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Name: Alana Brewster Bernhardt
Year: 2014
Major: Philosophy, Sociology
Home State: New York
What does your average fitness routine look like in a week?
I alternate between high-intensity cardio (kickboxing, running, P90X) and then mix it up with more-stretching routines, like yoga, pilates and gyrotonics. Gyrotonics is a routine used by dancers that I was just recently exposed to and really liked, and it acts as a nice balance between pilates and yoga.
What do you find most fulfilling about your routine?
Definitely yoga! I like the connection between mind and body. Yoga is also good way for me to deal with the struggles of life, as in, I might be struggling with a particular pose, but I’m working through it.
How do you promote your active lifestyle, and encourage others to get more active themselves on campus?
I recently started doing P90X with a group of friends, and we’ve been advertising on forums like Facebook to get more people to participate with us. I run an on- campus group called the MohOMies, which promotes yoga and healthy living. Also, through my position as President of the campus’s Philosophy Society, we’ve starting having discussions about healthy lifestyles and what that means.
How has your fitness lifestyle affected other aspects of your life in terms of positivity and perhaps negativity?
I definitely feel more confident about my body, and I feel more positive in relation to my friends because the times we get together a lot are when we’re exercising. Negatively, I mean, there are some days when it’s hard for me to get to the gym and I struggle, but once I start working out, I start feeling so much better.
Are there any fitness methods you don’t find appealing?
Not really. I like to try a bunch of things and I like to mix it up- I golf, I windsurf, I ride (horseback). One of the latest workout fads that concerns me a bit is CrossFit, simply because a lot of people are becoming injured while doing it. I think it incorporates high-intensity exercise too quickly and promotes overexertion when there needs to be a gradual transition of getting into shape.
What is one fitness tip you would give to a person who was just starting out?
Mixing up some stretching into your cardio routines, for sure! One of the great things about yoga and pilates is that they really help promote a self-awareness of your body, which helps integrate all parts of your body together and helps you avoid injuries due to isolated exertion. Also, exercise with friends!
Just for fun- what is your spirit animal?
I feel like my actual spirit animal is a corgi, because I’m short, but I would love to be a giraffe. I love how they move and they’re kind of goofy, and I’m goofy.