Tag: fitness

Diary of a Fit Patriot: A Journey Into Running a Marathon

By: Alison M. Hall, MS, CPT

High School Me could not run. In gym class we had to “jog the straights and walk the curves” of the track, and I struggled to do that. I was active, I played a few recreational sports, but I couldn’t imagine running just for the sake of running. I felt that way for a long time. I even tried multiple times to go for a run, but I never lasted long. Of course it didn’t help that I had no idea what I was doing, had the wrong shoes, and no plan.

One day it all changed. I still had no plan and still had the wrong shoes, but I ran and didn’t hate it. I went out again and didn’t hate it again. I kept at it and made it a little farther each time. I decided I wanted to run the Race for the Cure, so I worked my way up to running 3.1 miles. I finished my first 5K feeling great about myself. I was a runner! I continued to run relatively short distances and ran the Race for the Cure again. My friend saw me running, and she asked if I wanted to run the Army Ten Miler with her. “Um, no!” was my first response. She kept at me, and finally she convinced me to register. We still hadn’t discovered the magic of a training plan or proper running shoes—we just gradually increased how long we ran. When race day came, we decided we would not take walk breaks other than for water stations. We met our goal and sprinted to the finish line. On the way home, we said things like “I couldn’t have done it without your motivation” and “maybe, just maybe I could do a half marathon but never a marathon.”

Fast forward two years to the start line of the Marine Corps Marathon. Yep, that’s me, about to run my first marathon. After that Army Ten Miler race, I kept on running, and I joined two different running groups. It turns out marathon running is contagious. Someone starts talking about marathons on a run, and thoughts go to “could I really do that?” Yes. If you are physically able, have a doctor’s clearance, and can put the time in to train properly, you really can do that. I researched training plans, found a good novice one, and went for it. I finished my first marathon and went on to run four more. Since my last marathon I’ve run 20 shorter distance races, but next year, as long as I can keep injury free, I’m going to finish marathon number six.

As for my friend, it took her a little longer to get bit by the marathon bug, but she joined me in marathon number 5, and she’s run a few on her own since. How did I get her to finally give in? I agreed to do an IronMan 70.3 (half iron distance) triathlon with her. I’ll write about that crazy adventure later this month!

If you want to start running, there are many great plans out there. Couch To 5K is one of the most popular. It is a 9-week program that starts you with a mix of running and walking and gets you to running the full 5K (3.1 miles). Once you’re hooked, if running a marathon appeals to you, go for it. Seriously, you can do it!

Diary of a Fit Patriot: Ladies—We Need to Strength Train!

By: Alison M. Hall, MS, CPT

Ladies—it’s a simple fact. We NEED to strength train. A basic strength training program will not make you bulky. I repeat, it will not make you bulky. You will not look like a body builder unless you are specifically trying to do so, which takes a regimented training program and diet. Yes, your clothes might feel a little tighter in the beginning while you’re building muscle and starting to lose fat, but if you strength train, get your cardio in, and have a healthful diet, you increase your potential to lose the fat. Either way, the beauty of who you are will beam through.

I am challenging you to strength train. Last month, almost twice as many males as females used our strength training machines. That’s alarming, but even more alarming, six times as many males as females used free weights (dumbbells and barbells) in our facilities. Strength training machines are a great place to start. Get a free equipment orientation to learn how to use the machines correctly then start lifting. Once you feel comfortable on the machines and learn proper lifting technique, go for it with the free weights. I understand that it can be intimidating to use the free weights around the guys, but grab a friend and give it a try—there’s safety in numbers, right? The guys might even think it’s pretty cool that you’re there. If you still don’t want to go on the weight floor, try the free weights in the AFC stretch room or the RAC and Skyline upstairs areas. These areas usually are less crowded but have the weights you need. You also can use weights in the AFC group exercise room if it isn’t being used by a fitness class.

Speaking of fitness classes, we offer group strength training classes, which are a great place to learn how to use free weights safely. Totally Sculpt is all strength. Boot Camp, Total Body Conditioning (TBC), Cardio Sculpt, and Zumba Toning offer strength combined with cardio in one neat package. In the same month mentioned above, women outnumbered men in strength classes more than 14 to 1, which shows you there is a comfortable place for women to lift. Schedules are posted on our website.

Why am I harping on this? Body composition, which is the makeup of the body in terms of the relative percentage of fat free mass and body fat, is affected by strength training. A component of body composition is body fat percentage. A good range for a female to target for body fat percentage is 14 to 24%.

