#strongwomen Continues
/Three years ago today, I attempted to start a series of blogs on #strongwomen. It ended up being a single blog about the most important woman in my life - my mom.
This is now the perfect opportunity to pick back up on my “series”…. As I mentioned in my earlier blog, those strong women are among us, every day, dressed up as our mothers, mentors, close or distant relatives, piano teachers, bosses or complete strangers that we run into in life.
I was lucky to grow up in an environment where I didn’t feel like being a girl/women was a disadvantage. In my head, there was nothing that I couldn’t do just because I was a girl. Even when I picked up windsurfing at age 10, I never thought I was any different than all the other “guys” in the bay. If they were able to cary their 30lbs board on their own, I would do it by myself too. Not a single day, I asked for help or accepted help. I pretty much graduated from high school with the same mindset. Now, when I look back to those times, I realize that I was surrounded by strong women. My mom being the top one, another one of those women was my piano teacher “Madam Magdi” - Magdalena Rufer.
Imagine a ballerina in her 70s (even though she was NOT a ballerina) - super skinny, with long red hair (she used to dye it with henna), big blue eyes. She was Swiss and lived in Turkey longer than I even existed. :). I always knew her alone since her husband had passed away long before I knew her. She never needed help from anyone even though she had some health issues. From my perspective, she took care of herself and didn’t want to rely on anyone else. She did what she loved - spreading her love of music to anyone who is touched by her. She was a pianist, but in my opinion, she was teaching the actual feeling of music more so than playing the piano. Even to this day, when I hear any form of music, I close my eyes and think through the feelings of each note and sound. She was the example of independence, self power and resilience, but with the gentlest way possible. She followed her heart and never gave up. (I miss her a lot)
MAdam magdi and I…
We are surrounded by strong women with their stories and achievements. Let’s take a pause during these crazy times and think about those who might have helped you (knowingly or unknowingly) become who you are today.
Strength is in our personalities but also, physically in our muscles. :) Luckily we can train both our internal strength and our physical strength. This month’s moves will actually leave our hands alone - as tribute to Madam Magdi. Let’s get that heart beat up…
Jumping jacks: legs and arms out at the same time - 100 reps
Sit to jumps: sit on the floor then get up and jump - 10 reps
Regular Squat pulses: legs are shoulder width a part, quarter squat pulses - 10 reps
Narrow Squat pulses: legs are together, quarter squat pulses - 10 reps (watch your knees)
Wide Squat pulses: legs are wider than shoulder width a part, quarter squat pulses - 10 reps
Sit to jumps - 10 reps
Regular squat Pulses - 10 reps
Sit to jumps - 20 reps
Lunge hold with arm under leg: start with right leg forward, left leg back, bring right arm under the right leg to outside of the right foot and up - 10 reps and repeat 10 times on the left side
Split jumps - start with right leg forward and left leg back lunge, jump up to switch legs - 10 reps (10 total jumps)
200 counts and you are done! Let’s keep those legs strong!
Thank you to all the strong women around me for teaching me that gender does not dictate what I can and cannot do!
Big high five for thinking through your memories… :)
