Embody Fitness Mapua

07/01/2024

Good Morning 🌻

Are you thinking about your Health in 2024?

Are you ready to create something new for yourself?

Pop down for a visit to say hello & discuss your health & lifestyle desires & options for memberships,

or, simply enjoy a casual workout.

Pop in or call us directly..

06/01/2024

Welcome to 2024

You won't hear hype about NY Resolutions from us.
Whether it's January or October you're ready to take action in, that's all dependent on your inner compass.

Getting the body moving, doing the exercise, improving health etc, it's often less of a mindset thing, and more of a whole body alignment thing. Body-Mind-Spirit

What do I mean?

Well yes, we know mindset is apparently 'everything',
but what if your body is simply saying NO, has resistance, or the energy is just this heavy, non moving/muddy like meeeeh?

Our bodies are wise beyond our minds, and the truth is we're not robotic in nature with the ability to go 24/7, 7 days per week.

If you're in a slump around your movement health, and finding it hard to get moving, there's a reason why. And chances are you know, but you're perhaps not giving it the recognition it needs.
The body knows when it's time to rest, restore, regenerate and so on. No amount of pushing, guilt, or positive reinforcement is going to change that.

What to do then?

MEDITATE
Start asking yourself questions;
- What is truly going on?
- What is the bigger picture playing out?
- How am I experiencing this resistance?
- What does my body honestly need right now?

SEEK ENERGY/BODY WORK
Find out what is happening in your Energy Body;
- What is the purpose of this resistance, and how is it serving me?
- Is this resistance ready to be shifted? What does it need?
- Where is my physical body sitting in relation to my Energy Body? Are they aligned?

REST
Chances are your body needs rest. A lot of people live a very Yang (masculine energy) dominant life, where we've been taught to go go go, do the things, and that our success & purpose is derived from our external achievements.
At some point we might crash, to then begin the journey to bring balance. Bringing in our Yin (feminine energy) with much needed rest.
Sleep/naps, reading, gentle physical movements, Yin Yoga.
Allow this life phase and chapter to occur, surrender to it fully, and know that when it's time to move again, you will.

There are other nourishing activities you can create for yourself in the meantime.

Does this resonate with you?

We are a whole person approach to health.

If you'd like to chat, or have questions, feel welcome to message or pop in & see us during our opening hours.

We offer Holistic Training, Health & Lifestyle Consultations, Spiritual & Energy Healing & Theta Healing.
Intuitive Life Coaching & Counselling +++

06/01/2024

Hey Members,

We have checked the calibration of the scale, and found it was reading light by 2kg. In case you’ve been using them, please know that you haven’t gained 2kg, it’s that the scale is now in balance.

🧐🧐😌😌

02/01/2024

Happy New Year!!

We are open this week.

Stop by for a visit & say hello, enjoy a casual workout, discuss membership &/or Holistic Lifestyle support.

* If you're interested in a casual workout or consultation outside these times, please drop us a message.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

30/12/2023

How are you closing out 2023?

What do you desire to create for yourself in 2024?

2024 will be a year of action. Will this be a year of action for you?

You know it’s time for some change to happen, and perhaps you’re looking for the right environment to support those changes?

We got you!

We have a Holistic Approach to working with health. We’ll look at all areas to determine where to put your attention first.

Remove the old ideology “no pain, no gain”, that philosophy is outdated and not a part of our culture.

Working with your body is where it’s at, and making consistent change to bring about the results that you desire.

Perhaps some breathing practices are needed to aid in reducing stress, increasing your rest/digest & sleep cycles? What if that was the very thing you needed to move you forward this year?

This coming new year week, we will be open to meet members of the community.

Stop by during our opening hours for a visit, stay tuned to our page for these.

We'll have;

🍒 Casual drop in rates to try out our gym facilities
🍒 Intro Special - Test your Health & Lifestyle score + learn your top priorities
🍒 New Membership availability
🍒1:1 consultations & sessions to support your Holistic Health

Check out the quiz below... it's a taster for our Intro Special above.

