Dreamcatcher Movement and Wellness

Relational Peak Performance, Summer to Fall Session,

and Upcoming In-person Events

8-week Summer to Fall Session Has Begun

 

This week was the first week of our new 8-week Summer to Fall session that ends on October 13. Registration is on-going and, as long as space is still available, you can join any class at any time during the session. Join me from anywhere in the world and enjoy Rowing, Yoga, and Surfset.

 

If you'd like to join any of the 'live' virtual classes on Zoom or enjoy any of the classes asynchronously using the class recordings around your schedule, your session cost will be prorated based upon the number of weeks remaining. For example, if there are 6-weeks remaining in the session, the cost is $60. Every student receives a recording of their class or classes to enjoy as many times as desired whether they attended 'live' virtually on Zoom or plan to enjoy their class or classes asynchronously.

  

To register for any class or classes in the Summer to Fall session, as either a 'live' participant or as an asynchronous participant, or to purchase a flexible class pass for any number of classes, please email me: angela.irtci@verizon.net. Thank you.

 

Here is the schedule of weekly classes:

 

Tuesdays - 7:00am - Sunrise Yoga Chakra Flow

Tuesdays - 9:00am - Row & Restore

Tuesdays 10:30am - Chair Yoga for Longevity

Wednesdays - 9:00am - RowFlow

Wednesdays - 10:30am - Vinyasa Flow Yoga

Wednesdays - 7:00pm - Row to Relaxation

Thursdays - 9:00am - RowFit

Thursdays - 10:30am - Surfset

Thursdays - 7:00pm - Sunset Yin Yoga

 

All of the class times above are Eastern Time Zone (USA)

 Relational Peak Performance

 

 

There is a subtle yet distinct difference between encouraging the body to do hard things, and unconsciously playing out dominating or oppressive narratives toward the body.

 

In my younger years, my hard-core athletic days, I had gotten accustomed to pushing my body to its limits. It was a common practice for me to push through pain and ignore uncomfortable signals from my body. In fact, these practices were highly celebrated back then, as it was believed that acknowledging those painful body cues would only slow you down.

 

While on some level I do still believe it’s a good thing to acclimatize to uncomfortable body cues, I have come to learn that my internal experience of testing my body’s limits within the safety of a healthy mind-body relationship is one thing . . . and pushing my body’s limits with overtones of dominance and oppressive narratives is entirely another.

 

It’s a challenging task to marry my usual message of self-love and “meeting the body with kindness and gentleness” with the particular brand of encouragement and coaching belonging to the athletic world. Some athletes may assume that taking the relational approach will hold them back from accomplishing their big beautiful goals. And yet, I wholeheartedly disagree.

 

What I have discovered, and continue to discover more and more, is that the body is infinitely more capable of fulfilling high performance goals when it is encouraged, heard, and respected. As in any relationship, it will not be at its best when pushed too hard, when its needs are ignored, or when it feels oppressed.

It really is a very fine line. When you’re working toward a fitness goal, there is an awful lot of grit and perseverance required. But grit and perseverance do not have to equate to suppressing the body‘s voice and forcing it into submission.

 

Take a moment and picture a three-legged race. When one person on the team is dominating the other, it can seem like the best way to win is for the stronger individual to take charge and drag the slower one along. But in reality, all this will accomplish is that the stronger person feels frustrated and burdened while the slower person feels ashamed and is at risk of physically harm. On the other hand, when the two are working in sync and in harmony, they can smoothly and quickly hit that finish line together without one or both getting injured.

 

So these days, instead of pushing my limits, I am testing my limits. I am inviting my body to work with me to meet my big goals: to hike the trails, to climb the mountains, to paddle the rivers, and to stand on the peaks I feel called to stand on. And all along the way, I try to stay relational and respect my relationship with my body.

 

When my body screams at me to stop, I can pause and check to see if it just needs some encouragement, or if it actually needs to stop. I can tune in and see if my body needs a bit of nudging and cheerleading, or a short rest, or some kind of sustenance in order for us to work together to keep going.

 

It doesn’t need to be force.

It doesn’t need to be oppression.

It truly can be mindful gentleness.

 

If we can begin to integrate the relational approach and phase out the blindly driven “pain = gain” mentality, it can catapult our fitness to the next level. 

 

This is where we will find the ability to tap into the true power of the body. 

 

This is where we will discover the deepest strength of a whole system working together. 

 

This is how we can access the grit that we need to achieve our fitness goals or athletic dreams.

 

Remember . . . we can do hard things without being hard on ourselves.

 

Once we become more willing to listen and be gentle with our bodies . . . maybe we can become more willing to listen and be gentle with each other, as well.

Upcoming In-person Events

 

Hula Hooping Workshop and Workout ~ Join me on Friday, September 29 from 10:00am - 12:00pm for a fun 2-hour hula hooping workshop and workout at River Mill Park in the historic Town of Occoquan.

 

For the first hour, from 10:00 - 11:00, each participant will create their own personalized adult size hula hoop, 38 - 42 inches in diameter, to take home using specialized weighted tubing and tape in a variety of colors and designs.

 

The second hour, from 11:00 - 12:00, will be an amazing aerobic cardio and strength workout where everyone learns on-body and off-body hooping skills along with some advanced movements and tricks for a lifetime of enjoyment.

 

Each participant will also receive a small child size hoop to enjoy hooping with a child or grandchild. This smaller hoop can also be used for simultaneous off-body hooping while enjoying the larger adult size hoop on-body.

 

According to the American Council on Exercise, here are just some of the benefits of hooping:

  • Expends a large number of calories

  • Improved mindfulness 

  • Burns body fat and inches

  • Boosts cardiovascular fitness

  • Challenges your core muscles

  • Improves your balance

  • Works your lower body muscles

  • Builds upper body strength 

  • Family-focused activity

  • Portable and can be enjoyed anywhere 

 

The cost is $40 and the class size is limited to 11 participants due to available supplies. No previous hula hooping skills are necessary. Only 2 spots remain.

To register and secure your spot, email me at: angela.irtci@verizon.net

  

 

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace ~ I am teaching the 9:30am Yoga class at the historic Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria on the following Fridays and Saturdays: August 26, September 9 and 23, October 6 and 28.

 

Free parking is available in the parking garage under the Market Square across the street from the Carlyle House and an amazing Farmers Market occurs every Saturday morning until noon on the Market Square.

 

The cost of the class is $10 and if you'd like to register, please visit:  https://www.novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park/events

Please visit my website here
angela.irtci@verizon.net
571-225-2397

Share on social

Share on Facebook

Visit Dreamcatcher Movement and Wellness  
This email was created with Wix.‌ Discover More