Category: Spinning

BondiBand Review and Giveaway

6/2/2014

If you've got long hair and/or you sweat a lot when you workout, you probably are constantly searching for the perfect headband to keep your face dry and hair-free during your workouts. If you're anything like me - you're convinced your going blind the moment your sweat drips into your eye.

I do have a couple brands of go-to headbands, but I'm always looking for something new. That's why I was so excited when BondiBands sent me some to try out. Not only are these headbands fun and functional with great wicking capabilities, the company also donates 10% of all profits to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

There are headbands of all colors and sizes, and even ones with fun sayings on them. These are the ones I was sent to try out:

I tried these bands out for both a high intensity cardio workout and a weightlifting session. The bands staying in place and were able to wick-away all of the sweat from my forehead (which can be A LOT during those high intensity cardio sessions).

Here are a few facts about BondiBand:

Their products are unisex.
They are 100% American made.
They can be worn on their own or under other hats, helmets, and visors.
They are made of stretchy, breathable material which allows them to fit virtually every head size and shape.
Their fashion lycra fabric is fun and perfect for every day.
In warm weather the "No Slip, No Drip" moisture wicking headbands are great to wick away sweat, keep hair back, and keep ear buds in ears.
In colder weather, they are great to keep your ears warm.
Bondi Band donates 10% of pretax profits to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In addition to the headbands they offer armbands, wristbands, wicking hats, wicking ponytail hats, wicking pigtail hats, wicking neck gators, wicking sweat towels, and even items for your children and dogs!!!
They offer customized products.

But don't take my word for it - try it out on your own. Enter below to win your own FREE BondiBand!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What I love about group fitness

2/27/2014

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Recently, I was teaching a Bodypump class, and as I scan the room, checking people's form, I realized that a few people were flat out just not doing the workout the rest of the class was doing. Now sometimes in group fitness, a participant will come up to me in the beginning of class to let me know about an injury and ask for modifications, which I appreciate, but this wasn't the case in this particular class. At the end of the day, it's the participants' workout, but first and foremost is our participants' safety while engaging in group exercise, so I can't help but take it personally when participants come to my class, stand up front even, and then do their own thing. It makes me wonder why they are even coming to my class in the first place. There is so much I love about group fitness that I wouldn't get out of the experience if I was just chugging along doing my own thing. But everyone is different - and maybe you're taking a group fitness class for a completely different reason!

Which brings me to...

I feel like I'm a rockstar

Imagine you're running a race, and you all start and end at exactly the same time. Your feet hit the ground together with every foot strike. Pretty amazing, right? That's what every group fitness class is like for me. It's one thing to complete an awesome workout, but it's a completely different feeling when you're doing it with 30 other people.

It holds me accountable

Group fitness classes are at a specific time each day. Often times, you have your favorite classes and you create a schedule for yourself. The class isn't going to wait for you to finish watching that episode of House Hunters - it's going to happen whether you're there or not, which believe it or not makes it more likely you'll go. If you can do something at any hour of the day, you're more likely to procrastinate, but when you have one chance that day, you're going to be there!

It keeps variety in my workout routine

If left to do my own thing at the gym, I'm probably going to stick to the treadmill and some dumbbells - my comfort zone. Group fitness classes add so much more variety to my workout routine. I would never get on the stationary bike in the gym, but a spinning class? Absolutely!

The people I meet

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the people you meet in the group fitness setting are second to none. There is so much camaraderie and respect in one room, it's amazing the whole room doesn't explode.

What do you love (or not love) about group fitness?

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FitYaf's 2014 Kickoff Fitness Friday Workout

1/10/2014

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We're 10 days into 2014, and goals and resolutions are still fresh on everyone's minds! In the spirit of '14, I've put together a brand new Fitness Friday workout for you!

Notes about this workout:

Some of the moves in this workout are high-impact. Please feel free to modify the workout to make them low-impact if necessary.
Go through the workout twice for a full 30-minute workout
Be sure to stretch at the end of the workout. Check out some post-workout stretches from Health.com.
If you're unsure about any of the movements, check out the videos linked to the name of the exercise or google them before you start the workout. You want to be able to do this workout all the way through without stopping to look something up.

Cardio - 14 minutes

Choose your favorite cardio workout:

running
walking on an incline
power walking
spinning
rowing
stair climbing

FitYaf's 2014 Kickoff Fitness Friday Workout

The '14's

Push ups

Squats

Squat jumps

Tuck Jumps

Lunges - 14 on each side

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My first class at Unite Fitness cross-training studio

1/8/2014

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I recently started working with a company called FiTMAPPED, which is a comprehensive, fully searchable directory of fitness studios and gyms in NYC, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles, and NOW Philadelphia! I'm so excited to be involved with such a great community and help them get the word out about different options for keeping up with your fitness. Part of what I'm working on is putting Philly gyms - big and small - on the "fit map".

