Nimble Blog

Burn Before You Binge / pre-Superbowl TRX Class & Fundraiser

Sunday, February 5, 2012 @ 10am

Join us the morning of Superbowl Sunday and come sweat for a good cause!

Nimble Fitness TRX Instructor Barb Ehlers is racing to the top of the Empire State Building to raise awareness and funding for Multiple Myeloma research.   This special TRX class is a fundraiser for that event.  Come get a fantastic total-body workout before the big game (go GIANTS!).  All proceeds go to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

$15 is the minimum-asking donation.
Please bring cash or a check payable to Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

Space is limited! Register for this class HERE or contact us.

If you would like to make a donation and show your support please click HERE

The MMRF relentlessly pursues innovative means that accelerate the development of next-generation multiple myeloma treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure.

New Class Tuesday Nights @ 7:00pm

Introducing Barb Ehlers, our newest Nimble team member. Barb is not only TRX certified, she has also been a personal trainer for nearly 10 years and Pilates mat instructor for over 5 years! She fully embraces Joseph H. Pilates’ principles of body awareness and thorough physical development. Barb incorporates these principles as well as her own techniques into her TRX classes. She teaches her students to connect to their bodies in class, and to apply the feeling of strength and length into their daily lives.

Barb teaches our new TRX Plus CORE class on Tuesdays at 7:00pm as well as our 11:00am Saturday class. SIGN UP NOW

Barb also has an AMAZING food blog you absolutely must check out. SEE IT HERE

“Be happy!”

by Antonio Sini
…

If you have one goal in 2012, one resolution that you make to help you get in the best shape of your life, start with this: “I want to be happy.”  Forget everything else for a moment. Forget going to the gym five days a week; forget about the foods you plan to give up or your plan to quit drinking for six months. Simply tell yourself, “My resolution this year is to be happy.”

Being happy is the key to better health and wellbeing.  Don’t get me wrong–getting into great shape requires some sweat and sacrifice–but before we think about exercise routines or food plans, we have to ask, “Are all the aspects of my life in alignment with my happiness?”  Physical, emotional and mental health are all deeply connected.   For instance, how can someone achieve true physical health if they work in an extremely stressful environment?   The same is true of personal relationships. You simply can’t ignore these other aspects of life if you want to be truly fit.

I ask you to take a moment to reflect on the following areas, which can make a positive difference in your happiness and health:

• Relationships. Be honest and sincere when you communicate with the people close to you–your spouse, friends, co-workers and family members.  You’ll be much happier if you address and overcome your fears, frustrations and anger rather than bottling those emotions up inside.  If you have trouble communicating with someone close to you, then maybe counseling or some professional help would have a positive influence.

• Work. Your work environment can be a huge influence on your happiness.  If you spend a large part of the day at your job, examine whether there is satisfaction and balance in what you do.  It doesn’t have to be the perfect job, but if your work environment is so stressful that you dread going, it is going to adversely affect your health and how you treat those around you.

• Friends. Are you surrounded by problems, or people that make you happy?  A happy emotional state can be infectious. Just being near happy people can put you in a better mood. Children, for example, can be especially carefree and happy.  Limit your time with needy friends and create more time with your kids, nieces or nephews.  Try and ensure the people around you share your goals of health and happiness.

• Exercise! Besides the fact that exercise has been shown to release endorphins and other body chemicals that give you a feeling of happiness, exercise helps you to feel more satisfied with the way you look and will boost your morale.  This in turn will help you stay more present, and more determined in your pursuit for a happy and fulfilling life.

Take each day as it comes and start to make decisions that you know will benefit your happiness.  This new approach to achieving life-long health will positively change the way you become fit and allow you reach your fitness goals for 2012 and many more years to come.

It takes energy to change!

by Daniel Lucas …

Cultivating energy starts with our relationship to the food and fluids we consume. What, how and when we eat affects our digestion, which in turn affects how much nutrition we receive from our food and how well we metabolize it. Every cell in our body regenerates from what we consume–there is no substitute for quality nutrition and a positive relationship with food. Examine how you feel after you eat. Do you have a nice sense of well-being and satisfaction? Do you feel solid energy for the next 4 or 5 hours? Conversely, does the food you’re eating make you sleepy, leave you craving sugar or disrupt your digestion? If it does, than it’s clear that your eating habits need to change. Releasing body fat and eating well is not as challenging as people make it–what is truly challenging for people is creating the habits to support positive, conscious, healthy food choices. Take action now and use food to get a leaner, younger body.

