Vaya con Dios worries!

Anytime life treats me bad, I cry on my best buddy’s shoulder. Not quite. My bestie lives in Australia and is married to a super great lady, good friend as well. He understands everything and, after some tears, he always says “You'll be fine! Let’s talk philosophy”. So we go, for hours, from Socrates and Plato to Hegel, Kant and Schopenhauer.  We both have one of our degrees in Philosophy, so, we enjoy the talk. And then we ask each other what would these great guys’ answer to my problem be. Childish, naïve, minor? Who knows? None of them is alive anymore. For me though my problems are…problems. Just imagine: just last week I scared a guy and I am sure that he still runs somewhere in the hoods to be as far as possible from me. Not a problem? Not for you, it's not, but for me... Anyway, if my best buddy doesn’t have an answer and none of the great thinkers either, then a girl has to do what a girl has to do! Spa and Motown music. 

I create my own problems, I know that. Normally, after work, I should drop everything I heard that day and start back my personal life, but that’s not me. A few days back, a dear client of mine had a breast cancer scare. I haven’t slept the whole night. All clear now for her, but I so feel my sleepless night's effects. Then five of my clients, who attend my Yoga for pregnancy classes, will have their babies very soon.  I am freaking out for them. On top of that, I have to assess another trainer and I know that I have to fail him. How can I do that? I have his workbook, it’s not good at all, but the guy has three small daughters and his wife just left him. He needs his fitness rego to work and provide for his girlies. I don’t even know how to help him. Then a client of mine, whom I trained for the last three years, lost his wife, another one her son. There are so many tragedies I carry with me in my time off and, to be perfectly honest, none of them are mine. But in a way there are. I am a trainer, I am in this industry for decades and I will always care for my clients. They are my extended family. I spend more time with them than I spend with my own family. I work seven days a week and I love what I do….not just the work, mostly the people!  :)

There is always a first

I don’t break rules or…hearts. Never did. I’m 50% proper and 50% a dreamer. However, yesterday I officially became wild and suddenly all my clients see me in a different light. Because just yesterday, for the first ever time in my life I got a speeding ticket. Apparently I was exceeding the speed with 5km/h at the location AN0051 (figure that out!). Seriously? 5km/h? Me, the most relaxed driver? I drove for so many years in Europe, then here in New Zealand and never got a ticket. I will totally frame it! My disappointment is that there are no demerit points involved, because that would be a first as well! 

I never broke any rule with my clients. They are my clients and some of them good friends. Nothing else, no matter what. Ten years ago, I was the only woman trainer in New Zealand working only with men. I trained  men only for almost two years. Don’t ask me how hot they were, because I wouldn’t know. I know how much they had to lose or what competitions I trained them for. That’s all I knew back then and all I remember now. I got into training ladies as well because all these guys brought me their wives, girlfriends, sisters, and neighbors.  Otherwise, I would still train men only, because it is so easy to work with them. 

I never broke any fair play rule in my sport. I loved tennis. I still do. I played by the rule and that’s my advise to every athlete.  One can win a game and be happy, but it's worth nothing if it is based on somebody else’s injury. Or unhapiness! Be aware, you, cheaters, the same rule apply to you!

Anyway, there must be a first and, voila, my speeding ticket proves it.  So, I was wild for a second in my life. Never again! :)

Thanks, guys!

 So I love my Apple gadgets. No big deal here. Do you think that just because I am blonde I should be…just blonde? I would spend hours on my IPad, but I don’t have the time. However, last night, in my 10 minutes I allowed myself to be bored, I decided to check my blog’s analytics. Is there anybody out there reading my blog? This is quite a stupid question because I get so many emails from you, guys, asking for help with your training routines. 

So, 40,000 constant readers. Not bad. How on earth do they found out about me? I am average really. Google is the answer. Let’s just see what they searched for. 

“Shorty trainer in Auckland”. Haha. I am not quite short. I am 1,68, thank you very much!

