'Conscious Fitness' lays the groundwork for health and fitness

Catt Tripoli is clear on this point: good health is about striking a balance between body, mind and spirit. When we are in a state of good health, our well-being is palpable to others, said the owner of Powerhouse Gym in Santa Rosa.

This presents a paradox for the former professional world champion bodybuilder, since building muscle is generally viewed as a physical endeavor. But Tripoli's approach is more than doing sets and reps at the gym, and works as well for average athletes as it does for competitive bodybuilders.

“Fitness is a dance between body, mind and spirit. It's about everything working together as a whole,” she said.

To emphasize that point, Tripoli has written a book called “Conscious Fitness: Strength Training for the Evolution of Body, Mind and Spirit” (Bull Terrior Publishing, $17.95, released in July.)

The real gym is within, and the connection between body, mind and spirit is all about awareness, she believes. The mind and the body are meant to work together toward the goal of maximum fitness.

Her approach involves quieting your mind during workouts, which means avoiding distractions like music and TV, so you can tune in to each muscle as you work it. When you are distracted, you are on autopilot and the results won't be as great as when you're focused. Over the decades, she says, she has gotten so good at listening that she can hear the muscle hum as she works it.

Fully present

“Being fully present during a workout means you're having conversations with disparate parts of your body - the muscles, bones, heart, lungs,” Tripoli said. “When I applied this focused concentration to weightlifting, it began to transform (my body) in pretty magical ways.” It also allowed her to lift more weight.

There was no defining moment when Tripoli made the holistic connection, just a growing sense of awareness as she lifted that fitness has a spiritual dimension that can boost the physical payoff. Being conscious during a workout creates balance, coordination and strength that comes from within, but also allows our minds and spirits to thrive, she writes.

Tripoli entered the health and fitness scene by chance in her early 20s. She was working in the front office of a countertop manufacturing store when the owner, an avid runner named Dave Weeks, encouraged her to join him. The idea of doing something athletic was intimidating at the time, but she had been longing to live a more active lifestyle and wasn't sure where to begin.

Tripoli tried running, but admits she wasn't good at it and had stopped when Weeks suggested she try lifting weights. He had built a workout area in a back corner of his store. Although reluctant to join in with “the guys,” she gave it a try one day and loved the way it felt.

“It gave me a stronger sense of self,” Tripoli said. She began tentatively, but over time began lifting every day. In 1983, she entered a competition in Santa Cruz and continued to compete. In 1986, she won the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Ms. Universe World Competition in Singapore, and in 1988, she won Ms. International, now known as the Arnold Classic, a world professional competition.

Only tested women

When the IFBB first mandated drug testing for female bodybuilders, Tripoli planned to stage a protest.

“It was controversial,” she said. “What sport only tests women? Why not test the men, too?” Though she cooperated and passed the testing, the unprofessional manner in which it was handled didn't make sense to her.

The testing took place in a bathroom stall at San Francisco International Airport; the woman sent to test her was a real estate agent (not a nurse), and her sample was tested in a bar.

Tripoli questioned the practice and decided to walk away from competition.

“On stage, it's a dog and pony show. There's no measure to qualify it as a sport,” she explained. “The sport is in the gym.”

Now 58, Tripoli follows nearly the same weightlifting routine she developed during her competitive bodybuilding days.

“I try to lift every day and get a good cardio workout (in the process),” she said. Her lifting routine takes about an hour and 15 minutes, often done around 5 p.m.

“I love a noisy, crowded gym filled with people I know and love,” she writes, and she feeds on their energy. “There's a little of the peacock in me.”

Tripoli also takes a yoga class once or twice a week, and plays golf on the weekends. Staying fit and healthy is her lifestyle.

“I eat well and take lots of vitamins and nootropics (a cognitive supplement), but mostly I keep the discipline of lifting weights,” she said.

Revolutionize fitness

Tripoli admits bodybuilding sometimes interferes with her mission to revolutionize the concept of fitness.

“Some people find bodybuilding off-putting, but there's a distinction between bodybuilding in general and competitive bodybuilding,” she said. “If you're working out to strengthen your muscles and re-shape your muscles, you are bodybuilding.”

After more than 35 years in the industry, she is living proof that strength training is a key to aging well, with a better body as the byproduct.

Science is now proving that strength training simultaneously combats Sarcopenia (loss of muscle as a result of natural of aging) and loss of bone density; it also helps improve body mechanics, relieves symptoms of arthritis, alleviates depression and improves your overall sense of well-being, she said. What's more, it increases your metabolism and makes you stronger.

Tripoli's approach also includes creating a deeper connection with food.

“It's not only about protein, carbs and getting enough Vitamin C. That's science,” she said. “It's looking at your plate and realizing the labor it took by a farmer, the animal that provided protein to make you stronger and the elements of the earth, water, air and sun.”

When you eat mindfully, Tripoli said, you tend not to overeat. The goal is to feed the body and give it what it needs for best functioning. And while Tripoli advocates eating whole natural foods, the goal is not to live an austere lifestyle.

“I eat cake,” she admitted, pausing to laugh. “But not the whole cake.”

A hands-on proprietor at Powerhouse Gym, Tripoli also works as a personal trainer and can often be seen working out alongside her clients. Members at the gym range in age, with a significant number in their 60s who have been working out for 20 or more years.

Those who follow her methods say they can't believe the changes.

“There are a lot of benefits from her approach,” said 66-year-old Albert Davies, a member who has been training with Tripoli for about five years. “As you get older, the loss of muscle mass is a significant issue. Working out with Catt is an eye opener. Every day tasks are easier.

“I installed a light fixture and had my arms over my head for 20 minutes and didn't need to put them down to rest. My reflexes are better. If I drop my toothbrush, I'm catching it without thinking.”

One of a kind

Added Valerie Coe, who also trains with Tripoli at the gym, “Catt is one of a kind, and her approach is original and effective. I had both hips replaced at age 42 and have scoliosis due to being born with Ichthyosis (a skin disorder).

“Catt has shown me that I am not as limited by my body as I am by my mind. Nothing is more exciting than seeing myself accomplish exercises I thought were impossible.”

At Powerhouse, Tripoli continues to advocate conscious awareness, though several TVs are mounted near the treadmills, and you're likely to encounter some members weightlifting with earplugs. “TVs are expected in gyms, and I never jump on anyone for earbuds, but sometimes I remind them it's not a good idea,” she said, pausing to smile.

What's her best advice for someone wanting to lead a healthier lifestyle?

Move every day and move weights twice a week, she said. And tune in when you do it.

“Look at what your perfect world would be in terms of health, and ask yourself this. Are you headed in that direction?

“When you pay attention to what makes you feel good and feed your body well, you're tuning up your spirit as well.”