This week guest blogger Jheri St. James, who is teaching our belly dancing classes over the next few weeks, shares a little about her art form. Don’t think belly dancing is exercise? Read on to learn more. And come join us for class!
September 10 & 17
6:30 – 8:00pm
Sun and Sail Club ~ 24752 Toledo Way ~ Lake Forest ~ 92630
RSVP to Erica at Erica@DrivenFitnessNow.com
BELLY DANCING AS EXERCISE
By Jheri St. James
Is belly dancing good exercise? If exercise is something that is done with metal while you sweat and strain (“no pain, no gain”), then perhaps at first glance belly dancing does not fit the definition. If however we expand our thinking to include more than just cut muscles, belly dancing may be the best form of exercise there is. Belly dancing was done as long ago as 3,000 B.C. in goddess worship ceremonies, memorialized in cave paintings. This movement form has endured. Belly dancing engages the muscles, the mind, and femininity in ways that popular exercise forms do not.
Muscles – Muscle groups are isolated in belly dancing movements, moving one area while others remain still. The reproductive organs are engaged and exercised in undulations. Tribal village women do these movements to prepare their female organs for childbirth. Dancing with veils can be a surprising arm workout. Floor dancing and balancing dances invite new muscle groups to participate. Shimmies engage the thighs, the lower back, the hips and the abdomen in ways no treadmill ever could.
The Mind – It takes a lot of concentration to simultaneously play finger cymbals and belly dance. Unlike sitting on a stationary bike, one’s mind is totally engaged. Balancing a sword or other prop on the head while undulating to and from the floor takes extreme mental focus.
Femininity – “This is a man’s world,” sings James Brown, and he is so right. Even the word “humanity” is wrapped around the word “man”. Most exercise forms were designed by the military to produce buff, strong warriors. Belly dancing is the woman’s dance, evolved by women for women. The costumes are the epitome of feminine–soft chiffon skirts and veils, and sparkling bras and belts decorating the charms of each woman. Celebrating our femininity while moving in dance forms is an ancient and yet new kind of exercise–a “work-in,” as well as a “work-out,” more psychologically strengthening than all the weights in the world. The sisterhood of feeling safe doing undulations and the undeniably sensual movements of belly dance heals and liberates the woman spirit. Making new friends of ladies with a broader life view than the local gym is one laugh per shimmy. Then, moving beyond that to performing is self-empowering, a practice any woman can experience, should she so choose. Getting out in public and doing an intricate, beautiful dance, looking and feeling sensuous and lovely even in a humble class recital is a thrill for women of every size, age and ability. Finally, dancing through male sexual stereotypes and getting paid for it has increased the confidence of every woman who has done it.
As a dancer who has taught and performed for decades, I strongly suggest that every woman try belly dancing at least once and test the truth of my words. “Shimmy from the Heart!” Jheri St. James (jheristjames@yahoo.com). Look for my name on facebook and youtube.
The three great essentials to achieving anything worthwhile are: first, hard work, second, stick-to-it-iveness, and third, common sense.
Thomas Edison
My client and friend, Monica Peace, recently wrote a great blog titled “In Either Money Or Life; Are You Committed Or Just Interested” about reaching your goals. In it she writes “There is a subtle distinction between interest and commitment that can sometimes fool even the best of us into believing we are committed to a cause.”
I am faced with people every day who want to “lose weight,” “get toned,” “get big,” “lose their muffin tops,” “feel strong,” the list goes on and on. When they first come to seek my advice, they show a lot of interest. Now, when we delve into the nitty gritty of weight loss and the time, energy and hard work it will take to accomplish those goals few are actually committed. Instead I hear,”Do I HAVE to count my calories?” “I REALLY HAVE to exercise almost every day? And the answer is yes!? You do. Being committed to a healthy and fit lifestyle is hard work. It takes energy and motivation and commitment to get to a better you; a you that can play with your kids without feeling wiped out, walk up stairs without feeling out of breath and pick up a suitcase without throwing out your back. Clients too often look at people like me, personal trainers I mean, and say “What do you have to worry about? You’re thin! You don’t need to count your calories or plan your exercise.” All I can say is that is completely not true! We, at least I (I can only speak for myself here), am completely COMMITTED to a healthy, fit lifestyle. And the reason I look the way I do and feel strong and fit and full of energy is because I do the things it takes to accomplish those results…like keeping a diligent food journal and fitting exercise into my life without fail. It is hard work for everyone, well almost everyone, whether you are a doctor, lawyer, personal trainer or stay at home mom. It is the choice to be committed and then sticking to that commitment that separates success from try-try again.