Master those three essentials and you'll avoid injury, get in the gym consistently, and recover completely from each workout.

27/12/2023

Hello Mapua Fitness Community,

I’m Heidi, the other co-owner of Embody Fitness Mapua.

I wanted to take a moment & introduce myself so you can have an opportunity to learn a little about who I am. I’ve spent my life solely dedicated to learning & embodying Health. This moment is particularly pertinent for me, as it is a coming home to my love & passion: Health & Movement.

As a kid I’ve always been naturally athletic, probably having dabbled in most sports & movement activities. It was something that was very easy for me & I was naturally good at it. In 2001 I moved to Sydney, Australia where it was time for me to lose (a lot of) weight gained during my London OE. I joined a large local gym, and upon regularly attending, felt inspired to become a Personal Trainer.

By 23, I studied in Sydney, Australia to become a Personal Trainer, where I built my business. I found success with 1:1 clients, teaching outdoor Bootcamp classes, indoor Spin classes, & participating in a Natural Bodybuilding Competition. Working as a Trainer was such a satisfying profession as I enjoyed exploring & learning about all things body & health related. There was unlimited scope for growth, and I realised what I really desired was to truly and deeply understand what health was really all about in its entirety.

I became ultra curious about the psychology behind how people were motivated/why people did what they did. Why they wouldn’t take certain steps towards their health goals, what would hold them back, and what was behind their excuses. This curiosity led me to study a Diploma in Transformational Life Coaching at Nature Care College. With components of psychology, holistic counselling, life transitions & transformation, I got to explore a deeper look into the mental health of individuals. This program aided in understanding how to heal myself. My physical training, and understanding of holistic health, were taken to the next level, as it now included not just the physical body, but the connection between our thoughts, emotions, and our physical condition.

After competing in a Bodybuilding Competition in 2006 whilst exploring my newly discovered inner landscape & psyche, The business that I’d created crumbled to the ground, alongside with my ego identity. Little did I know at the time, I had much identity tied up with being a Personal Trainer and given the path my soul had signed up for, that needed to disassemble. I spent 2.5 years navigating depression & seeing an amazing therapist through most of this time to support me. It was time to heal my deepest childhood trauma and address the reasons why I was a fast train going nowhere.

I climbed out of the god made hole (as my counselling teacher would call it), and took brand new steps, as a sensitive, connected being in the world. I re-enrolled back with Nature Care College, this time diving into their Diploma of Energetic & Spiritual Healing. I felt the pull to learn about this powerful modality and the interconnectedness of energy and everything. My journey towards becoming a truly holistic personal trainer continued with great interest and passion.

After graduation I’d decided it was time to do life a bit more lightly, and have some fun. So I took the time to integrate my studies and life experience by working at lululemon for some years. At the time, they had a wonderful philosophy, and I was paid to attend many local yoga and athletic classes. This enabled me to observe, experience, and continue to connect what holistic health, and fitness coaching is all about from a very broad and diverse perspective.

My many years of study & self development took their sweet time to integrate, and life continued to guide me to various locations around the world to support me to fully embody everything it is to be a conscious and aware soul on this planet. I got disassembled time after time after time, only to reassemble stronger & stronger.

My study and practice includes; Theta Healing, Reiki, clearing energy blockages, emotional healing, healing & clearing Ancestral Trauma, alongside working with the psychological conditioning of clients mental health.

What does all this have to do with Health, and a Gym?
Everything!

Health is everything, it is everything we do, think and feel. When we reflect on this within ourselves, the nature of who we are is revealed. We are more than a physical body executing a workout for an hour in a gym to be cardiovascularly fit and physically strong.

How do you truly want to feel?

How do you want to experience your precious life with your loved ones?

How important is it to feel flexible, fluid and free in your body as you progress through your life?

Are you prepared to really dive in, and explore deeply what fitness and health really mean to you? Are you prepared to connect with the ‘why’ of your health, life, and fitness?

The totality of my life learning, experience, struggles and victories, has brought me to this point where I guide people through their inner landscape of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

I look forward to connecting, supporting, talking life, and sharing moments with you.

