@anton0003 I box, kickbox (muay thai and dutch), and a tiny bit of jiujitsu. I find myself gravitating towards bodyweight and calisthenics and things like parkour and free-running.... I'm not a runner at all! But I've always been the boxer, or the martial artist, but just being strong and fit and mobility is important to me because I also work a deskjob.
Anyone here ever had to change their “fitness identity”?
- Thread starter anton0003
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@anton0003 Yes.
For me, it was equestrian. It's a "ride or die" sport. People are all in. If they aren't, they are all in as much as they can afford. If they aren't, they are often judged especially if they ride at a competitive barn/area.
It took a very long time for me to be okay with having non horse goals. For having other interests. I've always been multifaceted and had many interests and even hobbies, but horses always came first and horses overshadowed everything. I was the horse girl.
I still am but it is not my entire life. I ride 3 days a week now. Sometimes 4. Before, I was at the barn every day unless exhaustion or other commitments kept me.
I love lifting and hiking and biking and climbing. I love spending time with my boyfriend. While I did those things before, it was always very limited and horses always took precedence.
In grad school, I struggled to ride. Finances and time were the obstacles. My time management and organization and work ethic couldn't get me out. I felt very lost. Who was I if I couldn't ride? How could I even consider myself an equestrian if I was only at the barn may be twice a week? Crying in my horses stall did not count.
It was a long time before I was okay with being less focused on horses and more balanced overall in my life. I've benefited, honestly, but it was hard. I still feel a lot of guilt. I still love horses and the sport. I made the decision to ride for personal growth and pleasure only. In part this is finances but in other part it's because I wanted to enjoy more than just riding. I want to do all the things.
I'm still a rider. I'm still an equestrian. I always will be. It's just not the only thing I am anymore.
For me, it was equestrian. It's a "ride or die" sport. People are all in. If they aren't, they are all in as much as they can afford. If they aren't, they are often judged especially if they ride at a competitive barn/area.
It took a very long time for me to be okay with having non horse goals. For having other interests. I've always been multifaceted and had many interests and even hobbies, but horses always came first and horses overshadowed everything. I was the horse girl.
I still am but it is not my entire life. I ride 3 days a week now. Sometimes 4. Before, I was at the barn every day unless exhaustion or other commitments kept me.
I love lifting and hiking and biking and climbing. I love spending time with my boyfriend. While I did those things before, it was always very limited and horses always took precedence.
In grad school, I struggled to ride. Finances and time were the obstacles. My time management and organization and work ethic couldn't get me out. I felt very lost. Who was I if I couldn't ride? How could I even consider myself an equestrian if I was only at the barn may be twice a week? Crying in my horses stall did not count.
It was a long time before I was okay with being less focused on horses and more balanced overall in my life. I've benefited, honestly, but it was hard. I still feel a lot of guilt. I still love horses and the sport. I made the decision to ride for personal growth and pleasure only. In part this is finances but in other part it's because I wanted to enjoy more than just riding. I want to do all the things.
I'm still a rider. I'm still an equestrian. I always will be. It's just not the only thing I am anymore.
@tjbenz Ugh I connect with this. I spent 3, 4 days a week at my barn through middle and high school, riding and teaching and doing chores. I absolutely loved it, it was my slice of peace in a stressful life. Had to stop when I went to college due to time and money and transportation. Now I have the time, transportation, and finances for it but I only have a lesson once a week and it just doesn't feel nearly the same. Like, is it really worth it if I'm only there once a week and don't have that community I once had? And I find myself feeling guilty for wanting to try other things instead.
I'm glad you managed to find some peace and balance in your life. It gives me hope for myself.
I'm glad you managed to find some peace and balance in your life. It gives me hope for myself.
@gorphean It's such an "all or nothing" sport... yet why can't you just enjoy it for the amount of time and money you have to put into it? Especially if you don't own a horse, there's no reason to not just enjoy lessoning once a week. You can still progress. You can still love horses.
But I get it. It feels like "not enough" - commitment, time, love, whatever. I don't know if that's all self-imposed or just a thing of the sport. When I was younger (and going 7 days a week) I definitely looked down on those who couldn't. But I also didn't have an adult perspective. Now I know money, life, other interests, whatever can take priority. And that's okay.
But look at other sports. Rock climbing. If you climb once a week you may not be a "serious" climber, but you're probably not going to be looked down upon and you'd certainly be a regular.
I still feel guilty sometimes but it definitely gets better!
But I get it. It feels like "not enough" - commitment, time, love, whatever. I don't know if that's all self-imposed or just a thing of the sport. When I was younger (and going 7 days a week) I definitely looked down on those who couldn't. But I also didn't have an adult perspective. Now I know money, life, other interests, whatever can take priority. And that's okay.
