My fellow "CrossFit" coach, Danielle King, & I both thought we'd share with you why we workout, & love living a healthy lifestyle. Different women are motivated to workout for different reasons. Maybe you have kids, & it's about setting an example for them. Maybe you don't have kids, & it's about setting an example to your community. Whatever your motivation, it's important to find your "Why."
Human beings are motivated to perpetuate healthy habits when there's a reason behind it. It needs to make sense to our logical brain, just why we're getting up, when it's dark out, to make ourselves get "uncomfortable." And that's what fitness should be...a bit uncomfortable. If it's not, you're still within your comfort zone. The "comfort zone" is rarely a place where you see gains, & grow internally. It's important to find out who you are, outside your comfort zone. This is where you see progress, and growth. Not just externally, but internally as well.
Fitness, for me, is an outward manifestation of internal growth. The physical is just a reflection of hours of mental determination, & pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. I like to think of it at "The Tao Of Fitness." When I see someone whose fit, I can appreciate the anatomy and the physical beauty their body is an example of. What I really see, as a personal trainer & "CrossFit" coach, is beyond that. It's the hours of dedication, discipline and hard work that it's taken that person to get where they're at. The physical is just the shell. It's the mind that's been "harnessed," & controlled to do the will of the spirit. The spirit is a powerful thing, that drives the human being. In Chinese medicine we call it the "Zhi." It is the "Zhi" that makes you dig deep to find that "One More Rep." You could think of the "Zhi" as being slightly beyond the mental will. It's just a smidge beyond the word "willpower." It's the strength of the "Zhi" that will be the deciding factor in who stays alive, & who doesn't in a survival situation. It is important to harness the "Zhi," to discipline the physical body, & it's capabilities. It's the horse that drives the cart. Discipline the horse. The cart is pulled efficiently.
A powerful acupuncture point, that is considered the "seat" or the "house" of "Zhi," thereby affecting it's reserves, is GV-4. This point stimulates motivation, and drive to succeed. It's a point that is beneficial to be needled, by a licensed acupuncturist, before a sporting event, for extra motivation, determination and drive. It was a "secret house" point of the Shaolin martial artists in ancient China.
They knew of its abilities to procure, and strengthen the "Zhi."
Find your "Why" and dig deep to harness your "Zhi" this year. It's a fresh start to a new you. My mantra for this year is "NEW YEAR, NEW STRONG." I invite you to embrace your next level of "strong," increase your fitness in 2015...and embrace "Uncomfortable." Your growth there will yield more than you ever dreamed of.
Best Wishes For A Year Of Health & Fitness,
Almine Barton & Danielle King
HERE'S A FEW WORDS FROM DANIELLE:
I am sort of like George Washington being I cannot tell a lie. Well sometimes and one thing I cannot lie about are fitness and why and how I love fitness. In the beginning it wasn’t as if I had this great epiphany nor was I an awesome high school athlete. I haveto admit I had gained a few pounds and had what most would refer to as a mom body and I was ok with it. Well, ok with it isn’t and wasn’t enough for me so when a young lady practically talked me into taking her cross training class I reluctantly took her up on her offer. I mean seriously, most start working out to look hot so then it started!!Damn!! What am I doing here sweating, trembling and on the verge of vomiting? I am embarrassed, but Iwas more embarrassed at the weight I had gained and how I wasn’t eating properly so instead of… here goes nothing, wait here goes everything!!After the first few sessions I was hooked!! The sweating, the heavy lifting, the cheering, and the camaraderie it was all so amazing. After a few weeks I felt a change a change that I had never felt before.My body was different. I was both stronger and happier. This transformation wasn’t just physical but even more so mental. I felt like I could tackle the world. It was amazing, invigorating and quite frankly liberating feeling. These gym feats trickled over into other aspects of my life aand career. For instance, I stood taller, spoke with confidence and most importantly became a role model of health for my children especially my 14-year-old daughter. I want her to see me as strong and not afraid to lift heavy and train hard.
DANIELLE KING, "CrossFit" Coach, Certified Personal Trainer
ALMINE BARTON, "CrossFit" Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Licensed Acupuncturist
***HAPPY NEW YEAR***
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