Dani Almeyda and Tim Anderson: Original Strength, mission, and synergy
How can movement professionals inspire hope, encourage personal growth, and create spaces that foster inclusivity and collaboration?
‘Peanut butter and chocolate’ perfectly describes Dani Almeyda and Tim Anderson’s working relationship, and why they’ve successfully built a business together. They discuss Original Strength, what it takes to work with someone for 10 years, and why they remain passionate about their work. Dani unpacks her work with the Women’s Movement Collaborative, and Tim shares his process and influences. They explain their beginnings as OS, how they’ve grown, and what motivates each of them personally.
“If you walk into our studio on the wall, it says: ‘I am awesomely and wonderfully made.’ That’s the message we want people to get when they come in to learn about themselves.” ~ Tim Anderson (22:23)
Tim Anderson is an experienced fitness professional, writer, speaker, and former fire fighter. He has over 20 years of experience as a personal trainer, and is the co-creator of the Original Strength System and Original Strength Institute. In addition to fitness, he has authored and co-authored over 5 books. Tim’s methodology is centered on one key principle; we are meant to feel good and be strong throughout our lives.
“Our whole goal has always just been to get people to move— to move and to get back to the very basics and the foundations. And the heart of that has always been that we wanted people to feel the hope that movement can bring into life, and to understand that moving heals the body.” ~ Dani Almeyda (23:18)
Danielle Almeyda is a fitness professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. She is a the co-creator of the Original Strength System as well as the Original Strength Institute, and the founder of the Women’s Movement Collaborative. Dani’s passion lies in helping people reclaim their movement and their hope.
The conversation explores the transformative power of movement, highlighting its potential to heal the body and inspire hope. It delves into the foundational principles of the Original Strength system, emphasizing simplicity and accessibility in helping individuals reclaim their innate ability to move well. The speakers discuss their mission to create safe, inclusive spaces where movement becomes a tool for empowerment and personal growth, transcending the traditional fitness lens. They describe their unique partnership, which blends complementary strengths to innovate within the movement education field.
A significant part of the discussion focuses on building connections and fostering collaboration. The speakers share insights from their experiences with the Women’s Movement Collaborative, an initiative designed to create a supportive environment for women to explore movement and build confidence. They reflect on the challenges of maintaining authenticity while scaling their efforts and the importance of being relatable to foster meaningful connections with clients and collaborators. Their shared belief in the power of movement to positively impact lives resonates throughout the dialogue.
Takeaways
Creating safe spaces — The importance of designing environments where individuals feel valued and supported in their movement journey.
Movement as a way of life — Movement is presented not just as an exercise regimen but as an integral part of living with vitality.
Collaboration and synergy — The dynamic partnership described showcases the value of blending strengths to create impactful programs.
Empathy in coaching — Coaches must cultivate compassion and relatability to connect deeply with their clients.
Simplifying movement — Returning to foundational, simple movements can be transformative for physical and emotional well-being.
Women’s Movement Collaborative — The impact of creating women-only spaces to foster confidence, vulnerability, and exploration in movement.
Balancing personal growth and business — Insights into navigating personal and professional development within the movement industry.
Resources
Original Strength System — Dani’s and Tim’s movement system designed to help individuals reclaim their innate ability to move well and feel strong.
Tim’s books — Becoming Bulletproof, Original Strength, Press Reset, and more.
Women’s Movement Collaborative — An initiative fostering confidence and exploration in movement for women.
Dan John’s Books and Work — A fitness expert whose kindness and mentorship influenced the speakers.
John Brookfield — Creator of battling ropes.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
— Hello👋 I’m Craig Constantine.
In the Movers Mindset podcast, I talk with movement enthusiasts to learn who they are, what they do, and why they do it. I’m interested in the nature and philosophy of movement and in exploring themes like independence, self-direction, and human excellence. My interests color each conversation and provide some structure to Movers Mindset. But since I like to take the scenic route, every conversation ends up going somewhere unique.
The purpose of Movers Mindset is to create and share great conversations with movement enthusiasts. Each conversation feeds my insatiable curiosity, but I share them to turn on a light for someone else, to inspire them, or to give them their next question.
I appreciate your time and attention, and I don’t take it for granted.
— Thank you!
My personal mission is creating better conversations to spread understanding and compassion. And Movers Mindset is one of the things I do in service of my mission. Drop by https://craigconstantine.com/ for my weekly email, my other podcasts, writing and more.
The Movers Mindset project grew from conversations I started having as part of my personal journey rediscovering movement. The project started late in 2015, and it was initially simply a web site that shared others’ writing. The project grew, and in 2017 I started the podcast. I’ve worked extremely hard, but none of this would have been possible without so much help from so many people.
Thanks for listening!
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