4 years ago, my husband and I had a fitness evaluation done at LifeTime Fitness. The experience was so horrible that I was actually teary-eyed in the car afterwards. My husband’s physical age was a few years younger than his actual age and I was physically almost 10 years older. Being physically older wasn’t a surprise, but the woman’s attitude during the evaluation made it all the more devastating. She was so positive and energetic when it came to my husband, but I received comments like “you’re too young to be that fat” and “you have no core.” Occasionally, she even cut some of my evaluations short. I didn’t think I was that bad. I was around 210 pounds, but I could still touch my toes (well, after my muscles warmed up and stretched a little).
Honestly, it was the comment about my core that really hurt. It wasn’t merely because it was the center of my body and completely weak, but it also touched on its more spiritual meaning. I doubt she meant it on that level, but it rang true all the same. I elected not to hire her as a personal trainer and instead took some yoga classes and ran on a treadmill from time to time. I also kept thinking about my core.
After discussing my knee pain (which, as it turns, out actually stems from my hips) with my chiropractor, I decided to add Pilates to my yoga regime in order to focus more on strengthening my core. Although I appreciated the instructor’s passion for Pilates, she was extremely rigid in her teaching. She would explain the movements then mention one modification. If I couldn’t do either of those, she simply ignored me. She rarely ever showed the class the movements, so it made it more difficult to know what to do. By the time I figured out the correct position and my muscles actually started to work, we had to move to the next position. There were moments when I felt as though I was accomplishing something but didn’t know quite what it was and certainly didn’t have the time to figure it out. Sadly, I left the classes all too often without working my core and feeling frustrated.
Fortunately, my physical core was becoming a little stronger due to the yoga classes. LifeTime had a range of classes focusing on the different styles of yoga. Some were more of a cardio workout such as Hot Yoga while others focused more on balance or flexibility such as Vinyasa Flow or Hatha. All had an emphasis on fluid movements and breathing. I definitely loved the calmness that I felt after any of the classes. For me, knowing the individual poses, the routine and how they flowed into one another was comforting.
The instructors never promoted the spirituality of their classes, but it was there for me. I know people often get an endorphin rush or a workout high, but this was different. The simple act of focusing on my breath and the fluid transitions between movements was transforming the center of my being—my core. This was further emphasized when my husband and I started taking some private yoga classes. I was shocked at how enlightening/uplifting/releasing/de-stressing those sessions could be. There were moments of such strong releases for me that I almost cried. Most of these came towards the end of the session when we were to absorb our practice and slowly come back to our everyday life. That calmness and euphoria made me really believe that I could handle the stress of my job, live a healthier life, and be a better life partner. My husband was awesome at letting me stay in my little trance for a few minutes after those sessions instead of yanking me right back to reality.
Fast forward a few years… I lost some weight, my office moved, my work hours increased, we moved, I quit yoga, and I gained the weight back. Today both of my cores are weak again. Although I loved yoga and intend to start it again, I’m looking to Pilates to strengthen my physical core. And, if I’m lucky, maybe my spiritual one will find a little strength there as well.
