Bending Without Breaking Embracing Flexibility in Fitness and Life with Vera, Flexibility Coach

Ever resolved to shed a few pounds or boost your fitness level as the new year chimes in, only to find your enthusiasm fizzling by February? Well, you're not alone, and we're here to change that. This episode of Time for Brunch is all about rethinking those resolutions with a flexible twist. 

Ditch the vague and oftentimes unachievable aspirations and join us as we embrace SMART AF goals—because, let's face it, who doesn't want to be smart and flexible in their approach to life?

We'll share insights on making your resolutions resilient to the ebb and flow of day-to-day life, ensuring they align with your deepest values. It's not just about the finish line; it's about the journey and the joy we find along the way.

Plus, we welcome Flexibility with Vera, who will take us through the transformative power of flexibility training, revealing how it's not just for the nimble but for anyone looking to add a spring to their step and agility to their life.

Don't forget to download her special Flexibility Training Ebook: A Beginner Friendly Guide to Improving Your Mobility. Download here>>

We're not just stretching our muscles; we're stretching our minds toward a more inclusive and accessible understanding of fitness. Whether you're rolling out a yoga mat for the first time or a seasoned runner, there's room for improvement and adjustment in every routine. 

We will highlight how a sprinkle of flexibility training can enhance performance across all areas of fitness and how starting small can lead to monumental gains. 

We are here to help you fill your cup so we can toast to movement, mobility, and the magic of setting goals that truly resonate with who we are. 

Cheers to a year of keeping it real and staying sparkly with Time for Brunch!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Time for brunch. Empower, inspire, connect. Ignite your journey.

Speaker 2: 0:06

Hello brunch besties. Welcome back to Time for Brunch, the podcast where we sip, chat and dive into life's big and small questions. I'm Christine, and today we're stirring up a conversation that is as prolific and a little sparkly as New Year's confetti. Yes, we're talking about New Year's resolutions. You know those promises that we make to ourselves as the clock strikes 12, full of hope and sometimes a bit of champagne, or the day after, when you've turned the page of a new calendar. Well, today we're going to unpack the most common resolution out there. I'll give you a hint it often involves a pair of sneakers and a gym membership. But, more importantly, we're going to explore better ways to approach it. We'll delve into why resolutions like losing weight or getting fit are so challenging to keep and how a shift in mindset and strategy can make a world of difference. So, whether you're looking to revamp your fitness journey or just curious about what makes resolutions stickier, you're in the right place. And hey, speaking of staying connected, have you signed up for our fry yay weekly newsletter? It's your go to source for little extra tidbits, fun updates and a sneak peek at upcoming episodes. So don't miss out. Sign up today and join our brunch community. It's in episode notes, of course. All right, let's dive into today's episode. Grab your favorite brunch beverage Hopefully it's a nice cozy hot coffee and let's unravel the mystery of New Year's resolutions together.

Speaker 2: 1:39

I know you've guessed it already by the title, but the number one resolution each January is to lose weight and or get fit. Well, friends, we're here to give you some insights, because there's always a fresh perspective. I'm looking at this right out of the gate. Let's dispel the myth that losing weight and getting fit are the same things, while we hear them being utilized interchangeably quite frequently. They actually are two complete different parameters. Losing weight is specifically about shutting pounds, popping onto that scale and it being a smaller number than it was the day before. That's it. That's what that goal is all about. It doesn't reflect if you can run faster, run further, if you feel better, if you fit into your clothes better, if you can touch your toes or if you can keep up with your grandchildren. It is literally just about stepping onto that scale and having it be a smaller number, where getting fit encompasses overall physical health, strength and endurance. Well, friend, I'm going to add a little bit more into this. We're going to get into wellness.

Speaker 2: 2:48

I know when I use the word wellness you automatically think Instagram influencer. But stick with me for a second, because the World Health Organization defines wellness as not just the absence of disease but as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. I love that. I know you guys always say that I say that too often, but I do because it takes it from this New Year's resolution of just losing 10 pounds or losing 15 pounds or, quote unquote, getting fit. It gives us such a much deeper perspective as to what we should be aiming for Social wellness building and maintaining healthy relationships, feeling connected to the community and having a strong support system. We discussed that quite a bit in episode one. Mental wellness managing stress effectively, having a positive outlook, maintaining strong mental health and seeking help when needed. We're going to touch on that a lot as well during the season. And then physical wellness engaging in regular physical activity. I know most of you runners you feel like you've got that one nailed Maintaining a balanced diet, getting adequate rest, avoiding harmful habits. So again, let's get back into that New Year's resolution and kind of take that lens a little bit more holistic lens into the typical losing weight and getting fit Right out of the gate.

