Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you you can do. -John Wooden

What I can do and cannot do was the motto of the day today!

I can swing from a trapeze today - YAY.  I can get my knees up and on the bar most of the time :),  Then there is the "catch". So we got to practice just the knees up, hands off for the first hour which was fun and I was getting way more comfortable being 40 feet in the air, harnessed in thank God, and jumping off a teensy weensy platform shared by 2 other people!

Oh... and then there's the catch - which is the last part of the 1 1/2 lesson (aka workout!)  is where you repeat swiing, getting your legs up and over the bar, hook your knees on, release your hands, arch back and reach for the guy that's waiting to catch you. So, it is now that I accept that I cannot do this -- at least not today or the last time I tried it but I can do more than I thought I ever could do.  You see I had a herniated disc in my L5-S1 which led to a spinal fusion surgery a few years ago. Doctors said -- no Joy, running not good for you, full extension and flexion not gonna happen for you - after all your back is fused remember.  But...what I can do is attempt these fun things, and enjoy life to its fullest.  I'm so proud that I'm able to even walk, much less climb a 40 foot ladder, have the strength to swing from a bar, get my knees up on a few occasions and have a great time doing it.

The letting go that I cannot do this particular sport as you will is really ok with me considering I'm so darn competitive.  I'm growing up I think :) 

ps-I'll post a movie later of me doing what I could do and attempting what I could not do.

Another woman showing us there are NO LIMITS!

You know I just started blogging again yesterday and my theme was "no limits" and I told you about my dear friend Paige.  Well, that theme seems to be reoccuring in my life recently as I was just reminded again that We are the only limiting factor in our abilities! 

I want to share with you this video of someone that I haven't met personally but I know her daughter, who comes to my classes.  She told me of her 96 year old mother who was just out that day chopping a cord of wood and remarked at how fun it was and wanted to do it again!  I said to her, "is she from the midwest?" to which she replied - yep, a good ole' farm girl from Iowa.  I knew immediately I had to meet this gal as I too am a midwest gal and have German heritage just like her mom (us midwest german girls know how to work hard :).)
She has now become an honorary member of our fitness group and I can't wait to meet her and hope to someday hit the links with her.

Check our her drive and putts - no limits!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1199744628742

No Limits

There are no limits

Each time I get to visit my dear friend Paige I'm reminded that there are no limits to our capabilities - only the ones we impose upon ourselves.

Paige and I were trying out the sport of track cycling - yes on a bike, on an oval outdoor track in May of 2008 when she had a freak solo accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. The longer version of this story and her life back all of us is at http://caringbridge.org/visit/paigeconnard.

I was fortunate enough to get to know Paige just before her accident as she was one of my clients in a cycling program I ran that taught women how to ride a metric century. She excelled in the program as one of the best and brightest stars, always answering the questions correctly (along with her slightly competitive sister, Laura :)),and exceeding my expectations on the bike.

After the accident and her long road to returning home, I was privileged and honored to be asked by her amazing husband to become her personal trainer. This by the way was my first official personal training client and you can bet your bottom dollar that I took extra special care and handling with Paige. I think she dreaded me coming over most days but deep down inside I knew she loved the friendship that was forming as did I, and I saw that competitive fire coming back. That willingness to keep trying until she got each move. Painful - yes, tears -yes, but never giving up. Paige is one of the key people in my life who gave me the hope and inspiration to pursue my passion of fitness and today I own my own boot camp business for women! Thank you Paige for inspiring me. (http://inspirefitnessbootcamps.com)

No limits for Paige --
Today, almost 2 years after the accident here's a recap on what Paige is up to;
1) riding a two wheeled, geared bike up and down the hilly hills of her neighborhood
2) jog/walking
3) doing yoga
4) doing spin class
5) Driving a car again!

got the picture -no limits and that's how Paige sees her world. Paige is truly my American Idol.