• The #1 thing you need to know before you ski:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ You ARE going to fall! The combination of snow, slippery things on our feet, and speed makes falling inevitable... ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ but I don't say that to scare you!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I say it to prepare you.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The ability to fall *and not get hurt* is critical for skiing, snowboarding, and all the winter sports. And what's key for this get-back-up-ability?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 1) Strength. Full body functional strength is what helps our body be resilient to injury when the unexpected happens. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 2) Practice. We can build muscle memory for recovering from slips & falling safely.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 3) Luck. Of course there is an element of unpredictability & luck in the mountains, and even with the best preparations sh*t happens. If you've been injured, please don't blame yourself.⁣⁣ Learn and adapt moving forward, but no retrospective blame. ⁣⁣ One of the things I appreciate about winter sports is how they force you to become okay with falling, which sometimes feels like failure, and if you're someone who has trouble failing it might push your buttons & you might hate it. But learning to fail well is a critical life skill if we're going to live wholehearted, brave lives. And skiing can help us practice.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ So, in the spirit of doing what we can to prevent injuries, and going into winter prepared for the inevitable falls, I've got something for you. It's a FREE 3-part training to help you check-in on your body & mind, & see how ready you are for winter.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Head to the link in my bio to get it! And give me a 🙌 if you're ready to fall this winter 🤣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣#smhtraining #skibabes #falling #failure⁣⁣ #functionaltraining #thisisalaska ⁣⁣
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    The #1 thing you need to know before you ski:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ You ARE going to fall! The combination of snow, slippery things on our feet, and speed makes falling inevitable... ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ but I don't say that to scare you!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I say it to prepare you.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The ability to fall *and not get hurt* is critical for skiing, snowboarding, and all the winter sports. And what's key for this get-back-up-ability?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 1) Strength. Full body functional strength is what helps our body be resilient to injury when the unexpected happens. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 2) Practice. We can build muscle memory for recovering from slips & falling safely.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 3) Luck. Of course there is an element of unpredictability & luck in the mountains, and even with the best preparations sh*t happens. If you've been injured, please don't blame yourself.⁣⁣ Learn and adapt moving forward, but no retrospective blame. ⁣⁣ One of the things I appreciate about winter sports is how they force you to become okay with falling, which sometimes feels like failure, and if you're someone who has trouble failing it might push your buttons & you might hate it. But learning to fail well is a critical life skill if we're going to live wholehearted, brave lives. And skiing can help us practice.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ So, in the spirit of doing what we can to prevent injuries, and going into winter prepared for the inevitable falls, I've got something for you. It's a FREE 3-part training to help you check-in on your body & mind, & see how ready you are for winter.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Head to the link in my bio to get it! And give me a 🙌 if you're ready to fall this winter 🤣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣#smhtraining #skibabes #falling #failure⁣⁣ #functionaltraining #thisisalaska ⁣⁣
  • Are you *sure* you're ready for winter?⁣ ⁣ Because it's coming! The colors are changing fast here, and evenings are dark for the first time in months. Equinox is right around the corner, and I've been spotting termination dust on the mountain tops.⁣ ⁣ If you're a winter sports person, this means that it's time to 1) get excited! and 2) start making the transition to ❄️winter strength❄️⁣ ⁣ Just like you need winter tires and summer tires for your car, winter strength isn't the same thing as summer strength. In the winter, we have to navigate slippery surfaces (and we do sports that involve traveling on slippery skis & snowboards, on those slippery surfaces!)⁣ ⁣ ⚖️In winter, our stabilizer muscles (the little ones that help stabilize our joints) are extra challenged from managing to keep us upright when we're on unstable surfaces.⁣ ⛸️Our likelihood to fall is increased in the winter, so we need to be extra resilient to a falling, & able to easily & safely get back up.⁣ ⛷️And we're super prone to knee injuries in the winter... especially you womxn skiers out there. ACL tears are the most common skiing injury 🙅no bueno! 🙅⁣ ⁣ I created a tool that will make assessing your winter strength levels easy for you, and it's going out tomorrow to everyone who is on the Ski Babes VIP List. ⁣ ⁣ Follow the link in my bio to get in on it!⁣ ⁣ #skibabes #smhtraining #aclprevention #backcountryskiing #snowboarding #nordork #nordicskiing #prehab ⁣ ⁣
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    Are you *sure* you're ready for winter?⁣ ⁣ Because it's coming! The colors are changing fast here, and evenings are dark for the first time in months. Equinox is right around the corner, and I've been spotting termination dust on the mountain tops.⁣ ⁣ If you're a winter sports person, this means that it's time to 1) get excited! and 2) start making the transition to ❄️winter strength❄️⁣ ⁣ Just like you need winter tires and summer tires for your car, winter strength isn't the same thing as summer strength. In the winter, we have to navigate slippery surfaces (and we do sports that involve traveling on slippery skis & snowboards, on those slippery surfaces!)⁣ ⁣ ⚖️In winter, our stabilizer muscles (the little ones that help stabilize our joints) are extra challenged from managing to keep us upright when we're on unstable surfaces.⁣ ⛸️Our likelihood to fall is increased in the winter, so we need to be extra resilient to a falling, & able to easily & safely get back up.⁣ ⛷️And we're super prone to knee injuries in the winter... especially you womxn skiers out there. ACL tears are the most common skiing injury 🙅no bueno! 🙅⁣ ⁣ I created a tool that will make assessing your winter strength levels easy for you, and it's going out tomorrow to everyone who is on the Ski Babes VIP List. ⁣ ⁣ Follow the link in my bio to get in on it!⁣ ⁣ #skibabes #smhtraining #aclprevention #backcountryskiing #snowboarding #nordork #nordicskiing #prehab ⁣ ⁣
