Happy September! I hope you've gotten the most out of this Minnesota summer, and are ready to dive into fall because we have soooo many exciting things planned for you this month! First of all, allow me to announce our September Athletes of the Month: Daphne Sidor and Erik Nielsen! Daphne Sidor has been with us just over a year, and in that time has revealed...
Currently Minneapolis is dealing with a health crisis right in our own Solcana neighborhood, and we have the opportunity to help. Close to Solcana, on the intersection of Cedar and Hiawatha is a very large and growing homeless encampment made up of mostly American Indian folks who are currently unable to access the resources they need. This encampment has been here for years, but recently...
We’re willing to bet most Solcana members know the “what” part of the equation when it comes to a healthy eating pattern. But, like many others, they might lack an understanding of “how much” of that healthy food is enough to support their goals. If you’ve got goals for your health, body composition or athletic performance, it’s important to get more precise about that side...
Can you believe it's August already?? This summer has FLOWN by. We are here to announce our two Athletes of the Month, who are both quiet badasses and also both part of the morning crew! They also have in common a big commitment to showing up, and have been around all summer working hard and being part of our community. Melissa Butler has started a #sunsoutgunsout crew...
I remember when I first heard of CrossFit, I was initially put off by what I thought was a culture deeply rooted in things that I had been trying to actively distance myself from, or quite frankly had actively tried to oppress me. I imagined the typical member would have “Don’t Tread on Me” tattooed on their massive bicep as they squatted 700lbs, while all...
We are so excited to announce our athletes of the month for July: Jonathan Popko and Maggie Staiger! We are so lucky to have Jonathan in the gym. He is an incredibly sincere, gentle, caring and considerate human being and an absolutely pleasure to be around. He has committed so hard to the gym and to his own growth. He is genuinely curious and thoughtful and...
Emily Field RD has been unofficially partnered with the Solcana community for the last year, as she works one-on-one with head coach and owner, Hannah, and many other members on their nutrition. Her non-traditional methods include behavior change coaching and flexible dieting by tracking macros so, when tailored around Solcana’s effective programming, her clients are getting stronger, feeling leaner and more confident. They’re ditching depriving...
We are honored to name our athletes of the month for June: Erin Melzer and John Hathaway! Erin Melzer has been with us since February 2017, and all of the coaches were shocked that she hadn't been picked yet for AOTM. Maybe because it seemingly goes without saying that Erin is an all-star athlete and friend, so much so that it feels like she is AOTM...
At the end of this week, we are closing the mobility building on the corner. Starting June 1st that building will be demolished and that area will be turned into a communal courtyard and garden area. As a result, we are moving our mobility classes into the Vulcana room, and making some other changes to the schedule that you should check out! There is a lot...
Have you been on the edge of your seat waiting to hear what's been happening with Shannon in her Essential You 101 experience?! Sorry to keep you waiting. Both Shannon and I lost track of time and here we are three weeks later. Here is a recap from Week's 3 and 4 complete with important reminders and powerful realizations: Week 3: Stress Stress Baby Another super informative...
My journey starting CrossFit came about when I decided to apply for a career in law enforcement one year ago. Before then, I didn't really know anything about the sport. I did a Google search to find a place where I could learn how to use and train on a Concept 2 Rower so that I could pass a physical readiness exam. Thanks to my...
Congratulations to our two athletes of the month for May: Rachel Schoepf and Ross Wolf. I giggled a lot about the fact that Ross + Rachel were selected this month (get it? Friends?!), but that is not why they were both chosen. These two incredible athletes have become major assets around the gym, and it's time we honor their awesomeness. Rachel came to us because she...
Those Sugar Cravings Tho This week in Essential You the topics were Body Awareness and Blood Sugar Regulation. Unfortunately, I missed our group session. I over did it over the weekend and was feeling rather poorly by the time class came around. Chronic illness is such a pain, literally and figuratively! But, Emma was kind enough to share the materials and I worked through them on...
Hello Solcana Community & Solcana Enthusiasts! It is my pleasure to bring to you Shannon's words and wisdom as she embarks on her second round of the Essential You 101! This time with me, Emma, as the facilitator. If you haven't yet read Shannon's story, I encourage you to pause, read it, and come back. It's powerful and moving and one that I revisit when I'm...
My dear community! Hello! Emma (and Puff) checking in today to let you know about some updates I’ve made to the Essential You programming. The pre-existing programming is phenomenal and spoke to Lucia’s incredible knowledge and experience. I’m taking the magic she already had in place and expanding it a bit to include a more whole person approach! We are going to be looking at how social,...