Science and personal experience show how important strength training is for women. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer manual outlines the science behind how strength training increases overall physical capacity, improves body composition, raises resting metabolic rate resulting in more calories burned on a daily basis, reduces injury risk, and helps prevent disease. One of the examples they give shows that a woman who does not strength train loses about half a pound of muscle each year. This woman weighs 120 pounds with 20% body fat. Without strength training, 20 years later the same woman, still weighing 120 pounds, likely would increase in body fat to 28.3%, losing 10 pounds of muscle while gaining 10 pounds of fat. This same woman likely reduce her metabolism by 3-8% each of those two decades, which equals approximately 120 fewer calories burned at rest per day.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) states that women who strength train regularly can improve their health, reduce their risks of degenerative diseases, enhance sport performance, and develop good feelings about themselves. I don’t need science to know this last benefit is true. While increasing the weight of my barbell makes me feel good about myself, real life situations really make the difference. Telling the male employee at the sporting goods store “no thanks, I can carry these 25-pound dumbbells to the car myself” is empowering. Hearing the massage therapist say “wow you have strong back muscles” gives you a sense of accomplishment. And being strong enough to do the physical activities you love while staying injury free is a great way to live your life.

References

American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer Manual, Fifth Edition, pages 327-330.

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, National Strength and Conditioning Association, Third Edition, pages 152-153.

Diary Of A Happy Yogi: Adjustments

By: Ashley Whimpey

A pretty respectable yoga magazine recently published an article that offended me as a yogi. The source of my offense was a “Just Say No!” article discouraging yoga teachers from physically adjusting students in class. Before I began ripping the page out of every copy in the store, I tried to see where the other side could be coming from. Obviously the author stood on enough ground that the article was published and aimed toward the new yogis gathering information.

The author was arguing that teacher adjustments were wrong and potentially—even likely—dangerous. The stock photo accompanying the article was of a teacher standing above a student in down dog and using both hands to push their hips up and back for them. The student did not look to be in what I call the danger zone—the place where something is so seriously wrong it’s not at all humorous.

The article’s arguments were that a teacher would push students too far, force them into a place they weren’t ready for, and injure them for life. As a teacher, it is difficult to see someone struggle with anything when you have the answer or the fix right in your reach. There is so much we can’t do as humans in the most general sense, so it’s nice to do something when we can. Sure, some adjustments by some teachers in some places could be detrimental. There are unqualified people in every profession; they aren’t necessarily the norm or standard.

Adjustments offer many more benefits than the risk of a misinterpreted instruction. It is often difficult to translate the knowledge you have as a teacher to the student. This is especially true because there are so many different learning styles. Some students are auditory learners and need only the sound of my voice. Yet others hear “drop the shoulder from the ear in a neck stretch” three or four times, can see the example right in front of them, even meet my gaze and look totally engaged, but won’t drop the shoulder. When I gently tap their shoulder with my fingers and zap all of their attention to the spot where my fingers are, then they get it. This is an adjustment, and it wasn’t dangerous at all.

Adjustments aren’t always for students who are doing something wrong. They can also be for students who are doing something really right. Students lying pretty flat in a wide leg seated forward fold could benefit from a gentle press on their low back to help them go even deeper. Students in triangle reaching up may benefit from a slight tug on their wrist to pull their arm up higher than they can get it on their own.

I’m not saying it’s mandatory for students to accept adjustments all the time. There are days it’s nice to sit in the corner of the class, practice, and leave relatively unnoticed but still touched by the rhythm of the music and the soft energy of a good class. Still, it is not accurate to “just say no” all the time. It is not accurate to call out adjustments with a blanket statement of calling them horrible. Instead, seek out teachers and classes you trust. And then just say yes.

Diary of a Happy Yogi: Yoga for Everyone by Ashley Whimpey

Due to Instagram and Tumblr posts, many believe yoga is all about putting your legs around your face, standing on your hands, or balancing on your head. It seems only the incredibly flexible, or those desiring to be, should practice yoga. These ideas are common misconceptions.

Yoga poses force concentration. The serenity from this concentration discovered in yoga follows you off the mat. It can allow you to discover a deeper sense of power within yourself. For example, when you are strength training. The calm state of mind allows you to function without worrying about injuring yourself because you have learned how to be aware of your body by listening to your body in yoga classes.

The flexibility benefits of yoga translate perfectly into strength training as well. Yoga classes involve activating your slow-twitch muscle fibers when you’re asked to hold poses. Throughout the progression of class your muscles get warmer. Then you may utilize muscles you may not have known you had. The warmth of the muscles allows you to sink deeper into poses, and increase blood flow.As you stretch, and flow through the movements your body tones and balances. The muscles lengthen but are being activated enough to exert more energy than when they were at rest.

