The reasons people walk in the doors of our studio vary from person to person, but the reasons they stay are powerful. We love hearing about the reasons our clients choose to keep coming back and how it has impacted their life. Our client and friend, Champa, recently connected with us to share her journey to Alkalign and how it has changed her life. Thank you for sharing your story with us!
I’ve suffered multiple knee and back injuries over the past 8 years, constant pain with no relief in sight and physicians have been unable to pinpoint the exact source of my pain. I was missing out on playing with my young daughter, had to give up cycling and running and I was dreading the quality of my life looking to the years ahead.
I happened to drive past Alkalign this past summer and decided to sign up for a month. Nothing else had worked and I had absolutely nothing to lose! I was immediately taken by the friendly staff, immaculate space, and positive vibes. It was the first time I had heard an instructor say it’s okay to listen to your body, to work with its current abilities and to modify any exercise.
The first “rolling” (Recharge) class with Erin was transformational for me – I was almost in tears as the pain I had once lived with was GONE! I felt a glimmer of hope, for the first time in many years, that I could actually live pain-free.
Today, almost 3 months after that first month of classes, I am pain-free and back to enjoying time outdoors and loving every minute that I hike, ride and play with my daughter. Every single day since that first class, I am so thankful and grateful for Alkalign. Strength-training and rolling helped me get my life back!
Joining the Alkalign family has been a life-altering experience for me. I have always been an active person and a member at a few health clubs. I’ve taken yoga and pilates classes and had a personal trainer in the past. However, my experience with Alkalign has been so unique and special.
From the first class, I knew that this place possesses a different energy. It was warm, welcoming and gave me a sense of belonging that I had never experienced before. After a few months of attending 6am classes, I started to realize that I can walk outside of my comfort zone and it gave me the courage to take on new challenges. Some of the new challenges I took on were playing the piano and ballroom dancing!
I want to thank all the fabulous staff at Alkalign for being here and I hope that by sharing this, maybe someone else is tempted to push outside their comfort zone and discover a whole new outlook on life!
As a product of our ‘hardcore’ society, we’ve been conditioned to believe ‘No Pain, No Gain.’ This could not be further from the truth, but moving past that mindset requires you to re-evaluate the way you’ve been trained to think about fitness. Here are 3 lies you’ve been telling yourself about your workouts.
MORE IS MORE – False! Quality over quantity is best. For example, you could do 100 push-ups, but if you are doing them wrong you put your shoulders, elbows, etc. at risk of injury. You are better off doing 10 quality push-ups in correct alignment than pounding it out to the detriment of your joints. At Alkalign, we want you to work smarter without sacrificing your future self.
HARDER & FASTER IS BETTER – False! Would you run more miles, lift heavier weights and do everything harder and faster if it was bad for you? Turns out, it is. Increasing the speed, load and frequency of such activities accelerates the wear and tear on your body and can result in both short term injuries and longer-term damage. The fitness industry preys on the next flashy fad to stay relevant. Trends come and go but your body is here to stay. How will you take care of it? Make a long-term investment in your body. The actions you take now will impact you for years to come.
IT HAS TO HURT TO WORK – False! If you had the power to prevent an injury before it happens, would you? We all possess the power. It’s the mindset that is the hardest to shift. Hardcore is not healthy and extremes are not sustainable. Alkalign is all of the reward with none of the risk, provided you are accountable to yourself to focus on alignment, modify when needed and accept coaching and feedback from our well-trained team of instructors. From our slow-burn Align 101 to our sweaty fast-paced Cardio Align, we work you to your core in a variety of different ways.
Check your local Alkalign Studios class schedule and start making the shift in your mindset today to ensure a healthy, functional body tomorrow.
When I reflect on my time working at Alkalign, I am filled with gratitude. One of the main reasons Alkalign is special is the communal environment created by Erin, the instructors, and the clients. As part of the staff, you become a part of the community that fosters a healthy mind-body connection in everything that you do. Every task is built with intention and detail, so you quickly develop leadership skills and a sense of pride with each duty. This is perfect for high schoolers especially because the purpose behind everything really guides the work you do. Suddenly, making sure that every client is accounted for in class becomes: Is Julie in class today? How is her puppy doing? Have her kids started school yet?