Take the start of this year to become more aware of what you are eating, how you are eating and when you are eating and then assess the effect your food is having on you. Remember, food is our medicine!

Namaste,
Daniel

Nimble Fitness and About.com

Check out these short and informative video clips the boys at Nimble Fitness filmed for About.com

Build a Work Out Regimen
We’re here at Nimble Fitness for About.com. … Also here at Nimble, we tend to focus on building a strong core and healthy joints before you start to think about … http://video.about.com/exercise/How-to-Build-a-Work-Out-Regimen.htm

Weight Gain and Exercise Video
Hello, my name is Antonio Sini with Nimble Fitness here in New York City with About.com, and today we’re going to talk about the basics of weight gain and … http://video.about.com/exercise/Weight-Gain-and-Exercise.htm

How to Protect Your Knees During Lower Body Exercises Video
Hi, this is Keith from Nimble Fitness for About.com, and we’re going to talk about ways to protect your knees during lower-body exercises … http://video.about.com/exercise/How-to-Protect-Your-Knees-During-Lower-Body-Exercises.htm

How to Protect Your Back During Exercise Video
Hi I’m Daniel Lucas from Nimble Fitness in New York City, and this is for About. com. I’m going to talk to you about how to protect your back during exercise … http://video.about.com/exercise/How-to-Protect-Your-Back-During-Exercise.htm

How to Burn Fat While Lifting Weights Video
Hello, my name is Antonio Sini with Nimble Fitness here in New York City with About.com, and today we’re going to show you how to burn fat while lifting … http://video.about.com/exercise/How-to-Burn-Fat-While-Lifting-Weights.htm

Estimate Your Basal Metabolic Rate
Hello, my name is Antonio Sini with Nimble Fitness here in New York City with About.com, and today we’re going to talk about Basal Metabolic Rate … http://video.about.com/exercise/How-to-Estimate-Your-Basal-Metabolic-Rate.htm

Exercise – How to Estimate Calories Burned While Working Out Video
Hello, my name is Antonio Sini with Nimble Fitness here in New York City with About.com, and today we’re going to talk about how to estimate how many … http://video.about.com/exercise/How-to-Estimate-Calories-Burned-While-Working-Out.htm

Tips for Exercising in the Morning Video
Hi this is Keith. We’re here at Nimble Fitness in New York City for About.com. Today we’re going to demonstrate some exercises you can do in the morning … http://video.about.com/exercise/Tips-for-Exercising-in-the-Morning.htm

Embrace the Siesta!

by Antonio Sini
…

I love a good power nap.  There have been many long days at the studio where I wouldn’t have survived without one.  Research has shown that a daily nap can promote physical well-being, improve your mood and your memory, sharpen your senses and revitalize your energy. By deliberately putting time aside for a “power nap”, you will be much more productive the rest of the day.  A 15 to 20 minute nap is all you need–the key is not to fall into the deeper stages of sleep in the afternoon.  Even if you don’t fully fall asleep, you’ll still reap benefits from the relaxation time.

Here are some quick tips for that perfect siesta:

• Schedule your nap during the second half of your day, usually between 1pm and 5pm.
• Avoid caffeine 4 hours before a nap. Also avoid eating at least 2 hours before your nap.
• Nap regularly and keep your time consistent so you nap at the same time every day.
• Find a quiet space and turn off your phone. Let others know not to disturb you.
• Help your body relax by taking a few deep breaths. Clear your mind by focusing on your breaths.
• If light bothers you, wear a sleep mask or place a towel over your eyes. A dark room will work best.
• Have a glass of water when you wake up and walk around for 5 minutes to stimulate your nervous system.

As I stated, a good nap should last no more than 15-20 minutes. You may think this is nothing but, believe me, its all you need. You’ll feel your heart rate increase when you wake up and you may even start to sweat as your metabolism fires back. After a few minutes and big glass of water you’ll feel good as new!

Holiday Party Sucess!

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday, December 17th for our annual holiday party. We hope to see you all again next year.