Speaker 2: 4:14

We know that they fail. You have read the articles. You've been peppered with all sorts of statistics as to the New Year's resolutions always failing. Well, friend, we're going to give you a little reasons why they fail, but we're also going to maybe have a little bit of a controversial opinion as to why they fail. First and foremost, one of the biggest reasons why it fails is because it's unrealistic. Your setting goals are too ambitious or too vague. If you are maybe running three days a week, you're likely not going to start running every single day, hitting the gym also attending the hit class and doing yoga, making sure that you do all of your personal, of your prehab or your post workout stretches all the time. It's just not going to happen. So it gets a little too ambitious right out of the gate, or it's a little too vague, like I'm going to work on getting stronger. Okay, great, but what does that exactly mean? Which brings us to the next reason why it fails, which is a lack of a concrete plan, feeling to have more of an outlined with details as to what you're looking to achieve. Of course, there's the waning motivation, but, as runners, you already know, my friend, that we're not always motivated. We have to have that discipline and consistency. However, what I'm going to say that it fails specifically around losing weight is because it doesn't matter. Okay, I know, I know I said it. I'm going to have you guys coming at me that it's a measurement of our health. Just stick with me for a second.

Speaker 2: 5:43

I am by no means saying that you shouldn't lose weight if that's not something that you are looking to achieve. I just want you to look at it from a different perspective. Why do you want to lose weight? Is it because you want to run stronger? Is it because you want to feel better in your clothes? Is it because you want to stick around and be here to see your grandchildren? Those are real motivations that we can work with. Just wanting to lose weight because you want to be in a smaller size, of course your motivation is going to wane. Of course you're not going to have that consistency or discipline. It just doesn't really matter.

Speaker 2: 6:23

I ask you to sit down and really reflect as to what is it that you're trying to gain with that resolution. Generally, what you'll find is that you want to have a better wellness. You want that more holistic, you want to feel good you want to have the absence of illnesses that you can prevent. There's just so many other aspects to it. When you see it from that perspective, it empowers you to actually create a plan that works for you. You can find a movement that you love. You can look at incorporating different produce or different foods into your diet. You can also look at incorporating a more overall fitness measurement, not just running all the time looking at yeah, I want to feel stronger, I want to have less injuries, so incorporating more strength and more mobility and more flexibility. There's also that when you have those parameters, you realize what it is that you want. It helps you to create that detailed plan, allows you to actually stack up those systems and habits that will help you to gain what you're looking towards achieving.

Speaker 2: 7:35

Now we've talked to we're kind of dancing a little bit about it. So instead of resolutions here with Extraordinary League at TFB Training, we use SMART AF goals. Now, usually our SMART AF goals has the AF as being and fun, but today, for the New Year, new Me folks, we're going to change it up a little bit because I think you guys maybe need a different perspective. So let's talk about those SMART AF goals for this time of the year. So it's specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound, and I'm going to pause on the AF part just a little bit. Specific meaning goals should be clear. You know exactly what you're aiming for. I'm going to also add that this means defining them a goal in a way that answers that basic W who, what, where, when and why. For example, instead of saying I want to get fit, a specific goal should be or would look like I want to run a 5K in three months.

Speaker 2: 8:37

Let's go on to measurable. A goal should have criteria for measuring progress. This helps us to stay on track and meet deadlines, and you guys know I love me some spreadsheets, I love me some deadlines. We're going to touch more about that in just a second as well with the AF portion. But a measurable goal has that criteria that helps us to stay on track and answers the questions like how much or how many. And in the case of that 5K goal that I used as that example for specific, it could involve tracking the amount of time you run during the week. Maybe you're looking to run three times per week, maybe you're looking to add in a fourth run, or maybe you're walking and you're looking to add in a run day. So it'd be like I'm going to walk Monday, wednesday and Friday. I'm going to add in a run walk and working with how you can continue to measure that so that at the end of that week, if you hit that criteria, you know whether this goal is working for you.

Speaker 2: 9:45

Achievable the goal needs to be realistic and attainable. To be successful, you should have it be a bit of a stretch goal. It shouldn't be so easy that you're bored by it. It shouldn't be something that you're already doing. It should definitely be a little bit of a level up, my friend. So this means setting a goal that is challenging but possible. So not necessarily aiming to become an astronaut like myself, which I would love to do without being able to ride mission space at EPCOT without getting sick. So I mean clearly it's likely that achievable for me.

Speaker 2: 10:15

So back to that running a 5K. Consider your current fitness level and whether you have the time and resources to train, but relevant. This ensures that your goal matters to you in aligns with other relevant objectives. So if that why that you dug into is because I want to be able to keep up with my kids, or want to keep up with my grandchildren, or I want to feel great when I go to the theme parks. Whatever the case may be, you know that this is relevant because it gets you moving, it has you being more mobile. You're walking, you're running, you're incorporating this more frequently into your life. It helps to make sure that you're getting back to that.

Speaker 2: 10:53

Why and is this the right time? For instance, training for 5K should align with your broader time management. Maybe this is at the time, maybe right now, your goal should be training to walk a 5K, and then we can talk about running to train for a run, a 5K, time bound. Again, talking about those spreadsheets, those calendars and those deadlines, your goal should have a target date so you have a deadline to focus on. This is definitely one of the most vital parts of the smart goal, because if you leave it very open-ended, it becomes more of a wish versus a specific plan that you're working toward.

