I was nine years old and the only girl in an otherwise all boys baseball league. Though I felt lonely and at times outcast being the lone girl, I connected instantly to the pure sensation of movement - the way it felt to field a grounder, to run the bases, to connect bat to ball. That I loved the sport was enough, even if my teammates were often less than welcoming. I was lucky to have the encouragement of a skilled father, who practiced with me even on cold, wintry days; and a fiercely proud mother, cheering from the stands.

It was in high school that I found a community in sports; space to explore friendships, be active in groups, and to emerge as a leader. Either as an all-state volleyball player on a number one team or a mediocre soccer player on an 0-13 team, practices and games held the same excitement. Also as a student, I worked the front desk at a gym called Weston Fitness where the trainers on staff showed me how to lift weights. In the gym environment for the first time, I started to view exercise not only as the cumulative skills of a sport, but also as an equation: goals + hard work = results.
 

Like many self proclaimed "gym rats", I carried this equation with me, and as I progressed into my exercise science program in college, I took up running races. I trained as a runner and succeeded in completing the Broad Street Run, Philadelphia Distance Run, and the Nashville Country Music Marathon. Running represented a sense of independence because I could exercise anywhere. It validated my goals-plus-hard-work formula because dedicated training enhanced my level of cardiovascular fitness. What didn't fit into the equation was that marathon training left me with lower back pain and landed me in physical therapy. At that point, I couldn't see an alternative to running for an intense workout.

More shortcomings in the formula became evident when I began my career in the fitness industry, which values aesthetics and results over experiences. Unfortunately, gyms entertain this reality the most. There is little space for camaraderie and the fun of sports - the very foundation for my love of movement - within the typical gym setting. I still work out in the gym, but it's in addition to exercising outdoors and with friends, practicing yoga, and trying new activities like rock-climbing and cycling. Though I came to love exercise through sports, and many understand fitness in the gym, I realize that everyone's story is just as rich in complexity as my own. My goal as a trainer is to help my clients balance results with experience.