Season’s Greetings & Happy New Year!

“Eat Like the White House Eats”

from Everydayhealth.com –

Michelle Obama champions healthy living for families across the nation, and the #1 online health destination –Everydayhealth.com– has captured exclusive behind the scenes recipes, tips and confessions from the first lady herself.

We think you will enjoy checking out this one-of-a-kind package from Michelle Obama entitled “Eat Like the White House Eats“.

Know Your Body.

by Daniel Lucas

Do you know what “home” feels like for your body?

I’m talking about the place where you feel structurally in alignment.  Where you move with poise and feel relaxed. Whether we’re feeling “at home” or not often comes down to what we have done, or what he haven’t done, prior to being aware that we are out of alignment.  Being able to feel our bodies, and having checks and balances so that we can catch small disruptions in our joints or tissue, can save us from creating further dysfunction.

Here is a simple assessment that I got from my friend Sue Hitzman, creator of the MELT method. I love it and have used it on myself during my marathon training and with almost every client I have ever worked with.  It’s called a body scan, and it’s also great for starting a lying meditation.

After you assess yourself, you can perform any movement you wish and now you have a way to simply assess how it affected your body. For example, if you are performing a power move but your technique is off, you may feel a hip positioned differently then before. Remember everything changes when under load, so you can use this technique to see how the quality of your movement changes while in motion. Re-assess often! You’re simply using it to have an easy way get in your body and feel how your workouts are affecting how your body presents itself to the floor when simply lying relaxed. (For more information, contact Daniel and the Nimble Fitness team at info@nimblefitness.com).

Namaste,
Daniel

de·tach·ment

By Caryn Glass

de·tach·ment

Noun:

1. Indifference to other people or one’s surroundings; the state of being aloof
2. The condition of being disengaged or separated, disconnection

I’ve always struggled with the idea of detachment. Perhaps it has something to do with the way the word is actually defined by English dictionaries: aloof, disengaged, disconnected. Not the slightest bit appealing by those terms! To me, the meaning of detachment was simply not dealing with your emotions. If I pretended I wasn’t afraid, for example, if I acted detached from it, fear would eventually just disappear. Like a lot of people, I would say things like “everything happens for a reason” or “they’re in a better place now” in an effort to feel better and overcome hurt, pain and fear. In fact, trying to be detached often made me more confused about what I did feel, which inevitably led me down the path of frustration and anger.

It wasn’t until I began my yoga teaching certification that I started to learn that detachment wasn’t simply a word but a path, a conscious way of living. I sat patiently in front of a newly ordained Buddhist monk as she sat perfectly cross-legged on her mat, with her flowing monk robes and her newly shaven head, waiting for her to share secrets of enlightenment with me. She shared a lot of beautiful things with my class that day, but I couldn’t help feeling a sense of disappointment as I folded up my mat. While the talk was inspiring, it left me with the idea that the concepts and experiences she spoke of were completely out of my reach. I could barely get through an entire Vinyasa flow class, didn’t know a lick of Sanskrit, and wasn’t about to shave my head! A part of me, in an effort to avoid any more disappointment, simply gave up on the notion of detachment. Yet the idea of being able to channel your thoughts and emotions in a way that allows you to be free from them seemed like something that would serve a great many of us.

Jump forward with me to the present, where I recently read an article in a magazine that changed everything for me. It explained that detachment is not the act of trying to deny emotion; there is no need to punish yourself for the things you feel. Instead, the article said, we should acknowledge our feelings. Only when we have truly acknowledged what we feel, can we let that feeling go. It seems so darn simple and NATURAL when it’s put like that! So, I tried it. When I feel afraid, I acknowledge my fear by stating “I’m afraid.” It’s incredible how immediately pressure and tension evaporate. It becomes easier to tap into centered thoughts and to find my breath. Calm returns and I move forward. The fact is, sometimes difficult, confusing, bad things happen in this life. It’s in those moments that our practice of detachment and acceptance is truly challenged. So what do we do when things feel totally out of control? Let me introduce you to another definition of detachment.