But look at other sports. Rock climbing. If you climb once a week you may not be a "serious" climber, but you're probably not going to be looked down upon and you'd certainly be a regular.
I still feel guilty sometimes but it definitely gets better!
@tjbenz I first just want to say thank you for the reply--makes me feel less like I'm just screaming into the void, ha.
Maybe that is just a thing of the sport, so many of the people in it are so involved and invested, and it can take so much time and money, that it feels like if you're not "all in" then you're just playing around and not taking it seriously enough. (Though it makes sense if you are responsible for your own horse you'd be invested)
That's definitely true about other sports, I never considered that. Tons of people have their once-a-week soccer, or yoga, or whatever, and that's never looked down on, it's normal. Why should horses be any different?
Maybe that is just a thing of the sport, so many of the people in it are so involved and invested, and it can take so much time and money, that it feels like if you're not "all in" then you're just playing around and not taking it seriously enough. (Though it makes sense if you are responsible for your own horse you'd be invested)
That's definitely true about other sports, I never considered that. Tons of people have their once-a-week soccer, or yoga, or whatever, and that's never looked down on, it's normal. Why should horses be any different?
@gorphean Yea, exactly!
I do feel a lot of the people like that are either young and aren't handling the full burden of the sports cost plus adulting or horses is their entire life (and usually they have family money to afford it during those tough years when most people have university and their first jobs).
Most of the older people I know are much more understanding, even if they ride 5 days a week and want to show.
It's definitely a struggle though. I still feel guilty a lot about not riding "enough" even though I know it's not a big deal in the bigger picture.
I do feel a lot of the people like that are either young and aren't handling the full burden of the sports cost plus adulting or horses is their entire life (and usually they have family money to afford it during those tough years when most people have university and their first jobs).
Most of the older people I know are much more understanding, even if they ride 5 days a week and want to show.
It's definitely a struggle though. I still feel guilty a lot about not riding "enough" even though I know it's not a big deal in the bigger picture.
@hayas I didn't leave it.
I still ride three times a week. I just don't compete.
One, money. Equestrian sport is expensive. I can barely afford it as is, and showing is hundreds to thousands of dollars - for a single show.
Two, I didn't need the confirmation of showing results to enjoy the sport or feel accomplishment. I enjoy spending time with my horses in any capacity. I love learning and taking lessons, and between the lesson feedback and every day improvements (or not, haha) I get enough for me to feel accomplished.
Three, I fell out of love with hunter/jumper. I still love to jump but I'm much more interested in dressage and eventing these days. I also like trying things like hunting, cowboy challenges, etc.
Four, I wanted a life. Horses had been my priority for over a decade. I needed to take a step back to do things like date, socialize, focus on myself in other ways. It can be very mentally draining and I needed to be more than just an equestrian to be happy.
I still ride three times a week. I just don't compete.
One, money. Equestrian sport is expensive. I can barely afford it as is, and showing is hundreds to thousands of dollars - for a single show.
Two, I didn't need the confirmation of showing results to enjoy the sport or feel accomplishment. I enjoy spending time with my horses in any capacity. I love learning and taking lessons, and between the lesson feedback and every day improvements (or not, haha) I get enough for me to feel accomplished.
Three, I fell out of love with hunter/jumper. I still love to jump but I'm much more interested in dressage and eventing these days. I also like trying things like hunting, cowboy challenges, etc.
Four, I wanted a life. Horses had been my priority for over a decade. I needed to take a step back to do things like date, socialize, focus on myself in other ways. It can be very mentally draining and I needed to be more than just an equestrian to be happy.
livingtildead
New member
@anton0003 Ooh! Me! Was a yoga teacher/doer for many years, progressed to Ashtanga second series (lots of backbending and hip opening) but always had APT and terrible ab/glute proprioception. This, along with some hypermobility, led to chronic foot issues (plantar fasciitis, posterior tib tendinitis, crazy pronation) and eventually led to an inability to go barefoot at all.
Went to podiatrists and orthopedists to no avail. Then... Started PT with a chiro who specialized in functional movement. Learned to deadlift, then swing, kettlebells and never looked back.
Sure, I can still put my leg behind my head. But what's more important is that now I know how to fire my glutes and abductors, and that has helped me a ton in bodyweight as well as kettlebell fitness.
Even though I could probably manage a vinyasa yoga class now, I probably wouldn't. Most yoga teachers don't have enough anatomical training to respect my biomechanics, and if I hear the word "namasté" appropriated in a capitalist setting one more time I might actually rip the mala beads off whomever says it to me... Or spill green smoothie on their white lululemon leggings. (kidding, kidding. I still try to practice ahimsa, at least.)
