thePULSEFrom beginners’ classes to advanced techniques,
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By Linnea Sheldon, Cherie Ronayne, and Damian Bonazzoli
Ask ten different people to define their personal fitness and health goals and you’ll get ten different answers. For some, fitness means being able to walk to the car without passing out and health means not catching a cold from that sneezing co-worker. Others consider themselves weak and spiritually unhealthy if they can’t bench press 400 pounds and maintain a yogi-like meditative calm during rush hour. Point is, regardless of whether you consider “fitness” and “health” four-letter words or primary life goals, there is an exercise, a training regimen, or a class out there that’s the right level for you. So put down your free weights or your remote control and come with us as we show you some of the possibilities…
Basic Workouts
By Linnea Sheldon
There are a variety of group exercise choices for fitness enthusiasts of all ages. Some are very social, others really focus on the individual. By taking into account the atmosphere, instructor, time of day, and intensity of the class, each person is sure to find the right fit.
Aerobics is one type of workout that is usually very social and combines strength moves with choreography, all done to a catchy beat. These classes tend to be high energy and really keep you on your toes. General aerobics classes usually focus on a warm-up period and follow that with a more intense cardio program. Most aerobics classes also offer a brief abdominal workout and end with a relaxing cool down that focuses on flexibility and relaxation. Classes are generally anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes and focus on both high and low impact movements. Rubber soled sneakers and comfortable clothing are a requirement, but other than that no special equipment is needed. This kind of exercise is great for beginners and advanced participants because it allows you to find your own abilities and then really push yourself. The combination of cardio and strengthening moves makes it time well spent, and is great for the exerciser on the go.
Step classes are offered at many gyms and have been a favorite for years. These classes are more choreographed than most and are done to the beat of high energy, toe-tapping music. The classes are usually offered in a variety of fitness levels, from beginner, with simple choreography and a moderate pace, to the advanced, with more complicated choreography and a challenging pace. Each class provides a great cardio workout with added toning and conditioning in the lower body. Other than proper workout attire the only item required is a step, and most gyms will supply them.
Spinning or indoor cycling is a highly motivational group exercise class that allows each individual to choose his or her own level of exertion. An energizing soundtrack and inspiring instructor are great motivators as you pedal your way over flat surfaces and climb mountains while your instructor helps you visualize the experience. Like most classes, spinning generally lasts 40 to 60 minutes and includes a warm up and cool down period with stretching. It’s a great choice for improving muscle tone, cardiovascular fitness, and endurance.
Core workouts have become popular in the fitness community over recent years. Most core workouts have a real focus on the individual, even if they are done in a group setting. A number of fitness tools are associated with this kind of workwout, including physio-balls, Bosu trainers, core boards, and discs. Many gyms are offering physio-ball classes that use medium to large stability balls to give a full body workout with a strong focus on the abs and back. What began as a form of rehabilitation has grown into a popular and fun workout that focuses on functional strength, core stability, flexibility, and posture, all while providing a solid overall workout.
BOSU training involves what looks like half of a stability ball, so it incorporates both a flat surface and a rounded surface. By using the BOSU, you are also concentrating on core muscles and working parts of your body that a regular strength and cardio workout wouldn’t reach. New products that focus on the core muscles and balance as a way to reach your fitness peak continue to enter the market; these products are used by beginners and athletes alike and are a way to advance your results no matter your fitness level. Many gyms purchase a few of each product to keep on-hand, but it is best if you ask an employee for instruction or take a class before attempting to use one on your own.
Water workouts are another way to get great results in a non-traditional way. The added bonus of water workouts is that they provide different levels of fitness training with minimal impact on the body. Swimming is a great cardiovascular workout that also builds endurance and upper body strength. It is also an excellent way to stay flexible and increase your energy. The nature of swimming is also very relaxing and allows you some time to yourself. Water aerobics classes, however, also offer the benefits of a water workout but add in the group component. Many of the moves that typical aerobic classes use on land can be used in the water with much less impact. Different styles of music can relax or energize, depending on the class. Most classes last about 45 minutes.
