PiYo

Each week at work, we have team workouts. Employees teach employees in a group exercise setting a type of workout style they specialize in. I taught bootcamp and made everyone hate me the next day when they couldn’t make it up the stairs. Last week we hopped on bikes for a heart-pumping spin class. This week we ditched our shoes, unrolled our mats and did a PiYo class. I had never done it before but immediately fell in love with it. I do yoga, sometimes regularly and sometimes sporadically, had done Pilates a few times, but never really got hooked on it. But PiYo was something new and different for me.  

Piyo is a fusion of Pilates and yoga. It focuses on improving core strength (Pilates) and increasing balance and range of motion (yoga). It also incorporates elements of strength training and dynamic movement for  a challenging and fun full body workout. Rather than holding yoga postures for an extended time, participants go through a sequence of movements that flow together as flawlessly as any yoga class.

The name and popularity of PiYo may be new, but the concept isn’t. Instructors have been mixing these types of exercises for quite some time now. It offers a nice change to those who get “bored” holding poses for a period of time.  With a flexible class format, you can get a different workout each time you come to class!

So, who can benefit from PiYo? Everyone. Beginners to advanced exercisers can get something out of this unique class. Modifications are available for every pose and movement so everyone can get a good workout. For me, PiYo(which will be now a regular part of my running training) will help me strengthen  muscles I rely on during races but don’t get fully activated doing strength training alone.  The mind-body aspect of this class will invigorate and de-stress me on days where my optimism just isn’t there.  Whatever your personal fitness goals may be, PiYo is a great addition. If nothing else you will feel focused and energized walking out of class. I encourage you all to try it at least once!

For my 24 Hour Fitness readers: PiYo classes are offered weekly so check out the website for dates and times. Also, our new personal training specials start today! Buy ten sessions and get 2 free! 20 sessions will get you 3 free! Email or come see me if interested.

7 Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer

1.       If you’ve exercised regularly for several months and are not seeing the changes you’d like.  A personal trainer will be able to recognize the plateau you’ve hit and push you beyond it. A trainer will look at your current exercise and nutrition program habits and see where improvement could be made.  A trainer will also go over your goals with you and break them down into realistic ones with a reasonable timeline to get there.

2.       If you don’t know where to begin.  There is a lot of information to know when beginning a workout program.  If you’re unfamiliar with the gym, it can be overwhelming and even intimidating. A personal trainer can educate you in what types of exercises will be appropriate for you based on your desired goals. A trainer will also establish what resistance will be appropriate for each exercise.  They will ensure you are doing each exercise correctly and with proper form.

3.       If you’re bored with your current program.  Even if you have worked out on your own for a while, you can still benefit from a personal trainer. Just a few sessions with a trainer can give you new ideas and exercises to change up your workout a little. A trainer will provide you with new challenges and the opportunity to learn how to use equipment you might not normally use.

4.       If you like to be challenged. It’s easy to just go through the motions when exercising on your own. A trainer will add that extra push to keep you on your toes and working hard. You will improve your fitness by continuing to push yourself beyond what you do on your own.

5.       If you need the accountability. Sometimes people need a standing appointment in order to get into the gym. If you know you’ve paid for your sessions and know your trainer is waiting on you, it will be harder to find excuses not to get your workout.

6.       If you have specific limitations, conditions or injuries. If you have heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure, any injuries, etc, you can benefit from a personal trainer. They will show you proper modifications that are necessary for you, as well as exercises to avoid.

7.       If you are training for a specific event.  A personal trainer can guide you through exercises that will strengthen the muscles needed for your specific event.  They will also ensure you will be at your best for the day of the event.

*Please refer to my previous blog (dated June 1, 2011 on How to Choose a Personal Trainer) for additional information*

For my 24 Hour Fitness readers: We have a training promotion going on now: purchase 10 sessions and get 1 session free! 20 sessions will get you 2 free sessions! This promotion ends on Thursday August 18^th 2011 so act fast! If you decide to purchase sessions with me, I will give you an additional hour to discuss your fitness goals and give you an initial fitness assessment. (You could save up to $210 with this!)

