FEMINIST FITNESS!
No competitive vibes. Just fun, supportive, positive body vibes.
All fitness levels are welcome.
Feminist Fitness zoom workouts are open to all feminists (invite your friends and family!). Free. The goal is to feel motivated to work out, hang out with rad people, get strong and have fun. Everyone is encouraged to only do the exercises that they are comfortable with. Feel free to do your own thing - any exercise is better than no exercise. We are here to support you. No pressure or judgment. Babies, partners, dogs, cats and children are welcome to join.
Spring 2024 Schedule
Join via ZOOM!
(Meeting ID: 723 6165 1675 password: squat)
*all times are Pacific Standard
MONDAYS 8:00am - 8:30 // yoga: focus on strength + core with Lucy
WEDNESDAYS 8:00am - 8:30 // cardio, strength and core with Lucy
FRIDAYS 8:00am - 8:30 // yoga: focus on strength and flexibility with Lucy
Can’t Make It To Feminist Fitness, Zoom Edition?
Here’s a 30 minute exercise you can do on your own!
Do what you can and modify exercises as needed!
Stand tall with your feet hip distance apart. Clap your hands in front of your body, swing them back and clap them behind your body. Clap in front and behind 10 times.
10 Squats
10 Jumping Jacks
10 Reverse Lunges
10 Jumping Jacks
- repeat this section 3 times
(here’s a little video on how to do squats and reverse lunges properly without hurting your knees, and one on jumping jacks too)
Stand tall, reach to the sky, forward fold, walk your hands out to a plank position
Plank position for 10 seconds
Side Plank, hold for 10 seconds
Plank position for 10 seconds
Side Plank on the other side, hold for 10 seconds
Plank position for another 10 seconds
Child’s Pose for 2 deep breaths
10 Push Ups
Child’s Pose for 2 deep breaths
Downward Dog for 2 deep breaths, walk your hands back to your feet, forward fold, roll up to standing
- Repeat this section 3 times
Lay on your back and stretch long
20 Dead Bugs (video)
20 Bicycles (video)
- Repeat this section 3 times
Figure 4 Stretch (instructions)
Simple Twist (instructions)
Seated Forward Fold
Cat/Cow (instructions)
Downward Facing Dog (instructions)
Walk hands back to feet, standing Forward Fold, roll up to standing
Repeat the first exercise, clapping your hands in front and back 10 times.
You did it! Good job!
the history of Feminist Fitness (written on 5/24/2020) ....
Feminist Fitness was inspired by watching The Punk Singer in 2013 and getting so excited about the feelings that riot grrrl music had once inspired in me and feeling like those feelings of rage never left ... what could I do? Push ups!! I mentioned the idea to a few friends at a dinner party where we were listening to Charlotte's Bikini Kill record and they said DO IT! Carolyn gave me a space to check out to hold it in and my friend Becca helped me come up with “moves” for the first class! I didn't know what I was doing, and ladies I didn't even know showed up! People actually showed up! And it was so fun!
Originally I asked for a donation - all profits would go to Planned Parenthood - there ended up not being any profit, more of a loss after renting the space. I didn't want there to be anything that would discourage people to come so I decided to do it somewhere free - the park. Turns out, it's hard to work out in the park in the winter in Portland (Natalie once did show up when it was 20 degrees saying that we’d warm up once we got moving) ... we eventually stopped meeting in the winter. When not exercising regularly, I became depressed. It's easy to let the darkness seep in and feel down on yourself and your body - I realized how important exercise was for my mental health. I went through menopause when I was 22 (the year after my brother committed suicide) and then found out I have osteopenia a few years ago - sometimes I feel like, whats going to be next? I can't change the past, but I can at least try to make myself stronger now - physically and mentally. And I can try to help others do the same.
Feminist Fitness turned into spring/summer workouts in the park with jump ropes and a jambox playing Missy Elliot. One day, all of a sudden, every girl in the park saw the double dutch ropes going and lined up! We listened to lady lead music to inspire us. Friends and friends of friends came. Sometimes there were 13 of us, sometimes there were 3. It was always fun. I always felt inspired. It always made me happy.
Feminism isn't about exclusion. I used to write “all women are welcome to join” but finally realized that statement was not inclusive, now all feminists, women, men, nonbinary, … all are welcome to join!
Now we are in quarantine because of a global pandemic. The first week, a friend texted and asked if I was going to start doing zoom femfit. And now I'm doing it 5 days a week! Carolyn, one of the original supporters, leads yoga on 2 days! It is often the best part of my day. I am so grateful for all of the people who show up! I still don't know what I'm doing, but I do know that its fun and we sweat and sometimes we are sore after. The best thing is seeing each other and supporting each other - even if its though a screen.
What's feminist about it? It's not being ashamed to use the F word. It's about supporting women and all oppressed and marginalized people. It's about wanting us all to get strong in our bodies and hoping that will lead to better mental health and that will lead to people being inspired to vote and protest and change the world in a positive way. One push up at a time.
Feminist punk rock dreams can come true.
