Surviving the Mud and Celebrating 39: An ACL Weekend One Recap

If you spent any time at Zilker Park this past weekend, you know exactly what I'm talking about: the mud! Intermittent rainfall over the past three days meant the Great Lawn never had a chance to dry out, making it pretty tough to keep your shoes clean. But honestly, a little rain and a whole lot of mud wasn't going to ruin the fun. We laced up the shoes we didn't mind ruining, embraced the puddles, and made the most of the music.

Ben and Kunal braving the rain at the Austin City Limits Music Festival entrance before a weekend of music and post-festival massage recovery.

I went with Kunal and some friends, and it ended up being the perfect way to celebrate my birthday. (I just turned 39 on October 1st!) For me, this weekend was all about blending the things I love: music, great company, and just celebrating life to the fullest.

Despite the messy conditions, we had an absolutely incredible time. There was so much music and non-stop dancing. The festival was packed with great energy, hilarious crowd totems, and unforgettable performances on the big screens to celebrate ACL's 25th anniversary.

And let’s talk about festival fuel. We grabbed food from Saigon on 7th, and their chicken bánh mì was so unbelievably good that we actually ate it two out of the three days we were there. It was exactly what we needed to keep our energy up while navigating the crowds under the cloudy Austin skyline.

But of course, a full three-day music festival is an athletic event in itself. Trudging through that thick, heavy mud completely changes the way you walk, forcing your muscles to work in overdrive just to keep you upright.

By the end of Sunday, my feet were absolutely throbbing, my low back was aching, and I felt like my entire body needed a hard reset. I know for a fact I’m not the only one waking up today feeling this way! The constant standing, the unnatural walking through the mud, and the sheer sensory overload of the festival can really take a toll on your structural alignment and your nervous system.

Now, it's Monday. The sun has finally come out, and it’s time to get back to work. I’m walking back into the Zen With Ben studio today ready to help everyone who needs that post-festival recovery. Whether you're dealing with lower back tension from three days of standing, or you just need a deep nervous system reset after braving the crowds and the rain, I'm here to help.

Let’s fix those day-to-day tension problems so we can keep celebrating life and feeling our absolute best!