Julie Cukierman: Body in movement, mind in balance
Meet Julie Cukierman, sports coach and creator of her method, a mix of yoga, Pilates, muscle strengthening and stretching.
If balance were an Olympic discipline, she'd win gold. Julie Cukierman has created her own method of muscle strengthening and body stretching: she teaches well-being, but above all, she embodies it. Her daily life is a clever mix of fluidity and grounding, movement and breathing, self-listening and transmission. We wanted to dive into her world, to understand how she navigates between body and mind alignment... and of course, to steal a few secrets from her for simply feeling good.
Come on, unroll the mat, take a deep breath, let's go.
Let's start with introductions! Who are you, what was your path to wellness, and when did you say to yourself: “OK, this is more than a passion, this is my path”?
Hello Equilibrist, delighted to chat with you! I have always been immersed in a sporting world: my mother was a French kayak champion, my father was a lifeguard. For my part, I was a French Rhythmic Gymnastics champion and then in the top 30 French women in my age category in tennis. Working in sport was therefore a natural fit. I started my professional career as a physical trainer for various French teams, which I prepared for the London (2012) and Rio (2016) Olympic Games. Magical years on the international scene, spending time with the greatest champions. It was crazy! I then had a revelation when my daughter was born in 2016: moving towards well-being, helping women like you and me, and making my method accessible to everyone became obvious. So I left the world of high-level sports and created my method and my platform, MoveWithJulie.
What does your typical day look like? We want to know everything: your little morning rituals, your coffee (or matcha?) break, and how you juggle classes, personal practice, and your personal life.
I have a real routine in the morning. I set my alarm for 6 a.m. (a little discipline, especially at the beginning!), I dry brush, I shower, I put on a nice workout outfit and I hit my mat. This is the most important moment, the one that determines my entire day: I do my unlocking routine: 10 minutes flat, but ultra-effective. A mix of yoga, stretching and body mobility, which I created. It's magical and it changes my entire day afterward. From 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., I prioritize my children, Tess and Sacha. Then I go to private coaching sessions, or to events with brands, until 5 p.m. generally. Then I dedicate myself to my children and my husband, before generally turning the computer back on for an hour or two. I always try to read before going to sleep, so as not to stay with the bad vibes of the screen. Right now, I'm reading "The Guys I Want to Ken," by the brilliant comedian Rosa Bursztein, who I coach to help her get in shape for her shows.
In your daily life, what really makes you feel good? The infallible thing that refocuses you, even when the day is going to hell.
I sit down on my mat and breathe while thinking about Miami. I'm a fan of this city; it's my safe place! I can't describe why; there's something incredible there, between the energy of the city and the calm of the ocean. I try to go there every year to recharge my batteries and fill up on inspiration, sunshine, and positive vibes. While I can't live there completely, escaping mentally by thinking about this place refocuses me when stress or mental load overwhelms me.
Is hormonal balance a topic that resonates with you? How does yoga (and perhaps other practices) help you feel good about your body, your cycle, and your energy fluctuations?
Yes, completely, and even more and more so over the years (I'm 38). I think I was very little aware of it when I started my career; we talked about it less, it was a different era. I was in a dynamic of charging ahead without listening to myself, to achieve my goals and check off all the boxes on my to-do list. I understood a few years ago that preserving your body, listening to it, was essential. Life is a long-distance race, not a sprint, and above all, we live it so much better on a daily basis if we are in harmony with our body. That's why I created my method, which works the body deeply and doesn't rush it.
Come on, make us dream! If you had to take our readers to a mat, what would THE perfect session look like to feel aligned, powerful, and peaceful?
One of my sessions from my special back program on MoveWithJulie! These sessions are 20 minutes maximum, so they're easy to fit into a day, where you strengthen your core, tone your stomach (who doesn't dream of a toned stomach?) while stretching your back. Magic for feeling both powerful and calm.
Is there a yoga pose that changed your life? The one that, when you discovered it, made you say, “Okay, something’s happening now”?
The camel pose, which reopens the heart so well and does a lot of good for my back. It reminds me of my GR years, when my back was very flexible and I could contort myself (I've lost a lot since then, let's be honest!).
There's a lot of talk about the link between stress and hormonal imbalances. Do you have any quick tips for calming the mind and helping the body take a deep breath?
Like everyone I think, I have moments when stress overwhelms me, especially when I have a problem at work. I tend to quickly get carried away and dramatize the problem, even though I'm usually quite optimistic and positive by nature. Above all, in these moments, I try to take a step back and tell myself that it's not that serious and that there must be a solution. Or that this problem doesn't happen for nothing and that it hides something positive that will happen later. Easier said than done, we agree, but I'm working on it (laughs)!
And in terms of diet, supplements, wellness routine... Are there little things you do every day to support your energy and inner balance?
I always make sure to be in balance, but there is one thing I try to be uncompromising about: sugar (apart from the natural sugar in fruit, of course!). Added sugar is a real disaster for our bodies; both for our bodies and our minds. I practice a rule that I created for myself and that I gladly share. I try not to eat added sugar (so no cakes, etc.) during the week, then I treat myself, without going overboard of course, on the weekend. Cutting out sugar completely for several days in a row has the effect of a real detox on my body and I really feel the effects on my energy and my mind. And since I treat myself on the weekend (I love cooking!), I don't feel any frustration.
A mantra, a phrase that follows you and that, each time, puts you back on the right track?
"It is happiness that brings success, certainly not the other way around. Success is the result of a path you have chosen to follow," by Nathalie Rozborski (excerpt from her book "I want it all"). At a time when social media (unfortunately) pushes us to often compare ourselves, to be in a mad race towards ever more success and productivity, I find this phrase very powerful. When everything is going very fast, when my professional life - so exciting, and I am truly grateful for it - tends to take precedence over my personal life, this phrase refocuses me and puts me back on the right track. Being truly happy and knowing what our own moments of happiness are is priceless.
Find Julie Cukierman’s Method, Move With Julie, on her website: www.juliecukierman.com
Photo credit: Jonathann Dupieux
