- Words by Angela Cowan Photography by Lia Crowe
Cardio, stretching, nutrition鈥攊t鈥檚 all important, but if there鈥檚 one thing that is truly vital to maintaining your health as you age, it鈥檚 strength training, says Alanna Driscoll, owner of 琉璃神社鈥檚 Evolved Strength training studio.
鈥淪trength is your foundation. It鈥檚 what keeps you together. If you get ill, it鈥檚 your fuel for your body to get better,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just such an important foundation for everyone. Some of our clients say their life has become easier or more manageable. They鈥檙e able to pick up their grandkids without thinking about it, or load their own luggage into the overhead bin. And I have a few clients who are going through cancer treatments, and they credit their strength training with keeping them going.鈥�
Evolved Strength uses medical-grade equipment paired with a highly efficient, professionally led 15-minute workout once or twice a week, and a top priority that focusses on health and strength. For Alanna, who worked in commercial gyms as a young adult, it was a refreshing change.
鈥淚 learned a lot in that time, but it was also very hard on me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 felt a lot of pressure in those negative environments and I really saw how unhealthy the health industry can be.鈥�
As she pivoted to strength training, she says, 鈥渉aving a stronger body and stronger bones was the mindset change I needed to make myself healthier, and get to a place where I could love myself and overcome an eating disorder that I鈥檇 struggled with for a long time,鈥� she says.
Moving to 琉璃神社 in 2021 turned out to be another positive change in her life.
鈥淚 wanted to be in a smaller community. Calgary was feeling too big for me,鈥� she says. 鈥溋鹆裆� is the perfect size鈥攊t has the convenience of city life with a small-town feel. I love the lake and mountains. It鈥檚 a wonderful and welcoming community in many ways, and I鈥檓 grateful for the opportunity to be here.鈥�
The 7 Sins
Envy:
Whose shoes would you like to walk in?
I tend to idolize people who have lived through extraordinarily difficult circumstances and come out the other side dripping with resiliency and bravery鈥攕o it鈥檚 hard to say if I鈥檇 survive a walk in their shoes! I adore Hedy Lamarr, though. Not only was she a ravishing Hollywood femme fatale, but she was also a successful inventor. One of her most noted inventions was during the Second World War, where she worked on frequency hopping. If you don鈥檛 know what that is, just know that it鈥檚 the technology that WiFi comes from. All hail Hedy! What a bombshell鈥攂rilliant, beautiful and bold.
Gluttony:
What is the food you could eat over and over again?
Definitely Middle Eastern food. I fell in love with the cuisine while travelling through Israel a few years ago. Everything was so fresh and intensely flavourful, but also felt very healthy and nourishing. I鈥檝e become a bit of a self-proclaimed expert in Israeli culinary arts and can whip up a pretty tasty shakshuka or hummus.
Greed:
You鈥檙e given $1 million that you have to spend
selfishly. What would you spend it on?
First, I鈥檇 take a long overdue vacation to somewhere with guaranteed culture shock. I鈥檇 also invest in some health-nerdy biohacking equipment (red-light therapy, cryotherapy, compression therapy, the list goes on鈥�). I鈥檓 fascinated by the technology that has become available and how efficiently it can change our health. If I have any pennies to spare, they would go towards a ridiculously fancy espresso machine.
Wrath:
Pet peeves?
It pains me to see anything get wasted. I grew up with parents who recycled and composted long before it was cool or convenient. I refuse to put anything recyclable in the garbage and will haul it around all day to take home and rinse out. I can be a bit of a nightmare when it comes to the environment; don鈥檛 even think about idling your vehicle in front of me.
Sloth:
Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?
The beach. I will happily spend an entire day lounging around a body of water as long as I have a good book in hand. I have a 鈥渟ecret鈥� spot on the west side that I like to head out to on hot summer days when I need some hermit time. Just me, my book, and the odd snake or deer.
Pride:
What is the one thing you鈥檙e secretly proud of?
I can tell you right now that I hate this question, which probably means it鈥檚 an important answer for me to have. I鈥檓 proud of my willingness to be uncomfortable if it means there鈥檚 an opportunity to grow. I鈥檓 not one to shy away from hard conversations or conflict.
Lust:
What makes your heart beat faster?
Depending on my level of anxiety, everything! Something that makes my heart absolutely full is hearing from a client how much their life has changed with the addition of strength training. Empowering people to feel confident in their body and gain back a level of independence is huge for me.
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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