Movement Snacks: A different approach to strength training
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Hey Reader, We're 11 days into 2026 and holy hell. Some days I wonder if it even matters that I teach movement. I'm proud of the work I do and also, it feels insignificant in the face of ICE terrorizing communities and murdering people in cold blood. Or people protesting and dying in Iran. Or the continued horrors brought on by this increasingly fascist administration. The state of the world sometimes makes me feel as though my work in the world is insignificant. I'm a fitness professional and a writer. Does it really matter if I encourage people to move their bodies every day? Does it really matter if more women in perimenopause are channeling their rage into getting stronger by lifting weights? Or worse, do people think I am burying my head in the sand because I am only posting fitness content on my feed? I don't think there is an easy answer. But I do know that this is my work in the world. I can grieve what is happening in my country and keep showing up to my job. I can speak out against injustice and keep creating content that I hope inspires people to get stronger. I don't expect that daily movement or enough sleep or eating "healthy" will protect anyone from ICE. But not doing those things doesn't help either. And not doing the work that I am best at in service of feeling outrage at injustice won't help my goals, personal or professional, either. So in that light, I have a movement practice for you Movement Snack this week: Lately I've been working more with resistance bands. Not as my primary form of strength training, but as auxiliary exercises. Resistance bands are great for foundational strength, joint health, and mobility. They can also be really useful in rehabbing injuries and targeting areas of your body that are harder to get with weights. And, bands are easier to bring with you when you're traveling (like I'm doing this week), so they're great for good strength training workouts when you don't have access to weights. For many, resistance bands can also be a really fantastic stepping stone to using hand weights for those newer to strength training. My latest video on YouTube is a quick workout that features 2 exercises using bands, plus one using weights. I'm using bands all month long in my online studio, MOVE with Naomi. In fact, this free video on YouTube is an edited version of a video I shared this month with my MOVE members. Some might suggest that sharing the same content with people who are not paying members won't inspire people to join MOVE and it could also convince current members to leave. Maybe. But I share these every so often for a few reasons: First because I want folks to get a taste of what it looks like inside my online studio so they can make a decision about whether or not they want more access to videos like this. Second, some folks are not in a place where they can afford the $20 a month for my membership. That's why I have a YouTube channel and am happy to offer workouts for free there to meet people where they are. I'd love for you to join me in MOVE this year, but if not please come take a few classes with me over on YouTube. Give those videos a thumbs up, share them, and even drop a comment. Those are ways that you can support my work without paying a dime. In the meantime, I'd love to know what else you'd like to see me create on YouTube. I currently have a poll up on my channel. You can vote here. Thanks for being a part of my community this year. I am so grateful for you. I hope that the year ahead is full of light and joy and ease. Warmly, Naomi Want to stay in touch during the week? Here are a 2 easy ways: Follow me on Bluesky, where I try to share daily movement practices as acts of resistance, connection, and strength. Follow me on substack, where I write about the intersection of movement, motherhood, and the culture that we are all moving through. Or better yet, subscribe so you have immediate access to regular essays, including my most recent substack -- I wrote in more depth about priorities vs resolutions. You can read about that here. There are many ways to support my writing on substack, which focuses on women's health and motherhood during perimenopause through an anti-diet and pro-science lens: 😍 Become a free subscriber |