How We Are Getting It Done on the Island
I live on the North Shore of Kauai during the Winter months so my husband can be here for his surfing season. Sounds like a good excuse anyway. There was one gym on our side of the Island and it recently shut down. A lot of the locals don’t even have a gym type environment to workout in even if they wanted too. Yes, they have God’s park (surfing, hiking, biking etc), but no gym. So when I got here I got permission from our nearest hotel, the St. Regis, to let me use their gym. Then I started talking to the ladies around town and realized they were suffering.
I started looking into renting rooms and teaching classes and…..voila the community center. So every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I rent the community center by my house for 10 dollars a session and teach anywhere from 12 to 18 woman a session. I even have my one brave man, Ron, who busts his butt, and seems to be able to block out the clucking of all the chicks.
Before each session I load up the bed of my truck with all of my dumbbells, kettleballs, weighted balls, and stability balls. Once I arrive all the girls unload the truck and put our accessories in the middle of the floor. We demo each exercise, give them their order, blast some tunes, and bust it for an hour. These women range in age from 22-56 and are killer. They sweat, complain, work, and never quit. I have watched this group morph into an organized organism from an unruly tribe. A little fear is always good for order (smile).
I love this situation because it’s not easy to pull together, but you realize it’s not that hard either. I have also grown to appreciate my situation when it is easy (like a gym down the street or in my house). The sense of support and community I get from these people that I spend just a few hours a week with is tremendous. Not to mention as a part of this community this is a way in which I am able to give. I’m not a baker and I can’t knit, but I can run you through a workout. I’m not sure if they love or hate me, but I know they feel something. Oh, and did I that mention I have to get creative since there are NO machines and we are in a simple room? Just a reminder that a few good ideas, willingness to work, and loud tunes can go a long way.
So find your tribe and stop making excuses. It’s 2011 and it’s your time. Time to achieve the goals you have been talking about for either a short or long time. You can do it, and why not solicit a few enthusiastic friends to do it with?
Happy New Year.
Best, Gabby