All I have is all I need and all I need is all I have in this moment.  – Byron Katie

Lately, I have been loving what is. If I really needed something, it would be here. If it is not here, I must not need it. How do I know? I look at my life. Total acceptance of what is opens the door to freedom and inner peace. I used to think that I would become complacent or careless if I thought this way so I fought against it. This was my way of maintaining my drive and desire. What I have discovered is that in the absence of fighting against anyone or anything I have more energy to move in the direction of my dreams. I do not need things to be different, but I find it enjoyable to play, move and take action. When the thoughts return as they inevitably do I choose to question them – is it true? Do I need that right here right now? For me, the answer is always no. Right here, right now, I have everything I need.

Big Love

-Jordan

The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving. – Goethe

Often times my mind tells me that it wants the straight forward path. Impatience kicks in and I just want to get there already. But where? Every day I am learning more deeply that this is not true. It is all of the twists, turns and surprises that make life interesting. Those moments when I quietly say to myself – I never pictured that happening! I am learning not only to love the winding road, but to trust it. If there is a block or an altered route I am practicing having a good laugh and enjoying the scenery. This means celebrating all of the missteps, wrong turns and detours. My day becomes much more fun and interesting when I practice this mindset. I am enjoying the foibles – they are truly part of the great laugh that life has with me when I take myself too seriously.

Big Love,

Jordan

 

Do you have an area in your life where you feel stuck? A block that you are secretly dying to BREAK THROUGH? Blocks effect our ability to shine in our careers, finances and our relationships. There is a way out and when you find it the floodgates open and abundance flows in. 

BREAKING THROUGH BLOCKS

JUNE 13th 12pm – 3pm

Investment:  $75.00

CONTACT:  jordanmarinovfitness@gmail.com 

860 Via de la Paz Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

A workshop that uses movement to dramatically shift your perspective and relationship to your limitations. Please come with one specific BLOCK that you wish to release. You will leave with a feeling of empowerment and clarity.

If you want to discover your blocks, shift your blocks, and/or move past your blocks, you will love this workshop. Even if you don’t want to do those things,you will still love this workshop.  – Mike Gandolfi, Emmy award winning writer, actor

Thank you Jordan! That workshop was far beyond anything I could of expected. This wasn’t just like discovering a block and looking at it and hopefully maybe learning how to deal with it. No, this was dragging that sucker out, letting everyone look at – experiencing it on a deep deep level and breathing through it. And the following week, I surprisingly had more auditions that week than any other the entire year. Not only that, I was showing up differently in the rooms. I felt less of a victim and more in my body and power. This was weeks ago and I still feel that way!   – Sean Hemeon, actor

REGISTER BY SATURDAY JUNE 6TH – SPACE IS LIMITED SO ACT FAST!

Led by Jordan Marinov who has 8 years of experience as a trainer, choreographer and movement coach and has trained America’s most successful and famous actors, musicians and CEOs in NYC and LA.

Do you have an area in your life where you feel stuck? A block that you are secretly dying to BREAK THROUGH?

BREAKING THROUGH BLOCKS

APRIL 25th 1-4pm

A workshop that uses movement to dramatically shift your perspective and relationship to your limitations. Please come with one specific “block” that you wish to release. You will leave with a feeling of empowerment and clarity.

REGISTER BY FRIDAY APRIL 24TH @ NOON – SPACE IS LIMITED SO ACT FAST!

CONTACT:  jordanmarinovfitness@gmail.com to sign up and receive details.

Led by Jordan Marinov who has 8 years of experience as a trainer, choreographer and movement coach and has trained America’s most successful and famous actors, musicians and CEOs in NYC and LA.

