Amber Testimonial

Okay. Okay. I think we're live. I never know where things go. Okay, that's good. Hello, Facebook world. I'm here with Amber. She has recently expressed the good results she's gotten our program, and I actually noticed before. And so I want to talk about it because it's always nice to hear it from somebody's mouth as opposed to me. So thanks for being here, Amber. Appreciate it. So at the start, I'm gonna use my little notes here. So before you start with Soul Core Fitness, what were you doing? What was your life like? All the above.

Well, right before I started, unfortunately, I came because I really. I'd been, I think, in about two years of really kind of intense back pain that I'd been trying to work through in a number of different ways because I had been doing. I'd been. I started practicing yoga when I was 19. And of course, in those days, everything is all about Ashtanga, Vinyasa yoga, and that kind of super athletic. Can you.

Can you. For me, too. But also for people who don't know what is. Ashton. Sorry, what. What is that?

Well, at that time. So this is in the. This is in the, like, middle 90s.

Okay.

At that time, it was kind of the. It was. Or at least to my mind was sort of the thing that everybody was doing. And it was a. It was a kind of style of Vinyasa yoga that there's a teacher named Patabi Joyce that he kind of made it famous. And it was a very kind of. Well, I would call it athletic at this, but by now, you know, lots of sun salutations and jump backs and kind of like a lot of arm balances, head balances, things like that.

So more using your strength, that type of thing.

Yeah. Although what I came to discover many years later, because I. So I started that. I started that practice when I was, like. I said 19. And then it was actually. And I practiced that for. Actually, even through pregnancy. And it took me. Took me a long time to realize.

That.

Was a little hard on my body. But what I came actually to find out about myself in that practice is that I. I actually relied more on flexibility because I'm not sure if I'm blessed or if I'm cursed with a certain level of it.

No, you're totally right. It's. It's. It's a. It's a. It's a. It's a benefit, but at the same time, it's also a crutch because you're so flexible.

And when you're doing yoga and the pose, or rather I should say the practice in many contexts becomes about the pose.

Oh.

Flexibility can kind of get you there, but it doesn't mean that it's necessarily healthy for your body.

Okay. So it's kind of a follow up question. Kind of got two parts. What drew you to yoga? And are the postures. What are the postures? What are the postures?

Goal.

Is it enlightenment? Is it liberation? And what, what is it?

Well, for me, I actually think that yoga was always a. So my parents were, I grew up in a Zen atmosphere. My parents were Zen practitioners and so I kind of had this thing. All they did was sit and so I was like, I just want to stand on my head and do, you know, I want to move.

Yeah.

So I think I had a little bit of a, Almost like a rebellion actually in a. But before I started practice, before I started practicing yoga when I was seven, I actually practiced karate.

Oh, cool.

Yeah, for.

Oh, very nice.

For. Yeah, that was my, A lot of kids got to do ballet or girls anyway. Got to do ballet. And I, I didn't, I had.

You want to hit somebody in the face?

No, but anyway, so I had been always, kind of, just because of my upbringing, I had been exposed, exposed to like that type of orientation in the world.

Okay.

And so I had an appeal, my appeal to yoga was a lot of things. I mean, I liked the wildness of the yogis, actually. I, I was really drawn to that. Kind of like, I don't know why I can't. That's amazing.

It sounds like a spiritual lifestyle, kind of like drawing towards.

Yeah, okay. I mean, I was interested in the diet aspect. I was interested in the meditation. I mean, I, I really was, I was, I was interested kind of the whole. I, I, well, just yoga generally. But I will say that just given, I think given the way that yoga's taught a lot and as it became increasingly popular, it started to become, for me anyway, less spiritualized and more about the physical practice.

Yeah. And being Americanized.

Yeah. Or just, you know, my default or, or what have you, you know, a lot of things. And also busyness. You know, just once you get into your, you know, 30s and you have kids and you're working and you're kind of like, you only have a certain amount of time to do certain amount of things.

Yeah.

Yoga kind of like fit the bill in terms of physical.

Yeah, yeah, gotcha. I understand that part.

But I think that what happened for me is that because I had been relying on my flexibility for so many years. I mean, I just got to a certain point. I don't, I mean, I, I don't actually know what happened, but I, I got to a certain point where I, where I developed so much back pain that I frankly was really willing to try anything.

