WATCH ANA’S AB SERIES WITH SHOULDER STABILITY!

I learned Thomas Reid’s ‘weak link’ concept 30 years ago, in my competitive synchro days.

The team members were of different levels. So our success as a team depended on our weakest swimmer – the weakest link.

This is also true of your body: you are only as strong as your weakest muscle. I know from experience that we avoid working on the weakest muscle. Human nature means we do what we enjoy and are good at, rather than what causes pain or feels awkward.

So I’ve experienced my fair share of injuries.  It was always the same cycle: injure, rehabilitate, let the daily work slide…and injure again.

I had forgotten from my synchro days that to meet competitive demands, the team trained daily, not weekly, and with appropriate volume and intensity.

Same thing with the body: you must condition your muscles, bones and joints for life’s  daily demands. If most of what you do each day is sit, you must invest workout time to strengthen your weaknesses!

Since June 2019, I have dedicated more time to my own workouts, increasing volume and intensity, solely to work on my weaknesses.  (Total transparency: previous to this, my workouts consisted of the classes I was teaching…insert shocked and embarrassed emoji.)

I’m not the unicorns and rainbows cheerleader type. I simply knew I needed to be in better shape to keep up with the demands of my daily life and teaching. So I committed to a routine and listened to my body.  I tried not to overdo it when my body said “that’s enough for today”. I also started daily restorative practices, because an increase in load needs the balance of release work.

I am stronger today than I was a year ago, maybe even a decade ago. I remain committed to my own workouts: by better managing the aches and pains, I can better meet the demands of my daily life and work.

So while you are stuck around your house, I challenge you to get stronger or more mobile each day. You have the opportunity to better understand your body’s weak spots. Take a Core Principles or Strong Spines class, do some release work in a Restorative class, or challenge yourself in a more advanced class.

There is a great depth of teachers at Retrofit, available online (either in classes or through private sessions) to help strengthen your weak links!  Daily practice builds strength and endurance.

While rest is necessary, once-a-week work outs will not keep the aches and pains away. In this case, more is better to stay fit and live your best life!