Mind-body connection

Jul 26 2022

Live Life ‘As if’ To Accomplish Your Goals

Accomplish your goals.

Muhammad Ali famously said he “hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” This mindset—enduring discomfort today in service of something greater tomorrow—is a hallmark of champions, and one of the most powerful mental shifts you can adopt to achieve your goals in any area of life.

Even Ali admitted: it’s not always glamorous. It can be boring, grueling, and sometimes feel totally pointless. But instead of letting that defeat you, he chose to live “as if” the outcome was already his. What if you could harness the same focus and vision, not just in the gym, but in your daily life?

Here’s how you can do it:

Imagine your life after you’ve achieved your goal.
Visualize the specifics:
👍🏽 How brightly will you smile, feeling your body working properly while you play with your kids?
👍🏽 How much will you enjoy saying YES to new activities—kayaking, traveling, running, or lifting—thanks to your confidence and balanced, healthy body?
👍🏽 How will it feel to embrace opportunities, not hide from them?

Don’t just glaze over these questions with a quick “oh, that’d be nice.” Let yourself go deep. Fully invest your senses—imagine the environment, your mood, the people, even the sounds and smells.

What’s your mood? Are you proud of yourself, or do you retreat and feel disappointed?
Will you be the person who tries new things, or who stays home thinking about what could have been?

Fire up that imagination. Science and experience agree: acting as if you’re already the champion, parent, entrepreneur, or athlete you aspire to be, builds pathways in your mind and behaviors that make those outcomes possible.

Ali’s secret wasn’t just about suffering through the hard stuff—it was about believing in the outcome every single day and acting accordingly. As he put it:

“Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

What’s your vision? What does your “as if” victory look like? Try living in that future, today and then take every small action with the pride and confidence you’ll feel when you finally reach it.

Have you tried this mental strategy to accomplish your goals? Let me know in the comments your story could inspire someone else to live “as if” their dreams are coming true.

[Book a free consult] if you’re ready to envision and build your healthiest, most active life, start here.

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

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Apr 16 2022

Knowing THIS Will Help Your Balance (And Prevent Falls!)

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Feeling off-balance or constantly afraid you’ll fall is more than a worry. It impacts your life, holding you back from activities you want to do and sapping your confidence. Many balance programs focus on standing on one foot or doing random balance drills, but true stability is much more complex, and so is the path to improving it.

Why Most Balance Routines Fail and What Actually Works

Cookie-cutter approaches to balance just aren’t enough. They’re too general, ignoring the layered complexity and uniqueness of every body. To truly improve your balance, you need a holistic plan that addresses your structure, your “soft tissue” (muscles, ligaments, fascia), and your neurological “computers”—your proprioceptors.

1. Structural Alignment Your Foundation

Imagine your body as a house. If the foundation or walls are off, everything above is unstable. Your bones must be aligned, and your hips and pelvis balanced, to channel force smoothly through your entire frame. This is more than posture—it’s about the interplay of hard (bone) and soft tissue (muscles, fascia, ligaments) all working together for stable movement.

Fun fact: Your bones adapt to repeated forces and movement—if you’re off balance or compensating, your skeleton will actually remodel around those forces, making misalignment worse over time. That’s why generic “adjustments” alone never last; your muscles and fascia must be trained, too.

2. Biotensegrity The Body’s Inner Suspension Bridge

Ever heard of “tensegrity”? It just means the harmony between tension and compression—how your soft tissue web, not just bones, is what actually keeps you upright and balanced. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia are all interconnected and play a major role in stability, not just movement.

If you’re missing strength or mobility in one area, the whole system suffers. Generic exercise routines or bouncing between fad workouts without addressing your personal gaps won’t help. The key is specificity—testing and building up your weak links.

3. The Glute Medius Your Hip’s Hidden Hero

Your glute medius stabilizes the pelvis and is foundational for staying upright, stepping, and shifting your weight. If it’s weak or poorly coordinated, your “house” tips and daily movements become risky. The best assessment and strengthening moves isolate different fibers in the glute medius (not just doing “clamshells”), with your leg in various angles and a strong, fixed core for real-world benefit.