Speaker 2: 11:31

Now. This is the AF for folks that are maybe transitioning from those New Year's resolutions and starting to consider getting more into the goal setting when they're looking at making changes in our life. So it should be adjusted and flexible. What does that mean exactly? That means that your goal should not change. But as you go back and you look through it that measurement, that achievable, that relevant, that time bound you may have to be more flexible as to how you approach it. Maybe your training schedule looks a little different right now because of work demands or family demands, so while your 5K is still there, you may have to adjust it to where you're going to train, to be able to run it or walk it in six months or 10 months or the next year. Again, it's all about making sure that you're flexible and when you have that ability of being flexible with your methods to achieving your goal, that gives you a resiliency that allows you to actually be able to attain it, even if it looks a little different.

Speaker 2: 12:37

Now, friend, speaking of flexibility, we are going to bring in our guest and she is going to show us what fitness looks like and also how to be more flexible in 2024. Friends, we want to welcome you to brunch, where we celebrate everybody in every movement. But today we're absolutely jazzed to introduce the ever fabulous Vera, a dynamo from Toronto who's revolutionizing the fitness world, in such an empowering phrase for this time of year, because I think that we need to hear more about her message. So she's not a personal trainer, she's a flexibility coach with flair, sass and an empowering mission. And, of course, flexibility with Vera is where the magic happens. It's not just about bending, it's about transcending, breaking free from the chains of weight loss obsessions, diet culture and fat phobia. And if you guys aren't clapping yet, you will be by the end of this. Welcome, welcome Vera. Thank you so much for joining us.

Speaker 3: 13:41

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.

Speaker 2: 13:44

And friend. I think that for the first question, right out of the gate, let's keep it a little light. Let's talk a little bit more about here at brunch. We are big fans of movement and mindset, but we're also big fans about our favorite f word. It's probably food. So I'd love to hear more about if you could have brunch with a celebrity, past or present. Who would you want to invite and what kind of meal would you want to share with them?

Speaker 3: 14:10

Oh, that's a good one. Off the top of my head, beyonce. I'd love to have brunch with her. I'd want to have it really fancy, though, but at the same time keeping it simple. So I think some French toast with some exotic fruits or something like make it a little bit fancy, but French toast.

Speaker 2: 14:31

A little bougie for Bey. I get it. I get it. I mean, we have to the Queen B, we have to make sure that we bring it out for her. So it sounds perfect and I think I would love to score an invitation to that brunch as well. Well, friend, as we get into this, we're going to talk about stretching our minds as much as we stretch our muscles and our bodies, and I definitely would love to know how you feel that enhancing our flexibility contributes to overall health and well being, beyond just physical fitness.

Speaker 3: 15:00

Yes, in so many ways it does. I really think flexibility is something we use in every single moment of our lives. We have to think of our motor abilities and flexibility is number one, because it's actually the one that overarches everything. We need flexibility to move just in general, to be able to lift things, to walk, to run, just anything we need involves flexibility. And I think when we don't have flexibility, that's when that pain sets in, that's when the stiffness comes in, that's when we're like oh, I'd rather not do anything right now, I'd rather just not move, because moving is painful in whatever capacity. And when we bring a flexibility in, we don't have to worry about that and it's more of a not what comes in that we're like oh yes, this is amazing, I love it so much. It's more of we don't have that oh, out of these aches and pains and the stiffness, we don't even have to worry about it, we don't have to think about it and we can just get on living our lives doing what we love to do.

Speaker 2: 16:01

I love this and we're hearing more and more and I'm so grateful for this movement that's happening a little pun intended and the fact that we're hearing more about how integral and important mobility is, and while here at brunch we're big runners and we love the whole running community. We love that kind of movement, we love strength training. We're also starting to learn that mobility is absolutely one of the most vital components of aging in a healthy way and, of course, that's what we're trying to do is improve our quality of life. But you are clearly passionate about this. You know so much about it and helping us to live our most flexible lives. How did flexibility come to be your passion and tell us more about how you kind of came to put this forward into the world?

Speaker 3: 16:44

Yeah, I love this story because I actually hated fitness growing up. I completely despised it. I was that fat kid growing up who was the last of the pack. I hated running laps. I hated doing like the volleyball, the basketball, any of that. I was always picked last or I wasn't even. I was like that last person who was picked for the teams, to the point of you just didn't they cut me and everyone else was on the team and I really used fitness as punishment.

Speaker 3: 17:10

I didn't see it as a way of feeling good in my body, feeling better in my joints, feeling less stiff, sleeping better. It was aesthetic reasons only. It was, oh, we need to be smaller and that's the only reason we work out. And that went on for such a long time in my life and, of course, integrating diet culture into that too made it really toxic and it got to a point where, in I was about 24 years old, I started waist training and waist training is wearing a steel bone core set and I wore it for about 10 hours every day for about a year and the one thing they don't tell you when you're wearing a core set is that you have to work out when you're not wearing it, Because those muscles of your core, your back, your glutes, they don't have to work when you're wearing a core set because the core set is holding you up. So those muscles really badly atrophied for me and my entire back gave out and I went to the ER because I didn't even know what to do and they were like you have back pains Thank you, doctors. And basically you know, I was still kind of in that healing process.

