Tag Archives: exercise

Learning from Iron: Kettlebell and Barbell Training

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Iron teaches me so much. I pull, press, squat, and swing to interfere with iron’s strict loyalty to gravity. Under the load of kettlebells and barbells I organize my bones and gather my breathing. My grip begins with my bare feet grabbing the floor. I marshal each joint along the kinetic chain to either lever power or brace against force. If my internal pressure conquers the external load, the weight moves.  But it’s only a momentary victory. I monitor the Continue reading →

If Work Isn’t Exercise, How Do We Make Exercise Work?

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When talking fitness with my dad he asks, “What about physical labor for exercise?” He relishes the demands of construction, farming, and operating a plant nursery. In the information age a job that supports physical vitality is a rare “privilege.” Although the human body is designed for rigorous work, we have engineered our way out of it. As a fitness trainer I’m paid to devise artificial labor for the desk-bound. One colleague joked that his clients should carry him around Continue reading →

Finding the Reset Button

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Ah, the holidaze. Torqued schedules, buffets of indulgence, and hunting for the ideal sparkly accessories. As a Leo lady, I relish the full social calendar but need my reset workout more than ever. Beyond the din of festivities, the superego insists on punishing cardiovascular atonement. Yet as I settle into practice, a calm emerges. I submerge into down dog and crawl through standing poses. Squat. Vinyasa. Lunge. Handstand for an upside down. Backbend for an inside out. Lay down. Breathe. Continue reading →

The Image of Fitness: Can You Exercise to Achieve the Perfect Body?

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My social media feed regularly spouts pornographic images of, chiseled bodies called “Fitspo”. Short for “fit inspiration,” the photos sometimes include messages about discipline, pushing your limits, and empowerment. So why do these images irritate me? Apparently, fitness boils down to looking good in a bikini. The epitome of the female body shifts with each historical era and the muscled physique appears to be a current ideal. The commercialized homogeneity imposes a rigid definition of beauty and contorts our self Continue reading →

Are You Fit to Serve?: Enlisting into Parenthood

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Traditionally the question, “Are you fit to serve?” scrutinized young men’s grit to execute their country’s military agenda. During the birth of my second niece I considered fitness and service very different context: parenthood. Instead of battling into an idealized body or fighting an opponent, what about training the body and mind to nurture? As Clif Bar’s perinatal yoga teacher I’ve witness the unique path women take into motherhood. Although I’m not yet a mom, watching my friends and clients has revealed Continue reading →

The Only Fitness Goal: Take Care of My Crap

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The fitness industry always promotes goals. The bikini body. The final score. Achieving “results” constantly invokes finite competition. As if one day we cross a finish line, arrive at perfection, and no longer need to exercise. No such luck. I want to win this game: Make it to 95 years old. Wake up energized. Walk to the bathroom. Squat on the toilet. Take a triumphant poop. Wipe myself. Stand up. Wash my hands. Head out into a productive day. Actually, that is pretty much Continue reading →

What Do Calories Count?

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Last week I trained a client who recently lost a substantial amount of weight. She called on me for active recovery from the intense exercising. We opened tight shoulders, mobilized locked up hips, and reactivated her core. I wove the pieces together with standing yoga poses and a deep relaxation. She moaned with “delight” as we released and realigned her achy parts. I relish theses moments when my work provides immediate relief. Then she asked, “How many calories did we Continue reading →

(Re)Defining Functional Fitness

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What does the nebulous buzzword “functional fitness” mean?  It’s volleyed around in debates about what exercises have real-life application and what is completely frivolous. Many fitness professionals assert that fitness functions to achieve  “results.” Sometime in the future, you could achieve weight loss, lower your blood pressure, or build strong muscles. I propose reverse engineering instead. Start by asking, what do those results represent?  If you lost weight, would you feel hot? If your blood pressure decreased would you feel Continue reading →

Dangerous Exercise

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Repeatedly, people have tried to convince me that swinging kettlebells is dangerous. I argue that sitting in a chair for over eight hours a day is more damaging to your health. When did we decide it’s so perilous to move? Pop in an exercise video and hear ominous warnings. The voiceover warns, “You should consult a doctor before starting an exercise program.” Years of inactivity will certainly warrant a doctor. We are brilliantly designed for movement. In the confines of Continue reading →

Why I Never Promise Weight Loss

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In fitness advertising I constantly hear claims about weight loss and promises to change your flawed parts.  As a personal trainer I will never sell the possibility of weight loss.  Let me explain why… I’m unable to: Diagnose sleep, hormonal, or food sensitivities that can stagnate a metabolism. Control your genetic expression. Manage your behavior in our obesogenic environment.   I’m unwilling to: Prescribe a one-size-fits-all diet. Having studied nutrition in graduate school, I don’t believe in them. Lead punishing, Continue reading →