Wow! its 2017 already! if this year is like last, its going to FLY! I am looking forward to growing, to playing with all my cats, and to helping YOU!

January 19-20 the Studio will be closed as i’m at another CST workshop, deepening my understand of this work.

Spreading the #AmberMoonMagic on social media… please follow us on these outlets

• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

Yoga class update: i’m not yet gotten enough feedback for me to hold a Yoga class. Stay tuned, i’ll keep this on the radar.

Total Barre Class: recently took a workshop on this, thinking of adding a class if i can find space for it. Please let me know if you are interested!

Pilates class on Thursdays, 10a & 530p

Rgistration is now open for December, January & February.

• $15/class drop in
• January Pilates: $36 for 3
• No Class January 19… i’ll be at a CST training
• February Pilates: $48 for 4
• no refunds for missed classes if PIF.
• please register (full month or drop in) to make sure of enough equipment & space!

Put me in, Coach!

This will return next month. i’ve been busy playing w my new kittens…

Schedule updates

Please always check my online scheduler first, then let me know if you don’t find anything. I try to keep it as updated as possible.

• Monday – closed
• Tuesday – 8a- 4p
  • YMCA Run Class, 530a, location TBA weekly
  • YMCA Run Class, 630p at Ready to Run
• Wednesday– 8a-1015a
  • Viniyoga class at Northwest YMCA, 1045-12n.
• Thursday – 10a-630p
  • Pilates class 10-11a & 530-630p
• Friday – 9a-12n, 230-330p 
  • Austin Y-Tri Drills on Hills, 530a (YTri Club membership required).
• CLOSED January 18-22 for Craniosacral Therapy training

Juice Plus & Tower Garden

Slightly off topic, but a great one to start the New Year: Composting, and other recycling. My friend Casey became a Zero Waste Block leader this past November which started a Facebook conversation regarding composting. Many of our mutual friends don’t but want to. I have 2 compost bins in the back yard. At the previous house, where I had a grand garden, the dirt i produced yielded some fantastic plants. Over here, not so much in need of the dirt. Yet. Still working on garden placement. Anyway, I offered to let a few friends add to my compost bins, and I offer the same to you. Here’s some pointers, if you want to use my bins:

• Get some different sized containers, one for daily use by the sink, another bigger one to dump that into until you get over here to put in the bins. I recommend the large plastic kitty litter buckets. I p+36used to use those when I added to a friend’s compost pile.
• All fruits & veggies pieces parts go in. Egg shells. Shrimp shells.
• The Bin also needs paper – paper towel & TP tubes, shredded paper, coffee filters, used paper towels, torn up used pizza boxes. i’ve got a shredder here if anyone needs. safe place to destroy sensitive info. who’d want to dive into a compost bin? Not me.
• Yes, it smells until its dirt.
• For the moment, if you are adding to mine, use the GREEN composter, and give it a turn or 2 after you’ve put your stuff in & closed the lid. Black one is currently making dirt.

If you’d like to be added to Casey’s newsletter on Zero Waste, she’d love to have you! She’s got great bits for Austin programs, and is a great resource of info!

ahhh December. The end of something, and soon the beginning of something new. I’m updating my online calender regularly as my weekly clients let me know their holiday plans, so let me know if you need a little more #AmberMoonMagic in your life this month! Feel free to book for any of your family that will be in town too!

Gift Certficates are available for all services.

Pilates Class Special, now thru Dec 24, 2016: 10 classes for $120. total savings; $30, must be used in 4 month time frame. Can be given as Gift Certificate. Contact me for more details. Please use the online scheduler to save your spot as space is limited. If you know you’re going to miss a class or so a month, this is your best deal! Only offered in December.

Yoga class update: I’m struggling finding a spot, but potentially on Tuesdays. either 1015a or 12n. Depends on clients, training, ability to shift clients around. Stay tuned. Give me feedback. I need at least 6 people interested for this to happen.

Pilates class on Thursdays, 10a & 530p

Rgistration is now open for December, January & February.

• $15/class drop in; Holiday special: 10 sessions for $120
• December Pilates: $36 for 3, or $60 for 5
• flexibility if you’re not going to be here for Catmas.
• January Pilates: $36 for 3
• No Class January 19… i’ll be at a CST training
• no refunds for missed classes if PIF.
• please register (full month or drop in) to make sure of enough equipment & space!