Speaker 3: 18:17

But I went online one day and I saw Roz the diva and Roz diva is in New York. She is a plus size pole dancer and instructor. And I saw her teaching someone on YouTube and I was like wow, that's amazing. I love that seeing someone of my body type doing something that requires so much flexibility and so much strength. And I kind of forgot about it for a bit A little while.

Speaker 3: 18:40

After my friend had a birthday party. We went to the club and we saw pole dancers there and it was the next day. I was like I'm going to a pole dance class, like this is what I'm doing. So I went to a pole dance class and a splits class that same day and I really fell in love with movement there. I just fell in love with how it felt in my body afterwards and I didn't really focus too much on how my body was looking as I went through all these movements of both classes and it really snowballed into this thing where, especially once the pandemic hit, where I was like doing nothing sitting around so I'm like I'll just guess, I'll just stretch.

Speaker 3: 19:17

And I stretched and I stretched and it just felt so good in my body and at the same time, while I was feeling good, I heard a lot of those complaints come up that happened during the pandemic, of people sitting for so long that they felt so stiff, they felt so tight, and that's also when I started teaching. I started teaching in November 2020. And just bringing what I've learned from my flexibility training to other people especially those who had that similar childhood trauma as me growing up as that fat kid or seeing fitness as punishment and just bringing that to them and realizing that we can move in a way that feels good to us and we don't have to worry about the aestheticness aspect of fitness and we can just focus on the internal bit of our joints feeling better, we're able to sleep more, we just feel more positive in our lives.

Speaker 2: 20:10

Wow, so much powerful conversation here and I can't believe that there's one person who's rolling through this listening to this and not feeling like they could hear their own personal stories at some point of the things that you just discussed, because seeing movement as a form of punishment growing up from also being a very unathletic and looking at it as a way to kind of shrink and try to fit the mold, that was just never there for me. I feel like you're speaking exactly to what I went through, including that horrible waist training period where I still credit it for potentially leading to infection that ended up with me being in the hospital because it's just so bad for our bodies. But let's talk about all of the beautiful ways that being flexible and mobile is good for our bodies. I want to know right out of the gate what's the difference between what you do and yoga. Is it the same?

Speaker 3: 21:05

It's similar, it is similar. So I find that yoga currently, as it has been very co-opted by Western culture and specifically white women, and in that they focus on Asana, which is one of the limbs of yoga, but it's not all of yoga, it doesn't encompass everything, and I really want to respect and appreciate what yoga is, being the eight limbs of, you know, mindfulness, the Asana, which is the body practice, and of course, all the other non-judgmental and all those other limbs, and I don't practice those. I don't, and so that's why I chose flexibility, because flexibility focuses on the physical aspect. It does focus a little bit on the mental, of course, but really we're just looking at feeling good in our bodies. We're focusing on our muscles working. They're strengthening, they're lengthening, they're feeling good and I think that's kind of really how I define them differently, that yoga is a bit more spiritual in my mind because of all these eight limbs of yoga, versus flexibility is just the strength, the flexibility, specifically what the body is doing.

Speaker 2: 22:15

Do you feel that for folks that maybe do feel that yoga potentially can be a little bit more difficult to wrap their minds around because there are all the other aspects, is that where your flexibility, training and coaching becomes a bit more approachable?

Speaker 3: 22:30

I think so. I find some people don't understand all the different aspects that yoga can encompass, to the point of I often hear people saying I can't do yoga, I'm not flexible, which is that's the whole point of yoga, but also the point of flexibility training. So I do think flexibility is a little bit more understandable for people, especially in the Western world, to see that this is specifically fitness related, and a lot of times yoga is considered of the wellness rather than the fitness, which I do think it's in both. But a lot of people kind of shift it more to the wellness of like, oh, it's not a real workout, which is which is wrong, but they do see flexibility kind of in that realm of fitness instead, and so they're like oh, I can go to that, which you know. There's a lot of things we can break down into those two things and that topic in general, of course, but I think that's why flexibility can be more approachable in that way.

Speaker 2: 23:27

I think you just nailed one of my next questions. You touched on it exactly because I heard you say, and I heard myself say, that I'm not flexible and that's the entire purpose of the training. So is that one of the most common misconceptions you have about flexibility training or can you give us a couple of different, maybe misconceptions people would have wrapping their brain around flexibility training?

Speaker 3: 23:51

Yeah, I definitely hear that one a lot. The other one is, really people don't realize how intense flexibility training can be. They think it's that quick warm up of hip circles before your workout and maybe you know, grabbing your foot for that quad stretch at the end and calling it a day. But really, sometimes I teach flexibility classes that are up to 90 minutes long and we're not just doing those two stretches, we are going through a whole process of the same way a fitness class would be, with the warm up the main component of usually strength or endurance, but specifically for flexibility training and then the cool down. So there's so much more to it.

Speaker 3: 24:31

But I do think, yeah, a major thing I hear a lot is they're not flexible. And I get that especially because on social media, when we see someone doing their flexibility training, they're in their splits, they're in like a crazy back bend. They are doing something that most people could never do, yeah, so they see that and of course they're not. They don't see themselves there, they don't see themselves and that's, I think, a major problem, because when we're doing our flexibility training at least for my classes, I focus on those more basic movements that, yes, can lead us to the splits and crazy back bends. But we're not looking at that right now. We're looking at components in a smaller sense, kind of breaking it up and breaking it down to be more manageable for the average person, who may not be super flexible.