“Cutie blogger”. Wrong again. That’s not me. 

“Fit and toned blondie” Me or not me? I have no clue; there would be so many others.

“Show me some abs”. Come to my abs classes then!

However, no matter what you wanted to find, you stopped on my page and stayed with me for at least the last months. Let’s cut this short! Thanks New Zealand, US, Australia, Canada, UK and Ireland for reading my thoughts. Also France,  Germany, Portugal, Italy, Japan and Spain. Feel free to ask questions as long as you understand that I am not shorty or cutie or just blondie and I won’t be definitely showing you my abs!  I love you, guys! :)

My mistake, really!

I was always amazed by athletes. I was one of them and I know how much work has to be put in for just an hour comp. I worked with many athletes during the years and I hope I made a difference in their training, technique, strategy, and especially that I touched their lives with my way of being. 

Amy was one of them. I trained her 4 years ago and this girl still is my inspiration. Amy hired me for the Senior Full Contact World Championship  and she aimed to be in the first 10. I wanted her on the podium. She was back then a 16 years old junior willing to fight agains much older women.

We started the sessions in August and we had only 5 months of intensive training. Not enough. I broke those 5 months in off season, pre season and on season and then once again in hypertrophy, strength and advanced strength and I realized that this was my first client I had to push harder than I was able to push myself years back in my training. I don’t think it was easy at all for Amy, because this girl had to work before school and sometimes after school. On top of that, she trained with me and had sport specific training sessions with her coach as well. 

Two months before the comp, Amy was covered in bruises. Actually her body became purple everywhere. She had the most horrible bruises even on her chest. I was sorry for her, but I signed the contract, I knew what I am getting into and it was my head in the smasher more than hers. This girl had the mentality of a winner, perfect focus and determination, and I knew that she was able to climb to the top. A month before the comp, she was in her best shape, lost weight and had the muscle strength I wanted for her. She was so ready. 

She went to the World Championship and she came back no. 2 in the world. A 16 years old girl from New Zealand! She may have won the gold, but her opponent noticed her bruises and started kicking her only in the most bruised areas. No pain threshold can be so high…I realized a week after the competition that I made a mistake. I should have told Amy to cover her bruises with foundation. Or maybe spray tan. A simple mistake really that probably costed her so much. Even now, I still wonder whether it was me or her. Was she actually able to bring home the title? She probably was! :)

In memoriam Bill

I was told that I smile even when I sleep. Why shouldn’t I? I have everything I need. One piece is missing though, but, you know me, I will find it and make it fit in my puzzle. So, I smile probably more than others. And I laugh a lot because I am happy. I have all these beautiful people around me, the pure white house I always wanted. And then my job. I love everything I do, my clients, my studio, my classes, my choreography.  

Bill made me smile more than others. He was 85 when I met him, very overweight, obese really, with so many medical issues, barely able to walk a few meters without puffing. I met him 3 years ago and I worked with him for a full year. He knew he had to lose weight and wanted so much to move easier. We developed such an amazing friendship and he taught me so many things. We talked about places we both seen. It is weird how I remembered only the airports, while Bill talked about streets, buildings, cultures. I wished I have met Bill 40 years ago, but then I was just a little girl.  

Bill hired me for a year and I’ve done exactly what I promised. He lost some weight, was able to walk a little bit and he was so proud of himself. I was as well. But something wasn’t quite right and I begged him to have some medical tests. He got admitted in the hospital 2 years ago, on 11th June, and he phoned me right after he arrived there. He said that doctors were talking about some sort of surgery the next day. And he seemed happier than I knew him. But he hasn’t made it. He died later the evening. 

Bill was a dreamer. Like me. He wanted to get fitter and he wanted his body back. He died exactly as he wanted. Two years later, I’m still a mess when I remember him. Rest in peace, friend!

