Archive for category: Fitness

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

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.

Runners, Take Note: These 8 Exercises Could Help Prevent An Injury

Whether you run for 15 minutes to relieve stress or you’re training for your 100th marathon, you are considered a runner in my books. Unfortunately, runners are quite injury prone because of the redundant nature of the activity, the lack of stretching and the absence of cross training.

If you have ever been to a yoga class, you can easily spot the runners in the class because they tend to be the least flexible participants in the room. Additionally, when you are at the gym, it’s easy to spot the “cardio junkies” because they jump off the treadmill without following up their workout with any particular stretching or cross training.

After injuring myself while training for my first marathon, I quickly learned the importance of stretching and cross training to prevent injury. No matter where you are in your running journey, these stretches and exercises will benefit your overall fitness routine and can help ward off running-related injuries.

Favorite Stretches for Runners

My general rule of thumb for stretching: if you used that muscle during your workout, then you should stretch that muscle after your workout. Stretching is an important piece of injury prevention, and it really only takes a couple of minutes out of your day. The stretches below are some of my favorites that I like to incorporate with my patients who are runners.

Hip Flexor and Quad Stretch

In the half kneeling position, with your knee on a mat/cushion, tuck your tailbone and push your hips forward. You should feel a stretch in the front of your hip on the side that is in the kneeling position.

For an added quad stretch, reach behind you and grab your ankle to bring it close to your glutes. Perform 3 sets of 30 second holds on each side.

Hamstring Stretch

Lying on your back with your knees straight and legs resting on the floor, loop a belt or strap around the bottom of your foot. Use the belt or strap to perform a comfortable stretch behind the back of your leg and knee. Perform 3 sets of 30 second holds on each leg.

Figure Four Stretch

Lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, cross the leg you intend to stretch across your other leg keeping your ankle at your knee. Place both hands behind the thigh of your uncrossed leg and gently pull your knee towards your chest, feeling a stretch in the buttocks of your crossed leg. Perform 3 sets of 30 second holds on each leg.

Calf Stretch

Find a step or a wall to put your toes on, straighten out your knee, then push your heel down into the floor and lean into the wall. Do this with your knee straight and then a slight bend in the knee. Perform on each side for 3 sets of 30 second holds.

Favorite Exercises for Runners

Runners typically have poor single leg stability and lack strength in their glutes. Coincidentally, these weaknesses are directly related to one another. The exercises listed below will target many different muscles in the posterior chain that will ultimately build strength in the muscles that are often weak in runners.

Lateral Lunges

Start by standing with feet at shoulders width apart. Take a small step sideways toward the side to be exercised, shifting your weight onto that foot and allow the knee to bend. Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Single Leg Bridges

Begin by lying with knees bent and both feet flat on the floor with arms at your sides. Lift one foot off the floor towards the ceiling and straighten the knee. With one leg, squeeze your glutes and raise your hips off the surface trying to keep your hips level. Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Side Lying Hip Abduction

Lie on your side with the side you intend to exercise upwards. Keep your knee straight and lift your top leg up towards the ceiling. Avoid pointing your toes towards the ceiling by keeping the outside of your foot parallel with the floor, and make sure to stay lying directly on your side and avoid rolling backwards. Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position. Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Fire Hydrants

Starting Position: Begin in quadruped position with hands directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips. Engage your core by bringing the belly button towards the spine. While maintaining a tight core, activate your glutes and slowly lift one leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent. Only go as high as you can without letting the back arch. Slowly return leg to starting position. Repeat on opposite side. Tip: Do not let your back arch by keeping your core and glutes engaged throughout. Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions on each side.

If you are feeling pain while running, that is non-emergent, NovaCare offers free injury screens that can easily be set up so that you can understand your injury and get a recommendation about where to go and what to do. There are so many injuries that can occur with runners so it is impossible to address them all in one article.

Additionally, Video Gait Analyses (VGA) are available at select NovaCare facilities. Video Gait Analyses utilize force plate technology combined with videography to identify discrete biomechanical faults that could be impacting your running form. VGAs can be done with or without a script to help meet your running needs. To find out more information, call your local NovaCare Rehabilitation.

Post written by FFC Contributor and NovaCare Lincoln Park Physical Therapist Claire Remec.

Claire Remec is a physical therapist at NovaCare Rehabilitation’s Lincoln Park center. She brings a soothing level of energy and outgoing personality to the patients she treats. Claire enjoys running and treating patients of all kinds, is experienced in Women’s Health therapy, and has a passion for promoting wellness for all.

Mask Required: Which Face Mask Is Best For Your Workout?

Welcome to our “new normal.” Nowadays if you want to return to your favorite gym/health club for a workout, wearing a mask is most likely an essential accessory. “That sounds awful!” you say? Well, I am here to tell you it’s actually not that bad.

First, for anyone in good health with no underlying health concerns that might make wearing a mask exceptionally difficult, wearing a standard cloth or disposable mask (we are not talking about hospital grade PPE) while exercising is not harmful. The American Lung Association, CDC and the World Health Organization (just to name a few) have stated that the use of surgical face masks does not result in dangerous oxygen level depletion. Recently, Dr. Maitiu O. Tuathail, a doctor based in Dublin, conducted his own test in response to the repeated queries he received on his Twitter account as to whether masks affect oxygen levels. His results? They did not show a lowering of oxygen levels.

So, now that we have gotten that out of the way, let’s get to what you really want to hear: “Are you sure it’s not that bad to workout in a mask?” Yes, I believe so. In fact, I feel I have become somewhat of a mask wearing/exercising expert and I want to share a few tips.

1. Take it slow

Just like anything else, when you are not conditioned (or trained), exercise is always harder at first. Have you ever run (or known anyone who ran) a marathon? If the answer is yes, I am sure you didn’t register for the race and run 26.2 miles the next day, especially without any training. Well I can say the same for wearing a mask. Take it easy your first few workouts, exercise for a shorter duration and with less intensity. Just like in marathon training, when a 10-mile run suddenly seems “easy,” I promise that 45-minute Spin class won’t seem so bad either.

2. “I can’t breathe in a mask!”

Actually you can, and while it does feel a bit different as exercise intensity starts to rise (refer back to the beginning of this blog), you can in fact still BREATHE in a mask. Inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth can limit that “feeling” of suffocation. In addition, if your mask fits your face properly and sits snug over the bridge of your nose, it is much less likely to press up against your face when you inhale.

3. Your face will be sweaty and it’s okay.

Obviously the lower half of your face is covered when wearing a mask, so it will feel warm (even hot) and sweaty. Your face sweats during a workout and normally the sweat would evaporate or you could towel it off. Since masks prevent you from doing that, your face will feel noticeably warm and “sweatier” than it did before, and it’s going to be okay. The feel is something you can definitely get used to after multiple wearings.

If you’re concerned about your complexion I asked expert Esthetician Julie Talbot from our FFC Oak Park Spa about your skin and wearing a mask. She had 4 basic tips to help minimize the potential for mask-induced breakouts:

Wash your mask after every use. The bacteria and sweat from your skin and some facial products can cause you to break out.
If you wash your mask with your laundry, skip the fabric softener in the washer or dryer. Whether you wash then line dry or elect to use the dryer for your mask, avoid using any fabric softeners. The waxy coating and fragrance are acne triggers.
Make sure your mask fits well. The friction caused by excessive movement or rubbing can spur an irritation breakout.
Clean your face as soon as possible after workouts or sweating. The sooner you remove that bacteria and oil, the less likely it will cause a breakout. Always remember to put on a clean mask afterward.

4. What type of mask works best?

There are many varieties of masks out there but I found a few you might want to steer clear of and a few I recommend.

Cotton masks: While cotton masks are readily available and can be purchased (or homemade) in a wide variety of colors and patterns, they are not my top pick for moderate to hard exercise (for light exercise like walking they work just fine). Cotton is breathable and absorbs sweat, but then the sweat just stays there. The fabric stays soaking wet and doesn’t get drawn away from your skin. This can become quite uncomfortable. Cotton is my last choice in a ‘workout’ mask.

Disposable masks: These are the blue/white masks you can purchase from most convenience, grocery and/or home supply stores. They are meant for single use, are inexpensive and easy to find. While they do not hold the sweat as close to the skin as a cotton mask, if you’re a particularly heavy sweater, they can become drenched and start to lose shape (all masks are much less effective when wet). Depending on the brand, they can be pinched at the bridge of the nose so they stay in place on a wide variety of faces and can be tossed out after your workout and replaced with a fresh one. They can feel slightly less warm than a cotton mask; this would be my second choice.

Moisture-wicking masks: Moisture-wicking masks are made from a wide variety of fabrics including blends of polyester, rayon, nylon, latex, bamboo, wool and spandex. The most important factor is that the material wicks moisture which draws sweat away from your face and promotes quick drying. These have a tendency to cost a bit more (anywhere from about $11-$30 per mask), however, if you want to be most comfortable while exercising and wearing your mask, a moisture wicking mask is the best option. A few brands I have used and found to be reasonably priced and perform well are: Boco Gear, Wattie Ink and Zensah. There are many more choices available, and I recommend you try a variety and see what works best for you.

So what are you waiting for? Get your mask and get back in the gym!

Post written by FFC Contributor and Group Fitness Manager Lara Mele.

Woman in camel pose doing yoga on mat in home.

Feeling Stressed? Learn To Cope With Mindful Movement

Incorporate Pilates, yoga or meditation into your wellness routine to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Read more below.

Americans are no strangers to stress. In fact, the United States ranked as the world’s fourth most-stressed country in 2019. ¹ As a nation, we have a reputation for working too much, viewing self-care as a luxury and not prioritizing mental health.

Unfortunately, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, our stress levels have only risen. According to the American Psychological Association, almost 8 in 10 Americans say that the coronavirus pandemic is “a significant source of stress,” with feelings of uncertainty, the current political climate and fear of contracting COVID-19 as the most frequently reported stressors.

Stress is a natural response to life’s experiences. When you’re feeling pressure at work or you’re dealing with a conflict with a loved one, the nervous system releases stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) and turns on your “fight or flight” mode. Once the fear or “threat” has subsided, stress levels usually return to normal. If this does not happen or if the stressor continues to be an issue, chronic stress may set in.