Much Love,
I look forward to seeing you in the gym.

25/12/2023

Kia ora

I’m Katy, new co-owner of Embody Fitness Māpua.

Heidi will be introducing herself soon and she has more of a background in personal training and the gym environment (Heidi is awesome!) but I thought I’d jump on here to share a bit about myself as the person who will be in the background supporting Embody Fitness Māpua.

I’m not actually a gym person (yet), but I do have a habit of becoming deeply passionate about something based on just a brief spark of intuitive inspiration. I also have this warrior type of inner strength and strong willpower, that gives me the ability to be completely dedicated to whatever I set my mind to.

I grew up as a competitive swimmer, often training up to 6 hours a day. I actually hated competing but loved to train, including in the gym.

My 20’s were all about my love of nature. I immersed myself in ecology, eco-tourism, outdoor recreation, tramping, food growing and permaculture and completed a degree in Environmental Studies.

In my early 30’s my focus shifted to spirituality and mastering my mind. After 5 years of sitting for hours a day in Vipassana meditation, my mind was calm, but my body was craving movement. I’d dabbled in yoga since my early 20’s and had a bit of a daily practice but I didn’t consider myself a ‘real yogi’. A spontaneous spark of intuitive inspiration occurred and I took a yoga teacher training. I overcame an enormous amount of ‘imposter syndrome’ and stepped onto the front mat to discover that I was a natural yoga teacher. I opened a yoga studio as soon as I finished my training.

I learned quickly that the version of yoga I’d trained to teach was not appropriate for real bodies. The yoga industry’s standard of young, skinny and flexible did not reflect the diversity bodies that were showing up in front of me. Some bodies were bigger, some disabled, some pregnant or post-baby, many over 70 and most coming to yoga after a day of driving or sitting at a desk. I took a course ‘Yoga for All’ to learn to teach a wide range of people in an inclusive way. My skills of being a very gentle, sensitive and non-judgemental space holder were cultivated at this time.

My little rural yoga community in the rural Manawatū began to thrive. However, I saw that the issues people would come to the mat with… sore knees, sore backs and poor posture were aggravated by traditional yoga alignment. Traditional yoga alignment (and increasingly the yoga poses themselves) didn’t even make sense to me! The people coming to me weren’t interested in extreme flexibility and developing a spiritual ego, they just wanted to feel good in their bodies. I discovered Bio-mechanist Katy Bowman and absorbed her life’s work, understanding that most problems with our bodies occur due to sedentary lifestyles that are far from what our bodies were designed for. I started applying Katy’s alignment principles to my yoga. Soon, I discovered Brea Johnson of Heart & Bones Yoga. Informed by movement science and biomechanics, Brea teaches intelligent alignment and ‘yoga that your body loves’. I took a teacher training with her and fell in love with her playful, modern approach to yoga that emphasises functional strength, mobility and nervous system support.

Parallel to my yoga journey, I was going through a spiritual awakening when I discovered Theta Healing, a meditation/healing technique that could shift limiting beliefs and clear energy incredibly quickly. I’d been an atheist all my life, but now I was discovering the power of the ‘Creator of All that Is’, developing my psychic abilities and learning all about energy healing. I learned that I had the ability to see very deeply into people and when invited, I was able to intuitively guide them. I practiced this technique constantly and became a Theta Healing Instructor.

Life completely changed when the property I lived on was sold shortly after lockdown. I had an intuitive knowing that moving to the Tasman area was my destiny, but I wanted to be sure. I closed my yoga studio, packed my life up into a van and spent two years travelling around New Zealand, ‘road schooling’ my daughter and searching for our new home.

Before we settled down, a long overdue visit from my daughter’s dad allowed me to live my dream of walking Te Araroa. I started at Cape Reinga with very little training, but a strong determination to make it to Bluff. I was pushed to my physical limits almost daily but my functional yoga practice kept me injury and (mostly) pain free. Walking 3000 km was an incredibly intense emotional journey. I cleared generations of trauma during my walk. The Richmond Ranges were the section I feared the most and I remember staying a few days here in Māpua waiting out bad weather and building up the courage to tackle 11 days of challenging terrain. Once I had done the Richmonds I knew I was capable of finishing the trail. I’m not a super fast walker by but by tapping into my inner strength and willpower (and receiving much encouragement from my daughter) I made it to Bluff after 5.5 months.

