Meet Ashlyn Hairston

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashlyn Hairston. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashlyn below.

Ashlyn , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I have been an athlete and trainer for over a decade, exploring a myriad of sports and avenues of fitness from lacrosse and cross country, to powerlifting and bodybuilding, to yoga and calisthenics, but it wasn’t until I dislocated my knee in a rock-climbing accident that I finally uncovered my true purpose in the world of health and fitness. With this traumatic injury, I had all of my prior mobility and athleticism stripped away, literally having to teach myself how to walk again once I was finally off crutches. Without the joy and freedom of movement, life was pretty bleak. Thankfully, I was determined to feel free, strong, and connected to my body once more, a feeling that many people give up on with injury, negative mindsets, aging, or struggles with chronic pain. When faced with the choice of living what felt like a half-life, a life of limited mobility, chronic pain and disconnection with my body, or putting in the work to start from square one and rebuild my entire system, I chose to overcome every obstacle in my path and come out stronger- and to help as many people as possible to do the same in their own lives. And so Cardinal Motion was born, with the slogan of ‘Movement for Life’, to bring just that to the people- a mobility and strength training practice that allows them to live that is full. Full of adventure, and strength, and connection, and pain free days- a life that is full of movement.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I work as a mobility coach, personal trainer, animal flow instructor, and health educator in Long Beach, California. I am also a mixed media artist. My training business, Cardinal Motion, is a health and wellness organization focused on bringing quality movement and education to my community to help people reconnect with their bodies, improve their range of motion and functional strength, and live a more fulfilling, pain free life. I teach group mobility workshops and work 1 on 1 with individual clients, to reach their specific movement goals, and eliminate chronic pain and movement limitations. You can keep up with us at cardinalmotion.squarespace.com and at cardinal.motion on instagram to stay up to date on community workshops, new workouts, and community events like our “wellness weekends” starting this spring. Every friday, saturday, and sunday we will be hosting a group workout class focused on mobility, bodyweight strength, and muscular reintegration. Make sure to check our site calendar or instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter, The Cardinal Monthly, for workshop specifics.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Along my journey as an entrepreneur and artist, I have cultivated many important skills. Among the most impactful have been a deep sense of bodily connection and awareness, resilience and determination, both physically and mentally, and a community-oriented mindset. I think the best advice I can give to any entrepreneur early in their career is to simply keep going. There is no quick route to resilience, as it is only developed through overcoming hardship after hardship. The battles don’t necessarily get easier as you progress in your career, they just get different- and there is a lot of beauty in that, in struggling with a problem you couldn’t have imagined even being presented with 6 months or a year ago.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

At Cardinal Motion, we always want to stress that movement is for everyone, whether you’re an active athlete or a total newbie, or anywhere in between. Our ideal students are people who want more out of life, people who have a growth mindset and don’t shy away from a challenge, people who want to feel more connected to their bodies and move with more ease, people who are tired of that lingering back pain or knee pain, people who want more healthy, active years in their life. Our ideal students are committed to putting in the work consistently to reach their goals, because they know they are worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cardinalmotion.squarespace.com
• Instagram: cardinal.motion
• Youtube: cardinal.motion