4. Proprioception Training Your Balance “Computers”

Balance isn’t just muscle—it’s knowing where your body is in space, thanks to proprioceptors (“position sensors”) in your feet, spine, TMJ, eyes, and ears. If one system’s off, your brain’s internal map is wrong—you feel “off” even when you look straight, and compensations leak through the whole body.

To improve this, you need:

Targeted foot and ankle work: barefoot balance, one-leg stances, standing on soft surfaces
Spine awareness: core and trunk engagement, rotational exercises
Head, jaw, eye, and ear alignment: gentle neck exercises, gaze stability drills

Proprioceptive training should progress from simple (e.g., static one-leg balance) to complex (eyes closed, dynamic reaches, unstable surfaces, dual-tasking). Key: Always train specifically for your deficits—not just generic drills.

5. Start Where YOU Are

You can’t address everything at once—successful balance training means finding your lowest-hanging fruit. Use a notepad, test your strengths and weaknesses, and focus on two or three new habits or drills at a time.

If you want a body that’s truly balanced and ready for life—whether that’s hiking, gardening, or just moving with confidence and without fear of falling—you need to address all the interconnected parts: structure, soft tissue, proprioception.

[Book a free consult] for a holistic assessment and personalized program that will target exactly what you need to regain control, improve your balance, and enjoy every activity with confidence.

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

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Apr 09 2022

Working Out FOR a BETTER Life: It’s About the Foundation, Not Just Fitness

It’s not just working out—it’s building a foundation for a better life. That’s not just a slogan. It’s the driving insight behind what a true health and fitness routine is supposed to achieve. When approached holistically, fitness is the gateway for transformation: physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually.

My Journey to Holistic Fitness

I’ve felt this in my bones since I was young—even before I had the words. Sports, movement, and healthy eating gave me structure and focus growing up, and I soon realized the value of incorporating mindset, visualization, and positive belief alongside physical training. What began just as sports and healthy eating soon became routines in goal setting, journaling, and affirmations. These simple but powerful strategies enabled me to go beyond what teachers or diagnoses thought possible—and most importantly, to start believing in my own potential.

You’re More Than a Body. Fitness Should Reflect That.

As I grew and eventually became the owner of SolCore Fitness, I kept seeing the same problem: too many programs—especially in big-box gyms—treat exercise like a checklist. Do these reps, burn these calories, and move on. But a fitness foundation built only on the latest routine, without guidance or purpose, can’t address the depth of who you are or the layered challenges you face.

A holistic fitness plan must consider:

Physical Health: Building strength, mobility, and injury resistance so you can move, play, and age well.
Mental Health: The right routine improves focus, battles distraction, calms a busy mind, and boosts creativity and resilience.
Emotional Wellbeing: True fitness reduces stress, increases confidence, and helps you bounce back from setbacks.
Social Connection & Purpose: Working out becomes a vehicle for belonging, accountability, and compassion—for yourself and others.
Spiritual Health: Movement connects you to what matters—whether it’s a sense of purpose, gratitude, or something greater than yourself.

True Holistic Fitness Builds on Strong, Integrated Foundations

Every phase of your life brings new challenges, losses, and opportunities. Sometimes you might feel invincible; other times, a single injury or setback can shake your identity to its core. I know this firsthand—after a significant injury, I had to rethink everything. Gone were the routines that used to work. In their place, I found osteopathy and the “structure dictates function” principle. I became obsessed with weaving together strength, nutrition, movement, mindset, and deeper learning.

When you combine physical, mental, and emotional progress, transformation happens:

You learn to appreciate what your body CAN do (not just what it looks like)
You wake up parts of yourself—muscle chains, mental habits, creativity—that had “fallen asleep”
You discover new reserves of resilience and motivation, even when you “fail” or meet resistance

Most importantly, you realize: Every challenge is an opportunity to know yourself more deeply, and every victory unlocks another level of growth.

