I gave a presentation today to an audience who know me more as a person and less as a trainer. To help them understand what Left Coast Fitness is all about (and therefore how I work), I wrote a “statement of philosophy” which I’ve expanded a bit here.
True fitness is as simple (though not necessarily as easy) as A,B,C
Awareness of how one’s body moves, how it goes through the day. I work with my clients to understand the ways their bodies have adapted to their life’s physical needs and challenges, ingrained body dynamics, sports-specific patterns, and the accommodations made to address injuries, muscular imbalances, etc.
Balance in diet, exercise, rest and relaxation is crucial to fitness and well-being. You can’t out-train a bad diet; you can’t build significant muscle without the right amount and type of nutritious food; you can’t repair and therefore build your body without sufficient rest; you can’t be complete without time to live beyond the gym or workout room.
Commitment to doing those things for oneself which promote a full and capable life. Too often people define goals for themselves which are fear based: working out to avoid an image in the mirror they find distasteful, trying to deny the days and years that the calendar shows them have gone by. Working towards a goal is sustainable; working towards something that provides capability or comfort is sustainable; ensuring that you are – to the best of your abilities – growing and thriving in whatever form that may take – that is sustainable.  I know many seniors well into their 70s and 80s who might not necessarily be training for the Olympics but they’re living as fully as they can to enjoy life and all it offers. In fact, they love life and accept all its challenges. I have had clients with severe physical challenges who were far more capable than others who were barely, shall we call it “cosmetically challenged”.  Don’t get me wrong, I love working with athletes and pushing them hard but I also love it when a client tells me she managed to walk up and down the many flights of stairs required to go to a show with her friends instead of sitting dejectedly at home and feeling victimized by “physical limitations”.

So, in what became a very large nutshell, that’s what Left Coast Fitness is about: Awareness, Balance, and Commitment.

Here’s to a great day and may you be well.