Put me in, Coach!

Run Technique Tip: Shin Splints, nasty buggers. Typically this is from weak shin muscles. Easy exercises – toe taps. Just sit there & tap your toes until you start to feel the burn. Really. Shouldn’t take long unless you already do Tibialis Anterior work.  I’d also start working on toe mobility. Curling the toes, spreading the toes. If you’re feet don’t work right, nothing is gonna work right.  Please be entertained by my “Cats in Spaaaaace” leggings. 🙂

Run Technique Tip #2: (cuz we gotta prep for those of you wanting to start in January!) Get the glutes going!  Many of the runners that come to me are running from the hip flexors (front of hips) which creates knee pain in the long run. Learn to run from your glutes. If you do, then your leg should swing forward instead of you always pulling it up. Take a moment to check out an easy exercise to get you started! If you want some help, come join my Run Classes at the Y!

Swim Technique Tip: Consistency is the key to improving your swim because is it soooooo technique oriented.  Especially if you are starting out, less is more in terms of total duration… but get in the pool 3-5 days a week. As technique improves you can go to 2-3 days per week. During Tri season, most my athletes are swimming 3-4 days per week, with a different emphasis each day.

Wellness Coaching Tip: Stay on target! Post your daily/weekly/month goals around the house/office and ask your family & friends for help. Holiday parties are not an excuse for missing your workouts, for getting off your eating pattern, etc. Also start taking stock of what you achieved this year. What accomplishments are you proud of? What do you need/want to work on?

Schedule updates

Please always check my online scheduler first, then let me know if you don’t find anything. I try to keep it as updated as possible.

• Monday – closed
• Tuesday – 8a- 4p
  • YMCA Run Class, 530a, location TBA weekly
• Wednesday – 8a-1015a
  • YMCA Run Class, 630p at Ready to Run, Dec 7 & 14 only. Resumes in January on Tuesdays
• Thursday – 10a-630p (Pilates class 10-11a & 530-630p)
• Friday – 9a-12n, 230-330p 
  • Austin Y-Tri Drills on Hills, 530a (YTri Club membership required).
• Since I’m already closed on Mondays, Catmas & New Years  do not affect hours.

Juice Plus & Tower Garden

So I’ve moved my Tower Garden off the back patio, and I’ve got peeps now asking if I put it in storage for winter. Absolutely not!  I moved it down to the stony area so it can get light. Evidently the patio is going to be the summer spot. Winter veggies are growing – in this case, brussel sprouts & kale. Its not full this year, cuz I was slacking & had nothing else going on this Sept/Oct when I should have been starting new seedlings.  The only change to the TG set up, aside from location, is the timing of the water running – instead of 15 min on/15 min off, its now 15 min on/30 min off. Colder weather = less water. How’s your winter garden doing?

This was Kim’s garden just before she started her very late winter garden.  Tomatillos and Ground Cherries love the Tower Garden!

It just seems like i got back from vacation & October was already over. What is up with that?  I’ve recently shifted my schedule because of picking up 2 coaching sessions and creating a new Pilates class over here on Thursday, so i’m giving you fair warning that it has closed up my schedule even more than normal. I know. Tell me about it. If you’re already on the schedule, you are good to go. I’ve opened up the online scheduler so you can book out up to 6 months in advance. My schedule should shift again some in January as my run classes may drop as we approach triathlon season.

I’m also dropping Pampered Chef and WineShop at Home before the end of the year. If you need any Pchef, please order this month… I’ve got 2 shows open (links for shows: Kim, Jami) , will get them submitted before Thanksgiving. I’ve got a WineShop at Home tasting on Sunday 11/6, so can get any orders in on that. Closes on 11/8. Since I’m reducing & simplifying, I’ll also be adding Juice Plus & Tower Garden info into my Studio posts.

Pilates class on Thursdays, 10a & 530p

Due to some changes in my schedule, and to keep my sanity, I’ve had to put the Friday Yoga class on hold. However, with the closing of Premier Lady, I’ve been able to add a Thursday morning Pilates class… my ladies requested it, but its open to ALL my clients!

Rgistration is now open for November & December.