Top 5 Reasons Why Working With A Trainer Gets You Results

1. ACCOUNTABILITY: Working out is not always easy, especially when fatigue, a busy schedule and multi-tasking are a working part of today’s society. Being accountable to another person for self-care ensures not only that you will do it, but even more important – that you will not do it alone.
2. SUPPORT: To have two people working together for a common cause creates a stronger commitment and ability to withstand the trials and tribulations that will surely come. Having the support of your trainer will generate and sustain your energy for the long haul.
3. PROPER PROGRAMMING & SEQUENCING: There are many people who think they have more knowledge of exercise than they actually do. Trainers are professionals who have spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours studying and practicing their craft. Knowledge of kinesiology, anatomy, proper sequencing and injury prevention/adaptation are a few of the skills that a good trainer possesses and will give you access to. It is a combination of exercise choice and the order that you do them in that creates a great workout.
4. CONSISTENCY: Consistency is one of the most important factors in changing your body. Most people who desire different results than they have can pinpoint this as a missing ingredient. Your trainer will most likely ask you to commit to buying a package. This is actually done for you, the client, as you are much more likely to use a service that you have already paid for. It also helps you remember and connect with your long term goals and your desire to have real, lasting results.
5. ADAPTATION:  A good trainer will keep you challenged. A great trainer will train you in cycles, understanding that the body adjusts to the amount of stress placed upon it and reaches fitness plateaus regularly. This is why training really hard all the time is not healthy, it is asking your body to constantly maintain a high level of stress. Even the most serious athletes have seasons.

HAVING FUN: This is the bonus, but it is absolutely essential that you enjoy what you are doing! Especially when you are working hard…

PLATINUM:

10 Sessions per month for 3 months + 30 minute Assessment + 2 Travel workouts = 30 Sessions

WEEK 1 – 3 Sessions

WEEK 2 – 2 Sessions

WEEK 3 – 3 Sessions

WEEK 4 – 2 Sessions

GOLD:

8 Sessions per month for 3 months + 30 minute Assessment = 24 Sessions

WEEK 1 – 2 Sessions

WEEK 2 – 2 Sessions

WEEK 3 – 2 Sessions

WEEK 4 – 2 Sessions

SILVER:

4 Sessions per month for 3 months + 30 minute Assessment = 12 Sessions

WEEK 1 – 1 Session

WEEK 2 – 1 Session

WEEK 3 – 1 Session

WEEK 4 – 1 Session

**Please Inquire for Rates & Availability 

The foam roller is such a wonderful tool, but many people do not know how to use it properly or integrate it into their workouts. Let’s demystify it!

WHY ROLL

Foam rolling improves circulation, reduces muscle tightness and trigger points (knots in your muscles). It is similar to getting a massage and the compression helps to reduce adhesions and increases the blood flow so that muscle tissues can be restored.

It is called self-myofascial release technique. Fascia is an elastic type of connective tissue that wraps around many structures in the body including muscles. Using a foam roller activates the stretch reflex in the muscle and softens tight areas.

DO

• foam roll before your workout as part of your warm-up for maximum benefit
• breathe deeply and pay attention to trigger points, stopping in those places until the pain subsides 60-70%
• let yourself make noise – I encourage vocalization to support releasing your muscles

DON’T

• roll injured tissue
• roll joints
• roll your lower back
• roll if you are pregnant

BASIC AREAS TO ROLL

1) IT Band (Illiotibial Band)

Begin by lying on your side with the foam roller near the top of your hip and step your top foot flat onto the ground. Angle your knee slightly upward toward the ceiling. Slowly let the roller move down toward your knee, stopping at places that feel tight and take 5-10 deep breaths allowing that area to relax. Repeat this same action with your leg angled slightly downward toward the ground. Your IT band connects to both your quadricep and hamstring so you want to roll both attachment areas.

2) Quads

Lie on your stomach and slowly roll along the front of your thigh from the top of your hip down to just above your knee. Stop before the joint. You can also slightly angle your feet in one direction at a time to gain access to different areas of the muscle.

3) Gluts

Sit with your buttocks on the roller and feet flat on the ground. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee and flex that foot. Gently breath and roll until you find the trigger points.

4) Lats

Lie on your side with one arm extended overhead and place the foam roller just below your armpit. Gently roll down a few inches down toward your pelvis. Be mindful of not putting too much pressure on your ribs.

ENJOY!

Hi Fitness Lover!

Many people suffer from back pain and injury. There are many exercises that promote strong backs and healthy posture. Weakness in the abdominals and the muscles that surround the spine can make your back vulnerable for injury. Most people know that tightness in the chest contributes to poor posture and possible back injury. 

But why?

The disks that sit in between the vertebrae become compressed in one direction depending on your muscular imbalance. Over time and repetitive postural misalignment, a disk can become compressed in one direction, leaving it vulnerable to injury. 

Here are some simple exercises that will make your back flexible and strong.  