  • Happy FriYAY! What are you celebrating today?⁣ ⁣ Big or small, anything counts! From a social justice perspective, celebration is an act of liberation from patriarchal norms that teach us that things have to be extraordinary, groundbreaking, or perfect in order to be celebration-worthy. And taking time to celebrate the small things is what keeps us inspired about the long-game in this work.⁣ ⁣ In the mental health world, celebration helps us recognize the things that 𝐚𝐫𝐞 going well, and over time this can help us rewrite out of our brain’s negativity bias. And it helps get the happy chemicals flowing in our brain. ⁣ ⁣ There’s a lot to celebrate today, when you stop to look around. Obviously there's also a lot of f’d up stuff going on in the world too, don’t get me wrong. That stuff needs our event & attention too. But not all of it. Today, let’s take a moment to recognize & celebrate something that’s going right. ⁣ ⁣ I’m celebrating paying off some big bills, finishing up the Summer Strong session, the House voting to protect the Arctic Refuge, making small progress on my handstand, fresh #alaskagrown carrots, and having a lightbulb moment in therapy yesterday. ⁣ ⁣ What are you celebrating today?? ✨🎊🍾🎈🙌🏔⁣ ⁣ #smhtraining #mindsetmatters⁣ #mentalhealthmatters #liberation #thelonggame #celebration #friyay
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    Happy FriYAY! What are you celebrating today?⁣ ⁣ Big or small, anything counts! From a social justice perspective, celebration is an act of liberation from patriarchal norms that teach us that things have to be extraordinary, groundbreaking, or perfect in order to be celebration-worthy. And taking time to celebrate the small things is what keeps us inspired about the long-game in this work.⁣ ⁣ In the mental health world, celebration helps us recognize the things that 𝐚𝐫𝐞 going well, and over time this can help us rewrite out of our brain’s negativity bias. And it helps get the happy chemicals flowing in our brain. ⁣ ⁣ There’s a lot to celebrate today, when you stop to look around. Obviously there's also a lot of f’d up stuff going on in the world too, don’t get me wrong. That stuff needs our event & attention too. But not all of it. Today, let’s take a moment to recognize & celebrate something that’s going right. ⁣ ⁣ I’m celebrating paying off some big bills, finishing up the Summer Strong session, the House voting to protect the Arctic Refuge, making small progress on my handstand, fresh #alaskagrown carrots, and having a lightbulb moment in therapy yesterday. ⁣ ⁣ What are you celebrating today?? ✨🎊🍾🎈🙌🏔⁣ ⁣ #smhtraining #mindsetmatters⁣ #mentalhealthmatters #liberation #thelonggame #celebration #friyay
  • Strong womxn climbing! 💪💪🏻💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿 Some lessons I've learned from walking uphill: 🦶🏼One step at a time will get you there. 💁‍♀️It's important to take breaks. 🍑The butt is the boss. ⏱It doesn't matter how long it takes. 💃Moving is winning. 🏔The work is always worth it. ✨______________ (add yours) #skibabes #summerstrong #smhtraining #naturelessons #strongwomen #alaska
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    Strong womxn climbing! 💪💪🏻💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿 Some lessons I've learned from walking uphill: 🦶🏼One step at a time will get you there. 💁‍♀️It's important to take breaks. 🍑The butt is the boss. ⏱It doesn't matter how long it takes. 💃Moving is winning. 🏔The work is always worth it. ✨______________ (add yours) #skibabes #summerstrong #smhtraining #naturelessons #strongwomen #alaska
  • I almost didn't go on this trip! I'd been in a funk, feeling tired, recovering from sickness & frustrated with myself & my [lack of] ability to keep up with my friends. It felt easier to say no & stay home. Luckily the proposed trip was of the easier sort, the friends were encouraging, and the part of me that knew I'd feel better AFTER getting outside was loud enough to be heard. And you can tell from this pic that it was absolutely right! After a few days of moving outside, my body felt better, my energy rose, and my mental space was much much much improved. There is so much potential for healing in both movement and nature... and the two together:🔥✨🦋! Have you experienced this as well? I'd love to hear about it. #mentalhealthmatters #natureheals #smhtraining #summerstrong #skibabes #thisisalaska #wildernesstherapy
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    I almost didn't go on this trip! I'd been in a funk, feeling tired, recovering from sickness & frustrated with myself & my [lack of] ability to keep up with my friends. It felt easier to say no & stay home. Luckily the proposed trip was of the easier sort, the friends were encouraging, and the part of me that knew I'd feel better AFTER getting outside was loud enough to be heard. And you can tell from this pic that it was absolutely right! After a few days of moving outside, my body felt better, my energy rose, and my mental space was much much much improved. There is so much potential for healing in both movement and nature... and the two together:🔥✨🦋! Have you experienced this as well? I'd love to hear about it. #mentalhealthmatters #natureheals #smhtraining #summerstrong #skibabes #thisisalaska #wildernesstherapy
