SolCoreFitness

Nov 04 2023

The Way Is Through: Embracing Challenges to Grow

embracing challenges for personal growth through holistic fitness and mindset

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The way to the life you want is through the challenges that seem to block your path. And that’s not just philosophy — embracing challenges for personal growth is a real, practical skill. It’s how you evolve. It’s how you change. And it’s exactly what a good holistic health and fitness program is built to support.

Let me share a story and a perspective that might shift how you see both your body and your life.

A Real-Life Example of Courage

Let me share a story about someone who embodied this truth: Maria Vigil, a past member of SolCore Fitness.

Maria battled scleroderma — a devastating and painful condition. Despite everything, she showed up. She trained. She smiled. And at the end of each class, no matter how hard it had been, she would shout with joy:

“Woo Hoo!”

Maria didn’t just work through her physical limitations — she worked through life itself, refusing to let her illness define her spirit.

She reminded me (and all of us) that life isn’t here to make you happy. It’s here to help you grow. That’s not just philosophy. It’s how you meet the obstacles life throws at you — and use them as fuel.

So let’s all find a way to “Woo Hoo” the tough moments in our own lives.

Growth Requires Challenge

I often tell people: you don’t come to a program like mine just to fix back pain or get better balance. You come because you want a better life. You want to do more, feel more, be more. But that means change — and change means challenge.

From a holistic standpoint, growth only happens when your structure supports your function. But most people are stuck in patterns. Not just physical patterns, but mental and emotional ones too. That’s why you feel like you’re living the same year over and over again.

You can break that cycle — but it means going toward what’s uncomfortable, not away from it.

Your Body as a Mirror for Growth

A real program challenges your structure — and your ideas about yourself.

Maybe you’re a beginner just trying to get moving. Great. The challenge is just to start.

Maybe you’re experienced or advanced — but you’re still doing the same routine you did 20 years ago. That’s not growth. That’s comfort. And staying comfortable guarantees one thing: your structure won’t change.

A good holistic fitness program works your muscles, fascia, joints, and nervous system together. It’s not a “just move” mentality. It’s targeted education for your whole body. That includes the parts you’ve been ignoring for years — and that’s where the challenge really begins.

And once you feel how those areas start to come alive… your entire life expands.

You Are More Than Your Thoughts

Buddhist teachings say, “There is suffering. But suffering has a cause.”

That cause? The way we relate to our experience — clinging to ideas of who we are and how life should go. We get stuck in thought loops, emotional ruts, conditioned identities.

But that’s not who you really are.

A holistic practice helps you get under those patterns. It shows you where you’re rigid — physically and emotionally — and gives you tools to evolve.

How You Do Anything…

How you meet the discomfort of a new movement, a challenge in your body, a surprising weakness — that’s how you’re meeting life.

You can either:

❌ Collapse into old patterns (“I can’t do this”)
❌ Judge yourself (“I’m broken”)
✅ Or lean in and say: “This is where I grow.”

Each area of your body needs a different kind of education. That’s why fascia, joints, viscera, muscles — they all get different inputs in our program. When you meet each part of yourself where it needs attention, your structure transforms.

And when structure changes, function changes — not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

You breathe better. You think more clearly. You live better.

The Takeaway

You don’t have to wait for a crisis to grow. You just need to meet your challenges head-on and trust that the path through is the path forward.

Maria showed us that. Your own body will show you that too — if you listen.

And remember…

“Woo Hoo!” your way through.

Because the way out is always through.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Oct 31 2023

How to Bounce Back After Setbacks and Stay Strong

Setbacks in life are challenging — no way around it.

You try, you plan, you do your best… and sometimes things still don’t go the way you hoped.

That’s when you need one of the most important traits you can develop: mental resilience. Learning how to bounce back after setbacks gives you the strength to adapt, keep perspective, and move forward with confidence — even when the path gets rocky.

Resilience isn’t just about “toughness.” It’s a mix of mindset, emotional intelligence, and trust in your ability to grow through adversity. Think of it like your mental armor — it doesn’t stop you from getting knocked down, but it helps you get back up stronger.