Racquetball, popular for years with both males and females, is offered at most gyms. This high intensity, competitive game is great for fitness enthusiasts of all levels. The nature of the game keeps you on your toes, and the quick movements really get your heart pumping. It is also great for upper body strength. And there’s the additional motivation of having a workout partner/opponent, too!
Yoga
By Cherie Ronayne
Yoga as an exercise form is sadly underrated due to a variety of misconceptions. The greatest is the idea that yoga isn’t really exercise. Hooey! Try a class and then decide. Along with sore muscles that you didn’t expect to be sore, you’ll have a clearer head and will sleep better from, yes, just that one class. You’ll also discover that your ability to concentrate in the “real world” improves, too ~ and since the average person has a concentration span of only six seconds… In the greater Worcester area, there are many options for participating in yoga classes and most of the bigger “membership” health clubs offer yoga on a regular basis. So, no excuses….
Yoga is essentially an isometric exercise, involving muscular contractions during which no muscles are ever forced to shorten then immediately, lengthen or vice versa. There is a constant and equal force or strain placed on the muscles. Isometric exercise and, in this case, resistance training in the form of yoga, has been proven to prevent injuries and speed rehabilitation from existing injuries. Isometric exercising can produce deep levels of muscular improvement in a very short period of time.
There are many and varied benefits to
practicing yoga:
Increased flexibility
Increased lubrication of joints, liga ments and tendons
Increased stamina
Massaging of ALL organs of the body
Complete detoxification
Well-toned muscles
Mood moderation and peace of mind
Improved concentration and memory
Posture perfection
Improved digestion
Lessening stored fat
Healing injured muscles
Speeding time to recover from an injury
Preventing re-injury
Nourishment, renewal and re-energizing of the body
Increased core strength (awesome abs!)
One of the best aspects of yoga is that it’s good for everyone, regardless of age or fitness level*, which means that there’s a huge cross-section of people in most yoga classes. When you stand next to someone in a class, you’re as likely to be next to a doctor as you are to a deli clerk, or professional athlete. It’s a comfortable place to be, and that’s half the battle of incorporating regular exercise to any daily routine. And part of the mindset of practicing yoga is turning your concentration inward. Gradually, practitioners learn to be less distracted by external factors and the rest of the people in the class just melt away.
Any form of yoga practiced in a yoga class is also very serene and meditative ~ part of the goal is to concentrate on breathing to invite a quieting of the mind. This serenity is what makes yoga classes the perfect stress buster. In most classes, no one but the instructor speaks. That’s not to say that there aren’t lighter moments in class ~ something humorous happens or the instructor has the good sense to throw a joke in somewhere. In Bikram yoga, the instructors often urge the students to smile with their “happy, smiling yoga faces.” Yoga class, though, is not really the place to pick up chicks or to chat. However, many individuals who practice and teach yoga are indeed very friendly, so often there is a sociable unwinding period after class.
Some styles of yoga are powerful and intense, while others are soothing and relaxing. In Central MA, the most predominant style of yoga instruction is Hatha yoga and its more popular forms (Hatha Yoga encompasses many additional lesser-practiced forms, too, including Anusara Yoga, Baba Hari Dass, Bikram, Iyengar, Kripalu, Krishnamacharya, Paramahansa Yogananda, Ramakrishna, Swami Sivananda saraswati, Tibetan Yoga, Transcendental Meditation, Svaroopa Yoga and Viniyoga.):
Ashtanga (a form of which, Vinyasa, Madonna helped popularize)
Kundalini
Kripalu
Bikram
Hatha yoga (ha =”sun,” tha =”moon”) is the union of mind-body-spirit though a practice of asana (yoga postures), pranayama (yoga breathing), mudra (body gestures) and shatkarma (internal cleansings). These elements are used together to purify and cultivate the subtle energies of the body. One major focus of modern Hatha yoga is using postures and breathing to control the mind and senses. Hatha has grown in popularity in the US partly due to the attention medical professionals are giving its vast health benefits such as the control of bodily processes, lowering stress levels (blood pressure), and increased flexibility.
