Tag: exercise

Skip the Gym – Fitness Blender

FBYTss

I blame and thank my dearest Wonder Woman for her lead.  I had been following her posts on her morning workout with kettlebells. They looked dangerous and intriguing, which means I had to try it.   She suggested I search Youtube to get an idea of how they’re used and to find a workout.

Turns out that there were tons of videos out there.  I ended up choosing a beginner’s kettlebell routine from Fitness Blender.   I got through my first KB session unscathed, my floor not so much but I really enjoyed the routine and have completed many others since. I return to Fitness Blender time and again for the following reasons:

  • The workout routines are filmed against a white background so that the viewer can see all the moves in plain view.  Also there are no distracting boob shots or butt shots, just the instructor(s) puttin in work.
  • The start of each routine provides a text outline of what it entails, so you can get your mind right from the beginning on what you’re about to do.
  • The routines are free of music, you get only the instructor(s) doing the workout with narration.  I don’t even miss the music.
  • There is a plethora of workouts to choose from. HIIT, cardio, kettlebell, weights etc all at different lengths and for different fitness levels. The 1-5 intensity scale,  caloric burn estimate and other descriptors clearly identify the level of difficulty.
  • No rah rah.  I’m not really here for all the “come on give me 5 more you can do ittttt” cheerleading.  A simple count down of reps or a timer suit me just fine, which is what Fitness Blender does.
  • It costs nothing, just the cost of whatever you’re paying for the internet.

and… last but not least… the instructors.

Fitness Blender consists of the husband and wife team of Daniel and Kelli.  Daniel performs the narration on the videos, Kelli, Daniel or both do the workouts. They’re both trained professionals who are experienced in the health and fitness industry. You can learn more about them and additional programs that are offered on their website.

Fitness Blender for me is THE best bang for the buck (or no bucks).  The variety of workouts available ensures that you won’t ever get bored, and the simplicity of their production allows you to focus on form instead of being distracted by everything else.  Next time you skip the gym give Fitness Blender a whirl.  You’ll be glad you did.

Until next time, see you at the virtual gym.

Injury Report – Ridiculous

The latest injury news for the old broad is lumbar radiculopathy.  When I received the diagnosis I couldn’t help but think how close the word was to “ridiculous” and told the doctor as much.  This is a back problem, inflammation aggravating a nerve which manifested itself as a pain in the arse, hamstring and foot. This is not new and is something I’ve dealt with off and on for about 30 years.  In the past the condition has been treated by:

  • steroid injections which failed at relieving the back pain but ended up improving my asthma symptoms
  • chiropractic manipulation – which helped tremendously but required weekly visits that were not covered by insurance
  • major weight loss – which eliminated the chronic pain
The doctor didn’t ask me what I’d been doing but I told him about my exercise regimen which is what I assumed caused this latest flare-up.  To relieve the symptoms the doctor prescribed:
  • oral steroids (which are making me bats#$% crazy)
  • rest and, wait for it …
  • losing 10 pounds as my current level of exertion may be too much at my current weight

20131227_095017 (1)

Thus far I’ve taken the pills and stayed out of the gym, practiced yoga (the only exercise permissible) and have been contemplating how to address my diet in order to lose some more weight.  I’m not pleased but will do it, and will seek a nutritionist since I’m diabetic and  exercise five days a week.  In other words, I am actually complying with doctor’s orders 🙂

I hope that none of you are dealing with any injuries during this festive season.  If you are, I hope you’re on the mend, complying with the prescribed treatment(s) and enjoying your family and friends.  On the bright side, if you’re sidelined from the gym/road/court etc, that gives you more time to spend with the folks you love.

If you have a history of back problems, I’d loved to hear about your experiences and how you’ve overcome them.  Feel free to share in the comments or hit me up on Twitter or Google+.

Until next time see you somewhere, anywhere other than the doctor’s office 😉

Skip The Gym – Ekhart Yoga

Even if you’ve been going to the gym for years (25 in my case) there are days when you want to get a workout in but don’t want to leave the house.  Back in the day you had to rely on your own ingenuity by making up a workout routine, or later on you could workout with VHS tapes, and later DVDs.  The 21st century has made it even easier for us not to leave the house but still maintain fitness thanks to the internet and this glorious invention called YouTube where you can find any type of workout you desire for the cost of your internet connection. I started using YouTube for home workouts earlier this year and have found some great and some not so great channels and videos.  One great channel that I go to again and again is Ekhart Yoga.

