A Convo with A Nike Master Trainer on Recovery

By trade, Kirsty Godso is a Nike Master Trainer and health expert. She also describes herself as an energy dealer and coffee enthusiast. We caught up with Kirsty to chat about her philosophy on wellness, how she balances many (many) projects, and why recovery is important.

Tell us about you.

I'm a New Zealander that has been living in the amazing New York City the past five years, but I recently moved to LA in search of more nature. I grew up and went to school in New Zealand, graduating with a double business degree but straying from finance to fitness because of a constant curiosity and passion around movement and all things associated (sorry Dad!). Alongside leading training for Nike on the NTC App, I'm the founder of two companies: Made Of, a premium whey protein powder, and Pyrogirls, a highly flammable energetic community.

I also a consult for several leading companies in the wellness arena, work on gym design projects from New York to LA to the Cayman Islands, and basically focus my energy and efforts in all the ways I can to make people love moving their bodies.

If you had a song to define your life, what would it be?

Sicko Mode by Travis Scott! No, actually probably All I Do by Majid Jordan. A love song from me to movement.

How would you describe your philosophy on health and wellness?

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't gone through phases of my philosophy with health and wellness. In your twenties you're pretty unbreakable and you can thrive in total overload with high-intensity everything, from keto to limited recovery and so on. But entering my thirties was such an amazing time for me to put all the things I've learned together towards a balanced, sustainable approach.

Understanding that there are times to be intense, but not all the time, has been the biggest game-changer for me and my clients. For now, I would say my philosophy on health and wellness is to ask your body what it needs and actually listen to that. Remove the strictness but not the discipline. Remove the pressure and bump up the passion. Remove the comparison and amplify the confidence. We should move to feel good, to feel alive, to feel appreciated and celebrated within the architecture of our bones. When you can feel great in the orbit of your energy, that amplifies outwardly in so many powerful ways.

How do you balance your time between working with individual clients, your work at Nike, and the companies you founded?

It's a juggle! A lot of my time and energy is devoted to Nike but I always find time for my clients and other projects. Made Of deserves more attention than it gets but my son is growing and I can't wait to share more exciting things in the future of how the brand will continue to expand. Honestly, I love to have the variety of work on my plate. It always keeps me focused, learning, and productive.

What's the biggest change that you've seen in the fitness industry since the beginning of the pandemic? How did you adapt?

I think we can all agree we're pretty fatigued by Zoom and virtual workouts, but it was so incredible to see the way that everyone banded together to stay active from home. We were filming a lot for Nike from my home. Bless the phenomenal natural light of that NYC apartment. I got to be the first person to take over Nike's Youtube channel for a worldwide workout which was really cool (and terrifying). The biggest change I saw was people's attitude towards the way they move. Non-runners fell in love with running, non-yogis became more mobile than ever, and dormant humans became more active. There was a really powerful feeling of making it work even though it was so different to what anyone had planned. Agility is so important.

You're all about recovery and self-care. Tell us how you take time for yourself.

I love to move. I can't sit still enough to meditate so my mediation is a moving one. I love to walk and do yoga, read a book and go immerse in a body of water. Growing up on a farm in New Zealand, with so much open space and nature surrounding me, I've found that the fastest way to get back to equilibrium or calm is to get closer to nature.

How has your community helped you, personally or professionally?

My community have kept me going through their enthusiasm, humor, support, vulnerability, honesty and the memes they make about my workouts. I think it's special to grow together and connect during times of such uncertainty. That develops a new kind of loyalty, respect, and camaraderie. My community motivate me to keep learning, keep being better and to keep giving with the hope that we can put more smiles on faces, miles on shoes, burpees in the bank, and better energy into this world.

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