What better way to learn about gyms than to try them out on my own! My first stop on my Philly Phitness tour (see what I did there?) was Unite Fitness at 12th and Sansom, right in Center City. I've been wanting to try out this gym ever since I befriended Anne Marie Everhart on Twitter while training for the Philadelphia Marathon. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take Anne Marie's class, but I rallied up some of my favorite fitness friends and signed up for Juliet's class the day after Christmas. The class is designed so that you spend 25 minutes in the cardio room where you can choose from the stationary bike, treadmill or rowing machine, 5 minutes stretching, 30 minutes strength training, where this particular class featured exercises for your legs, back and biceps, and 15 minutes of yoga/stretching. At the end of the class, we'll have worked out heart, muscle and mind!

My first class at Unite Fitness cross-training studio

My friends and I chose the treadmill for our cardio workout, where we alternated between different levels of sprinting and hill work. While I often do speed work on my own, I never do hill work, especially on a treadmill. Although I KNOW the benefits of the hill work, I always choose something else to do instead. I really like how I was challenged throughout the 25 minutes - whether you're trying to burn calories to lose weight or take time off your next marathon, these types of workouts are going to help!

After some light stretching, we moved into another room, where we worked our legs, back and biceps. The workouts were setup in circuits, where we tried to see how many rounds of each circuit we could do in a predetermined amount of time. This part of the class seemed to move quickly, and before I knew it, we were on to yoga. I generally don't love yoga, but it was basic and quick, and just what I needed to stretch after my hour-long workout.

In general, I don't love it when the instructor for the class doesn't do the workout with the class, but I do understand that often in these small studios, instructors are teaching more than once class per day, and it would be impossible for them to do every class. After class, Juliet was happy to talk to us about membership and class-pack options, and also showed us how to use resistance bands to help with pull-up training! I have never used them before, but can totally see how helpful they can be! The studio even has lockers for you to use to keep your stuff safe during class! Overall, I had a great workout and I look forward to going back. I like the concept of the workout - it really touches on so many pieces of effective movement. While I wouldn't benefit from a membership, since I can realistically only make it there about once/week, I think it'd be a great option for anyone who needs a little push to help meet their goals! There are different programs you can sign up for, both nutrition- and exercise-based too!

There is also a location in Mount Laurel, NJ, and rumor has it there will be more popping up soon!

Have you ever tried Unite Fitness?

FOLLOW ME ON MY PHILLY PHITNESS TOUR:

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Friends of FitYaf - Alex goes from group fitness participant to ROCKSTAR instructor!

9/16/2013

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I first met Alex, while taking a Bodypump class at Pottruck Health & Fitness Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Alex was not only super motivational while teaching, but you can tell he had a connection with everyone in the room. Months later, I subbed one of Alex's class, and while the classes seem to be scattered with people during the summer months, Alex's class was PACKED wall to wall! His participants clearly love his class and keep coming back for more. Like most instructors, Alex started out as a group fitness participant, so I asked him to share his story about making the transition from participant to instructor.

Friends of FitYaf - Alex goes from group fitness participant to ROCKSTAR instructor!

Alex with Jackie and me at the Bodypump85 Launch, circus theme

Alex and Matt

Sometimes it is the smallest moments in life that have the largest impacts. My fitness adventure began with one such moment… the small but powerful act of remembering a name.

I was standing outside the gymnasium at the Christian Street YMCA waiting to take my second Les Mills Bodypump class. The instructor named Matt (Matt and I are now close friends) came walking up and said “Hey Alex. Great to see you back.” It was the smallest thing, but Matt remembering my name from the first class I took made the biggest deal to me. I realized in that small moment that a group exercise class could be much more than strangers working out around each other.

In the weeks that followed, I got to know more and more fellow Pumpers. I began to make friendships with the people I sweated, grimaced, and smiled next to as we crushed our bodies for 55 minutes. I saw the connections that Matt built with the participants and became even more inspired by this example of what a fitness class could be. As my strength and fitness improved, I started to think for real about becoming an instructor myself. With tons of support from the entire YMCA fitness team, I signed up for the Bodypump initial training and officially took my first step to becoming a fitness professional.

Alex, Carrie & Matt at the Halloween launch of Bodypump 83

Fast forward a few years, I am now an advanced Bodypump instructor, a Bodyattack instructor, a Spinning instructor and a certified personal trainer. I have made amazing friends, built strong relationships with members at multiple clubs, and most importantly seen people of all types get stronger, live healthier and feel better. I am passionate about working hard to make each class I teach be more than just an hour of exercise. I strive to make every workout I lead as welcoming, inclusive and positive as I can for each member. All of this happened because an instructor named Matt made the effort to remember my name, and that small moment completely changed how I viewed group exercise.

If you would like to know how you could begin creating life changing experiences for people, check out the following tips:

Take lots of different group exercise classes to get a sense of what different instructors do and what classes you like and don’t like.
Build up your own personal fitness level, and get really comfortable with a class you’d like to teach. Make yourself really strong at Spinning before you decide to try and become an instructor for example.
Meet and talk with group exercise instructors! Learn their stories, ask for advice and don’t be shy!
Check out the program website for the class you would like to teach, and find information on the steps needed to become an instructor. There are different requirements for all of the programs out there. Pretty much all programs require money up front to sign up for a training and/or purchase training materials. Some programs (like anything Les Mills) require weekend training, months of team teaching, and then an assessment video. Others require day training and some kind of written/practical exam. Find out what each program requires.
When you feel ready…GO FOR IT! Have fun setting out on your fitness adventure!!!

