Five Stretches to go from Ouch! to Ahhh...
It's mid September.
For many wine professionals in wine growing regions, that means days and weeks of pre-dawn alarm clocks, roadside breakfast sandwiches, endless cups of heart-starter coffee and picking grapes.
Moments that define the annual grape harvest.
It's a physical endeavor to get fruit harvested, ferments started, and the body can take a beating. So we checked in with six North Bay winemakers and ABG community members to see what makes their end-of-day a little more ahhh and a little less OUCH!
Good footwear is key, and it's a little-known fact that nearly 70% of the winemakers we spoke with are fans of a small Australian boots company — Blundstone work boots — founded in 1870 and still producing their oil and water resistant footwear from Tasmania.
If you're curious how winemakers stretch it out at the end of the day (and their favorite footwear choices) here's a glimpse:
Terah Bajjalieh, owner and winemaker for Terah Wine Co, sheds her Blundstone boots after a long day and swears by a standing figure-four pose to stretch the IT band and glutes.
At Tessier Winery, winemaker Kristie Tracey swears by a simple legs up the wall pose or a spinal twist. To start the day, it's a headstand to get the blood pumping for the day ahead. All part of Kirstie’s morning routine, before putting on her Blundstone work boots.
Further north in Napa Valley, T. Berkley Wines winemaker Taylor Berkley Boydstun kicks off his Blundstone boots and either takes to his foam roller to roll out the kinks, or hops into the hot tub located on the Estate for a soak to soothe his sore muscles.
Rocking his Redwing Weekender Chelsea boots, Jon Priest, Senior Winemaker and GM at Etude Wines in Carneros, loves to stretch his back over a foam roller to ease out of the day's work.
Also a Blundstone boot disciple, Trois Noix Director of Winemaking Mike Tracy prefers a daily routine of CrossFit to help calm and secure a good night's rest. Starting with a warmup and stretch, he enjoys a combination of Olympic lifting, cardio, and metabolic conditioning as a great way to release pent-up energy from harvest and secure a good night's rest.
In contrast, loafer-lover Massican winemaker Dan Petroski prefers a Kenneth Cole leather loafer with a rubber sole for winery work. His favorite stretch? "The car ride home with a good podcast."
Many of our community are also doing their own marathon days at the desk - meetings, zoom calls, and desk-bound duties - so resident ABG yoga and meditation teacher Tamara Stanfill offers up five stretches / yoga poses to help wind down after a busy day.
All in under five minutes, and you don't need to be working harvest to benefit from this simple sequence!
1. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
A classic pose, a simple forward fold helps to slow your heart rate and calm the mind. Let the head hang heavy over the legs and keep knees soft with a micro bend (especially if hamstrings are tight). You can clasp opposite elbows and gently swing from side to side. Even more adventurous? Take this into a wide legged forward fold for a little lower back relief.
2. Table Pose on Hands and Knees (Bharmanasana)
After standing all day, it can be a relief to descend to your hands and knees and bring movement back into your hips, arms and wrists. On hands and knees, centering your wrists under shoulders, and knees under hips, start to gently move hips in a clockwise direction in large circles exploring full rotation of movement through hips and shoulders. After a few rotations reverse the circle counterclockwise, ensuring an even number of rotations in each direction.
3. Child's Pose (Balasana)
Moving from table pose, shift the hips back onto the heels, either with heels together or apart (depending on how tight your hips are!). Allow the weight of the body to rest on knees and shins and bring the hands down towards the feet. Arms can rest alongside the body. If your back and hamstrings are SUPER tight, you can rest your head on a pillow, block or bolster, or try any of these variations here.
4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
All that bending, slouching and crouching? This front body stretch is the perfect antidote to help open the chest. Lying on your back, bend your knees and ground into the soles of your feet. Extend arms alongside your body and keeping feet and knees hip-distance apart, gently lift the hips up towards the sky, pressing through the heels and lifting with quads and glutes. Stretch! Hold the pose for a few rounds of breath, then engage your quads to gently lower and roll down on to the ground. If you need something more supportive, slip a block or bolster under your sacrum to help stabilize your back.
5. Crocodile Pose (Makarasana)
Almost like sleeping, but not quite, this is a great restorative pose to help settle a busy mind. Lying on your stomach, extend your legs all the way down the mat and have your feet at least hip-width apart. Stack your forearms on top of each other (like “I dream of genie-style”) and place your forehead on the forearms. Take deep belly breaths to help relax the body and prepare for rest.