While not all stress has a purely negative affect, it is important to realize the impact chronic stress can have on your overall health and well-being. Stress has the power to compromise our immune systems and is “a major contributing factor to the six leading causes of death in the United States: cancer, coronary heart disease, accidental injuries, respiratory disorders, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide.”²

While the statistics paint a pretty grim picture, there is good news: we can learn to cope with stress and effectively reduce our stress levels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created an entire list of healthy ways to cope with stress, which includes meditating, exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep.

Over the course of this article, we will be discussing the effectiveness of mindfulness and mindful movement as healthy coping strategies for stress. FFC Regional Pilates Manager Kristin Strom and FFC Exclusive Group Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer and Pilates Trainer David Bohn share their experiences using mindfulness to combat stress and offer easy-to-follow 10 minute routines you can use to incorporate mindful movement into your daily routine.

Pilates

Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.
Joseph Pilates

Joseph Pilates founded Contrology (now known as Pilates) in the 1920s as a way to balance the body, mind and spirit. Dissatisfied with the effects of the “modern lifestyle” on his health and well-being, Pilates designed a set of exercises intended to correct muscular imbalances and improve strength and flexibility, while keeping a focus on breath. ³

Nearly 100 years later, Pilates has become one of the most popular group fitness modalities in the US. Publications like Livestrong and Well + Good have written articles surrounding the growing popularity of Pilates and its more contemporary approach, Megaformer classes, in 2020. So why all the hype?

Pilates is considered a low-impact workout that is highly rewarding. The exercises used in a Pilates session target several muscle groups at once, with an emphasis on controlling the deep abdominal muscles and muscle close to the spine (the core). A regular Pilates practice will improve flexibility, balance, range of motion and posture, and it may even relieve aches and pains.⁴

While these physical benefits may be the main attractor of Pilates, the mental health implications are equally impressive. Pilates, at its core (pun intended), is about connecting breath to mindful, intentional movement. The practice forces its followers to slow down, tune in to the body and clear the mind of any distractions, making it both a workout and a study in mindfulness.

The low-intensity nature of Pilates makes it a wonderful exercise choice for all ages and abilities, but for more serious exercisers, the term “low-intensity” can sometimes be misconstrued for “easy workout.” This certainly isn’t the case for Pilates, and there’s scientific proof that throwing in a low-intensity class every now and then is good for the brain.

The Journal of Endocrinological Investigation conducted a study in 2008 regarding the effect of exercise intensity on cortisol levels and found that “low intensity exercise actually resulted in a reduction in circulating cortisol levels” whereas moderate to high intensity exercise raises those levels of stress hormones.

Kristin Strom, Regional Pilates Manager for FFC, has been practicing Pilates for more than 20 years. When Chicago’s shelter-in-place order went into effect in March amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Strom was experiencing stress and anxiety and was having trouble sleeping. In order to avoid “spiraling into a depression,” Strom decided to challenge herself to move her body mindfully every day at 7 AM with Pilates.

To keep herself accountable and to share her love for Pilates, Strom decided to stream her Pilates workouts on Facebook. At the time of this writing, Strom is on Day 143 of her “Pilates every day” movement.

“When you do something every day, you can really feel the progress and track your progress, which makes [the effects of Pilates] feel so much more real,” Strom said. “When you keep your exercise consistent, you can really notice the nuances in your body. It’s really important to know your body– this is where you live, this is your home.”

Strom received messages from those who take her classes on Facebook celebrating the fact that they can touch their toes for the first time in years, perform a push-up on their toes or have alleviated stubborn back pain by consistently practicing Pilates. Equally rewarding are the messages she receives from folks who have thanked her for helping them establish an exercise routine and create some semblance of structure and accountability.

This social interaction of this digital community, paired with the physical movement of her practice, has given Strom a sense of purpose in an uncertain time and has helped return her to a normal sleep pattern and lowered anxiety levels.

If you’d like to join Kristin’s daily Pilates practice, you can find her at Kristin Strom on Facebook and on the Fitness Formula Clubs page on Mondays and Wednesdays. Ready to join Kristin for an in-person class or private session? Reach out at kstrom@ffc.com to schedule your session today.

If you’re new to Pilates or are looking for an easy way to stay consistent with your practice, try this 10-minute Morning Pilates session with Kristin to start your day off on the right foot.

Yoga and Meditation

Meditation can help us embrace our worries, our fear, our anger; and that is very healing. We let our own natural capacity of healing do the work.
Thich Nhat Hanh

According to MINDBODY’s 2019 Fitness In America report, yoga is the number one group exercise activity across all ages surveyed. The ancient Indian practice rose to popularity in the United States in the 1960s and has since become a mainstay in the US fitness industry with over 300 million Americans practicing yoga. ⁵⁶

Yoga can be defined as a system for uniting mind, body and soul using specific postures and movements. The practice challenges yogis to quiet the mind, focus on the present moment and link breath to movement. Yoga and the practice of meditation share a number of similarities, with many considering yoga to be a moving expression of meditation. For this reason, yoga has long been identified as a true mind-body form of exercise.

Physically speaking, a regular yoga and meditation practice boasts a long list of benefits, including improved strength and flexibility, weight loss, reduction of harmful inflammation, lowering of blood pressure, increased performance for the immune system and improved quality of sleep, to name a few. The practice has also been linked to longevity and is an excellent source of low-impact exercise for all ages.

The mental health benefits of yoga and meditation extend far beyond reduced stress levels, though that is a major perk of a regular practice. The two modalities can also bring these benefits to your emotional well-being:

It can boost your mood.
It can help you control cravings.
It can improve cognitive performance.
It can make you more compassionate.
It can give you a greater sense of self-awareness.
It can improve your focus and attention span.
It can boost your self-esteem.⁷⁸⁹

FFC Exclusive Group Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer and Pilates Trainer David Bohn shared that yoga has greatly improved his flexibility and range of motion. Mentally, Bohn said he experiences a positive mood shift whether he’s taking or teaching a yoga class.

“If I’m teaching a class in the morning, I can tell that by the time I’m done, I’m much more relaxed, and I’m in a better mood,” Bohn said. “I always feel better when I’m done. I always feel less stressed.”

Starting a regular yoga/meditation practice doesn’t have to become a two hour daily chore. Bohn says that carving out a few minutes in your day for mindfulness still has its benefits.

“Meditation has helped me with my internal focus and being able to quiet the mind, especially when it’s running out of control,” Bohn said. “Trying to come to a quiet spot and tuning out for 2-5 minutes even can help me to slow my mind and destress.”

Ready to take class with David in person? Head to FFC.com/group-fitness to reserve an upcoming class with David, or catch him on FFC On Demand!

Start reducing your stress levels today by carving out 10 minutes for these yoga and meditation sessions from David Bohn. Unwind from a busy day with David’s Bedtime Yoga Flow, tune in for a 10 minute meditation that can be done anywhere, anytime or do both back to back!

Sources:

Post written by Natalie Casper, with video content from FFC Regional Pilates Manager Kristin Strom and FFC Exclusive Group Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer and Pilates Trainer David Bohn.

woman with ipad watching yoga class at home

Stream On: How I Found Value In Leading Classes Online

On Monday, March 16, I taught my final in-person group fitness class before we closed our clubs due to COVID-19. An otherwise full studio was left to only four students and me. As local government officials put our shelter-in-place order into effect, it became apparent that we would not be re-opening the clubs any time soon. So, what’s next for someone like me?

I built my career on teaching group fitness classes to thousands of students over the course of 34 years. I have colleagues, peers and many friends who have done the same. Group fitness instructors are a very interesting, unique breed. The love of teaching is woven into our DNA; the number of people we reach in our classes can either make or break our day and when the music and energy in the room is at its best, so are we. Now all of that is gone. Where do we go from here?

Online services, whether academic, entertainment, social or work-related have been alive for a long time. In the fitness industry, there are so many services to choose from; you can take your workouts anywhere, with anyone at any time. With the closure of our clubs, it was time for me to jump into the wild world of streaming online classes. Those that know me would say I am definitely not a very tech savvy person, so I had some concern with my ability to get the logistics in place. Once all of that was worked out, I was ready to stream my first class on FFC’s Facebook page. I started with our signature all upper body workout, Amp’d Up, for the first few weeks simply because I was only three weeks into a total hip replacement, and I wanted to be sure I could deliver a class worthy of our viewers. I had a blast! It was so incredible to be able to do what I love, move to music and express myself in the way that only teaching group fitness can do.

As I continued to recover from surgery and my body was getting stronger, I started to add more robust signature formats to our FFC On Demand platform: LOADED, Chisel, Modern Mat, and of course, Formula 94. One of the things I am most proud of is our unique programming and format offerings at Fitness Formula Clubs. No matter your workout preferences or your fitness level, we have you covered. Having the opportunity to keep our FFC community connected and to come into the homes of people all over the world is an incredible honor.

Live streaming reminded me of why I love teaching: connecting with people, sharing my knowledge, watching people transform their bodies and build confidence (plus, it is so much fun). I took live streaming as an opportunity to polish my communication skills. When we are teaching to a camera, we are stripped of so many elements that exist when teaching students in the studio. Real time feedback is gone–of course we get some comments from viewers and a handful of heart emojis–but it cannot compare to the looks on people’s faces, the energy they bring to the workout and the motivation you get from being part of a community.

Group fitness pros are managing so many things during one single class: music and mic volumes, movement patterns, cueing, what we say and when we say it, keeping the energy in step with the format, navigating the spectrum of all the different abilities in the room and the list goes on. Teaching classes in our studios with students right in front of you is very different than streaming on virtual platforms, but for me my mission is unwavering. The physical space I teach in, the people I work with and the brand I represent can all change, but my mission for my work and my desire to elevate every person who takes my classes will never leave me.

Live streaming classes for me is a gift. It is my challenge to reach people in a very different way. It is never about likes and heart emojis. Coming into people’s homes where they feed their families, homeschool their kids and binge Netflix with the dogs takes on a very personal tone. Likewise, they get a peep into my living space as well, making this whole experience more intimate. During this time of great uncertainty, it becomes even more clear the value of my health. The purpose is not in achieving the best looking physique, but respecting my mental well-being and tapping into my intellectual and spiritual self.

I am looking forward to the day when we open our doors and we are all back together again in our studios across Chicago. Until then, I hope you hear me whispering in your ear “Shoulders back, chest out, chin up!”

Post written by FFC Contributor and Group Fitness Director Lois Miller.

Woman stretching on the floor of her living room with weights and phone nearby.