Yeah. So this is an important point is that I don't know if it's a terminology thing, but flexibility and mobility are different things. And I use the example that like, you can be super flexible but not have a lot of mobility and not to go too much into what you got going on, but you're very flexible, but where you had pain, you had no mobility, it wouldn't move, namely your si joint, your low back. And so for different things, that's why being, being mobile, along with being strong, along with having good balance, like proprioception is the trifecta that you want, you want all three, and that allows your body to function more, not just wrapping your head around your, your leg around your head.

Yeah, that, yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

Okay. So are you going through it before you started your struggles, hurdles, anything like that?

Well, I mean, I actually, I had this moment where for me, my back pain came on really quickly. I, I actually remember it really clearly because it was the day after Thanksgiving four years ago. So that would be 2020. Oh, right before COVID or I'm sorry, five years ago came right at the.

End of COVID I'm going to be walking in.

Yeah. And I've been dealing with it for a while before I, I, I had a strange thing happen. I drove out to my mom's house for like after Thanksgiving, you know, sandwiches or whatever, and I had, was perfectly fine and it was a very snowy day and I still stepped out of the car and literally like, couldn't move. I don't know what happened. My back just seized and I like crawled up her stairs.

Wow.

To, to go into the house. And she was like, what is wrong with you? And I said, I have absolutely no idea. Anyway, that was the beginning of a really intense, just back, lower back pain. And so I went right away to my guy who my, the, my body worker, and he, that I'd been working with since I was like 18, and he was like, oh my God. He was almost like afraid to touch me because he said, I don't even know this body. This is not normal.

Yeah.

Anyway, so he, I, I, he did help me, of course, get out of kind of the accused cute stage of it.

Yeah.

But I mean, I just don't know how to explain it because it was terrible.

It's a Final straw. So this happens to people all the time. And they look at the. That instant, what they could have done. What did I do to make my back being hurt? Your back pain started, let's just say, 20 years ago.

Yeah.

So it's repetitive. It's a repetitive stress that never gets normalized. By normalize, I mean go back to its most advantageous position. So after a while of going away from what works best for you, it just takes that one little of sitting down in the car too long or maybe stepping in a stone and just moving your body a little. Funny. All your body's, like, done.

Yeah.

Not. Listen to me. That's. It sees up the whole body. It's a protective mechanism. So it's good. It just hurts like crap.

Yeah. Yeah. It was really. I mean, in a certain sense, it was also good because. So Asher, my body worker, he was like, you really have to do something serious. You can't. Because he had been telling me for years, actually, that I. That my ligaments and my joints, like, that I really needed to strengthen and that I was too. I mean, it's hard for me to. I don't really understand the anatomy of it, but he, you know, basically, he was like, you're too stretchy.

Yeah.

You have got to develop some strength. And he's not a fan of yoga in the way. I mean, he is a fan of yoga in terms of meditation and life.

You know, him and I are in the same.

Working with the mind.

Totally.

But he's been. He, you know, he sometimes would equip. Well, the only thing I like about yoga is that it brings me a lot of customers.

He's not wrong. And I don't want to. I don't want to. I don't like. I don't want to bash anything. Yeah. We just have to understand what gives you what. What's the primary objective of whatever you're doing. And from my understanding, this is all talking to yoga teachers. The primary objective of yoga was liberation, enlightenment.

Yeah.

The yogis didn't study anatomy. Biomechanics, they're like, what posture do I need to do to normalize my energies and get connected? All that stuff.

Yeah.

It's turned into like, a physical therapy type thing, but it's not designed for that.

Yeah.

I can't tell you how many yoga people come in just perplexed that they're hurt.

Yeah.

And they say, I've been doing yoga and I have to explain to them the body and the biomechanics and what's happening in their Spine and twisting so they finally understand what's going on. So it's fine to have a yoga practice, but it's like anything else, like a running practice or a skiing practice. Okay. Prepare your body to be a yogi. Prepare your body to do whatever you want to do.

Yeah. Well. And also the kind of, like, contortionist aspects of it, where you're putting your body in, like, very, like, strange positions and then putting a lot of weight on it at the same time. I mean, people. I love yoga. And so, I mean, I'm not trying to diss it in you. No, no. It's just that the way that it's being taught now, I think that especially now, people are not really aware of anatomically, and. And there's. There's even a lack of awareness around breath and breathing.