Post trail, my 9 year old daughter revealed to me that she desperately wanted a home, friends and a community. We moved to Tasman and bought a Tiny Home, immediately finding a community where we felt welcome. It was obvious that we were meant to be here, however the moment we were safe in our new home, the past few years of survival stress hit me. I got covid and went into a deep depression. I had the ‘post-trail blues’. Shifting from walking 8-10 hours in the mountains everyday to being confined in a tiny house, and again being a full time solo parent, was a drastic change.

My body spoke to me saying ‘you really need to go to the gym’. As I never do things half way, I had the intuitive inspiration to become a personal trainer and invest in a gym franchise. As I hadn’t been to a gym since my 20’s, I decided this was a crazy idea and ignored this nudge from the universe.

Instead I discovered an amazing ‘Embodied (trauma) Processing’ course created by two former drug addicts. This was the most authentic and comprehensive course I’d ever taken, it filled so many gaps in my understanding of trauma and the nervous system. Through Embodied Processing sessions my depression started to lift and I discovered that the intuitive abilities I’d cultivated through Theta Healing complemented this grounded, body based approach to healing trauma perfectly.

Meeting Heidi, another Theta Healer, who had also just moved to this area, we started to do swap sessions. Very soon I got the intuitive sense that Heidi and I would create something together. I knew there would be some sort of space and that she would approach me with an idea. A spark of intuitive inspiration led to us purchasing this gym and suddenly the intuitive guidance from a few months ago made sense.

I’m excited for the journey ahead. You’ll see me around the gym often. I will be diving into the world of strength training, initially on my own personal journey, but I will be going deep, so I hope to eventually share what I learn. I’ll also be offering functional strength and mobility based yoga (that your body will love) and also restorative yoga to support your nervous system.

From experience, I know that anytime we focus on the body, our repressed emotions and past trauma will come rushing to the surface, (maybe that’s why so many people find it difficult to stay committed to their fitness goals) so I’ll have available Embodied Processing and Theta Healing to support those who want to go deeper into processing their trauma and recognising true embodiment.

Outdoor adventures (Richmond Ranges anyone?) and nature retreats could also be co-created through the community hub of Embody Fitness Māpua.

I look forward to meeting you!

25/12/2023

Why did we get rid of the treadmill?

This may be a question that is on the minds of many current gym members who were used to utilising the treadmill for their workouts. We understand that it may feel uncomfortable for you to see us taking away this equipment and we want to acknowledge that discomfort.

We want to reassure you that in general, Heidi and I are not intending on coming in and making a whole lot of immediate changes that alienate the current members and make you feel like we don’t care about you. We want to meet and talk with current members and find out what you value, what your goals are, and see where we can find common ground. Our vision is to create hub for sustainable and holistic movement practices that nourish not just our bodies but also our souls. Our approach may actually excite you when you learn more about it!

One thing that was a non-negotiable for both of us however, is that we didn’t want to continue leasing a treadmill. We don't want you to feel like we are enforcing our views on you, but we do want to explain our reasoning so that you understand what we’re trying to achieve by creating a gym environment that excludes a treadmill.

Both Heidi and I have a particular interest in movement science and ‘natural’ or ‘primal’ movement. Basically, movement that our bodies were designed for. And while any form of movement is better than sitting all day — and walking is a fundamental human movement that all bodies require — not all movement and not all walking is equal. Walking on a treadmill falls under what biomechanics expert Katy Bowman refers to as "junk food movement" – it may provide some benefits but ultimately lacks essential nutrients, much like eating processed junk food instead of healthy whole foods.