How To Find The Perfect Workout For You On FFC On Demand

Having choices is wonderful. Having too many choices, however, can be paralyzing. The fitness industry was quick to adapt to at-home workouts and online classes, and here at FFC, we’ve been offering daily workout classes on our Facebook page and on our app, FFC On Demand.

While we’re proud of the 250+ classes now available on FFC On Demand, we understand how overwhelming it can be to choose a workout with that many options! If you’re having trouble deciding what your next sweat session should be, take a peek at our breakdown below for some guidance.

All of the classes below can be found in the Fitness section of FFC On Demand. Simply search for the class name and enjoy your workout! You can also filter classes by length, level and style to find workouts to meet your needs.

If you’re looking to start a new fitness routine, these classes are great for beginners:

Beginner Seated Chair Workout with Christine

Beginner Standing Chair Workout with Antoine

Yoga Basics with Brent

Fundamental Fitness with Cameron

Pilates Basics with Cameron

Have weights at home? Try one of these:

Kettlebell Workout with Sarah

Loaded with Austin

#312 with Kelly

Yoga Sculpt with Emily

Barre Bootcamp with Midnite

If you’re looking for low impact yet highly effective workouts, start with these:

Pilates Mat with Kristin

Strength and Mobility with Lara

FitCore with Lara

Yoga For Athletes with David

Amp’d Up with Lois

Want to know what classes other members are watching? These are the most popular classes on FFC On Demand:

Total Body Blast with Austin

WERQ with Jen

Motiv8 with Becca

30 Minute Workout with Brian

Sunrise Yoga with Elissa

Ready to take a live class? These classes are currently offered weekly on FFC On Demand:

Mondays at 9 AM: Formula 94 with Lois

Tuesdays at 12 PM: Modern Mat with Lois

Tuesdays at 1 PM: Spinning Interval with Daniela

Wednesdays at 12 PM: Loaded with Austin

Wednesdays at 6:15 PM: Yoga For Athletes with Tom

Thursdays at 9 AM: Chisel with Lois

Fridays at 5:15 PM: Formula 94 with Mari

For instructions on how to register for these live classes and to see the most up-to-date schedule, please head to ffc.com/schedule.

Post written by FFC Contributor Natalie Casper.

Pregnanct woman sitting cross legged on rug at home

Our 6 Favorite At-Home Exercises For Pregnant Women

Looking for safe but effective exercises to perform at home during your pregnancy? NovaCare Rehabilitation physical therapist Emily Grimm is sharing her favorite exercise routine that can be completed without any equipment from the comfort of your home.

Evidence shows that long-term physical activity during pregnancy can deliver positive outcomes on maternal health, labor, birth and postnatal infant health. Pregnant women who engage in regular exercise using large anti-gravity muscle groups have been shown to have shorter labors, decreased risk of preterm birth or Cesarean section surgeries; even the fetal heart rate responds positively to exercise longer than 10 minutes in duration.

Before we get to our list of exercises, we want to make you aware of some general movements to avoid while exercising during your pregnancy:

Jerky, bouncy movements
Abdominal compression
Inversions
Prolonged time laying on your back
Straining the abdominals or pelvic floor
Vigorous stretching of your adductors
Extreme asymmetrical lower limb positions (some yoga poses should be avoided)

The at-home exercises listed in this article require minimal or no equipment and will keep your core and pelvic floor muscles strong. These movements can even help reduce some pregnancy-related pain in the lower back, pelvic girdle or hips. These exercises can be a great addition to other light activities like walking and jogging (if comfortable).

As with any exercise regimen, please listen to your body at all times, and do not proceed if you feel pain or discomfort with any exercise.

Start by performing 2-3 sets of 10 reps of the exercises below 2-3 times per week. Emily’s pro tip: to perform a pelvic floor contraction during these exercises, think “holding in the flow of urine then pulling upwards towards your belly button.”

Bridge with Abduction

Place a band around your knees (if you have one), tuck your pelvis as if to flatten your lower back against the floor, squeeze your gluteal muscles and bridge up slightly pushing your knees outward against the band. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat.

Bridge with Adduction

Place a pillow between your knees. Tuck your pelvis as if to flatten your lower back against the ground, squeeze your gluteals and lift up gently pushing knees into the pillow. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat.

Bird/Dog

Start on hands and knees. Engage your abdominals by pulling in toward your spine (as best you can, difficult to do while pregnant!). Raise your opposite arm and leg, holding 2-3 seconds, then switch.

Clams

Lay on your side, place a band around your knees (not required). Keeping your hips stacked, lift your top knee up to rotate your hip out. Repeat movement.

Plank Progression

Try planks against the wall to begin (depending on your tolerance, fitness level, comfort). Make sure to engage your core by pulling your abdomen towards your spine and attempting to perform a pelvic floor contraction. Make sure to breathe. Start with 15 second holds, progressing to 30 seconds, 1 minute as tolerated.

Corrective DRA Curl Up

This exercise is best to perform early in pregnancy or post-partum to reduce abdominal separation.

Place hands on both sides of abdomen gently applying pressure toward your belly button. Perform a pelvic floor contraction, draw abdomen in down toward your spine and curl up as you exhale. Hold 10 seconds, progress toward 30 seconds.

Have a question for Emily or looking for further explanation on these exercises? Give her a call at NovaCare: 773-281-4220. Emily is available for virtual and in-person consults for your needs during this time.

Post written by FFC Contributor and NovaCare Rehabilitation Physical Therapist Emily Grimm.

Emily Grimm is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Center Manager at NovaCare Rehabilitation in Lakeview. She is an Obstetrics Specialist who enjoys working with pregnant and post-partum women who may be experiencing pain, preparing for or recovering from birth, or looking to maintain or return to a healthy fitness routine. She is also a Certified Manual Therapist with success in treating various other orthopedic conditions.

Man and woman outside in running gear stretching

Sore From Your At-Home Workout? Try These Physical Therapist-Approved Stretches

While we are confined to our homes, we may find ourselves resorting to new forms of exercise as we develop a fitness routine outside the gym. Bodyweight workouts, running and yoga all come with their own sets of aches and pains, so we asked NovaCare Rehabilitation physical therapist Katie Wax to share her favorite stretches to alleviate soreness and discomfort from at-home workouts.

Before we move on to the stretches, we want to remind you that a proper warm up before your sweat session is key to injury prevention. The last thing you want is to return to the gym with a new injury!

The stretches listed below are to be completed at the conclusion of your workout in order to lengthen muscles that tend to shorten or contract during bodyweight exercises like push ups, planks, squats, lunges and running. Each stretch should be held for at least 30 seconds (this allows adequate time for tissue fibers to actually lengthen) and should be performed 3 times each. The stretches should not be painful.

Pectoralis Stretch or “Doorway Stretch”

The pectoralis stretch helps open up the shoulders after sitting in front of the laptop all day or knocking out lots of push-ups.

To perform the stretch: Find a corner or doorway. Place arms against the wall and gently lean forward until a stretch is felt in front of the chest. You can change how the stretch feels by raising or lowering your arms on the wall to stretch different muscle fibers.

Wrist Flexor Stretch

The wrist flexor stretch is useful after any type of weight-bearing exercise through the arms, like those found in yoga or exercises in plank position.

To perform the stretch: Place the backs of the hands up against each other. The stretch should be felt across tops of wrists and across the forearms.

Calf Stretch

It’s important to stretch out your calves after any jumping exercises found in HIIT classes or after jogging or walking.

To perform the stretch: Stand with the leg you intend to stretch behind you and bend your front knee. While keeping your back leg straight and heel on the ground, gently lean forward. Toes should be pointed forward. The stretch should be felt in the lower posterior aspect of hind leg.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

The kneeling hip flexor stretch is perfect following a run due to the repetitive hip flexion that occurs. This stretch also helps prevent tightness in the hips from prolonged periods of sitting.

Starting position:

Get into a half kneeling position. Prior to leaning forward, rotate the pelvis posteriorly (or tuck your tailbone).

Ending position:

Keeping your hips square, gently shift your weight forward. Be careful not to bend the knee past your toes. The stretch should be felt in front of the hip on the back leg.

Piriformis Stretch

Feeling glute tightness after squatting or lunging? The piriformis stretch will combat that!

Starting position:

Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Cross one leg over the other so that the ankle is resting on the opposite thigh.

Ending position:

Pull the thigh of the uncrossed leg toward your chest. You should feel a stretch in the gluteal region of the leg that is crossed.

Have a question for Katie or looking for further explanation on these stretches? Give her a call at NovaCare inside FFC East Lakeview: 773-248-3401. Katie is available for virtual and in-person consults for your needs during this time.

Post written by FFC Contributor and NovaCare Rehabilitation Physical Therapist Katie Wax.

Katie Wax (PT, DPT, CMPT) is a physical therapist for NovaCare Rehabilitation’s East Lakeview location. She takes a holistic and active approach to patient care. Katie understands that each patient has their own lifestyle and prepares a plan of care specific to each patient that is evaluated. Katie enjoys working out and running the lakefront, while balancing her time with her family. She is also an active participant in the Chicago community.

Breaking Up Your Daily Fitness

As a technology and fitness professional, I have the pleasure of seeing two different worlds. On one end, I see the rapid rate of my Outlook inbox filling with email requests. On the other, I’m reading body language for proper form and signs of muscle fatigue. What’s interesting is how much these worlds can benefit from each other. I’ll give you an example from each side so it doesn’t seem like I am biased.

Technology: If I had a dollar for every time someone told me “I don’t have time to work out,” I would be retired. What I’ve learned since incorporating a health and wellness practice is that my productivity at work has sky rocketed. I’m able to do more with less without breaking a sweat (no pun intended) because my mind and body are optimized before logging into work.

Fitness: One of the first questions I ask my clients and the people closest to me is, “How did you sleep?” Most people respond with “Fine,” but how do we really know? There are many technology companies in the market that will track sleep, but based on feedback from clients, it’s either they don’t want to wear a device, don’t want to know the real answer or don’t care. Leveraging technology that will measure your specific metrics can tell you how ready your body truly is for that specific day.

As we wrap up week four of isolation, I’ve noticed that clients of mine have either accepted this “new normal” or have fallen off the band wagon of their fitness routine. We don’t know if another three weeks will be the end of isolation, but what I do know is that this is a new week to change it up.

I am an advocate for volume based training. Volume can be defined as repetitions (reps) multiplied by sets. With that being said, if you’re cramming too many reps and sets in a constrained time window, you’re setting yourself up for an injury. I have recently implemented a change in my fitness routine where I break up my long workout into three smaller sessions throughout the day.

