Letter from the Director

LIFE IS FULL OF LITTLE RHYTHMS.

Like many, I find comfort in little, familiar rhythms: routine tasks throughout the day, catchy melodies to sing along with in the car, daily workouts, etc. We each have something that keeps us on track and on our daily beat.

For me, it’s in an amazing workout playlist where I find my rhythm (I highly recommend Spotify’s Workout Hits playlist — you’ll be motivated for the rest of the day). To those who are capable of getting through a workout without music, I admire you. I wish I could — but I need, not only the beat of the music, but the motivational lyrics and rhythm to push me through to the end of my set.

From the many runners and bikers that utilize Austin’s trails on a daily basis, to the local artists that fill our city with live music everyday (right now — virtually), Austin is a city made up of little rhythms.

For this month’s cover story, I journeyed downtown to visit a place that best represents Austin’s fitness + music community: The Clubhouse on 6th. In the story, one of the Clubhouse Crew members describes it as “a microcosm of Austin” and I couldn’t have explained it better myself. With vinyls that line the walls, a music studio, a hangout area for runners, and even a kegerator — it’s truly a piece of the city, packed into one small, green house on West Sixth St.

Our content this month is a great example of how our beloved music, health and fitness communities are seamlessly intertwined. In this issue, Indian dancer Anuradha Naimpally explains how she tells a story through dance; a few Austinites share their deep involvement in both the fitness industry and music community; Recovery Unplugged, an ATX rehab facility, shares how many have found healing through the power of music — and our stories don’t end there. Our editorial team has been working hard to give you more content, more often. To read additional October stories, visit AFM online for weekly, fresh content.

As we continue to move forward during an unpredictable time, I challenge you to find your rhythm and discover what keeps you on your beat, as music keeps me on mine.

Keep Austin Fit,

Emily Effren

MEET OUR NEW EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, MONICA HAND

Hey Austin Fit readers! I’m the new editorial assistant and I couldn’t be more excited about working with the AFM team. So far, this issue has been one of my favorites to work on — being able to highlight the music community of Austin and all the ways that music and rhythms enrich our lives has been something of a dream. Though I miss them dearly, I am so excited for the live shows that will happen once we all work through this time together; imagine how amazing a concert will feel after so long without them.

-Monica