Our culture's sedentary lifestyle often prioritises convenience over quality when it comes to physical activity, but Heidi and I are all about engaging in various forms of movement that provide multiple "movement nutrients." We consider not just commonly measured physical factors such as heart rate increase and major muscle activation, but all the subtle micro-nutrients needed for genuine wellbeing, including mental, emotional and energetic nourishment.

One of the principles of a sustainable movement practice that I (Katy) live by is “Variety and Diversity”. Our brains, nervous systems, lymphatic systems, joints, muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons all need to move in a variety of different ways to be healthy. If you look at the movement you do each day not as minimum amount of exercise that is culturally prescribed, but as a “movement diet”, it’s easy to understand why we need to constantly be changing things up and why our cells just light up when we give them something truly nourishing. Walking over a variety of different surfaces may not seem like it provides a huge amount of diversity in our movement diet, but it does!

Our bodies need a "cellular dance party" where all parts, including often neglected areas such as toes, ankles and feet, are given movement opportunities. Did you know that there are 26 bones, 33 joints(!) and hundreds of muscles, ligaments and tendons in your feet? There are so many possible ways to move our feet, but walking in shoes, on a treadmill, means they are virtually sedentary. Taking our shoes off and going for a daily walk on the beach is an amazing alternative to treadmill walking.

Even if you’re confined to established pathways that feel flat to you, the ground is never truly flat. Your foot and leg muscles will be constantly making subtle adjustments in your gait to adapt to the diversity of changing surfaces and these adjustments contribute to improving your balance, co-ordination and even your nervous system resilience.

When walking on a treadmill, you may meet your daily step goals, and feel like you’ve accomplished something, but that feeling that you’re doing something good for yourself by moving your body on a treadmill is a bit of a illusion. Unfortunately it does not translate to very much whole body benefit in the long term. Think about your hip musculature – when walking or running on a treadmill, the amount of flexion and extension in your hips is limited, the machine is also doing some of the work for you. Your glutes and hamstrings will not be engaging as much as they would be if walking or running outdoors. Your quads will be overworking leading to an imbalance between the front and back of your body. This affects the alignment of your body over time and according to biomechanics experts, alignment is incredibly important. Improper alignment can weaken your core and your pelvic floor and contribute to back pain.

Walking or running outdoors also offers other advantages that a treadmill cannot provide. Our eyes are able to focus on objects farther in the distance, giving them a chance to rest from screens. Being exposed to a more natural environment has shown to have positive effects on mental health and well-being. The sun is not only a source of vitamin D, but getting early morning sunlight while walking (7 am is optimal) really improves sleep quality and circadian rhythm. Breathing in fresh air and being surrounded by natural elements can boost mood and reduce stress levels.

Heidi and I don't want to contribute to the fitness culture that prioritises convenience and quick fixes over sustainable and nourishing movement practices. Are you really in your body when you're walking on a treadmill? We will be changing the gym’s name to ‘Embody Fitness Māpua’ because we want to create a more embodied fitness experience. We intend to offer yoga and other forms of embodied and mindful movement, including meditation, so that you can really experience a sense of connection and come home to your body.

We understand that sometimes circumstances may not allow you to walk or run outside, and using a treadmill may seem like the only option. But with Māpua‘s sunny climate, we believe there will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor walks or runs. Heidi and I both moved here recently because you have one of the best climates in New Zealand! We encourage you to embrace slight discomforts such as putting on a raincoat or dealing with summer heat to reap the benefits of diverse environments. These experiences also help increase our bodies' resilience and tolerance to different conditions, making our nervous system stronger.

I admit that I do have strong views (and perhaps a bit of bias) on the subject treadmills. Walking in nature is something I’m incredibly passionate about. I walked 3000 km on Te Araroa last year, and it was such an epic and rewarding journey. It really hurts my soul to see people walking indoors on a treadmill when they could be outside getting the IMENSE benefits of walking in nature. I believe that walking in nature is one of the best things we can do for improving our mental health.

While googling for a picture for this piece, I came across an article claiming that treadmills were actually invented as a device for forced labour in British prisons. They were used first as a torture device and then as a means to assist production. Eventually they were declared ‘inhuman, pointless and cruel’ in Britain, but were soon imported to the USA and later rebranded as a ‘training machine’.