High Level Overview:
• Morning – Light Cardio, Core, and Mobility (20 – 40 minutes)
• Afternoon – Strength Training (30 – 40 minutes)
• Evening – Yoga and Meditation (5 – 10 minutes)

Morning:

I am firm believer that the way you start your day will impact the rest of your day. The beauty of being a fitness professional who is also in corporate America is that I know the cognitive benefits of a morning workout. I recently read the book Make Your Bed, where I found connections to my morning routine. One of the messages from the book was that by making your bed first thing in the morning, you gave yourself the satisfaction of already accomplishing something that day. For me, fitness has become that morning ritual. When I complete my morning session I have accomplished something and am ready to take on corporate America. It not only prepares my body but my mind to think clearer, sharper and be fully optimized.

As for a workout, I believe in leveraging the morning to wake up the body and soul. I do this with mobility work and a light run outside while the sun is rising. For non-runners, you can go for a walk or bike ride outside to begin the day. This will promote blood flow throughout your body and naturally elevate your heart. Not to mention, if you’re doing this as the sun rises or after the sun rises, you’re taking in Vitamin D, which is highly recommended by the CDC right now.

I’ll follow up my cardio session with core exercises to stimulate the muscles in my torso. I’ll push for 4 different kinds of exercises focused on each area of the core (Rectus Abdominus, External Obliques, and Erector Spinae). Once completed, I’ll head to the shower and begin my day job in the technology world.

Afternoon:

There are numerous studies that have proven that taking breaks throughout your day will optimize your productivity. We all know that person who doesn’t believe in breaks and may receive a high five for self discipline, but I like to lean on the side of science. Implementing a short workout in the middle of work will not only break up your day, but redistribute blood flow from sitting all day.

I feel like there is a false perception around working out in that you need to do all of this preparation and put high strain on the body in order for it to be called a “workout.” That simply is not the case, and there are many options for re-awakening the body without having to drink your sixth cup of coffee for the day.

Whether you have a home gym, kids or neither, you can still find a way to redistribute blood flow and activate those muscles. If you’re fortunate enough to have a home gym, I recommend 3 – 4 sets of exercises focused on the lower or upper extremities depending on the day. You could also do a circuit based session which can hit all areas of the body.

If you have children, I recommend going outside with them and playing a game. You could view this as recess time, and you also get additional family time which you normally wouldn’t have from working in the office. If you don’t have a gym or kids, you can go to resources like FFC On Demand to give you bodyweight workouts.

Evening:

To wrap up the day, I focus on minimizing distractions such as TV, social media or email. Studies have shown that blue light from screens delay the production of natural melatonin. Melatonin is generated within the pineal gland that signals to the body when it’s time to go to sleep. If you’re in bed with a laptop or device, you may not be getting the sleep your body needs in order to be ready for the next day.

This is an area I feel most members of corporate America don’t think about but could benefit from tremendously. The reason why this is important for corporate America is because of a type of sleep called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The best way to think of REM sleep is your dream sleep. One of the main benefits of REM sleep is that it’s the mind’s way of refreshing for the next day. It can viewed as the memory consolidation phase of sleep so your brain is more cognitive for the next day.

As it pertains to fitness, I take this time to down regulate my body and soul. I do this with yoga and finish with meditation. For me, I will leverage yoga as time to focus on static stretching to help with muscular recovery. I tend to focus a lot on my lower back, hip flexors, and shoulders. These are commonly tight areas for corporate America as we sit at a desk and lean into the computer screen. From a soul perspective, I will do transcendental meditation which is meditation in silence. I’ve found this works best for me as the day is full of noise.

Final Thought:

Fitness is not only a way to build muscle but also a way to provide structure in your day. It gives purpose to a dedicated time. We can’t control how long we are told to stay at home, but we can make the best of it. I encourage everyone to find what works for them and make the best of this “new normal.”

Post written by FFC Contributor Omar Romero.

Omar is a fitness enthusiast based out of the Chicagoland area. As an FFC group fitness instructor, his focus is around functional fitness mixed with high intensity interval training. His personal philosophy is based on hard work and no excuses. For more information, tips and articles from Omar, visit his website: OmarRomero.com.

Person holding a remote and pointing it at a television

Turn Your Binge Watching Into A Workout With These Fun Challenges

Need a break from watching the news or scrolling through social media? As we adjust to finding our “new normal” during these uncertain times, it’s comforting to know that we can all seek out comedic relief in the same place: Netflix. While enjoying a show can be an excellent distraction from the goings-on of the outside world, our bodies could probably use a break from sitting after a long day of, well, sitting.

That’s why we put together a workout challenge for three of our favorite feel-good comedies on Netflix: The Office, Schitt’s Creek and The Good Place. An episode of each of these shows clocks in around 20 minutes, so you can squeeze in a laugh and maybe a few burpees during a break from work or before bed.

Tune in to a random episode, or start the show from the beginning, and get ready to get moving!

The Office

In this NBC sitcom, which aired from 2005-2013, a documentary crew follows the lives of Dundler-Mifflin Paper Company employees.

Anyone in the office goes to the vending machine: 10 Burpees

Jim looks at the camera: 10 Squats

Michael laughs at his own joke: 25 Crunches

Pam answers the phone: 20 Lunges

Angela talks about her cats: 10 Push-Ups

Anyone takes a coffee break: 30 Second Wall Sit

Ryan is referred to as “The Temp”: 20 Reverse Lunges

Dwight talks about being a volunteer sheriff or Assistant Regional Manager: 20 Mountain Climbers

Michael gathers the team in the conference room: 20 Side Lunges

Anyone visits Toby or Kelly in the Annex: 10 Jump Squats

Schitt’s Creek

This Canadian sitcom premiered in 2015 and follows a wealthy family who loses everything and rebuilds their life in a town called Schitt’s Creek.

Moira changes into a different wig: 30 Bicycle Crunches

Any character visits Cafe Tropical: 15 Squats

David says “Oh my God”: 10 Jump Squats

Any character says “Ew”: 20 Reverse Lunges

Stevie makes a sarcastic remark: 20 Mountain Climbers

Moira talks about acting: 20 Jumping Jacks

The Jazzagals hold a rehearsal: 30 Second Plank

Roland invites himself along to something: 30 Second Wall Sit

Alexis name drops a celebrity or talks about her past partying lifestyle: 10 Burpees

Ted makes a dad joke: 10 Shoulder Taps

The Good Place

In NBC’s The Good Place (2016-2020), four people from different walks of life navigate the afterlife together after ending up in “The Good Place.”

Anyone calls for Janet: 10 Burpees

Jason mentions Florida or the Jacksonville Jaguars: 20 Jumping Jacks

Chidi mentions a philosopher or ethics: 20 Squats

Tahani name drops a celebrity: 10 Push Ups

Eleanor tries to say a curse word: 10 Lunges

Anyone from The Bad Place makes an appearance: 30 Second Wall Sit

The Judge mentions a TV show: 10 Jump Squats

Eleanor calls anyone “Dude”: 20 Crunches

Chidi has trouble making a decision: 30 Second Plank

Michael makes a speech: 20 Mountain Climbers

Post written by FFC Contributor Natalie Casper.

Learn How To Lower Your Risk For Breast And Ovarian Cancer With Regular Exercise

FFC has partnered with Bright Pink for 8 years as the official training sponsor for Team Bright Pink. If you are interested in running the Chicago Marathon or a number of other endurance races, consider joining us on Team Bright Pink!

As many as 20% of women in the United States are at elevated risk for breast and ovarian cancer, but most don’t know it. Enter Bright Pink—a national non-profit on a mission to save lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering women to know their risk and manage their health proactively.

We all know that regular exercise is a great way to take care of your body and promote a healthy lifestyle, but how exactly does this translate to a lower risk of diseases like cancer? We asked Bright Pink’s Medical Advisory Committee Member Elizabeth Hibler, PhD, MPH to weigh in on the benefits of physical activity in lowering a woman’s risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Here’s what we learned:

How does physical activity impact breast and ovarian cancer risk?

First, let’s clarify what “physical activity” means. Physical activity includes all physical movement you make throughout the day. Often we think of physical activity as the “exercise” we get (eg that morning workout or evening spin class). “Exercise” is intentional, planned physical activity, but the walking you do throughout the day, maybe on your commute or during work, also counts as toward your physical activity.

Many studies have shown that being physically active is connected with having a lower risk of cancer – as well as a lower risk of heart disease! How does physical activity decrease your risk? We know that staying active can help you keep your body at a healthy weight. When you stay at a healthy weight, you limit the amount of fat you carry in your body. Having more fat can expose you to more estrogen, a hormone that can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Body composition plays a role as well. The goal is to be lean, meaning you have a relatively low body fat percentage and a higher lean muscle mass without being underweight.

Ideally, adults try to maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives and avoid gaining extra weight. However, if you are overweight or obese, losing weight and improving your body composition can have health benefits and lower your risk for cancer.

Research shows that physical activity and exercise can impact biological mechanisms in the body. Studies support that being more physically active can decrease inflammation and oxidative stress, improve immune function and alter exposure to sex hormones (such as estrogen). However, understanding the “how” physical activity impacts health in terms of biology gets very complicated, very quickly. We are learning more every day, but overall, the evidence supports that physical activity is crucial to health through a variety of biological mechanisms.

How active do you need to be to lower your risk?

Guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. What does that mean? Here we’ll explain three levels of physical activity “intensity”: low, moderate and high intensity. The intensity of an activity is determined by how much energy is needed to complete that activity, or how many calories are burned completing that activity. Any time we move our bodies, we’re burning calories, and any movement is better than no movement.

Ideally, adults should aim to include both moderate and high intensity activity in their routines along with strengthening and stretching exercises. Low intensity activities (such as walking a dog or hatha yoga/stretching) should not be counted out, as this type of activity can have health benefits too, especially for older adults.

Moderate intensity activities will increase your heart rate (while improving cardiorespiratory fitness), but you won’t be so out of breath that you can’t still hold a conversation. Examples of moderate intensity aerobic activities:

brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour)
water aerobics
gardening
tennis (doubles)
biking slower than 10 miles per hour
weight lifting (depending on your effort)

High intensity activities require more effort. These activities will increase your heart rate even higher and make it more challenging to talk without losing your breath. Examples of high intensity aerobic activities:

hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack
running
swimming laps
tennis (singles)
cycling 10 miles per hour or faster
jumping rope
weight lifting (depending on your effort)

Does the type of exercise matter?

