far you can challenge yourself in a way that feels good to YOU.
In my view, fitness should be fun. Staying healthy should be part of what we all strive to do on a daily basis. Finding the joy in all this is what fitness is all about!
Discovering passion in movement. Learning what your capabilities are and how far you can challenge yourself in a way that feels good to YOU.
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