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Meet your host, Erzsi Pongó the founder of Pongo Power personal training in Brooklyn, New York. Our identity is impacted by our self-image and body image...but what happens when we disown or disassociate from our bodies? How do we form a healthy relationship with our bodies in a culture that supports a sedentary lifestyle? On Movement: The Science of The Self, we provide you with the empowerment you need to move your body as you cultivate your sense of self. Through an exploration of the intersections between body image, self-image and identity, we foster conversations about the ever-evolving process of surrendering our sense of self, so we can invent the freedom necessary to transform all three!
Episodes
Monday Jan 24, 2022
Monday Jan 24, 2022
Do you consistently feel tension throughout your body? Maybe your hip flexors are shortened from sitting at your desk all day, or your back feels pain every time you workout. Although pain is common within our sedentary society, there are ways you can find relief. In today’s episode, host Elizabeth Pongo discusses how to use our breath and abdominal muscles to correct altered recruitment patterns that prevent us from releasing happy hormones.
According to Elizabeth, the key to muscular balance and coordination is an effective and efficient exercise regime. Elizabeth explains that our abdominal muscles contribute largely to our overall alignment and for many people, their pain is rooted in the weakness of their abdominal core. In order to stabilize our core and fix altered recruitment patterns, we must focus on our breathing techniques. It is only after we find alignment that our brain will release serotonin and relieve senses of pain.
Tune into this week’s episode of Movement: The Science of The Self to learn more about the importance of single heel taps, core integration, and how to better utilize the drawing-in maneuver, so you can release tension and increase your happiness.
Quotes
• “In order to achieve muscular balance and coordination, we must train our bodies safely and effectively through the systematic implementation of proper exercise program design.” (03:04-03:19)
• “Anaerobic exercise and developing main muscle fiber is critical for every human being because we need to develop our muscles in order to protect our joints and our bones.” (04:30-04:45)
• “It's very important to begin any exercise program by conditioning your deep abdominal core and your stabilization muscle fiber, so that your body can perform activities with proper alignment.” (06:50-07:07)
• “Liberate yourself with some movement and single heel taps.” (13:27-13:31)
Links
Check out the mat that I'm using by visiting the Naboso product line: https://www.naboso.com/collections/proprioceptive-mats/products/training-mat
https://www.facebook.com/pongo.power/
https://www.instagram.com/pongopower/
Monday Jan 17, 2022
Monday Jan 17, 2022
How do we begin the journey to wellness? According to host Elizabeth Pongo, the first step is checking in with ourselves and our alignment. Once we identify what proper alignment is, we can then learn how to breathe. In today’s introductory episode, Elizabeth gives listeners tips on how to set themselves up for health and fitness success.
According to Elizabeth, the biggest saving grace to our bodies is thinking about our alignment. For most of us, our daily routines make it easy to fall into altered recruitment patterns, such as slouching. To break these bad habits and find alignment, Elizabeth explains the importance of learning how to properly breathe. When we train ourselves to breathe from our diaphragms, the breath is able to reach our whole body, allowing us to connect with ourselves on a deeper level and discover our neutral.
Tune into this week’s episode of Movement: The Science of The Self to learn more about the power of the diaphragmatic breath and the drawing in maneuver, so you can continue your health and fitness journey in alignment with yourself.
Quotes
• "No matter what you're going through, it is likely that there is movement involved." (01:48-01:54)
• "We are going to explore how movement relates to self-expression." (02:28-02:31)
• “It's very important to take a look at your entire body, starting from your feet, moving up through your ankles, to your knees, to your hips, then to your shoulders and your head.” (10:10-10:24)
• “It is the biggest saving grace to begin to think about your alignment in your human body.” (11:36-11:47)
• “Finding your neutral is one of the most powerful things that you can do for your body.” (12:04-12:10)
• “It is not optimal to display an altered recruitment pattern. Therefore, utilizing your knowledge and certain breathing techniques can benefit your body.” (14:23-14:44)
• “Just beginning with the diaphragmatic breath and the drawing in maneuver is a very powerful way to find your neutral and connect with your body.” (20:33-20:44)
Links
DM me @pongopower on Instagram and let me know your favorite takeaways and show requests. You can set up your own complimentary movement analysis on Zoom with a Pongo Power trainer at https://freefitnessassessment.pongopower.com/.