Aside from improving on the yoga mat, you can use the flexibility to improve your performance in the weight room. Most gym users find it difficult to complete a deep squat. Improved flexibility will allow you to deepen a squat because of the flexibility in your hips. Lunges are more effective too because of the flexibility of the hip flexors and ankles.

Before setting up a strength training session following your yoga class, consider poses you may not know about that require a great deal of strength. How long could you hold your body in a tricep pushup position, elbows touching your sides, arms creating a 90 degree angle? How long can you balance on one leg, no matter what your arms or other leg are doing? Then, do it again. Simple poses can be difficult, and it’s not unlikely to work up a bit of a sweat in a yoga class. Instead of stacking strength training and yoga back to back, both should be completed separately. Since current research shows too loose or warm muscles (like after yoga) would make your immediate lifting session less effective. Aside from being too relaxed to offer a full power push, some yoga poses are actually quite intense, and could hinder your strength training performance.

Don’t just take my word for it. Tracy and Hart (2013) found that, “Yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat when compared with a control group.”

Sweat or no sweat, the self reflection period at the closing of a class leaves any yogi with a new awareness of themselves. An optimum collision of strength, flexibility, and soul saturating success.

References:

Tracy, B., & Hart, C. (2013). Bikram Yoga Training and Physical Fitness in Healthy Young Adults. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 822-830.

The Diary of A Happy Yogi

By: Ashley Whimpey

Poised at the top of my mat, I rolled my shoulders back, and closed my eyes. Just as my instructor requested, I inhaled and I listened for the next cue. A strange sound began to fill the room and, since I was confused, I peeked just a bit to find the source. I noticed that my instructors mouth was moving, and the sounds were coming from him. My mind supplied an answer of, “He’s chanting something,” and then the class started to move into poses. Startled, I whipped my head side to side, trying to follow the smooth flow of my fellow yogis. I couldn’t understand why the teacher wasn’t speaking a language I understood He would mutter something, and the class would move, just like magic. I, however, was extremely unenchanted. After the class ended I was able to speak with the instructor.

He told me he was using Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the language of yoga. Most asanas (that’s Sanskrit for poses) have Sanskrit names. For instance crow pose is bakasana in Sanskrit, and corpse pose is savasana. He apologized for strictly speaking in the language, and told me he doesn’t usually adhere only to the Sanskrit terms. Had it been my first yoga experience, I may have never come back. It’s intimidating enough to not feel as if I’ll be able to complete a class physically, let alone when I’m worrying about deciphering the words I’m hearing.

When you don’t understand the language being used in a class attendees have a tendency to depend on the instructor demonstration. Instructors at the front of a class in other exercise classes such as cardio kickboxing or dance formats serve as great models. The instructor shares the cues while demonstrating as participants watch, and then mirror the movement. When you are upside down and twisted under your arm in a yoga class it may be a little harder to see the instructor demonstration. A good way to overcome this is to practice yoga more often. Many simple (or seemingly simple!) poses are completed in most yoga classes. Over time you’ll become comfortable with the yoga atmosphere. You’ll also develop an understanding of how your instructor organizes a class, and be able to flow smoothly between the poses.

The experience that I have shared with you is pretty rare. Aspiring yogis should not be weary of all yoga classes being taught in languages you don’t understand. Barriers such as time or skill level shouldn’t stop you either.Yoga for twenty minutes or yoga for an hour and twenty minutes are equally beneficial. Even if all you can do is start the morning with a five minute stretch to get the blood flowing, that is a great place to start.

Keep in mind that every yoga class can be taught to include beginners. Yoga is about “honoring your practice” which means to simply do your best and be proud of that alone. A yogi who can touch their toes is no better of a yogi than the one who tries. I hope that sharing my experience encourages you to honor your practice in the near future. There is no better day to start than today!

What Is Yoga?

By Ashley Whimpey

Meaning “to join together,” yoga is a combination of exercise, breathing, and meditation. Yoga joins the mind and body into one harmonious collaboration. The history of yoga can be traced back 5,000 years to ancient cave drawings and depictions found by archeologists. Sometimes confused as one of the versions of the Hindu faith, the ancient drawings provide evidence that yoga is not a religion and actually began nearly 1,000 years before the estimated start of Hinduism.

While yoga itself also has multiple branches, the most commonly practiced form began from a text named Yoga Sutras by Patanjali written in the 1st or 2nd century BC.The text explains 8-limbs of yoga. The limbs focus on eight guidelines to life:

1) Yama (restraint), persons are to refrain from violence, lying, stealing, or hoarding.

2) Niyama (observance), persons are to have purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance.

3) Asana, the physical poses in yoga.

4) Pranayama, the breathing techniques.

5) Pratyahara, mental preparation for meditation.

