Do any of the following describe you?
- you have that lingering shoulder pain that just won’t go away
- you know there's more to feeling good in your body than what mainstream culture tells you
- you have a memory of what it feels like to be free in your body or you want to recover one
- you've been looking for answers to your pain or dysfunction and feel like no on gets it
- you're interested in natural movement or alignment but you're not sure where to start
- you look 30 years older than you actually are while getting up off the floor after playing with your kid
- you believed birth was natural but it was filled with drama and everything went wrong
- you want a structured path to follow that incorporates lifestyle changes and specific exercises
- you pee when you sneeze
- you're less interested in a six pack and more interested in a healthy, functioning body
- you are a weekend warrior who hurts just as much as your couch-potato siblings
- you are ready to explore whole SELF connections
- you miss the carefree movement of your childhood
- your back aches when you sit too long or stand too long or lie down too long
- your free time is sacred, and you want information that is digestible and tools that are easy to implement
- you don't want to spend a lot of time and money chasing different approaches to getting better
Are you ready for a step-by-step guide to help you launch yourself out of pain, dysfunction and disconnection and into the daily movements that nourish your body?
Jennifer Gleeson Blue
Nutritious Movement™ Certified
Restorative Exercise Specialist
The Resilient Body
In August of 2011, I was preparing to give birth at a birth center. I went to prenatal yoga. I did prenatal fitness DVDs. I went to the gym. I was in shape.
Things just didn't add up.
I discovered a lot of things when I wanted to better understand my birthing experience. One of those essential things was that the way we use our bodies EVERY DAY impacts things like birth.
It impacts all of our biological functions (digestion, e.g.) and our likelihood of developing a variety ailments and diseases like osteoporosis and high blood pressure, not to mention pelvic floor disorder or low back spasms. All this, from our movement habits!
Life Doesn't Always Go As Planned
This darling little one arrived. But it took 54 hours of labor and a cesarean section before I laid eyes on him.
How long have you been waiting to feel better? How many times have you gone down some path only to discover the benefits were only short term or never materialized at all.
I get it.
Like lots of people I've had a whole host of various physical problems for which there seemed to be no solution. Truly, dealing with childhood trauma helped a lot of it. But psychological trauma doesn't often mean we change our daily movement habits.
We need something more when we want to really get better, when we want to really start developing bodies that are resilient and strong and able to take what life sends our way.
Our bodies don’t need fitness. They need whole body alignment. They need whole body movement.
There's a simple pathway to get you toward the resilient body you seek.
It's easy to say you should take care of your body. It's only a little bit harder to say that you actually do. But most of us have resigned ourselves to aches, pains, dysfunctions and even diseases that are entirely preventable or fixable.
It's time to stop waiting for the other shoe to drop! It's time to recognize that this is it. This is your one body in this lifetime. And by changing the way you use it, you create space for healing, starting at the cellular level. You become strong. Flexible. Resilient.
Aren't you ready to change your body paradigm?!
Lifestyle Habits
Yup! We're going to talk shoes. And how you sit, and where you "wear" your pelvis. And we're going to explore how much you walk, and what those arms of your do every day. Because a resilient life isn't created while you exercise. It's formed by what you do MOST of the time.
Essential Exercises
You know those movement habits I just mentioned over there to the left? Most of us need a lot of work to make them possible. You can't sit in a neutral pelvis unless your hamstrings are long enough, your psoas yielding enough and until those hips will drop open. So we're going to learn the essential corrective exercises to enable your body to restore its innate resilience.
Four Weeks to a More Resilient Life
"Just four weeks?" you might be wondering? Yes! While it's true that I plan to be mastering this work for the rest of my life, I have seen time and time again in my clients that even just making a few adjustments reaps HUGE benefits. You can take as long as you'd like to move through the content, but know this: I wouldn't create this course if I didn't believe it would launch you into an entirely more resilient life.
We gotta start from the ground up. How you stand, how you position your feet, what your feet do while you walk...this effects EVERYTHING above. We'll explore basic stance alignment and open up the feet and the backs of the legs. This is your foundation for the rest of your life.
