This article talks about body image, bucking the Pilates system and aging. If these subjects are activating for you, please care for yourself accordingly. ❤️
Goodbye Shortspine, Hello... Freedom?
I've always been a huge Nora Ephron fan. You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle were among my favorite rom-coms and when I stumbled upon her book, I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman, I was intrigued, albeit a little too young to relate, and dove in fully.
There are scrawny necks and fat necks, loose necks, crepey necks, banded necks, wrinkled necks, stringy necks, saggy necks, flabby necks, mottled necks. There are necks that are an amazing combination of all of the above. According to my dermatologist, the neck starts to go at forty-three, and that’s that. You can put makeup on your face and concealer under your eyes and dye on your hair, you can shoot collagen and Botox and Restylane into your wrinkles and creases, but short of surgery, there’s not a damn thing you can do about a neck. The neck is a dead giveaway. Our faces are lies and our necks are the truth. You have to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it is, but you wouldn’t have to if it had a neck. ― Nora Ephron, I Feel Bad About My Neck
I remember the first time I "noticed" my neck. It was while proofing pictured for Pilates Style magazine - the glamour of it all is not lost on me. I was lucky enough to be showcasing my newly acquired invention, the DUET Roller Accessory System, and I was really excited to be in a magazine. I had received the proofs to pick pictures for the article and upon opening the files immediately gasped with horror. In more than one picture, there was what can only be described as a "skin flap" hanging from my windpipe.
I immediately texted my best friend, asking him "WHAT THE FRESH HELL IS WRONG WITH MY NECK?!?!" As we exchanged hypotheses of conspiracy theories, I laid down in a similar position to the one in the photo, looked in the mirror and realized that it was not, as we had thought, a photoshop sabotage campaign launched by the Pilates Police, but alas, it was my neck itself.
Somewhere between having a baby, launching a world tour of my podcast, and inventing a strap system to lovingly bring two foam rollers together, I had...aged. My neck was telling a story that my body had not yet caught up to - but she would... oh yes she would.
The next few years would be a series of hail Mary face yoga intensives, followed by fuck-it-all surrenders as I tried to navigate through the lived experiences I had thought only Nora had. Cream after cream, chin jut after chin jut, I committed to trying one more thing after another until recently, an MRI revealed some (very cute, very demure) bulging discs that halted me in my tracks.
I've decided to no longer feel bad about my neck or to try and change her. I've decided that her job of holding my head up is enough. I've decided that the little disc bulges that signal just how much she's shown up for me throughout the years indicates that she's done more than her fair share. And I've decided to give her (and me) a break.
Which brings me to the next piece: I've decided to let go of shortspine. Cue gasps. 😱
For those of you who don't know, shortspine is the caramel sauce on the sundae of Pilates with the reformer. It's the gift that makes the rest of the session worth it. It's the thing that you work to get to do - never the thing that you have to do. It's a shoulder stand, coupled with a hamstring stretch, plus a full testimonial of core strength. It's a bragging right and a gate key to things like overhead, control balance, rollover, jacknife and most of the instagram-worthy exercises that only the elite Pilates practitioners truly appreciate. And it hasn't felt good to me for quite some time.
If you're a movement optimist, you might be thinking " Oh - but all the research blah blah and we all have disc degeneration blah blah." Or "Maybe you could try...."
I'm going to gently ask you to stop there and consider that me giving up something that has brought me (and my ego) SO MUCH JOY has not been an easy decision to make, but it is the right one. My life today is not richer with shortspine in it - period. But it's definitely less risky without it.
This is how I'm choosing to Live Well, Despite Limits™️ right now. I don't want to feel bad about or inside of my neck as I age. So, I make hard choices knowing that a lifetime of moving my body and studying movement has offered me options for practice. Because:
🤩 I am not beholden to the laws of a Pilates practice. I am responsible to the needs of my body.
🤩 I am not beholden to the beauty standards of a youth-obsessed culture. I am responsible to the needs of my loving inner voice and self-talk.
🤩 I am not beholden to the judgment that may come from others surrounding the decisions I make to support my wellbeing. I am responsible to the agency I claim surrounding my health and happiness.
And you are not beholden to these things either.
This decision has really led me to think about where I fit into the Pilates community today. Especially since "consciously uncoupling" from the shortspine. (Again - for those outside of the profession, this is a big deal).
What I've landed on is a strong support offering, that I'd love you to check out.
As a person who feels like a "redwood tree" of the industry, I have the unique insight of what it's like to navigate a career in the name of preserving your OWN health and well-being - all while maintaining said career. Outside of career coaching, I've developed some unique experiences for studio owners and their teams to receive guidance and motivation to help you on your journey.
Check 3 new programs for Pilates studios:
Fuel Your Fire: A Studio Team Workshop
A one-day workshop designed to help studio owners and their teams reconnect with their core values and vision. This interactive experience will include guided discussions, collaborative exercises, and practical tools for fostering a positive and productive studio culture.
Empower Your Team, Elevate Your Studio
A more in-depth program that builds upon the foundation of the introductory workshop. This program includes ongoing group coaching sessions for the entire team, as well as individual coaching sessions for each staff member to address their specific goals and challenges.
Wellness Partner Program
Offer your clients an added layer of support with access to a certified health coach. This program allows you to provide a holistic wellness experience and differentiate your studio from the competition.
If you'd like to be considered as a pilot studio, be sure to reply to this email to set up a chat.
Finally, I leave you this Sunday with two things:
- A reminder that the things that once brought you joy can, indeed be transitioned from in the name of health and happiness to make space for new experiences and MORE JOY!
- Another reminder that I'm here to help you find those things and establish the practices that help you stay consistent with them. Book a consult below and let's talk about what your ready to let go of.
Oh - and unless it's for comedic relief, never feel bad about your neck!
xo Jenna
Inner Strength, Outer Peace
Our program continues with a class on how to stay calm amidst the chaos - this one is timely as ever!
You can join the program anytime and maintain lifetime access to all materials. Check out the details below:
0 comments