Category: Free Inquiry

Oxygen Fitness Community

When we hear the word community, we often think of a neighbourhood, a digital forum, or a local club. But over time, I have come to realize that community isn’t just a specific place that you go to, rather it’s a feeling of safety. Community can be anywhere and everywhere. It is what connects people together. 

To me, community is a brave space  where I can be my true, authentic self. It’s an environment where the conversation doesn’t have to stay on the surface. Being part of a community means feeling comfortable enough to pivot from “How was your weekend?” to “I’ve been struggling lately.”

When you find a group where you can discuss your fears or your daily frustrations without hesitation, you have found your community. It’s knowing that the people around you are interested in the real version of you, not the curated one presented on social media.

I am one of those lucky people who has found my community through Frontrunners https://frontrunners.ca/pages/training-programs and Oxygen Fitness https://oxygenyogaandfitness.com/victoria/. For me, it’s about showing up for the workout, but staying for the people who make me feel my best.

What does community look like in your life?

Amy

When I first joined Frontrunner’s half marathon clinic https://frontrunners.ca/pages/training-programs, the hardest part wasn’t the fact that I was really out of shape and that every part of my body hurt while running. Instead the hardest part for me was overcoming the persistent “mom guilt” of leaving my kids at home so that I could focus on myself. For a very long time, the needs of my family always came first. The concept of self-care wasn’t in my vocabulary.

At both the running clinic and at Oxygen Fitness https://oxygenyogaandfitness.com/langford-location/, I’ve noticed a theme among the parents I train with. We aren’t just running away from our responsibilities, we are running toward regaining the old version of ourselves. 

By documenting these weekly sessions, I am personally experiencing that the mental health benefits of group fitness are practical, not just theoretical. I am learning that taking time for my health isn’t a “break” from my family, it is the fuel that allows me to show up for them.

Each week, I find myself counting down the days until I meet up with my running group. Out on the pavement, we can talk about anything and everything from the mundane details of the week, to giving each other life advice (real-estate, birthday gift ideas, and even big decisions like marriage proposals)!

In those moments, I am fully present. I am not managing a household or checking off a to-do list in my head. When I am out running, I am not Mom, I am just simply Amy. The old version who I used to be.

Amy

Your Daily Dose of Thermal Therapy

Post-class sweaty ‘glow’

In my last post, I talked about why I started this inquiry project, the belief that the “struggle” of a workout is actually a bridge to meaningful connection. This week, I’ve been focusing my time at Oxygen Fitness in Langford, and the experience has been transformative.

https://oxygenyogaandfitness.com/langford-location

There is something unique about the environment at Oxygen. When you step into that infrared-heated studio (37 c to be exact), it is a space for being real with others. In a typical gym, people often wear headphones and avoid eye contact. But at Oxygen Fitness, the atmosphere is different. We are all breathing the same air, facing the same HOT heat, and pushing through the same fatigue. When the instructor encourages us for ‘just one more rep.!’, you can hear the entire room groan in unison. It is in those moments, the “strangers” in the room start to feel like a team.

One of my goals for this project was to see if the vulnerability of fitness could help bridge the gap in mental health conversations. This week, I had the chance to chat with a few members after class.

I asked a simple question: “What brings you here on the days you really don’t feel like showing up?”

The answers weren’t about “getting shredded” or hitting a specific weight goal. Instead, I heard:

“I need to quiet the noise in my head.”

“This is the only hour of the day where I feel like I’m in control.”

“I knew if I didn’t come, I’d miss the energy of this group.”

These snippets of honesty confirmed exactly what I suspected, we aren’t just showing up for the workout,  we are showing up for the healing power of the community.

Amy