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Delayed onset muscle soreness: the pain that develops 24 to 48 hours after a strenuous workout. We’ve all felt it before, whether it was from running , or simply an activity you’ve never done before. This blog will discuss delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), why it happens, what causes it and what is going on in your muscles that causes you to limp down the stairs. Most of the time, I’ll be talking specifically about marathon running, but know that DOMS also occurs after strenuous workouts of which your body is not accustomed.

It was once thought that lactic acid was to blame for DOMS.  It accumulates in the muscles when the amount of oxygen required for the physical activity exceeds the oxygen you’re getting.  It’s your body’s defense against doing any permanent damage to the muscles by overexerting.  Lactic acid doesn’t allow the muscles to work as efficiently, so for example in a marathon, your pace would slow as a result.  Your muscles physically cannot utilize oxygen in a manner that will maintain your pace. Slowing down allows oxygen to get back into your muscles. Once oxygen is back at appropriate levels, your muscles begin to work more efficiently again. Lactic acid IS responsible for pain, but it’s the burning pain you feel as your running. Once you stop running, or whatever the activity, the lactic acid removes itself from your body after about half an hour.  During marathons, I’ve frequently talked with other runners during the miles. Even most veteran marathoners blame lactic acid for their soreness in the days after.

But since lactic acid is removed from the body 30 minutes after you stop exercise, there must be another culprit for DOMS.  The answer, although simple, is not reassuring. The reason you’re sore in the days following a marathon or tough exertion, is due to muscle damage. Using the marathon example, the repeated impact and excessive stress causes microscopic tears within the muscle fibers.  The process by which the muscles get repaired is what causes the pain.  Cells (macrophages and neutrophils) are sent to the damaged area to remove all the dead and damaged cells. Along with this process comes the swelling (another cause for the pain as there is less room within the muscle for it to carry out its’ normal functions)  Once the dead cells are out of the way, new cells(satellite cells) come in and begin to rebuild the muscle fibers. When this is done, the muscle is rebuilt stronger than before. Think of it like this: during an earthquake, a massive amount of destruction occurs (running the marathon), after it’s over cleanup crew come in to begin removing debris from the site (macrophages and neutrophils), once the debris is cleared, the builders can come in and begin rebuilding (satellite cells) and when they do this, they rebuild stronger so it’s prepared for the next earthquake (extreme physical activity).  This is an extremely simplified description of what happens. The process is complex and time consuming (hence the reason you feel pain 24 to 48 hours after the activity).

Some amount of DOMS is necessary for improved muscular fitness.  Since you repair yourself stronger than before, you can now handle that stress again without experiencing as much DOMS.  You can work to prevent severe DOMS by consistently training and gradually increasing intensity and/or duration of your workouts.  Some events, like the marathon, demand so much on the body that not experiencing some DOMS afterwards is nearly impossible. But again, gradually increasing mileage and intensity will help with the degree of pain you feel in the days following the race.

Overuse Injuries

        Endurance running is a sport of passion. You either love it or you hate it. “You're running on guts, on fumes. Your lungs burn, your muscles are screaming. You throw up, you're delirious, but you keep running because there is no way you are giving up, because there is no way you're not crossing that finish line. It's a misery non-runners don't understand.”- Martine Costello This quote explains it will I think.  All the sweat, the sore muscles, blisters, sunburns, torn muscles, we runners put up with all that for the satisfaction of the finish line (whether that finish line be at the end of a race of the end of a training run). But all too often, we are seeing overuse injuries with runners. We don’t know when to stop. I know I’m guilty of it. We ignore the pain of aching muscles and the longer we do that, we will soon be ignoring a much more serious problem. In most cases, overuse injuries can be prevented, even for those die-hard runners, if a few steps are taken.

