There are several ways people complete their squats, lunges, or carry their posture in a way that deters true strength and sculpting in the butt/thigh area...
#1 Mistake: Not warming up the glutes before lifting.
--> Complete exercises like good mornings, side to side steps with mini-band, and banded squats
#2 Mistake: Not knowing how to activate the glutes.
--> You have to tell your brain to fire the glutes at first, before it becomes habit. (band exercises are great for this, as well as consciously telling yourself to use them)
#3 Mistake: Squatting or Lunging wrong.
--> Most people do not push their butt's back far enough to squat or lunge. They let their knees cave in and forward and therefore fall into the trap of "My knees hurt when I squat!" Squat to a lower target behind you when first learning to squat. A ball, a box, a low bench are all great targets to squat too.
I had a tea date with a friend yesterday afternoon. My friend is working her way through Wellness Coaching, and I've agreed to be her guinea pig for a few months. And quite honestly, it has been great for me.
Sometimes you don't realize how strong you are and have to be for everyone around you...until you try to tell someone else what your struggle is or what you've dealt with so far that day, or week...who isn't inside your "inner circle" and already knows. And they become almost overwhelmed and need to take a break...mid-convo...
And after we got into the session and the initial conversation over with...she asked me bluntly, "do you REALLY think you are CALLED to be a fitness trainer?"
And I was almost taken aback. Umm, yes. It's what excites me, it's what I'm passionate about, it's who I am. What I do. What I'm known for. It's in my soul.
And then she hits me with this: "you spend SO much more time investing in PEOPLE...as in, you go straight for the heart of the matter, from what I've observed. You get to know people. Like really know them, know them. People have this attraction to you because of your vulnerability...and understanding. When I hear you talk about people, it's NEVER related to their fitness ability or lately lift...it's about their struggle or frustration that you want guidance helping them with..."
She asked if that sounded accurate. I said yes.
She said, "did you notice I didn't mention one thing about exercise or fitness in that entire statement? Has it occurred to you ever, that you use fitness as a platform...or maybe you don't even know you do...BUT that YOUR true calling might be, in fact, helping women find themselves again??! As in, learning to value their own worth. Seeing themselves as enough. And realizing their struggle is OK. You have a gift of encouragement. And a sensitivity to know what women are really dealing with before they even tell you.
I'm going to go so far as to say, "people aren't drawn to you for your fitness know-how (typically), or for your muscles, or strength...they are actually drawn to you for heart, your humility, and your courage....WHICH come only from your ability to be vulnerable..."
And THAT is not normal in today's society for women.
So she asked me point blank if I'm hiding behind my fitness as my calling? Or if I had ever really stepped back, removed fitness from the forefront of my assumptions, and REALLY spent time learning what I am on this planet for. What my impact will be. Or is, currently.
And it has my mind going 1000 different ways. I don't know any of those answers. But I also hadn't ever really stepped back and asked myself why I truly love fitness and coaching fitness, before.
But one thing I have gotten clarity on...is it's NOT the fitness. Otherwise I wouldn't be content coaching so many variations of fitness for people in so many ways. CrossFit. Powerlifting. Oly Lifting. Running. Beachbody. Adaptive folks...
People ask me all the time why I coach exercise. Why I love exercise. And how I stay motivated.
And to be completely honest, it's because of what I experience from it. From my own personal gains. My experiences with other people's success with exercise. But most importantly the changes people have because of their commitment to fitness...
I wrote this series awhile back and want to share it all with you!
Here's Part I...
OVERCOMERS> I am going to be sharing a series of overcoming
stories for the next few weeks that are of friends and family who have
used exercise as a resource for recovery. Whatever it may be.
Addiction. Death. Infertility. Depression. Hurts. Pains. Fear. And many
more...
I hope you will listen in, follow along because if you
want to discuss non-scale victories. Pay attention. There is a whole
other realm to fitness and health and what it can be for you and I.
Tonight's story is: Joey Siela.
I met Joey at a CrossFit competition last fall. I was intrigued. He
is what we call "virtuous" as an athlete. All in. Focused. Determined.
Intense. Yet makes it look easy. I could sense there was something
behind that intensity. Something more. Something beyond maybe even
him. But I could feel it. Knew it. So I asked. And this is his
story. I wrote this story to appear in the #CrossFit journal but have chosen to share it here instead...
Joey Siela has been clean since April 16, 2011. A year and a half
before he walked into B-Fit CrossFit. The night of April 15, Siela got
as loaded as he could on drugs to try and wipe away the pain he felt
from his girlfriend leaving him and taking his two kids. The use of
mind-altering drugs worked the past 16 years to avoid pain, but this
night it would not. He went to his first recovery meeting the following
night and never looked back. Siela’s recovery process is the only way
his CrossFit experience is possible. The 12-step fellowship program
Siela’s following for his drug addiction and Crossfit have lots of
similarities--his recovery program consists of a bunch of people thrust
together from diverse backgrounds with one common bond of addiction
bringing them together. On the other hand, his new CrossFit gym, #HIDDENGYM,
and its community represents a common bond of fitness and
competitiveness. His recovery program and his CrossFit gym filled the
voids he was seeking before in drugs...they replaced his "high."
In addition, he says his recovery is a process that is always evolving
and never ending-much like CrossFit. Siela shares his experience of
recovery and CrossFit in prisons, jails, and recovery centers-and he
credits the #HIDDENGYM community for helping push him inside and outside
of the walls of the gym.
Now he’s using the #HIDDENGYM
movement to help others in need. As people have so generously given to
him and helped him, he's ready to do the same. He is an amazing
athlete. Dad. And soon to be husband. Owner of his own construction
business.
And an amazing #overcomer.