  • Leg Extensions: practice for bushwacking, breaking trail, and walking upstream in water. This is a favorite exercise for it's direct applicability to the very strange things we ask our bodies to do, especially those of you doing off-trail backcountry type things. Do this experiment with me -- practice this exercise at home, and then next time you're walking through dwarf-birch or any kind of brush that grabs at your ankles & tries to trip you up, see if you can feel the resonance. Or, since winter is coming, if it's your turn to break trail this one will come in handy I promise! And even if there’s no trail breaking or bushwhacking in your future, leg extensions (when practiced with focus on form & body-awareness) can help us all learn to let our core muscles help out our hip flexors, and challenge balance along the way which is always fun. Form tips: -- Even out your hips and engage core muscles. Once core is stable, see if you can soften your hip flexors a little bit & allow the core do more of the lifting work. -- Soften the knee of your standing leg, and press evenly through all four corners of your grounded foot. Notice how the weight in that foot shifts around as you move through the exercise. -- Use your eye gaze to focus on a non-moving point out in front of you - will help with balance. This also helps when you're crossing that river I mentioned earlier - find a non-moving point on the side you're headed to & focus your eyes there! -- Super-squeeze your quad muscle & press out through the heel of the lifted foot. -- Slowly release each contraction, allowing the heel to return toward the glute with smooth control while knee stays raised. Practice makes perfect! And training these muscles inside, in a controlled manner, can help us break old less-functional movement patterns & set up new, aligned ones that will help when we need it in the mountains. Emojis please if you've done this exercise or want to! #skibabes #smhtraining #summerstrong #alaska #backcountryskiing #breakingtrail #yougotthis
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    Leg Extensions: practice for bushwacking, breaking trail, and walking upstream in water. This is a favorite exercise for it's direct applicability to the very strange things we ask our bodies to do, especially those of you doing off-trail backcountry type things. Do this experiment with me -- practice this exercise at home, and then next time you're walking through dwarf-birch or any kind of brush that grabs at your ankles & tries to trip you up, see if you can feel the resonance. Or, since winter is coming, if it's your turn to break trail this one will come in handy I promise! And even if there’s no trail breaking or bushwhacking in your future, leg extensions (when practiced with focus on form & body-awareness) can help us all learn to let our core muscles help out our hip flexors, and challenge balance along the way which is always fun. Form tips: -- Even out your hips and engage core muscles. Once core is stable, see if you can soften your hip flexors a little bit & allow the core do more of the lifting work. -- Soften the knee of your standing leg, and press evenly through all four corners of your grounded foot. Notice how the weight in that foot shifts around as you move through the exercise. -- Use your eye gaze to focus on a non-moving point out in front of you - will help with balance. This also helps when you're crossing that river I mentioned earlier - find a non-moving point on the side you're headed to & focus your eyes there! -- Super-squeeze your quad muscle & press out through the heel of the lifted foot. -- Slowly release each contraction, allowing the heel to return toward the glute with smooth control while knee stays raised. Practice makes perfect! And training these muscles inside, in a controlled manner, can help us break old less-functional movement patterns & set up new, aligned ones that will help when we need it in the mountains. Emojis please if you've done this exercise or want to! #skibabes #smhtraining #summerstrong #alaska #backcountryskiing #breakingtrail #yougotthis
  • A near-miss in the mountains The other day I had a backpacking near-miss...I bet you know the kind! This sort of thing happens to us all the time outside: one foot slipped, I was headed to the ground fast, then somehow caught myself on my other foot with the help of a trekking pole and a bunch of good luck. The big, jerky, twist of my body as I caught my off-balance bodyweight (loaded backpack weight!) wrenched on my knee & spine in a way that didn't feel great... but, thankfully, after regaining my balance & checking out my tweaked parts, I was completely fine. If you're like me, this kind of thing happens pretty much every time you're outside. We're walking on uneven & unstable surfaces, through brush, not always able to see your feet, and getting more & more tired as the day goes on. It's inevitable that slips, trips, and falls happen when we're playing outside. I've started to recognize that the major benefit of being strong, having healthy connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, & fascia), and having prepared your body for anything that comes its way, is that when that unexpected thing happens, we can bounce back from it without it being worse than it needs to be. A slip is just a slip, not a new back injury. A quick twist might feel funky, but doesn't tear a muscle. And a near miss is near miss, not a torn ACL -- which is what it felt like could have happened with mine if my body hadn't been able to absorb the force of my slip last week. So here's a big thank you to our strength, connective tissue health, and overall body resilience for helping us bounce back from the slips, trips, and falls that are inevitable in the outdoors. Have you had a near-miss lately? What body part saved you? #skibabes #summerstrong #functionalfitness #alaska #backcountrycamping #smhtraining #thisispackrafting #mountainstories #yougotthis photo cred: @mslater2
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    A near-miss in the mountains The other day I had a backpacking near-miss...I bet you know the kind! This sort of thing happens to us all the time outside: one foot slipped, I was headed to the ground fast, then somehow caught myself on my other foot with the help of a trekking pole and a bunch of good luck. The big, jerky, twist of my body as I caught my off-balance bodyweight (loaded backpack weight!) wrenched on my knee & spine in a way that didn't feel great... but, thankfully, after regaining my balance & checking out my tweaked parts, I was completely fine. If you're like me, this kind of thing happens pretty much every time you're outside. We're walking on uneven & unstable surfaces, through brush, not always able to see your feet, and getting more & more tired as the day goes on. It's inevitable that slips, trips, and falls happen when we're playing outside. I've started to recognize that the major benefit of being strong, having healthy connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, & fascia), and having prepared your body for anything that comes its way, is that when that unexpected thing happens, we can bounce back from it without it being worse than it needs to be. A slip is just a slip, not a new back injury. A quick twist might feel funky, but doesn't tear a muscle. And a near miss is near miss, not a torn ACL -- which is what it felt like could have happened with mine if my body hadn't been able to absorb the force of my slip last week. So here's a big thank you to our strength, connective tissue health, and overall body resilience for helping us bounce back from the slips, trips, and falls that are inevitable in the outdoors. Have you had a near-miss lately? What body part saved you? #skibabes #summerstrong #functionalfitness #alaska #backcountrycamping #smhtraining #thisispackrafting #mountainstories #yougotthis photo cred: @mslater2
