The field of fitness is both an art and science. You must know the science to understand why you are doing something and what is going on in the body, but it’s not always so black and white. As you know, what works for one person may not work for another. We are different bodies that are made of different components. This is where the art of coaching comes into play.
Stories make real life a little more fun so I’m going to share a story with you that was shared with me at a conference this summer. It was about redwood trees. Yes, the really huge redwood trees. The ones that are over 300 feet tall and are the tallest trees on planet Earth! In 2004 I went to Muir Woods in CA to see the redwoods. I know I’m not very tall, but these trees made me feel like I was punie! We actually drove through one with our car. I tried to wrap my arms around one for effect, but I got lost in the tree bark! They are that huge! Although these trees grow super tall, their root system is really shallow. You would think that a tree that is over 300 feet tall would have a deep root system to hold it upright. Not so. The shallow roots of a redwood tree are intertwined with the shallow roots of other redwood trees. They create a network of roots that gives each of them strength to stand tall. This is what team work is about: Strengthening each other so that you are stronger as a unit than when standing alone. This is how I feel about the community inside the studio: we’re a team of strong redwoods that support each other. Even if clients don’t know someone’s name, they recognize their face. They share a smile to say hi or acknowledge a shared moment. When they’re doing an exercise together in a station that is challenging, they encourage each other even if they are silent. I see this strength every day in the studio. I see the bonds forming. I hear them ask about each other. I feel the connection. They are a team. WE are the 30MoE redwoods!