As Monica says in her blog it is easy to be interested. The implementation is the challenging part – that is where commitment lies.
“So,” Monica asks, “Which one are you?” I hope you can answer committed.
“I’m committed Erica! Now what?“
I think the first step to commitment is goal setting. Write it down! Get your ideas out in the open for everyone to see! That will help you be committed. I wrote a blog on SMAART Goal Setting awhile ago. Re-read it to help get you on the right track. http://drivenfitnessnow.com/blog/?p=317
And enlist the help of others! Support from family and friends is key to success. And get professional help! Find a doctor, chiropractor, personal trainer, even therapist who will help you stick to your commitment and work toward accomplishing your goals. Create a network of success around you. Seek the advice of those who also share your commitment and can offer advice for overcoming obstacles to your success. Let’s start right now, with this blog. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – the committed ones! Share your success with us – leave a comment below about your personal commitment and how you stay on track.
And finally, for more help with goal setting watch for my upcoming seminar on setting health and fitness goals for 2011, taking place in Lake Forest in November. Email me at Erica@DrivenFitnessNow.com if you want to be included on my mailing list for it. Let’s map out your goals and help you move from interest to commitment.
I love podcasts! At the fitness convention I attended a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend a seminar by one of my favorite presenters, Biray Alsace. Biray has a background in health and fitness but specializes in technology and exercise. I have attended her presentations on everything from blogging to social media; and this year she gave a great lecture on podcasting. I admit that prior to her seminar I was quite ignorant about the podcasting world. But no more my friends. A huge podcasting world lays before us with a plethora of informative, entertaining shows from which to choose! During her presentation, Biray ran through a sampling of health and fitness podcasts that can easily be downloaded directly from web sites or from iTunes. And the best part? Most of them are FREE!
So what are podcasts? If you aren’t familiar with this latest and greatest advancement in web technology, podcasts are like radio shows or television shows that are broadcast across the Internet. Most are free, a few are paid. You can find podcasts directly on the web site of your favorite blogger, radio station, etc. or you can go to iTunes and search under their “podcasts” tab in the iTunes store. You can search by genre or host. You then simply subscribe to the podcast and every time a new episode is released it is automatically dumped into your iTunes podcast folder for you to enjoy at your leisure. How cool is that?!
Podcasts can be short “bites” of 15 minutes or less or they can be full episodes. One of my favorites “The Fitcast” is over one hour long. They get some of the top professionals in the fitness industry on their show for interviews about training, fitness and nutrition. It has become my selection of choice to listen to while I am running. Some podcasts aren’t hosted shows at all – they are musical playlists put together to accomplish a particular fitness goal, whether it is sprint intervals on a bike or long tempo runs for marathon training. No matter what your interest, there is a podcast out there for you.
Here are just a few I found that you might enjoy:
The Fitcast – geared for fitness pros and serious exercisers, this podcast is a bit more technical than your average fitness show but has become my absolute favorite!
iTunes >> The Fitcast
Nutrition Diva – 10 minute bites about nutrition, the host answers questions from listeners in quick, easy to understand episodes
iTunes >> Nutrition Diva
Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy – A funny and inspiring radio shows, Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy have been sharing educational tips on healthy and fitness since 2005.
Diet Science – hosted by Dee McCaffrey, an organic chemist who lost 100 lbs by avoiding processed foods, speaks about various nutrition topics from a chemist’s perspective.
And for other notable podcasts of all subject matter that have been nominated for awards, check out: http://www.podcastawards.com/
I am always getting on clients about eating breakfast, especially if they work out first thing in the morning. Why? There are several reasons breakfast truly is one of the most important meals of the day.