Here’s what resilience actually looks like in practice:

✅ Positive Mindset

Focusing on solutions instead of obsessing over problems. Optimism without denial.

✅ Adaptability

You adjust your approach when life throws curveballs. You stay flexible and open to learning.

✅ Emotional Awareness

You let yourself feel what you feel, without being overwhelmed or controlled by emotions.

✅ Self-Confidence

You trust yourself — not because you’re perfect, but because you’ve been through challenges before and you know you’ll keep growing.

So what can you actually do when a setback hits?

✔ Practice Self-Compassion

Talk to yourself like you would a close friend. No harsh self-talk — just honesty and support.

✔ Focus on What You Can Control

Break the situation into small, manageable pieces. Tackle the part that’s yours.

✔ Learn from the Setback

Ask: What can I take from this? What will I do differently next time?

✔ Seek Support

Lean on your people — friends, family, professionals. You don’t have to navigate setbacks alone.

✔ Set Realistic Goals

Small wins rebuild momentum. Let your progress (not perfection) lead the way.

Life will always bring some kind of disappointment or detour. But resilience is a skill. And just like strength, it grows when you train it.

You’ve got what it takes to make it through any setback. And if you want guidance that supports your body and mind through challenges, we’re here for that too.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Oct 28 2023

Is Your Functional Fitness Workout Actually Dangerous?

You’ve probably seen the term functional fitness workout tossed around everywhere lately.

But here’s the truth: what you see online or at the gym under that label is often misleading — or worse, harmful.

The original idea behind functional fitness was solid: training your body to perform real-life movements with strength, ease, and efficiency. But the fitness industry has warped this into circus acts and extreme trends — things like balancing on balls with weights overhead or twisting mid-air with kettlebells.

Even for seasoned pros, those workouts make no sense. And for most people, they’re a fast track to injury.

Man doing functional fitness workout that is not safe

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So What Is Functional Fitness, Really?

Let’s go back to the definition. Something that is functional has a specific purpose or task. So functional fitness should support the way you live, move, and work — helping you feel better and function better in your day-to-day life.

That might include training to:

Walk, squat, twist, and bend with ease
Paint walls or lift gear in your profession
Run a 10K or play with your grandkids pain-free

But functional training isn’t a one-size-fits-all set of exercises. The movements you need depend on your goals.

Three Kinds of Functional Training

Sport-specific — Focused on athletic performance. Runners train different muscle chains and movement patterns than skiers or lifters.
Work-specific — Based on your job. A painter needs mobility and control in the shoulder, wrist, and neck. A nurse may need strong legs and posture.
Life-specific — For general health, longevity, and pain-free movement in daily life. This is where most people should start.

Ironically, the more you focus on sport or work-specific training, the more you risk losing function in everyday life. Why? Because you’re overtraining narrow patterns and neglecting others.

The Foundation of True Function

If your goal is to function better in life, here’s where to start:

✅ The 7 Primal Movements

These are basic, essential motions you do every day:

Squat
Bend
Push
Pull
Lunge
Twist
Gait (walk/run)

Training these movements properly will make daily life easier. But you shouldn’t start here.

✅ Start with Your Deep Stabilizers

Real functional training begins with the PIT muscles — the deep internal stabilizers that prepare your body to move. These include:

Transversospinalis group
Deep hip rotators
Deep shoulder stabilizers
Fascia and visceral supports

These muscles receive the brain’s signals first. If they’re weak or disconnected, your body will compensate with larger muscles, creating dysfunction and strain.

Structure Dictates Function

This principle — first taught by osteopathic founder Andrew Taylor Still — says your body can only function well if its structure is aligned and balanced.

Your fascia, bones, and muscles don’t just hold you up like a stack of blocks. They create a biotensegrity system, where tension and compression are distributed across your whole body through fascia.

That’s why good posture isn’t cosmetic — it’s functional. Without structural balance, even “good” exercises cause harm.