Alkalign is a home away from home, and the friendly faces you see day to day become a part of your life. In a time where technology is so prevalent and people lack real face to face communication, working the front desk and talking to clients or playroom staff pushes you out of your comfort zone and broadens your network. I was also very busy in high school applying to college, leading my school’s dance team and volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, but working at Alkalign allowed me to slow things down, focus on engaging with the people around me and complete tasks with full attention and diligence. You put the cell phone down and organize the space, really making sure that everything is as it should be. Over time, this creates a high standard for which you hold yourself accountable: sloppily getting things done just to move on to the next doesn’t cut it anymore.
Working at Alkalign did so much for me as a growing individual and it gave me back everything I put into it. With most things, the more dedicated you are, the better the results will be. This is incredibly important for everyone to learn first hand, but especially high schoolers. I encourage anyone looking to work for Alkalign to evaluate what you want out of the job and how you will contribute to the community. What strengths can I bring to the team? What skills should I focus on improving? With that mindset, working at Alkalign will become a key learning experience and will transform the way you view organization, leadership, and community.
Long ago, before the days of fitness apps and trackers, in a land without SmartPhones or Siri, there were Excel Spreadsheets. And I loved them.
Part of it was my banking profession; the other part was my super-charged, Type A+ personality. By day, I lived in a world of financial models and revenue projections. By night, I meticulously tracked every metric of my seven to 10 workouts per week, believing that if my calories out exceeded my calories in, I’d lose weight and perform better.
Cardio consumed me. I recorded the length, time and pace of every swim, run and bike ride. I monitored average, high and median heart rate, as well as calories, burned. Every. Single. Day.
This went on until the morning I woke up and realized I wasn’t having fun anymore. Excessive training and obsessive tracking of every workout were proving exhausting. The constant focus on external metrics and the search for extrinsic validation was making me miserable.
So I stopped. Cold turkey. No more heart rate monitor. No more spreadsheets. No more overanalyzing every meal. Here’s what happened.
When I Stopped Tracking My Workouts…
I started tuning in. Instead of obsessing about what the heart rate monitor said, I listened to my body. Instead of paying attention to my watch, I paid attention to my form. Instead of believing that my workout was a time to “check out”, I took advantage of the opportunity to pay attention and to be present in mind and body.
I lost weight and gained strength.
I used to believe that if I wasn’t burning 1,000 calories per hour and sweating profusely, a workout wasn’t legitimate. When I stopped obsessing about the data, I started eating and exercising intuitively. I cut the cardio in favor of strengthening workouts that increased muscle and revved my metabolism.
I exercised less and ate better. I stopped over-exercising and replaced intense workouts with more strength- and stretching-based exercises. I took days off and embraced things like mobility and meditation, which challenged me on a whole new level. Less output helped me curb carb cravings and fuel with healthy fats and protein versus sugar.
I was less stressed. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the constant feeling that I had to achieve something quantitative was stressful. Even when I wasn’t competing in a race, I was competing with myself. A number on the scale or the readout of a monitor could make or break my day, a reaction so deeply ingrained but so counterproductive to my wellness. Once I stopped tracking, I stopped worrying about it.
I realized that the metrics don’t paint the whole picture.
A lot of metrics aren’t as objective as we think. Just as a scale at the doctor’s office needs to be calibrated, so do machines and trackers. Readings can vary, as can what is recorded. For example, heart rate can be influenced by your hydration, sleep or how well you’ve recovered from a previous workout. The metrics aren’t fixed, which means relying on them as your sole source of information (and validation) may not lead you to the most accurate perception of your workouts.
I had more fun. My relationship with exercise completely changed. It shifted from something I had to do something I got to do. It transformed from punishment to privilege and became more enjoyable on all levels.
The Challenges I Faced Along the Way
This shift in mindset wasn’t easy.
During the process of shedding my tracking obsession, I experienced waves of guilt, anxiety and data addiction. It was hard to put down the watch. I had a looming feeling that if a workout wasn’t recorded, it didn’t happen.
The transformation from imprisoned to empowered happened slowly and over time, like a dimmer versus a switch.
Gradually, there were glimpses of change: I noticed that I could go for a run and still feel great even if I didn’t measure the time, distance or speed. I recognized that the world continued to turn even when I forgot to record a workout. And somewhere along the way, I broke free of the self-imposed expectations and have never looked back.
