Fitness

By The FIRM Master Instructor Kirsten Palmer

Modern life is a balancing act — work and play, family and personal time, spiritual and physical. How important is balance in your body — not just muscle balance but balance during movement?

The most common reason people give for not getting enough exercise is: “I’m too busy.”

But remember that just because you are BUSY doesn’t mean you are ACTIVE! Being busy and being active are not synonymous. You can be busy all day long sitting at a desk or driving in a car without being active.

I value feeling good and being at my best. When I am my best self, I can do the things I really love to do — and I can do them well.

You may know you want to seek enlightenment, but how exactly do you define it and know what you’re looking for? One astute attendee at the Vancouver Yoga Conference, where Colleen and I were answering questions about the Gaiam Yoga Club, asked us for our insight. “That’s the question we’re asking every day,” says Colleen. “What is enlightenment? What does it feel like? How do I get there?” Get our answer in this video that’s not what you might expect.

By The FIRM Master Instructor Annie Lee

Once fitting in a workout has become second nature to you, it’s sort of like brushing your teeth. You know you need it, you do it, and you feel better when it’s done. However, you may be in a place where you want to try something new.

We trainers are always looking for new and innovative ways to accomplish the same goal — helping our clients get into better shape. In addition, I’m personally always looking for fitness products that are affordable for my clients to use on their own at home and on the road. Well, the Ultra Toner resistance band has been on the top of my list for over a decade as one of the most affordable, portable and USEFUL at-home fitness toys.

I have been teaching yoga for 17 years, and one of the most frequent complaints I hear from students and yogaphobes alike is that they don’t have enough time for practice, so they avoid it altogether.

Avoiding a regular practice of stretching will never get you the healing benefits that come with the work. Even if you only do one pose a day, you will make a huge difference in your body, brain and well-being.

What motivates you to exercise? Is it weight loss? A healthy heart? A clear mind? Some jeans hidden in the back corner of your closet? All are viable and helpful motivators for exercise. And the more motivators you have to stay active, the more likely you may be to stick to your routine.

Here’s another motivator to add to your list: save the planet.

By The FIRM Master Instructor Annie Lee

My philosophy is all about the 3 E’s: effective, efficient exercise. Here’s a quick how-to video of my personal total body workouts that focus on the 3 E’s.

If you want to increase the amount of joy in your life, it has to begin with the way you love, treat and honor yourself. If you are reaching outside of yourself for people, things, food, drugs, alcohol or jobs to be your source of joy, you will be at the mercy of circumstance. Real power comes when you realize you can feel joy for no reason at all.