Hello fitness fans! This week features a workout that pushed us to our limits - we hope you like it - and maybe even try it!
A personal trainer in Ames says he hasn’t repeated a workout in a year and a half and now he’s added a brand new fitness tool to his bag of tricks. "Yeah,” Jeff Barton says with a grin, “Viper. I just discovered it online - they haven't been on the market very long, maybe six months."
"ViPR" stands for vitality, performance and reconditioning. We're soon thinking of other names for it. "To the novice it's a very simple tool,” Jeff explains, “it’s just a hollow cylinder with some handles on it."
ViPR is the main component of station number one during this workout. Jeff has us doing uppercuts, lunges, squats and tire kicks with it - but the possibilities are endless. The creators of ViPR claim it provides more than nine-thousand exercises. "The fact that it's made of rubber makes it virtually indestructible ... you can really get creative and have quite a bit of fun with it."
The cylinders range in weight from 8 to 45 pounds, and push our bodies in a whole new way. Jeff explains why. "I like to think in terms of movements, not muscles. Especially with ViPR we're doing movements not just, ok we're working biceps now."
That theory carries through to station number two. Pipes and resistance balls are filled with water - throwing everything off balance. "Yeah, we live in a world where things are constantly changing around us - it's not this fixed path like a chest press...that's not real life." There are eight different stops, with moves like atomic pushups, single leg cobras, and ball slams. "The fact that we do interval training is good for overall conditioning, not only strength training,” says Jeff. “Your heart is racing throughout the workout and probably stays elevated."
Our hears are pounding, and that's before we hit station number three. It incorporates kettle bells and resistance bands to form challenging combination moves, and soon we're pouring sweat. "There may be brief periods where your heart rate comes down, but the up and down is good ... it's great for annihilating fat!"
Curiosity about the ViPR is what brought us here, and curiosity about what Jeff will dream up next is what keeps people coming back. "It’s something new and fresh – which keeps it interesting. They know they're going to do something new when they walk in the door."
You can try ViPR, or any of Jeff’s boot camp classes for FREE all this week. Visit www.jeffbartontraining.com for details!
Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Team You
Hello workout friends!
We learned an interesting idea from this week's success story ... "Team You".
Chris Maske would not have even considered running around Gray’s Lake last year. But a trip to the hospital changed everything.
“Long story short, I had an infected tooth and the infection spread into the soft tissue into my throat and the body’s natural reaction was to split my jaw shut,” says Chris. “So, I had to have an emergency tracheotomy.”
Chris was clearly in bad shape. Her blood pressure was so high doctors warned her she was dangerously close to having a stroke. You might say the experience scared her straight.
“I knew I could do better and I knew I deserved better for myself,” says Chris.
The first step: An attitude adjustment. Chris started eliminating negative relationships and began chronically her life changing journey on YouTube.
The physical transformation began in December. She weighed 353 pounds.
“Initially, I had a lot of difficulty walking just from my front door to my car. I would get winded. I would get sweaty. So I started out slow.”
She committed to dancing an hour a night with her Wii. She joined a Gym, the Phat Club in St. Charles, and started walking at the mall. Two months later, she started running.
“There were days I didn’t want to get up. Back in February, when I started, I was up at 4:30 in the morning, running outside in the Iowa winter.”
Her perseverance is paying off. Chris now has several five and ten kilometer races under her belt. The next goal: The Des Moines Half Marathon.
“I never thought I would be a runner. I never thought I would enjoy it so much… I love the way my body feels when I do it. It’s great!”
The exercise and changes to her diet have helped her lose 113 pounds in seven months. You can see the transformation in these before and after pictures. They’re posted on her Facebook page under the headline, “The Incredible Shrinking Me.”
This journey isn’t over, but Chris is well on her way. She’s turned one of the worst experiences of her life into one of the best and the scar from her tracheotomy is a constant reminder that change is possible and success is just a step away.
“Set your goals high and believe in yourself. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who are going to be on ‘Team You’ and give you that positive support.”
We will let you know how Chris does in the Des Moines half marathon - it won't surprise us in the least if she decides to train for a full one!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
We learned an interesting idea from this week's success story ... "Team You".
Chris Maske would not have even considered running around Gray’s Lake last year. But a trip to the hospital changed everything.
“Long story short, I had an infected tooth and the infection spread into the soft tissue into my throat and the body’s natural reaction was to split my jaw shut,” says Chris. “So, I had to have an emergency tracheotomy.”
Chris was clearly in bad shape. Her blood pressure was so high doctors warned her she was dangerously close to having a stroke. You might say the experience scared her straight.
“I knew I could do better and I knew I deserved better for myself,” says Chris.
The first step: An attitude adjustment. Chris started eliminating negative relationships and began chronically her life changing journey on YouTube.
The physical transformation began in December. She weighed 353 pounds.
“Initially, I had a lot of difficulty walking just from my front door to my car. I would get winded. I would get sweaty. So I started out slow.”
She committed to dancing an hour a night with her Wii. She joined a Gym, the Phat Club in St. Charles, and started walking at the mall. Two months later, she started running.
“There were days I didn’t want to get up. Back in February, when I started, I was up at 4:30 in the morning, running outside in the Iowa winter.”
Her perseverance is paying off. Chris now has several five and ten kilometer races under her belt. The next goal: The Des Moines Half Marathon.
“I never thought I would be a runner. I never thought I would enjoy it so much… I love the way my body feels when I do it. It’s great!”