Train What You Actually Use

Want to be able to balance on one leg? Then train the glute medius — in all three of its fiber directions. Want to squat pain-free? Work the deep hips and spinal stabilizers first.

If you skip this and go straight to dynamic exercises, you’re training dysfunction on top of imbalance.

And those extreme workouts that promise strength, mobility, endurance, and balance all in one? Total nonsense.

Your body needs focus to adapt. Each quality — like flexibility, strength, or endurance — takes months to build. You can’t rush it by stacking everything into one session.

Real Functional Training Takes Time

Here’s a simple path:

Rebuild structure — Get your posture, alignment, and fascia moving well.
Activate deep stabilizers — Teach your nervous system how to move safely.
Train primal patterns — Squats, twists, lunges — correctly and with intention.
Build specific traits — Endurance, strength, mobility — one at a time.

Each layer may take months. But it sets you up for a lifetime of movement freedom.

Functional fitness is not a shortcut. It’s a foundation.

Want to Learn How to Train Functionally (the Right Way)?

If you’re tired of confusing workouts, nagging pain, or wasted time, we can help. Our holistic program trains your body from the inside out — respecting fascia, structure, and function at every step.

👉 Click below to schedule a complimentary consultation.
We’ll talk about your goals, your body, and your best next step.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Oct 27 2023

How Positive Self-Talk Fuels Real Change

What do you tell yourself about yourself?

Do you believe it?

And more importantly — is it holding you back?

We’d all love to believe we fill our minds with uplifting, powerful affirmations… but for most of us, that’s not the default. Instead, we whisper things to ourselves we’d never say to a friend:

“You’re not good enough.”
“You’ll never follow through.”
“Why even try?”

These limiting beliefs feel real, but they’re not. They’re lies — quiet ones we’ve repeated so often they’ve become background noise.

Flip the Script

Every time you hear a harsh internal voice, stop it in its tracks.

Replace it with something kind, truthful, and helpful — the way you’d speak to someone you care about deeply. For example:

“I’ve gotten through harder things before.”
“I’m learning and growing every day.”
“I deserve to feel proud of myself.”

Think about moments where you proved yourself:

That time you got the promotion.
The way your words lifted someone’s day.
The energy and pride after completing a tough project.

You’ve done it before. You can do it again.

Practice the Positive

Yes, those negative self-comments might still pop up. That’s normal. You can’t always control what thoughts arrive — but you can control what you focus on.

So practice positive self-talk daily:

Write kind words in a journal.
Say them in the mirror.
Share them with people who support you.

Remind yourself of what’s true. Speak powerfully to yourself — not to fake it, but to fuel it.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Oct 26 2023

October 26, 2023 Recorded Live Q & A

Oct 21 2023

Tired of Peloton? Here’s a Smarter Workout Alternative

Frustrated person next to Peloton bike exploring workout alternatives

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If you’ve been searching for Peloton workout alternatives, you’re not alone. What once felt like the future of fitness now often leads to burnout, boredom, or plateaus. Whether your bike’s collecting dust or your membership feels stale, it’s time to rethink what your body really needs — and what truly works long term.

Let’s break down why Peloton is falling short — and what you can do instead to get real results.

Peloton’s Rise… and Fade

Peloton exploded during the pandemic. People were stuck at home, and the brand nailed the timing with sleek bikes, energetic instructors, scenic virtual rides, and an easy subscription model. It felt like a movement.

But fast forward, and many people are canceling memberships and unloading their gear.

Why?

Sure, there are business reasons — but from an exercise and results perspective, there’s a deeper issue.

External Motivation Doesn’t Last

The whole Peloton model is built on external motivation: music, scenery, and peppy instructors yelling encouragement through the screen.

That can feel great in the beginning. But it fades — and quickly. Real, lasting progress requires internal motivation driven by clear goals that mean something to you.

It’s not about getting hyped up to pedal harder for 20 minutes. It’s about asking:
What do I want from my body and my life?