Foam Roller: The foam roller is a piece of equipment I think every runner or endurance athlete should have. It does wonders for alleviating soreness and helping reduce tightness in the muscles that are working while we run. The IT band is the area most in need of the foam roller. The IT band is a tendon that goes from your hip, down the outside of your leg where it crosses the knee joint to attach on the inside. If the IT band becomes tight, it will pull on the kneecap causing it to track improperly, which in turn will cause knee pain for the runner. Using the foam roller on this tendon can help elongate it so the knee tracks where it is supposed to.

Increase mileage gradually: Don’t do too much too soon. This is the most common mistake new runner make. Gradually build your weekly miles up rather than going all out the first week. Your body needs time to adjust and get used to the impact and toll running takes on the body. A general rule is to only increase your mileage by 10% each week. This will ensure your body has the time it needs and you will be able to continue running without an injury. Quality is more important than quantity.

Rest!: Believe it or not, rest days are just as important as training days. Without rest, your body can’t repair itself from the previous workout. Constantly subjecting your body to intense and grueling workouts is only going to burn you out and cause an injury.

Don’t ignore acute pain: Pain is your body’s way of telling you you’re doing something wrong. While often times endurance runners tend to ignore these pains (I know I do), doing so often leads to a more serious injury.  If you listen to your body and take care of the pain or discomfort as it happens, you’re more likely to be running pain-free much sooner than if you ignore it and hope it just goes away. Ignoring it will place more stress on other joints that now have to compensate for the pain and now you’re looking at another potential location for injury. RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is essential for runners to know (and practice) to take care of these acute pains.  If RICE does not fix the problem, then it might be time to see a physician.

Cross train: This is another one that serious runners don’t always like doing. Their mindset is that they need to always run during their workout time. In reality, your body needs a break from the constant impact that running causes. Cross training provides a great way to still get a workout that uses the same muscles and running, just without the impact. This way, joints get to recover and prepare for the next run, while your muscles are still getting a workout.

While you can't always avoid injuries, following these steps will reduce your chances of becomming injured, and speed up your recovery if you already are.

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure refers to the pressure from circulating blood being exerted on the walls of blood vessels.  Blood pressure is measured and recorded as two numbers (120/80).  The top number is called systolic blood pressure.  This is measured as your heart is contracting and pushing blood through your arteries. The pressure during this phase is great which is why the number is higher.  The bottom number represents your diastolic blood pressure.  This is when your heart is relaxing and filling back up with blood.

Blood pressure can have negative health effects if it’s too high.  Ideally, blood pressure should be right around 120/80, or slightly lower.  A blood pressure that reads 140/90 on two separate occasions is classified as hypertension (high blood pressure).  Having high blood pressure has dangerous health consequences and can lead to coronary artery disease, heart failure, or stroke. There are not really symptoms of high blood pressure which is why it’s important to have it checked on a regular basis.  It could be causing damage to the heart and blood vessels without your knowledge.

There fortunately are ways to reduce your blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle.  First of all, eating a nutritious diet will not only reduce your risk of developing hypertension, but decrease it if you already have hypertension. Decreasing your sodium intake has also been proven to help lower blood pressure. Your body only requires about one teaspoon of salt per day but most people eat significantly more than that. Lowering sodium intake can help decrease hypertension as well as make blood pressure medications work more effectively.

Being physically active is probably the easiest thing you can do to help lower high blood pressure. Those who are physically active tend to have lower and healthier blood pressures than their sedentary counterparts. Another important one is to quit smoking if you’re a smoker.  While smoking does not directly cause hypertension, it does speed up the process of hardening in the arteries and causes damage to the walls of the blood vessels, all of which increase the risk for hypertension.

Remember to check your blood pressure regularly, more frequently if you already have hypertension. Making small changes in your lifestyle can make a big difference in your overall health.

Hiking

One of my favorite things in the summer is hiking in the mountains.  I love everything from quick morning hikes to all day 14er climbs. Living in Colorado, I am fortunate to have as many opportunities for exploration as there are days in the year. (There are equally spectacular places in Vermont for all my east coast readers.  J)  The back country and wilderness does come with its’ share of dangers and precautions though.  Being aware of these is essential for a safe and enjoyable hike.

