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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
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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

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

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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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.

Do or do not…

“I will try.”  How often do you say this, or hear it being said?  The word “try” most often really means doing nothing at all.  I mean, if you were really going to actually accomplish something–like eating more vegetables–then you would purchase them, bring them home, prepare them, and then eat them. You wouldn’t “try” to eat more vegetables, you would just eat more vegetables.

It seems easy to trick our brains into thinking we are “trying” to do something healthy. Take for, example, joining a gym. We convince ourselves that this is how we’ll try to get in shape. We feel good about the initial step, but what usually happens next?  We go sporadically, or end up not going at all.  Simply making the attempt, or “trying”, doesn’t produce results.

How do we break out of the “try” trap? Take action-and start with the language you use! Instead of saying “I’ll try to accomplish my goals,” say “I will accomplish what I set out to do.” It is also empowering to take time to evaluate your health and fitness goals-do they align with your lifestyle?

Draw up a plan and set tasks for yourself.  They can be simple, like drinking more water, but stay consistent and follow through.  Each task is a step that helps bring you closer to your goal.  As long as you keep working toward that goal then you are not trying but actually doing something.  Take your time, enjoy the process, but wait until you reach your ultimate goal to give yourself a pat on the back.  Only then can you say, “I didn’t just try.  I made it happen.”

-Antonio

TV Time / Basic Workout

Here is a quick (6-8 minute) exercise program you can do at home and in front of your TV! The format is very easy. TV Time Basic is designed to work around 3-4 commercial breaks (that’s how many there are in a 30min show). You will perform the following circuits during the commercial breaks of your TV show.

Get your mat ready (a beach towel will work too). Have a bottle of water handy to drink in-between circuits. When the first commercial break starts perform the following…

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On your next commercial break…
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Repeat these two exercises again.


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For your third commercial break we’re going
to do that first circuit again!
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Lets do one more circuit!
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Repeat these two exercises again.

Congratulations. Not only did you get your workout in but you got to watch your favorite show too! Feel free to repeat this TV Time Basic program again.

TV Time Fitness – Now there really is no excuse not to workout!

Kick Your Butt?

By Charlotte Blake -

As we have already established, it is almost summer. Immediately we all think sun, margaritas, ocean, beach, vacation….swimsuit?!? The reaction to having to prepare for that swimsuit tends to unfold in five stages:

1. Panic!!!
2. Begin “kick butt regime” of near starvation and insane cardio.
3. Quit “kick butt regime” because working out like crazy sucks.
4. Indulge in all the food and drink you deprived yourself of and gladly embrace sedentary lifestyle.
5. Panic!!! (And repeat.)

Does this vicious cycle sound familiar?

How about we make spring/summer 2011 a new cycle. Sign up for that class you have your eye on, call that personal trainer, or contact that friend you have talked to about teaming up to get in shape.

My main advice:
Stick with the good stuff.

You hate running? Try spinning! You hate spinning? Try a challenging yoga class! Feeling lost in large groups? Schedule some one-on-ones or duet sessions! Feeling lost about diet? Find a support group or a nutritionist!

You might have to ask for help.
If you do not want to ask for help from someone else, ask for help from yourself.
Sit down (which requires finding time for just you) and think about what will really fulfill you, make you excited to be in better shape, and guide you toward your summer goal.

Pace yourself.
Possible pace-worthy mantras:

None of us have to be unhappy with our bodies this summer.  I see amazing results every day from my clients.  I am inspired by them and constantly in awe.  We all have so much power to change our bodies, increase our energy, and just feel better. And if you are feeling good about your body and your fitness level, it is still always helpful to remind ourselves to keep that steady pace of nourishing movement and healthy nutrition going.

The month is a new one and this season is one of rebirth.
Enjoy Spring’s full potential!

Ab Progression

Watch Nimble Trainer Al Kavadlo demonstrate different abdominal exercises in this short video clip.

Check out Al’s website for more awesome advice – www.alkavadlo.com

Exercise Your Emotions

By Daniel Lucas .

Have you ever had the sense that your old ideas and beliefs are not working for you? Do you feel like you need to let go of the energy that surrounds those old habits? You can start with your awareness—just being able to identify old ways or habits is freeing in itself. That self-awareness can help loosen the bond, especially if you’re able to trace your habits to their origin. Tracing these feelings back to their moment of purpose, and recognizing that the emotions you experienced there don’t define you, can be extremely liberating.

The big question is this: how do we let go? It can be compared to pulling a weed from a garden—if you don’t get the root, you know that weed will live and grow. If you do get to the root of old patterns in your life, you’ll create space that allows you to develop new intentions and beliefs that will empower you.

Here are some tips to consider when digging into to your old patterns and beliefs:

1. Awareness of your emotions, and how they align with your circumstances, helps a great deal. Is your emotion in a certain situation genuine and appropriate to what’s happening? If you’re over-emotional (or under-emotional), this is a sign that there might be a root belief that’s not serving you any longer. It might be time to go back and weed your garden a bit more.

2. Seeking to understand why you feel the way you do will help to know whether you’re acting in the present moment, or re-acting from an old blueprint.

3. Work on your ability to shift into the present moment and see the truth of each experience as it is. This is what we call consciousness!

4. Exercise! Researchers have found that there is a section of the brain that responds only to exercise. Moving your body will tap into your mind/body connection and assist you with letting go of old baggage. Recent research also indicates that the way we hold ourselves posturally is closely related to our moods and to our personalities. In other words, the way we move, or don’t move, is linked to the way we feel. Your body tomorrow reflects what you’re doing today.