Went to podiatrists and orthopedists to no avail. Then... Started PT with a chiro who specialized in functional movement. Learned to deadlift, then swing, kettlebells and never looked back.
Sure, I can still put my leg behind my head. But what's more important is that now I know how to fire my glutes and abductors, and that has helped me a ton in bodyweight as well as kettlebell fitness.
Even though I could probably manage a vinyasa yoga class now, I probably wouldn't. Most yoga teachers don't have enough anatomical training to respect my biomechanics, and if I hear the word "namasté" appropriated in a capitalist setting one more time I might actually rip the mala beads off whomever says it to me... Or spill green smoothie on their white lululemon leggings. (kidding, kidding. I still try to practice ahimsa, at least.)
@livingtildead Yeees. I had a few years of dedicated ashtanga practice as well. Love, love, love the practice, and all that it offered me, but I ended up with some pretty serious back problems (catching?) and imbalances with my hamstrings and glute dysfunction etc, etc, etc. And now I do some lifting, bodyweight strength stuff, gymnastics, movement flows, whatever floats my boat really. Physically and mentally I feel much more grounded.
Question though, what did you find was the feedback from the ashtanga community? I feel like so many of my connections from that time were deep into that bubble, and I find it hard to publicly share lots of my feats due to the 'ashtanga shame'. It's probably all in my head really, but hey, still curious.
Question though, what did you find was the feedback from the ashtanga community? I feel like so many of my connections from that time were deep into that bubble, and I find it hard to publicly share lots of my feats due to the 'ashtanga shame'. It's probably all in my head really, but hey, still curious.
livingtildead
New member
@ashhil Sadly I sorta ghosted the studio at the time and have since moved away. I was definitely ashamed and bewildered that I was having such severe chronic foot problems at such a young age (26). Also as knowledgeable as my senior teachers were, I rly needed the extra clinical help learning proprioception and how to activate and integrate tension across fascial lines and in my abs/glutes.
This is also where I feel Mysore may have benefitted me, bc there is no way I would have or should have been allowed to move forward without first mastering the vinyasa. I could do kurmasana, pincha, urdhva padmasana, dropback to wheel and even press up to headstand from prasarita, but as stated above, my chaturanga and even adho mukha were a mess. Looking back I can see how poor my biomechanics were in my dropbacks and even scorpion-- everything coming out of the lumbar, pronation, stiff thoracic.
Also ngl this whole convo is kind of making me want to try a class in my new town...
This is also where I feel Mysore may have benefitted me, bc there is no way I would have or should have been allowed to move forward without first mastering the vinyasa. I could do kurmasana, pincha, urdhva padmasana, dropback to wheel and even press up to headstand from prasarita, but as stated above, my chaturanga and even adho mukha were a mess. Looking back I can see how poor my biomechanics were in my dropbacks and even scorpion-- everything coming out of the lumbar, pronation, stiff thoracic.
Also ngl this whole convo is kind of making me want to try a class in my new town...
christfollower34
New member
@livingtildead Hypermobility is part of what put me out of yoga commission too. I'm just to bendy in the ligaments for it to be safe
boazgeorge
New member
@christfollower34 I have to watch out for this (no locking knees EVER), but once I realized it was an issue I started progressing so much more quickly because it meant the stretch was actually hitting the right places to make progress! Quads always engaged on hamstring stretches took a while to get the hang of!
livingtildead
New member
@boazgeorge Yes!! keeping tension/engagement is so important. I feel so much more when I'm not just flopping around in my joints!
livingtildead
New member
@christfollower34 I think there IS a way to go about yoga/gymnastics/calisthenics and/or circus in a sustainable way... but def involves investing in stability via strength training and developing active (instead of genetic passive) mobility
teach_me_truth
New member
@livingtildead For standard people, definitely; maybe even for some people with hypermobility. Personally, I've been forbidden from all those things, but my hypermobility is some next level stuff - I gross out doctors and physical therapists, and my case is rare enough that I usually end up with students observing my sessions!
christfollower34
New member
@livingtildead For me there are a couple of other issues too that make it not worth it and I've found I don't get the same mental and emotional benefits when I need to be so in my muscles to protect myself 
livingtildead
New member
@christfollower34 totally fair. have you found a suitable replacement or segue into a different movement practice?
christfollower34
New member
@livingtildead I'm doing mostly kickboxing at the moment with a couple of full body lift sessions. Don't love the lifting but the boxing is working for me! I do pop out a shoulder every now and then but if I'm careful it helps more than hurts
livingtildead
New member
@christfollower34 excellent!! glad to hear it. I think that's really the key for us hypermobile folx-- movement helps but definitely gotta be careful/mindful about it