It was a good weekend.

Leave a comment November 24, 2015 drworobec

I love school. I love sharp pencils and blank notebooks just waiting to be written on. I used to love the promise of September, of a new school year with new projects and new challenges. I have eight years of post-secondary education under my belt, and I would happily go back for more if I thought my busy life could juggle it. But that’s not in the cards for me in the foreseeable future, so for now, continuing education seminars are the “school” that meets that need.

I attended one such seminar this past weekend. It was the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences annual conference. Quite the title, no? I’ve been to this conference before, and I love it every year. This year’s theme was “Train Smarter,” and we listened to wonderful presenters like Mark Rippetoe, Christian Thibaudeau, and Dr. Andreo Spina talk about training, performance, and movement. Two days of bliss, where I could sit with my sharpened pencil and my new notebook and soak up new ways of thinking and new forms of inspiration

But you know what was the best part? You guessed it, it was the people. It was being called “Ash” and saying “remember when?”, seeing classmates I haven’t seen in years and spending time with like-minded colleagues. It was a sense of belonging in a very male-dominated field and a shared interest in all things sport and athlete and treatment and research. I love my job and my patients and my hands-on practice, and it is events like these that keep me motivated to continually improve, to learn more, to question more, to master more, to progress more.

It was a good weekend.

Movement is Medicine

Leave a comment November 3, 2015 drworobec

My friends. Fitness is not a short journey. Fitness is a daily choice. And fitness is a very large, very important component of health. I saw the above graphic on Twitter a couple of weeks ago, and it really got me thinking; and from thinking comes blogging.

So here we go.

While the above information is American-based, I would guess that it likely applies to the Canadian population as well. And although ‘The Huffington Post’ is not exactly an evidence-based journal, I would venture to say that the above stats are well within the ballpark of truth.

The Public Health Agency of Canada released new physical activity guidelines in 2011; they recommend 2.5 hours per week of activity for adults, “focusing on moderate to vigorous aerobic activity” and incorporating activities that “target your muscles and bones.” This is only 21 minutes per day. I’ve already blogged and complained about their guidelines being drastically low for children, so today I’m going to say the same for adults. Following these activity recommendations are like following the Canada Food Guide for nutritional guidance; the research has changed and so should your views.

I believe in fitness. It’s a big part of who I am, and a big part of what I enjoy. So it’s hard for me not to stand on a soapbox and preach about this topic. Forgive me for ranting and raving….. such is an element of passion, and passion for this topic I have. Fitness changes everything from your quality of life to your functional abilities to your life expectancy. I’m not going to tell you to park your car further away from the mall entrance or to take the stairs instead of the elevator. I’m not, because you need to do more than that.

I promise that if you do not move your body now, while you can, you will not be able to move your body later, when you want to.

Soapbox away, rant over.

Because my Beloved Gym has Closed Down

Leave a comment October 27, 2015 drworobec

Over the years, you’ve heard me write about my gym many, many times. Okay, many, many, many times. And that’s what I’m going to do again today, but this time there’s a twist:

Because my beloved gym has closed down.

There was a member’s meeting last week and we were told that the gym was closing and we were being transferred to another CrossFit gym nearby. Everyone’s making the switch; coaches, therapists, and members alike. We are all moving over. So the reality is, while the four walls of our gym have ceased to be, the important parts remain.

Some of you may be reading this and thinking “what’s the big deal?” But, you see, my gym is not just a gym- it’s my safe place and my stress relief. My friendships and my sweat, my inspiration and my accomplishments. If you’re a member, you’ll agree. If you’re a CrossFitter, you’ll agree. Because that’s what makes CrossFit great….. the community.

I’ve been a member at CrossFit Altitude from its very beginnings, back when five people was a busy class and no one had yet mastered double-unders or pullups. I joined in January 2010, anxious to feel like myself again after the birth of my first child. After a couple weeks of ranting and raving about what an amazing thing I’d found, my husband tried it out and was also hooked from the start.

So what is it that has kept me coming back, usually in the dark, cold morning hours before 6:00am, year after year? Well, the getting in shape and enjoying newfound strength and skills certainly help. But that’s not it. Not really. It’s the people.

This is the place that rallies around battles with cancer, losses of loved ones, of families broken apart and families rebuilt. This is the place where I have sobbed silently, mid-workout, as my worries and stresses melt away with my efforts. This is the place where I went after my miscarriage, in the depths of my sadness, to start to heal. This is the place that I brought my new baby girl, barbells crashing and music blaring, to get back to being me. This is the place where I’ve met some of the most wonderful people, the most wonderful friends, the most wonderful parts of my life. And while this place is no longer, what it stands for still is. What it is capable of, still is. What it does, still is.

Change is tricky and tough, but familiarity only comes with time. And so we will give it time. We will find our new normals, our new routines, and new ways to challenge ourselves daily, just as we always have. And in the process, we will expand our community, grow our community, and continue to rally and support and comfort and nurture and improve. Our community has doubled, and so too have our opportunities.