The most important thing is to try to increase your amount of physical activity beyond your usual daily activity level. When it comes to specific activities, most of the research is focused on exercises that increase your heart rate as well as strength training.

According to the American Heart Association, two or three 20- or 30-minute strength training sessions every week can result in significant health benefits, such as:

Increased muscle mass: We know that muscle mass naturally decreases as we age, but strength training can help slow or even reverse the trend.
Stronger bones: We know that strength training can help increase bone density, which reduces the risk of breaks or fractures.
Joint flexibility and balance: We know that strength training also helps with joint flexibility and balance. This can help in the long-term to reduce the symptoms of arthritis and injuries from falls.
Weight control: As discussed above, a lean body composition is recommended for cancer prevention. When you gain muscle, your body becomes better at burning calories, which can help reduce your overall weight by reducing body fat.

What should women keep in mind when they exercise to reduce risk?

First and foremost, be safe. Consult your doctor before you start any exercise program. Next, remember that any physical activity is beneficial to your health. So, go walk the dog! Don’t forget, reducing your risk of cancer also includes eating a healthy diet and limiting alcohol intake.

Also, because research is ongoing, keep in mind that these recommended guidelines may change over time. However, it’s unlikely that further research will reveal that exercise is bad for you…We know it’s good for us! We’re just trying to learn more about the how and why.

Are there any specific recommendations for women who are at a higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer?

At this time, there are no specific recommendations for women who are at a higher risk above and beyond those described above. The guidelines discussed in this article are recommended for all to improve health and reduce risk of cancer. Make sure to talk to a doctor before starting a new workout program, especially if you are recovering from something like a surgery.

The most important thing is to try to increase your amount of physical activity beyond your usual daily activity level. When it comes to specific activities, most of the research is focused on exercises that increase your heart rate as well as strength training.
Elizabeth Hibler, PhD, MPH

What is research looking into next when it comes to exercise and cancer risk?

Research is ongoing to understand more about the biological mechanisms of physical activity in reducing cancer risk. For example, research is looking to address questions like: Is the same intensity and type of activity good for everyone, and, can we get to the point where we can identify and prescribe vigorous intensity for some people and moderate for others, based on their biology?

Join Team Bright Pink

If you are interested in reducing your breast and ovarian cancer risk, consider joining Team Bright Pink to run the Chicago Marathon! FFC is the official training partner for Team Bright Pink and has helped runners train to finish a marathon for the past 8 years. When you join Team Bright Pink, you have access to FFC’s trainers and fitness instructors who can help you get fit and reduce your risk at the same time. We talked to FFC Exclusive Group Fitness Instructor (and Team Bright Pink alum!), Austin Head, about his tips for marathon training.

For those interested in running for Team Bright Pink, or just running in general to reduce their risk, what kind of exercises do you recommend for runners? Specific moves?/activities?

Austin: There are a lot of great exercises that can benefits runners. When runners incorporate cross-training into their schedules, there are a few moves in particular that can help them prevent injuries over the course of their training: squats, deadlifts, planks, lunges and calf raises.

A lot of people are leading pretty busy lives. What if you can’t get to the gym? Do you have any tips for working out at home?

Austin: Absolutely. When you have a busy schedule, it’s even more important to make an action plan for your training. And, if you miss a day in your training, don’t sweat it and pick back up where you left off.

If you can’t get to the gym, no problem. You can always go for a run outside, or if you want a strength workout, FFC just launched our FFC On Demand fitness app. This app gives you access to strength workouts that you can do on your own time right from your phone. You can try this free for 14 days at ffcondemand.com.

Advertisement for Fitness Formula Clubs - Try The Faction Today - Your First Class Is On Us! — *Article continues below.*

It’s great to get moving – but it’s easy to go too hard too soon. How can you stay injury-free as you exercise?

Austin: Take your recovery days. I can’t stress that enough. This is something I personally struggle with too, but having days to recover is not only great for your body but your mind as well. Rest days are crucial to make sure you don’t get injured during your marathon training.

For more information on Team Bright Pink, please visit the Bright Pink website.

For more information, please visit the following sources that were referenced in this article:

American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity

Cancer Prevention Recommendations from the American Institute of Cancer Research

American Heart Association Recommendations For Physical Activity In Kids and Adults

Epidemiology and biology of physical activity and cancer recurrence

Impact of a diet and activity health promotion intervention on regional patterns of DNA methylation

Physical activity and breast cancer risk: the effect of menopausal status

Content provided by Bright Pink Medical Advisory Committee member Elizabeth Hibler, PhD, MPH, in partnership with FFC’s Natalie Casper and Austin Head.

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Image of FFC members working out together.

5 Common Form Mistakes Experts See In HIIT Classes

Are you performing these HIIT exercises correctly? Watch below to find out.

According to American College of Sports Medicine, high intensity interval training has ranked in the top three worldwide fitness trends every year since 2014. In Chicago, Orange Theory Fitness and Crosstown Fitness are two popular options for high intensity interval training (HIIT) classes. At FFC, HIIT classes have increased in popularity year over year as well. With over 500 group fitness classes scheduled each week across our 11 locations, you can choose from a variety of HIIT class formats for a quick and effective workout at FFC.

In a HIIT workout, you perform bouts of high-intensity exercises to raise your heart rate to around 90% of your maximum heart rate before taking a recovery. HIIT classes can last up to an hour, and as our bodies fatigue during classes, our form may suffer, which can exacerbate aches and pains and potentially lead to injury.

To help keep you healthy and ready for class, we asked FFC Director of Group Fitness Lois Miller to identify the most common form mistakes she sees in HIIT exercises performed in FFC group fitness classes.

Burpees:

Whether you love them or hate them, burpees are an awesome total-body cardio move. To properly perform a burpee, start with a deep squat to lower the body toward the floor as the torso stays upright. Avoid bending at the waist to place hands on the floor. At the bottom of the squat, your legs will kick back to a full plank.

You have the option to lower into a push-up from plank position, but be careful not to bounce your chest off the ground as an alternative. To finish the move, hop feet forward toward your hands and land in a squat before ending with a vertical jump.

Burpees are a staple in FFC group fitness classes like Motiv8. This high intensity training workout is designed to increase aerobic and anaerobic capacity, enhance power production and develop overall strength. Short 20-second intervals at your “max” are followed by a 10-second rest, which is repeated for 8 total rounds. Six exercises per class are completed for an overall total body fat-burning workout.

Jump Squats:

Jump squats are another great exercise to ramp up your heart rate in a HIIT workout. A correct jump squat starts in a bent knee position. This explosive move powers through the low body, extending through the knees and hips, followed by a soft landing, again loading through the low body. Avoid locking out your knees and hips throughout this exercise.

You’ll find jump squats as part of the programming in FFC classes like Total Body Blast. Total Body Blast utilizes medium weights and combines cardio, strength and core exercises into one dynamic session.

Lateral Shuffles:

The lateral shuffle is a great way to incorporate that side-to-side movement that is often missing in exercise and training programs. Contender, our boxing conditioning class, often utilizes lateral shuffles as a total-body HIIT exercise. In Contender, you’ll perform easy to follow 3 minute boxing combinations on the bag combined with compound strength exercises to maximize heart rate and improve coordination.

In a correct lateral shuffle, the hips and shoulders should be stacked and the knees should be bent to provide a low center of gravity. Twisting the torso and creating a high center of gravity should be avoided for proper execution.

One of the important things to remember is, as we fatigue in our classes, your performance level is going to have a tendency to drop. So, if you are in any of our high intensity interval training classes, and you need to take a break, take it.
Lois Miller

High Knees:

High knees are often used as part of a warm-up or as a cardio burst in classes like Formula 94. This calorie-torching format is performed barefoot in a 94-degree studio with 40% humidity. The use of light to moderate hand weights will help you incinerate body fat as you tone and define your body from head to toe.

The next time your instructor calls for high knees, remember these tips for proper form:

In a correct high knees position, the torso should remain upright (almost like you are slightly leaning back). Avoid rounding your shoulders. Your lower body should have a slight posterior pelvic tilt and the abdominal wall should be pulled in, drawing the knees up.

Weighted Swings:

Weighted swings, performed either with a kettlebell or dumbbells, are a big part of our classes on the turf, called The Faction. The Faction is where you go for serious workouts: expert instructors keep sessions fresh and exciting with all the latest types of programming, while fitness testing allows you to keep track of your progress.

Take your next workout to the turf and perform the perfect weighted swing:

A proper swing is a hip-dominant exercise, not knee- or arm-dominated. It is key to engage the core, breathe through the work and avoid bringing the weight overhead. The most common mistake is squatting with the weight and using the arms to raise the weight, instead of the proper form of hinging at the hips and letting momentum propel the weight forward.

Ready To Take A HIIT Class?

As an FFC member, you have access to all kinds of group fitness classes with one membership. Get your heart pumping with one of FFC’s HIIT classes mentioned in this article – Motiv8, Total Body Blast, The Faction, Contender and Formula94 – plus many more!

Head to our FFC Group Fitness page to read class descriptions, see the schedule and plan your next workout today!

Not an FFC member yet? No problem! You can try any of our class offerings free with a one-day trial!

Read Full Video Transcript Below

Lois Miller:

Hello Chicago, I am Lois Miller, Group Fitness Director for Fitness Formula Clubs, and we are at our Union Station location today. I am here with Becca Faria. She is one of our exclusive group fitness instructors and today we are going to take you through some of the most common exercises that you see in high intensity interval training classes, and we’re also going to walk you through some of the most common form mistakes that a lot of us make. Are you ready to go?

Becca Faria:

Ready to go.

Lois Miller:

Alright, so five of our exercises: the first one’s going to be a burpee, then we’re going to go into jump squats, then we’re going to go into a lateral shuffle. Then we’re going to follow that up with high knees and then we’re going to round it out with weighted swings, an exercise that you would actually perform with dumbbells.

Becca Faria:

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Lois Miller:

Alright, so here we go, everybody. The burpee: so the burpee is such a wonderful exercise that we love to choose. It is so popular with group fitness instructors and trainers because it is a total body exercise, and with high intensity interval training, we want to pick exercises that are going to ramp that heart rate up quickly, and as you can see, the burpee is one of them. So, one of the things we want you to really focus on, and Becca is doing it wonderfully, is when you go down and hit the floor, you are actually doing a deep knee squat as opposed to just bending over and hitting the floor. Show us that Becca, how we don’t want you to do it. The actual bending over to reach for the floor. There you go, you don’t want that heart rate to drop. We actually want your hips to drop, Becca, if you could turn to the side too, so we can see that side view.