• $15/class drop in
• November Pilates: $36 for 3
• No classes Nov 24.
• December Pilates: $36 for 3
• No classes Dec 22 or 28, enjoy your holiday time!
• no refunds for missed classes if PIF.
• please register (full month or drop in) to make sure of enough equipment & space!

Put me in, Coach!

• Swim technique tip: Side Swim.  ok, its really not a swim…its more of a kick. But it teaches you to swim on your side, and it teaches you how much body roll you actually want when swimming. It also helps you work on breathing and body position in the water.  Feel free to use fins for this one! Turn the sound up! There are 2 variations shown on this on video. As mentioned previously, you want to be able to keep your body as perpendicular in the water as possible, and only rotate the head to breathe. IronAnnie rolls her body back a little here – if you need to start that way, feel free to, then work on keeping still.
• Run technique tip: overstriding…(don’t do it!) a lot of times when my athletes try to run fast, they overstride… they reach their foot out farther in front of them then they need. You should feel like the foot is pressing down & back after your knee has lifted forward. This will help engage your glutes & deep hips to do the work of running, instead of the hip flexors.
• Wellness coaching tip: once you’ve established the one thing you want to work on this week, go thru and think about what will keep you from doing the goal. make contingency plans, such as: if it rains, i will do a fitness video inside instead of walking/running outside. what will help motivate you to do your goal? a client puts signs up around her house so when she gets home from work tired, she is reminded that she feels soooo much better if she hops on the elliptical for a few minutes. Boom. Motivated to do it. and guess what. she does!
• More than Miles. please remember if you want to work on your run, come join me on Tuesday 530 am and Wednesday 630 pm for my Northwest YMCA running class. Locations vary. Sessions are by punch – you can buy 4, 8, or 10 to get you thru the end of 2016. Friday mornings at 530 am is my drills on hill run thru the Austin Y-Tri program, which will continue after December. $30 for individual.
• Want some help with these drills/tips? Contact me!

Schedule updates

Please always check my online scheduler first, then let me know if you don’t find anything. i try to keep it as updated as possible. FYI there have been some errors in the scheduler – its not reading all my full blocks for some reason (working on it).

• Monday – closed – office hours only (i work on training plans, with wellness coaching clients)
• Tuesday – 8a- 4p (lunch/training time from 1030a-130p)
  • YMCA Run class, 530a
• Wednesday – 8a-1015a
  • YMCA Run Class, 630p
• Thursday – 10a-630p (Pilates class 10-11a & 530-630p)
• Friday – 9a-12n, 230-330p 
  • Austin Y-Tri Drills on Hills, 530a
• CLOSED Nov 24 & 25.

Juice Plus & Tower Garden

we will be putting photos of our tower gardens, recipes of stuff we’ve made from what we’ve grown, as well as other healthy tips! stay tuned for more exciting bits!

Its gonna be a short, sweet monthly update this time since i’m getting it out late. And i’m starting on November NOW to have it ready on time (perchance early???).

Friday 1030a Yoga class: will start in November now. realized i have too many prior commitments in October. Sorry!

Thursday 530p Pilates class will continue as planned! please check to see if there are any spots open in you are interested!

Put me in Coach!

if you are interested in
improving your running, i’m coaching several classes over at the Northwest YMCA.

Fridays, 530a, every other week is  Rain Creek (gotta love hills), aka the Starbucks at Jollyville & Great Hills. alternating weeks are programmed treadmill runs at the Northwest YMCA. This is part of the Austin Y-Tri Club perks. $30 for the calendar year. need to be a member of the Y for Rain Creek, you would need to be for the treadmills. Register here (individual & family membership options). feel free to ask me more about the Tri Club!

Tuesdays, 530a, starting in Rattan Creek neighborhood or at Canyon Vista Track. emphasis will be on speed, endurance, technique. allow 75 minutes.

Wednesdays, 630p, starting location TBD, but Ready to Run off Far West at Hart is very likely.

click here to register the Tuesday/Wednesday options. once on this page, click Hill Training for Runners, and select your package. need not be a Y member to participate.

10 sessions

i’ll be back to my usual technique & drills in November.

be safe, and i’ll see you soon!

