In this episode, Nikki chats with crainosacral therapist Robyn Scherr about her lived and professional experience navigating fitness in a hypermobile body.  They discuss: Common misconceptions around hypermobility, exercise, and injury Why doing less when starting a new exercise program will often get you better results How stress affects exercise tolerance and recovery  Strategies that Robyn has used to get stronger with fewer flare-ups Their personal experiences navigating flare-ups and bad body days Connect with Nikki on Instagram @naablevyfitness Join Nikki's list for more hype ..read more

In this episode, Nikki and Adrienne discuss how participating or working in the yoga / wellness / fitness industry promotes unsustainable diets, body image issues, and disordered eating. They discuss: Their own experiences with extreme dieting and fad diets Why letting go of rules and not attaching morality to food can help you eat healthier with less stress The difference between having a framework in how you approach nutrition Weight loss with minimal tracking Connect with Adrienne Instagram: @thelionesstouch Website: thelionesstouch.com Connect with Nikki Instagram: @naablevy Book your fr ..read more

In this episode, Nikki chats with sports medicine chiropractor Dr. Emily Rausch about how to mitigate the risk of injury when practicing pole or aerial and what the rehabilitation process may look like after any injury. They discuss: Common causes of injury in pole and aerial The importance of rest and recovery during class and in between practice sessions Why strength training is a valuable cross training tool to prepare your body for pole and aerial work  The role of strength and mobility training in the rehabilitation process Different strategies to improve flexibility that tend to be ..read more

In the final installment of this 3 part yoga series on wellness, mental health, and anti-depressants, Nikki chats with yoga teacher and movement educator Trisha Durham about the process that they went through to get a prescription for antidepressants and how social media influences our choices and perceptions of medication and mental health. They discuss: The different classes of antidepressants and how they figured out which one worked for them Their process of getting a prescription from their doctor The problem with science influencers or people who have large followings on social media wh ..read more

In this episode, Nikki and Jenn talk about some of the biggest myths circling the internet in the fitness, yoga, and Pilates spaces and why Jenn hates hip thrusts.  They discuss: What the research says about hip thrusts and why it's not the penultimate exercise for building bigger glutes or performing better. The misconception that certain alignments will prevent or promote injury. Why overpronation may not be a problem for runners and what the current research suggests about the "best" way to run. The value of sensory input and why posture "correction" may not be an effective method of ..read more

In this episode, Nikki chats with strength coach and physical therapy assistant Meghan Ramos about how to get started with strength training, what to do if you have pain or are coming back from an injury, and what is required to achieve progressive overload. They discuss: Where to start and how to pick your weights if you are brand new to strength training Considerations for strength training if you have pain or are coming back from an injury The role of strength training in avoided re-injury and returning to activities better than before Why progressive overload is important for building or ..read more

In this episode, Nikki chats with yoga teacher Adrienne Johnson about considerations for practicing yoga when you have hypermobility or pain. They discuss: Adrienne's personal experiencing starting yoga not realizing that she was hypermobile and how she changed her practice to account for her hypermobility and be able to practice without pain. The importance of strength training to cross train for yoga - especially if you are hypermobile. Why the largest range of motion may not be the best option for you even if you're able to go there Active versus passive stretching. How props can help you ..read more

Nikki chats with Amanda Thebe about how to approach strength and nutrition during peri-menopause and menopause.  They dig into:  Fitness and nutrition myths The importance of strength training and how to get started The benefits of a moderate approach to strength and nutrition ...and more. Connect with Amanda Thebe Website: AmandaThebe.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/amanda.thebe Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandathebex Podcast: www.amandathebe.com BOOK: Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too!www.amandathebe.com/books Connect with Nikki ..read more

Nikki chats with Meredith Mack and Jennifer Schwartz about what functional fitness actually means and how marketing has influenced our perception of “functional.” They also discuss how functional is relative to the individual and not a universal way of training and how it often involves exercises or applications that you wouldn’t necessarily assume you need.  Subscribe and listen to the Think Fit Be Fit Podcast Network, including Peach Pit Fitness with Jenn and Meredith. (thinkfitbefitpodcast.com) Episodes of the Think Fit Be Fit Podcast that Nikki has been or contributed to include: Ep 1 ..read more

In this episode, Nikki chats with yoga teacher and educator Trisha Durham about the idea of listening to your body and why without context, it often isn't very helpful. They discuss: How this has become an overused statement in many yoga, Pilates, and fitness classes and alternative cues that may be less confusing for students Why there is no one size fits all approach to yoga or fitness The value of personal agency and how you can invite more of it into your classes or movement practice Why you don't have to suffer for something to be effective Connect with Trisha Instagram: @ohtrisha Webs ..read more