Lois Miller:

So she is jumping up, she’s doing a deep knee squat to hit the floor, hands are about shoulder width apart and she’s kipping those heels back. And if you want, you can add to push up like she’s doing on the end. How you doing there? Nice job. Come on, out of it. So Becca, when do you normally like to do a burpee, what kind of classes are you teaching that you’d like to add that in?

Becca Faria:

Definitely in our Motiv8 class.

Lois Miller:

Yes, Motiv8, which is our form of Tabata. It’s 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, eight rounds of that, and then you move onto the next exercise. What else? Loaded, we’d added a-

Becca Faria:

Total Body Blast.

Lois Miller:

Total Body Blast. Sometimes we’ll add some of these exercises in our Chisel classes as well, which is all about muscular endurance. Nice job on that.

Becca Faria:

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Lois Miller:

Feeling good?

Becca Faria:

So good.

Lois Miller:

Alright, so let’s move on. So, the next one is a jump squat. Beautiful thing about a jump squat, too, is it’s going to quickly elevate that heart rate. So the way Becca’s doing it here, her feet are about a hip width apart, maybe even a little bit wider, and she’s using the arms to thrust her body up. The thing you want to focus on with the jump squat is a soft landing. One of the big cues that we will give you is load – explode, so you’re loading at the bottom end and then you’re exploding and you’re pushing through those heels. It’s really a great way to elevate that heart rate and it’s fantastic for glutes, hamstrings, quads. Nice job on that, Becca. Well done. One of the things that we don’t want you to do on that jump squat, is we don’t want you to lock your knees out. We’ll see that when people start to fatigue, they’ll do the jump, they’ll lock their knees out and then hit the squat. We want that to be one big fluid exercise. Nice job.

Becca Faria:

Thank you.

Lois Miller:

Are you ready to move on?

Becca Faria:

Ready.

Lois Miller:

Alright, so the next one we’re going to do is a lateral shuffle. I’m going to move out of your way a little bit so you can do that lateral shuffle. It’s just shuffling to one side of your body, tapping the floor, and then shuffling over to the other side. The bigger the space that you have to utilize this exercise, the better. You really, again, want that heart rate to come up, so any exercise where you’re going to be up and then back down again, is it really going to gas that heart rate, it’s exactly what we want. Again, you can see that Becca is keeping her chest lifted but she’s dropping her hips and that is the correct form. One of the important things to remember is, as we fatigue in our classes, your performance level is going to have a tendency to drop. So, if you are in any of our high intensity interval training classes, if you need to take a break, take it and if you have any type of options that you would prefer, just let your instructor know ahead of time. Nice job.

Becca Faria:

Thank you.

Lois Miller:

Alright, we got two more to go, are you ready?

Becca Faria:

I’m ready.

Lois Miller:

Alright, so our fourth one is going to be the high knees, so Becca’s going to show it to you from two profiles. She’s going to show you face on; so with high knees, really driving the arms and bringing those knees up towards your chest, you want to feel like you’re leaning back. Turn to the side back and show us what we don’t want to do. Leaning forward or letting your hips stick out is what we don’t want to see. If you need a modification, you can just bring the knees up and take the jump out of it altogether. Nice job, good work. That’s why we have her doing all of the work because she’s in such stellar shape. Are you ready for our last one?

Lois Miller:

Alright everyone, our fifth and final exercise for you today is the weighted swing. It’s otherwise known as a kettlebell swing, but because we’re doing this in our group fitness classes, we refer to it as a weighted swing, but your technique is going to be exactly the same. So, Becca’s going to show you two different types of swings you can do here. In terms of your technique, you want to drop your body, your torso should be about parallel to the floor, and then you’re going to drive your hips through. So we want to remember, this is primarily a low body, hip thruster exercise, very little upper body at all. Becca, go ahead and turn to the side and show them that swing from the side.

Lois Miller:

So as you can see, her hips are shooting back, but she’s keeping her chest tall. She’s driving her hips through. The important thing to remember here is this exercise is predominantly thrusting your hips, very little upper body at all, so as you fatigue you could either drop down to one dumbbell or do the exercise with no dumbbells at all. Nice job, Becca.

Becca Faria:

Thank you.

Lois Miller:

Alright everyone, I am Lois Miller with Fitness Formula Clubs. Thank you so much, Becca, for joining me with our five exercises– our most common exercises that group fitness instructors like to select when we’re performing our high intensity interval training classes. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the turf doing Faction, you could be doing Loaded, which is a pyramid style class that we have on our schedules, one of my favorites by the way. We’ve got Motiv8, which is Tabata training. We also have Total Body Blast and even in Formula 94 and Chisel, you can see any one of these five exercises. Nice job Chicago, thank you so much. Go online to ffc.com and select any of our class schedules and you can see where to find us next. Thank you so much for joining us.

Post written by Natalie Casper, with expert advice by FFC Group Fitness Director Lois Miller and FFC Exclusive Group Fitness Instructor Becca Faria.

Mature active female in sportswear doing side-bends while training by riverside in urban environment on summer morning

Smart Aging: Three Quick Tests to Assess Your Strength and Flexibility

There is a growing body of research that focuses on “smart aging.” We often think about our body’s memory being limited to our minds, but the results of our activity and inactivity are stored in our muscles, joints and other systems of our bodies.

The youngest baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are now in their 50s and 60s and redefining what it means to be “older.” Recent advances in the science of fitness provide an opportunity to improve quality of life and athletic pursuits well beyond what was typically accomplished by our parents. But at the same time, modern advances allow us to spend more time in sedentary jobs and activities, resulting in a crossroad which could lead to worse fitness than our parents.

I myself am a boomer as well as a personal trainer, lawyer, wife and mother. I can fully appreciate how a busy life can contribute to underutilization of muscles needed for activities of daily living (ADL).

Below are three fitness activities that can provide a challenge and allow you to assess areas where you might benefit from strength and flexibility training to improve your ADL at any age:

Walk around with a 30 lb weight for 1 minute and work up to 10 minutes

Pick up a 30lb weight and walk around. Move it around in different directions and heights. It is the weight of the average 2-3 year old child. Even if you have no intention of carting around a kid, it is a great measure of what muscles might be compensating for other weaknesses. If you don’t belong to a gym, you can do the same thing in a store holding a comparable bag of dog food or garden soil. Was there a position or height that was more difficult?

At commercial time when watching TV, get down on the floor in a cross–legged position and then stand up 10 times – 5 times each side

I didn’t say this would be fun, but it can be very effective to determine which side is easier to get up from and what muscles you used to do so. Experiment with rolling to the side so you are pushing up with one or two arms as well as whether you can get up from a lunge position without using your arms. Was one side or position easier than the others?

Walk up and down the stairs in super-slow motion

Falls are a leading cause of injury and virtually all of us have missed a step and taken a tumble that could have been mitigated if all of the muscles in the kinetic chain were working at optimal capacity. Walking up and down the stairs in slow motion allows you to assess where there might be instability at some point in the kinetic chain: It could be foot, ankle, knee, calf, hamstring, quads, hips or even abs that are tight or weak. It is a great opportunity to assess what muscles need more flexibility or strength (or both). Did you lean more to one side than the other when going slowly? Was it harder to maintain balance when ascending or descending? Did you use the railing and at what point?

Post written by FFC Contributor Linda Goldberg.

For questions or to share your learning, Linda can be reached at lgoldberg@ffc.com.

Image of a woman using a rowing machine with a personal trainer.

Why I Work With a Personal Trainer

Every one of us has different motivations for hitting the gym. Whether we want to be in better shape, improve our health or optimize our strength and speed, there are many ways to go about reaching our goals. Some may choose to work out on their own, join a group fitness class or follow an online workout guide, while others may hire a fitness professional to create a customized exercise program for them. In my case, I chose to hire a personal trainer to get me in the best shape of my life.

My journey started at the beginning of January. I know, very cliché – new year, new me. I wanted a change, and not just a physical change, but a complete transformation physically, mentally and emotionally. I was already hitting the gym on a regular basis, but I needed someone to hold me accountable and push me beyond my limits. I reached out to a personal trainer that I knew had helped get his clients get results. I thought to myself: what do I have to lose?

The first step with my personal trainer was an introductory phone call followed by an email questionnaire. After I answered the questionnaire, my trainer called me to really dig into why I wanted to make this change for myself. I had just moved across the country after a break up, and I needed help getting in a better head space to work on myself. I wanted to prove to myself that I could commit to this next chapter in my fitness journey, and I needed the accountability partner that a personal trainer can provide.

The hard work began with making sure I was set up for success in regards to nutrition. After we were comfortable with my nutrition, we tackled exercise. My programming incorporated early morning cardio sessions and evening lifting sessions where I was able to work off the stress of the work day. My programs were emailed to me on a weekly basis, and I was always excited to see what each week would bring because I could feel the changes taking place. At first, I wasn’t sure I could follow through with the program, but I had to keep in mind why I signed up with my trainer in the first place. Knowing that I could reach out to my trainer at any point for motivation was the best feeling because I knew I wasn’t alone in this journey.

After a few months, my friends started to notice the changes in my physique, which boosted my confidence and motivated me to work even harder knowing that other people were also seeing my results. At the end of the day, it was all about being consistent with my nutrition, cardio and weight lifting, and I could see all the hard work paying off.

One day, my personal trainer did a side-by side photo comparison from when I started training with him to present day. I couldn’t believe it – my waist was smaller and my back and shoulders were broader. With my permission, he posted this comparison on his Instagram and the feedback we got was incredible. We were both very proud of what I was able to achieve with his coaching.

With all the progress I had made and all the confidence I had gained, I had a new zest for life and decided to become a personal trainer myself. After nearly a year of working with my personal trainer and seeing my own progress, I was able to perform better at work and help my own clients reach their desired results. It feels amazing to see how they have changed since the day we first met. It is so rewarding to make such a positive impact in their lives, just like my personal trainer has in my life. I love coaching people to live healthier lives and seeing the confidence and discipline they gain.

