Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Ouch!

How can you tell the difference between an injury, and just being sore? It's a question Sonya and I decided to put to the experts because of all the new workouts we're trying these days!

"If your muscles are sore from exercise, it might come on later," says physical therapist Libby Trausch, "about 12-24 hours later and the whole muscle feels sore." Being sore can really hurt, but it's different than actually being hurt. "If you have an *injury you might be able to put two fingers on the spot and it hurts. it might come on very quickly and make you want to stop right away." Another good litmus test is that muscle soreness should go away within a few days whereas an injury will linger.

So what should you do? Many of us choose to handle the pain on our own, following a well-known acronym. "First thing you hear is RICE. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation," says Trausch, "but you should also inlcude motion. Careful motion is also very important." If those steps don't get you on the road to recovery, it's important to see a professional who can help you avoid long-term problems and pain. "If you get to a physical therapist early we can identify poor movement patterns so injury doesn't happen again. We can help you protect yourself and get back to doing what you love to do."

Don't forget - we want your ideas for Workout of the Week! Submit your ideas here, or drop us an email!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

You just never know

One of the things I love about my job is how unpredictable it is. Even when you think a day is set in stone, something can happen to turn it upside down. Today we are dealing with a change in the lineup of our "Workout of the Week" series because the video and interviews for today's story have disappeared! It happens. Luckily, we have several pieces shot and written so we won't be leaving you hanging this week!

Here's what one participant has to say about this unconventional exercise class, "After a few sessions my muscles were screaming, more than any other workout I've done." Wow. That's a ringing endorsement, huh? Even so, when this invite rolled into our inboxes our gut reaction was "NO WAY!" But Sonya and I like to think of ourselves as good sports, so we eventually responded with a weak, "Okay." This week's workout is pole dancing. Yup. Pole dancing. "When you can step outside the box and out of your regular fitness routine," says instructor Shelley Houde with a big grin, "you gain a lot of confidence, and it's fun!"

Maybe so, but we were fairly terrified to try this. I was really hoping the room would be a lot darker than it was and I was also thinking we should've planned to shoot this on a Saturday night so we could throw some drinks into the mix.

Shelley's class actually starts out with a lot of the moves you'd do in a traditional group exercise class. There's a basic warmup and some stretching followed by tricep presses, squats and crunches - all using the pole. We quickly move on to pullups, and Sonya and I find out we are incapable of doing even one! How embarrassing! "You find muscles you didn't know you had," says Shelley, "it's tough!"

So you know - Shelley is a farm girl by day. In an email she writes, "So in short, my other fitness workout is at the barn, mucking stalls, carrying water buckets, etc..." The point is - she says anyone can learn how to do this routine. "Once you build strength and keep going and progress through the levels, then it's like YES! I've done it!" And there are a lot of regular gals in the class. Stephanie works at Prairie Meadows, Meegan is an attorney and Kim is a Vice President who says, "This is that extra fun class that helps you get through an hour of strength training and you don't even know you've done it because it's so much fun."

We may never be able to shimmy up the pole like Shelley and the rest of the women we met, but the longer we practiced the more our embarrassment started to fade ... replaced by that confidence Shelley mentioned when we first walked in the door.

This workout was really challenging, and just looking at Shelley's guns should motivate you to give pole dancing a try! Her studio is in Altoona. The website is www.steelaxis.com and the phone number is 822-5740.

Here's to pushing fear (and pride) aside, and trying new things!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

That's HOT

Hello workout friends!
This week's workout is hot. I don't mean sexy (although it can be that, too) ... I mean sweaty. We're doing hot yoga and I'm addicted. This class was far more challenging than I anticipated. Not only does it require a great deal of strength and flexibility, it really gets your heart rate going!

"People come in with one perception and are totally blown away by what they come out with." That’s how Kris Larrison describes the experience first-timers have when they visit her yoga studio. If you think it’s all about zoning out and doing a little stretching – you’re wrong. This class would’ve pushed Sonya and I to the limit no matter what, because we never do yoga, but Kris adds an element that kicks the workout up a notch. You can’t feel it through your computer or television, but you can see it. Everyone in this class is soaking wet. The room is between ninety-five and one hundred five degrees, thanks to space heaters and humidifiers. But we wondered why. "It increases the function of organs, you’re sweating out toxins, you build increased lung capacity," explains Larrison.

