Quotes to make you think

Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of oit, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity... 
--- Gilda Radner

Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lead By Example

We are informed from day one of being a Mom, to lead by example.  Our children watch everything we do, and all words we speak.  When looking into our newborn's eyes, we search for that connection to the baby that will forever change your life.  That life we, as Moms, have the love and dedication to make the most dynamic, healthiest, supported, educated, encouraged, and fulfilled as possible.  For me, I have been taught how to be a Mom by the most incredible Mom I know, my own. 
My daughter, Makenzie,  and I post Oakland Half Marathon- placed 2nd in Age Group. She was a huge cheerleader!

                                                                 Mom and my youngest, Emerson, smiling away

During a time when many people were not into yoga, my Mom, Tina, was. She met with her girlfriend, Lois, and had the Dads watch the 6 of us kids while they took evening classes.  I remember as a kid waving "bye bye" to Mom as she was dressed in her hip yoga gear.  I still do as she hits her yoga class weekly.  Mom was ahead of her times in bike- commuting.  My sister, brother and I were ridden around Alameda in the big bike "buggy" and didn't know any different.  Mom rode to do all errands and made it fun, singing songs and stopping at the beach to play along the way.  She taught us that    being active was part of what people do, just like eating and sleeping.  If we were at the swimming pool, Mom was the Mom in the water playing mermaid games with us. She would throw the dive rings for us to find, and have under water tea parties while some of the other Moms sat on the pool side talking. Mom was active with an effort because she could be, that taught us exercise was invaluable to a healthy lifestyle.  She has an energy and youthfulness that has always been known by her friends and anyone she meets(wonder where I got mine), and isn't afraid to laugh at herself.  Mom led us to believe life is to short to not have fun, and to believe in yourself when doing so. 

Believing in yourself is a value where Mom has outdone It wasn't only sports that had Mom Mom encouraged us to try everything we set our heart to, be it gymnastics, swimming, tennis, soccer, theater, or art.  Mom just wanted us to "try" and go for it.  

5.7.10- Post Power Fitness PDX's Annual Mother's Day Boot Camp Class- Nothing like coaching to honor my own MOM!

Now, as a MOM, I do the same.  It's funny because I feel like my Mom often, and when some people say "You make me think so much of your Mom" I take it as the biggest compliment.  When riding my bike with the girls in the Burley to go swimming, I have visions of remembering Mom pulling us over the Bay Farm Bridge to the Harbor Bay Club to do the same.  As I am doing cartwheels and swinging on the Monkey Bars with Emerson and Makenzie mimicking me I think that they will hopefully feel the same about me teaching them to be active and goofy Moms too.  I am grateful daily for the impressions she continues to leave on me, and hope I can do the same for my girls too. 

No Class On Thursday, May 28th!

Hello!

There is no class on Thursday, May 28th! Please enjoy the morning to sleep in or go for a run and stair workout on your own.

In good health-

Erin Shirey

WORK IT Family Style

Memorial Day weekend is here and full of incredible weather! Use this time to workout with your family and try something new-

• Mt. Tabor Stair Challenge- work the stairs and wear the Ergo or backback with your babe safely inside. If you have older kids, they would get a kick out of the stairs too. Try to hop on one foot, jump up, wide legged climb, or crawl up like a monkey. All are fun for adults and kids. Try to complete 30 minutes of stairs.
  
• Leif Erikson Ride & Lunge-A-Thon- head to Leif Erikson trail and bring the bikes! The path is wide enough for kiddos to have space to ride. Hop off every 15 minutes and find a different look out spot. At that point bust out lunges for 2 minutes- kiddos too. They love to lunge, and the on/off with purpose on the bike helps them stay focused and have FUN. Continue on your ride for an hour (if your kiddos allow).
• Waterfront Walk- the Rose Festival has begun and the sights are around us. Head down to the Waterfront and do the 3 mile loop between the Steel Bridge and Hawthorne Bridge while people watching and pointing out new sights to each other. Play "I Spy" with your toddlers as you push them in the jogger. Try to maintain 3.5-4 mph pace.
• Parade Through YOUR Hood- first pull out your skateboard, roller blades, bike, pogo stick, and running shoes. Next, plan a 1 mile route in your neighborhood. With your partner decide who will wear/push your munchkin for each lap. Next decide which equipment you will use. Make 4-5 1-mile laps in your neighborhood with returning home in between to change your shoes, gear, etc. You are cross training in your 'hood, while getting to know your neighbors.
  
• Free Choice Backyard- Write 15 different activities on index cards. ie: 20 jumping jacks, 20 push ups, 2 minutes speed skating, 2 minute wall sit. Put them into a basket and mix them up. In the backyard get set up for your own circuit of fun. Put the basket in the middle, and take turns picking the activities. Continue for 30 minutes.

Have fun and enjoy your exercise time together. What you do today continues to affect and shape your life tomorrow. Rock it!

- Erin Shirey

Do you "stair"

We have been doing Stair Scramble for one month now. Yowzas, one month! It has become lighter each morning, which means the class is growing each week. People have been asking "what the heck is Stair Scramble" and "what makes it different".

For the breakdown of class imagine facing a huge flight of stairs with weights in your hands. At first you think "this is crazy", but you run up one flight, than another 3 flights and get to the top. At that point you quickly drop to the ground and do 20 push ups. You hop up and repeat the cycle 3 times.

Next, you take the weights and do shoulder presses while you are running up the stairs 5 flights. At the top you face a partner and do plank drills together. Hop up, run down half the flight of stairs. Turn around, lunge up the stairs to the top. Repeat 2 times.

At this point of reading, you feel inspired to run up and down the stairs, right?

Join us on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, to get an intense workout before many of your friends wake up.

Stair Scramble
Tu/Th
6:00-6:45 am
Mt. Tabor Volcano parking lot