Resolution 2013: Fitness with Zsuzsi Bork

Paying $100+ a month to run in place on a treadmill, doing the same repetitive motion in a musty gym for an hour and change day in and day out, is my idea of hell. It’s just too much like The Matrix for my taste. But, massage therapist and yoga instructor Zsuzsi Bork has a better way to achieve fitness for people like me. Here’s what Zsuzsi had to say about incorporating yoga and massage into a holistic fitness routine for 2013:

ZB: The first time I stepped onto a yoga mat was March of 2010. I quickly realized that I wanted to become a yoga instructor, both to further my own practice and to share my enthusiasm with others. I started the teacher training process in February of 2011 and taught my first class in May of that year.

The Health Benefits of Yoga
ZB: There are so many health benefits! Not just with strength and flexibility, but also with your posture, breath, and an overall healthy mind. I have found that it calms so much anxiety and improves concentration.

I was able to see the health benefits quickly in my own body after I started practicing yoga. I had gained weight, I couldn’t get halfway to reaching my toes, and I just didn’t feel good about myself. Once I became consistent with my yoga practice, there was a dramatic change. I lost over 50 lbs., my flexibility increased, and I felt amazing. Not only did it help me physically, but in so many other areas of my life.

How to Begin/Improve Yoga Practice
ZB: Whether just beginning or improving, quiet that voice in your head that tells you that you are not good enough. It takes much more strength to learn when it is time to rest, instead of feeling you have to muscle your way through it. No matter how far you get in your yoga practice, there is always room for learning.

The Health Benefits of Massage Therapy
ZB: The same as yoga, there can be many benefits to massage, including:

* Managing anxiety & depression
* Better range of motion
* Reducing pain
* Improving sleep
* Helping with cramps & PMS
* Relieving side effects of cancer treatment
* Increased energy
* Boosts immunity
* Improved digestion

Yoga and Massage: Synergistic Effects
ZB: Both yoga and massage are good for your health and well-being. They share a number of benefits and work in tandem to increase flexibility, reduce pain, and reduce stress. Yoga and massage are complimentary practices that treat the body holistically.

On Incorporating Fun
ZB: To wind down from all my activities, I like to meet up with some of my closest friends at the Town House Bar, either to play darts, shoot some pool, or even to shake it on the dance floor!

On Incorporating Rest
ZB: I think everyone needs a day of lounging around the house! A day to take time for yourself for anything that you would like.

It may be a day to catch up on your emails as you drink some tea, or even just watching your favorite shows on TV.

About Zsuzsi Bork

Zsuzsi is a massage therapist with 8 years of experience, yoga instructor, and an all around entertainer. Besides being self-employed and working at Corepower Yoga in the Twin Cities, she is a show director for Dragged Out, which has a very diverse group of performers to grace the stage.