 Ekhart Yoga
Esther Ekhart’s appeal for me is demeanor. She instructs in the way that my mind says a Yoga instructor should, with clarity, calm and instruction for modifications.  Her style is not to make the student push as far as possible but to move as far as comfortable with proper form and continued emphasis on breathing (which one can forget when trying to get a pose right). Her channel features long and short classes, with the shorter ones being specialized for such things as the time of day, injuries, sports related needs and so on. I’ve done several different classes and have yet to repeat any which is good to keep things fresh.

Esther Ekhart/Ekhart Yoga is the best yoga instruction on YouTube I’ve tried thus far.  I will continue to check out more yoga videos and channels to see what else is offered, however if you want variety and excellent instruction Ekhart Yoga is great for all levels of practice.

Until next time, Namaste.

Another Guy At The Gym

Because the knee is doing funky things right now I’m spending more time on the gym floor with the weight equipment. My “soccer mom” gym Planet Fitness is great for my needs. The equipment is always operable, there’s never a wait for anything (at least not early in the morning) and the price is right. This past weekend I went in at early evening and lo and behold “that guy” was there.

I’m headed to the back where you do all your abs, stretching and such. The back also contains the adductor and abductor machines which I hit last before the ab work. There are two of each machine, only one is available when I roll up but I figure somebody will be done by the time I finish my set. Two machines opened when I finished. One didn’t, the one with “that guy” on it.  I always time my workouts and since the clock was ticking I wanted to know how long he would stay on. I got a bit more than time with this one.

That fool on the adductor next to me definitely was not doing thigh work. What he was doing was sweating all over the machine with his headphones on doing some weird swooping movement for his… abs?  I want to say DUDE YOU’RE ON A THIGH MACHINE WTF? Clearly he didn’t know that those machines are the exclusive territory of the big thigh mamas like me.  Now homie would throw a few reps in for good measure but go right back to the swoop and sweat. While all that was going on I completed, adduction, abduction, abs and stretching which took 18 minutes at which time he finally vacated.

So I’m submitting another entry to the “don’t be that guy at gym” series as follows: “don’t be that guy who is using the machine for purposes other than what it’s made for and stays there like he’s on his La Z Boy at home.”

If you’re that guy, please stop this foolishness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-91_iXATY8

Until next time, see you at the gym.

 

photos: mine

White River Club – Anderson, IN

Seeing that the winter weight had begun creeping on before it was officially winter I decided that when the holidays rolled around that I would halt the creep instead of adding to it.  I usually run whenever I come home (Indiana) but that’s generally during the summer.  This year I caught a break on a ticket, and headed home for Christmas.  Snow was on the ground and there was NO WAY any running would be done outside so what’s a girl to do when she can’t go outside?  Head to the gym.

I’m no stranger to the gym, it’s just that when it is warm out I’d rather be in the great outdoors which is much easier to do for a longer stretch of the year in the south.  Since I’m no longer winter hearty, I take it inside when it’s cold.  In years past during visits home in the winter I frequented another gym near my mothers home. This year was a different story.  I was seeking a more modern facility in which I felt more comfortable. After asking around and making a few calls I landed at White River Club.  An older gentlemen at the front desk answered all my questions, sold me a weekly pass and had someone show me around the club.  

During the tour, I saw a water aerobics class in session with seniors enjoying the class, several personal trainers with clients, staff checking the common areas and people getting their fitness on.  All of the equipment was clean and in working order.  Not one “out of order” sign was posted and all of the staff and patrons were friendly which was considerably different from what I’d experienced at the other club I USED to visit.  White River has a full slate of classes daily with something for every age and fitness level and their prices are definitely reasonable. The club is also GREEN.  The two national chain health clubs that I frequent in Atlanta don’t recycle, White River does.

If you’re in town to visit or if you’re a resident I highly recommend White River Club.  It’s one thing to have a full slate of classes and state of the art equipment, but without that customer service component, going to the gym can be a drag.  White River Club’s service and friendly environment take them over the top.

For more information please check out their website and Facebook Page.