Here you will find previously written, but still interesting writing – essays, posts or editorials you might fine useful as you peruse this site. Enjoy!
2020
In 2020 the world changed – perhaps forever. As we continue to make our way through Covid, BLM, hurricanes, wild fires and an election, few are left untouched by our surroundings which continue to swirl and tumble. There have been, however, a few bright spots along the way, a few aha moments in which acceptance and motivation shook hands. In the midst of home-bound lock-downs, we recognized our innate need for connection. As restrictions relaxed a little, new habits of masking and social distancing allowed us to find our way outdoors where we felt safe and where we were free to explore the natural world around us. Of course, profound grief accompanied many on their outings and self-sacrificing service of others mandated respect.
But we did learn a few things. And we are still learning. We learned that we need each other and that likewise we need to reach out to each other. We learned that health is a precious gift that needs our efforts to promote and protect. We learned that when vulnerability rages out of control, we most need to step up and do whatever we can to empower ourselves physically as we strive to maintain mental, emotional and spiritual fitness. We learned new significance to words like hybrid, Zoom, ventilator and unprecedented.
We continue to face challenges to our finances, education, homes, well-being and faith.
As a Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor, I am deeply committed to share my knowledge and respect for the training that contributes to helping to meet those challenges. I wrote the following on my Home page when I first launched this website: What is fitness? It is different for each of us but generally refers to strength and endurance of the muscles and cardiovascular system, flexibility, balance, appropriate body weight, stress management, health, wellness, energy, optimism, the enthusiasm with which one greets a new day.
That definition still works, don’t you think? But now I believe the concept of fitness has morphed into whatever is accessible to each individual. I like to hope that there is a stronger faith in the value of self-care, a renewed dedication to physical responsibility, an expectation of active aging and a growing understanding that energy that fuels knowledge as well as practice will be multiplied, not exhausted.
To that means I commit this website – to inform, encourage, and offer connection.
As you browse you will find monthly blog posts, Yoga and conditioning notes, and ways to practice in your own home by training with me on Zoom privately or in a class, live or later.
“A friend is a loved one who awakens your life in order to free the wild possibilities within you.” (John O’Donohue)
May I be that friend?
*********************************************************************************
WHAT IS PERSONAL TRAINING? – Personal Training is just that: training that is specifically designed to meet the fitness needs of an individual person. Though personal training comes with a price tag, it is worth the fee. Writing that check (or using Venmo!) and scheduling personal training time become powerful motivators and significant keys to accountability.
Efficient and effective are two of my favorite words and perhaps best describe appropriate personal training. In your busy life, the little time you have to devote to your own conditioning should be time tightly structured to get the job done. Eliminate the wasteful use of ineffective exercise, the junk hours, and make every effort count.
Whether new to personal training, returning to it from a break, or taking a fresh look at your current plan, it is good to begin at the beginning, to carefully identify achievable goals. Dream. Dream big. Let opportunities and possibilities tease you. But be sure that you are reaching for the reachable.
Assessment, a realistic look at where you are right now, is the next step. Gradually and intelligently working your way forward through strength conditioning, aerobic exercise, and lifestyle changes is a process, a journey that will include exploration of your personal and individual nutritional needs, flexibility, balance and recovery time. Aging is a factor as we all age – or hope too. Adaptation does not mean failure or less, it means maximizing what is appropriate and achievable, growing and developing on a number of levels.
Preparing for events, learning of periodization, taper and recovery, fueling effectively, sleeping well, utilizing good technique and form to reduce the risk of injury and learning to manage rehabilitation for healing – all are important aspects of personal training. It’sall about YOU. A personal trainer is there as your advocate to help you sculpt the training that works best for YOU.
STRUCTURE of PERSONAL TRAINING – now, in 2020-2021, this unbelievable time off Covid, Personal Training is influenced by Zoom, distancing and masks. Stay tuned.
TRAINING IN THE WORKPLACE – today’s workplace may well be one’s home. Corporate fitness wears new workout gear and is perhaps more important than ever. Reach out if you’d like to learn more.
TRAINING WITH FRIENDS – Training with others offers a sense of camaraderie, safety, encouragement and healthy competition. I see this almost daily as I teach Yoga classes, work with clients, hike (at a distance with one or more as the pandemic allows) or ride my Peloton as a member of the Power Zone Pack. Groups lead to better performance, motivation, confidence and friendship as together we experience challenge and success.
PERSONAL – As a Certified Personal Trainer, I draw on a background of extensive education and am particularly respectful of my certification as a Movement Training Specialist. My current passion is Yoga followed closely by Peloton cycling and hiking with Sophie, my Chocolate Lab. I bring to my work a background enriched by my own experiences of fears, failures and inadequacies as well as accomplishments and success measured in growth, in reaching goals.
In another life, so to speak, a highly structured, demanding and emotionally charged life,I moved from professional, classically trained ballet dancer to teacher to competitive equestrian, through a divorce and into the world of fitness. Recreationally I struggled with fear and doubt.
My practice changed over 10 years ago when it was necessary for me to undergo total bilateral hip replacement surgery, a byproduct of my dance years. My recovery was and continues to be spectacular – partly due to the expert medical skills and subsequent care of my orthopedist and physical therapist, and partly because of my overall excellent health and fitness. I determined then to dedicate my practice to helping others maximize their wellness potential. Let’s face it, bad things happen. But, if one approaches a physical or mental challenge as a fit individual in strength and confidence, surgery or other intervention becomes significantly more manageable and recovery expedited.
Today, my practice is different still! May I help you with yours?
Finally, I believe it is the obligation of the personal trainer to educate and inform clients. My hope is not to commit clients to regular personal training hours, but to empower them to continue on their own with personally excellent exercise and nutritional habits a permanent piece of their daily lives.
FAMILY – My goal is, and always has been, to be there for my children. Now I have added to that goal, I want to model for my children and my grandchildren what a life of deliberately consistent training produces in health, quality of life and in the sheer, daily exuberance of living.
*********************************************************************************