Do What You Can, When You Can {Sweat, Cycle & Soul Review}

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”- Theodore Roosevelt

thanks to Erin for this picture!

Do What You Can, When You Can {Sweat, Cycle & Soul Review}

I do not normally start off my posts with quotes from famous people.  In fact, I never have.  But this one just seemed fitting!  Unless you are new around here, it is no secret that I have been faced with a lot of unexplained health issues over the past couple of years.  While I have a whole list of symptoms (currently without a known cause), the one that is certainly the most frustrating is my chronic joint and muscle pain.  For someone who has an internal need and desire to be active, this has been not only physically debilitating, but also mentally debilitating.

In October of 2014, I all but stopped exercising.  No matter what I did, my body never responded positively.  If I walked, my “shin splits” (<– I’m not really buying that) acted up.  If I tried swimming, my shoulder pain would flare up.  Running and biking were all out of the question due to my knee/shin/ankle pain, too.  Seriously, what was left?

I became frustrated, annoyed, and discouraged.  I decided that my body was just not up for anything.  So I rested.  While this was both positive and negative for my mental and physical well-being, after seven months of doing nothing, my body and mind were crying for me to do something.

And then an opportunity to try out Sweat, Cycle & Soul for a month came up at the beginning of May.  It was exactly what I needed to give me a little kick in the butt.

To be honest, I was a bit skeptical as to whether or not I would find a place at Sweat, Cycle & Soul.  I knew that cycling was out for me for the time being, so I was not sure what was left.  But after I took a look at their class schedule, I was happy to see that it was not all about cycling.  Two classes, in particular really caught my eye: the Pilates Fusion (think barre, Pilates, and TRX all in one) and the Flow Yoga.  I figured both were worth a try.  I mean, what did I have to lose?

I was also lucky enough to have my awesome friend, Erin, encouraging me to try it out.  Let me tell you, getting motivated to get back into a workout routine is so much easier when you have a buddy by your side.  Even though I was hesitant, she helped convince me to do what I could.  Even if what my body would allow me to do was not everything I wanted it to do, it was still something.  And doing something can do so much for not only your physical health, but your mental health too.

After my first Pilates Fusion class, I discovered that the TRX straps were generally not for me.  I could do most of the leg exercises without issues, but anything that required a large use of my hands, wrists, biceps, and/or shoulders was just not working.  Those exercises left me sore (and not in a good way) for days.  Lucky for me, Libby’s sections of Pilates Fusion were largely barre and Pilates focused, so skipping out on a few of the TRX exercises was not causing me to skimp out on my workout.  I did what I could for as long as I could, and I stopped when my body told me to stop.  I believe there is a difference in stopping because something is “tough” or making you sore, and stopping because something is causing true pain.  If anything, my health issues have certainly encouraged me to be better about listening to my body.

Libby’s Flow Yoga class also helped me learn to listen more.  I got back in touch with my body for the first time in a long while.  I am by no means an expert when it comes to yoga, but I can honestly say that to date, Libby’s yoga classes are the best yoga classes that I have ever taken.  They weren’t terribly difficult, but challenged me in ways that my body needed, while also leaving me totally relaxed after I walked out of the studio door.  I also never felt bad if I could not hold a pose or do a move that caused me pain.  The yoga classes were everything that I needed and more.  Two of my favorite things about Libby’s yoga classes were the uplifting and motivating music (definitely not like your traditional “yoga music”) and the “mini” massage she left you with at the end of each class during savasana.  The only thing that I disliked about the class was that it was only offered once per week.  I would have found myself in the studio almost daily if that had been an option!

If you live in the Omaha area and are wanting to get back into fitness, try something new, or simply join something that is so much more than a gym, Sweat, Cycle & Soul just may be for you.  I truly would not refer to this studio as a gym.  It is definitely much more like a community.  A community of people who enjoy working out together, relieving stress together, challenging one another, and working on self-improvement together.  And fair warning: the super cute gear in the lobby will reel you in.  So be careful!

The instructors are top-notch, too!  They called me by name at every class that I visited.  They were personable, friendly, encouraging, and motivating.  They also focused on the importance of having each individual person do what they could do and on customizing our workouts to fit our needs.  It was a bit like having a personal trainer with the atmosphere of group workouts.  AKA: having the best of both worlds.

Through this whole experience, I have discovered that I am a barre lover, a bit Pilates obsessed, and a yogi.  Does this mean that I will never be a walker, runner, swimmer, biker, etc. the rest of my life?  I hope not.  But for right now, my body is most comfortable and happy through practicing these three things.  I cannot thank Sweat, Cycle & Soul enough for encouraging me and giving me the motivation that I needed to get back into doing something for myself again.  Even though I may not be doing hardcore cardio and sweating like crazy, nor can I do all of the barre or yoga poses in every class, I generally feel positive and happier each time that I take an hour to leave my stresses on the mat.  I am doing what I can, when I can… and right now that is perfectly okay.

This post is sponsored by Sweat, Cycle & Soul.  Thanks so much for supporting the brands that make Clean Eating Veggie Girl possible!