Speaker 2: 25:22

Yeah, I love this because you just nailed it in my head. I do think of flexibility immediately and I think of like Cirque du Soleil and like if I'm not going to be able to run away and join the circus, which, trust me, I've been looking for an excuse my entire life. So maybe this is why I definitely need to join in and get some flexibility training, because I'll actually have the skill set potentially one day to join the circus. But that's what it comes down to. It's like I just assumed and I know, as I'm hearing myself say it, I know it's incorrect.

Speaker 2: 25:46

I know that in anything in life it is a training, it is a practice and it's. There's always that possibility that my body may not ever be able to do Cirque du Soleil type backstands or headstands or any of the really deep stretches, but it could still be more mobile and more flexible with proper, consistent training. So you also touched on seeing it from it versus like the Instagram life and kind of learning how to practice. It Is this where you have, and you advocate for, a very body neutral approach to movement. Is that where that came into play?

Speaker 3: 26:22

Definitely, definitely a part of it.

Speaker 3: 26:24

I think the other part is because I was leaning towards the body positivity movement but even though it started from fat, black and trans people back in the 80s, even it has been co-opted by thinner bodies where you know, they hunch over and show their organs basically behind their skin. They're so fat and I'm like not quite. I appreciate you're going, but it's not quite there. But also the problem I found with body positivity is it started to become a toxic positivity and you have to be so positive about your movement and your body at all times and it's like okay, but sometimes we have off days, we're not feeling good in our bodies, maybe the movement just sucks, and I think it's really important that we recognize that it's okay to be on either end of the spectrum, as long as we try and bring ourselves back to that middle ground where we're like okay, you know that's okay, because some days are going to be amazing, some days are going to not be, but we can always bring it back to we still feel confident and what we can do overall.

Speaker 2: 27:30

This speaks so much to the folks that are brunch runners, because most of our community is very running focus, or we call them, of course, runners, walkers, movers and shakers. But in terms of that something that we've had to learn in our runs not every run is going to feel fantastic. We don't necessarily have to walk away from it being extraordinary, but we should be able to walk away from it kind of pinpointing something that was good and maybe it was just that we did it and that is more than enough for that day. So are you finding that, with body neutral approach to movement and your coaching philosophy, that people are able to feel more seen, more authentic with how they move their bodies and know that some days it's just not going to feel fabulous?

Speaker 3: 28:13

Yeah, I think I see that a lot with my students and one thing I always say, like I try to always remember to say at the beginning of my classes, is that if something isn't calling to you, if it doesn't feel right, don't do it. If you want to do your own thing, that's totally fine. I want you to do what feels good in your body in that moment. And it may not be doing these types of deep squats. It may be doing, you know, a squat and you're using a chair for balance. You're just not going as deep, or maybe you're just not doing the squat at all, and I find it's a lot more empowering to give that choice, that autonomy, back to the student, to that person to realize I don't actually have to completely follow the instructor, but they are a guide, right? So, yes, we can, but we can still do it our own way that feels good for us, in a way that respects ourselves and what our wants and needs are in that moment.

Speaker 2: 29:10

So you've already touched on it and I know that you've got some really exciting things and some incredible resources, but for people that are maybe listening right here and now and they're starting to think, I kind of want to try this out. I know that it's important. They've heard me talk about how important it is to maybe incorporate stretching and mobility and flexibility training into their routine to help them with their running or other aspects of their fitness and wellness. What advice would you give to somebody who's maybe a little intimidated to get started or that basically feels like it's too long of a commitment to get into flexibility training?

Speaker 3: 29:43

Honestly, start small.

Speaker 3: 29:45

I think a lot of people want to go into a new movement routine, especially when it comes to flexibility, and they want to go hard and strong right off the bat.

Speaker 3: 29:53

They want to spend that full hour on the mat, but really five minutes is totally fine and you can work your way up over time to get where it feels comfortable to be on the mat for an hour if that's what you want, but really just doing five minutes a day, amazing differences can happen in such a small amount of time and it's movements you probably already know how to do Hip circles, shoulder circles, any of that dynamic movement where you're already moving a bit can still be great.

Speaker 3: 30:22

It really helps your mobility and, especially when it comes to running, we really want to make sure we're feeling good and we never want to injure ourselves too. So the other thing I always mention is that we never go into pain. We want a little bit of discomfort, sure, but never pain, because that's where the injuries lie and that's the last thing any of us want. So we want to actually start real small, real gentle, and work our way into it over a period of time so we feel better with the movements as we take more time doing it, so we always start small.