Isvara Prandihana

1. Detachment
2. Total surrender to a higher power

Yes, it’s Sanskrit, but bear with me for a second. In the Yoga Sutra (kind of like the yoga Bible) written by Patanjali, he offers several meanings for Isvara Prandihana. The first concept of detachment concerns making the best effort you can in the face of any obstacle, but not being attached to the outcome. The second meaning refers to surrender, complete surrender to a higher power. In other words, releasing our attachment to control. This idea of total surrender does not in any way mean that you’ve become passive about your circumstances, but rather more trusting in the natural order of things. Life and death, health and sickness, love and heartbreak are all a part of it. It doesn’t mean that “everything will work out for the best,” but that regardless of the outcome, even if it’s hard or painful, you will face it with deep acceptance.

In the most trying of times, I’ve found a great tool for detachment has been reconnecting to my Inner Resource. An Inner Resource can be any quality or image that you associate with a force greater than yourself. This could be a person, a symbol, something in nature, or a quality such as compassion or joy. Whatever you choose, it should be energetically positive and something that resonates with you. Once this image or quality is clear, take time to sit and breath. As you inhale, imagine absorbing your Inner Resource and filling yourself up with that image. Then, as you exhale, imagine that feeling emanating throughout your entire body and outward. Repeat your breath as few or as many times as needed. Maybe even add a gentle sun salutation to it. Afterward, sit quietly for a moment and breathe comfortably.

As you move forward, remember that this resource is always with you and is always there to support you. Remember that your feelings and emotions are real and completely natural. Know that the first step in moving past your obstacles and the feelings that accompany them is acknowledging what you feel and accepting your circumstances as well as all possible outcomes. Most importantly, remember to breath.

CLASSES ARE BACK!

We are excited to announce that construction on our new class studio is complete and classes have started!  Check out our CLASS SCHEDULE for days and times and to RSVP.

Our TRX classes are great for all levels.  There is no membership and walkins are always welcome.  We hope to see you here!

T-shirts for WITNESS… get ‘em while they’re hot!

The co-founders of Nimble Fitness, the innovative wellness studio located in New York City, have joined forces with musician Peter Gabriel to raise money for WITNESS, the international human rights organization that Gabriel heads. After meeting the legendary musician last year, Nimble owners Daniel Lucas and Keith Paine decided to run the race of their lives–their first New York City Marathon—to raise money and awareness about WITNESS, which documents human rights abuse around the world. Said Gabriel: “They’re crazy. God bless them!”

In addition to running the race, The Nimble Fitness Team is now selling awesome t-shirts with all proceeds going to WITNESS. Grab yours before they’re all gone!  Stop by or give us a call at 212 633-9030 to reserve your shirt today.

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. www.witness.org

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Great News!

Finally, the new class studio is just about finished! We’ve added a new sports rubber flooring, extended the room by several feet and added new exercise tools for classes and one-on-one training. If you enjoy the TRX Suspension System, you will love the new room.

Classes will be starting up in 2 weeks! Go to the ‘CLASSES‘ page to see our new schedule and learn more.

Healthy Steps for a Busy Work Week

Here’s your daily step-by-step guide to better health.

As soon as you wake up…
Set yourself up for a healthy and happy day by aligning your thoughts with positive energy and reciting a few simple declarations. This lays the foundation for emotional health and facilitates positive subconscious thinking.

• I move through my day effortlessly and with abundant energy
• I eat healthy and feel strong
• I am confident and empowered
• I am successful in all that I set out to do

Immediately after, close your eyes and take a few deep, 3-dimensional breaths. Feel your stomach expand then your ribcage from back to front and right to left. As you inhale through your nose, feel both the stomach and ribcage expand. Slowly exhale through your mouth, allowing your body to relax. Lastly, drink a glass of water as part of your morning ritual. This will replace the fluid, which was lost during the night and start the daily process of hydration.

Before you leave for work…
Eating a nutritious breakfast is important for good health. Resent studies suggest that people who eat breakfast have better control of their weight and are healthier overall than those who don’t. Breakfast provides your body with the energy needed to begin functioning efficiently and thinking clearly. Eating a good breakfast will kick start your metabolism and have you feeling alert and ready by the time you reach the office.

