All hover and hammer
A visceral and vibrant poem by Osip Mandelstam, translated by Christian Wiman.
Winter storm coming over the hills at dusk, Montana.
We love this poem by Osip Mandelstam, translated by Christian Wiman. The story goes this is the last poem he wrote, just 4 days before he died.
And I Was Alive
And I was alive in the blizzard of the blossoming pear,
Myself I stood in the storm of the bird–cherry tree.
It was all leaflife and starshower, unerring, self–shattering power,
And it was all aimed at me.
What is this dire delight flowering fleeing always earth?
What is being? What is truth?
Blossoms rupture and rapture the air,
All hover and hammer,
Time intensified and time intolerable, sweetness ravelling rot.
It is now. It is not.
by Osip Mandelstam
Translated and read by Christian Wiman
(May 4, 1937)
We’ll always have Sunday
Build a body that thrills you, so you can skate on Sundays ‘til sunset, forever.
Sunday is the best day to lose the crowd.
Businesses are closed.
People are bored, tired, or hungover.
We’ve called it Sunday Shred day for two decades.
Shred anyway you like.
You already know this
Once happens.
There’s no shortcut.
No magic powder.
It has nothing to do with talent.
The secret is showing up.
Not sometimes.
Most of the time.
If you miss, shrug it off.
Don’t miss twice in a row.
Where trails don’t go
It’s emptier and quieter in the snow. There are no people, and if you see one of the animals who live here, you’re lucky, or you’re in danger.
In Montana the February wind will freeze your skin off your bones.
And the uninhabited land(by people, at least) is emptier and quieter.
And it’s already an empty and quiet place.
And the rivers freeze.
And become roads for coyotes, foxes, mule deer, elk, moose, and us.
And you can get to the places where trails don’t go.
And see places most won’t see.
Make it small
Don’t put pre-workouts and leggings in your way.
Don’t put working out on a pedestal.
Don’t put pre-workouts and leggings in your way.
Don’t make it so big in you can’t bring yourself to do it.
Make it small.
Make it attainable.
Make it part of you.
The reasons are many
It’s about life outside the gym.
It’s about life outside the gym. Heather (your trainer) Santa Cruz, California
Wiggle your big toe
Bad days happen and if you’re not ready for them they will win.
It’s easy to be your best self on good days, but nailing it on your bad days is the real game changer.
You’re going to have a bad day.
What’s your plan?
Wiggle your big toe.
Look for the winged panther paw
We’ve been in here since June.
Heather’s been training clients, leading Mat Pilates classes, and our own bodyweight class called Panther the whole time.
But now there’s a sign at the Dojo of Do Well.
It’s hanging up at 727 Hampshire Street in Quincy Illinois, between the music store(Square Music/Dusty Bins)and the new The District HQ.
When you see the winged panther paw, you’re in the right place.
Come to a class.
If you’re new, use the code wingedcats when you sign up to get your first class free.
The code’s good until 2.28.23.
Of course there was the matter of the waves, the wall, and the wet stone.
All the best places ask something of you.
You have to see it. It’s my favorite beach. And it’s near the berry farm, so we can get fresh berries after. There’s a secret out on the rocks. It’s not hard to get to. Of course there’s a wall to climb. You have to time it between waves. And the stone is smooth and wet. Think of it like a gatekeeper. Like Bastian at the Oracle. You have to be ready to move quick, strong enough to pull yourself up. There isn’t much time between sets of waves at the wall. Once, years ago, I was behind a friend who hesitated. The swell hit us, knocked us to the ground, and dragged us across the stone. Our bodies wedged into a crevasse. That’s the only reason we weren’t pulled under. When you see the gap, just go.
If you want a hand making sure you can beat the waves, climb the wall, and find hidden things in beautiful places too, we’re here for you.
The dangerous benefits of our new class, Panther HIIT.
We have a new bodyweight class, we call it Panther.
A beautiful dangerous
It feels good to be dangerous. Not broken bottle in a melee dangerous. Dangerous like a wave that knows it can carve the world from stone. Frequent our new Panther HIIT class and you’ll be dangerous like that.
You’re the epicenter. Like our Mat Pilates class, no bits, bobs, gadgets, gizmos, or equipment of any kind are used in the Panther class. Our classes are designed to be potent, useful, and easy to recreate outside of the Dojo. As long as you have yourself, the ground, and gravity you can apply what you learn in class wherever you are to get an exceptional full body workout that actually makes your body work better.
No, this isn’t a class centered around Burpees. We’ve designed a highly effective bodyweight class without using high impact movements. The techniques we use are rooted in science, draw on the best, current, sources of biomechanics knowledge available, and are used by Navy Seals, pro athletes, and grandmas in their 70s who need and want their bodies to work as good as possible for as long as possible.
Pricing and Memberships
Drop-in: $15
Class Pass: $135 for 10 classes