·         Know your location, and make sure someone else does too.  It only takes a few minutes to leave a note or send a text message about where you’re going.  Having someone else know your general location is important on the off-chance you get lost. There are many cases of injured or missing hikers that could have been solved much easier (and quicker) if someone else knew where they were.

·         Know the wildlife likely to be in the area of your hike and plan accordingly. Be aware of what to do in case you run into wildlife. Most of the time, any animals you see will be harmless and/or more scared of you than you are of them.  There are times, however, when you may come across more dangerous animals and knowing how to react in these situations could potentially save your life. 

·         Plan ahead. Know in advance about how long of a hike it will be in favorable conditions. Bring plenty of food and water. This is so important, especially when you get into higher elevations. Hiking in general burns a substantial amount of calories, even more so as your elevation increases.  If you are in the sun, staying hydrated will become more important.

·         Dress in Layers. It’s impossible to predict the weather (especially in Colorado) so be prepared for a little of everything. Most of my hikes I’ve been able to do in a t-shirt and shorts, but I’ve done my fair share where I started out in a blizzard and ended with a sunburn. It never hurts to have an extra pair of socks in your bag in case there is more snow or that river is a little deeper than you thought.  Sunglasses are also important if there are both snow and sun on your hike. The sun reflects off the sun and without sunglasses, it can be damaging to your eyes.

·         Know about altitude sickness. High altitude is generally considered anything about 8,000 feet, but you don’t need to be much higher than that to start feeling symptoms. Altitude sickness is actually fairly common, affecting the majority of high altitude hikers in some way or another. Symptoms are usually mild and include fatigue, headaches, lightheadedness, and nosebleeds. There are more serious symptoms that can occur however. The most serious is edema which happens when fluid accumulates in tissues of the body ( in this case usually in the lungs or brain).  If you experience symptoms that are similar to a fever, or are gradually losing consciousness, chances are you are experiencing either cerebral or pulmonary edema, both of which are potentially life-threatening.  If this occurs, it is essential to descend as quickly as possible.

Just be aware of the potential issues that can occur while hiking and you will know how to properly and safely handle them. Get out and enjoy the great outdoors!

Rules of the Road

Today’s blog will be short and sweet, but I feel, very important information. In honor of Bike to Work Day, I will talk about the rules of the road. Whether you are on a bicycle or running, there are rules you need to adhere to when on the road with motor vehicles. Having recently moved to a bigger city, I can better appreciate the need for people to follow these guidelines. I also have witnessed how few of these people actually know, or at least follow, them. 

When biking, you go with traffic, your bicycle is your vehicle and you are responsible for all the rules, signs, and lights as a motorist. That means you’d stop at stop signs and lights, use proper signals when turning and be in the correct lane.   If you ride in the early morning or dusk, make sure you wear reflective clothing or at least have reflective lights on your bike; it is not always easy for vehicles to see you. As a cyclist, it is essential to be very aware of your surroundings.  Cars don’t always pay attention and many don’t know to look for a cyclist on the road in the first place. When reading up on bicycle laws and regulations, I came across many discussion boards and I read some pretty negative things people had to say about cyclists. Some people even discussed stories where they aimed their cars at cyclists in an attempt to run them off the road. Needless to say, there is a battle between cyclists and motorists. This makes it even more important that all rules are abided by and extreme caution is used when cycling. 

Now running, on the other hand, has some different rules. Runners are to run the opposite direction of traffic. This way you, the runner, can see cars as they approach, even if they can’t see you.  In general, there seems to be less hostility towards runners by motorists, but I’ve had things thrown and me and cars purposefully aimed at me while running.  Reflective or bright colored clothing is useful when running as well. The more you’re able to make your presence obvious, the safer you will be. Never assume a car can see you, even if you’re in the cross walk.  Of all the close calls I’ve had with cars, they’ve all been when I had the “walk” signal for a cross walk and if I hadn’t checked for cars, they would have hit me. 

If you’re a cyclist or a runner and you take your workouts on the road, be aware of these guidelines.  When you’re driving, be sure to be aware of the potential for runners and cyclists on the roads.