Cardio Alone Isn’t a Full Program

Peloton gives you cardio — and not much else. Maybe some light circuit training or HIIT. But it’s still basically endurance training.

No structured strength work
No fascia-focused training
No progression
No personalization

Just movement for movement’s sake. And that eventually leads to boredom, plateaus, or worse — injury.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Using your legs on a bike isn’t the same as training your legs intelligently. Overuse injuries, imbalances, and limited planes of motion can result from doing the same activity over and over.

Every body is different. You need a program that adapts to your individual structure, needs, and goals. That’s the opposite of Peloton’s cookie-cutter classes.

Why I Built Something Different

At SolCore Fitness, we follow a fascia-based osteopathic approach to fitness and therapy. That means:

Your workouts are built around your body’s actual structure
You learn to work with your fascia, not against it
You develop long-term strength, mobility, and stability — not just sweat

You don’t need fancy gear. You don’t need entertainment.
You need the right stimulus, progression, and support to evolve.

Ready for a Smarter Way?

If Peloton isn’t giving you what you need — that’s OK.

It was designed to be easy, not transformative.

But your body wants more. Your mind wants more. And you’re capable of more.

If you’re ready for a complete shift in how you train and take care of yourself, check out my program. It’s based on the principles of osteopathy and the real biomechanics of how your body is designed to move and heal.

Let’s train for your life — not just a screen.

Request A Free Consultation Here

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

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Oct 18 2023

Why Rest and Recovery Matter for Your Health

Standard thinking used to tell us that we had to push ourselves relentlessly to be in good shape.

But here’s the scoop: We’ve evolved from that, and we know better now. Rest and recovery for health aren’t signs of weakness — they’re essential to lasting strength, mobility, and energy.

We all need downtime to recharge and come back stronger than ever. But taking a full day off is only one part of the equation.

Rest and recovery should also be incorporated into the actual routines you do.

Have you heard the phrase “active rest” yet?

Now, it’s not as contradictory as it might seem. Active rest simply means incorporating lighter, gentler activities into your routine on “rest days,” between your harder days.

That could mean going for a walk or taking a relaxing swim. These activities keep you moving without too much strain. To maximize these active rest days, do exercises and stretches that rebalance your body from the harder workouts you did before.

If you went for a big hike or run the day before, do some exercises and stretches that balance the chains of your body from your legs, pelvis, and spine.
If you gardened hard the day before, work the chains of your body in your back muscles and shoulders.

You’re looking for the right balance — the perfect harmony — to optimize your life. Your body is a wonderful gift that allows you to do amazing things. Give it love by incorporating active rest into your weekly rhythm.

Embrace the power of rest and recovery for health — they’re not breaks from progress. They’re part of it.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Oct 14 2023

Joint and Muscle Pain in Active People: Real Solutions

You’re active. You want to stay active. But joint and muscle pain in active people is incredibly common — and frustrating. Especially when you’ve already tried everything: chiropractic care, acupuncture, foam rolling, ART, myofascial release…

And the pain keeps coming back.

Before you chalk it up to “getting older” or “this is just my body now,” there’s one more thing you should try: a root-cause approach that looks at your body as a whole — not just the parts that hurt.

In this post, we’ll break down:

The real reasons active people get joint and muscle pain (even when doing all the “right” things)
Why most treatments don’t stick — and what your body actually needs
What a holistic model looks like — and how to assess yourself

Let’s dig in.

Person educating about joint and muscle pain with holistic approach

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Why Most Treatments Don’t Last

Many people take a linear approach to pain relief. They chase the spot that hurts: knee, shoulder, low back. They get short-term fixes like adjustments, massage, or quick workouts. But they never look at the full picture.

Pain is often a symptom, not the actual problem.

Common band-aids include:

Manual therapies that release tension temporarily
Strengthening programs that ignore imbalance
Stretches that feel good but don’t fix anything long-term

Unless you find and correct the primary root cause, your body will keep compensating. And that’s why the pain comes back.

