Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Shake it, shake it!

Boy, oh boy ... you just never know what you'll see Sonya and me doing as part of "Workout of the Week." The toy we tried out for this segment is like nothing we've ever done before.

"The most common thing we hear is okay, this is the latest jiggler - you know that old strap that went across your waist." Doug Corson's right - that's EXACTLY what we were thinking. Doug is the district manager for Second Wind Fitness and the person who's showing us how the Power Plate works. Unlike a treadmill a stair climber or a stationary bike, this piece of equipment vibrates beneath our feet - sending shock waves through our bodies. "Power Plate is basically forced muscle contraction," says Corson.

According to the manufacturer, the vibrations from the Power Plate force your muscles to fire twentyfive to fifty times per second. It's what Corson calls "acceleration training." He says, "That three dimensional vibration underneath - it's forcing your muscles to twitch and stabilize which increases acceleration, which means you increase the amount of oxygen and blood flow into your muscles and also the amount of waste going out of your muscles." Huh?

OK ... here's the bottom line. We do tons of different moves on the Power Plate - squats, push ups, dead lifts, step ups - virtually anything you do on the floor can be transferred onto this machine. It feels really weird, especially when the rate of vibrations increase, and it was definitely challenging.

Everyone from Mark Wahlberg to Cindy Crawford is endorsing the Power Plate and you can see videos of famous folks like them using it at www.powerplate.com. To contact Doug at Second Wind call 223-0356 or just drop in to 6630 Mills Civic Parkway in West Des Moines.

Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Beach ball - or rut buster?

Hello workout friends! This week we're showcasing a piece of equipment that you've probably seen before and likely used but you may not realize how versatile it is.

"It looks like fun! It looks like a big beach ball!" It looks harmless but personal trainer Angie Gallagher says a stability ball is one of the best ways to get in shape. "It was actually first developed for people with neurological disorders,” says Angie, “it just been in the past few years that it's gained popularity in the fitness industry."

You might be surprised by the variety of exercises you can do on the ball. You’ve probably seen people doing push ups and traditional crunches but you can also try killer ab moves like roll-ins and pikes. Thanks to the unstable surface, even familiar moves like triceps dips take on a different feel. “Your entire body has to engage so that you don’t fall over,” Angie explains, “everything you do on the ball is great for your core!” Speaking of which, even a simple side plank gets a makeover. We do everything from squats and outer thigh exercises to cardio and preacher curls and by the time we're done Angie's shown us that you can do it all with the ball.

It’s easy to see (and feel) that this tool is a great way to kick your routine up a notch. “There really is a huge variety and it’s very effective, “Angie says with a grin, “it’s really hard!!!”

You can find stability balls at fitness stores and places like Target and Wal-Mart or order online at www.resistaball.com. Prices start at around twenty dollars.

And if you want to get in touch with Angie, drop her an email: fitnesswithangie@gmail.com

Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Goals in Motion

"You're gonna get a little bit of everything - a total body workout!" You've heard that before but the owners of this gym say what makes it different, is attitude. "It's a hard workout, but it's a lot of fun!" says Goals in Motion co-owner Sandy Hafner. The philosophy seems simple enough - help each person meet their individual goals but treating them as individuals. "We wanted an environment that feels like a family," says Sandy, "there's a sense of camaraderie and support and that's what we build the program on."

On the day we visit the Urbandale location, we do some cardio kickboxing and some strength training. Pounding the punching bag is awesome and within minutes we're sweating. If you've ever done this before, you know it's a great workout - and great therapy!

The boxing, and the strength training incorporates the buddy system. While Sonya does pushups, I do figure eights with a kettlebell. We rotate a few times and then move on exercises using the band. One person does an overhead pull while the other person does a wall squat. The fun part here is that everyone is helpful and supportive. "No matter who you are, what size you are," says Sandy, "your age doesn't matter - you can be 13 or 70 years old - the main thing is, it's fun!"

And Goals in Motion also preaches making lifestyle changes and practicing total wellness. That includes advice on nutrition and holding monthly cooking classes. The combination of proper diet, exercise and attitude adjustment has helped some members lose more than 100 pounds! We'll probably be featuring some of them as our success stories in the coming months.

If you want to check out Goals In Motion Fitness Studios - here is the contact information:

Urbandale & Johnston Studio:
Sandy Hafner: sandy@goalsinmotionfitness.com
Mardi Pfannebecker: mardi@goalsinmotionfitness.com

Ames Studio:
Kim Mosiman: kim@goalsinmotionfitness.com

Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Kickboxing with a pro!

Happy New Year and welcome back to the workout blog, friends! I apologize for the three week long absence... we are ready to kick things into gear with a story about a familiar type of class, taught by a unique instructor.

Fifteen years ago, kickboxing classes were a novelty. Today, you’ll find them at almost every health club but you probably aren’t taking them from a martial arts expert. “I’m a martial artist first and a fitness instructor second,” says Greg Ferry. And what that means for you is a butt-kicking workout. At first glance it looks and sounds like any other group fitness class – with loud music, jumping around and lots of sweating. But Ferry’s resume is what makes it different. “I’ve been involved in martial arts for more than thirty years,” he says. “In this class we do a lot of different things and it’s over before you know it. It’s only forty-five minutes and it is fun, but it’s also far from easy. There are plenty of jabs and uppercuts, jumping jacks and kicks. This is a tough workout, but one anyone can do. "You don't have to learn dance choreography for this class so it’s easy to learn," Ferry explains. "I also show different modifications, so you can kick high or low and do the moves at different speeds." Part of the reason the time flies by is because Ferry isn’t just an instructor, he’s also quite an entertainer – dancing and singing during the class and keeping everyone smiling while they’re sweating. "It's a total body workout… lower, upper, abs at the end… but the top benefit of this class is that it takes your mind off that it's a workout."

You'll find Greg Ferry at Walnut Creek YMCA. For class schedules check out http://www.dmymca.org/branch/walnut_creek.asp?bid=5

Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com