Ultimately, this process taught me that information is important — but what we do with it is even more important.
No matter whether you choose to use every gadget available or you like to keep your workouts analog, be sure to check in with how you feel and how the data makes you feel.
Remember, your worth is more than a number on a scale, dashboard or spreadsheet. And sometimes, ignoring those numbers may be the key to greater health and happiness.
Thank you to Lizzie, Katherine, Cathy, Pauline, Erin, and the entire team for creating a place where I felt like I could really fit in. I never played a sport and had no athletic experience of any kind. Aside from a year with a personal trainer getting ready for Half Dome in 2011, I had little formal exercise instruction. I have tendonitis and am pre-carpal tunnel, so I have issues with making sure exercises are safe. I also have perfectionist disordered thinking, so I want to give up when I fail (yes, therapy).
Alkalign was the first group workout that I felt I could actually do. They’re super focused on form and offer lots of modification options, so I learned safe ways to exercise without pissing off my elbows and wrists. I learned “less is more” – do the best form with whatever movement that results in, and maybe it’s very little movement, or maybe no weights – and that’s ok! During class, they’re constantly checking my form and cueing me to check myself. Some of the teachers and regular class attendees are ripped AF for inspiration!
Alkalign took in my non-exercising self, my pregnant self (there are often pregnant, even very pregnant, women in class), and my postpartum post C-section self. After all my life stages, they also took in my working way too much self for several rounds! Each time I fell off the Alkalign wagon (because life happens), I came back in a different phase in my life, with a different body and Alkalign was always the right place.
Now that I’m moving, I’m going to be hunting people willing and worthy of opening an Alkalign franchise in the East Bay area so that I can keep taking classes there.
After umpteen years of pounding the pavement and flirting with every new exercise trend – and having just received a “gnarly MRI” on my knee – the stars aligned and Elise Fiechtner brought Alkalign to Ada, Michigan. I quickly learned that “low impact” doesn’t mean “low challenge.” Alkalign workouts kick my butt! They work every single fiber in my body and awaken my core and muscle groups that I’d unknowingly ignored for decades. I now understand proper alignment and functional movement and have learned how to recover through Recharge (rolling). Beyond all the health benefits, I’ve become part of this uber-supportive, humble, fun, come-as-you-are community.
The movement/practice both feeds my body and quiets my mind. I’ve entered my 60’s with new-found health and gusto, and I credit Alkalign. I Alkalign so I can do everything else in my life.
Being active outside in nature is everything to me. It’s my happy, healing, and creative place. I’m hiking long distances with zero knee pain. My dogs, Obie and Emmie, love our adventures at Seidman Park and along the Lake Michigan shoreline and dunes. I can tackle my favorite mountain bike course with joy and relative ease. I call Riley Trails “extreme for seniors” but it thrills me to no end to fly through the forest and handle nature’s obstacles as they come. I catch myself smiling when I’m biking 🙂
With the knee diagnosis, I’d wondered whether I’d ever ski again – but on a recent trip to Montana, I not only skied for five days, but I received the ultimate compliment from my ski coach son, Peter. “You’ve never skied better, Mom!” Last year I took up Paddleboarding. Talk about recruiting your core!
Most important of all…I’m able to be an active Nana to sweet “Oh Henry,” who’s almost three. He’s also a nature lover and, like his dad was as a toddler, he’s loaded with energy and eager for everything. There’s so darn much to discover. I’m up for his cries of “One more time” and “Let’s do it again.” Put a price on that! Henry’s new brother will arrive in August. I can’t wait.
Alkalign founder and owner Erin Paruszewski and Master Instructor Cathy Purnell join forces as newbie podcasters to have conversations on health and wellness in their brand new podcast called “Alkalign Unplugged.”
As a lifelong athlete, Erin is passionate about health and wellness and Cathy is one of Alkalign’s Master Instructors. Cathy and Erin were inspired to start a podcast by the amazing clients they interact with each day. “We have so many wonderful men and women with a wide range of talents, experiences, and careers, we thought it would be fun to get to know our community and share that with listeners,” says Erin. Between Cathy’s secret desire to be a talk show host and the duo’s gift of gab, Alkalign Unplugged was born.
