Fitness with PJ
It was Spring 2020. We were locked down due to this charming pandemic. I was losing my mind trying to find reasonable avenues to burn off excess stress when all of my usual avenues were shut down. They closed access to the forests. Even if they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have gone. EVERYBODY and their neighbour was out walking. The streets were crawling with terrified-looking people all trying to avoid one another because, you know, THE PLAGUE. I was bored with the workout videos I had, as well as with my rebounder, so I started scouting out possibilities on the internet. That only irritated me some more.
Everywhere I looked there was some fake-boobed spandex Queen doing provocative squats, or some ungodly handsome guy with a man bun and a beard crunching his abs. And where, pray tell, did the over-40s live?
Waaaay off in a corner. Well, actually, it was along the right side of my screen. There was a square that said something like “Fierce over 40”. Being almost 50 and rather fierce-ish myself, I liked the sound of it, so I clicked on the video….and promptly said, “I can’t bloody do that!” And off I went to find some beginner level class. Don’t judge. It had been a long time since I had done traditional workouts. 🙂
6 months later I was bored again. I kept thinking about that “over 40” video, so I went back, tried it, and, man oh man, I haven’t been the same since.
Fitness with PJ. This woman has changed my idea of personal trainers. She is no bimbo. She doesn’t look at your age and pat your hand while she passes you a crocheting project. If she was in front of you she’d probably toss you a dumbbell, look you in the eyes and say, “Oh yes you can. 3 moves. 5 rounds. GO!” And I friggin’ LOVE that! She knows older women have far more capability than we’re told. She is saucy. She is spicy. She is 50 years old. She provides variations for her sequences for those who may be struggling physically. (My Yoga therapist self can’t get enough of that.) And her workouts will kick….your….ass.
And suddenly you’ll notice that your ass looks so much better in jeans. And you actually have biceps and triceps. And you can sleep better. And your anxiety has diminished. And…and…and.
AND…..the pandemic has impacted PJ as well. She had to permanently close her bricks and mortar studios. Has that stopped her? NO! She has built a following on YouTube and a community on Patreon. If you’re like me and you love a workout that makes you feel like you’re going to die and then be reborn (I don’t know why I’m like this. I just am! 🙂 ), check her out. If I lived in the Vancouver area, and if we could actually see each other live, I’d pick her as my trainer.
But if you have delicate ears…..give her a pass. 😉
Tabitha Kot 