The Warm-Up Method

Every morning in theatre school began the same way: a full 20–30 minute warm-up that stirred the body awake and sharpened the mind. Floor work, mobility exercises, and mindful stretches weren’t optional - they were the foundation for practice and performance.

The goal was to prepare the body and mind for work through exercises that awaken the senses, release tension, and enhance focus. We studied the Stanislavski Method, which is primarily known as an acting technique, but the principles can be applied to physical preparation as well. At its core, the method emphasizes mind-body connection, awareness, and intentionality with movement. This individual process was mandatory for us to complete to be able to participate in class and as a result, I've carried this practice with me, often using the very same flow of movements before a workout.

The same principles that prepared me for performance on stage also translate perfectly to the gym: deliberate, mindful movement primes both body and mind for optimal performance.

The Method encourages gradual, conscious warm-ups rather than rushing into activity. Movements start slow and deliberate - joint articulations, controlled stretches, dynamic mobilization - while maintaining attention on posture, alignment, and breath. The approach ensures the muscles, joints, and nervous system are fully engaged before high-intensity work, reducing injury risk and improving coordination.

Essentially, the Stanislavski Method treats warming up as a mindful process, preparing the body not just physically, but mentally, for optimal performance. So similarly, I use this time to zone into my body, check in to where I'm at and prepare for the work of the day.

Stanislavski Inspired Warm-Up Routine

Full-Body Articulation

I start by slowly moving each joint through its full range - ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and neck. The focus is on smooth, deliberate motion, noticing any areas of stiffness or tension. Taking note of where I'm at in my body and giving me a little feedback if certain spots are feeling tender from the day before. This simple sequence awakens the joints, improves mobility, and enhances body awareness, setting the stage for the rest of the warm-up.

Spine and Core Activation

Next, I flow through some gentle cat-cow stretches, torso twists, and standing side bends. With each movement, I connect my breath to the motion, letting my spine lengthen and my core engage. I sometimes flow through a few yoga movements getting the blood flowing. This helps wake up stabilizing muscles, improves posture, and reconnects mind and body before more dynamic activity.

Mindful Muscle Warm-Up

Once my joints and core are ready, I move into slow dynamic stretches like lunges with arm reaches, high knees with torso rotation, or controlled leg swings. These movements activate the major muscle groups I’ll use in the workout while keeping the emphasis on intentionality over speed. It’s all about priming the muscles efficiently without overexerting them.

Breath and Focus Drill

After waking up the body, I take a moment to focus on breath. Standing or sitting tall, I inhale for four counts, hold for one or two, then exhale for six. Visualizing my muscles waking up and preparing for action, often doing a slight stomach vacuum or series of breath holds. This simple drill primes the nervous system, reduces tension, and centers my mind for the session ahead.

Gesture Flow (Optional Stage-Inspired Movement)

Finally, and where time allows, I like to sometimes add subtle, flowing arm or torso gestures inspired by stage movement/posing practice. These are small, deliberate motions, almost like posing choreography or play - that further engage muscles, promote fluidity, and reinforce body awareness. They add a touch of mindfulness and grace, in a space that can sometimes feel forced or unnatural.

By approaching warm-ups with intention, I prime my muscles, joints, and nervous system while also centering my mind. It’s a small sort of ritual that reduces injury risk, improves coordination, and transforms a simple routine into a mindful performance - whether on stage or in the gym.

What I'm Eating Lately

I was going to make this one of those 'what I eat in a day' style blog posts, but to be honest it's been a bit more flexible in off season and so I feel I'll give a more broad look at types and quantities of the foods I've been eating these last 3-4 months with a few basic examples.

One thing I've learned with eating in this body-building way is that it is calculated and consistent. So I tend to alternate between a handful of go to meals where the macros can be tweaked easily and don't rely on a lot of additional sauces/oils etc. Always calculating my protein intake is a must and as you might guess, as a vegan athlete my flavour profile is admittedly fairly basic.

Right now I'm working with a new coach with 180C/82F/132P on my high days and 125C/70F/118P on my low days. And it is a lovely satiating spot to be hovering with calories sitting at about 1900/1500 respectively. I do tend to go over on protein by a few grams since my go-to protein powder is 30g per serving (Vega Sport Peanut Butter Flavour). I use tofu or tempeh as my other main protein sources for dinner and lunch. So you might just say my main source of proteins are really just different forms of peas and beans.