#1 Your Metabolism: Although recently questioned in the nutrition world (http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/metabolism-myths.aspx), in the fitness arena it is generally believed that a good breakfast kick starts your metabolism to begin burning calories. Your metabolism is like a fire. What happens when you don’t feed a fire? It goes out, right? That’s how your metabolism works too. After sleeping all night your body is low on fuel and your metabolism is a bit sluggish. In his article “Controveries in Metabolism,” Dr. Len Kravitz states:
Very low calorie diets often fail because the dieters do not consume enough calories to fuel physical activity, and this underfeeding can diminish metabolic processes. Intense energy-restrictive diets are not only tough to maintain; they actually trigger the body to suppress its RMR by as much as 20% (Hill 2004). Biological processes adapt to what the body perceives as a state of famine (a valid threat to our ancestors); the body increases metabolic efficiency by burning fewer calories to do a given amount of work (Benardot & Thompson 1999). Bernadot and Thompson add that underfeeding may also interfere with the body’s ability to synthesize muscle because of a lower production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and the body’s decrease in power-producing capacity.
Why not start your morning with a sensible breakfast that will kick start your metabolize and signal it to start burning calories again?
#2 You need blood sugar to exercise efficiently: Carbohydrates, in the form of blood glucose, are the body’s preferred energy source and generally the first used when exercising When the body does not have enough blood sugar to carry out the tasks required and when it cannot pull any blood glucose reserves to make more, what does it use next? Protein. Where does it get protein? From your muscles. In essence your body will begin to break down its own muscle in order to make additional blood glucose and fuel your workout (http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sportsnutrition/a/Carbohydrates.htm), which completely negates your early morning exercise routine! Eating something when you wake up, especially before exercising, replenishes blood sugar stores to efficiently take you through your workout. Now, many experts debate this idea too, like in “Triggering your body to burn fat” on Msn.com. In this article Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., states:
You certainly do not burn muscle after only 15 minutes of exercise. You start using protein (perhaps from muscle, as well as other amino-acid-containing components in the body) for energy under extreme conditions such as starvation and at the tail end of long, hard endurance events where carb stores are in short supply. The average person who works out does not need to worry about this.
However, it is widely accepted that carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel, and if you don’t have any in the form of floating blood glucose the body must get it from somewhere. So why not just make sure you have enough blood glucose to provide the fuel your day by eating a healthy breakfast?
#3 It’s psychological: I personally think a healthy breakfast sets the tone for the day, which means you are more likely to eat healthy the rest of the afternoon and evening.
What should you eat for breakfast? I believe in a smart breakfast including whole grain carbohydrates and protein. Check out this web site for healthy breakfast ideas: http://www.mypyramid.gov/. Now go eat some breakfast!
I just spent four amazing days at the 2010 IDEA World Fitness Convention. Each year several thousand fitness professionals from all over the world descend on an unsuspecting city to learn about the latest research and trends in health, fitness and nutrition. This is the fourth IDEA convention I have attended and they never disappoints, never fails to leave me completely pumped up, re-motivated and excited to introduce new strategies and programs to my clients…that’s you! I attended over 20 lectures and workouts during the convention and my mind is racing with all of the information I tried to absorb. While I attempt to let it all sink in and apply it to my sessions and classes, I thought I would share a few of the trends I noticed over the weekend.
The Mind-Body Connection
The trend toward connecting mindbody practices like yoga, pilates and Tai Chi with more traditional forms of exercise continues to grow. There were many seminars focusing on the importance of mindbody practice to balance health and life. I am proud that at Driven we already offer mindbody
classes, such as our Stretchology and StrengthStretch, and we will continue to expand our offerings so you can benefit from the power of both strength and endurance exercise along with forms that focus on the spirit and well-being as a whole.
Nutrition
Dietitians and fitness professionals alike continue to emphasize the importance of sensible, whole food nutrition over fad diets. One of my favorite quotes of the convention came from Scott Josephson, MS, RD, who led the seminar “Women, Metabolism and the Hormonal Highway.” Scott said,” Remember: the first three letter of diet spell D-I-E.” Scott emphasized a sensible diet including carbohydrates, fats and protein and noted that caloric restriction below your energy needs (i.e. eating fewer calories than your body needs to function normally) “sets off a survival mechanism which results in lowering metabolic rate on average by 15%.”
