When I started training with Anthony I went home sick to my stomach every time. Anthony smiled at my complaint and somehow got me to keep it up. “It’ll pass. Keep coming.” He was right! My balance got better, I got stronger and every time I left Punch I felt better.  That was four years ago. 

 

This year, three months before my 65th birthday I had fusion surgery for three discs in my lower back. In twelve weeks, I gratefully came back to Punch Gym and slowly worked my way into circuits.  Anthony gave me a program to follow that was perfect for me.  

 

Today, I thought I’d write about windmills and turkish get ups and recovery but my mind keeps going back to Thanksgiving when I was a child and the many different types of families I embrace. 

 

In my family, Thanksgiving was the time when each of us had to say a sentence or two about what we were thankful for. The young ones always squirmed around waiting to pounce on the prize part of the turkey while our parents made us be still and say something pithy. We were just kids and we were in the moment. Our silly kid behavior ended abruptly one Thanksgiving when our youngest uncle announced he enlisted in the Army and was about to be deployed to Alaska and then to Korea.  

 

A dark silence fell around the table and then exploded into Thanksgiving chaos.  Grandma cried and bit the back of her hand in distress. Everyone started yelling and the kids were ordered outside in the gray cold of Brooklyn, New York. I guess that’s when Thanksgiving changed for all of us. My family was poor and proud. My grandparents escaped from Russia and lived in hardship for many years. They were thankful every day to be in America. And now the war they left behind morphed into another war and their youngest child, my uncle, was going to fight for others to also live free.  

 

From that point on Thanksgiving took on new meaning. The adult world of war came into our lives. Korea drifted into the cold war, then the Cuban crises and then Viet Nam. We became conscious that the cute little feather hats we made in elementary school represented the gracious giving of the Native Americans and what became of them as a result.  

 

Fast forward … .  I have carried on the tradition in my own little family by asking each person at our Thanksgiving dinner to say something they were thankful for. My kids have squirmed with dread while I got my own satisfaction from passing along such an important reflective exercise. Now the kids are  grown and live in the Northwest, far away from us but still close to each other. They’ll gather making their own traditions; something vegetarian and international with a sweet smell of Indonesian spices and a moment to reflect.  

 

Every Thanksgiving as I think about what I‘m thankful for I always think of my grandparents and how proud they were to be Americans. This year, I feel a deep joy that my daughter in law is becoming an American citizen and I have seen (yet again) how she values her life in America. And then I come back to my friend Anthony who is committed to US manufacturing and strives to help keep Americans in jobs by producing his beautiful products right here where we live.  

 

I am also thankful that although my children are together on the West Coast, I have an East Coast family right here at Punch Gym.  Anthony’s vision of healing through authentic strength has brought together so many of us who benefit from Art of Strength. That vision has helped us develop another type of family…a family of friends who gather to support each other’s health and well being almost daily. Today, we will be gathering with some of our new Punch family and I for one am not even going to think about how many swings it will take at Friday’s circuit to burn off all the pie….

 

…my uncle, was going to fight for others to also live free.  

 

Fast forward … .  I have carried on the tradition in my own little family by asking each person at our Thanksgiving dinner to say something they were thankful for. My kids have squirmed with dread while I got my own satisfaction from passing along such an important reflective exercise. Now the kids are  grown and live in the Northwest, far away from us but still close to each other. They’ll gather making their own traditions; something vegetarian and international with a sweet smell of Indonesian spices and a moment to reflect.  

 

Every Thanksgiving as I think about what I‘m thankful for I always think of my grandparents and how proud they were to be Americans. This year, I feel a deep joy that my daughter in law is becoming an American citizen and I have seen (yet again) how she values her life in America. And then I come back to my friend Anthony who is committed to US manufacturing and strives to help keep Americans in jobs by producing his beautiful products right here where we live.  

 

Every Thanksgiving as I think about what I‘m thankful for I always think of my grandparents and how proud they were to be Americans.  

 

I am also thankful that although my children are together on the West Coast, I have an East Coast family right here at Punch Gym.  Anthony’s vision of healing through authentic strength has brought together so many of us who benefit from Art of Strength. That vision has helped us develop another type of family…a family of friends who gather to support each other’s health and well being almost daily. Today, we will be gathering with some of our new Punch family and I for one am not even going to think about how many swings it will take at Friday’s circuit to burn off all the pie…. 

 

Anthony’s vision of healing through authentic strength has brought together so many of us who benefit from Art of Strength. That vision has helped us develop another type of family…a family of friends who gather to support each other’s health and well being almost daily. 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Day is a day to reflect on all that we have been given and all that we have to be Thankful for. Here are a few of the many things I’m thankful for today.

 

I’m thankful for my children. Luci, Willie, and Benjamin. My life has been blessed beyond expression because of these three little people. They bring me daily doses of joy and I’m most thankful for the ordinary, small moments I spend with them. Listening to Willie read a book, Braiding Luci’s hair or painting her fingernails, watching Ben play the Wii…these kids are the most important thing in my life and I am honored that God has given me the opportunity to be their Mother.

 

I have been using Kettlebells, Ropes Gone Wild, Bandit’s Loops, and Bulldog Barbells exclusively for over a year and I’m really strong! I’m stronger now than I ever have been. 

 

I am thankful for my gym and my faithful clients and members who have supported Punch Gym South Bend over this past year. I’m thankful that I have true passion and drive to help people change. Empowering people to take control of their health and their lives is something that I have a heart for, that I’m good at, and I love it! I’m thankful for my own health and for all of the things that my body can do. I trained for and ran a marathon this year and moments of the training sucked. A part of the race sucked, too, but you know what I kept thinking during the pain? At least I can feel my legs. At least I have the use of my legs even though they hurt right now, some people would do anything to trade places with me. So, yes, I’m thankful for all the pain and discomfort I experienced in training for that race. It changed me. I have been using Kettlebells, ropes gone wild, bandits loops, and bulldog barbells exclusively for over a year and I’m really strong! I’m stronger now than I ever have been. It sometimes amazes me what my body can do. I’m forever grateful for being exposed to AOS training tools and philosophies.  

 

In over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, Art of Strength training is the only training philosophy that has made complete and total sense to me, and has helped me transform my body faster than anything I’ve ever tried. Thank You AOS for giving us tools and tricks to experience and deliver life changing fitness.

 

So on this day, Thanksgiving Day, give Thanks for all of the things and people in your life that make you truly happy. Hold on fiercely to what brings you joy,

 

and all the rest….let it go. 

 

 

Thanksgiving is no time to take a break from training. Actually, it makes more sense to stick to it today more than anyother. Get this quick workout in this morning and you’ll be able to truly enjoy all those calories later. 

 

 

 

 

It was an early morning, class had just ended and here comes this girl with red hair and a contagious smile. The best part?…she had a bag of goodies for me. It was as if she knew me. I love headbands, as you know and Jenna hand makes each one. The detailing is beautiful. It adds just enough spice to my day and outfit…even when I’m training at Punch (always gotta’ be stylin’)