Modern fitness culture starts with the underlying assumption that there is something wrong with who you are and that the remedy is to pursue an idealized body. In this pursuit, the fitness industry often relies on U.S. military-inspired disassociation to create a culture of extreme discipline, self-criticism, and relentless physical transformation.

In modern fitness culture, good posture is often accepted as an unquestionable ideal, taught from childhood as a sign of physical health and discipline. However, this obsession with posture has troubling roots in the history of eugenics, colonialism, and ableism.

At All Out Effort, we believe in a play-based approach to movement, where fun and self-determination are essential to consistency—and consistency drives progress. This short documentary follows two clients who wanted to combine this philosophy with their love of pro wrestling.

On August 22, 2024, the FDA approved the updated COVID-19 vaccines.

We did such a good job fostering empowerment and community that trainers and clients began competing together in kickboxing.

Trainer Michelle in a muay Thai bout.

Trauma is a complex experience that leaves lasting imprints on both the mind and body, affecting how we move, think, and engage with the world. It's not just a psychological phenomenon; it's deeply embodied. When we experience trauma, our bodies store the emotional and physical impact in our tissues, muscles, and nervous system. Trauma is more than an event; it's an ongoing process that can trap our bodies in states of hyperarousal or shutdown. This can lead to chronic pain, stored tension, emotional numbness, and dysregulation. These effects disrupt our ability to move freely, think clearly, and feel safe, hindering our capacity to learn, grow, and connect with others.

In the All Out Effort community, we strive to connect deeply with our bodies, environments, and each other. This journey often reveals how societal conditioning shapes our movements, behaviors, and interactions. One of the most pervasive influences is body shame—a powerful force that restricts our physical expressions while overriding our executive functions with survival mechanisms, such as the fight-flight-freeze-fawn response. To foster ease and fluidity in movement, we must unlearn shame.