It’s Not “Just” About Longevity—It’s About Quality and Purpose

We all want to live as long as possible, but what about living vibrantly and joyfully, every step of the way? A holistic fitness program is about creating that positive trajectory, so you can:

Stay active and pain-free through every decade
Play with kids, grandkids (or great-grandkids!)
Try new activities, travel, garden, or pursue passion projects
Feel mentally clear, socially connected, and emotionally grounded—even when times get tough

A complete, individualized fitness plan helps YOU decide what kind of life you want to live…and then gives you the tools (and the confidence) to achieve it.

[Book a free consult] if you’re ready to discover what a true holistic health and fitness plan can do—not just for your muscles, but for your entire life journey. Let’s build the foundation that keeps you strong, joyful, and inspired for decades to come.

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

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Feb 19 2022

4 Steps On How Not To Get Frustrated With A Corrective Exercise Program

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Getting injured isn’t just painful it’s often maddening, especially when a corrective exercise program seems slow, confusing, or never-ending. The good news? There are concrete ways to break the cycle of frustration, so you can move forward in your recovery and come back stronger than ever.

Step 1: Get Specific and Get Curious

Most frustration comes from generic, surface-level advice—“just do X for your knee,” or “try this for your back.” But lasting results require a specific, holistic perspective. Zoom out: assess all the tissues, joints, and habits involved, not just the “squeaky wheel.” Don’t be afraid to ask more questions of your coach, read beyond the basics, or demand an individualized approach that’s tailored to the real cause of your issue—not just the symptoms.

Step 2: Stop the Comparison Game Own Your Pace

Corrective exercise takes time. Symptoms often last because underlying compensations have built up for months or years. Don’t get stuck comparing yourself to “fast healers” or internet testimonials. Accept that the process is nonlinear, and that small, focused wins build the fastest long-term progress. The less negative self-talk, the easier it gets to keep showing up and doing the right things every day.

Step 3: Expect “Productive” Discomfort Not Suffering

It’s totally normal for corrective exercises to feel challenging, awkward, or sometimes uncomfortable—especially if soft tissue is stiff, joints are sticky, or new patterns are required. But true suffering means you’re doing the wrong exercise, too much, too soon, or fighting the process. Learn to distinguish between healthy training discomfort and bad pain. Treat each session as a chance to practice patience, breathe deeply, and learn from experience—not just to “grind through.”

Step 4: Find Acceptance and Focus on What You Control

Frustration around injury often comes from wanting to skip steps or fast-forward the process. Instead, accept your current state, focus on consistent progress, and get curious about deeper aspects of health, movement, or mindset you may have previously overlooked. The more you accept and fully engage, the faster—and more lasting—your results will be. (And if you get stuck, find a trusted guide or support community.)

[Segmental Muscle Strengthening]

Corrective exercise is much more than a fix for a body part it’s a mindset and a toolkit for lifelong mobility, injury-prevention, and lasting change. Embrace the journey, adjust your expectations, and celebrate progress one step at a time.

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

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Feb 12 2022

Back Pain After Covid

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Are you dealing with back pain after COVID-19? You’re not alone. Back pain is one of the most common lingering symptoms after both infection and recovery a challenge felt by people of all ages and activity levels.

Why Back Pain Happens After Covid

Back pain can be a direct effect of COVID due to myalgia—generalized muscle and soft tissue pain caused by your body’s inflammatory response to fighting off the virus or as a side effect of the vaccine. Inflammation doesn’t always end when you test negative; your body might continue “defending” for weeks or even months, causing ongoing aches and back pain. This is part of what is known as “long COVID”.

Indirect causes are just as important:
Many people become more sedentary after (or during) illness—sitting more, working from home, and losing their regular movement and exercise routines.
Stress and lack of work-life balance increase tension, particularly in the spine, neck, and back.
Dehydration, already a common problem, is made worse as your body uses more water during infection and healing, leaving your discs and fascia less resilient.

Is It “Just” Covid, or Something Else?