Alex participating in the plank challenge during the 100 days till summer Challenge Group.

Are you a group exercise participant thinking about making the leap from participant to instructor? If you have any questions for Alex - feel free to email him!

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Fitness variety: why it's important & how to vary your workouts

8/1/2013

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Last night I took a class at Body Cycle Studio on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. The class was led by Jessica Sullivan @ 5:30pm. I'm generally hot & cold on spinning - I've taken some amazing classes, but I've taken some pretty boring ones too. It's definitely the type of class that is highly dependent on the instructor and the music! So, I decided to try a class out at Body Cycle - first ride free, so you can't go wrong, right? You have to sign up through their online system (something that's becoming increasingly popular with the rise of boutique fitness studios), which is a little annoying, but WAY better than showing up and not getting into the class. Plus, they have a mobile app, which makes it a little bit easier. Wednesdays are my non-teaching days, so after looking at the schedule, the 5:30pm class was best for me (the 6:30pm, class, taught by Shoshana was waitlist only).

Fitness variety: why it's important & how to vary your workouts

the Body Cycle studio - lots of bikes!

I got to class about 15 minutes early and the employees there were SUPER friendly and SUPER nice. My cousin Sarah even got a free ride for bringing a friend for the first time, and Russ, the owner, helped us all get set up on a bike. I liked that the resistance on the bikes was digital and numbered, so there was no guessing about your effort level (you know, that ambiguous "half a turn increase"). Jess, the instructor came in right on time and we were off!

Now, I've maybe taken about 25 spinning classes in my life, so I am by no means an expert, but it was BY FAR the TOUGHEST spinning class I have ever taken. I'll be honest, for most of the class I was struggling to keep up with the resistance level and RPM that was suggested. And the jumps with the claps - definitely a point when I just wanted to stop. But you know what? I loved it! Even if I had to constantly use that voice in my head to yell at myself ("you've run TWO marathons, certainly you can get up to 115 RPM for just 20 more seconds").

Jackie, Sarah and I AFTER class - can you SEE our sweat?

I was probably only about half-way through the class before I ran out of dry spots on my towel to wipe my sweat - and I LOVE to sweat. The music was awesome too! My only complaint is that I like when the music and the suggested RPMs go together - it's so much easier for me to hit a certain RPM when I can just go along with the music. But, I know you can't do that AND do varying sprint intervals, so I guess you have to pick and choose. I was happy to report that with a little warming up before class officially started, I hit a little over 20 miles on the bike!

I'm now determined to go back to that class and really hit all of those RPMs! (I'm also super intrigued by the 6:30pm class - the people taking that class were stalking the bikes like vultures, anxious to get started on their ride!) But I can't get over how CHALLENGING the class was for me. I am constantly challenging myself with lifting weights with P90x and Les Mills Pump, seeing how fast I can run and trying not to take breaks in Insanity, Asylum and T25, and I'm always seeing improvements. It just goes to show how much your body can get "used" to a specific workout, even if you're constantly challenging yourself. I'm sure someone who does spinning 5 times/week would feel challenged by a workout that I am comfortable doing, if it's one that I do all the time. Many running coaches would advise you to cross train, not only to build muscle and prevent injury, but also to improve your fitness level. Whether you're a runner, training for a race or you just want to get in better shape, cross training and keeping variety in your workouts is SO important. Varying your workout routine not only prevents boredom (and perhaps the likeliness to skip a workout), but it also helps avoiding or delaying a plateau in workout performance and training results. It can also help you complete a challenging workout without just increasing your time/reps. At some point, you're going to run out of time!

ACE fitness reports on a study performed by exercise scientists at the University of Florida. This research showed that individuals who modified their workouts every two weeks over an eight-week period appeared to enjoy their workouts more and were more inclined to stick with their exercise programs when compared to individuals who followed the same workout regimens week after week. Varying your exercise routine can also help you stay physically challenged. Many of the body's physiological systems (e.g., the muscular system) adapt to an exercise program within approximately six to eight weeks. If you do not modify your exercise routine, you reach a plateau because your body has adapted to the repetitive training stimulus. So, how can you keep your workouts varied? If you're a runner, try incorporating some intervals into your run. You can also cross train with exercises such as spinning and swimming to provide your body with a new challenge. If you're resistance training, try changing the order in which you complete each exercises. When you fatigue the muscles in a new pattern, you're introducing a new stimulus to your body. Also, try incorporating kettlebells and stability balls into your typical dumbbell routine. Or, as in my case - just try something completely new! Even extremely fit people can be challenged when trying something new!

How can you add variety to your fitness routine? What is something you've been wanting to try?

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