“People should tune into our podcast to learn something new about a whole host of topics they will find relatable and, ideally, entertaining!” says Cathy. The show’s focus is on health and wellness topics that are relatable to everyone. Cathy and Erin’s style is authentic and will feature a wide range of topics including mental health, nutrition, stress management, injury prevention, mindfulness and much more.
Alkalign Unplugged is more than just another fitness podcast. It’s an opportunity to connect with life stories that engage us on a real, raw and human level. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or PodBean.
“In case of emergency, air masks will drop from the ceiling. Please put your own mask on before helping others.” We’ve all heard this on airplanes and perhaps half-heartedly pay attention to those safety instructions before taking off, but there’s validity in that phrase…..both on a plane and in life. The message is clear: take care of yourself first so that you can help others. Unfortunately, we don’t always do that and our own self-care is not prioritized.
At Alkalign, we put the mind/body connection at the forefront of our practice. Here are 3 reasons why you should commit to your overall health and join us in our studio on a regular basis.
1. Physical Activity Improves Your Mood. If we sound like a broken record telling you what you already know, that’s probably because many people don’t make physical activity a priority in their self-care practice. So here’s your reminder! Exercise helps your body produce endorphins, aka the body’s natural ‘feel good’ hormones. The simple act of devoting an hour a day can de-stress and focus you, improving your overall mental health. Simply put….exercise feels good from the inside out.
2. Community & Human Connection Are Essential for Happiness. In our digital world, the need for human connection is more important than ever. Our studio is full of upbeat music, positive energy and Alkalign buddies that help you feel more connected in an increasingly disconnected world. You will also find camaraderie, accountability, support and motivation to move beyond your workout plateaus by positioning yourself next to a friend who pushes you!
3. We Invest in the WHOLE You. Alkalign provides the tools to help you change your life. We are built on the belief that balance is the foundation for life. Balance is what keeps us grounded and what challenges us to push our limits. Whether your life has become unbalanced or you just need a little alignment in your life, Alkalign aims to care for the whole you.
Ready to commit to your self-care routing? Check out your local Alkalign studio for the schedule!
As I reflect upon the past year, I would never have dreamed that I would do one Alkalign class, yet a year later I’m at almost 200 classes! I never considered myself an “excerisey” person, and definitely not a barre class person. No way. Not me. I tried a barre class years ago and I was so sore for so long that I never wanted to go back.
A year ago, struggling with insomnia and joint pain from hypermobility was my normal, and it was exhausting. I knew this was not the life I was meant to live. It was time for me to focus on my health and time for me to find help.
On Valentine’s Day in 2018, I tried my first Alkalign class as a ‘love note’ to myself. My very first Alkalign class was a 101 class with Danielle. I was pleasantly surprised that the class practices the exact exercises I was instructed from my physical therapist to do daily but NEVER did them. Using a block between my feet reminded me to think about my gait. My Alkalign instructor helped me recognize that my shoulders, my neck, my knees, all my body needed to be in alignment. I described the class as “group PT”, and YES I would be back.
Eventually, I graduated from 101 to Align and I even was brave enough to try Cardio! I was hooked on feeling healthy, I was falling asleep easier and waking up without SI pain.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness. I have had the longest stretch of pain-free days in many years. The sharp, stabbing, fire pain of my SI (sacroiliac joint) has subsided. Alkalign has taught me life lessons in a supportive community with genuinely caring instructors. The most important thing for me, which I constantly repeat to everyone I meet, is “self-care is the new health care.” How true it is.
I’ve learned that taking care of myself helps me live pain-free and my feelings have trickled down to my relationship with my family. Here’s to 300 classes! Thank you Alkalign.
Every challenge we host in our studios brings out the best in us all! We are happy to end our March Madness Buddy Challenge with this amazing testimonial from one of our Los Altos studio clients, Kristen Stothard. She shared with us what ALKALIGN stands for and we couldn’t say it better than this!
A: Awareness. I now pay attention to everyday movements like bending over, turning around, reaching back, picking up, and more. I realize now that doing these things while aligned properly makes a difference in how I feel at the end of the day.
L: Love group exercise classes! I was never one to go to the gym to workout. I had a perception in my head on what it looked like and it didn’t appeal to me. Boy, was I wrong! The community aspect at Alkalign is just as important as the exercise itself.
