September 2020

Here in Chicago, we joke that the city only has two seasons: winter and construction. And with winters as notoriously brutal as ours, it’s no wonder that Chicagoans wait all year for the fleeting 100 days of summer. The city comes alive in the summertime with movies in the parks, festivals in the streets and crowds spilling out of Wrigley Field.

This summer, however, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, bicycles replaced Lollapalooza tickets as the must-have item of the season, and runners and walkers took to the lakefront with renewed enthusiasm for logging their daily steps.

With the temperatures starting to drop, we want to encourage Chicagoans to stay active by moving their outdoor workouts indoors to FFC.

FFC Group Fitness Director Lois Miller and FFC Group Fitness Manager Lara Mele, both outdoor fitness enthusiasts in their own right, have developed two 30 minute workouts and accompanying playlists to assist with the transition to indoor cardio sessions.

Lace up those running shoes or clip into a stationary bike, and let’s get moving!

Rate Of Perceived Exertion (RPE)

For these 30 minute workouts, Lois and Lara both measure different levels of intensity using a Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). Do you best to push yourself or take it easy based on Lois and Lara’s recommendations for RPE throughout the workouts.

30 Minute Treadmill Workout

Lois’s RPE Scale: Intensity levels are based on a scale of 1 – 10 (how hard do you think you are working?) 1 = complete rest, 6 = conversational moderate intensity, 8 = fast/hard to maintain conversation, 10 = maximum effort

A great playlist makes for a great workout. Tune in to Lois’s Spotify playlist for this workout below!

Warm Up Jog/Run (5 minutes)

Before jumping into the warm up, please take a few minutes to walk or incorporate some dynamic stretches to get your blood flowing and muscles warm.

Jog: Incline 1.0 / Speed RPE: 6 (1 minute)
Run: Incline 1.0 / Speed RPE: 8 (1 minute)
Jog: Incline 1.0 / Speed RPE: 6 (1 minute)
Run: Incline 1.0 / Speed RPE: 8 (1 minute)
Walk Rest: Incline 1.0 / Speed RPE 3 (1 minute)

Drill 1: Rolling Hills (6 min 15 sec)

For our first drill, set and keep your speed at an RPE of 6 (scale of 1 – 10, a 6 is moderate intensity). While your speed stays the same throughout, your incline will change every 45 seconds.

Incline 1.0 – 45 seconds
Incline 4.0 – 45 seconds
Incline 2.0 – 45 seconds
Incline 6.0 – 45 seconds
Incline 3.0 – 45 seconds
Incline 8.0 – 45 seconds
Incline 4.0 – 45 seconds
Incline 1.0 – Recovery Walk for 45 seconds

Drill 2: Speed Work (7 minutes)

For our second drill, the goal is to keep your speed at an RPE of 8 (scale of 1 – 10, an 8 is fast/hard to maintain conversation) while the incline changes. You will have 6 sprint intervals, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off.

Incline 1.0: 30 seconds on, 30 second recovery (straddle the treadmill)
Incline 3.0: 30 seconds on, 30 second recovery (straddle the treadmill)
Incline 1.0: 30 seconds on, 30 second recovery (straddle the treadmill)
Incline 3.0: 30 seconds on, 30 second recovery (straddle the treadmill)
Incline 1.0: 30 seconds on, 30 second recovery (straddle the treadmill)
Incline 3.0: 30 seconds on, 30 second recovery (straddle the treadmill)
Incline 1.0: 1 minute to walk and recover

Drill 3: Walking Climb (12 minutes)

For our third and final drill, begin walking at a comfortable pace, no faster than 4.0. Input treadmill to Incline 15 and continue to walk as the treadmill reaches an Incline of 15.

Once you hit the incline, continue walking for 1 more minute. Return the treadmill to Incline 1.0, and continue to walk as the treadmill declines.

Once it reaches 1.0, stay there for another minute. Repeat this process for a total of 4 rounds.

Congratulations, your workout is complete! Be sure to stretch your hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves and upper back after your workout.

30 Minute Cycling Workout

Lara’s RPE Scale: Intensity levels are based on a scale of 1 – 4 (how hard do you think you are working?) 1 = easy, light 2 = moderate, aerobic endurance 3 = hard, challenging effort, 4 = breathless, all out

RPMs: Stands for rotations per minute. This is your cadence, or speed of the your legs, on the bike.

Lara’s class is built off of the Spotify playlist below. Tune in and get ready to sprint and climb to these Top 40, Dance, Rock and Alternative tunes all released in 2020!

Song 1: Lose Control (Pink Panda Remix) – MEDUZA, Becky Hill, Goodboys, Pink Panda (2:51)

Start your ride with an easy spin (80-90 rpms) and light resistance. You have two chances to raise your intensity a touch and spin up over 100 rpms at :45-1:15 & again at 2:15-2:45. RPE 1-2.

Song 2: Malibu – Kim Petras (3:11)

Start climbing your first of 3 hills during this song by adding resistance and slowing that cadence to 65 rpms. Pop out of the saddle during the chorus. RPE 2-3.

Song 3: Head & Heart (feat. MNEK) – Joel Corry, MNEK (2:45)

Get ready for some 2-count jumps during this song. Be sure you give yourself enough resistance when you stand up. 3 sets of 16 jumps on :38-1:09, 1;25-1:56 & 2:12-2:45. RPE 3.