Speaker 2: 30:57

I love that we're big fans about exercise confetti and kind of figuring out small ways of sprinkling it throughout your day. And running may not be something that's quite so easy to sprinkle throughout the day because clearly, going out for a run and then coming back to your meeting, you may be a little sweaty or sparkly and that may work for your meeting. Maybe it doesn't, but I feel like with flexibility training, especially starting small, having that little bit of exercise confetti, incorporating that, getting up from your desk and doing a bit of like a five minute routine, is easier to incorporate. Is there something that you would say that people should have on hand? Should people start potentially having a mat or some kind of a block or a tool or anything with it, or is it just their body and a flexible, open mind to be able to get started?

Speaker 3: 31:43

Yeah, I think to get started I wouldn't even bother running out to the store right away. I would really just work on standing stretches and seated stretches to start and see how those feel and then, if you feel better, then you can work like look for a mat or props to help you further that practice. But at the beginning you just need some space. You just need space to be able to stretch out, to move a little bit.

Speaker 2: 32:08

Okay, so just a little bit of space not a lot and a few minutes to get started. And I think that's such a great reminder because I feel like when we think of the new year and we think of setting those goals, resolutions, intentions, we always tend to also think that we need to go out and like outfit ourselves and all of the things when we have to run and get like new clothing or new attire or new stuff to help us. But really it sounds like the tools are already well within our capabilities, where you own what we need. If we have a body, you can definitely work on your flexibility, so that sounds absolutely incredible. I am curious how do you feel about folks, or how do you help folks that potentially may have some actual physical limitations and feel a little intimidated with getting started? Maybe it's because not being in, they're not able bodied or they have had years of chronic pain. How can we help or how do you help them?

Speaker 3: 33:04

Well, first off, it does depend on what the issue at hand is, but props are my best friend. I love props, specifically yoga blocks and a strap. Those are my go-to things. But on top of that, you can look at exercise balls, you can look at bolsters. Honestly, a good sturdy chair can take you places you never thought of.

Speaker 3: 33:28

I actually have taught privates before where we only stretch in bed and we're just lying down the whole time, and that works for some people and I honestly love stretching in the bed.

Speaker 3: 33:38

To be honest, it's very comfy.

Speaker 3: 33:40

When you're like it's, especially when it's cold out and you don't want to get in a bed, you can still be lying down, just cozy, but you do some movements and I really love doing that.

Speaker 3: 33:50

But, honestly, it's a matter of finding a trainer that feels accessible to what your needs are, because some people don't have that knowledge of knowing how to create variations or modifications for certain people, depending on what again, that issue may be. So it is a matter of going around having that quick 10-minute call or sending that email out to potential trainers or instructors, or just scrubbing through YouTube videos to see like are they offering different options for me, say, if I can't go on my knees or if I don't feel comfortable getting up and down off the ground or putting pressure on my wrists or anything like that. It's really you do have to go out of your way a little bit to ask that, but I think you can get such a reward from asking that because even if they don't do that, you have put that idea in their mind that they do have to be more accessible, and that could be such an important thing, especially in the fitness industry that is normally very rigid in what they offer.

Speaker 2: 34:50

Yeah, you touched on a couple of things that made me think as well. So we do spend some time again thinking of folks that maybe are beginning in fitness all the way around and maybe they're just getting started with any kind of movement. What about the folks that potentially are in their minds and maybe traditionally from externally seen as incredibly fit but still have not really given any priority to flexibility training? Do you find that to be a misconception among the folks that maybe they've been strength training for years or they've been doing some kind of cardio training for years but they haven't really given that flexibility training? Do they have a harder time getting into flexibility training?

Speaker 3: 35:27

I do think yes, but it's usually a mindset shift. I find a lot of these people and in the fitness industry we're kind of taught that flexibility isn't as important as it really is. You know, if someone who's lifting weights, they don't realize that if they're working their flexibility, they can go deeper in that squat, they can get further in that deadlift without really hurting their hamstrings, and same with cardio it's. You think, oh, I'm moving my body, it's kind of a stretch already. But how about that endurance of those muscles?

Speaker 3: 36:00

And yes, for example, running, we can run further and further each time. But if we're not stretching out those muscles properly, those muscles are still going to get fatigued at that same rate. You're not going to be able to go as far as you want them to by. You know that end or whatever that goal is. So I think it's really a mindset shift to realize no, flexibility is so important for no matter what type of movement we're doing, and even if it's just, you know, going that little bit further in those stretches, in that cool down, or adding some of those more dynamic movements in the warmup before we really get into that movement of choice.

Speaker 2: 36:38

I'm so excited to hear you talk about this because in all practices of movement I think about where did I potentially hit my limitations? And most of it did come because I wasn't prioritizing that flexibility, that mobility, that aspect of my training, because it just felt a little bit like it was out of my reach or because, again, of that belief that it wasn't as important. Thankfully, we are seeing such a big shift because of you and others that are out there really explaining to us that this really is something that has to be kind of a tripod of our fitness aspect in terms of our physicality is really staying very mobile. So what would be a really? You said start small, but let's say we're starting small and people are especially I can hear some of the folks here they want metrics, my friend. So is it three times a week? Is it before and after a run? Is it something where it's five minutes a day? What would you suggest for folks to really start harnessing in on that flexibility training routine?