Once you've learned the optimal way to stand, you'll begin wondering why you're not able to do so! Those tight calves might be contributing a whole lot (mine are!), but there are some key areas of tension and weakness that run through the hips and we're going to begin unpacking them ASAP so you can get upright and keep that weight back on your heels.
We've got two goals this week: release the core and restore a natural, nasal breathing pattern. The cellular health of the body is dependent upon effective oxygen delivery. Not only do we need to ensure we've got enough of the good stuff coming into our bodies, we need to open up and innervate the core musculature so that more of that good stuff can get where it needs to go.
Oh man, our upper bodies suffer so much! Not only do we not spend much time climbing and hauling and hanging, but we put ourselves in front of keyboards and mobile phones after driving and cooking and doing dishes. We NEED to begin stabilizing that thoracic spine and opening up your chest so your arms can be free!
I invite you to pause for a moment. You've just read about what's happening in this course. How does it feel in your body to imagine doing this work? If you have that longing, that desire to begin this journey in earnest, keep reading!
I've got you covered! Each week you'll have access to the following elements exploring that week's module:
Here are three MORE things I know will make a difference for you!
Extra Classes
I'm including nine - yes 9! - additional exercises classes pulled from the monthly online classes I teach. You can access them here anytime to mix things up a bit.
- Say Goodbye to Wattle Arms
- Hamstring Me Loose
- Bump the Widow's Hump
- Quad Let Down
- Happenin' Hips
- Five Fast Fixes for the Feet
- Shouldering On
- Rubber Necking
- Open Your Hips, Open Your Heart
Facebook Family
There's this HUGE missing piece to doing work in the alignment and natural movement world and that is community. Finding your tribe really matters and having partners along the journey will support you toward moving toward your own whole body resilience with increased effectiveness and joy. Joining the Facebook group is totally optional, but I think you're going to want in!
BONUS Workout
Learning corrective exercises is a really important piece of this puzzle, as is learning how to fit them into your every day life. But you probably know that there's something really special about that dedicated 45 minutes or hour to practice what you've learned in a really mindful way. This workout will encompass all of the exercises you learn in the course for a mindful, centering practice.
This work isn't for everyone. It's definitely not for you if you are resistant to change, won't do the work or prefer to just go after quick fixes.
But if you want to feel powerful and at ease in your body, if you are ready for a challenge (physically and intellectually), if you are wanting to come home to your body, to be inspired and hopeful and are willing to be a little bit surprised, this is totally the course for you!
And if you are that person - that person who is ready to decrease pain, increase function, develop a deeper connection with your body - then I REALLY, REALLY hope you will join me in this journey.
The short answer? This is my life. 🙂
Even as I am writing this, I am changing my position frequently, being mindful of my movement, incorporating specific exercises. Mindfulness about alignment and natural movement have become part and parcel of who I am.
In your work with me, I can promise you will discover not only a practical guide for meeting your alignment and movement goals through various physical exercises, but the emotional container needed to uncover what’s really going on for you and the support you need to integrate the changes you make. This is true whether we are working one-to-one, or in a course like this!
As for some additional personal details, I live in Philadelphia with my husband and son and our two cats, where we eschew couches, wear minimalist shoes, eat a whole foods diet and hang from trees throughout the neighborhood.
But there are credentials, too:
I am a Restorative Exercise™ Specialist- Certified Personal Trainer, having trained extensively with the Restorative Exercise Institute as I continue to do.
I am also a Certified Restorative Breathing practitioner and have a certificate in life coaching (coaching was my playground for the better part of a decade prior to discovering Restorative Exercise™) in addition to the bachelors degree I hold in communication studies.
My work is mainly housed over at The Resilient Body. Check it out!
Are you ready to Launch Your Resilient Life? This is the button for you.
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Can I take this course anytime?Yup! I do live rounds from time to time (the webcasts are recorded from whichever live round was most recent) but it you sign up now you’ll have immediate access to all of the course content! I’ll be hanging around the Facebook group to answer your questions, too.
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When does it start?
It starts anytime you’d like. 🙂 You can always check with me to see if a live round is coming up.