K: Keeping it real. The classes at Alkalign work for everyone. It doesn’t matter your age group, your levels of fitness if you are a new mother or a grandmother – the class is designed to fit my needs wherever I am that day.
A: Attitude is key! Rather than dreading the time I carve out for myself and my body I’ve discovered how to appreciate it and embrace it. This change in my attitude has made a huge difference in my personal fitness.
L: Listen to my body. After hitting 45 I realized my body is telling me a lot! Alkalign is teaching me to listen to those muscles and work to make them leaner and stronger, to stretch and roll consistently, and to pay attention to my balance and alignment.
I: Instructors rock! Oh my goodness. If it wasn’t for the amazing instructors at Alkalign I would never make it. Having them there to correct, adjust, and push me is so important. Hanging out with them after class is even better. 🙂
G: Get it done! Rather than look for an excuse to get out of class I look for a reason to get there and get it done. I feel better afterward and have never regretted taking the time out of my day for Alkalign.
N: New things my body can do. It never fails that during class I realize something my body can do that it couldn’t before. Hold the position longer, squat a little deeper, point a little straighter, etc. etc. It’s because of this that I keep coming back for more.
The 10 year Anniversary of the opening of our Menlo Park studio has given me pause to reflect and look back and how my own life has changed since 2009. There are a few more candles on my birthday cake and more “laugh” lines on my face. All a testament to a decade of a life well lived!
In 2009, I was a full-time mom raising my 3 daughters. Amy was 17 and a junior in high school and beginning to look ahead to college. Molly was 15 and a freshman at St. Francis. Abby was 12 and attending St. Simon’s school. I was a part-time chauffeur, laundry service, short order cook, counselor, volunteer, etc, etc…And I LOVED every second of those years. (Well, maybe not every second!). While the girls were at school I was running a lot of miles at Rancho San Antonio with my running partner. We logged close to 40 miles per week when we were training for marathons, qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon twice. The endorphin rush of a good long run is something I still enjoy, albeit at a much slower pace. Looking back, I could mourn what is no longer… our home filled with the laughter of my girls and their friends (especially during high school when our home became home base after school). Oh, how I loved spending time preparing snacks at the kitchen island, silently listening to the deep inner workings of the teenage heart and mind. I still manage a run with my running partner on Friday mornings but they are shorter (and slower) and we don’t spend an hour afterward lingering at Starbucks over a non-fat latte. Yes, those years were fantastic but instead of longing to go back, I have learned to look forward. To “grow” forward and embrace a growth mindset.
In roughly 2010, our therapist posed the question of “what is next for you, Cathy, once your girls grow up and your nest is empty?” I had to give some serious thought to the fact that I was nearing a “forced retirement” of sorts. What would my next chapter be? I still had a few years to ponder my options. Would I go back and renew my teaching credentials? Go back to work? Devote time into more volunteer endeavors? Be a lady of leisure? 😉
Fast forward to 2011, I was taking classes at the Los Altos studio (after an IT band injury after the Boston Marathon). I worked at the front desk and grew to love the community of instructors and the clients. When Erin approached me to ask if I would be interested in training to teach, I thought she had lost her mind. I was 49 years old!!! A fitness instructor?? After consulting with Jeff and the girls, I leaned into my self-doubt and said YES! Was I scared? You bet I was! Would I be able to get up in front of clients/friends who once viewed me as a student, put a mic on and lead the class?? Would I remember what to say to cue them into position? Would clients be put off by my age? My inner critic was large and in charge! Training to teach allowed me the opportunity to confront that inner mean girl, lean into the challenge and flex the muscles of a growth mindset.
The decision to teach at Alkalign has changed my life in more ways than I can say. This chapter of my life has been incredibly fulfilling. I love what I do and look forward to what is ahead at Alkalign and in other areas of my life. My three teenagers from 2009 are now embracing their own growth mindsets. Amy is 27 and getting married in August. She and her fiance, Max, will be heading to Germany in September so that he can pursue a master’s degree. Molly will be moving from Washington, DC where she has been a pediatric transplant nurse at Georgetown to Seattle for a job at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Abby will graduate in May from Villanova University and is heading to NYC to work as an Economics Consultant. They are fearlessly embracing the unknown of what is to come. I couldn’t be more proud of them and I look forward to watching them continue to blossom.