6) Dharana (concentration), persons hold their mind on one object for a specified time.

7) Dhyana (meditation) persons focus on one thing (or nothing) with entirety of their mind.

8) Samadhi, the realization of the essential nature of the self.

Together the eight limbs are referred to as Ashtanga yoga, and today modern Western yoga typically only focuses on the third, fourth,and fifth limbs of the practice.

The physical asanas (poses) of yoga are also the main portion of several other popular types of yoga in the West: Bikram (hot yoga), Power, Prenatal, Restorative, Rocket Yoga, and Vinyasa. Typically, a traditional Bikram, Rocket, or Vinyasa yoga class will always follow the same sequence of moves and asanas, while other yoga classes may differ slightly each time.

Yoga is great for every living creature, but for the sake of this article we’ll say it’s best for humans. Those with limited flexibility come to yoga in order to gain a bit more flexibility and thus more mobility. The stressed come to relax. The thoughtful come to think. The tendons and joints and bones come to be smoothed, gently healed, and deeply strengthened. As you may have noticed, yoga can be used as a form of intense exercise or a calming and mentally restorative exercise.

Despite being for everyone, yoga can be intimidating. Do your best to find a good yoga instructor. A good yoga instructor will guide any level of class with variations of even the most advanced poses so that their class is open to everyone.

Even after deciding to try a yoga class, the actuality of getting there and being dressed can be overwhelming. Participants are not limited to the $80 yoga pants from LeeLimes or whatever the hottest supplier is these days. A simple pair of moveable shorts and a t-shirt are fine. It’s typically preferred for participants to wear slightly more fitted clothing in order for the instructor to observe form. The instructor can then guide you through adjustments if anything is out of line, and stop you from being forced to inhale through masses of fabric. For example, relaxing in down dog is much harder when the nostrils are full of loose t-shirt. This is not to say your clothes need to hug so closely to the legs, torso, or arms of every minute crevice, bend, or follicle is seen, but they should stay close enough to allow the instructor to identify where there is potential for injury due to improper placement.

The best place to start is wherever you are (recreational facilities, independent yoga studios,etc), with whatever you have (Bikram, Ashtanga, Power, etc.), and immediately, because it’s never too early (or too late!) to start doing something nice for yourself.

References

“Types of Yoga.” Womenshealthmag.com. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

“General Yoga Information.” General Yoga Information. The American Yoga Association. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

Working Out With A Partner

By Savannah Norton

Some students have a hard time getting themselves to the gym. Not everyone associates the gym with a fun or relaxing experience. Certainly many of us find it hard to stay motivated to eat better and exercise. It can be hard to hold ourselves accountable. That is why going to the gym with a friend can enhance your workout experience. It gives you the chance to keep your body healthy and build relationships.

Workout buddies can keep you accountable. They help you determine if your workouts are moving you toward your goals. It is okay to be picky when choosing this specific partner. Workout buddies can be the key to helping you perform your best. A 2011 study published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that “the exercise habits of people you know have a positive influence on your exercise habits.” Thus, it is wise to pick a workout buddy who knows a bit about the gym facilities and how the machines work. This will give you the best potential to help you have a successful workout.

You know the saying, “a little competition never hurt anyone.” An addition to this idea would be, “especially healthy competition.” According to Fit Body HQ, one study found that participants perform better when they are paired up with a workout partner who is in better shape than they are. This study found that to maximize your workout, the buddy should be about 40% better than their partner. This is known as the Kohler Effect, also known as not wanting to be the weakest link.

Workout buddies can also keep an eye out for their partner’s form and any obvious mistakes when completing a workout. It is also nice to have a spotting partner ready when you do squats or bench press, making the workout much safer. Having a workout buddy will bring new skills, techniques, and knowledge to a workout. They can introduce new exercises, correct form, and a fresh perspective on ways of being active. Variety in a workout helps to avoid boredom. Having a workout partner will always keep things interesting and fun.

Although this discussion has focused on your workout buddy try not to forget your contribution. Workout buddies might need their partner for some of the same reasons that the partner needs them. Your commitment should be to keep each other on a workout schedule and thinking healthfully. So, having a workout buddy is a positive way to make sure a workout is safe, enjoyable and help you get the results you seek. Besides, why work out without a smile?

References:

10 Reasons to Get a Workout Buddy (and What to Look For) – FitBodyHQ. (2013, February 14). Retrieved November 1, 2014.

Romeo, M. (n.d.). 3 Reasons to Have a Workout Buddy. Retrieved November 1, 2014.

Wagner, G. (2012, July 1). Strength in Numbers: The Importance of Fitness Buddies. Retrieved November 1, 2014.