Speaker 3: 37:36

Yeah, honestly, I do say anything counts, but if you want metrics, definitely stretch before and after that run, get some nice deep stretches in after. One thing I will mention is we want to do dynamic stretches to start to warm up. So it is those hip circles, the shoulder circles, like moving your body, and the cool down is when we go into those long hold stretches where we go for that quad hold or we're holding our back foot pulling it in, where we go for that forward fold and we're not moving, and we can hold it for 30 seconds, even longer, if we feel good. But we really take our time to be mindful through those final stretches, especially after doing that movement and stretching at least every day. Though, and, honestly, that five minutes, that can be perfect, and it's when you're actually doing those specific movement days of, say, running, then you go that little bit further and maybe make it 10 minute cool down where you're just focusing on those long hold stretches.

Speaker 2: 38:38

Well, I mean, now that you said that I can stretch in bed, I'm in, I'm signing up, my friend, because if, now that I know that, again thinking about it, from taking out the barriers, I can very easily see that being a practice that would be incorporated as a good, great way of, instead of reaching for my cell phone or checking into Instagram or scrolling through email, I get to see, or maybe even incorporating it for a little gentle waking up and stretching to get my day started. It seems like a really wonderful way, a lot of hopes of being more intentional with my flexibility training, because I do know it's so important. So I want to hear more from your success stories and folks that maybe were like me and they're like I don't know where to get started. I'm a bit intimidated by flexibility and I'm just going to straight up say I'm going to half-ass it. I stretch for three minutes after a run. What are your success stories of people that were able to come around to seeing how great they feel with flexibility training?

Speaker 3: 39:28

Yeah, I find a lot of the major success stories are people who have had past injuries. For example, I'm with one student right now we do privates together every week and she has had a lot of knee injuries, one after another. The most recent was a sprained knee. I think it was in June last year and it's still affecting her and we were only been working together, maybe I want to say two months now.

Speaker 3: 39:55

And she called me up the other day and she was like Vera, I just walked down a hill and I'm like that's amazing, like you know, in terms of hearing a hill, okay, like that's not that much, it's just a hill you're walking down. But like for her that was so intense because, like the knee issues that she had and developed over these years made it so difficult to walk downstairs down hills, anything like that and she lives in Vancouver, canada, so that's just hills and mountains. So it was such an amazing achievement for her to actually have no pain going downhill. There's no pain in her knees, no stress she felt, and she was able to go down at a speed that felt like more to back to her normal pace Rather than before we were working together she was telling me she would be the slowest one of her friends. Her friends would have to stop every few minutes because she would take one, two, one and like go very slow down. But now she just feels like she has that normal gait pattern in her walk again when she's walking downhill.

Speaker 2: 41:00

Oh, you just touched on something super important with that.

Speaker 2: 41:03

First and foremost, what I'm hearing you say is that with the practice, people are able to regain the world that maybe has been closed off to them Because, as you just said, a hill doesn't sound like that big of a metric, but when you're surrounded by hills and you can't leave your home without it becoming something that's a bit more difficult for you to do, it really does.

Speaker 2: 41:24

You're helping them to kind of reopen back to that world or maybe even explore the world beyond what they've had to be able to limited by. But you also talked about that gait and how instrumental that is. And so can you tell us before we get into a couple more things, because I could talk about this forever because I'm so fascinated by your work but can you tell us a little bit more about how that range of motion may be kind of it's that metric of those gates and the range of motion really be impacted by continuing to work on our flexibility training? And how long do you think it usually takes for most of us to get to that where we start to achieve a more injury resistant achievement from working on our flexibility?

Speaker 3: 42:00

Yeah, I would say like, of course it is very dependent on that person, but if you are consistent with your practice.

Speaker 3: 42:08

And again, me and that student of mine, we work together once a week and I know at that time she was also doing her own workouts two other times that week, so it was three workouts basically every week because I also gave her homework and it was, you know, less than two months she was able to feel stronger.

Speaker 3: 42:28

But I noticed I've had students even after two classes saying, oh, the pain in my shoulder is gone, like my back pain has been so much better. And that's something I even noticed in myself because I've developed chronic back pain from that waist training time, you know, six, seven years ago. I find if I'm not moving for a few days, I feel my back sees up, I feel that tension creep back in. But I stretch, you know, I'll go stretch for maybe half an hour or 40 minutes and I'm like, oh, it's gone, that's a good reset, we're back to where we were and of course it's always going to be different depending on our body and so many factors. But we can really start noticing changes almost immediately once we start really intentionally stretching.

Speaker 2: 43:10

Okay, so for everybody who's listening and they're like me and they're thinking I'm ready, I am like sign me up. Where do I go? To get started, let's talk about a few different ways that folks can find you, because I'm jazzed and I really do feel like this is part of my 2024 is to make this more of my practice and I want others to do this as well. So where do they find you? And tell us about the like, all the wealth of resources that I feel like you have it available for folks.

Speaker 3: 43:38

Yeah, so off the bat, my website is flexibilitywithveracom. Of course, you can find all the information I'm about to talk about in that website, but you can always find me on social media, on Instagram and TikTok and Flex with Vera TikTok. Actually, I put a lot of small stretch videos so you have ideas for different types of stretches depending on what you're doing. I have even a YouTube channel. It doesn't have a huge amount because I focus on my membership to the garden, which is an on-demand library that I have, so you can always check out my YouTube for some smaller videos. Flexibility with that.

