athlete

The Luckiest in Love: How True Love is Helping Me Live My Dreams

The Luckiest in Love: How True Love is Helping Me Live My Dreams

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I have had such a memorable year that I am going to need to reflect on it over the next week in installments; but before I do that, I am going to talk about love. I know, insert the eye roll here. But for those of you in thriving relationships, the faithful, the hopeful, the happy, the joyous, the cheerleaders—you believe in love and its power.

My 1 ½ year wedding anniversary just passed and while in the whole scheme of life it’s an inconsequential amount of time there’s something I want to point out. If you think about it, our lives are relatively mundane. The day-to-day stuff is mostly the kind of things that comprise an idle Tuesday afternoon. Peppered with some catastrophes and other life cycle events here and there that punctuate our lives; life just seems to run its course. For me though, my late 20’s into my early 30’s were marked by a series of one bad choice followed by another until my husband Greg wandered into my life. Now, I don’t want to bore you with the specifics of our love. For everyone thinks their love is the kind of love that will change the world. And that’s the beauty of it all—we all have something beautiful to share with someone and live this life with someone by our sides. There’s room for all of us and our love stories. However, the reason why I am so compelled to write this piece at this time is my husband did something so special for me that every time I think about it, it makes me cry and weep in sheer joy. I just had to share this story with the world.

First, I am not an easy person to like, let alone love. Anyone who knows anything about me will attest that I am an overpowering personality with a piercing intensity. My husband though is the complete opposite. He’s easy to love with his welcoming smile and kind eyes that you can’t help but love him instantly. I am blessed beyond measure to have someone in my life who is my balance but above all, someone who helps me achieve my dreams.

In 2016, I committed to becoming a body builder. It was an arduous journey but none of it would have been and could have been possible without the support, love, sweat, and hugs from my husband. My husband is my coach, best friend, personal chef, and sometimes my punching bag. He bore the brunt of my mood swings from my carb depletion and never once did he tear me down or lose his faith in me or us. And so my first show came and went. I was not stage ready by any means, but when I looked out into the audience and saw my husband beaming with pride, none of that mattered—we did this together.

After my show which was an awesome experience and I placed; I decided to dabble in other forms of fitness, more specifically power lifting in an effort find a home in the competitive fitness arena. Greg thought I’d enjoy power lifting more since it’s less subjective than body building. And since it’s a performance based sport, he encouraged me to pursue training for a power lifting meet. So, I started lifting and lifting real heavy. And as I lifted heavier and heavier, I did feel stronger but my body started changing in ways I did not like. I felt myself fantasizing about being back up on that stage, in a glittery suit, showing the world my hard work. I just couldn’t get body building out of my mind.

Arielle and Greg at Muscle Beach

Time and time again I expressed my desire to compete again to Greg and he listened while attempting to gently nudge me into power lifting. My resolve though was impenetrable. I wanted to body build. I didn’t and couldn’t hear Greg when he talked about his concerns regarding the water cutting, carb depleting, and unhealthy body image he believes it perpetuates. All I saw was that stage, those lights, and me succeeding. It’s funny these things called dreams. They are crazy and intangible, but so real for the dreamers they feel it in every fiber of their being. For me, this insane dream to be a formidable competitor on the stage is something so visceral it’s unquantifiable.

As timed ebbed on, I committed to my first power lifting meet in January. But I didn’t register in time and I didn’t get into the meet, so I took it as a sign. Maybe I really am supposed to be a body builder…? All the same, I just continued to train and not really invest too much thought in either sport until last Thursday night. I had just finished teaching my yoga classes and turned my phone back on. I refreshed my email to see “Welcome to Roxstar Fitness”. My heart stopped. Wait. What? Why am I getting and email from Roxie Beckles?

Wait, wha—

No.

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD

GREG GOT ME A BODY BUILDING COACH! A REAL COACH! OHMYGODOHMYGOD!

I was completely frozen where I stood as the tears streamed down my face. I cried and cried and kept rubbing my eyes—was this really happening?! Was I now going to be trained by an IFBB Pro and former Physique Olympian?! It still doesn’t even seem real.

So I am sure at this point you are wondering, what does all this have to do with love? Well, a real and true love supports you and helps you achieve your dreams. An honest love never tries to change you or discourage you from things that are your passions and bring you true happiness. My husband Greg, God bless his soul, is fully aware that nothing about my upcoming journey back to that stage will be easy on us physically, emotionally, and financially. But what my incredible husband also understands since he too was a college athlete is the ultimate price to compete in a sport you love. There is nothing I can give Greg to express my thanks, love, and appreciation like the gifts he has already given me. But I think Elton John said it best in Your Song:

And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple but

Now that it’s done

I hope you don’t mind

I hope you don’t mind

That I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you’re in the world

I hope you don’t mind

I hope you don’t mind

That I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you’re in the world

Live a life less ordinary. Turn the volume way up on your Tuesday afternoon life and live and love boldly.

