It’s all about fascia my girls.

Weekly Honey: What I’m loving, reading etc.

This weekly honey will be brief and power packed.

I’ve got a movement recommendation for you + a great book rec.

Then I’ve gotta get onto writing the piece for this week.

A quick note before we get into it— for the next few weeks, I’m going to be posting once weekly instead of twice as we will be travelling overseas as a family. I’ll prioritise the pieces for paid subs during this time.

My hands/wrists need a little break from the keyboard too- hot dam! I’ve realised that the bike incident only exacerbated an already underlying thing— BOTH of my hands/wrists have been incredibly tender the last couple of weeks. Originally I thought— ok, it’s just an overuse thing. I’ve been writing a lot (which is an awkward position for the wrists to be in for hours) lifting weights, and then all of mum life.

But then, after digging in, I realised that my wrists/hands were both in a healing phase— the resolution of a conflict. And yep— without getting into the nitty gritty of the specific conflict, it all made so much sense. The bike incident was funny timing because it made me pay closer attention to something that was already going on. It slowed me so that i’d actually pay attention, rather than push through.

Life is amazing like that.

So, let’s get into this week’s weekly honey without further adieu so I can get writing my piece for the week and then put these wrists to work packing for myself and the kids (hand luggage only! Yes! It’s the goal! ) for our trip ahead. Erik packs himself obviously.

What I’m loving:

Bowspring.

I resisted bowspring for many years (I clearly wasn’t ready to face my posture and all of the emotions underneath it). Also, I used to really resist slow movements. I wanted sweaty, productive movements only. My fellow turbo ladies know what I mean. Sometimes, we’re just not there.

Bow is a method of movement that has been circling me for many years— I suppose because my algorithm is full of women who seek truth, integrity and freedom. I’ve had IG followers ask me ‘whether I’d started bowspring yet’ for a while. I suppose they know where the yellow brick road leads ;)

This movement method is very niche right now but will blow up in the next few years— as will anything to do with the fascia.

The Bowspring method/algorithm contradicts a lot of mainstream advice (eg, the advice to tuck your hips) so traditional fitness coaches hate to see it coming.

I remember many, many years ago after my exercise physiology/ biomechanics days, learning somewhere in my rogue personal research about how African women stand correctly— It might have been sparked around the time we were working closely with The Unstoppable Foundation to build schools in Kenya… The beautiful Kenyans in their traditional dress (Maasai!) sent me and Erik a video celebrating the birth of our first child Sol. They held up a blanket that had been blessed with milk and they then had that blanket sent to us for her. It was so very special.

Anyway I digress.

African women stand differently— I’d say they stand properly. Their tummies are allowed to fall forward with their bums out.

Western women however are taught constantly to tuck their bums, and are trained across various movement methods with the goal of always having a ‘flat stomach’. Many are scared to death of having an anterior pelvic tilt.

But this advice of ‘tucked pelvis’ has caused a lot of issues with the western women’s posture— one of them? Pelvic floor issues.

But deeper than that? It affects her posture in the world.

I remember all those years ago observing the posture of African women thinking to myself:

African women stand like they know who they are. Western women shrink like they don’t.

Yeh it’s always that deep with me. Always ;)

In essence, Bowspring re-patterns your fascia and corrects misalignments that have taken root since we were very little. I’m not sure how into fascia you are, but if you’re not already? Get into it. Strength training etc is important for us yes yes yes but we all know that our issues are in the tissues (I remember certain massages I’ve had in my hips that had me wailing like a baby! Not due to the pain, but because of all the emotion trapped there).

Tending to your fascia will change your life— not just physically, but your whole life. Emotions will come unstuck, you will learn how to HOLD yourself, to stand tall, to stop outsourcing your agency to others.

It’s also very helpful for sleep — not just for you but for your babes.

There are a lot of good fascia teachers about (feel free to comment them in the comments!) but today I’m sharing specifically about Bowspring.

Some resources for Bowspring:

— The Open Posture Doc on IG (she has an entire workout program now)
— Amanda Cepeda has a very basic introduction on her site here
— Kori Meloy, Molly Peralta and Michele Chatham have offering that include Bow.

What I’m reading (but also a recommendation):

Ok I have read SEVEN books on Mt Everest in the last few weeks. I am a backseat savant now— which means I’d do great at a trivia night but have literally never worn crampons.

I know all the stories and all the stats, am in total awe of the moutaineering world and yet I have zero desire to step foot on Everest after all that I’ve read, especially now it’s become such an industry. I am about ready to lay this fixation down now guys. This is probably the last time I’ll mention it.

So, today I want to give a recommendation from my bookshelf. It’s a book I read a couple of years ago that I LOVED.

Never Enough: From Barista to Billionaire. By Andrew Wilkinson.

It is a business masterclass (truly!) as well as a sobering reminder that the relentless pursuit of more, is hollow. For those who have had success, and feel pressured to keep earning big money despite the fact that you are just NOT motivated by that anymore? You’ll love this book. It highlights that yes, the endless pursuit for more more more is hollow and that you’ve got to find a deeper, richer motivation. Even if you have not built the monetary success you want yet? This book is still a great read and it might help straighten things out for you.

What I’m excited about:

Upcoming trip with my family! Also…. The hub I have been talking about (for 5 years)? We are making moves. More on that later. I am mindful not to spill all publicly because I have a lot of private conversations to have first.

What I’m writing:

Today I’m writing about growing up from family of origin dynamics and living the life that is actually yours. I will specifically be going hard for eldest daughters— is it time to stop over identifying with that title and becoming a thriving mother now? Is it time to stop worshipping the burden? Is it time to draw a line in the sand and become who you truly are and not the little girl who still feels she needs to earn every bit of goodness, every bit of love, including God’s? We’re going there.

The unglamorous bit:

Real life— The last week has been a big week of emotional processing and I’ve needed to slow way down. Not fun, but essential, especially when you’ve lived a life being very good at numbing certain emotions that have felt too big to feel.

Ok!

Deep line to end on there ;)

Paid subs, be on the look out for a new piece later this week.

Lotsa love,

PK oxo