  • Do you suffer from perfect weekend planning pressure?⁠ ⁠ Planning for the weekend can be a major source of stress! Strange irony, isn't it? These few days off of work to do whatever we want with can end up feeling quite tough to use in the right way.⁠ ⁠ It can feel even harder at the end of the summer, when it's clear that we don't have that many weekends left before the snow flies... ⁠ ⁠ Do we rest & tackle the to-do list, or go on an adventure? What kind of adventure? A challenging one, or a relaxing, easier one? Which sport? Where is the weather going to be the best? What's the right work to play ratio? Who should we go with?⁠ ⁠ It's so easy to get caught thinking that there is such a thing as the perfect weekend plans, that give everyone in the group exactly what they're looking for.⁠ ⁠ But in reality the planning process is all guesswork, and we can't really know what we're getting ourselves into. And with different people, with different needs & wants from their time off, it can get really tricky really fast.⁠ ⁠ I don't have any answers for this one yet, but instead some ideas about how to take the pressure off: ⁠ ➡️it can be super helpful to remember when you're struggling to decide between two things that likely they're both good choices, and either one will work out. If one of your choices was 'wrong,' you wouldn't be struggling with the decision.⁠ ➡️remember that planning is just guessing, and that there's no way to guess 100% correctly all the time. It might be helpful to think of it as an experiment instead, pick something, see what happens, and use that info next time. It's all data!⁠ ➡️check in with yourself, and get clear on what YOU want from your days off. Then communicate your wishes clearly with those you're planning with.⁠ ⁠ What are YOU up to this weekend?⁠ ⁠ #summerstrong #smhtraining #mindsetmatters #mentalhealthmatters #weekendplanning #outdoorrecreation #alaska #alaskasummer #summerisalmostover #labordayweekend⁠
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    Do you suffer from perfect weekend planning pressure?⁠ ⁠ Planning for the weekend can be a major source of stress! Strange irony, isn't it? These few days off of work to do whatever we want with can end up feeling quite tough to use in the right way.⁠ ⁠ It can feel even harder at the end of the summer, when it's clear that we don't have that many weekends left before the snow flies... ⁠ ⁠ Do we rest & tackle the to-do list, or go on an adventure? What kind of adventure? A challenging one, or a relaxing, easier one? Which sport? Where is the weather going to be the best? What's the right work to play ratio? Who should we go with?⁠ ⁠ It's so easy to get caught thinking that there is such a thing as the perfect weekend plans, that give everyone in the group exactly what they're looking for.⁠ ⁠ But in reality the planning process is all guesswork, and we can't really know what we're getting ourselves into. And with different people, with different needs & wants from their time off, it can get really tricky really fast.⁠ ⁠ I don't have any answers for this one yet, but instead some ideas about how to take the pressure off: ⁠ ➡️it can be super helpful to remember when you're struggling to decide between two things that likely they're both good choices, and either one will work out. If one of your choices was 'wrong,' you wouldn't be struggling with the decision.⁠ ➡️remember that planning is just guessing, and that there's no way to guess 100% correctly all the time. It might be helpful to think of it as an experiment instead, pick something, see what happens, and use that info next time. It's all data!⁠ ➡️check in with yourself, and get clear on what YOU want from your days off. Then communicate your wishes clearly with those you're planning with.⁠ ⁠ What are YOU up to this weekend?⁠ ⁠ #summerstrong #smhtraining #mindsetmatters #mentalhealthmatters #weekendplanning #outdoorrecreation #alaska #alaskasummer #summerisalmostover #labordayweekend⁠
  • Tricks for getting moving when you just don't feel like it: First off, let's normalize this feeling & take away any judgements you might have about it. It's totally normal to feel like you don't want to move, even if you know it's good for you & you'll feel better after you start. Nothing is wrong with you. You're not messed up or weird. Don't feel like it happens to all of us... but we don't always want to let that part of the brain run the ship. Here's what's likely happening, and a few tricks to try to bypass the part of your brain that wants the short-term rewards of Netflix & gummy bears (nothing against those two at all of course, there's a time for them too!): ❌ Mental fatigue. You've been working all day & your brain is tired, even if your body isn't. ✅ Solution: make it EASY. You need someone to tell you what to do so that you don't have to make any more decisions. Stream a workout video, go to a class, or hire a trainer. ❌ Rebelliousness. You spend much of your time staying disciplined at work, being the responsible adult, & taking care others, your discipline muscles are shot. ✅ Solution: find the FUN. Remember that movement can be a get-to, not a have-to, and there's no right way to move. Put on a favorite high-energy song & dance silly to it. Find a friend to move with so you can enjoy the social benefits as well. ✅ Bonus solution: REWARD yourself. Create positive associations with finishing a workout-it gives you something to look forward to AND makes it easier to start next time. Give yourself a gold star (literally -- I mail out star charts & stickers with my workouts!) Get a real-life high five from a friend. Do a mini-celebration dance. Anything that makes you smile counts. ❌Overwhelm. You've got a million things on your to-do list & movement is just one more of them. ✅ Solution: LOWER the barrier to entry. Commit to just the warmup, & see how you feel after that much (often once we're moving, it's easier to keep moving). Shorten the time of your workouts, & raise the intensity. Which ones work for you? Have your own to add to the list? Let me know! #smhtraining #motivation #mindsetmatters #functionalfitness #yougotthis
