What if strength training could revolutionize not just your fitness, but your entire approach to health and well-being? In this episode of the Heart and Bones podcast, Brea Johnson sits down with Sarah Court, a physical therapist, and Laurel Beversdorf, a yoga teacher and personal trainer, to explore the transformative power of building strength and lifting weights. 

What We Discuss:

• Strength training is essential for physical health and well-being.


• The power of being strong- challenge societal norms and stereotypes around strength training and embrace power and strength.


• Integrating strength training with other movement practices, such as yoga, can create a well-rounded fitness routine.


• Cultural conditioning often discourages women from lifting heavy weights, but it is important to prioritize physical health and well-being.


• Strength training can increase bone density and muscle mass, leading to improved overall health and fitness. Find a coach or join a strength training program that focuses on progressive overload


• Strength training is subjective, and what is heavy for one person may be different for another


• Focus on your own progress and don't compare yourself to others


• Strength training can increase confidence, improve body function, and empower you


• Strength training can be fun, joyful, and inclusive, and it doesn't have to conform to traditional stereotypes

CONNECT WITH SARAH AND LAUREL

Website: https://movementlogictutorials.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movementlogictutorials/

PRACTICE WITH HEART + BONES

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

About Laurel Beversdorf

Laurel Beversdorf, YACEP, E-RYT 500, is an international yoga educator and kettlebell specialist with an advanced certification from Living.Fit. Laurel is the creator of Yoga with Resistance Bands classes and trainings, Resistance Bands 101 with Yoga Journal, and Body of Knowledge anatomy and biomechanics workshops. She co-creates movement therapy tutorials with physical therapists and Pilates teachers for Movement Logic®.

Laurel also hosts weekly kettlebell and yoga classes in her virtual studio and has presented live yoga trainings and workshops at locations like Kripalu, YogaWorks, and studios all over the world. Her classes are multidisciplinary and blend strength training, rehabilitation practices, self-massage, and yoga. Laurel has written for Yoga Journal, Shut Up & Yoga, and the Tune Up Fitness blog. A Wisconsin native, she lives in NYC with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

About Dr. Sarah Court

Dr. Sarah Court is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and provides in person and online sessions that blend her decades of yoga, Pilates, and physical therapy experience. She's a co-founder of Movement Logic®, a series of continuing education tutorials that help movement teachers understand how to work with challenging clients while staying within their scope of practice. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, and after her experience with surgery and chemotherapy, she created a FREE online video exercise series for people going through, or recovering from cancer treatment, that progresses from simple yoga to lifting weights. Sarah lives in Los Angeles, and you can find her at sarahcourtdpt.com or on Instagram at @sarahcourtdpt.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Pronunciation

03:16 Introduction to Movement Logic

05:00 Sarah's Background and Approach

08:13 Empowering Women through Strength Training

16:37 The Limitations of Yoga Asana

20:59 The Importance of Strength Training for Women's Health

23:23 Addressing Bone Density and Muscle Loss

25:18 Reclaiming Power and Breaking Free from Conditioning

34:02 Increasing Tolerance and Resisting Binary Thinking

38:12 How to Incorporate Strength Training into Your Routine

41:05 The Importance of Coaching and Outside Help

45:32 Understanding Progressive Overload

49:21 The Pitfalls of Variety and the Need for Consistency

53:04 Redefining 'Heavy' and the Subjectivity of Strength

58:01 Strength Training as a Fun and Empowering Experience

01:03:09 Favourite Lifts: Calf Raises and Overhead Press

01:06:06 The Power of Positive Self-Talk and Inner Cheerleading

01:09:51 Inspiring Others and Celebrating Strength