There are two different styles of "hot yoga" - Vinyasa and Bikram. "Bikrum yoga is 26 postures, the same sequence, same series, every class." We’re doing Vinyasa and Kris says it’s more athletic and varies from class to class. "If you can only do half the class, that's fine,” says Kris. “You'll build on that and get stronger every time you come.” She insists anyone can do it and her students agree. Ryan is a cop who says he couldn't touch his toes a few years ago, Mel is a mom celebrating her 43rd birthday, and Marilyn is in her 70s!!! We’re hoping we’ll eventually have their flexibility and strength, but it may take awhile! We shot this segment a month ago and I've been attending classes at least once a week since then ... I'm improving, but slowly!

If you’re interested in trying hot yoga call Kris at 778-5499 or visit the studio website at www.BreatheStudioDM.com.

Here's to another fun-filled fitness adventure!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Use it or lose it!

Welcome to Workout of the Week! Sonya and I have tried all sorts of new things in the past two months and we're learning that using "I'm bored" as an excuse not to exercise is truly lame. This week's session with personal trainer Gigi Filer is all about balance and it turned out to be a lot more challenging than we anticipated.

"It's a use it or lose it scenario," says Gigi. "It’s just like strength, endurance or speed. These things decrease in function over time” The question we had is - can we make this better? The answer is yes and some simple exercises are part of it. First, Gigi has us stand on one foot. That’s pretty easy, until she asks us to close our eyes. Moving on in difficulty, we have to put our arms out to our sides and overhead and soon we’re wobbling and falling over! Wall sits are another great exercise we can all do at home, but Gigi has a trick up her sleeve to make this a balance move. Once again, she tells us to pick one foot up off the floor. We get the hang of it eventually and that’s when we move from the wall, to the ball. Those big inflatable exercise balls you see at the gym are great for working on core strength and balance, and so are Bosu trainers. On this device we do squats and lunges and balance on one leg. You can use the Bosu flat or rounded side up. Gigi says it’s another versatile toy that can create new challenges in your fitness routine. "You’re forced to expend energy in the inner thighs, glutes, abs, everything’s working just to keep you on there.”

So remember ... us it or lose it! For help with that, contact Gigi at 279-0242.
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Spin Doctor

This week we continue our focus on fitness for people dealing with cancer. I first met Dr. Richard Deming about three years ago when I was doing investigative reports on health insurance claims being denied. Dr. Deming is an oncologist and was treating one of the people we were featuring in our stories. I learned then that Dr. Deming is a great physician, but there's something I didn't know ... he's also a cycling instructor! After we attended one of his classes, Sonya came up with the term "Spin Doctor" - clever, huh?

ANYWAY ... here's what's cool about Dr. Deming's Wednesday night class at the Healthy Living Center in Clive ... it's part of Mercy Cancer Center's LiveStrong at the Y program. This is more than just biking. Prior to the exercise portion of the class, there's a cancer education seminar and afterward there's social time with snacks. In between, Dr. Deming cranks up the tunes and screams things like, "Pain is weakness leaving the body!" People are laughing, grimacing, singing, sweating ... and living STRONG. Dr. Deming says, "One cannot overestimate the value of exercise and fitness in one's life. Studies show that even patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy have fewer side effects if they are involved in a rigorous fitness regimen while undergoing treatment ... exercise is the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth!"

Don Cue was diagnosed with an agressive form of prostate cancer at age 45. He says he was terrified and the treatment he received left him weak. Cycling gave him energy. "Certainly there's the fitness aspect. We're spending 50 minutes just sweating, but also there's the camaraderie. We've made new friends, these are just terrific people to be around." And the LiveStrong program has changed his perspective. "Cancer is not a death sentence - you can get through this. Not everyone does, but you can."

LiveStrong's motto is: Knowledge is Power, Unity is Strength and Attitude is Everything. You'll find all that and more Wednesday nights at the Healthy Living Center. 12493 University Avenue • Clive, IA • 50325 • (515) 226-YMCA (9622)
www.healthydm.com