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    Tricks for getting moving when you just don't feel like it: First off, let's normalize this feeling & take away any judgements you might have about it. It's totally normal to feel like you don't want to move, even if you know it's good for you & you'll feel better after you start. Nothing is wrong with you. You're not messed up or weird. Don't feel like it happens to all of us... but we don't always want to let that part of the brain run the ship. Here's what's likely happening, and a few tricks to try to bypass the part of your brain that wants the short-term rewards of Netflix & gummy bears (nothing against those two at all of course, there's a time for them too!): ❌ Mental fatigue. You've been working all day & your brain is tired, even if your body isn't. ✅ Solution: make it EASY. You need someone to tell you what to do so that you don't have to make any more decisions. Stream a workout video, go to a class, or hire a trainer. ❌ Rebelliousness. You spend much of your time staying disciplined at work, being the responsible adult, & taking care others, your discipline muscles are shot. ✅ Solution: find the FUN. Remember that movement can be a get-to, not a have-to, and there's no right way to move. Put on a favorite high-energy song & dance silly to it. Find a friend to move with so you can enjoy the social benefits as well. ✅ Bonus solution: REWARD yourself. Create positive associations with finishing a workout-it gives you something to look forward to AND makes it easier to start next time. Give yourself a gold star (literally -- I mail out star charts & stickers with my workouts!) Get a real-life high five from a friend. Do a mini-celebration dance. Anything that makes you smile counts. ❌Overwhelm. You've got a million things on your to-do list & movement is just one more of them. ✅ Solution: LOWER the barrier to entry. Commit to just the warmup, & see how you feel after that much (often once we're moving, it's easier to keep moving). Shorten the time of your workouts, & raise the intensity. Which ones work for you? Have your own to add to the list? Let me know! #smhtraining #motivation #mindsetmatters #functionalfitness #yougotthis
  • Start before you're ready -@marieforleo As a recovering perfectionist, this has been a helpful mantra. If we're waiting until we're GOOD at something to start it, we're going to be waiting a loooong time! I've been reflecting on this concept this week as we make some major upgrades to our living room/recording studio's lighting system (no more DIY shop-lights on a bike stand here!) If we'd tried to make it this fancy when I was first getting started, I'd have gotten overwhelmed (I already was overwhelmed!)... but now I've got the important stuff running smoothly, & have freed up some bandwidth to focus on upgrading the finer details. Looking back at my vids from 2 years ago, it's obvious I've come a long way! Thanks to those of you who have been with me from the beginning & have witnessed the progress. I'm SO glad I started then, so I can be where I am at with things now: very proud of what I'm putting out there, both in content & in video quality. If you've got something that you've been waiting for the perfect conditions to start, here's your gentle nudge to consider going for it, sooner than later. You can always learn & adjust along the way, but if you never start, you'll never know. High fives please for starting before you're ready! 🙌 #summerstrong #inspiration #instainspo #alaska #brooksrange #diy #startbeforeyoureready
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    Start before you're ready [email protected] As a recovering perfectionist, this has been a helpful mantra. If we're waiting until we're GOOD at something to start it, we're going to be waiting a loooong time! I've been reflecting on this concept this week as we make some major upgrades to our living room/recording studio's lighting system (no more DIY shop-lights on a bike stand here!) If we'd tried to make it this fancy when I was first getting started, I'd have gotten overwhelmed (I already was overwhelmed!)... but now I've got the important stuff running smoothly, & have freed up some bandwidth to focus on upgrading the finer details. Looking back at my vids from 2 years ago, it's obvious I've come a long way! Thanks to those of you who have been with me from the beginning & have witnessed the progress. I'm SO glad I started then, so I can be where I am at with things now: very proud of what I'm putting out there, both in content & in video quality. If you've got something that you've been waiting for the perfect conditions to start, here's your gentle nudge to consider going for it, sooner than later. You can always learn & adjust along the way, but if you never start, you'll never know. High fives please for starting before you're ready! 🙌 #summerstrong #inspiration #instainspo #alaska #brooksrange #diy #startbeforeyoureready
  • Worth bending over for! - @lbhboyd⁠ ⁠ ⁠
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    Worth bending over for! - @lbhboyd⁠ ⁠ ⁠
  • For anyone who hates being the slowest in the group ...you're not alone! I struggle with it too, and so do most of my friends, trip partners, and workout buddies. Last weekend I had a close-up encounter with what I call Weakest Link Syndrome and felt it hard. Most of the time I can handle WLS just fine, using the mindset strategies I practice & teach... but this weekend's experience reminded me that it's all a practice & I'm not perfect yet. I'm exploring this dynamic in detail these days, since not everyone struggles in this role & I want to be one of those people! Especially now that I'm married to @lucmehl, one of the speedy guys, and don't often find myself at the front of the pack anymore! In breaking this down, I've seen some contributing factors to WLS: -- When we're tired. It's way easier to manage mindset when we're well-rested, much harder when the body (and mind) is worn out. -- When our expectation management was off-track. My example? I was expecting an easy trail & no problem keeping up, as one friend is pregnant... but turns out trail was rocky & overgrown, and she's stronger than ever despite her pregnancy (& was faster running than I was on my bike)! #humbling -- When we haven't been practicing. Last year I biked a lot, but this year I've only been out a few times. Turns out my skills aren't where they used to be! But it's easy for my mind to still want to be where I was last year. And primary strategies for managing WLS (practice daily for best results!): -- Watch how you talk to yourself. Instead of i suck at this maybe I'm learning, getting better -- Adjust expectations. Often our expectations are off, and it can create a bunch of frustration. Check in with what's actually true, & work to accept & adapt to actual reality. -- Slow the F down. When we feel like we're behind, we often stress out & try to speed up, which just makes us more tired & more stressed. -- Think about how you feel when you're with a slower friend. Most of the time it's not impatient & frustrated, but instead compassionate & caring. Can you relate? Got something to add to the list? #summerstrong #outdoorinspiration #mindset #weakestlinksyndrome