5. Keep at it! You may not pull the whole weed at first, but being brave enough to look at your truth will eventually help you grow. Be your own best friend on this journey and allow your natural state of JOY to shine through.

Namaste

Daniel

Al’s Clean & Press

Watch Nimble Trainer Al Kavadlo demonstrate different clean and press techniques in this short video clip.

Check out Al’s website for more awesome advice – www.alkavadlo.com

Nimble Fitness on NBC

See the video clip below!

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You may already know that Nimble Fitness is the premier TRX training facility in Manhattan. Tune into NBC (channel 4) this Saturday at 7:30pm to hear Daniel Lucas explain why he feels TRX is the future of fitness and watch his TRX class in action.

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If you missed it, here it is…

If you’re going to do it, love it!

Sometimes I hear new clients tell me they’re going to stop doing something they love. For example, I’ll hear “I’m never going to eat pasta again,” or “That’s the last desert I’ll ever have,” or even “No more wine for a year!” So often, the problem is not necessarily doing things that make us unhealthier or heavier, but ingesting things we love too much. This can shift our feelings when doing things to self-disappointment, shame or just being annoyed with oneself.

Ask yourself this: Am I acting in a way that I love what I do, the result of what I do, and myself? If the answer is no, maybe a shift is in order–maybe you eat pasta once a week, save the dessert for special occasions and the wine is cut down to a level that aligns with a feeling of genuine joy. The secret is to truly enjoy the wonderful pleasures of life; if we overdo it, we cross over into feelings of attachment or even addiction, which can affect one’s health. Change your perception, from denial to true enjoyment, and everything you partake in changes as well. If you’re going to do it, you might as well LOVE doing it!

Nimble Fitness Open House

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Friday October 15, 2010.  Party starts at 9:00pm.

All are welcome!

We are also having a special Meditation Event earlier that evening from 7:30pm – 8:30pm.  For more information and to RSVP for this unique New York experience CLICK HERE

MOVE YOUR BREATH, LOSE YOUR STRESS

by Keith Paine

This month, I’d like to ask you to focus on the way you breath. Most of us never stop to think about breathing—it’s automatic, right? It is, fortunately, but there are different ways of drawing a breath, which depend on the situation we’re in. When we’re stressed or in an emergency, we react by engaging our shoulders to lift the rib cage and “help” oxygen in. We’re in fight or flight mode, and we need as much air as we can get. Many of us continue to breath this way, however, even when we’re not in a stressful situation.

Move your breath out of your shoulders and into your torso, and you can reduce your stress immediately. Begin by feeling your rib cage and abdomen expand. Instead of breathing by contracting your shoulder muscles again and again, you’re engaging your diaphragm to create space for your breath. You’re out of fight or flight mode, and into rest and repair. Just by moving your breath, you’re taking tension out of your neck and shoulders, and re-oxygenating your blood in a much more efficient way.

Sit in a comfortable position, with your spine long. Sit away from the chair back or bench, so your rib cage has plenty of space to move. Place your hands on your rib cage, and visualize your breath moving through your rib cage into your lower torso. Consciously slow your breath down, lengthening the space between each breath. Don’t strain, and don’t take too much air. Practice this for 5-10 minutes a day, focusing on your breath, on you, instead of everything else around you. It will have a significant calming and centering effect.

If you would like to learn more, I invite you to join me on Friday, October 15th at Nimble Fitness where I will be guiding a group meditation and performing music from my new CD, Sunyata.

CONTACT ME

CREATING SPACE

I knew at some level that it was important to take my recent trip to Spain alone. I just didn’t know why. By the end of the first day in Ibiza, it had become obvious-there were old emotions about my father’s death that came right to the surface, and I had not yet had the opportunity to release them. I was still grieving emotionally and spiritually, even after all this time. The act of creating space for myself allowed this vital process to happen, along with giving me the space to feel immense appreciation for every friend, client, family member and living creature on the planet.

I understand that we all have many important people and obligations in our lives, but ask yourself this question: what can you do now to create space for yourself? Maybe you won’t have time for a trip to Ibiza, but take a long walk in the park, sit quietly on a bench or just take extra time to enjoy your meal. These small windows of time can give us an opportunity to let go of emotions or ideas that may be clouding our consciousness.

Namaste,
Daniel

Take the ‘work’ out of your workout.

I hear so many people complain that they don’t enjoy working out. The truth is, I don’t enjoy “working out” either. I think slogging along for 45 minutes on an elliptical machine is about as much fun as waiting in line at the bank. Now, on the other hand, I love to exercise. I know what you’re thinking: “Antonio, aren’t they the same thing?” Well, that depends how you look at it. On weekends, for example, I mountain bike with my buddies for hours. The other day, I spent an entire afternoon splitting wood in my yard. Now, they may not be considered ‘workouts,’ but these activities keep me in shape. That’s how I exercise. And most importantly, I enjoy doing it. There are plenty of ways to move your body without boring yourself at the gym. Here are some activities for you to consider:

Try DANCE or TENNIS lessons.
Ride a BIKE around town.
Take up SWIMMING at the Y.
Go for a HIKE in the woods.
Try a GROUP EXERCISE class.
Take BOXING lessons.
WALK along a beach.

Get out there and live the life you deserve!

-Antonio

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