6 Common Causes of Joint and Muscle Pain in Active People

Overuse Without Balance
Doing more isn’t always better. Repetitive activity like walking, running, or gardening without balancing out your body leads to breakdown. Your body wants homeostasis — but if you don’t restore symmetry, it starts to hurt.
Unresolved Minor Injuries
That old ankle roll or back tweak you “walked off”? If it wasn’t re-trained, your body adapted around it. This creates dysfunction and strain elsewhere.
Poor Movement Patterns
Bad form — even in something as simple as squats or sit-ups — leads to chronic tension and pain. More importantly, your deep stabilizing muscles may be shut off or undertrained, which causes poor control and alignment.
Doing Too Much Too Soon
Jumping from low activity to high-intensity training (CrossFit, extreme yoga, etc.) without proper progression overwhelms the body. It’s not about the activity — it’s about whether your body is ready.
Dehydration and Stress
Lack of hydration makes fascia stiff like beef jerky, not supple tissue. Chronic stress keeps you in fight-or-flight mode, locking your muscles and nervous system in a painful loop.
Poor Posture and Body Positioning
Plumb line off? Gravity line disrupted? SI joint unstable? These are red flags. If your base (pelvis and spine) isn’t in balance, no amount of therapy or exercise will stick.

How to Identify the Real Root Cause

If you want relief that lasts, you must address the primary lesion — the root issue that’s throwing everything else off.

Here’s how to start assessing it yourself:

Posture Check: Take a photo from the side. Are your ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle aligned?
Movement Observation: Have someone watch you squat, walk, or perform other activities. You may feel “normal,” but your brain often normalizes dysfunction.
Activity Review: What do you do most often? What areas of your body are doing the most work? Those overused chains are often the source.

Once you identify a likely root cause, focus on normalizing that area — restoring mobility, strength, awareness, and function. If you choose correctly, many secondary issues will resolve more easily.

Why a Holistic Model Works

The most effective way to resolve joint and muscle pain in active people is to use a holistic model that integrates:

Movement assessments (not just static posture)
Manual therapy to address fascia, joint alignment, and soft tissue
Corrective exercise to restore deep stabilization and proper motor control
Lifestyle shifts including hydration, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation

This is how we work at SolCore Fitness & Therapy. We don’t separate the body into disconnected pieces — we work with the whole person.

When we understand your history, how you move, how you’ve adapted, and what’s missing, we can finally address the real issue — not just the symptoms.

Next Steps

You deserve to move, live, and train without nagging pain.

Here’s how to take action:

📘 Download our free ebook for deeper insight
📞 Book a free consultation to get expert help finding your root cause

All the links are in the description. Pick what fits — or try all three.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Oct 10 2023

Why Stretching Matters: The Real Science Behind Your Body’s Balance

This is very unfortunate. 🤦🏾

Beware the information you take in on social media and the interweb (yes, I know the irony here). I recently saw a post from a “trainer” I know is new to the profession — not certified, and barely trained — claiming boldly that you don’t need to stretch.

Ummmm… no.

Science says yes, and for multiple important reasons. Let’s break this down so it’s not just a rant — but a chance to learn.

1. The Hill Muscle Model

First, there’s the Hill Muscle Model, a foundational concept in muscle physiology. It explains that muscles behave like a system of contractile and elastic components — meaning they can both shorten and stretch.

If you ignore the elastic part of this model (the part that allows muscles to lengthen and absorb force), you’re essentially forcing your body to operate with only half the system functional. That’s a recipe for strain and injury.

2. Biotensegrity and Structural Balance

Your body isn’t a stack of bones held together with tape. It’s a dynamic, balanced system governed by biotensegrity — a term describing how tension and compression work together to create stability and fluid movement.

Think of it like a geodesic dome: it’s not rigid, but it’s strong. Your fascia, ligaments, and muscles maintain that tension network. When one part becomes too tight or too loose, the entire structure compensates — often in inefficient or painful ways. Stretching, when done appropriately, keeps this system balanced.