Speaker 3: 44:14

And recently I actually launched a Discord server. So it's a great place where we can talk to each other, talk about our goals or whatever. It's completely free and I also offer free monthly classes on the Discord. So it's a 30-minute class once a month. It always changes the time because I do have students all over the world, but it's 30 minutes of just stretching together and it's completely free and we can just feel good in our bodies. But the other thing I have is an ebook. If you're not one who really wants to stretch with someone and you just want to read up on it, I do have a ebook that is free to download, and it's all about getting started with flexibility, training and just understanding the practice, what props or items you may want or need, how to modify for some very classic positions, and even understanding things like pain.

Speaker 2: 45:07

So, right out of the gate, for friends that are going to download the ebook, we're going to make sure it's an episode and it's the link for you guys to go check it out, along with all of these wonderful ways of staying in touch with you. But the ebook is getting started with flexibility training, a guide to helping your mobility, which is what we're all looking to do in this new year. Is there when folks think, ok, I'm excited about this and I'm ready to sign up. Maybe they're even considering a private one-on-one with you. Are there things that they should keep in mind, specifically Because, again, it's not centered on location. Because you offer so much of this online, people can definitely do it from all over the world. There's something that we should keep in mind.

Speaker 3: 45:47

I would love to hear those person's goals. So I do offer discovery calls for free before you even book that private, and we can talk about what you have available to you in terms of props of space and what you even want out of it. So we're making sure that any type of private or class is completely tailored to what your goals are. So I definitely suggest booking that discovery call.

Speaker 2: 46:12

Well, we will definitely be sharing that as well, friends, and of course, as you guys have figured out, this is absolutely such a great focus for the new year. So, as you're thinking through new goals, please do add in the flexibility and mobility training to consider making it more of a priority, because it again does keep you healthy and moving so many different wonderful ways as you continue to go through this year. But we're going to bring it back to brunch and of course, we've already shared that you have an official invite out to Beyonce. She's welcome at your brunch table any time You're serving her some fancy French toast. For the rest of us, I'd love to know how do you take your coffee? What are you ordering for your brunch that day, whenever you aren't hosting Queen Bay?

Speaker 3: 46:57

Oh, like I'm a Canadian girlie, so definitely my Tim Hortons Dirk Rose double double is my go to coffee. Is it great? No, but is it consistent and close to my heart? Yes, I love a good bagel with cheese and egg, maybe a little bit of ham If I need that extra protein. Yeah, I love a good bagel in the morning.

Speaker 2: 47:19

It sounds like a delicious bagel sandwich. That's a great way to keep that going. For sure, keep that energy up, and I love that. Well, again, I cannot thank you enough for sharing your mission, your passion, with the world, but again with our brunch community. So thank you for joining me.

Speaker 3: 47:35

Of course. Thank you so much for having me. I love this conversation. It was so nice.

Speaker 2: 47:41

I love this conversation as well. I hope you do too. I'm still buzzing from all the wisdom that was shared. Vera's approach to fitness is such a breath of fresh air, isn't it? It's not just about the numbers on the scale, but how we feel and move in our bodies, and I love that. She helps to dispel that common misconception that getting fit and losing weight are interchangeable goals. What really stands out to me is how she emphasizes the importance of incorporating flexibility and mobility into our fitness routines and I'm looking at you, runner, I know, because I do the same thing we definitely don't give enough focus on that flexibility and mobility, but I think this is the year we're going to.

Speaker 2: 48:17

We're going to make it happen. So, speaking of getting fit, let's shift gears a bit. We know that not everyone is into running, but maybe this is the year that you're looking to spice up your fitness routine. That's why we're super excited about our new segment, the Give it a World Girl. Every month, we'll be highlighting a different type of fitness trend, class or hobby. We're talking about fun, innovative ways to move our bodies and we're going to review them just for you. But here's where you come in. We want to hear from you what types of classes or movements are you curious about? Do you want us to try pickleball or do you really want us to send up for that lightsaber fitness class? Maybe some Polynesian dance or a let it go frozen Broadway class? Your suggestions could be featured in our upcoming segments, and don't forget that we're kicking up some exciting vocal opportunities for our community with some of these instructors. So, to stay in the loop, make sure you're signed up for our Friya weekly newsletter and join our Facebook group page.

Speaker 2: 49:18

As we wrap up today's episode, let's circle back to the essence of our discussion the holistic approach to wellness and setting smart AF goals. Remember, these goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time bound, but they're also adjusted for flexibility. They're about creating a balance in our lives and setting ourselves up for success. So I encourage you, dear listener, to share your own smart AF goals with us. Reach out and let us know what you're working toward, how you're planning to achieve it, and your journey could inspire someone else in our community. And with that it's time to say goodbye, but not for long. Remember every moment is an opportunity to add a little sparkle to your life. Until next time, keep shining, keep branching and always stay sparkly. I'm Christine signing off from Time for Brunch. You.