If you notice new or worsening back pain after COVID, ask:

Was the pain present before, and is it worse now?
Are there other aches, joint issues, or general body pain? If so, it could be “long COVID.”
If you’re simply sitting more, skipping movement, or under new types of stress—those factors can be just as powerful.

Always follow up with your healthcare team to rule out reinfection or other health issues. For most, the pain is NOT dangerous, but persistent inflammation, dehydration, inactivity, or stress must be addressed for full recovery.

What Should You Do?

Hydrate thoroughly. Start each day with water and keep drinking throughout the day to rehydrate the spine, joints, and fascia.
Rebuild your work/life boundaries. Set opening/closing routines (especially if working from home), get up regularly, and don’t allow “life creep” into all hours.
Move more—gently and consistently. Aim for general daily activity (steps, gentle walks), not just “weekend warrior” blasts. Progress specific corrective exercises for your back, core, and posture as you recover.
Mind your stress. Take time to rest, get outside, meditate, and actively de-stress—your body and back will thank you.
Start or restart a balanced corrective/exercise program. Don’t jump right into intense workouts; first, restore foundational control and flexibility so your body adapts, not just compensates.

[Myofascial Stretching: The Best Total Body Active Stretches]

Persistent back pain after COVID is often multifactorial and almost always holistic in solution hydration, gentle movement, stress management, and a sustainable corrective program are key.

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

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Oct 16 2021

Why Believing What Is Possible Is Setting You Up for Failure

What you think is physically possible for your body may not be the full truth—and these beliefs may set you up for failure in your fitness or rehab journey. The real limiting factor? Your proprioceptors—the thousands of mini “computers” throughout your body that sense movement, joint position, and potential.

Just being awake doesn’t mean these proprioceptors are switched on and working at full capacity. As the body becomes less active, these sensors go dormant, limiting the feedback they send to your brain. When you attempt a new exercise or corrective movement and it feels foreign or impossible, it’s not your true potential you’re experiencing—it’s the limits of your barely-awake proprioceptive system.

A common experience: a client asked to protract and retract his shoulder blades, essential for upper body mobility and health. Despite anatomical possibility, the initial attempt feels impossible—his proprioceptors are “asleep.” With guidance, assisted movement, and repetition, those signals begin to fire, a feedback loop forms, and new movement becomes possible.

Proprioception Exercises

This process reveals a critical rule for successful fitness: what feels difficult or awkward is a prompt to build your practice around it. Targeting these “impossible” actions gradually awakens proprioceptors, increases coordination, and resets your sense of what’s possible. With time, your body awareness improves, dormant movements activate, and your true functional capacity expands far beyond initial perception.

If frustration or belief in limitations is keeping you stuck, remember: your brain and proprioceptors can be rewired. With structured programming and repeated, conscious movement attempts, you’ll unlock new ability, awareness, and confidence.

Ready to Unlock Your Body’s Potential?

For expert assessment and guidance to reset limiting beliefs and activate dormant movement, Book a free consult. Let’s work together to reawaken your proprioceptors and expand your functional capacity.

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

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Apr 23 2021

Master Your Mindset To Succeed In Your Fitness Program

The toughest challenge in starting any new health or fitness program isn’t physical—it’s mental and emotional. While muscle soreness or awkward new movements are uncomfortable, they’re nothing compared to the mental resistance that can arise. Doubt, fear, and a host of unhelpful thoughts come up as soon as you leave your comfort zone, especially when you’re faced with the unknown.

Why is the mindset piece so powerful? Stepping out of daily routines and into new habits sparks all kinds of internal friction. The brain, hardwired for comfort and safety, registers even positive change as a threat. Most failed fitness efforts aren’t due to a lack of motivation, but a lack of tools to manage this emotional pushback.

So how do you master the mental side and give yourself the best odds of success?

Start with Realistic Goals: Instead of hoping for major change in 30 days, set measurable, achievable milestones that you can consistently reach. Break big ambitions into smaller actions and celebrate the little wins, building a sense of progress and control.