The focus of Ashtanga yoga is on muscular endurance and flexibility. Sweat and heavy breathing are characteristic, as this style (which individuals with wrist or shoulder problems should avoid) involves a series of postures that flow together to maintain constant movement. Ashtanga is often called Power yoga because of its athleticism and fast pace. It’s NOT for beginners. (Try Gold’s Gym, Worcester, for a nice cross between Power Yoga and Hot Yoga ~ friendly people, big classes.)
The focus of Kundalini is on higher consciousness and greater flexibility, rousing the energy stored in the chakras. In this form of yoga, energy is released through intense breathing patterns of varying lengths and depths. It is best for individuals with high blood pressure and pregnant women to avoid this particular style.
Kripalu yoga is a therapeutic, gentle and spiritually-focused yoga that teaches a clear body alignment and offers a three-stage approach that incorporates inner focus and meditation with each yoga pose. This is a good choice for the beginning student.
Bikram Choudhury, a champion weight lifter, developed Bikram yoga. It is believed to be an effective therapy for some forms of arthritis, chronic back pain, and many other ailments. The class consists of a series of 13 standing and 13 sitting asanas (poses). Bikram yoga classes, traditionally 90 minutes long, are usually conducted in temperatures of 80 to 100 degrees or higher. This type of yoga is often called Hot yoga and is just that, so plan to sweat gallons. Wear light exercise wear (sports bra and shorts for women, shorts for men) and bring water to drink during class. Take it from this heatseaker, it’s addictive. If you enjoy and get used to the warmth and the benefits that go along with practicing in a heated room, you won’t want to take any kind of class besides Bikram ever again.
So now that you’re a little bit more familiar with the goals and different forms of yoga, get to class, breath deeply, relax and rejuvenate! Your body will thank you, each and every time you simply try!
Namaste!**
*As always, check with your health care professional before starting any new exercise program.
**A Hindu greeting meaning “The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you” or “I bow to you,” recognizing the equality of all and paying honor to the sacredness of all.
Advaced Fitness
By Damian Bonazzoli
Everybody has different fitness goals, from wanting to shed that “freshman fifteen” to toning up for better athletic performance. But what if your present program just isn’t getting the job done? Or what if you’ve already achieved a more modest goal but have decided you’re ready for an even greater challenge? Here are a few suggestions to help you take things to the next level.
First let’s talk about strength training. Walk into any gym and you’ll be surrounded by “old school” classics, everything from the flat bench and more modern Nautilus-style strength training machines to a bevy of devices like stability balls, resistance bands, and basketball-sized weighted balls (“medicine balls”). All the aforementioned are important parts of your overall, long term program ~ but that said, there are some adjustments you can make to really amp up your results.
Total Body Conditioning
One of the best ways to shock your body is through total body conditioning, working as many muscles as possible simultaneously. For example, (and this is a favorite of mine), get into a deep lunge, so that your forward leg is at a 90 degree angle, knee over foot, with your rear leg extended behind you with that knee not quite touching the floor. Take a couple of dumbbells, but instead of holding them by the bar, hold them by the side; that is, by the weight itself. Now perform lateral raises (lifting and extending the weights up from your sides so that your arms form a perfect “T” position). Think of the muscles at work here ~ your quadriceps should be killing you for staying in the lunge for so long and, especially as your quads weaken, your calves and your “core” (basically, your abs and back) will be working overtime to stabilize you. Your shoulders will be screaming from the lateral raises, but your forearms will also be burning from having to use so much energy just gripping the weight. That’s definitely more bang for your buck. And for even more of a bang, place one foot on an unstable surface (such as a BOSU ~ a stability ball cut in half, with a flat surface on one side), and your calves and core will have to work even harder to stabilize you.
This, in a nutshell, is functional, total body training. And what’s extra fun about it is that your options are virtually limitless. You can take just about any exercise and, with a little creativity, almost double the number of muscles you are working. Perform upper body/arm exercises while in a squat or lunge position. Perform lower body exercises while holding a medicine ball away from your body, and then rotate the medicine ball from side to side. Perform a pull-up, but add a twisting crunch while you’re up there. In short, use your imagination, listen to your body, and then enjoy pushing yourself safely to more major gains. Killer!