Yep.

And so the athleticism of it has. Has taken over the.

You also think a lot of people who go to do yoga, they do it because it's very popular. But these are, like what I call weekend warriors. Right. So they sit down all the time, nine to five, and they go out and do something that's probably outside their scope of what they can do.

Yeah.

Again, if they want to do it. Okay. Get yourself ready to do yoga.

Yeah.

Maybe just do breathing practice. Maybe do a program like this to balance your body and then you take it to yoga.

Yeah.

But it's like, I tell people the time you don't go from sitting down to go in a run in 5k, learn to walk first.

Yeah.

Before you go.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, that's my other one. So your struggles. What are your main struggles and hurdles? I don't think we got to that. In terms of the practice you were doing, was it just the pain or.

You mean before coming here or.

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, it was the pain. It was also. I would say that for me, also kind of a lack of. I started to become less interested just because, again, I mean, I. One of the things that I really like about what you teach in the way that you teach is that it is so informed.

Oh, good.

Yeah. I really appreciate that. I can. You know, for me, I. It's like, in this. It's funny because even though it's so subtle, it's so incredibly hard, and there's always more. There's sort of like, you can. You can. I. I feel like you can just keep going and going in the subtlety.

Yeah.

And so that, to me, is a very interesting thing, especially after it made me feel so much better. So something's working It's a great way.

To get to know your body, not. Not punish your body. Like, a lot of exercises. Like, really good way to open up all these areas your body that you haven't used.

Yeah.

By doing so, you feel more connected to your body. And like you said, that's a great relationship to start to have. Like, okay, my body. Your body gave you back pain because it wants you to learn what you're doing is not working.

Yeah.

I want to learn to work with me. And then I can let you do all these different things. As you continue down the road of just doing yoga and all this stuff you're doing, you might end up in surgery, Right?

Yeah. Well. And you can't get away. What I learned is that you can get away with things for a certain amount of time, I think. I mean, and you, you know, sadly, are just part of life is that as you become older, you. You just cannot do what you used to do. I mean, that's just.

No. Like 35. You start to show up a little bit, maybe ignore it a little bit.

Yeah.

And then by 40, it's going.

Yeah.

And then eventually it goes even worse.

Yeah. Yeah. It really does. And I think that it's true of food.

Totally.

It's true of kind of like for those of us who can emotionally deplete ourselves, you know, like, you. You just start to have less. You have less energy to exhaust.

Yeah.

You know, and so I will say that that's actually been. That was a good thing about the back pain. Is. Is that it also let. I had to really think about things in a deeper sense about. You know, it's a lot to let go of when you had a particular way that you've been able to live for decades. And it's attached to a time in life that you have to realize is changing. It's not a small thing.

No, no. You think. You think it's just changing your food or changing an exercise program. It's not. It's changing your outlook on how you've been going about it. Yeah. You're right. When you're in your teens and your twenties. Yeah. Almost. Who cares what you do?

Yeah.

You just do what feels good and you keep going. And you. It's a lot of ego base. But eventually, like, you have to have a purpose.

Yeah.

You have to have a different relationship of what you're doing with food and your health and fitness and not just whatever comes down the pipe, you know?

Yeah. And so you have to look for things that are. That are, I guess, the Way that I think about it is you look for things that will actually that are sustainable to go into next phases.

Totally.

That, that conserve your energy because you need it. You just don't have the extra anymore.

Yeah, exactly. All right. Ah, the big one. So we decided to work with so Core and me. What was it like?

Well, it was a mixed bag.

Nice. Put a positive spin on it.

Well, I have, I'm obviously a very big fan. It was great. I mean, it's hard. It's. I mean, you, you, you. I don't want to say demand, but you require a certain commitment, which I think is six months in the beginning.

No, three, six or 12 usually. Yeah.

Okay. Three, six.

I want to be, I want somebody to be consistent because using exercise classes like you normally would at a gym, just popping in here and there, some random classes, doesn't get you anywhere.

Yeah.

If you want to go somewhere, you need some sort of steps to get there.