Journal Your Journey: Document not only what you do, but also how you feel and what thoughts or emotions show up. This builds awareness of patterns—both positive and negative—and turns your program into a reflective, adaptable process. The simple act of tracking your progress, setbacks, and mindset shifts allows for course correction and self-compassion.

Integrate Mindfulness and Meditation: Mindfulness isn’t just for yogis. Taking five to fifteen minutes for deep breathing, mental focus, or body scans lets you move through anxiety and doubt, instead of being ruled by them. Regular mindfulness programs have been shown to support motivation, emotional regulation, and overall fitness adherence.

Commit to Progressive Structure: No truly effective program is random. You need progression in your workouts—not just for your muscles, but for your confidence and mindset. When you know why you’re doing what you’re doing, and each week builds on the last, overwhelm shrinks and self-belief rises.

Personalized Workout Page

With this in mind, the most important fitness habit to build is mental resilience. This means expecting setbacks, practicing positive self-talk, and giving yourself grace when things don’t go as fast as you want. Remember, even the most dedicated athletes struggle at times—what sets success apart is the ability to get back up, reflect, and keep moving forward.

By embracing a mindset that values consistency over perfection, reflection over judgment, and process over outcome, you’ll set yourself up not only for short-term results, but long-term transformation—for your body, mind, and quality of life.

Ready to Transform Your Mindset & Results?

True fitness change starts on the inside. For expert one-on-one coaching and a gameplan that’s as unique as your mindset, Book a free consult today.

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

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Dec 11 2020

Mental Health Is Part of Holistic Health The Science Behind Movement, Posture, and Emotional Regulation

For many, the reason to exercise shifts over time from chasing physical goals to pursuing better emotional balance and mental health. Science increasingly confirms that movement, exercise, and posture shape our emotional state as powerfully as any other health habit.

When physically active, the brain releases neurochemicals and hormones associated with positive mood and stress regulation—even after gentle movement or brief stretches, before conventional “endorphins” kick in. Studies show physical activity and exercise protect against anxiety and depression, enhance resilience, and provide immediate relief from emotional tension. Interruptions in movement, such as injury or inactivity, can rapidly worsen anxiety and stress due to decreased neurochemical balance.

Your posture is also a major regulator of mood. Poor alignment—especially slumped posture—has been shown to increase sympathetic (“fight or flight”) nervous system activity, magnifying stress responses, decreasing self-esteem, impairing breathing, and even increasing negative self-talk. The front part of the vertebral body houses crucial sympathetic nervous system extensions; misalignment can disrupt these neural pathways and further destabilize emotional regulation.

Global Postural Stretching

A holistic exercise program is one of the most effective tools—not just for improving posture and movement, but for transforming mental well-being. Combined with meditation, sleep, exposure to sunlight and fresh air, meaningful social connections, and quality, nutrient-rich foods and hydration, exercise builds both structural and emotional health.

Holistic health isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for modern stress. Movement, posture, and mindful lifestyle choices directly alter the physiology of anxiety, mood, and resilience. Paying attention to these daily habits creates a foundation for long-lasting mental health.

Ready to Restore Your Mind-Body Balance?

For an expert holistic movement approach tailored to your emotional and physical needs, Book a free consult. Learn how to leverage posture, exercise, and lifestyle strategies for true wellness.

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

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Oct 23 2020

It Is So Easy to Give Up on Goals Why Immediate Results Aren’t Real

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to give up on your long-term fitness results and health goals when they don’t deliver immediate results. We start with motivation, follow advice, and put in the work, but if our bodies don’t change quickly, frustration sets in. This can lead to abandoning routines, switching programs, or giving up altogether just to escape the discomfort of slow progress.

The lure of “magic buttons,” crash diets, instant fitness plans, or trendy supplements promises big changes fast. Yet the science of fitness is clear: quick fixes rarely offer lasting results. Most extreme approaches may bring short-term progress, but they’re unsustainable, risky, and can even trigger burnout or regression in the long run.