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    For anyone who hates being the slowest in the group ...you're not alone! I struggle with it too, and so do most of my friends, trip partners, and workout buddies. Last weekend I had a close-up encounter with what I call Weakest Link Syndrome and felt it hard. Most of the time I can handle WLS just fine, using the mindset strategies I practice & teach... but this weekend's experience reminded me that it's all a practice & I'm not perfect yet. I'm exploring this dynamic in detail these days, since not everyone struggles in this role & I want to be one of those people! Especially now that I'm married to @lucmehl, one of the speedy guys, and don't often find myself at the front of the pack anymore! In breaking this down, I've seen some contributing factors to WLS: -- When we're tired. It's way easier to manage mindset when we're well-rested, much harder when the body (and mind) is worn out. -- When our expectation management was off-track. My example? I was expecting an easy trail & no problem keeping up, as one friend is pregnant... but turns out trail was rocky & overgrown, and she's stronger than ever despite her pregnancy (& was faster running than I was on my bike)! #humbling -- When we haven't been practicing. Last year I biked a lot, but this year I've only been out a few times. Turns out my skills aren't where they used to be! But it's easy for my mind to still want to be where I was last year. And primary strategies for managing WLS (practice daily for best results!): -- Watch how you talk to yourself. Instead of i suck at this maybe I'm learning, getting better -- Adjust expectations. Often our expectations are off, and it can create a bunch of frustration. Check in with what's actually true, & work to accept & adapt to actual reality. -- Slow the F down. When we feel like we're behind, we often stress out & try to speed up, which just makes us more tired & more stressed. -- Think about how you feel when you're with a slower friend. Most of the time it's not impatient & frustrated, but instead compassionate & caring. Can you relate? Got something to add to the list? #summerstrong #outdoorinspiration #mindset #weakestlinksyndrome
  • Working on my knee pad tan! And helping my dad with his big roofing project... AK DIY at its best! One good thing about this hot weather window is that it makes roofing possible. And one good thing about being functionally strong is also that it makes roofing possible! Dad is in his 70s and still projecting like the best of them, demoing his functional plank for ya in slide 2. & thank goodness for the lake after! #thenewalaska #climatechange #functionalfitness #summerstrong #strangetanlines
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    Working on my knee pad tan! And helping my dad with his big roofing project... AK DIY at its best! One good thing about this hot weather window is that it makes roofing possible. And one good thing about being functionally strong is also that it makes roofing possible! Dad is in his 70s and still projecting like the best of them, demoing his functional plank for ya in slide 2. & thank goodness for the lake after! #thenewalaska #climatechange #functionalfitness #summerstrong #strangetanlines
  • Summer Core: before you slice up your watermelon, try this! Twisting plank is a favorite move for building functional core strength, particularly in the transverse abdominis & obliques. You can do a bunch of reps on one side, link I'm showing in this video, or alternate sides in a figure-8 motion. If you're a boater, you're already using this kind of motion when you're paddling. More practice at it will develop more strength in your core so your upper body doesn't wear out as fast! And non-boaters, you use this motion too: moving a pot of noodles from the stove to the sink, or a bag of groceries from your cart to the car, or pushing an alder out of the way so you can step through. It's all rotational core! PS: This one is also a fave if you've got a baby around who wants your attention, & you want to move a bit. Give babe a smooch every time you return to center for extra credit! 😍 PPS: And it also works with a backpack, a chunk of firewood, a water bottle, or you can skip the weight entirely. Form cues: - sit with hips tipped forward, weight on your sits bones instead of your tailbone - maintain natural curve in low-back. If low back slumps, lower your weight and/or support torso with hands on the floor - draw bellybutton in & up to engage transverse abdominis - roll shoulders back & lift chin - stabilize hips & lower body to the front while torso rotates #summerstrong #functionalfitness #summerstrength #usewhatyougot #smhtraining #creativemovement #functionalcore #corestrength #thisispackrafting #paddling
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    Summer Core: before you slice up your watermelon, try this! Twisting plank is a favorite move for building functional core strength, particularly in the transverse abdominis & obliques. You can do a bunch of reps on one side, link I'm showing in this video, or alternate sides in a figure-8 motion. If you're a boater, you're already using this kind of motion when you're paddling. More practice at it will develop more strength in your core so your upper body doesn't wear out as fast! And non-boaters, you use this motion too: moving a pot of noodles from the stove to the sink, or a bag of groceries from your cart to the car, or pushing an alder out of the way so you can step through. It's all rotational core! PS: This one is also a fave if you've got a baby around who wants your attention, & you want to move a bit. Give babe a smooch every time you return to center for extra credit! 😍 PPS: And it also works with a backpack, a chunk of firewood, a water bottle, or you can skip the weight entirely. Form cues: - sit with hips tipped forward, weight on your sits bones instead of your tailbone - maintain natural curve in low-back. If low back slumps, lower your weight and/or support torso with hands on the floor - draw bellybutton in & up to engage transverse abdominis - roll shoulders back & lift chin - stabilize hips & lower body to the front while torso rotates #summerstrong #functionalfitness #summerstrength #usewhatyougot #smhtraining #creativemovement #functionalcore #corestrength #thisispackrafting #paddling
  • Moody. #alaska #wind #thisisthelife
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    Moody. #alaska #wind #thisisthelife
