I learned something about myself this week. Well, it's something I already know, but choose not to acknowledge very often.
I’m the deadweight traveler.
You know those relationship memes where one person books the flights, remembers the passports, schedules the airport transfer, checks everyone in, and generally makes sure the family arrives in the correct country?
And then the other person shows up with snacks and a sleep mask?
I’m the snacks.
I recently had to travel to the US with the kiddo by myself. Which meant, I had to be The Responsible One.
The packing. The documents. The timing. The logistics. All of it. And I DID manage to do it all, but I certainly didn't enjoy it.
My husband does A LOT. Don’t tell him I said that. Actually definitely don’t tell him I said that because I have a reputation to maintain. We couldn’t be more different.
He’s Type A.
Like, capital A. The kind of person who double-checks everything. And then triple-checks it. And then checks to see if there's a coupon to accompany it. And then he checks on whether you’ve checked it.
And the spreadsheets. OMG the spreadsheets.
Meanwhile I’m Type B. I operate largely on optimism, vibes, and the belief that things will somehow work themselves out. (Which they always do, by the way.)
Which I’m sure drives him absolutely bonkers.
But here’s the thing. Without Type A, the plane doesn't get off the ground. Without Type B… no one ever remembers to look out the window. You need both in order to bring balance to the operation.
This is just like what I do with people’s bodies all day. Because every body has its Type A muscles and its Type B muscles. (Not scientifically. Stick with me here on the metaphor.)
You’ve got the overachievers. The muscles that show up early, stay late, and try to do everyone else’s job.
Then you’ve got the muscles that seem to have quietly checked out and gone on vacation somewhere. And somehow the body makes it all work...at least for a while.
That’s the fascinating thing about the human body. It is endlessly adaptable. If one area isn’t pulling its weight for some reason, another area volunteers. And that reason could be an injury, trauma, or even a movement compensation that goes back to your broken arm in 3rd grade. The possibilities are endless.
Some common adaptations that I see are:
A core that has lost some strength or coordination after pregnancy, so the low back starts helping more than it should.
A stressed-out breathing pattern where the diaphragm isn't doing its best work, so the neck and upper traps jump in to help pull air into the chest.
A pelvic floor that has become overly tight and overactive (which can actually feel weak functionally) from years of gripping, sucking in, sitting, or over-training.
Hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, or low back muscles working overtime because something else isn't contributing the way it should.
It's all very thoughtful of the body. Also very annoying when it starts to produce symptoms or pain.
This is why corrective exercise can feel so counterintuitive. Especially for my Type A clients-you know the ones who love checklists, rules, and symmetry? Nothing delights me more than telling someone they need to do glute bridges on one side and not the other. You can physically see their soul leave their body.
“What do you mean we’re only doing the left side?”
Because the left side needs it. The right side is already doing enough.
That’s how we create balance. Not by making everyone work equally hard. By figuring out who’s overworking, who’s underworking, and helping the whole system function better together.
Honestly, I suspect there’s probably a deeper conversation here about control, anxiety, and our desperate need to make everything even and fair. But I’m a corrective exercise specialist, not a therapist. So I’ll stay in my lane. 😂
What I do know is this:
If you’ve got pain, weakness, tightness, or an injury that’s happening primarily on one side of your body, there’s usually a reason.
And it’s often not where you think it is. The body is always telling a story.
My job is helping you figure out who’s doing too much, who’s doing too little, and how to restore some balance to the whole operation. Kind of like a family vacation.
If you’re dealing with something that just won’t seem to resolve, I’d love to help.
I’ll be teaching a free, in-person workshop at Freya Movement Studio on July 14 at 6:30pm. You can grab a workshop spot here:
And if you’ve been curious about working with me but reluctant to try Zoom, I’ll be in NYC for most of July and would love to see you in person. Just send me an email: joanie@transformation-nation.com
In the meantime, I’ll be over here trying very hard not to leave my passport on the kitchen counter.
Big love,
Coach Joanie
A Type A personality also has the ability to organize themselves to fly standby on an earlier flight and surprise their family at the gate when they de-board the plane.
—Corrective Exercise Specialist, women’s wellness coach, and your go-to guide through every phase of womanhood. Because fitness, hormones, and real life aren’t always neat and tidy. Sign up for my weekly checks ins of expert tips, laugh-out-loud truths, and the kind of coaching that reminds you you’re not alone in this stage of life.
