There was a young man I remember clearly—about twenty-five, sincere and very regular at the gym. Like many young men, his routine centred on chest and biceps.
He did not come to me initially. Perhaps he assumed a woman would not know much about bodybuilding. I did not take offence. I observed.
He worked hard, but his shoulders were pulled forward and his movement looked restricted. Eventually he said, “Ma’am, I’m doing everything and increasing sets, but I’m not improving. I just feel tired.”
I asked how much attention he gave to mobility and stretching. Almost none.
I explained that strength does not exist in compartments. Repeatedly loading a few areas while neglecting movement can change how the whole body moves.
I did not ask him to stop lifting. Strength is valuable. We added mobility, stretching, a little yoga and more respect for recovery.
After practising consistently, he told me he felt less restricted and recovered better between sets. His muscles had not magically changed because of yoga; his training simply included more of what his body needed.
The experience reinforced something I still believe: strength is important, but the body has to move well too.