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How long does it run?
The content is divided into four weeks. You can choose to go at that pace or move more slowly (or quickly!) as suits your needs and preferences. I suggest that you really give yourself time with each module prior to moving on as they build on one another.
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What if I can't get to it all in a week?
I trust that you will move through this course at the pace that works best for you and meets your needs. You’ll know when you are ready to move forward. That being said, I worked hard to keep it digestible and easy-to-implement so you don’t get overwhelmed.
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How long will I have access to the course?
At the moment I don’t have a close date set and I plan to keep it open as long as I remain happy with the content and it continues to meet people’s needs. So you can expect at least year, and likely much, much longer!
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Is there a 1:1 upgrade option?
At this time, my private practice is full, so I am not able to take on additional private clients. I do make myself quite available to my students in the Facebook group, however!
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What if I already have a workout plan and go to the gym and all that good stuff?
That’s cool. Lots of my clients do. This may change your perspective on some of what you do during that time AND it can be a great tool to help those activities fall more in line with what movements your body needs to be healthier.
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When will I get access to all of the course materials?
When you sign up, you’ll get a log-in to a membership page on this website where all your content will be housed. It’s ready and waiting for you now!
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What if I can't do the exercises?
This work is safe for almost all people and modifications can absolutely be made for those times when something is particularly difficult for you.
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I am not an athlete. Does that matter?
Nope. If you have a body and are willing to explore your movement habits, you will benefit from this!
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Will I lose weight?
Maybe. Increased muscle engagement ups the metabolism. The more muscle that you can get “online,” the more calories you burn. And this course is all about getting more of you “online.”
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I have trauma. And that affects my body and how I feel in it. Is this course for me?
Welcome. With extra hugs. I have trauma, too, and trauma always affects the body. This work will be an amazing gateway to recovering the body that is your birthright.
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Will I have to wear ugly shoes and give up my couch?
Only if you want to. 🙂
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I read a lot of blogs about alignment and natural movement and Katy Bowman and Restorative Exercise™. Isn't that enough?
Perhaps. But after having had SO many people come work with me who are already familiar with this work, I can promise you that there is something very different about have a structured pathway with community support and the ability to get your specific questions answered. I’ve even had students who are studying to become Restorative Exercise™ Specialists who are so very glad they took this course. If you’ve read Bowman’s blog, you may think you know how to stand. I have yet to meet a well-informed first-time client who does, though. Take that for what you will!
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I don't have any serious health problems or pain. Why should I take this course?
In most ways, I didn’t have any serious health problems either. And yet this work has given me a whole new sense of freedom and improved function. Sometimes, too, it takes feeling better to know you weren’t feeling very good before. But there’s something bigger: if you want to STAY feeling good, the body will need movements that it’s not getting now. Can you wiggle your knee caps? Can you lift your toes individually? Can you release your psoas? This course is about short-term wellness and long-term wellness.
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I have a very specific problem (headaches, PFD, shoulder impingement, knee osteoarthritis). Will this course address that?
Yes. Or rather, your specific body part of concern might not be addressed specifically, but nearly every issue is a whole body issue and changing the mechanics of the whole body will move you further than you could have imagined. If you have a particularly chronic, recurring or acute issue, you may also want to schedule an additional 1:1 hour with me to help address your specific concerns.
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When will the live webcasts be?
Until the next live round occurs, the webcasts are recordings of the prior live round. I think you’ll get a whole lot out of them. And if you have specific questions throughout the course, the Facebook group is a great place to get them answered.
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Do I need to buy any equipment for this course?
You don’t need to, but I certainly recommend some props which you may already have on hand. I find using a yoga mat to be really helpful for some of the floor work. You’ll also want a yoga block (or some large, sturdy books), a yoga strap (or a long belt from a robe or the like), cushions or bolsters. I’ll make use of a foam dome (also called a half foam roller if you’re looking to buy one). You can replace that with a rolled yoga mat or even a rolled towel, but I think the $10-$15 to buy one would be well worth the investment!
Are you ready to Launch Your Resilient Life? This is the button for you.