https://www.facebook.com/pongo.power/
https://www.instagram.com/pongopower/
Thursday Jan 13, 2022
Thursday Jan 13, 2022
Growing up as a competitive gymnast, Dr. Emily Splichal has always been connected to her body through movement. When she retired from gymnastics after 13 years, Dr. Splichal knew she had to turn her passion for fitness into a lifetime career. After unexpectedly getting into med school, Dr. Splichal realized she could connect her love of fitness with her newfound passion for health. Now a podiatrist, Dr. Splichal helps patients build their confidence and connect to their physical bodies through movement of their feet.
According to Dr. Splichal, the most important thing to do is connect with your physical body by implementing consistent movement into your daily routine. Not only does movement improve your level of fitness, but it also calms your autonomic nervous system and allows you to feel safe and build confidence. Even though starting something new as an adult comes with its challenges, Dr. Splichal reminds listeners to be humble and allow yourself to do whatever speaks to you.
Tune into this week’s episode of Movement: The Science of The Self for a conversation with Dr. Emily Splichal. Learn more about the importance of movement, being humble, and how to connect the power of your feet to your overall well being.
Quotes
• “Any time I feel a little bit lost and I can't identify what is going on emotionally, I go back to my roots, which are connected to my physical body through exercise.” (03:24-03:39)
• “Be humble. Don't compare yourself. Leave your ego at the door. And whatever it is that speaks to you, go with it and do it.” (07:28-07:39)
• “Feet are fascinating when it connects to movement.” (14:22-14:25)
• “If you're given a unique background and perspective at something, you have to share it.” (16:02-16:08)
• “If you've never thought of your feet before, once you start this whole world opens up about how powerful they are.” (22:39-22:47)
• “If you can't feel yourself, you won't be able to connect to your movement or to your emotions.” (27:37-27:45)
• “Small changes are actually bigger impacts.” (34;25-34:27)
Links
https://www.dremilysplichal.com/
https://www.naboso.com/collections/all-products
https://www.facebook.com/pongo.power/
https://www.instagram.com/pongopower/
Thursday Jan 13, 2022
Thursday Jan 13, 2022
Deborah C Smith, Health Coach and Empowerment Champion, has always enjoyed expressing movement through dance. However, while dancing positively shaped her identity, Deborah still felt disconnected from other parts of her body. After studying holistic nutrition, Deborah realized that by making informed decisions about what goes into her body, she could regain control of her health. In today’s episode, host Elizabeth Pongo sits down with Deborah to discuss the true meaning of nutrition and health.
While it is certainly important to eat a good amount of nutrient dense foods such as fruits and vegetables, Deborah explains that dieting isn’t one size fits all. To achieve optimal results, Deborah works with clients to first discover what fuels their bodies and then create a lifestyle plan around it. By allowing food to fuel your cells, you can reduce the risk of disease, achieve your goal weight, and save money…all at the same time!
Tune into the premiere episode of Movement: The Science of The Self for a conversation with Deborah about her new program The Art and Science of the Healthy Bowl. Learn more about the role your mindset, mobility, and eating habits have on your overall health and wellness.
Quotes
• “Movement has always been a part of my expression since I was very young. It was a way to put energy into practice.” (03:42-03:50)
• “Movement through dancing was the one place where I knew I had something to bring to the table.” (07:18-07:23)
• “There's no right way to do food and health. It's highly individualized.” (21:21-21:24)
• “There's some basic universal truth which is that we should all be eating more plants, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts and seeds.” (22:15-22:21)
• “I ask every person that I work with to choose their favorite movement that they're going to commit to incorporating into their health regimen, and take 30 minutes every single day to interact in that movement form.” (24:18-24:32)
• “Food is not there to entertain you. It's not there to comfort you. It's actually fueling your cells.” (30:42-30:47)
• "When you're in a healthy practice, you do get to reap the benefits of feeling good in the body that you're in." (38:49-38:53)
Links
https://www.deborahcsmith.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pongo.power/
https://www.instagram.com/pongopower/