We understand that walking on a treadmill may be a convenient way to warm up before a workout. However, there are many alternatives that offer more benefits than a treadmill. How about a full body mobility based warm up that moves all parts of you, even the tiny neglected muscles in your feet and shoulders, parts that could really use some nourishment! We are planning to introduce you to mobility-based warm-ups through classes and workshops soon.

If you live nearby, consider walking, jogging or cycling here for your workouts (sustainable transport). For those who live farther away, going for a quick jog or walk down to the ocean before starting your workout can provide an excellent warm-up (and there’s even a path straight there that is the perfect warm up distance). For those who want an added social aspect to their walks, stay tuned as we plan on starting social walking/hiking groups for our gym members.

It is important to us that we start out the way we mean to go on and stay aligned with our core values and integrity. We cannot ethically charge anyone money to walk on a treadmill because it’s not something we believe in. Come to us for your strength and mobility training! Go outside and enjoy your walking, running, hiking and cycling, for free!

Maybe this is not your thing, you might be feeling alienated and uncertain about moving forward with concepts so foreign and while we’d feel sad to see some members leave, we totally understand and wish you well on your fitness journey. Those who are intending on staying, we hope that by sharing our reasons for removing the treadmill, you understand the value in diversifying your movement practice as well. Thank you for taking the time to read this and considering our perspective. We look forward to connecting with you in person!

19/12/2023

Hello everyone, we are Heidi and Katy, the new co-owners of Catalyst Fitness.

We are excited to be a part of this community and can’t wait to meet all of the current members and welcome new members to the gym. As we begin this new journey as owners, we want to take this opportunity to thank Karyn for her hard work and dedication in creating Catalyst Fitness. We cannot replace Karyn, but we are committed to continuing the mission of providing a space for individuals in Māpua to focus on their health and well-being.

With that said, we would like to announce that the gym will now be known as ‘Embody Fitness Māpua’. We believe this name represents our vision and purpose for the gym - promoting an embodied approach to fitness where individuals feel at home in their bodies and can connect with others in a supportive and inclusive environment.

We understand that change can be unsettling, but we want to reassure all current members that we will honor the membership arrangement you had with Karyn for the foreseeable future. We do have some exciting ideas for the gym, which we plan to start implementing in the new year. However, before we make any changes, we would love to hear from the current members.

We want to hear the wisdom you’ve gained from being a long term member of the gym. We want to know what you’re interested in and what you envision for the gym in the future. From there, we can find common ground.

We also want to connect with the wider community in Māpua and find out what your fitness needs are. Catalyst Fitness may not have been on your radar for some time, but if you’re Māpua based and want to avoid travelling out of town just for a workout, then we would love to welcome you to our space.

We believe that a gym is not just a place to work out, but also a community hub where people can come together, support each other, and form meaningful connections. Our goal is to create a welcoming space for everyone - regardless of age, gender or fitness level. Both of us have quite a holistic view on health and fitness and a really inclusive, non-judgmental approach to creating space for people to feel comfortable being themselves. If you’ve found other gyms intimidating or inaccessible in the past, then you’d probably enjoy the atmosphere that we’re hoping to create.

During this transition period and over the holidays, we will be around the gym often and would love to get to know you over a workout or post-workout coffee.

If you're not able to catch us at the gym, please reach out via messenger or phone with any questions or suggestions.

We can't wait to see you all soon at Embody Fitness Māpua!

Warmly, Heidi and Katy

18/12/2023

With a twinge of sadness, mixed with excitement, today Catalyst Fitness changes hands and Heidi and Katy will now be taking over and helping keep Mapua people fit😊
8 years ago I started bootcamps in the domain. 7 years ago Catalyst gym opened, and in that time I have had amazing members and PT Clients, and made many happy memories.
But things change and my life is now leading me in a different direction and the time has come to move on.

Huge thanks to every one of you who have, over the past 7 or so years, contributed to making Catalyst the cool wee “gym community” it has become.

Karyn😊