Find Your Strength Ah-Ha Moment

I find that most of my clients start Pilates or strength training because they’ve had an “ah-ha!” moment about how they want to feel. My running coach calls it athletic maturity, but you can be any age when it happens and for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it’s due to circumstances out of your control, or maybe age and life have just caught up with you. You can even find your strength inspiration multiple times throughout your life, like I have.

Get Strong for Longevity

A new client came in the other day for her very first session of Pilates, and we talked about why she decided to give it a try. We have a lot in common, as she’s a few years older than me with young adult children. She’s always been active in sports but has been experiencing the changes that all women experience in their forties and fifties. She’s gained some weight, lost some muscle mass, and also strength due to that.

My favourite thing she said was that even though she has gained weight, her goal isn’t to lose it. She knows that she eats healthy, drinks enough water, and sleeps well. Rather, her goal is to get stronger so she can keep doing the sports and activities she loves the most, and feel good doing them. Sure, if she loses weight in the process, she’ll take it, but it’s not her focus. I love this mindset! I’m in a similar time of my life, as are many of my friends and clients, and they all say the same thing: they want to feel good and strong for longevity. 

Get Strong to Reduce Pain

I talk a lot about Pilates and strength training being essential to reduce age-related or running pain, but you can be any age when you realise you need to get stronger. My twenty-two year old daughter is very active and keeps a healthy weight without much effort (oh, to be in my twenties again!). Since starting university, however, the hours of lectures, studying, and homework have given her a lot of back pain, neck pain, and even migraines. 

With the help of her physiotherapist, she’s realised that she needs to build a stronger core and back to improve her posture. If her body can support a better sitting position rather than hunching over books all the time, she can reduce or eliminate the pain. Strength is what she needs! 

Get Strong Through Life Stages

I had a huge realisation that I needed to get stronger after having my third daughter. I did feel it after each child of course, but after number three I was feeling the wear and tear that my body had gone through. Pregnancy, childbirth, hormone changes, carrying babies and toddlers around, lack of sleep, weight fluctuations… It takes a toll on our bodies. So when my third daughter was two or three, I decided that enough was enough, and it was time to feel better and strong in my body again. 

Find Your Strength by Surprise

Ages and stages are common reasons that people discover they want or need to be stronger, but experiencing unexpected circumstances is just as common. I see lots of clients that need to get stronger because of a sports injury, workplace accident, motor vehicle accident, stroke, cancer, or surgery. None of these are fun reasons to be working out, but building strength is necessary to speed their recovery and even help to avoid future injuries. 

Get Strong to Feel GOOD

Thinking back to before marriage and children, I worked out a lot. I was also super busy with school, juggling multiple jobs, and planning a wedding. At the time, I didn’t feel the need to be strong, but I still wanted to feel good in my skin. And that’s really what Pilates and strength training do: help you feel good and keep doing the things you want to do. 

My wish for you is that you can incorporate Pilates and strength training into your life. I want you to feel the benefits of being stronger and then celebrate that by doing the things you love to do. Whatever your reason to get strong, I see you – and I’m here to help.