On your way out the door…
Take a look at your bag or briefcase. First thing you should do is remove any unnecessary items that may be adding extra weight. The repetitive loading of heavy bags can lead to neck, shoulder and back problems. Pay attention to how you carry your bag. We suggest switching hands or shoulders throughout your commute to avoid neck and shoulder strain. For those of you who have to carry something heavy for work—a laptop or tools for example–a backpack is a good alternative to a shoulder bag, as it will distribute weight evenly across your shoulders.

During your commute…
Take the stairs whenever possible to develop stronger legs and increase the circulation of blood and oxygen through your body. When you’re on the train or bus, you can strengthen other muscles by doing isometric work–contracting and holding different parts of your body as you travel between stations. Start by holding your abs tight for 10 seconds. After that, squeeze your glutes (butt cheeks) together. Hold the handrail and pull tight to flex your arms and shoulders. Alternate different muscles every station, and you’ll definitely feel your muscles have worked by the time you reach your destination. Another Nimble note: you can add some cardiovascular exercise to your day by simply getting off one stop sooner and walking the rest of your commute. Do this for a month, and you’ll burn around 1,000 extra calories! This is a great way to strengthen your heart and lungs.

Before Lunch…
Get up out of your chair every 30 minutes and stretch by reaching your arms to the ceiling. Take another series of deep, 3 dimensional breaths. Hold your arms out in front of you and gently bend your wrist back and forth. Roll your shoulders forward, then back to reduce tension. Remember to drink plenty of water, too. Keep a bottle at your desk and fill it often. Staying hydrated will help you stay alert and keep your metabolism fired up.

Lunch time…
If you’ve been following our advice you have had quite an active day so far and should be pretty hungry by now. Choosing the right lunch is important. Avoid high-sugar foods and meals with too many carbohydrates, like heavy pastas and breads, which can zap your energy and cause you to crash later. Choose brown rice over white. Have grilled chicken or fish added to a salad, rather than a sandwich. And watch out for unhealthy, high-calorie dressings! If you can, save the last 15 minutes of your lunch break for a casual walk. This will aid your body in digestion and can also help reduce heartburn.

The rest of your day…
Continue to drink water and do a quick stretch every 30 minutes. If you can take a break, go for a quick walk in the office or around the block. Some kind of movement will open up the circulation in your legs and help prevent lower back pain associated with sitting for long periods.

On your way Home…
Take the time on your way home to decompress from the challenges and stresses of your workday. Bring your attention to your breath, and gradually breath out any tension you’re carrying with you. Re-align your thoughts to a positive frame of mind, so you can enjoy quality time with your family and friends.

Join us this Friday!

Please Join Us!

Friday, October 14th / 8:00pm

Live Musical Performance by Keith Paine

Dance Number by The Movement Initiative

DJ Set by Daniel Lucas

Dominion

428 Lafayette Street
Show starts at 8:00pm

A great event for a great cause! $20 Suggested donation at the door.

Please RSVP – call 212 633-9030 or info@nimblefitness.com

The co-founders of Nimble Fitness, the innovative wellness studio located in New York City, have joined forces with musician Peter Gabriel to raise money for WITNESS, the international human rights organization that Gabriel heads. After meeting the legendary musician last year, Nimble owners Daniel Lucas and Keith Paine decided to run the race of their lives–their first New York City Marathon—to raise money and awareness about WITNESS, which documents human rights abuse around the world. Said Gabriel: “They’re crazy. God bless them!”

In addition to running the race, The Nimble Fitness community is hosting a one-of-a-kind, multi-media fundraising event at downtown performance space Dominion on Fri, October 14th. There will be a musical performance by Keith Paine and his band, a DJ set by Daniel Lucas and a live performance by The Movement Initiative, a dance company featuring co-workers Caryn Glass and Ami Ipapo.

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. www.witness.org

[the] movement initiative is a New York City based dance company that works as an ever expanding artist collective. Created by Artistic Director Caryn Marie (choreographer, performer) in April, 2010; the company serves as a platform to create work in a collaborative setting with the goal of removing common artistic barriers.

Looking for a boost? Try Interval Training.

By Antonio Sini

Incorporate interval training into your exercise routine and you will see your fitness and performance improve quickly, typically in just a few weeks. There are numerous studies that show you can improve your endurance and cardiovascular fitness with intense bouts of intervals just one hour per week compared with five hours of traditional cardiovascular training. If you are like most of us, pressed for time, then this is one big advantage of interval training. Other benefits include:

• It’s a great way spice up your cardio routine especially if you’ve gotten bored with your workouts.