The most common question I get asked is, “You’re a personal trainer, so why do you have a personal trainer?” My response is this: everyone can benefit from having a personal trainer. Whether you need someone to keep you accountable or someone to push you past your limits, a personal trainer can help you achieve better results. Great athletes didn’t get to where they are now without someone holding them accountable, pushing them, believing in them, and knowing they can do better. So I ask you, what is the reason you are going to hire a personal trainer? What changes do you want to make in your lifestyle? What great results will you achieve with the help of a personal trainer?

Post written by FFC Gold Coast personal trainer Marc Zavala.

Marc is a personal trainer at FFC Gold Coast who is passionate about fitness and helping people go beyond their goals. He believes exercising, building healthy eating habits and having fun are important for overall well-being. He specializes in body transformations, form correction and coaching healthy behaviors to achieve and maintain a healthy way of life. Marc has 7 years of personal training and nutrition coaching under his belt. Contact Marc by email (mzavala@ffc.com) to schedule a complimentary consultation today.

3 no-fail tips to getting back into a gym routine

3 No-Fail Tips to Get Back into Your Gym Routine

As the leaves and the weather start to change, so will your fitness routine. The days of just heading out the door and going for a run are becoming limited and it’s time to reconnect with a health club – here’s everything you need to get back into a gym routine.

Before we get to the fitness part, we have to talk about the food. Festivals, BBQs, and baseball games are over, so be sure to make some time to the grocery store and stock up your fridge with healthy, convenient foods. It’s critical to establish your routine this time of year before the holidays approach and you’re fighting against holiday parties, food, and booze.

You’re usually more active in the summer months so plan on hitting the gym at least 3 days a week. The return to a gym routine means actually having to plan what you do and can even create anxiety for some. You’re not alone in your hesitation, here are some tips to help you get working out again!

1. Check out a new class.

Why not? You have nothing to lose- except maybe those few pounds you packed on Labor Day weekend. And who knows, maybe Zumba will become your “new” guilty pleasure – no one is drinking Sangria now that the weather is getting cooler!

2. Ask about a complimentary personal training session.

This is a great starting point/way to advance your workouts. It’s a trainer’s job to help people reach their fitness goals, or at least discover what they are. Worst case scenario, you’ll get your butt kicked for an hour and best case you might get a date, it happens more often than you think.

3. Find a workout partner.

Go with a co-worker who’s on the same schedule as you, or ask a friend, partner, spouse – you can complain and be sore together. Or connect with a person you always see at the gym the same time as you and set a day/time to meet- the key is being accountable to someone besides yourself.

With any workout partner, try to motivate each other not to miss a workout. If you want to take it to the next level, the one that cancels owes the other something – coffee, lunch, a massage – get creative – have fun with it.

You got this, see you at the gym!

Strong Mind | Strong Body #4: Staying Healthy While Traveling

To have the experience to travel is a blessing, and something to be taken advantage of. However, vacation also does not mean you should throw all of your hard work away. Here are a few tips for staying healthy while traveling I’ve learned along the way.

Steps for Staying Healthy While Traveling

Exercising While Traveling

Nowadays, most hotels have a gym and pool that is accessible. It might not be as well-equipped as FFC, but you can make use of what is there! Resistance bands are easy to pack and are great to use for a workout.

If you are visiting somewhere new, chances are that you will be walking around a lot, which will count toward your daily fitness. Depending on where you travel and your plans, you should aim to fit in 30-60 minutes of physical activity a day, in whatever form you can.

Eating Healthy While Traveling

For some, staying on top of food choices on vacation can be a challenge. Depending on your fitness goal, food choices will differ from person to person. In my travel experience, these are some food and snack ideas you can bring with you to stay on track of your nutrition – they require minimal space to pack and are durable (except the prepped meat):

Bring powered protein powder in shaker cups
Tuna packets (minimal packing space, lean + high protein)
Protein bars
Dried meat
Fruit/nuts (almonds for essential fats)
Yogurt cups
Rice cakes (for quick carbs)
Microwavable oatmeal
Depending if you are traveling in the country and for a minimal period of time, it is possible to also prep proteins such as chicken and freeze them

If I am traveling while on prep, I make sure that I bring all of my meals with me, that way I always have something to eat and I am on track with my goals.

If I am not on prep and on vacation with my family, I do bring healthy snacks like the ones I listed in this article, but I do treat myself on occasion. When I was visiting South Africa, we went on a lot of trips, some including safaris. For this, I had to pack a variety of snacks that I could bring to sustain me for a few days.

When I am prepping for a show, I have to be strict with my diet, but if I am in off season, I let myself enjoy in moderation with good health in mind.

Navigating the Airport

Airports are typically filled with fast food options. It is still possible to stay on track. While I was waiting for my flight in Atlanta airport, I went to Starbucks for breakfast. Starbucks is a great on the go food stop, they include the calories on their menu and they have a variety of healthy food options.

Use a Meal Prep Service & Stay Somewhere With a Kitchen

Meal prep services have become very popular as well in several states, if you are traveling to another state and want to have your meals ready, you can customize your meals online and have them ordered to where you are staying. If you do decide to meal prep your own meals to travel, I recommend using Ziplock bags and Tupperware to store your foods and minimize space. Prepping your food close enough to the day that you travel will ensure that your meals stay fresh.

Airbnbs are great for traveling; you have access to a kitchen where you can cook your own foods, which will help to save money on eating and ordering out.

Order Healthfully When Eating Out

I believe everything in moderation. It is essential to treat yourself on vacation. Going out to different restaurants and trying different foods is a wonderful bonding experience. If you want to make healthy eating choices, there are ways to order food to make it more nutritious when eating out. Some ways to do this include:

Asking for dressing on the side
Asking to be cooked without oil
Seeking out grilled items
Ordering a side salad instead of something higher in calories
Order water
Share dessert

Staying Healthy While Traveling is EASY – Just Keep It Simple

Traveling should not be a time to over-analyze your diet and fitness. ‘Everything in moderation’ should be the foundation to a healthy lifestyle. Staying healthy while traveling IS possible – it just takes some planning!

Post written by FFC Old Town membership representative Sophia Valbuena.

About Sophia

10 Minute Workout for Beginners: It’s Easier to Fit In Than You Think

Got 10 minutes to spare? Of course you do! Check out this compact, 10 minute workout for beginners by FFC Park Ridge group fitness instructor Julia Baraglia that you can fit in no matter what life throws at you.

Think of all the 10-minute intervals throughout your day you ‘waste’ on things like Facebook or Twitter, games on your phone, or the random internet browsing or nighttime TV that has no real significance to you. Everyone, even the busiest CEO or frequent traveler can find a 10-minute window in his or her day.

So now that you’ve discovered when that might ben, what am I asking you to do with it? I’m so glad you asked! Check out this simple 10 minute workout for beginners:

10 Minute Workout For Beginners Breakdown:

0-2 minutes: sit still. No, truly. Sit still in a chair or on the floor with nothing around you. Take a deep breath and be thankful you’re in that moment. Appreciate all the things your body does for you (despite not always making the best food choices) or the long hours you work, often with a lack of sleep. Ahhh… feels nice, right?

2-4 minutes: move your body. Notice any aches, pains, or tense areas. Roll your shoulders, your neck, and arch/curve/twist your back to encourage blood flow to those areas and work out the kinks. Although certainly not as enjoyable as someone else doing it for you, self-massage does work. For my more dedicated athletes, foam roll your trouble spots.

4-9 minutes: really move your body. No REALLY – use the next 5 minutes to get your heart rate as high as you can. Push each exercise as hard as you can for one minute. Here’s my example workout – but you can keep it simple by doing stairs or running for 5 minutes as well.

Jumping Jacks
Squats
Push-ups
Mountain Climbers
Planks

9-10 minutes: rest. Close your eyes. Listen to your breathing and your heart beating. Those 5 minutes you just did will improve your cardiovascular health, boost your metabolism and make you mentally sharper. And that’s just the beginning of a long list of benefits!

This 10 minute workout for beginners can be done before your morning shower, during your lunch break, before you get ready for dinner or even when you get back to your hotel room. Once you find you can carve 10 minutes out of your day, soon you will discover that there are days you have a half hour, hour, or maybe even more to sit still, really move, and rest.

Check out some of these links outlining the benefits of adding short cardio workouts to your day: article #1 via Yahoo Lifestyle and article #2 via Verywell Health.

Post written by FFC Park Ridge group fitness instructor Julia Baraglia.

About Julia

Julia is a group fitness instructor at FFC Park Ridge and is passionate about helping people achieve their fitness goals and improve their overall well-being.

She believes working out is just as important for your mental health as your physical health – and definitely gets this as a mom of 3 young boys! Check out the group fitness schedule to see her class lineup and email her at julia.baraglia@ffc.com with any questions!

Sports Fitness Training: Ballistic Training & Plyometrics to Bridge the Gap Between the Gym & Court

Is your golf swing not as strong as you would like it – or is your forehand in tennis more like a fore finger? Do you have trouble accelerating or jumping in your basketball games? Ballistic training and plyometrics may be your answer. (And they might be the most underrated and under-represented exercise mode in the gym today).

Ballistic Training vs Plyometrics

Ballistic training is described by throwing or jumping with weight, which maximizes acceleration of the weight, with little or no deceleration of the muscles. (2) Plyometrics is defined as the discipline of performing maximal effort, burst-based movements that use the stretch/shortening cycle of the muscles to produce a powerful result (e.g. repeated box jumps). It was first used by Soviet Olympians in the 70s and is used today with college/professional athletes as a form of sports fitness training. (1)

An In-Depth Look at Ballistic Training

In traditional weight training, the load has to be decelerated in order to protect the joints and to end the repetition. However, this act teaches the body to slow down during ‘sticking points’ or rather, the hardest parts of a repetition – and these (necessary) points can cause an athlete to plateau.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Basic Guidelines for the Resistance Training of Athletes states that “performing speed repetitions as fast as possible with light weight (i.e. 30-45% of a one-rep max) in exercises in which the bar is held on to and must be decelerated at the end of the joint’s range of motion (e.g., bench press) to protect the joint and does not produce power or speed training, but teaches the body how to decelerate, or slow down. If the load can be released into the air (i.e., the bar be let go at the end of the range of motion) the negative effects are eliminated.” (3)

Why Ballistic Training Works for Fitness:

Basically, as much as 75% of a repetition can be devoted to slowing down the weight – not actually producing power/acceleration. Being able to let go of the weight, ball, or load, is paramount for developing power and strength throughout the entire range of motion for ANY movement. Examples for ballistic movements include medicine ball throws, weighted jumps, and banded movements.