There you have it! A quick "boots-on-the-ground" update and wishing all our community members around the world a safe, prosperous and healthy harvest. We are cheering for you.
Thanks for being here,
Beck
(Disclaimer: For those with pre-existing medical conditions please consult your medical professional before attempting any physical activities.)
Meet the Community:
Here we share the stories of the folks who make our community so dynamic.
Sarah Pierre, Owner, 3 Parks Wine Shop, (Atlanta GA, USA)
Years in Industry:
I have been in the food and wine industry for 23 years. I started working in a restaurant in high school on the weekends and continued to do the same while I was in college. I have always had an obsession with food, but what I realized early on while working in restaurants, was that I also had the gift of gab. I was able to talk to any and everyone, and I really enjoyed it. I loved sharing stories with guests, meeting new people, and learning about food. Promptly after graduating from Georgia State University, I did what many college grads do - I backpacked across Europe. I was fortunate enough to do this because I worked in restaurants. My last semester in college was an unpaid internship, with a class that only met once a week. This allowed me to work a few doubles a week in one of Atlanta’s hottest restaurants at the time. I saved every penny I made in order to cover the cost of the trip, my one bedroom apartment, and 4 month’s worth of bills. Navigating that continent with a Rick Steves book on Europe and a few mapquest printouts, I was convinced that the only way to true happiness was to experience the world.
Fast forward through many more trips to Europe, a move to NYC, and a brief stint at one of Danny Meyer’s restaurants, I ended up back in Atlanta managing a fine dining restaurant that left me with the confidence I needed to know I could do anything I wanted to do in the hospitality industry. 3 Parks Wine Shop was established in 2013 and the rest was history.
My Top Three Challenges to Wellness:
My number one challenge is time management. I am the QUEEN of overcommitment. While I wish the underlying cause of this challenge was the inability to say no, sadly that’s not the case. I say no to many opportunities and events, but still find myself with more committed hours than in the days of the week. I have yet to master blocking off the appropriate amount of time on the calendar needed to work and rest. Overcommitting means overworking. There is nothing glamorous about overworking, even if it’s three wine dinners in one week, it’s still work.
Three wine dinners in one week, one or two social engagements with friends, and an evening at home with a nice bottle of wine all sounds like a booze filled week. That’s because it is. Drinking wine as frequently as we do is an occupational hazard. It’s one that has to be personally monitored and controlled. Professionals in the alcohol industry have to be very cognizant of their consumption, myself included. Our work hard/play hard behavior can be a bit frightening at times. It is common practice for a sommelier to have gone to a dinner party of 6 the night before and post a photo of the 14 bottles of aged barolo and grand cru burgundy consumed as if that’s something to brag about. It’s dangerous and it’s toxic, but it consistently gets applauded. I’m definitely guilty of this. Can you imagine owning a wine store?
Whew. Wine, being the “luxury” product that it is, gets a pass when it comes to overconsumption. And don’t get me started on natural wine (which is what I primarily sell)…because now, under the guise of “clean wine” you can drink copious amounts of zero intervention wine headache free. I don’t spend enough time with friends and loved ones. This will change soon as I’m working on prioritizing more me-time. Consistent me time.
How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:
I workout consistently to keep myself healthy and level headed. I’ve always been athletic and prioritized working out, but it wasn't until about 9 years ago that I made it a lifestyle. It’s who I am now. Love is a strong word when talking about working out, but it’s safe to say that I pretty much love it. Lol. It’s part of my almost-daily routine and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It also keeps me from staying out late or drinking more than I should. I’m an early riser, and I always start my day with a good sweat. Anything from running on the Atlanta Beltline and Peloton cycling, to strength training, HIIT, and a nice long walk listening to a podcast. To be quite honest, while I do spend much of my time focusing on my business and the community, I’ll always put self-care at the top of the list. In order to run a business, manage people, and have any sort of a social life, it’s important I put my life vest on first.
I still travel as much as possible, which brings me the same pure happiness now as it did in college. Additionally, I use my faith to keep me centered. Knowing that there is a big future ahead for me keeps me motivated and energized to maintain my wellbeing.
What Inspires Me:
Women leaders. Other entrepreneurs. Thought leaders. Community builders. People doing good to help others.
A Quote I Love:
“You can never be overdressed or overeducated” - Oscar Wilde
You can connect with Sarah on Instagram at @sarahpierre1 and @3parkswine on Facebook and online at www.3parkswine.com
