I want to introduce you to my dear friend and colleague, Bob. We'll see how he's using functional fitness and bodybuilding within my program to achieve his fitness goals as a 73-year-old in extra-ordinary health conditions. 

"I'm a 73-year-old man who values functioning at my highest potential. A pillar of my mental and physical fitness regimen is working out with Nadya, which I have done for the past five years.

What I appreciate the most about her training is her philosophy of whole-body, functional fitness which exercises all muscle systems in all planes of motion. The balance of cardio and strength training, with body weight and dumbbells, makes each new exercise session interesting and challenging. All the variety leads to optimal muscle confusion, and occasional enjoyable cognitive confusion as my brain processes the movements I'm asking it to do.

This has been the best physical training I have experienced in my life. I'd highly recommend it...

Happy Pre-Solar Eclipse Saturday!

Today, I want to share my story: a story about overcoming self-doubt, embracing movement, and proving that it's truly never too late to start your fitness journey, or any journey for that matter.

 

Believe it or not, I wasn't always the fitness enthusiast I am today. In fact, gym class was my least favorite subject in school. Running felt like torture, and let's not even mention sit-ups! I remember dragging my feet to class and feeling discouraged.

Fast forward to my 40s, and things hadn't changed much. Then, a friend invited me on a Wednesday morning run. I was hesitant – 5 kilometers seemed like an impossible feat! After each run, my hips were hurting – the kind of pain no one wants to feel.

One day at the gym, I saw a sign for "leg day" classes. Perfect, I thought! This was the turning point. For the first time, I learned proper form – how to run correctly, how to avoid injuries, and how to truly engage my muscles and use...

I have 10 ideas for us to hit your daily steps without struggling in the gym or taking a long walk!

Ready? 

Morning

• Brush Teeth While Walking: Multitask by getting in some steps while you brush your teeth. 

At Work

• Park Far: Whenever you go out, intentionally park your car a bit farther away from your destination. 
• Walk and Talk: Make your phone calls or video chats more active by pacing around while you chat. 
• Use a Stand-Up Desk: If you have the option, work at a stand-up desk to avoid sitting for too long. 
• Hourly Movement Breaks: Set a reminder to get up and move around for a few minutes every hour. 
• Take a Longer Route to the Bathroom: Don't choose the closest restroom; opt for one that requires a bit of a walk. 
• Pick Up Things in the Office / House: Use tidying up as an opportunity to get extra steps in. 

At Home

• Kitchen Circles: While waiting for something to cook in the microwave, make...

Hey there, fitness enthusiasts or not! Have you ever considered the remarkable impact of awareness on your fitness journey? It's time to dive into the world of mindfulness and discover how small changes can make a big difference. Welcome to a blog post that's all about unlocking your potential through simple steps.

The Power of Awareness

Picture this: it's not just about the formal exercise routines; it's about paying attention to what you're already doing (or not doing) while you move (or not move). This concept of awareness creates a habit that has the potential to revolutionize your fitness routine. Let's explore how to kickstart your daily movement habit and achieve those wellness goals.

The Proper Posture Workshop Insights

In our recent Proper Posture Workshop, we delved into the intricate details of postural elements. From the basics like keeping your shoulders down to more specific techniques like tucking your tummy and elongating your chest, we covered a...

I had the pleasure of attending an intense conference in CA, and amidst the bustling schedule, I managed to maintain my wellness habits, including mindful eating and fitness awareness.

Today, I want to share some tips on how you can stay active and embrace fitness even during the busiest days - all it takes are tiny wins!

1. Intentional Posture

   Whether you're standing in line, sitting for a meeting, or carrying heavy bags, be mindful of your posture. Good alignment supports your back and contributes to overall well-being. So, roll your shoulders back, engage your core, and stand tall - you'll be amazed at the positive impact it can have! This is exactly what I will be covering in the upcoming training on Secrets of Postural Aligmment and Injury Prevention on August 25th. Come join me. 