Yeah, well, and plus just to begin to learn your method at all, a lot of it is kind of counterintuitive. Know like this type or for me anyway, it was because a lot of the movement is antithetical to what you do in a yoga class.

Sure. It's different. Yeah.

So I had to unlearn a lot of things and, and re. You know, it's a, it is a method and so you have to invest the time. So I'd say that that's, you know, I'm. There's a commitment, there's a time commitment that for my lifestyle is personally, you know, I mean, so worth it, but a commitment nonetheless. And it was also, I don't know, I guess I'm trying to remember back because it was so I started feeling so much better. I mean, I really can't believe that within like a six month period, I would say I was 70%, 75% better.

That's great.

You know, I mean, it really was dramatic.

Yeah.

And I remember when I came and I. We did the one on one, the. You said, you can do this.

Oh, yeah.

You were very confident.

I, I look at the person when they come in and dishes, I'll be very honest with them. And when you walked in, sure you had a lot of pain, but like I watch you move, I saw your personality, I saw your mindset. It's like, oh, you can do it. I realize you go through struggles like everybody does, myself included. But if you want to work on something to correct something, you have to go into the problem.

Yeah.

Not around the problem. So that takes a little Bit of effort.

Yeah.

And I will say is one thing. You see this sweet face when she's in class. She got dagger eyes.

Yes.

She looks at me very intensely. When I first saw. I was like, she mad at me or something?

Yeah, I am mad at you. It's hard. And it's a funny thing because I'm trying to. I don't know if it's painful. I don't know that that's the right word.

It's a struggle. I say all the time. When you first start, it's. It's like any new thing. And when you address your issues, it's a lot.

Yeah.

But over time, it's still tough, but it comes more manageable. Right. So it's not like, oh, it's hurt so bad unless you put that. Unless you put that label on it. It's just like, you're using your muscles. A little sore, a little tired. That's it.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah. And it's also. It's. For me, there's a. There's definitely a mental challenge. I don't know if it's that.

That's the hardest challenge. No, that's. That's everybody. I mean, the mental challenge in terms of learning a new skill, the mental challenge of, like, the voices in your head saying whatever you're saying to try and derail you. Like, that's the hardest part. Not the physical.

Yeah.

You just do something. It's not a big deal.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

All right. Almost there. Kind of already code that the process was not easy. So give us. Give us what you feel like now. Now. Now that you've gone through the process, now that you've got your little routine going. Finally. Which is great. Finally got like, what. What's it like now?

Well, it's not perfect because I. I mean, I'm 48, and I, you know, I work in an office atmosphere, so the work doesn't end. You know, it's like. So I. I still do have back pain, but I have it so much less when I do my homework, when I show up for class, when I actually continue in the commitment to feel better. So I. I suspect that if I were a really good student of yours.

Very relative. Nobody's perfect.

I suspect that I would be so much better.

Yeah.

If I would show up more. And that's something that's. I'm not proud of. It's inhibitive just because of.

Don't get down.

But, I mean, it is so much better. And I. And it's funny because one of the things that I wanted to make sure also that I say is that I. I've been talking about the yoga and sort of like, needing to get out of that practice. I will say that for me, it's been a really good thing to have this, because I have moved into a different space with my yoga practice to where actually now I can sit in meditation.

That's great.

Better.

That's awesome.

And I can have more access to breath. And so it's actually a really good. I kind of feel like right now I have the perfect combination of doing, working, Doing the work with you walking.

Yep.

And meditating and doing breath work. And so that's actually the, like, perfect sort of yoga. It's a really nice illusion to that.

That's fantastic.

Yeah.

You found your way through.

Well, yeah, and this has helped me. It's enhanced a certain. It's. It's. It's enhanced other aspects of yoga practice, which are more, I think, helpful for me now at this stage of my life.

Okay, well, great. Well, thanks so much.

Thank you again.

I just want to congratulate you for all the work you put in. I know you say you're not perfect, but nobody is. The fact you found your. Your path, all that bumpiness to achieve a new result is. Don't discount that. That's a lot of work for people. It really is.

Thank you.

And thanks for doing this. I appreciate it.

Yes, of course. Thank you.

Bye, Facebook.

Bye. I don't even know what Facebook Live is.

Oh, no, hold on. Let me see if I can turn this off. There you go.