Thank you Greg for coaching me, laughing with me; and above all for loving me, every single part of me for the good, the bad, and sometimes the very ugly parts. I cannot wait to start my journey to stage again and know that every step of the way it was you pushing me to be great.

Yoga for Runners

Yoga for Runners

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Running is a great way to get fit while blowing off some major steam. But as awesome as that runner’s high is, running can wreak havoc on our muscles and joints. So to counter that intense pounding of the pavement, kick off your shoes and restore some balance to your body. Incorporate cross-training into your running regimen to prevent injury and aid in recovery. Yoga is a wonderful way to get your body moving differently and keep it moving. Help preserve your body by integrating this short yoga sequence designed specifically for runners into your life 2-3x a week and thrive!

Tackle these poses after a short warm up such as a light jog or another basic yoga flow. Try to hold each pose for a cycle of 5-8 breaths and repeat the entire sequence 3x on each side. You will feel and experience some intensity in many of these poses, but keep breathing and ease up as needed.

  1. Low Lunge

Arielle Low Lunge Yoga for Runners

Benefits: Stretches hamstrings, quadriceps, and groin. Releases tension in the hips and strengthens the knees. Other cool facts: Cultivates balance and helps build mental focus and clarity.

The Deal: Start in a runner’s lunge with your hands framing the front foot. Make sure that the knee and ankle are stacked, and in line with the first 2 front toes—be careful to make sure that the knee slides forward past the ankle to protect the knee. Scissoring the thighs together, sweep the arms above the head while focusing on stacking the vertebrae.

Modifications: Rest the hands softly on the front knee, keep the hands on your waist, or join the hands in prayer at the heart.

Variations: Join the hands together above your head, and/or drop the hands behind the head, with the elbows aimed towards the sky cradling the head for more of a backbend.

  1. Quad stretch

Arielle Quad Stretch Yoga for RunnersBenefits: Stretches the quadriceps of the back leg and opens the hip flexors. Other cool facts: Opens the shoulders and chest, releases the back muscles with a gentle twist.

The Deal: From your runner’s lunge, carefully lower the hands back down to the earth to frame your foot again. With your left foot remaining forward, slowly drop your right knee to the ground. With the right arm remaining planted, circle the left arm back and reach for your toes. When coming out of this pose be careful to slowly release the leg down towards the earth.

Modifications: If reaching for your toes is challenging, use a yoga strap hooked around your foot as you gently pull your foot towards your body. If you experience knee tenderness, place a blanket under your back leg.

Variations: To intensify this stretch, lower onto your forearm.

  1. Revolved Lunge Pose

Arielle Low Lunge Twist Yoga for RunnersBenefits: Stretches the psoas and hips, stimulates strengthening and stretching of the quadriceps and gluteus muscles. Other cool facts: Stimulates abdominal organs, improves digestions and elimination, and improves balance.

The Deal: From your runner’s lunge, bring the hands to your heart in prayer. Twist at the navel and bring the right tricep across your body to the outside of your left thigh. Press the top hand into the bottom hand and peel the right rib cage towards the sky.

Modifications: If taking the twist is challenging, try manually moving the right arm across the body with assistance from the left hand to find some depth. Also, if you have a neck injury, keep the gaze down.

Variations: Straighten the back leg to work your balance in a different capacity and/or open your arms.

  1. Pyramid Pose

Arielle pyramid pose Yoga for RunnersBenefits: Stretches the hips and hamstrings while lengthening the spine. Other cool facts: Decreases pressure in the upper body and relaxes the shoulders and neck.

The Deal: From your runner’s low lunge, shorten your stance by walking the right leg in towards the left so that both heels can touch the ground. Turn the right toes away from the body slightly for stability. Bring the hands to your waist and lift yourself up to standing by straightening the left leg. Bring the hands to prayer at your heart and lower with with a flat back, placing your palms on the ground.

Modifications: If your palms do not reach the floor, you may come to your fingertips, or place your hands on blocks. You may also keep a flat back if lowering all the way down is too intense and/or keep your hands at your waist.

Variations: Bring the hands in prayer behind you for reverse Namaste or prayer.

  1. Standing Pigeon

Arielle Standing pigeon side view Yoga for RunnersBenefits: Increases mobility and range of motion by relieving tension and discomfort in the hip area. Strengthens knee and ankle joints, as well as the thigh muscles. Other cool facts: Increases circulation.

The Deal: From your pyramid pose, bring the back foot to the front of your mat. With the hands at your heart, lift the right leg towards the sky by bending the knee and flexing the toes. Bend into the left knee and carefully lower the right ankle atop the left thigh. Keep a deep bend in the standing leg.

Modifications: Take this pose laying on your back and thread the left hand through the opening in the legs, then met the right hand by interlacing your fingers. Gently press the thigh into the clasped hands.

Variations: Play with the arms—lift them to the sky or bring them straight in front of you. You can also hold onto something stable to sit back into and intensify the hip stretch.

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