Find Your FORM
April 8th, 2025
Writer: Talya Appelbaum
Editor: Natalia Pinto
If you know me, you know I used to be a competitive swimmer. Whether it was going to practices six times each week or competing on the weekends, most of my time was spent at these rigorous 2-hour workouts. Each night, I’d come home, exhausted and burnt out after swimming upwards of 7000 yards (4 miles) in just two hours.
Ironically, swimming was my escape. I left every practice in a better mood, even if I dreaded going beforehand. I loved competing. I loved hugging my teammates after winning a relay or finishing a challenging set. I loved being in the water. And I loved the friendships I made along the way.
Coming to college, I had no idea what fitness looked like outside of swimming. I had never been to Pilates or figured out how to strength train. I had always been fixated on the idea that fitness had to incorporate swimming. Freshman year, in turn, was a whirlwind of discovering the 10,000 steps phenomenon, pilates, and low-impact workouts. Yet, it never felt like I truly found a balance.
12-3-30 quickly grew boring, and running was just painful; I realized I needed to look elsewhere. I began seeing advertisements for Sami Clarke’s FORM app, which is a strength x pilates styled fitness app. The app has workouts ranging from 5 - 45 minutes, incorporating weights, pilates, and even nutrition plans. They have muscle group-focused workouts that can be completed anywhere, even if you don’t have the equipment.
Trust me, this isn’t an Ad, but I genuinely feel like a new person just weeks after starting FORM. I would’ve never thought that 30 minutes of exercise would be sufficient. Yet, I learned that short bursts of energy in 30-minute exercise sessions drive heart and lung capabilities beyond normal capacities, burning extra calories and even increasing your metabolic rate (Beer, 2023). Like I did while swimming, I now have a workout lined up for me each day, a video that I can easily follow.
I have always aspired to be like my Grandma Brenda, who regularly swims laps and plays tennis at 84 years old. As we age, our bone density decreases, so we need to maintain muscle to support our bones. If we don’t maintain our muscles, then we are likely to lose balance and have a dangerous fall. Strength training is particularly effective in counteracting these risks, as it not only preserves muscle but also reduces water retention and inflammation, making it one of the fastest ways to promote stability within the body (Oostland, 2024).
I have slowly relinquished my fixation on intense 2-hour workouts, and now thrive without even entering a pool. As an athlete, it can be so hard to let go of your sport and feel the same fulfillment from other workout methods, but, in reality, every workout is different and will benefit you differently. It truly is all about balance and what works best for you, but the only way you can find your happy medium is by trying.
References:
Beer, Joshua. “Short Bursts of Activity Can Have Huge Health Benefits.” University Hospitals, University Hospitals, 14 Apr. 2023, www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2023/04/short-bursts-of-activity-can-have-huge-health-benefits.
Oostland, Desireé. “All the Benefits of Strength Training for Women.” Vogue, 6 Nov. 2024, www.vogue.com/article/all-the-benefits-of-strength-training-for-women.