Equipment & Programming
The trend in unconventional and creative group programming continues. Zumba, which has been a fixture at the conference as long as I can remember, exploded and seems to be growing like crazy. I attended three TRX classes focusing on everything from full body workouts to corrective exercise, so don’t miss our Total TRX Conditioning classes to try out the latest moves! Other new formats include Indo-Rowing (indoor group rowing), Jukari (a blended class developed by Reebok and Cirque du Soleil), Bollywood-inspired classes and Drums Alive, which combines stability balls and drumsticks so clients can make music while working out. the fitness expo showcased tons of new equipment – including kettlebells and battling ropes. Most of you have already used kettlebells in our classes, but watch out for battling ropes! Voted Best Cardio Tool by Men’s Health last year, these long, heavy ropes are used for killer shoulder and cardio drills. I was lucky enough to score new kettlebells and ropes, so watch for both pieces of equipment in class soon!
Fitness and Technology
From blogs to podcasts, Facebook and Twitter, fitness pros are utilizing technology to give advice, provide workouts, even run live classes! Just check out “The Facebook Workout, by Doony D-Fine” and you’ll see how far some trainers are taking the idea…
I am embracing the tech world myself, or at least trying, and posted my first video blog from the conference. You can check it out by scrolling below to “Welcome to the Breakfast Blog.” Many of you are already my friend on Facebook (Facebook.com/DrivenFitness) and Twitter (Twitter.com/EricaRoselius). Watch for podcasts coming in the next few months!
The Human Body Revisited
My mentor, Lynda Head, always emphasizes connectivity within the human body. Everything is connected in one chain – an injury or imbalance in one part of the body, like the foot, can effect your entire chain, up to your hips, back and even shoulders. When I first started attending IDEA this was kind of a new way of thinking about the human body, turning our thoughts about how muscles and bones worked together upside down. However since then, Applied Functional Science as it is known, has exploded and it was awesome to see AFS presentations packed full this year. One of the quotes that stood with me most this weekend was by Lenny Parricino, well-known and respected AFS professional. He asked us,” How many muscles does the human body have? Well, one.” He went on to explain that our “muscle” might have many divisions, but they are all connected and work together as one unit. Now, of course we aren’t throwing out all of the muscle names and everything we’ve learned about muscles up to this point, but it gives us something to think about when planning workouts for our clients and continues to influence the way I train.
It was a fabulous convention and I can’t wait to share more new programs and ideas with you soon! And remember: this blog is only as fabulous as its comments! Leave a reply with the workout you are most anticipating over the next few months!
It’s my first installment of my “Breakfast Blog.” Why did I choose such a name you wonder? Well, most of us have a few precious “quiet moments” in our day when we have a chance to sit and collect our thoughts. Mine is during breakfast, at 5am when I am prepping for my first class of the day (except when I oversleep, wake up in a panic to an alarm incessantly buzzing, only to jump out of bed and rush out the door as fast as possible! We all have those days, right)? So what better time to spend a few minutes sharing fitness thoughts, tips and motivational anecdotes with you! And I know you all will love seeing my smiling face first thing in the morning when you log on to your computers too!
So the first topic is appropriately: Breakfast! I always stress eating a healthy breakfast. Many of us have gotten out of the habit in the recent years, now relying on a venti double shot latte no foam, blah blah from the local Starbucks. But breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It kick starts your metabolism to start burning calories after slowing down while sleeping. It also provides much needed blood sugar to the body to give you energy. Finally, it acts as a psychological prep for many people – start the day with a healthy breakfast and you are much more likely to eat well throughout the rest of that day. Research has shown that people who lose weight and keep it off for the long term eat a healthy breakfast. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to shovel loads of food into your mouth the first thing after you roll out of bed in the morning. You can wait an hour or so until you feel hungry. However, it does mean don’t wait until lunch when you are starving and reach for anything at the fast food window. Eat a sensible portion-controlled meal that includes carbs and proteins. For more tips see this useful article on metabolism and weight loss: Shift Your Metabolism Into Drive (lifescript.com)
Post your favorite to my FB page at http://www.facebook.com/drivenfitness by July 30 and enter to win a month of free boot camp!**
It’s summertime (well, in most places – what is going on with this crazy foggy So Cal weather?)! And we Southern Californians love to be outdoors in the sunshine. From swimming to hiking, running, biking, surfing…our list of outdoor activities goes on and on. But a few extra precautions should be taken when exercising in the heat and sun.