Song 4: Don’t Start now – Dua Lipa (3:03)

Climb #2 at 65 rpms, maintain that steady cadence. Increase your resistance slightly and stand up for 30 seconds at :33, 1:27 & 2:30 on the clock! RPE 3.

Song 5: Hero – Weezer (3:56)

Ride easy while you recover from your hill, and get ready for BREATHLESS sprints. You have 3 sprints, and you can choose to do these seated at 100-120 rpms or standing 85-105 rpms. Hit it hard at :54-1:22, 2:03-2:30 & 3:25-3:45 on the clock. Earn those recoveries by going as hard as you can on your sprint! RPE 4.

Song 6: Smile – Katy Perry (2:46)

Ride easy to recover from your last sprint then slowly bring yourself back into RPE 2 at 100 rpms. Try to keep it steady as you spin those legs fast, but keep your heart rate from rising too high.

Song 7: I Really Wish I Hated You – blink-182 (3:10)

Settle in at 70-75 rpms for your final climb. This climb is not as steep as your previous climb, but you have 3 hard accelerations on this hill. Add resistance and pick up your rpms by 15-20 at :55-1:09, 1:35-2:05 & 2:43-3:10. RPE 3-4.

Song 8: Blinding Lights – The Weekend (3:20)

Spin easy for about 60 seconds while you recover from your last climb. Then get ready to ramp it up again with a goal or 100-110 rpms at 1:00-1:34, 1:57-2:19 & 2:42-3:05. Remember to add enough resistance so you don’t bounce in the saddle. RPE 2-3.

Song 9: Father of All – Green Day (2:31)

Finish your ride with some short, HARD sprint efforts. Increase your resistance and jump out of the saddle and SPRINT at :45 (10 seconds), 1:37 (10 seconds) & 2:00 (30 seconds). RPE 4.

Song 10: Level of Concern – Twenty One Pilots (3:40)

You made it! Time to cool-down. Ride easy to finish your workout to this latest release by Twenty One Pilots. RPE 2-1.

Post written by FFC Contributor Natalie Casper, with workouts created by FFC Group Fitness Director Lois Miller and FFC Group Fitness Manager Lara Mele.

You can’t pour from an empty cup. Secure your own oxygen mask before helping others. Love yourself first. We all know that it’s important to take care of ourselves, but how often are we actually following through with feel-good rituals? “Self-care” has become a bit of a buzzword these days, but what does it mean, exactly?

Acts of self-care include all the things you do to take care of your well-being in four key dimensions – your emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual health. Because it’s much easier said than done to “just relax,” here are some easy ways to take care of yourself on a daily or weekly basis.

1. Shower aromatherapy

Turn your nightly shower into an impromptu aromatherapy session by using moisturizing, scented shower gel.

2. Take an epsom salt bath

Epsom salts help remove toxins from your body and promote deep relaxation.

3. Use lotion daily

Use oil or lotion on your skin, all over your body. Do this daily. The best time is right after you get out of the shower.

4. Try dry brushing

Use a natural bristle brush in a circular motion. Start from the extremities (feet and hands) and move toward the heart. This helps your lymphatic system remove impurities, and done regularly, may help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

5. Stay hydrated

Don’t forget your H2O: it’s one of the best things you can do for your health.

6. Get creative

Pick up a new hobby or reconnect with your love of drawing, painting, singing or playing music.

7. Create your own mantra

Choose words that have meaning for you, that express the way you want to live and be.

8. Catch some z’s.

Take an afternoon nap or enjoy a morning without an early alarm.

9. Start and end your day with intention

Make morning and nighttime routines that will set you up for a positive day and for restful sleep.

10. Move your body

Be sure to get up and move around at least once an hour.

11. Go outside

Grab some fresh air and Vitamin D.

12. Write it down

Try journaling. An easy way to start is to make a list of things you are grateful for in the moment or 10 things you love about yourself.

13. Set screen time limits

Establish some boundaries around your screen time, particularly before bed.

14. Book a massage

The Spa at FFC is open and our experienced massage therapists are ready to help you relax and recover with a massage. See our offerings here.

15. Try these self-massage techniques at home

Evening Foot Massage

Take off your shoes and socks. Apply massage lotion to one foot at a time.

Cross your ankle over the other knee and place a towel under your foot.
Take hold of both sides of your foot and gently rock it from side to side.
Apply lotion and rub the length of your foot
Rub with circular motion around each ankle bone
Hold the joint where each toe connects with your foot, Hold each toe one at a time and rotate the toes
Gently apply compression starting by squeezing around the toe joints. Release and move 1/2 “ towards the ankle, squeeze again. Repeat for the whole foot.
Thread your fingers between the toes to spread them apart, flex and bend the toes
Place your thumb in the arch of your foot, rest fingers on top and press up and in with the thumb. Move ½” towards the ankle and repeat.

Leg Refreshing Massage

Extend your leg, with both hands press the fingers lightly into the leg on each side of the ankle bone. Gently pull up the leg in short strokes towards the heart. Continue past the knee like you’re pulling up your stockings. This is very refreshing, stimulates circulation and helps lymphatic drainage.

Post written by FFC Contributor and Massage Therapist Sam Wolf.

Goodbye, Chicago Summer: Move Your Exercise Routine Into The Club With These Two Cardio Workouts

Rate Of Perceived Exertion (RPE)