The little people in my life

I love little people. I mean kids. I just adore them. I have them around at bootcamps, classes, and sessions. Sometimes, there are 10 clients in a bootcamp and 30 kids around.  I would have them all in my house as well, but they wouldn’t fit there! The little people around me don't lie. They believe in magic and miracles. So do I. They don't make false promises. Adults do, so I rather surround myself with my little people who are like crystals...clear and shinny. 

I madly adore Sammie. She is 7 and she is the daughter of one of my clients and dear, dear friend. Sammie is special, very special. She comes to every training session, class,  indoor or outdoor bootcamp her mom attends. I know everything about Sammie and she knows everything about me (almost!).  I was sad when she broke up with her boyfriend, a 7 years old boy, and happy when they got back together. Sammie is not like other little girls; she is, as I’ve said, super special…and she wears the funkiest skirts.  She believes that I am related to the Queen, or maybe that I should be. I like that! Sammie makes me the bestest gifts; stickers when I am good, wind chimes, drawings. I kept them all. And one day, when she will have kids, they can see them. Sammie is my cupcake really, sweet and funky and funny.   

Aisnley just turned 8 yesterday. She comes with her mom to indoor and outdoor bootccamps. Now, there is something very special about Aisnley’s mother, Karissa. She is like the sister I never had. Ainsley is a little copy of Karissa's. How could I not love her? She actually does the workouts better than many adults. Really. She is beautifull and very smart and challenges me a lot. Not as much as Jayden. Now, he is personality plus. 5 years old, a charmer really. Jayden loves hand sanitizers, so I make sure I always have one for him. Jayden likes to stay under my massage table, playing games on his mom’s IPhone. I always hide mine. God knows what he can see there! He is my little DJ. He changes the music on my IPod and, weirdly enough, he always picks my fav songs. 

Then there is Jordan. He is 4 and he is autistic and his father says that he has speaking problems. I never noticed that. I understand him well. The funny thing is that his parents write down words Jordan said during the week and I translate them. Doctors think that Jordan is autistic. For me, he is just perfect!. But that’s just me. I don’t see anything wrong in people around me. Jordan hugs me and tells me stories while I train his father.  A sweetheart really!

Have I told you about Milla? She is 8 months old and she likes dynabands. Only the purple ones. My bands come in 50 yards rolls (I still haven't figured out what's that in meters), I cut exercise ones and smaller pieces for Milla only.

As I’ve said, I just love kids . They will be my clients 10 years from now. Therefore, anytime I see a child on the beach, I ask myself “Will this be a client of mine? Now, or just a little bit later.” :)

Think before you wish

I have a very special relationship with my knees. A hate one really, because they put me through so much pain during the years. I call my left knee Arrogance, just because I broke it to pieces the last day I was arrogant. I was just a teenager playing tennis. I was good at it. I could have been better. A night before an important game, my coach, a very, very old and wise guy, started talking about strategy, but my mind was blocked at the documentary I just seen on tele: Michael Jordan, the player, the guy with an intriguing personality. I wanted to be exactly like him, but I haven't realized that arrogance would be part of it. So, I looked at my coach and said "I'll play tomorrow only if I can wear red tennis shoes with my name on them". He made it happen and the next day, just before the game, I got my beautiful shoes and my name was on them. I lost. Badly. Not because I wasn't good enough. Because I broke my knee, made it small pieces. An hour later, still in pain, I was told that the guy who stayed awake the whole night to make my shoes should have been somewhere else. His wife was dying of cancer in the hospital. That was the last day I have ever been arrogant and unfortunately I will always remember that I've been between a poor guy and his dying wife. 

I never wished for success. Nor money. Cause I am not arrogant anymore. I don't want prizes and medals anymore. Just yesterday, I got an email from an oversees magazine. Apparently, some clients of mine nominated me for something like the best of the best, watch her, kind of Personal Trainer. All I had to do is to agree and my nomination would have been in. I don't want it, I don't want my name on a title. With or without Just because I am not arrogant anymore. :)