• It’s a proven way to help get rid of that last bit of troublesome excess weight. This is because your metabolic rate stays higher for longer after interval training and you end up burning more calories throughout your day.

• Your immune system responds positively to regular strenuous exercise. Interval training – due to its intense qualities – yields a heightened immune response thus helping your body fight off colds and other illness.

How does it work?

The proper way to do intervals is to push your body past the aerobic threshold for a moment and then recover by returning to your aerobic conditioning level. The aerobic threshold is the intensity where your body switches from burning a greater percentage of fat (aerobic) to a greater percentage of glycogen or carbohydrates (anaerobic) and is generally 85% of your maximum heart rate (train below 85% and it’s aerobic; train above 85% and it’s anaerobic). Heart rate is a good indicator of how hard you’re working, and it’s easy to measure, so it’s an ideal method for setting up and monitoring intervals. A very simply method for estimating your anaerobic threshold is to assume anaerobic threshold occurs at 85-90% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is measured by taking the number 220 and subtracting your age. For example a 45 year old would have a max heart rate of 175 beats per minute. Heart rates vary greatly between individuals and even within the same individual so use this number as an estimate of your actual maximum heart rate.  (For a more accurate method – CLICK HERE)

Lets get started!

For the sake of ease and accurate measurement I like to use a stationary bike. The first thing you want to do is warm up for 5 minutes at 65-70% of your max heart rate. Check your pulse after 1 minute and then again after 4 minutes to make sure you are in that range. After 5 minutes prepare to begin your intervals.

Beginner intervals

Increase the bike resistance to a level that feels fairly uncomfortable and continue pedaling for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds bring the resistance back down to where you had it before. Check your pulse to make sure your heart rate jumped up to 85% of maximum (you may need to add or decrease resistance on the next interval). Continue pedaling at the easier pace for 2 minutes, bringing your heart rate back to 70% of your max. After 2 minutes jack the resistance up for another 30 seconds before dropping it down again for a 2-minute recovery. Repeat this process four more times and remember to keep your pedals strokes even throughout the routine.

Example:
Warm up at level 4 for at least 5 minutes

Increase to level 10 for 30 seconds
Return to level 4 and recovery for 2 minutes

Level 10 (30 seconds)
Level 4 (2 minutes)

Level 10 (30 seconds)
Level 4 (2 minutes)

Level 10 (30 seconds)
Level 4 (2 minutes)

Level 10 (30 seconds)
Level 4 (2 minutes)

Cool down at level 2 for 3 minutes
Total cardio exercise time: 20 minutes

Advanced intervals

If you have a good cardiovascular base then you can push your body past the aerobic threshold for longer than 30 seconds. In this case we are going to warm up for 5 minutes at 70% of max heart rate then perform 1 minute long intervals at 90% of max. We’ll follow these all-out efforts with 2-minute recovery periods.

Example:
Warm up at level 6 for at least 5 minutes

Increase to level 15 for 1 minute
Return to level 6 and recovery for 2 minutes

Level 15 (1 minute)
Level 6 (2 minutes)

Level 15 (1 minute)
Level 6 (2 minutes)

Level 15 (1 minute)
Level 6 (2 minutes)

Level 15 (1 minute)
Level 6 (2 minutes)

Cool down at level 4 for 3 minutes
Total cardio exercise time: 23 minutes

Important!

Keep in mind that interval training is extremely demanding on the heart, lungs and muscles, and it’s important to have an OK from your physician before you start interval training. You should also have a solid base of overall aerobic fitness before performing high intensity training of any kind. Lastly, do not performing intervals more than two times per week to avoid overtraining.

The Art of Recoveryn training

by Daniel Lucas

Here is an overview of some keys to success when it comes to the art of recovery. At its core, recovery is part of the discipline, patience and commitment it takes to perform at your highest level.

Whether you’re training for the New York City marathon, as I am, or just want to get stronger, all the magic happens in adaptation. We stress our bodies to new levels of fatigue, and our bodies repay us by becoming stronger, faster and more powerful. Muscle fibers shift and grow from these stresses over time. An effective, progressive program will include disciplined recovery periods, with the ultimate goal of being prepared and healthy on race day.