Deepening my Craniosacral Therapy skills

if you have any jaw issues (eg TMJ dysfunction), i’m going to be learning more about how to do Craniosacral work for this area of the body. feel free to book your session NOW cuz you know how my schedule gets. as a result of the training, the Studio will be closed starting on friday,  Sept 23 at 12n thru Oct 4. we shall resume the fun on Wed, Oct 5.

Pilates class on Thursdays, Yoga class on Fridays

Yes! I’m adding a new class – viniyoga on fridays, 1030a, starting on Oct 21, 2016. it’ll be about an hour class. i’ll have the schedule cleared so you can come in at set up 15 min prior to start. i think i’ve got all the private clients cleared beyond that. if not, i may have to to some schedule tweaking w the class or the client.

registration is now open for September, October, & November. i will check in w everyone that is attending regularly to see what schedules look like for December.

• $15/class drop in
• September Pilates: $48 for 4
• October Yoga: $24 for 2
• October Pilates: $48 for 4
• November Pilates or Yoga: $36 for 3
• No classes Nov 24 or 25.
• no refunds for missed classes if PIF.

Put me in, Coach!

• Swim technique tip: “pinkies on the edges“.  its a drill to help you keep your hands wide while you are swimming.  please be entertained by my videography skills… or my webdesign skills. for some reason the video is upside down here, right side up outside this format. ah, technology. anyway, with this drill, turn your kickboard long ways, and literally keep your little finger on the edge. always bring it back to the same spot after you stroke. this is teaching you to keep your arms wide, to not cross midline, which in turn makes your swim straighter with less irritation on the shoulders. this will eventually lead you to another drill, zombie arms.

and if you’re wondering about the video bobble on the end, that’s me running into the ladder. i was focused on the video, not where i was going. no injuries were sustained in the making of this video. our swim model, IronAnnie, is my current swim buddy, and i’ve coached her swims for 2 full IronMan races. go Annie!

• Run technique tip: last month we focused on your big toe, getting mobility through it. now let’s focus on where you place your foot as your are running. if you heel strike, ie foot waaaaay out in front, you send a lot of force up through your ankles, knees, hips & low back. if you run on the balls of the feet, that’s a lot of stress on the metatarsals, the arches, knees, and esp calves. ideally your feet are landing as close to your body as possible. they’re not going to be directly under you, but it should almost feel like it. this gives you a short ground contact point, allows the body to store some “spring” so as your body moves over your foot, then has more energy for push off. your stride should be relatively short, and think about most of it being behind you – imagine the Roadrunner… his wheels are spinning behind him, not in front. this takes practice & awareness.
  

  She’s a heel striker. are you?

• Wellness coaching tip: keep a calendar of what you are trying to change. a paper calendar. its easy, its in front of you, and works even if the power goes out. my sister recently started this, tracking when she exercised, and has really helped her be consistent, as well as identify patterns. show the calendar to your friends, family. ask for their help in keeping you on track.
• Coaching tip: why get a coach? cuz i sit down and talk to YOU, to find out what your interests are, what your life is like, and come up with a plan that works for you for your goals – maybe its running, triathlon, getting over injuries, holding you accountable. Coaching is about YOU.

Schedule updates

Reminder: if you are a weekly client, and know you are going to be out any days in September, October or November, please let me know ASAP so i can update my schedule. and then i might end up with more openings for last minute massages! or even pre-planned ones 🙂

Please always check my online scheduler first, then let me know if you don’t find anything. i try to keep it as updated as possible.

• Monday – closed – office hours only (i work on training plans, with wellness coaching clients)
• Tuesday – 8a- 415p (lunch/training time from 1030a-130p)
• Wednesday – 8a-1015a
• Thursday – 1115a-630p (Pilates class 530-630p)
• Friday – 9a-12n, 230-330p (Yoga class 1030-12)
• CLOSED Sept 23 12n – Oct 4.

Pilates class

So that i can help maintain my energy level, moving our beloved Pilates class to Thursdays, 530-630p (time still might be shifted). Please contact me for more details. Starts August 11, 2016.

Registration is now open for August & September (already? noooooooo). now that i’ve had 5 people in a class, i’m realizing that’s about all that will really fit comfortably, so i am limiting the size of the class to 5. also, that’s about the extent of my toy volume.

• $15/class drop in
• AUGUST $36 for 3
• SEPTEMBER $48 for 4
• no refunds for missed classes if PIF.