  • One thing getting married means is that you get to have an amazing day filled with (most of) the people you love all in one place, playing games, enjoying each other, and celebrating with you. We had so much fun (& hope you did too)! Thanks to everyone who helped @lucmehl & me pull it off with ease & joy, and to all our friends & family who have helped make our lives so love-filled. Our hearts are full! @beyondcrowds took so many great pics of the day.. here are a few! #summercampwedding #alaska #birchwoodcamp
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    One thing getting married means is that you get to have an amazing day filled with (most of) the people you love all in one place, playing games, enjoying each other, and celebrating with you. We had so much fun (& hope you did too)! Thanks to everyone who helped @lucmehl & me pull it off with ease & joy, and to all our friends & family who have helped make our lives so love-filled. Our hearts are full! @beyondcrowds took so many great pics of the day.. here are a few! #summercampwedding #alaska #birchwoodcamp
  • In Alaska it's said that said that when the fireweed blooms at the top, there's six weeks until snow.⁠ ⁠ But it's the first week of August, and the fireweed are already blooming at the top... and it seems we might need to adapt the calculations to account for our changing climate. ⁠ ⁠ Maybe it's 12 weeks? Or more. What would you guess? Help me remember this when it actually snows! I'm curious what the new number will be. Things are changing fast up here. ⁠ ⁠ P.S. Have you heard this 'rule' before? I thought that everyone in AK knew this one, but @lucmehl hadn't heard of it! ⁠ ⁠ #climatechangeisreal #doyourpart #please #alaska #inspiredbynature #natureknowsbest⁠ ⁠
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    In Alaska it's said that said that when the fireweed blooms at the top, there's six weeks until snow.⁠ ⁠ But it's the first week of August, and the fireweed are already blooming at the top... and it seems we might need to adapt the calculations to account for our changing climate. ⁠ ⁠ Maybe it's 12 weeks? Or more. What would you guess? Help me remember this when it actually snows! I'm curious what the new number will be. Things are changing fast up here. ⁠ ⁠ P.S. Have you heard this 'rule' before? I thought that everyone in AK knew this one, but @lucmehl hadn't heard of it! ⁠ ⁠ #climatechangeisreal #doyourpart #please #alaska #inspiredbynature #natureknowsbest⁠ ⁠
  • It's August! Don't freak out. ⁠ ⁠ August means end of summer to many of us, which can feel overwhelming & stressful. There's so much I wanted to get done this summer and didn't get to! Sound familiar? ⁠ ⁠ The cool thing about August is that it's kind of a reality check. We can't actually do ALL the things in one summer, turns out. And with that reality staring at us right in the face, maybe we can be more effective at getting to the things that really matter.⁠ ⁠ Two strategies to consider to make the most of this time of year: ⁠ ⁠ 1. Get super clear on your priorities for summer. Make sure they line up with your values, and instead of what you think you 'should' be doing. And then let go of the things that aren't at the tippy top of the priority list. ⁠ ⁠ This might mean forgoing the BBQ to go on a bike ride. Or vice versa. Which is the one that most aligns with what you want from your limited summertime?⁠ ⁠ 2. Get efficient, strategic, and supported in making your priorities happen. I know what it's like to want to do everything on your own.. it can work to a point, but also you just can't do as much. So this time of year might be a good one for outsourcing some of your efforts in order to get those priorities to actually happen. ⁠ ⁠ Is food a priority? Use that cool grocery service that lets you pick up your veggies at the curb. Make your meals in bulk so you've got your food ready when you need it. Get strategic.⁠ ⁠ Is movement a priority? Let someone else plan your workouts for you. Get them streamed into your living room so you don't even have to get to the gym. Get supported.⁠ ⁠ I love to support people in making their priorities happen! If movement is a priority for you this time of year, check out Summer Strong (link in bio) which is starting this week & will help with #2 bigtime
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    It's August! Don't freak out. ⁠ ⁠ August means end of summer to many of us, which can feel overwhelming & stressful. There's so much I wanted to get done this summer and didn't get to! Sound familiar? ⁠ ⁠ The cool thing about August is that it's kind of a reality check. We can't actually do ALL the things in one summer, turns out. And with that reality staring at us right in the face, maybe we can be more effective at getting to the things that really matter.⁠ ⁠ Two strategies to consider to make the most of this time of year: ⁠ ⁠ 1. Get super clear on your priorities for summer. Make sure they line up with your values, and instead of what you think you 'should' be doing. And then let go of the things that aren't at the tippy top of the priority list. ⁠ ⁠ This might mean forgoing the BBQ to go on a bike ride. Or vice versa. Which is the one that most aligns with what you want from your limited summertime?⁠ ⁠ 2. Get efficient, strategic, and supported in making your priorities happen. I know what it's like to want to do everything on your own.. it can work to a point, but also you just can't do as much. So this time of year might be a good one for outsourcing some of your efforts in order to get those priorities to actually happen. ⁠ ⁠ Is food a priority? Use that cool grocery service that lets you pick up your veggies at the curb. Make your meals in bulk so you've got your food ready when you need it. Get strategic.⁠ ⁠ Is movement a priority? Let someone else plan your workouts for you. Get them streamed into your living room so you don't even have to get to the gym. Get supported.⁠ ⁠ I love to support people in making their priorities happen! If movement is a priority for you this time of year, check out Summer Strong (link in bio) which is starting this week & will help with #2 bigtime