Clients often ask, “What’s the one thing I can do for a great result?” The truth is: real change comes from habit formation, strategic planning, and patience. Your body thrives when given time to adapt—whether your goal is athletic performance, weight loss, muscle gain, or injury rehab. Jumping from one fad to another only stalls your progress.

When I started working out, my goals were sports performance. Later, I focused on losing weight and gaining muscle.

Injury and imbalance forced me to pursue programs tailored for healing and body correction. Each protocol was designed for a different purpose, and none of them produced overnight transformation.

Industry marketing often blurs the reality, pushing a copycat mentality and promising interchangeable results. But proper fitness requires the right plan for your needs, and it takes time. Sustainable results demand you follow a program built around science, progressive adaptation, and personal context—not just what’s popular or “new.”

This is where having an experienced, well-rounded coach is a must.

It’s easy to get discouraged when your hard work doesn’t pay off instantly. But the key is choosing the correct path, sticking to it, and recognizing that small, steady steps outlast fast, dramatic changes. A good program addresses unique needs and provides real rewards—if you’re patient and persistent.

That’s why I’m developing a comprehensive online program that uses step-by-step routines, evidence-based methods, and expert coaching. It’s built for true, lasting changes in strength, health, and vitality.

If you’d like a free consult to find the best program for your goals, click below to schedule a time. If the listed times don’t work, PM me and we’ll find a solution together.

Find out more @

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

Oct 09 2020

The Conundrum Of “Working Out” Why a Holistic Approach Is the Real Solution

The Conventional “Workout” Approach And Why It Fails

“Working out” is sold as a universal solution to health. The pitch: join gyms, take classes, and do what you’re told—because that’s what responsible adults do. But despite all the fitness marketing around being “strong,” “flexible,” or “balanced,” most people never get the results they hope for. Too often, pain lingers, motivation fades, or injuries become chronic, and the cycle of starting and stopping continues, leaving you frustrated and discouraged.

When Fitness Leaves Us Frustrated

That frustration can feel overwhelming, especially when you do what you’re “supposed” to do and still get hurt or see zero progress. That was my experience when I injured my back. The physical pain was intense, but the deeper issue was confusion—I’d followed the rules, trusted the methods, and still ended up sidelined. When mainstream modalities failed me, I realized that “working out” is not enough if it’s fundamentally misaligned with your body and needs.

ELDOA: The Ultimate Spine And Joint Exercises

The Missing Link: Holistic Health

Mainstream fitness often fails not because of your lack of effort, but because programs are fragmented, one-size-fits-all, and disconnected from the big picture. Fitness becomes a list of “shoulds” and external outcomes, not an integrated approach to health. High performance or a good appearance can mask underlying dysfunction. It’s only when something really breaks down—mentally or physically—that most people stop to question what’s missing.

Science and Philosophy of Holistic Fitness

The turning point in my journey—and the antidote for many clients—was learning about osteopathy and the holistic fitness approach. Osteopathic philosophy (and modern exercise science) teaches that every part of your system is interconnected: movement, alignment, nutrition, sleep, emotional health, and purposeful recovery all shape how you feel and function. A holistic approach means you stop chasing isolated “fixes” and address your body as a living, adapting whole.

Research confirms that holistic programs outperform rigid, reductionist approaches. Results improve not just physically, but also in stress reduction, injury resilience, energy, and lasting motivation. True fitness builds a body that is balanced, functional, and ready for any goal—whether you want to show up for loved ones, thrive in career or community, or simply feel good in daily life.

Building a Program That Truly Works

To move from frustration to fulfillment, ditch the old paradigm of “just do more reps.” Instead:

Focus on functional movement, mobility, core integrity, and postural alignment.
Integrate mind-body practices that reduce stress, enhance focus, and foster happiness.
Layer smart, progressive programming with nutrition, sleep, connection, and recovery for transformation that lasts.

The result? Not just fewer injuries or more strength—true resilience, improved self-awareness, better moods, and a body (and mind) ready for anything.

Find out more @

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

Ready to feel  stronger and pain free?

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