Martial Arts
Another way to help take things up a notch is through the study of martial arts. Put aside what you’ve seen on television and in the movies. In truth, there’s nothing weird or mystical about martial arts, they’re just good forms of exercise, sometimes hundreds of years old, that can help you become stronger, more flexible, and more agile…in short, more functional.
Everyone has heard of karate. It’s a Japanese/Okinawan art that concentrates on power and focused strength. In a typical karate class, you’ll do your fair share of kicks, punches, and, most prominently, kata ~ choreographed sequences that involve practicing self-defense movements that address a variety of possible attackers.
Kung fu is like karate with an emphasis on punches, kicks, and choreographed sequences/forms, but it tends to be more fluid and graceful, with less emphasis on raw power and more on agility. It challenges the practitioner to be simultaneously focused, agile, and flexible. Very often, kung fu is based on the movements of various animals, so if you’re looking to get in touch with your inner tiger (or inner crane, or inner serpent, for that matter), kung fu may be the art for you.
Capoera is a lesser-known Afro-Brazilian martial art that has its roots in traditional African dance. Practitioners execute cartwheels that double as kicks to an opponent’s head, or spins from a seated position that serve to sweep the legs out from under one’s opponent. Capoera is very rhythmic and is always practiced to heavily percussive Afro-Brazilian music. And since I’ve studied it, I can tell you that it’s a blast.
Boxing may be the most underrated martial art out there ~ and many people don’t even realize that it’s considered a martial art at all. Everybody knows what boxing looks like, but it’s the training that boxers undergo that makes for an amazing workout ~ and you don’t even have to spar to reap huge benefits. Start out by jumping rope for about fifteen minutes. Then practice your punching while holding on to hand weights. Tie a string across the room (if you’re working out at home) at about shoulder level, then practice “bobbing and weaving” underneath the string, from one side to another ~ your quads will beg for mercy! If you’re at the gym, or if you’ve got the equipment at home, move on to the double-end bag (a volleyball-sized bag suspended on a bungee cord) and try to hit it consistently. This routine is great for hand-eye coordination, rhythm, and reflexes. Spend some quality time with the speed bag for more work on rhythm with the added bonus of a nice shoulder workout. Finally, put it all together on the heavy bag. (To wrap up your boxing “session,” you can always hit the road and run three to five miles, alternating sprints with light jogging.) Boxing is simply a tremendous workout.
Mixed Martial Arts, aka Ultimate Fighting
Mixed martial arts (sometimes called vale tudo ~ Portuguese for “anything goes” ~ or ultimate fighting) is a relative newcomer to the scene. If you’ve ever seen the Ultimate Fighting Championship (or its spin-off reality TV show “Ultimate Fighter”), you’ve seen mixed martial arts (MMA) in action. It’s a combination of Western boxing, Thai-style kickboxing, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Mixed martial arts is definitely a contact sport as it involves punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. Also, competitors are allowed to tackle each other and execute “submission holds” such as chokes and armbars. One somewhat unique characteristic of MMA is that, unlike karate or kung fu, there are no choreographed sequences; everything is live action and hands-on. While not for the faint of heart, MMA gyms are generally safe places to train, as practitioners don’t go all out unless they’re preparing for a specific fight and have their training partner’s consent. What makes MMA intimidating for some and compelling for others is that the contact is real; classmates frequently spar, and the casual, often grungy atmosphere is more like that of a boxing or wrestling gym than that of a disciplined karate or kung fu academy.
So if you have reached a plateau in your current workout, or if you’re simply in the right frame of mind to begin increasing the difficulty level of your fitness/exercise routine, there are indeed options out there, options that fall somewhere in between beginner and dangerously extreme.
Remember, the workout program that works best is one that you can stick with and enjoy, one that is reasonable for your goals, resources, and physical capabilities.