Put me in, Coach!

• Run technique tip: learn to walk like you should run… it’ll help your run be more natural…more tips on how to do this each month! first tip: roll thru your big toe! yes! its a key factor in EVERYTHING. if you don’t have the flexibility in your big toe (we should be able to get to 60 degrees of extension), it going to affect everything. yes! you CAN improve it…slowly put with into the ball of the foot while lifting the heel, keep weight equal across big & little toes (or, keep ankles from rolling out). this will gradually stretch out your big toe tendons, and then we can work on the rest of the kinetic chain. Ready? Set? Stretch your big toe!
• Swim technique tip: body roll… i see it all the time – people swim flat. this decreases the value of the whole body effort, and can increase risk of injury to the shoulder.  even with Olympicians (did you watch the trials? i did!), there is a turn of the hips & shoulders! the pic here –> shows no body roll… ie flat swimming.
• Wellness coaching tip: One thing a week. a lot of people try to reach their wellness/fitness/healthy lifestyle goals all at once. the trick to being successful – small changes, typically 1 until you’ve got it down, then add another. too many changes at once is too overwhelming. Things to try: more steps, adding 1 healthy food to your eating pattern, make sure you eat at least 3 times a day (skipping meals promotes storage of calories). need help? gimme a call! wellness coaching is a weekly contact (phone, in person, email) to hold you accountable, find out why things work/didn’t work, and to help you learn your triggers.
• Training Peaks tip: if you need help with your training program, or wellness coaching accountability, take a look at Training Peaks! you can get the basic version for free, and if you list me as your coach, i can take a look. its what i use to plan my race prep, as well as my run & triathlon athletes. it does has a small cost on my end, but it is included in your training program if you are being coached by me. i can preplan w this program. another free option if you just want to record what you are doing, without the pre-planning, is MyFitnessPal. Again you’d need to give me permission to see what you are doing.

Now which house is it…???

i’m slowly moving the garden in to the back, and the other plants out front as slowly being redistributed to appropriate locations. i’ve still got lots of work to do. so please start working on other identifiers so we all transition easily 🙂

Schedule updates

my client schedule will be shifting again with school starting soon, so just a heads up… can’t predict when the regularly “open” spots will occur until things settle down in… September? October?

Reminder: if you are a weekly client, and know you are going to be out any days in August or September, please let me know ASAP so i can update my schedule… and then i might end up with more openings for last minute massages! or even pre-planned ones 🙂

Please always check my online scheduler first, then let me know if you don’t find anything. i try to keep it as updated as possible.

• Monday – closed – office hours
• Tuesday – 815a- 415p (lunch/training time from 1030a-130p)
• Wednesday – 8a-1015a
• Thursday – 1115a-630p (Pilates class 530-630p)
• Friday – 9a-12n, 230-330p

I’ve got some openings this week in case anyone is looking: 
– Tuesday, 6/28, 345p
– Friday, 7/1, 10a & 11a
please go to my online scheduler to claim, or email me back!

Reminder: if you are a weekly client, and know you are going to be out any days this summer, please let me know ASAP so i can update my schedule… and then i might end up with more openings for last minute massages! or even pre-planned ones 🙂

I’ve had a few clients have major schedule shifts, so they’ve had to drop off for a bit, so there ARE more openings than usual, even for summer. Please always check my online scheduler first, then let me know if you don’t find anything. i try to keep it as updated as possible.

The July & August Pilates classes (Tuesdays, 6-7p) are now open for registration! please claim your spot if you want to attend, as space is limited, and it is starting to consistently be fuller.

• price is $15/class drop in
• Pay for month in full – $48 at first session (12/ssn) for JULY
• AUGUST has 5 tuesdays… so $48 for 4, $55 for all 5.
• no refunds for missed classes if PIF.

Reminder on Studio Hours

• Monday – closed – office hours
• Tuesday – 815a – 7p (lunch/training time from 1030a-130p)
• Wednesday – 8a-1015a
• Thursday – 1115a-530p
• Friday – 9a-12n
• as always, please check my online scheduler for additional openings, then contact me if you don’t see anything. i apologize if i get sticky on staying within office hours, but my days start with me getting up 5 or 530a.

