THE EVOLVER:
Katherine Shai
professional wrestler, Olympic hopeful and mama
Denver, CO
“our goal is the Olympics, so we aren’t wavering.”
there’s no doubt about it: the pandemic has affected ALL of our lives in so many ways, big and small. but we couldn’t help but immediately think of our evolver Katherine Shai when we heard about the Olympics being postponed. instead of heading to the Olympic Trials last week as planned, where she was set to compete for a spot in this summer’s Olympics, Katherine — like all of us — is sheltering in place at home, and contending with her new reality.
this summer’s Olympics are now set to be held next summer. what are the ways this has impacted your plans, from the big picture to the day to day?
“it has been extremely emotional. first all our training locations were shutting down, and we were still en route to compete at the Olympic Trials in a few weeks. then Trials was postponed, and it was only a matter of time before we knew the same would happen with the Olympics. at first, i didn’t know what to think. i imagined my life very different a year from now. for so many athletes, male or female, this impacts their ability to plan for a family or a career after sport. my husband and i came together and saw more positives then negatives out of the situation. yes, we have to delay kiddo #2; yes, i have to delay future business plans. but we are excited about what another year of competition will bring. our goal is the Olympics, so we aren’t wavering. otherwise, i have to piece together my workouts. it looks totally different now: video, meditation, visualization, yoga, conditioning, and tons of strength training. you can’t be a professional athlete and forget about the physical work!”
what’s important to your daily routine - now more than ever?
“getting my first workout done in the morning is number one. i’ve been delaying my breakfast until nine or ten, because it’s too easy to eat non-stop at home. (hello, intermittent fasting!!) the next thing has been cooking full, normal meals so no one starts eating ice cream for breakfast! i’ve come back to my bullet journal and i’m carving out focused time for one-hour tasks. i am excited to get projects done i never had time for before.”
how ARE you staying fit?
“i am so fortunate that over the years i have collected enough equipment to have a functional little at-home gym. i do have to crank it up a notch to stay in wrestling shape. that means running, bike sprints, body weight push-ups, pull ups and squats. not necessary for us all! i think the MOST important thing is movement so that our mind can find some calm. everyone should find their flow, and focus on how the movement makes them feel, not how they will look after sheltering in place. i’m letting myself play with other forms of movement i never get to try. i’ve even tried out some dance tutorials on YouTube! so fun.”
what’s your at-home social life like?
“i am very close with my mom, sister, and my aunts. we have daily FaceTime group calls, and we are helping each other with cooking, workouts, and i led a mindfulness session. we have always used Marco Polo, but now i get to see what their entire days look like we are using it so much! i’ve had some really incredible life updates from friends. i get to do virtual workouts with my clients. i am so SO thankful for video chatting because I miss them all so much.”
how else are you spending your days?
“i’m slowing down on the news. i listen to the important updates, but i’ve had to back off. i’ve been listening to the “Verified” podcast — it’s awesome, check it out. i love listening to Tara Brach’s podcast for my dose of mindfulness and self compassion. i finished “The Universe Has Your Back” by Gabrielle Bernstein. SO GREAT! i’m currently reading “The Metabolic Typing Diet.” i’m a nutrition geek. my husband and i are taking on home projects, and will be painting our basement this weekend! we can’t help it, we fill up our time.”