2. Embrace Tiny Steps

   When time is limited, it's easy to feel discouraged and skip a workout altogether. However, remember that even small bursts of mindful activity matter....

Just went to the bathroom? Hold your squat for 30 sec or do two push ups on the wall?

Too busy to exercise? In this message we won't talk about a scheduled exercising, like alocating 30 min at a specific time. 

Instead, we will talk about how to squeeze any kind of movement into the flow of your day and how to start so small that it easy to develop the habit of fitting in exercise a minutes or two at a time. 

This technique is good for those who:

• Need to just get started exercising
• Too busy to exercise during the day
• Too tired  to exercise in the evening 
• Family demands get in the way of exercising 
• Fell off the track for a while and need to restart
• Just simply ain't feeling like it

Ready to be amazed how easy it is to succeed?

Step 1. Go tiny. 

We often want all or none. We start,  then it's hard to keep up, we stop and feel guilty for quitting. 

Let's make an agreement once and for all: something is better than...

Strength, balance, fitness, fun and time saving! 

 Let’s take a tour of what happens in every one of my fitness classes, regardless of the level of intensity.

And, by the way, this is the same structure I use whether you are a private client, join a live group class, or work out to a recording on your own.

Let's dive into the three major parts of the class:

Part 1. Warm up with dynamic stretching to increase mobility, joint range of motion, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory readiness. Simply put, you are now ready for a safe workout. We do this portion for about two minutes.

Part 2. The main workout is a functional exercise routine to ensure body confidence in daily life by increasing our muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness. This portion is usually about 15 to 25 minutes depending on the class.

1-min Plank (for levels 2 and 3 with modifications shown) to finish the class together as a group. 

Part 3....

Want to look forward to exercising? Listen to this message or keep reading.

"I don't like exercising" is the comment I get A LOT.

And we obviously understand we have to exercise to keep our bodies healthy.

The question is

how do we change our minds so that we can look forward to exercising and actually enjoy it?

Allow me to offer you the Tool. It works for most but here is the disclaimer: I don't know if it will work for you. To check it out,  give it an honest effort for a week.

Ready for the tool?

SMILE

When we smile, we trick our brain to enjoy the current activity. The same goes with exercise. The brain is gonna say: ah, she is smiling so we must be enjoying exercising; let me release happy hormones for her. You will naturally start feeling good; emotionally,  physically, and  mentally. 

Let's dive deeper: choose joy. 

Here are three strategies to choose joy in exercise:

Before.

Before you...

Hi {{ first_name }},

In this message, we'll talk about types of pain, the causes of pain, and five steps to breaking the pain cycle.

Do you know someone who is in pain? Maybe it is you.

Have you found that when we experience pain, it's really hard to say Yes to many things such as exercising, being active with your grandchildren, and even eating healthier?

We do want to be stronger, feel less inflamed, have more energy, and just simply feel better. We have all positive intentions of doing good but pain cuts into all our good efforts. 

How do we handle pain? Precisely, how do we break the vicious cycle of pain?

If you or you know someone who is experiencing pain, please keep reading. This message may be just the life and happiness saver they need!

The most important foundational step to breaking the cycle of discomfort is to tune into your body and to have two-way communication. 

Btw, what kind of pain are we talking about?
Physical pain (when your...

Below are the five things that I see most of us do without knowing of a better way. I get these questions very often, so allow me to explain.

5 Things to Stop Doing and 5 Things to Start Doing Instead

1. Stop crunches for losing belly fat. Instead, do full body strength workouts. Focus on functional movement. The body loses weight evenly, not just in the place, like your belly, where you do resistance, like crunches. Doing full body workouts tones your muscles; the muscles will burn more body fat, even at rest. Another benefit of a full body workout is building your strength. 

2. Stop sweating for an hour and pushing too hard each time you workout. Instead, get into the habit of moving your body daily, 20-30 minutes.

Sweating hard for an hour breaks down your muscles and drains energy so much that you risk injuring yourself and being sore, or you may even get sick so you can't workout for 2-4 days. Instead, do a 20-30 minute daily full body...