My nest may be empty but my life is full because of my connections and community at Alkalign. As for Jeff and I, we are excited about what life has in store for us. We look back with so much gratitude while setting our sights ahead to a bright future.
Those of you who take my class frequently have heard me joke about cuddle parties and eye contact parties (yes, they are a thing). And while we often laugh off those ideas as yet another “weird Bay Area thing”, it’s actually not niche or fringe. Activities like these are speaking to our deep-rooted need for human connection.
In our world of social media, screens, and virtual assistants, we are more starved of real, authentic human interaction than ever. The New York Times just published a piece on human interaction being seen as a luxury good. Some of the fastest growing health and fitness brands are entirely virtual and you participate from behind a screen in your own home. While I’m all for reducing barriers to increasing how much you move, some things can’t be done from behind a screen.
Alkalign prides ourselves on bucking the tech trend. Yes, we put down roots in Silicon Valley – the tech capital of the world – but we are committed to offering a community-based brick and mortar experience. Our physical studios and group class environment offers our clients a more effective workout because you get immediate visual, verbal and hands-on feedback from our highly trained instructors. We can adjust your alignment, rub your feet, and greet you with a hug.
What’s even more powerful than what we do for your workout is the relationships created, fostered and nurtured from within our four walls. I am constantly humbled by the support and encouragement our clients offer each other through the good days and the bad. All you need to do is check out our client testimonials to read about the power of our community or better yet, come in and take a class to experience it for yourself.
Your body is a system of systems that work together to help you functionally move in everyday life as well as perform better in every activity you engage in. Why would you treat your body as separate parts on your workout days? We’ve all heard the infamous line from friends, family, and coworkers: “It’s leg day.” We’ve listened to it so much we fail to question why people isolate their body parts in their workouts. We assume that’s how strengthening should happen because that’s what we’ve been conditioned to believe.
Alkalign believes your workout should work your whole body, every time. Your body is smart and dynamic…isn’t it time you start treating it like it is? Your mind isn’t separate from your body, your legs and arms don’t work in isolation without your core. Mindful movement combined with paying attention in class is not only great for your body, but also for your mind and mental health.
For most of us, most of the time, total-body training that incorporates functional training is the best thing for your body. Workouts (like the kind at Alkalign) that rely on combination strength-training moves, stretching and mobility that engages your mind and muscle groups all at once with are the best way to get what you want out of your fitness routine and overall wellness for long-term.
Whether you are an endurance athlete looking to up your game, have an injury that has sidelined you from exercise, and you want to get back into it, or a regular Joe/Jane who just wants to feel better in your body, we have a workout that’s perfect for you.
Earlier this month, I had the incredible opportunity to spend the weekend at 1440 Multiversity to take a course on Dynamic Aging co-taught by movement and yoga/mobility pioneers Katy Bowman and Jill Miller. While I am still processing all of the juicy content from the weekend, the one overarching message from the course is that our bodies are smart and they adapt quickly. As you delve into the details, this can be both good and bad.
The benefit of quick adaptation is that we are resilient. For example, if you’ve ever broken your toe, you know that your body adopts a new walking pattern so that you can still walk while giving the damaged toe time to heal. However, once your toe has healed, you likely still walk like a person with a broken toe because your body has adapted to that new movement pattern. The magnitude of the movement change depends on the severity and duration of the trigger that caused it. This change in movement pattern can cause excessive wear and tear on tissues and joints and be a trigger for chronic movement dysfunction and pain.
The good news is that you can break this cycle (and Alkalign can help). First, identify your (bad) adaptations. Do you have imbalances in your strength, coordination or mobility on one side vs. the other? What is your body compensating for and why? Alkalign’s balanced strength building classes and trained instructors can help you identify this for yourself. Then, restore and maintain mobility by staying for the final stretch and taking Recharge and + Recharge classes.
Finally, move mindfully and diversify your movement. All Alkalign classes help you learn how to do this. However, 1 class is only 4% of your day. Take your education outside of our studios and into your car, office, and home. Sit in as many different ways as possible; put your pants on with your left leg first; walk to places that are less than 1 mile from your home. Your body will thank you today and for years to come.
Want to learn more? Check out this video on the Alkalign YouTube Channel on how Alkalign can help you rehab your movement.