Here’s some tips for effective recovery:

1. Study! A little research goes a long way! Run with this list of tips and use the information you find to make needed changes in your program. If you find some more information that gives you a big YES in your mind, you can probably use it to your advantage.

2. Awareness. All the study in the world will not take care of you better than you. Be aware of everything when it comes to your recovery. Here’s a quick list to get you started: overall energy, mood, joint range of motion, muscle symmetry, aches and pains, bowel movements, sleep quality, caffeine and alcohol consumption.

3. Hydration. Pre, during, and post. We have all heard this song and dance before, but why do so many people compete dehydrated? Habits, addiction, and lack of consistency are the biggest culprits. My quick take on it is this: know your body, pee clear for a couple days before big events, use sea-salt in your water before a race, drink water between meals, limit beverages that dehydrate you.  On the other hand, over hydrating can be a problem too.  Hydrating prior (several days before) an event and using salt tablets for long runs is also something to consider.  Maintaining proper electrolyte balance can make or break your performance.

4. Nutrition. All of the above are important keys to success, but the food you put in your body is what your cells use to regenerate. So, give every training session the fuel you need to perform, and the nutrition you need to recover. This equation will be different for all of us—so be very aware of how your nutrition is serving you.

5. Anti-Oxidants. The waste created in our bodies from intense prolonged exercise creates free radicals, so consuming some high quality anti-oxidants can help balance that equation. Examples would be fruits like pomegranates or berries, and other vegetables rich in anti-oxidants.

6. Sleep. Getting high quality sleep allows your body to heal most of all! The important work of repairing tissue happens when you’re in deep sleep. The basic secrets to great sleep are: a consistent early bedtime, knowing what time you need to eat to sleep well, cutting caffeine later in the day, making sure your bedroom is dark and quiet.

7. Symmetry and Tissue Hydration. Flexibility is a big key to performing at your best. It’s a big part of maintaining symmetry from limb to limb, and being able to re-set tight, tired muscles. Also, hydrating muscles and connective tissue with myo-fascial release tools or massage is important. So you have a choice: Force another tight, challenging run or take care of yourself on a higher level?

8. Functional Exercises. Exercises that target postural muscles that are prone to weakness are an important part of any successful program.  Study up on corrective strategies, and include compound exercises that really improve your balance and integrated power.

Namaste,

Daniel

NImble trainer Al Kavadlo on Sherdog.com

Expert trainer and extreme fitness enthusiast Al Kavadlo is a frequent contributor to Sherdog.com.  Sherdog is the #1 site for Mixed Martial Arts news, training and information.  If you haven’t seen it already, check out Al’s Turkish Getup video on sherdog.com.

New classroom construction under way!

It’s been slow going but progress is finally being made. We’ve been working diligently with our contractors and architects to design a new-and-improved downstairs studio. We are installing a new sports flooring, which will look and feel better than the old wood floors. The studio will also be slighter larger. In addition there will be a better sound system and more exercise equipment to play with.

Our estimated completion date is October 1, 2011. There will be a new class schedule up in the next few weeks.. Please check back periodically for updates.  We thank all our clients, class members and friends for their patience and support. Thank you!

Product of the Month

M.E.L.T. Hand and Foot Treatment Kit

“The MELT Hand and Foot Treatment is an innovative self-treatment technique that can make your whole body feel better in just minutes. By stimulating the hands and feet, this easy-to-learn treatment can help reduce these common painful symptoms in just minutes a day:

• hand, foot, back, and neck pain
• plantar fasciitis, bunions, neuromas
• arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger
• even headaches, gut issues, and insomnia!

The MELT Hand & Foot Treatment Kit includes everything you need to start feeling better now: 6 MELT Treatment balls (2 of each size), 1 Bunion Reducer Band, a 60-minute DVD featuring MELT Method creator Sue Hitzmann, and an illustrated instruction guide, all in a convenient travel case.

These quick self-treatments can be done anywhere – home, work, or travel.”

www.meltmethod.com …………………………………………………………………………….

We sell the M.E.L.T. Hand and Foot Treatment kit at Nimble Fitness. If you are unfamiliar with how to use it, schedule a session with one of our M.E.L.T. certified trainers – contact us

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