PUSH Fitness Centre

Buckle up, friends …and maybe grab a tissue ♥️

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
 
If you ever had the chance to walk into my office at old PUSH, then you may remember my quote wall. What you may not know is that every quote on that wall was by Eleanor Roosevelt – a woman so ahead of her time that she could waltz right into 2026 and still be a warrior.
 
Call women like Ms. Roosevelt what you will: warriors, legends, heroes, inspirations… but I stood among two of them today.
 
The last time I had the honour of being in the presence of both of these incredible women at the same time was when we were still across the street. Of course, Sof is part of what keeps the new PUSH heart beating, but Christie is more of a legend of PUSH past ;)
 
I am so incredibly grateful to have these two beautiful humans in my life – Sofia, who lights up any room she walks into, and Christie, who embodies the expression “friends are like stars; you may not always see them, but you know they are always there.”
 
The reunion was brief, but will keep my heart happy for a long time. Thanks, ladies! ♥️♥️♥️

More burpees, please!
 
Last week’s Thirty Thursday class was all about the BOSU and it was a super nostalgic experience for me; it prompted me to do some OG BOSU burpees in this morning’s bodyweight class.
 
Burpees are the exercise we love to hate, but a little variety can keep your workout spicy while avoiding some of the burpee dread.
 
Why burpees?
 
1.     Burpees are an efficient way to put in the work as they recruit many major muscle groups simultaneously, including quads, hams, glutes, abs, low back, chest, shoulders and triceps (if you through the push up in).
2.     Burpees give you a quick HR boost making them an excellent cardio addition to a workout.
3.     The jump component of the burpee trains lower body power which helps develop quick bursts of force when needed.
4.     Many functional movements are compounded into a burpee, including squatting, planking, pushing, and jumping.
5.     Core strength and coordination are developed as the core stabilizes the spine during the plank/push up phase of a burpee.
6.     The multiple steps and transitions of burpees help improve movement coordination, body awareness, and athletic rhythm.
7.     No equipment is necessary (unless you add some!) for burpees and they take up very little space so they are ideal in many situations.

So, the next time you try to overlook burpees because you think you hate them, try one of these BOSU burpee variations and see if they help you find your burpee love!

When born and raised in this beautiful city, you likely don’t remember the first time you truly saw the Giant – its majestic form, its subtle prowess, its steady presence. Unlike the many constants in life that we take for granted, the Giant continues to catch our breath; it may be part of our daily landscape, but it is never just the background. Even when we aren’t looking toward the lake, we still see it – in local business, artwork, merchandise …and in the hearts of our community.

When something matters to you, you start seeing it everywhere.

The 23 Enigma is the idea that the number 23 appears with unusual frequency in meaningful events or patterns. It also suggests that once you become aware of the number, you begin noticing it everywhere – as if it had been quietly present all along.

Quietly present all along.

Today, as we celebrate 23 years in business, I am humbled by a community – a family – that continues to be there with a constant presence that still takes my breath away.

As you go about your day …and throughout the year, take note of the number 23 …look out at the Giant …and smile ♥️

Let’s take a moment…
 
Christmas Day, 1980. A little girl stands in front of a cardboard playhouse. Leaning against the house, a new pair of downhill skis.

Looking back some 45 years later, the innocence of this picture would be both beautiful and heartbreaking. We use the expression “with her whole world ahead of her” without a second thought – but it deserves one.
 
In a few short years, this little girl would experience her parents’ divorce; they would do the best they could to protect her, but she would quickly come to realize her new role as intermediary, negotiator, and buffer.
 
Fast forward a few more years, and a school-aged girl would show her first signs of mental health struggles – experiencing anxiety, dissociation, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. She wouldn’t recognize any of these symptoms, and would not tell anyone what she was going through.

Much of the girl’s life would maintain a high level of normalcy – she would do well at school, have many good friends, two separate but caring parents …and a love for skiing.
 
As the girl grew into her teenage years, she would find solace on the ski hill. Regular visits to Lutsen Mountains and road trips to races would afford her moments of mental health. On those hills, she would be free.
 
This year’s theme for Bell Let’s Talk Day is “Taking a Moment for Mental Health.” One key component of affording ourselves this moment is our capacity to find balance. In the dynamic equilibrium of life, however, balance is fleeting and may only be present for …a moment.

The first time the little girl would find herself atop a hill wearing those skis, she would certainly fall several times before making it all the way down. She would need to find her dynamic equilibrium …she would need to find fleeting moments of balance.
 
Balance isn’t constant – it is disguised in moments. We must take our moments when we can. Making it down the hill will take momentum …and we won’t find that momentum without first finding our moment.
 
As I look at the picture now, I see what I was given that Christmas morning. My parents didn’t just give me skis – they gave me a reason to find balance – they gave me my moment.

Last night couldn’t have offered a more perfect setting for me to finally open my mind to thin skis with no edges, a terrifyingly unfixed heel, and a trail that never actually reaches a chairlift.
 
I dedicate a lot of time to encouraging people to push past their comfort zones, but I’ve realized lately that I don’t often do the same for myself. Enter the same tenacious friend that encouraged me to run. Having only ever tried classic skiing a handful of times (and never feeling partial to it), I’ve kept the door closed on the whole XC scene for most of my life, feeling quite comfortable that ‘down and up’ was far superior to ‘across.’
 
Comfort. It’s crazy how one word – one state of being – can be so liberating and yet so restrictive.
 
I was warned that skate skiing would feel awkward, make me feel uncoordinated, and that I would likely fall a lot. For anyone who knows me well, you also know that awkward, uncoordinated falling may as well be a death sentence.
 
After getting all clipped in, I was ready to go – and off I went. Just kidding – turns out there isn’t even an ounce of leeway to lean back as I’m used to doing in my stiff, calf-high boots. With my first fall out of the way, now I was ready. Just kidding – Guinness should have been there to record the time between the two falls. Third time’s a charm though – once I realized that my weight needed to stay forward, I was off to the races.
 
For the next hour, twenty-one minutes, and thirteen seconds, you couldn’t have wiped the smile off my face if you tried. The night air, the snow, the peaceful setting …the incredibly friendly people, and the encouraging friend/coach …I wish everyone could have this as their first experience.
 
This sign has been up for over 20 years, and I’ve never seen it in person. When I look at my smile from last night, my heart rate actually increases with residual excitement.
 
It’s never too late to try new things. New things are scary, but we are brave. And, when we aren’t brave, we need to trust in the people that will get down on their hands and knees, clip our toes in, and tell us that we’ve got this.
 
Oh …and I never fell again 😉

🌽Expecting a corny post full of word play? Better luck next ear!🌽