A Modern Woman's Guide to Power
Exercise
Exercise brings a variety of benefits, some of which are physical, while others are mental or emotional. Most women begin their exercise journey with appearance in mind – the idea that exercise will bring a thinner, fitter, or fuller body. But exercise has the potential to go beyond the physical to bring strength to our bodies, hearts, and minds.
Exercise for Power – Inner & Outer Strength
Followers of Alexia Clark (Queenteam) and Kayla Itsines (BBG) are familiar with the power of community and the power that lies within each of its individual members. One of the resounding compliments women give to the Alexia and Kayla programs is that they have gained confidence and strength in other areas of their lives (not just in their physical bodies).
In fact, the majority of women change their tune and admit that the #1 benefit of pursuing an exercise lifestyle (irrespective of the program in question) is the inner strength that they have gained, sustained, and expanded into other areas of their lives. The physical appearance benefits, which may have motivated the start of the program, became secondary to the tenacity, focus, attention, and strength (inner and outer) that they developed through a diligent and continuous exercise practice.
Exercise for Fun and to Experience Zen
Too often we embark on an exercise journey with end goals in mind, turning an opportunity for fun into work. Exercise is one of the best ways for us to “get out of the mind,” either by getting into our bodies (refocusing our attention) or by disconnecting ourselves from the experience altogether (often referred to as “the zone” in professional athletics). In exercise we can find freedom from the self, experience pure happiness, and forget about all of the worries that exist in the world.
Recommended Exercise Practices
Scuba Diving. One of the benefits of scuba diving (and other water sports) is that they are experienced in the ocean. The ocean has a cleansing effect on our beings and most people feel refreshed after a simple swim in the ocean.
When you scuba dive, you experience and learn to be in a whole new world (underwater), which can be both a fun and powerful experience. The slower, deeper breathing required to breathe from a scuba tank and the carefulness required to ensure the fragile sea life stays unharmed by your underwater movements engages mindfulness.
Scuba diving takes the cleansing effects of the ocean further by combining Fun, Zen, and Power all in one! One of the books we love to read and re-read again is Mystic Scuba, a book that depicts the magical opportunities that scuba diving can offer underwater.
Snow activities. Like scuba diving, snow activities allow us to exercise our bodies in the stillness of nature. Rama, Frederick Lenz was particularly fond of snowboarding and shared his experience of losing himself in the experience by “becoming one with the board” in the novel Surfing the Himalayas. The opportunity to lose oneself while enjoying nature’s deeply relaxing and inspirational beauty, and to have fun learning or perfecting new moves, makes snow sports an activity that will not feel a bit like work!
Martial Arts. When most people think of martial arts, they think of a sport created for the purpose of self-defense (or offense), but a true martial artist is one that knows when and how to avoid fights, how to stay balanced in any situation – regardless of the trigger- and ultimately how to gain mastery of their body, mind, and spirit. The ability to defend oneself (and attack, if required) is but a byproduct of this mastery and the harmony created by body, mind, and spirit when the practitioner masters the art. Martial Arts teaches self-discipline and situational awareness (of your environment and those in it), builds character (dojos have etiquettes related to humility & respect), helps those practicing combat fear (in a safe and structured environment) and is a great form of exercise (building strength, flexibility, coordination, and stamina while burning an impressive 500-700 calories an hour)!