What exactly happens to the body when exercising in the heat? Runner’s World writer Amby Burfoot wanted to find out. In his article “Turning Up the Heat,” Amby traveled to the University of Connecticut to undergo a heat study – running for 60 minutes in a 90 degree heat chamber. After only 20 minutes, Amby’s legs felt much more fatigued than normal, he was breathing heavily and he was feeling a bit light headed. And after the run the results showed “his heart rate soared to 175, about 96 percent of his max. his temperature spiked to 103.5, close to the edge of heatstroke, which can potentially occur when your core temperature reaches 104.0. His lactic acid climbed above 4.0, the point most physiologists define as the lactate threshold where the leg muscles no longer function efficiently. And Burfoot’s plasma volume contracted by more than 10 percent, which, coupled with a 2.6 percent total dehydration, forced his heart to work harder to push blood to his legs. All this at a pace Amby considered comfortable. If he had run much longer or harder at 90 degrees, it’s possible that he could have staggered into heat illness, the precursor to the heatstroke hurt zone. ”
Read the full article here: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267–13245-3-1X2X3-4,00.html
It’s obvious that running in heat can have serious and even dangerous effects on the body. But not to worry! There are simple steps you can take to exercise safely and effectively during the summer months. Check out these tips from Runner’sWorld.com: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-238-267-269-13568-0,00.html
And finally, use these tips published in the CDC’s Extreme Heat Guide to learn to recognize the signs of trouble:
Heat StrokeHeat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.
Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following:
An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F, orally)
Image by SashaW via Flickr
Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
Rapid, strong pulse
Throbbing headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Unconsciousness
What to Do
If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:
Get the victim to a shady area.
Cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.
Monitor body temperature, and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F.
If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions.
Do not give the victim fluids to drink.
Get medical assistance as soon as possible.
Sometimes a victim’s muscles will begin to twitch uncontrollably as a result of heat stroke. If this happens, keep the victim from injuring himself, but do not place any object in the mouth and do not give fluids. If there is vomiting, make sure the airway remains open by turning the victim on his or her side.
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. It is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat.
Warning signs of heat exhaustion:
Heavy sweating
Paleness
Muscle cramps
Tiredness
Weakness
Dizziness
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Fainting
The skin may be cool and moist. The victim’s pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow. If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention immediately if any of the following occurs:
Symptoms are severe
The victim has heart problems or high blood pressure
Otherwise, help the victim to cool off, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour.
What to Do
Cooling measures that may be effective include the following:
Cool, nonalcoholic beverages
Rest
Cool shower, bath, or sponge bath
An air-conditioned environment
Lightweight clothing
Heat Cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body’s salt and moisture. The low salt level in the muscles may be the cause of heat cramps. Heat cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.
Recognizing Heat Cramps
Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms—usually in the abdomen, arms, or legs—that may occur in association with strenuous activity. If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps.
What to Do
If medical attention is not necessary, take these steps:
Stop all activity, and sit quietly in a cool place.
Drink clear juice or a sports beverage.
Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps subside, because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Seek medical attention for heat cramps if they do not subside in 1 hour.