An In-Depth Look at Plyometrics

In the strictest sense, plyometrics are used to teach athletes to jump higher and run faster by using the inherent elasticity in muscles and tendons. An example of this is called a depth-jump. The athlete steps-down from a high box, lands, and immediately jumps onto another box. This causes the athlete to compensate for the force of gravity by absorbing the impact via lengthening the muscles and going into a quarter squat (eccentric motion). Once the energy has been absorbed, the muscles are the same length for the briefest of moments (amortization), then, the athlete contracts the glutes/quads to jump again (concentric motion).

Why Plyometrics Work for Fitness:

By training this stretch-shortening cycle to happen faster, and under higher loads, you can train the nervous system and musculature to jump higher and more quickly. This same principle can be applied to upper body workouts using bands and medicine balls, creating a cycle of stretch shortening that helps create more power and speed.

Benefits of Plyometrics and Ballistics Training

You’re probably thinking, ‘okay, but what does all this sciencey mumbo-jumbo mean?’

In essence, ballistic and plyometric movements force the muscles to produce the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time. Muscle fibers are stimulated according to the force/power needed. Low speed/heavy weight moves will use smaller type fibers first, then larger and larger fibers until the load is lifted. However, with plyometrics and ballistic training, the largest are recruited first to make the lift/action as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The more you practice these explosive movements, the better you train your muscles to act as efficiently and powerfully as possible.

This brings us to my preferred type of training – complex/contrast training. In this type of training, slow, near maximal weightlifting motions followed by fast-speed/fast-twitch plyometrics or ballistics training moves has been demonstrated to activate the larger muscle fibers to a greater degree than if you were to complete each type of exercise separately. (4)

By now you might be thinking ‘Okay… but what does that mean in plain English, Matt?’ How does ballistic training/ plyometrics apply to your daily life? Here are the basic benefits of plyometrics and ballistic training for improved performance:

You will accelerate faster: sprinting by someone on the court, down the field, to the train etc.
You will jump higher (and it looks cool)!
You will gain definition and size (not designed for bodybuilding, but it can be adapted).
You will punch harder and faster, throw a ball harder and farther.
Develop a stronger, more stable core and flatten the stomach; stabilizing fast moving weight will emphasize stronger abdominals, obliques and spinal erectors.
Burn more calories from the full body workouts (lean out!) Coordinating multiple joints for an explosive motion at a high intensity is a great conditioning and cardiovascular workout.
You will have more energy in your everyday life!
You will conduct everyday movements with more “oomph” and be able to produce power on command! You will fly out of your chair at the end of the work day.

If you are interested in ballistic training or plyometrics, or would like to know more, please contact me at mlamore@ffc.com or via @lamorepower on Instagram!

Post written by FFC West Loop trainer Matt Lamore.

About Matt

Matt Lamore is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and master trainer at FFC West Loop specializing in plyometrics, circuit training and powerlifting. He uses his background in sports performance training to bridge the gap between the gym and daily life. Before FFC, he has trained high school, Division 1, and professional athletes in strength, agility and speed. Matthew received both his B.S. and M.S. in biology from Bucknell University.

Sources:

(1): (Yuri Verkhoshanski (1967). “Are Depth Jumps Useful?”. Legkaya Atletika (Track and Field). 12: 9.)
(2): Fleck, Steven J. & Kraemer, William J., ‘Ballistic Training’ in Designing Resistance Training Programmes, Human Kinetics:Leeds, 2013, p.280
(3) (Elliot, B. and Wilson, G. A biomechanical analysis of the sticking region in the bench press. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 21: 450-464. 1989).”
(4) Joyce, David & Lewindon, Daniel & Larson, Rett, ‘Neural Preparation’ in High Performance Training for Sports, Leeds:Human Kinetics, 2014, p.107).

Strong Mind | Strong Body #3: Finding Balance in Fitness, Work, School & Life

One of the most important lessons I have learned so far is finding balance. Personally, I practice a balance between the ying (relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation) and the yang (high intensity/extremes like bodybuilding). Yin and yang is the concept of ‘duality forming a whole.’ We encounter examples of yin and yang every day. As examples: night (yin) and day (yang), female (yin) and male (yang).

Both of these concepts, when paired, balance each other out. If we lack one or the other in any aspect of our lives, we are not balanced. For example, if we feel overwhelmed and stressed out, we may need a ying influence in our daily lives such as yoga. If we lack energy, we may need a yang influence such as a cardio workout.

Finding Balance in Fitness

The balance of yin and ying ultimately supplement each other. If an athlete focuses solely on intense training, they have a high risk of injury. To perform at their ultimate best, it is important that they balance out their yang with the yin, for example, doing yoga several times a week to help with stretching and strengthening.

Before I learned the importance of having a balance, I would push past my limits in the gym. I was all about that yang, with little to no yin. Eventually, I pushed to the extreme and got injured (you can read about this in my second post in this Strong Mind | Strong Body series).

If it wasn’t for my injury, then I would not have worked on finding balance – and probably not found meditation and yoga. This not only healed my injury, but it helped me with anxiety and depression. Ever since, I practice daily balancing my yin and yang. That way I can perform at my best in the gym, at work, and in my personal life.

Finding Balance in Work, School & Other Aspects of Life

In addition to finding balance in fitness, it is important to have balance in other aspects of our lives, to prioritize our duties, families, friends and our hobbies. If we focus too much on one thing, the other things in our lives won’t grow. A lot of people in today’s society say that they don’t have time to work out because they are too busy. At the end of the day, we all have the same 24 hours, it just how we manage our time that will dictate what we can get accomplished.

Ever since I started competing, I have either been a full-time student, worked full time, or done all at once. It is important to me that I do my best in all of these areas, but I couldn’t do that if I didn’t prepare ahead. My main priorities are school and work, fitness is my hobby and therapy. By narrowing down what is important to me, I am able to find what times would work best to go to the gym, meal prep my food, and do homework based around my work and school schedule.

Typically, on my off days, I dedicate my time to meal prep for the week, relaxation, and running errands. By meal prepping, you save a lot of money in the end and you are able to stay on track of your diet. I find that taking my meals to work/classes helps me stay focused and keeps me satisfied all day. I also write down in my planner what times I have to train, depending on what time I work or have classes. I typically like to work out before work so I can 100% focus on my tasks and then relax after I finish working. If I am feeling tired before work or I don’t have enough time to train, I will do it after work. We all have responsibilities, but it is important to make time for the things that we are passionate about.

I am lucky that I work for a company like FFC which supports my goals in bodybuilding and gives me access to their elite clubs to train and work. I am constantly surrounded by like-minded individuals that are hardworking and motivated to succeed. Your environment and those who you surround yourself with will also dictate your success. By working at FFC in Old Town, I feel motivated everyday by my co-workers to execute my job, and our members working hard on the floor to achieve their fitness goals. It reminds me why I chose to work for here.

Post written by FFC Old Town membership representative Sophia Valbuena.

About Sophia

Airport Yoga 101

FFC Park Ridge group fitness instructor and Yogi Pantra Shafaee-Hoeft shares some tips for incorporating a quick yoga practice into your travels for less stress.

The benefits of group fitness classes like Pilates and yoga are HUGE. Not only a great fitness format, yoga can help you calm your mind and your body. Airport yoga is rapidly becoming one of the best ways to center yourself before embarking on an adventure. Stress from security, flight delays or disruptions, crowds, and little to no control over much of anything can drain your energy and lead to bad food choices, no exercise/movement and lethargy. Airport yoga – and airports with rooms specifically dedicated to space to practice/meditate is a huge source of benefit to combat some of these stressors. Plus, yoga can also help combat blood circulation issues, stiffness and other issues related to travel or flying.

I recommend you do a quick search to see which airports have yoga rooms. Most will have amenities like mats, water, etc. for you – but if you want to try to get a quick practice in on the go, it wouldn’t hurt to bring along a travel mat.

Tips for doing airport yoga:

Limit as many distractions as possible (put your phone on silent mode).
Carry disinfectant wipes to help keep extra germs at bay.
Simple poses and progressions are great ways to easily incorporate yoga in short timeframes.

Here are two choices (repeat each 3 times, paying attention to breath):

Sun Salutation A (Surya Namaskara A)

Begin with your palms together, at your heart
Standing Mountain Pose/Tadasana
Upward Salute/Urdhva Hastasana
Standing Forward Fold/ Uttanasana
Half Standing Forward Fold/Ardha Uttanasana
Four-Limbed Staff Pose/Chaturana Dandasana
Upward-Facing Dog Pose/Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Downward-Facing Dog Pose/Adho Mukha Svanasana
Half Standing Forward Fold/Ardha Uttanasana
Standing Forward Fold/Uttanasana
Upward Salute/ Urdhva Hastasana
Mountain Pose/Tadasana

Sun Salutation B (Surya Namaskara B)

Standing Mountain Pose/Tadasana
Chair Pose/Utkatasana
Standing Forward Fold/Uttanasana
Half Standing Forward Fold/Ardha Uttanasana
Four-Limbed Staff Pose/Chaturanga Dandasana
Upward-Facing Dog Pose – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Downward-Facing Dog Pose – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Warrior I, Right Foot/Virabhadrasana I
Four-Limbed Staff Pose/Chaturanga Dandasana
Upward-Facing Dog Pose – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Downward-Facing Dog Pose – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Warrior I, Left Foot/Virabhadrasana I
Four-Limbed Staff Pose/Chaturanga Dandasana
Upward-Facing Dog Pose – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Downward-Facing Dog Pose – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Half Standing Forward Fold/Ardha Uttanasana
Standing Forward Fold/Uttanasana
Chair Pose/Utkatasana
Mountain Pose/Tadasana

Post written by FFC Park Ridge group fitness instructor and yogi Pantra Shafaee-Hoeft.

About Pantra

Pantra Hoeft began her exploration with yoga 10 years ago with Bikram Yoga. After realizing how free and happy she felt being on her mat she enrolled in the 200-hour teacher training with CorePower in the summer of 2015 and decided to continue her passion and became 500-hour RYT through CorePower’s 300-hour teaching program this past summer.

In maintaining a mindful practice, she believes the mind-body connection teaches us how to live a fulfilling, healthy, and happy life on AND off the yoga mat. She encourages her students to play with their edge, while providing a safe, encouraging, and nonjudgmental environment where each individual can achieve their full potential. Check out the group fitness schedule to see when she teachers and stop by a class!