Our athletes of the month for April are two folks who bring it on a daily basis with how fierce they are. Babs and Hector!! Babs Powell is well known around the gym for being seriously fit and seriously friendly. She is a natural ambassador and always extends a smile and a welcome to a new person. I remember the day that Babs joined, she showed up...
According to Psychology Today one of the main reasons people don’t exercise is their desire to avoid any experience of discomfort. Regardless of the discomforts we know that a consistent workout regimen reduces stress and increases your mental well-being. When you work out regularly, your body releases endorphins that enhance your mood. You have probably experienced these positive feelings after finishing a cardiovascular workout. You...
What sensation is strongest in your body right now? What sensation is the most subtle? What’s happening in your toes your now? When was the last time you thought about your toes? These are some of the questions I ask myself throughout the day in order to strengthen my awareness of my physical body. Why? Because the sensations in my body often lead me to insights...
It's crazy to think the Open is actually over! That 5 weeks went very very quickly. I have to say, this has been my favorite Open season yet. I think it's because the gym was bumpin' every Friday, and I got to see so many athletes absolutely crushing workouts they never thought they could do. It might seem silly or even crazy to do a...
18.4 is in the books! I have to say, this one was by far my favorite. I love heavy deadlifts, and it was fun to pair it with something challenging like a handstand pushup. I wish I had made it to the handstand walks because it would have been really fun to try those in a workout, but alas. I tried to convince Josh to...
Solcana has given me a life I never thought I could achieve, one where working out is not about plowing through the hard and the painful, but rather building blocks to a happier relationship with my body. It wasn’t always this way. My mental health has always run my life. From disordered eating, body dysphoria, and being surrounded by others who also suffered from negative body...
The energy in the gym on Friday was palpable for 18.2. This is my favorite type of workout, a fast burn followed by an opportunity to hit a big weight. It was incredible to watch so many people hit a PR on their heavy cleans. I was also so impressed by the number of people who tried the Rx weight. When we did the scores this...
Emma here with some full disclosure: I don't care about the specifics of how or what you eat. You may be thinking to yourself, 'Gee, Emma, that seems strange since you are going to be facilitating the Essential You course moving forward, which is focused on NUTRITION! If you don’t care about what or exactly how I’m eating, what’s the point of signing up for...
I am excited to announce a new strength series we are offering at Solcana called [Em]Power strength. This 5-week series is built for folks who workout on their own, but want to learn the basics of strength training from a professional coach. As an [Em]Power athlete, you will learn the basics of lifting, and walk away with a 6-week program you can use to train...
Congratulations to our two amazing Athletes of the Month, Steph James and Max Poessnecker! Steph is one of those surprising people who seem quiet and reserved on the surface until they just knock you over with their badassery. Over the last two years, Steph has worked consistently, with a curiosity about movement and about her own body that has allowed her to push through some challenging...
18.1 is in the books, one workout down and four to go! Nothing says "GET TO WORK" like starting off with a 20 minute AMRAP. I personally loved this workout even though it was torture, because the rep scheme was totally manageable and kept you moving without too many breaks. This first week started off SO STRONG with 92 people completing the workout. Just a...
Solcana Homies and community at large, Emma Vasseur here, checking in to share updates on what's next with Essential You and my role here within our incredible community. At the start of the year, I took over as facilitator of the Essential You 101 course! Lucia Hawley, NTP extraordinaire, created this program and left the content with us when she moved on to the next chapter of...
We have invited the super smart and talented Dr. Alyssa George from Motion Minnesota to come to Solcana and provide a 90 minute seminar on pelvic floor health. This seminar will involve some instruction, along with lots of time for practicing techniques to improve your pelvic floor strength. If you are someone who pees their pants while working out (or doing other things), this is...
I started doing CrossFit 8 years ago, when the sport was in its infancy and the number of athletes worldwide was only in the thousands. Flash to today, there are 13,000 CrossFit gyms in more than 120 countries, thousands of other gyms who offer CrossFit-like programming, plus athletes who workout from their own garage. When it first started, there was a lot of trial and error. Over the last...
If you read my most recent post, you know that my experience with food and dieting has been up and down for a long time. Recently I went through a 6-month long elimination and reintroduction process to finally figure out which foods make me feel awesome, and which don't. Once I finished that process, I knew I wanted to invest in some time in using...