I recently began reading the New American Diet by Stephen Perrine, Editor-at-Large for Men’s Health and Heather Hurlock, former Health Editor of Best Life. I am not a fan of diets, diet books, fads, cleanses, meal plans, etc. I believe in whole food nutrition based on food education and focused on a healthy balance of proteins, carbs and fats and low intake of pre-prepared foods. So most diet books don’t impress me. However, thus far I am a fan of Perrine’s writing. In the New American Diet, Perrine discusses a new class of chemicals called obesogens “that disrupt the function of our hormonal systems, leading to weight gain and many of the diseases that curse the American population.” (pg 3) As further explained at www.DietsInReview.com:
“Obesogen is a term that was originally coined by a University of California-Irvine professor who described how these chemical compounds, which are foreign to the body, can disrupt the body’s homeostasis and metabolism of fat thereby making the accumulation of fat easier. The New American Diet is one ofthe first books to explore in depth the concept of obesogens and their potential role in contributing to the current American obesity epidemic.”
According to Perrine, we are exposed to obesogens in a multitude of ways from compounds found in our foods to packaging and pesticides. And more and more researchers are focusing attention and studies on these hormone altering compounds. I like this book because it summarizes much of the current research currently underway regarding obosegens and summarizes it in quick, easy-to-understand terms. Of course, research is a tricky thing – you never know if it is completely accurate unless it is independently funded and properly conducted. However, the book gives a great overview of the current work out there. In addition, the author emphasizes the importance of your food quality, not just quantity. And he focuses on a whole food diet, recognizing that budget-conscious consumers need to get the most for their money these days. He doesn’t tell you to go out and buy all organic or spend tons of money on supplementation, but does give tips on eating as healthy as possible with simple, straightforward methods, choosing natural and organic foods when appropriate. And remember: it is up to you to be fit and healthy. No matter what the latest research says about genetics, environmental effects and external causes of weight gain, only you are responsible for what you put in your mouth and how often you exercise. But, if you are looking for an interesting read that makes many valid points regarding diet and exercise, pick up a copy of the New American Diet and happy reading.
I love the Mud Run. Many of you have heard me talk about it before, but I am going to take a few minutes to talk about it again because it’s my blog, and well, I can do that
I LOVE THE MUD RUN! The Camp Pendleton Mud Run is 6.2 miles of off road running complete with wall obstacles, multiple mud pits, a lake swim and a killer hill that will eat you up and spit you out. But it is so much fun! So fun that they now hold races multiple races in both the Spring and Fall, all of which sell out in a matter of days.
I love the run because 1) when do you get to play in the mud as an adult and feel completely in the norm? And 2) because all you see is smiles. Even as you are huffing and puffing the last mile or trudging through a pond of mud thigh deep all you see is people displaying huge dirty grins. How many races can see teams dressed up as Vikings? Mario Bros? Tutu’d ballerinas? A few weeks ago I was fortunate to once again run with my favorite gal pals on an awesome team. And we had a second, equally as awesome, Driven Fitness team there too!
But I do have another point to my post: there is a method to my training madness, as noted by Lucy shortly after the Mud Run. Lucy was on one of our Driven Teams and had never run a 10k before, let alone an off-road 10k with complete with obstacles. As the date of the race approached, there was the obvious training we did to prepare – like the many early mornings we met at the bottom of a knarly Mission Viejo hill to then slowly trudge up it so we wouldn’t completely collapse on the hill at Pendleton. But there were also other exercises I subtly slipped into their workouts to help them prep too. And this subtle prep didn’t become clear until after the race, when Lucy came into class the next Monday and said,” As I was making my way through the final mud pit, crawling on my hands and knees and ducking under flag after flag on my belly, I thought,” THESE ARE JUST LIKE THE BEAR CRAWLS WE DO!” I could see the lightbulb flash in her mind – we DO do all of these exercises for a reason!
And that is why I train the way I train. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from my mentor, Lynda Head, is that I should always have a reason for choosing an exercise, and I stick to this rule. Now, is everyone going to utilize our bear crawl drills to make their way through a pit of 3 feet mud? Of course not! But my goal is to help people do what they love to do…better and without pain. Whether you run or bike or play volleyball there is always a reason I choose certain exercises for each workout. And maybe it is so one day, even though you don’t expect it, you can do bear crawls through the thickest mud you’ve ever seen.
I attended over 20 lectures and workouts during the convention and my mind is racing with all of the information I tried to absorb. While I attempt to let it all sink in and apply it to my sessions and classes, I thought I would share a few of the trends I noticed over the weekend.