Photo Credit: Alexa Miller

1. BACK ARCHES  Lie on your stomach with your arms slightly forward of your torso. Energetically send your tail bone away from the back of your head. As you inhale, push into your hands and arch your spine away from the floor. As you exhale lower back down, keeping your abdominals lightly engaged to support your back. Repeat 10x using your breath.                                                                                     
2. THE SWIMMER  Lie on your stomach with your arms overhead and the palms of your hands facing toward one another. Send your tailbone away from the back of your head and engage your abdominals. Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears and lift your arms and legs in the air. Lift your opposite arm and leg in the air and keep switching at a moderate pace – similar to swimming. Repeat for a count of 20-30.                                                                                                                    
3. TABLE ABDOMINAL HOLD Lie on your back with your knees bent in the air at a 90 degree angle so that your shins are parallel to the floor. Lift your arms straight up to the ceiling and retract your scapula down so that they touch the floor. Engage your abdominals toward your lower back and maintain the natural curve of your spine. Hold for a count of 20. If this feels strong and you can maintain your abdominal contraction, tap both feet down to the floor and lift them back up to table 10-15x. 

For success in meeting your fitness goals and programs that work please email  jordanmarinovfitness@gmail.com

The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance. The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you, as perfect, as unspoiled, as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life. You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose.

― Arnold Bennett

It is so exciting to have a fresh year, full of new possibility, hope and inspiration. It is a collective restart, so what are your priorities?  I am working on doing less and having more. This might sound counter-intuitive as we live within cultural mores that dictate we must strive and push in order to get to the top. For me, no matter what peak I climb, when I arrive to that destination I am already aware of more I want to be, do or have. This is the endless cycle of expansion and growth that is the human experience. I am choosing to release the need to prove my worth through my accomplishments. I am worthy of all good things because I am a here.

For 2015, I am naming my top priorities and sticking to them. This means being extremely choosy about what I take on and seeing if it will truly add to the fun, uplifting and joyous life that I am creating. The same is true of fitness. I believe practice makes priority and by prioritizing health and well-being it becomes second nature and a part of our daily routine just like eating, sleeping and brushing our teeth. Over time and consistent practice it feels harder to skip a workout than to complete it. Here’s to an amazing and healthy year!

POSTURE OF THE MONTH  – CRESCENT LUNGE

Stand in a lunge position with your right leg forward and left leg back. Make sure that your right knee is pointing over your second toe and that it is bent at a 90 degree angle. Keep your back leg straight and engage your abdominals. Maintain an even position in your hips and reach your arms overhead touching the palms of your hands in a prayer position. Gaze past your fingers and breathe deeply. Hold for 5-10 breaths and repeat on the other side.

Photo Credit: Alexa Miller

To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.           –  Simone Weil

It’s the holidays! I can already feel the bustle around town and in the stores. With a  myriad of social and family gatherings, traditions and parties – how can I stay grounded? For me, the holidays are a marker of time passed and an opportunity to assess the year. Did I achieve all I wanted? How do I measure up against where I think I should be?

I have discovered that these questions are based on the false premise that my external circumstances define me. What a relief to let that go! Now, I am imperfectly working toward cultivating a deep sense of security in who I am – the person I have become. Where I am in life – the external circumstances must follow this feeling of well being and security. I encourage you to dig deep and root down into yourself this season. Enjoy the clarity of focus and peace that comes from that practice.

Many emotions get stirred up from being around loved ones that you haven’t seen for a while. Here are three simple tips for showing up as your best self.

1) MAINTAIN YOUR ROUTINE – we all have daily practices whether we are aware of them or not. Part of my daily practice includes meditation and doing a ballet barre. No matter where I go or who I stay with I have found that keeping up my routine grounds me and keeps me connected to my authentic self.

2) TAKE BREAKS –  being around people constantly can be overwhelming for even the most social butterfly. Take a walk, go to the gym, take a nap, etc. These are all reasonable and effective ways that you can recharge. Remember that by taking care of yourself you are ensuring that you will be your best self with your friends and family.

3) BE PRESENT WHILE CONSUMING – how am I feeling? Doing a feelings check may sound silly, but often times we indulge in food/alcohol as a way of soothing ourselves emotionally, only it happens unconsciously. You might find that by noticing how you feel and sitting with the feeling you no longer desire another piece of pie or a cocktail. When you notice uncomfortable feelings, that is a good time to practice #2 – just step outside for a moment and notice the fresh air and the trees. It is amazing how quickly we can ground ourselves when we are truly present.

photo credit: Alexa Miller