"So you're like a gym...to work out in?"

...well, no. We're a membership based workshop for artists and craftspeople to come build stuff...but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be working out on your own time! As artists, we often beat the living hell out of our bodies on a daily basis...whether it be lifting things that are too heavy to lift alone, overworking our joints doing repetitive motions, or just breathing in shit that's terrible for us. On top of that, we're up too late in the studio, eating crap that's bad for us, and waking up too early to go work a "real job", using coffee as our survival fuel...(I know this is a sweeping generalization but I am using my own household as a point of reference so at least in our case this tends to be the norm.) I hadn't thought much about the art/working out connection until I was in art school when someone had said to me that sculptors should stop at least once an hour to stretch their hands and wrists...this could apply to clay modelers, someone using a grinder, someone who's been running wood through a table saw all day, etc... because our hands, our bodies, these are our tools...the drills and saws and welders, those are just tools for our tools to use to make stuff. So first and foremost, one has to take care of the tools they were born with, so they can continue to use the other kinds of tools for a long long time. And besides, working out increases your strength, keeps your weight down, your energy level up, and protects against health conditions and diseases. Don't know where to start? The minimum amount of recommended physical activity is "2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (ie brisk walking) every week and muscle strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms)." Most importantly is to choose something that you'll actually do often enough for it to make a difference. I used to be into mixed martial arts, then power lifting (yup, that's me in the photos), then just working out in a gym...then nothing for a really long time...and now I'm back to working out by taking 4-5 classes a week at Lithe Method (anyone who knows me well will laugh that I somehow managed to talk about Lithe Method on a sculpture blog...let's just say I am a big fan...) Whatever it is that you decide is your workout of choice, the important thing is that you are doing something to keep yourself healthy and strong and to help protect against possible injuries.