  • It's August already & the final round of Summer Strong training is starting up today!⁠ ⁠ Summer Strong might be a good fit for you right now if you...⁠ ⁠ -- aren't sure what happened with to summer (how is it August already!) and realize that your activity level wasn't quite what you thought it was going to be⁠ -- always mean to do some cross-training but never quite get around to it -- people like this often benefit from outsourcing the workout planning part (I got you)⁠ -- feel a little scattered this time of year & could benefit from some structure & accountability in your movement practice (which can absolutely translate to other parts of our lives)⁠ -- wonder what should I do be doing in my workouts? or I wonder if my workouts are really giving me the benefits that I want? ⁠ -- are coming back from an injury (that's healed enough to exercise with) and want to strengthen up & re-balance your body⁠ -- want to build up strength to prevent future injuries and have better luck keeping up with your friends⁠ ⁠ It's not too late to join in, details & registration at the link in my bio or send me a DM if you have any questions. ⁠ ⁠ Comment with an emoji if any of the above resonate with you!⁠ ⁠ Photo cred: @lucmehl⁠ ⁠ #summerstrong #smhtraining #functionalfitness #backcountry #alaska #onlinepersonaltraining #diversifyoutdoors #thisispackrafting #mentalhealthmatters #yougotthis
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    It's August already & the final round of Summer Strong training is starting up today!⁠ ⁠ Summer Strong might be a good fit for you right now if you...⁠ ⁠ -- aren't sure what happened with to summer (how is it August already!) and realize that your activity level wasn't quite what you thought it was going to be⁠ -- always mean to do some cross-training but never quite get around to it -- people like this often benefit from outsourcing the workout planning part (I got you)⁠ -- feel a little scattered this time of year & could benefit from some structure & accountability in your movement practice (which can absolutely translate to other parts of our lives)⁠ -- wonder what should I do be doing in my workouts? or I wonder if my workouts are really giving me the benefits that I want? ⁠ -- are coming back from an injury (that's healed enough to exercise with) and want to strengthen up & re-balance your body⁠ -- want to build up strength to prevent future injuries and have better luck keeping up with your friends⁠ ⁠ It's not too late to join in, details & registration at the link in my bio or send me a DM if you have any questions. ⁠ ⁠ Comment with an emoji if any of the above resonate with you!⁠ ⁠ Photo cred: @lucmehl⁠ ⁠ #summerstrong #smhtraining #functionalfitness #backcountry #alaska #onlinepersonaltraining #diversifyoutdoors #thisispackrafting #mentalhealthmatters #yougotthis
  • On getting started again after a break.⁠ ⁠ First off, let's let go of any guilt or shame for taking a break. There's a lot of shitty language out there about falling off the wagon, etc. It's part of hustle culture's obsession with 'no pain, no gain' ... and it's just not true. ⁠ ⁠ Breaks (from anything!) are important. Both our bodies & our minds need respite from challenge in order to heal & grow. ⁠ ⁠ And, if you're the kind of person who has lots of things to do in this life, it's inevitable that you won't be able to do EVERYTHING, all the time. Some priorities will slip through the cracks sometimes. ⁠ ⁠ Me, I haven't been in a workout routine now for a while! I was on a backcountry trip, got married, went on a minimoon, and after all of that it's feeling like time to start my workouts again. I love my workouts, and my body & mind have been missing them... but they just haven't been a top priority lately!⁠ ⁠ And that's okay. ⁠ ⁠ And, real talk: it's feeling HARD to get going again with a routine after this break. ⁠ ⁠ Here's what I'm doing to re-gain my momentum, knowing that once momentum is rolling it will feel easier to maintain:⁠ ⁠ 1️⃣ Get a plan, and a group for support. It can be so helpful to have structure & accountability, especially when we're re-gaining momentum. I'm about to start training with the Summer Strong group on Monday, perfect timing for me & maybe for you too?! ⁠ ⁠ 2️⃣ Time blocked on the calendar and hold that time sacred.⁠ ⁠ 3️⃣ Allow a ton of grace in the process, as body & energy adapts. Don't feel like doing it one day? Maybe just do the warmup, see what happens. Or sub in a walk outside, or a yoga class. ⁠ ⁠ 4️⃣ Make it easy, make it fun. My workouts are lighthearted, feel good, and end with a dance move reward. I've done them enough to know that I always feel better afterwards, even if I'm dragging at the beginning.. knowing that helps so much when my body is lagging. ⁠ ⁠ Which of these works for you? Put a number in the comments!⁠ ⁠ And PS you can join me, Summer Strong final round starts Monday, link in bio for details.⁠ ⁠ ⁠
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    On getting started again after a break.⁠ ⁠ First off, let's let go of any guilt or shame for taking a break. There's a lot of shitty language out there about falling off the wagon, etc. It's part of hustle culture's obsession with 'no pain, no gain' ... and it's just not true. ⁠ ⁠ Breaks (from anything!) are important. Both our bodies & our minds need respite from challenge in order to heal & grow. ⁠ ⁠ And, if you're the kind of person who has lots of things to do in this life, it's inevitable that you won't be able to do EVERYTHING, all the time. Some priorities will slip through the cracks sometimes. ⁠ ⁠ Me, I haven't been in a workout routine now for a while! I was on a backcountry trip, got married, went on a minimoon, and after all of that it's feeling like time to start my workouts again. I love my workouts, and my body & mind have been missing them... but they just haven't been a top priority lately!⁠ ⁠ And that's okay. ⁠ ⁠ And, real talk: it's feeling HARD to get going again with a routine after this break. ⁠ ⁠ Here's what I'm doing to re-gain my momentum, knowing that once momentum is rolling it will feel easier to maintain:⁠ ⁠ 1️⃣ Get a plan, and a group for support. It can be so helpful to have structure & accountability, especially when we're re-gaining momentum. I'm about to start training with the Summer Strong group on Monday, perfect timing for me & maybe for you too?! ⁠ ⁠ 2️⃣ Time blocked on the calendar and hold that time sacred.⁠ ⁠ 3️⃣ Allow a ton of grace in the process, as body & energy adapts. Don't feel like doing it one day? Maybe just do the warmup, see what happens. Or sub in a walk outside, or a yoga class. ⁠ ⁠ 4️⃣ Make it easy, make it fun. My workouts are lighthearted, feel good, and end with a dance move reward. I've done them enough to know that I always feel better afterwards, even if I'm dragging at the beginning.. knowing that helps so much when my body is lagging. ⁠ ⁠ Which of these works for you? Put a number in the comments!⁠ ⁠ And PS you can join me, Summer Strong final round starts Monday, link in bio for details.⁠ ⁠ ⁠
  • Still feeling like a brand new bride! How long can I put off “real life” and keep this feeling going?
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    Still feeling like a brand new bride! How long can I put off “real life” and keep this feeling going?