Thank you again for your patience as i continue to shift my schedule around!

in the post:

• Memorial Day vacation
• Price change June 1
• No more purple in the driveway
• Pilates Class now open for June!
• Triathlon/Run coaching
• Found earrings!
• Studio hours

Memorial Day vacation!

just a reminder that the Studio will be closed from Friday, May 27- Tues, May 31, 2016. I’m taking a little extended holiday weekend. i’m ready for some down time… i think the fluffys are too!

Price change starts on June 1

feel free to prepay any sessions you want prior to June 1. you can always paypal it to me if you need…

New prices

No more purple in the driveway!

the Moon Tree

by now most of you have noticed that my purple car is not in the driveway! YAY!!! its in the garage 🙂 ok, maybe yay for me… i know some of you used that to help find the house. another easy identifier – its directly across from Pine Bluffs Trail. the garden/flower pots are still gonna be out there for a bit too. garden will be moving to back yard soon, i hope. i’m looking into getting a flag w the Moon Tree on it, see if that would help ID the house for you. i can’t advertise my biz to the street, but the flag wouldn’t say any name… just be a mark.

June Pilates Class is now open for registration!

there are 4 people confirmed for most of the month. that leaves 2 more spots. please register if you plan on attending, as space is limited. you may be turned away if you’ve not registered. be kind. please. $15/class drop in. $48 for month, PIF.

Tuesdays, 6-7p. June 7, 14, 21, 28.

Triathlon/Run Coaching

I’ve got several clients working w me to complete triathlons, 10k runs, half marathons… some newbies, some not. if you want to start in, start right, stay healthy & have fun, let me know! i’d love to help you w a training plan to get you to your goal! Not you? what about a friend? spouse? group of friends?

Found earrings!

i found these earrings at the base of the Reformer a while ago, and i think i’ve asked everyone… but i musta missed someONE cuz they are still here. please let me know if they belong to you! i know, they ARE pretty. owner has got to be missing them!

Reminder on Studio Hours

• Monday – closed – office hours
• Tuesday – 815a – 7p
• Wednesday – 8a-1015a
• Thursday – 1115a-530p
• Friday – 8a-12n

most likely to be open/available spots for June:

• Thurs 1230p & 230p-430p
• Friday 8a & 10a
• as always, please check my online scheduler for additional openings, then contact me if you don’t see anything. i apologize, but no i won’t work outside the posted hours.

Thanks for your patience & humor as I’ve worked thru my schedule shift this month. i’m doing much better having mondays for office catch up, get ahead & general mayhem. as i worked on shifting my schedule, i got a good look at home many weekly and every-other-week clients i get to work with. WOW. while there may be other open spots, the “regular” unclaimed spots (and i’m talking every other week here) are Thursday from 230-430p, and Fridays at 9a & 230p. yup. it changes slightly when school gets out. so if you can’t get it with me, you know why. regular clients do cancel on occasion, and i try to update vCita ASAP, so there may be random openings as well.

Memorial Day – its a long weekend off!

the studio will be closed on Friday May 27 – Tuesday May 31 so i may have a short vacation.

the studio will also be closed July 4, Labor Day, Sept 26-Oct 4 (more CST training), Nov 24 & 25, Dec 26. that pretty much covers the rest of the year 🙂

vCita – the online scheduler

i’m slowly working on getting everyone into the program. if you would prefer to only get email reminders, i’m going to ask you to go in & delete your phone number from your vCita profile. i’ve got too many clients to do it myself. your email is required to schedule, so emails are automatic. you can also keep both email & text if you prefer. haven’t figured out how to only do text yet. dunno if i can.

the scheduler allows you to book out 3 months in advance. feel free to use that service!

if you prefer, you can also download the vCita app. Yes! there’s an app for that!

tuesday 6p Pilates class

i’m suddenly getting a lot of interest in this class! if you are planning on coming, i need YOU to go in & save a spot in the online scheduler. if you’re going to miss, please go in & cancel anythign you’ve confirmed. for the month on May, its $15 for drop in, and $48 for all 4 classes May 3, 10, 17 & 24.

my apologies to those that were interested in the monday morning pilates class. obviously it got dropped when i took mondays off from clients. i honestly am not sure where it  would go at the moment, but i’m keeping an eye open for interest & a time slot.