We’ve seen lots of diverse paths to fitness bliss (and inspiration for the rest of us), but it’s hard to think of any more colorful than this one from Michelle who literally traveled the globe and back to find her groove.
Along the way proving once again that the way to long-term movement success is paved with lots of experimentation and constant openness to new ideas.
We caught up with Michelle at the latest of our #mypowermoment tastings, where she and some of her friends/fitness students dined on tasty creations from Peter He, another of the talented, independent local chefs crafting meals for Power Supply customers.
Michelle’s fitness love took root underwater. A swimmer through high school and college, she headed abroad after school, working for the Red Cross in Iraq and Afghanistan and doing tons of running to stay in shape. Post Red Cross she headed to Scotland for graduate school….. and…. (naturally) became a player on the Scottish National Water Polo team.
Exciting as they were, these intense travels took a toll (a torn hip flexor and torn calf kind of toll) and put Michelle in a receptive frame of mind when her doctor suggested she try some new stuff in her movement game.
"My doctor told me, 'if you plan to walk when you’re 40, you need to get into dancing, pilates, and yoga.’ It was definitely a wake-up call."
Enter piloxing. Yep you heard that right. Piloxing…not only fun to say (try it 3 times fast) but a great workout that’s sort of a mash-up of high intensity cardio dance, the flexibility and elongation of Pilates and the straight up adrenaline of boxing, sans the impact.
Her injuries soon in retreat, Michelle became a believer, then a certified Piloxing instructor and has now grown her fitness following in the DC area, branching out further to include barre, zumba, bootcamp, swimming, water polo, and some dabbling in football with colleagues at Balance gym.
At all points along the way, the key learning from Michelle? Learn to listen to your body and don’t be afraid to mix things up to find what works best… cause that’ll likely change.
“One of my biggest lessons,” she says, “is to focus on what is best for you and your body. If I didn’t love sports and want it so badly, I wouldn't be doing what I do. I don’t think I was physiologically made to be an athlete. I forced my body to push through its tough challenges and finally found what works best for me.”
And big learning number 2 from this now committed trainer of others…. You never know what impact you may have on someone else by encouraging them to step outside of their comfort zone!
“I was never good at yoga and certainly wasn’t certified, but when I was overseas, a teacher had confidence in me to ask if I wanted to take over her class and teach the group when she left. It was a catalytic vote of confidence.”
Thanks Michelle for sharing your story. Here’s to you, and to others like you helping folks live better through fitness. For more of her motivation, follow Michelle @piloxingpartydc on Instagram and FB.
Have a #mypowermoment story or tip of your own to share? We’re always looking for those small wins that could lead to bigger change. You may even win a tasting with one of the talented chefs from the local community of food smarties that craft Power Supply meals. Send us your story knowledge@mypowersupply.com.
