My Fitness ‘Superpowers’

How often have you read the headline: Woman Lifts 3,500-Pound Car to Save Infant. Incredible, but it happens. The human body is one remarkable piece of machinery.

Scientists identify the phenomenon as hysterical strength and believe these acts of tremendous superpower to be a rush of adrenaline, but I like to think there is a little superhero in all of us.

I mean, just look at what each of us can accomplish in a single day!

With that in mind, I thought it’d be fun to ask the FBGs what secret fitness superpower they claim as their own. We’ve got an eclectic group of exercise enthusiasts in our crowd, swimmers and runners, CrossFit geeks and all-around athletes, so it ought to be interesting.

I’ll kickstart the fun, but be sure to check back to see who is sporting the blue tights and red cape each week!

Karen’s Super and Not-So-Super Powers

Over the years, other body parts have moved up the ranks trying to attain superpower status, but the constant overachiever is definitely my core. Most of the credit goes to my mom who was a stickler for good posture. My sister and I use to walk around with books on our heads practicing — shoulders back, head over shoulder, abs in. When your body is properly aligned and your carriage erect, you can’t help but engage your abs. Sweet, right?

Now that mom is no longer around to remind me, I practice yoga. Tadasana, or mountain pose, is the foundation of all standing yoga poses and essentially good posture. Perform that move on the floor and you’ve got plank!

A strong core makes one less prone to injury, protects the vital organs and eliminates back pain. Take this test to see if your secret fitness superpower is a core of steel.

Unfortunately, while my core may be steel-like not so is my flexibility! As a kid I could do the splits, backbend to my heart’s content and sit in lotus pose for hours. Now … not so much! Oh, how I wish I could travel back in time (or maybe even stop time!) and have the lithe muscles and joint mobility of my youth!

Today, I diligently work to stay strong and flexible with barre exercise and yoga. When I gently and successfully maneuver my body into one of those long-lost positions …

Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles, which in turn improves athletic performance; it also decreases the risk of injury. Don’t be tempted to skip the stretch after a workout. Click here to see if you are maintaining your flexibility.

Exercise to keep your superhero persona at the ready and tap into your own secret fitness superpower today!

Besides the superhero stuff, how does your secret fitness superpower help you out in everyday life? Gardening can be tough on the back and my strong core makes it a labor of love, not misery! —Karen