I'll say this about tofu - there are different firmness selections for different meals and if you don't like the texture there's a variety of ways to alter or cook it to suit your needs. However I am the most plain-jane style tofu eater you will find and so I'm likely not going to appeal to those who are looking for a delicious tofu recipe to wow their meat-eating friends. This is not the place I'm afraid. I'm the girl who will cook a whole block of tofu with sesame oil and tell you straight to your face it's the best thing ever. And that's exactly what I'm about to do.

My go to meal lately is sesame tofu with quinoa or rice and 1-2 cups of mixed vegetables. It's a lot like your typical buddha bowl you might have at the local indie cafe. I make a light dressing out of Frank's Buffalo Hot Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and Peanut Butter (roughly 20cals per serving, I water it down a bit for an even spread among veggies and so the tofu kinda absorbs it).

To prep the tofu I slice them up into chunks and line them up on parchment paper. I lightly brush sesame oil over each one. I'll cook two packages at a time in the oven at 375 degrees for ~30 minutes. I like them crispy/dry but you can store them in the fridge for multiple meals throughout the week. You can do the same method with firm/extra firm tofu but I wouldn't recommend cooking soft tofu in this way.

I'm lazy when it comes to meal prep so I keep a few bags of pre-cut veggies in my freezer and toss them in when either the rice/quinoa is nearly done cooking. I do meal prep on one or two days per week at the moment and divvy up my portions day to day.

Protein:

• Medium-Firm Tofu

• Tempeh

• Plant-Based Protein Powder

• Homemade Seitan

Carbs:

• Quinoa

• Jasmine Rice

• Oats

• Sweet Potatoes

Fats:

• Sesame Oil

• Peanut Butter

• Olive Oil

• Avocado

• Almonds

Snacks/Other:

• Coconut Yogurt

• Chickpeas

• Strawberries

• Bananas

• Apples

• Rice Cakes

• Cucumbers

• Carrots

• Pickles

• Edamame

• Lentils

Unlimited amounts of fresh lettuces, herbs, kale, endive, broccoli, bok choy, zucchini etc. Which do a lot more than just fill a plate. They deliver a steady stream of micronutrients, antioxidants, and fiber that support recovery, gut health, and hormone balance. Their phytochemicals and chlorophyll help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress from training, while minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium aid muscle function and hydration.

Sporadic/Minimal use of: sesame seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, mustard, hot sauce etc. Seeds bring a compact mix of healthy fats, minerals, and plant-based protein that support hormone balance, recovery, and immune health. Nutritional yeast adds natural B-vitamins and umami flavour, helping bridge common vegan gaps. And light use of mustard or hot sauce can enhance flavour and digestion without excess calories or sugar.

Since my first prep I'm hyper aware of the additional sweets/sauces and oils in store bought foods and while I absolutely have cheat meals and evening's out where I'm not on plan, I don't generally struggle with binging too much besides over eating on my peanut butter protein mesh. Somehow I have rewired my brain to believe protein powder is a comfort food so I'm essentially working with it while in this growth phase.

Growth Season Thoughts

This is essentially the first real 'growth season' I've had. And I say that not because I'm not proud of how far I've come in the past, but this is my first real period where my focus has been solely on growing instead of last time where I chose a show with a date and decided to do that show as a goal regardless as a starting point or the amount of recomposition required.

Looking back there were many mistakes I made last year that I have already corrected in my growth and in my practice moving forward and I'm really most proud of those corrections I've made to my 'package' in the offstage game.

Just starting this lifestyle has required some re-training and re-learning of habits and daily life that I never expected in the beginning. Which makes sense, because I can't expect different outcomes from the same or similar patterns. Exceptional goals require exceptional habits and for me the process wasn't like a light-switch, on or off, there was a sort of ebb and flow and consistency increase that had to happen for certain things to stick. A frequency I needed to tune into and literally create for myself.

Tuning into my own strength frequency looks like: showing up with intensity and dedication. Becoming more coachable and responding to feedback. Listening to my body honestly and intently and holding myself accountable. Turning goals into action items. Improving my adherence to the plan. Gathering data to drive my next steps and, in all sense of the word following through with the motion. Maintaining the momentum.

The show I did in May was a goal that I can say I checked off the list, but now I don't just want to show up I want to create and curate a package I can be proud of.

I jumped into things likely far too quickly - my eager little ego wanted the shiny, sparkly suit and the heels and the stage all at once. In hindsight I would have done things differently. I would have taken more time to learn the sport, the criteria, the build etc. I would have hit smaller goals first. But my eyes like the big prize.

So now is a good time to harness that energy and put it to work.

Maintaining momentum.