3. Fascia Health and Soft Tissue Quality

Your fascia — the connective tissue that wraps around muscles, organs, and joints — needs to be pliable and hydrated to function well. Without stretching, the fascia becomes stiff, dehydrated, and restrictive. This limits range of motion and increases the risk of injury.

Stretching nourishes and rehydrates the fascia. It improves sliding surfaces between tissues and reduces unnecessary friction that contributes to chronic pain or dysfunction.

4. Functional Range of Motion (ROM)

Your joints and muscles are meant to move through a full range of motion. But if your body doesn’t experience that range regularly, it adapts by shrinking your capabilities.

Imagine owning a sports car but only ever driving it in first gear. That’s what happens when you skip mobility work and stretching — your joints and soft tissues lose their full capacity. Eventually, simple movements like bending, twisting, or reaching become harder, more painful, or even dangerous.

5. The Consequences of Misinformation

Here’s the real danger: the trainer who said “you don’t need to stretch” isn’t evil — they’re just inexperienced and unaware. The bigger issue is that people hear statements like that and believe them. And then they suffer.

Social media has made everyone feel like an expert. But true expertise doesn’t just come from reading a few studies or copying flashy workouts. It comes from years of study, experience, reflection, and humility — especially humility to know how much you don’t know.

6. The Pieced-Together Workout Problem

This is how we end up with Frankenstein “total body workouts” built on partial facts. The logic seems sound on the surface: if I work all my muscles, I’m doing a total-body workout. But unless that workout respects the body’s complex interconnections, neurological readiness, structural imbalances, and fascial tension — it’s not actually holistic. It’s just random movement with good intentions.

And unfortunately, good intentions don’t protect your joints, restore your balance, or make you move better. Thoughtful, informed planning does.

What You Can Do Instead

Instead of chasing conflicting advice online, study with purpose. Take in complete models that respect the body’s design — not just cherry-picked hacks that sound good in a 60-second video.

If you want to start learning what works, I wrote an ebook that distills insights from almost 30 years of work in therapy and training. It’s a great place to begin if your goals include:

Longevity
Functional strength
Real mobility
Relief from back, SI joint, or muscle pain

You can grab the ebook with the link below.

Move better. Reduce pain. Live life on your terms.

Let’s be better than social media noise. Let’s stretch — intelligently, consistently, and with an understanding of why stretching matters.

Building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Oct 08 2023

It’s All in Your Mind

I used to roll my eyes at the phrase “It’s all in your mind.”
It sounded dismissive — like I was just forgetting to flip some invisible switch that would fix everything.

And yet, there I was, using all the “right” goal-setting strategies, all the visualization techniques, and still hitting emotional and mental roadblocks. When people said that line, it felt like they were missing the complexity of the struggle.

But over time, I started to see it differently.
What if “It’s all in your mind” wasn’t meant to be dismissive… but instead, a powerful truth?

That shift changed everything.

Now, I see it as a mantra for alignment — a reminder that the way I think and the way I act have to be connected. That mind over matter isn’t just motivation-speak. It’s science-backed and experience-proven.

When I hit a wall now, I pause and ask:

👉🏽 Why am I not doing what I intend to do?
Is there a real, practical reason — like not allowing enough time between work and home — instead of beating myself up with, “I just don’t have discipline”?

👉🏽 What needs to change in my approach?
Am I repeating a method that’s never worked and keeping myself trapped in the same mental loop?

👉🏽 Can I support myself better?
Would changing my workout time make it easier to follow through instead of expecting a magical burst of motivation?

That’s when “It’s all in your mind” really landed.
It’s not about pushing aside your struggles. It’s about understanding that you have more influence over your direction than you might believe.

It’s about:

✅ Setting the right kind of goals (based on values, not fantasy)
✅ Making plans that match your real life
✅ Anchoring your actions to intentions every step of the way

Because when your mind and your actions line up — that’s when change really happens.

And the truth is, where your mind goes, your body will follow.

Try it for yourself.

Try it!

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

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