The exercise and changes to her diet have helped her lose 113 pounds in seven months. You can see the transformation in these before and after pictures. They’re posted on her Facebook page under the headline, “The Incredible Shrinking Me.”
This journey isn’t over, but Chris is well on her way. She’s turned one of the worst experiences of her life into one of the best and the scar from her tracheotomy is a constant reminder that change is possible and success is just a step away.
“Set your goals high and believe in yourself. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who are going to be on ‘Team You’ and give you that positive support.”
We will let you know how Chris does in the Des Moines half marathon - it won't surprise us in the least if she decides to train for a full one!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Fountain of Youth
Hello fitness friends!
Sonya and I met the most amazing woman last week and we're thrilled to share her story with you.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the dining room fills up at Green Hills Retirement Community in Ames. Residents are here to get the blood pumping and keep their bodies moving. The exercise classes include moves like squats and legs lifts, bicep curls and triceps extensions and one of the spriest people here just happens to be one of the oldest.
"Well, I guess i never thought about it until this year, but now I'm thinking, I've lived a century!" You'd never guess Marjorie Hennigs is turning one hundred. Her body is still nimble and her mind is still sharp.
She's seen a lot of changes over the past ten decades and says electricity was probably the most remarkable invention. She vividly remembers getting indoor plumbing and the excitement of her family getting a radio, and later a television. According to Marjorie, keeping up with 'the younger generation' - keeps her young. "I go to all the activities here you know and I’m acquainted with almost everyone."
Marjorie's family calls her "Nana". Great Granddaughter Erica Sandve will turn twenty two the same day Marjorie turns one hundred. "She used to play basketball,” says Erica, “she's a huge fan of the Iowa State women and goes to almost every game. She has season tickets!"
Erica also calls her great grandmother amazing. "Seriously, ten years ago she was wrestling on the floor with my brother. She's been active her whole life and she won't stop!"
Exercise is just one of Marjorie’s secrets. She also does beautiful cross stitch. "Well I think everyone should have a hobby - something you enjoy doing, to stimulate the mind."
And then there's the 22-hundred Club ... a social hour at 4-30 every afternoon. "Don't say anything about that martini,” Marjorie whispers, "sometimes its wine instead of a martini, it depends how I feel."
But Marjorie says the thing that really keeps her going strong - is her family. "My grandchildren and my great-grandchildren have given me so much pleasure." And she's given them a good role model. She's living proof that exercising your body and mind can add years to your life. Keeping a positive attitude makes the journey that much sweeter - no matter what comes along. "Oh, life has changed,” she says with a smile, “it’s changed."
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Sonya and I met the most amazing woman last week and we're thrilled to share her story with you.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the dining room fills up at Green Hills Retirement Community in Ames. Residents are here to get the blood pumping and keep their bodies moving. The exercise classes include moves like squats and legs lifts, bicep curls and triceps extensions and one of the spriest people here just happens to be one of the oldest.
"Well, I guess i never thought about it until this year, but now I'm thinking, I've lived a century!" You'd never guess Marjorie Hennigs is turning one hundred. Her body is still nimble and her mind is still sharp.
She's seen a lot of changes over the past ten decades and says electricity was probably the most remarkable invention. She vividly remembers getting indoor plumbing and the excitement of her family getting a radio, and later a television. According to Marjorie, keeping up with 'the younger generation' - keeps her young. "I go to all the activities here you know and I’m acquainted with almost everyone."
Marjorie's family calls her "Nana". Great Granddaughter Erica Sandve will turn twenty two the same day Marjorie turns one hundred. "She used to play basketball,” says Erica, “she's a huge fan of the Iowa State women and goes to almost every game. She has season tickets!"
Erica also calls her great grandmother amazing. "Seriously, ten years ago she was wrestling on the floor with my brother. She's been active her whole life and she won't stop!"
Exercise is just one of Marjorie’s secrets. She also does beautiful cross stitch. "Well I think everyone should have a hobby - something you enjoy doing, to stimulate the mind."
And then there's the 22-hundred Club ... a social hour at 4-30 every afternoon. "Don't say anything about that martini,” Marjorie whispers, "sometimes its wine instead of a martini, it depends how I feel."
But Marjorie says the thing that really keeps her going strong - is her family. "My grandchildren and my great-grandchildren have given me so much pleasure." And she's given them a good role model. She's living proof that exercising your body and mind can add years to your life. Keeping a positive attitude makes the journey that much sweeter - no matter what comes along. "Oh, life has changed,” she says with a smile, “it’s changed."
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
How hard are you REALLY working?
Hello fitness fans!
This week we're focusing on a simple little tool that can make all the difference in the world when it comes to what you're getting out of your time working out.
You may feel like you’re giving it your all, when in reality you need to work a lot harder to maximize your calorie burn.
Personal trainer, Angie Gallagher, swears by a heart rate monitor to keep you in the zone.
“I use it myself every work-out because I want to make sure I’m not wasting my time.”
There are several different calculations to determine your maximum heart rate and the rate at which you’re burning the most calories and fat. Our goal is between 140 and 150 beats per minute to get the most workout “bang for our buck.”
“When you use that equation with this monitor you know exactly where you need to be when you’re doing your cardio workout so that you’re not going to low or too fast and injuring yourself.”
Angie says it’s far more accurate than the “Perceived Rate of Exertion” test, in which you rate the work-out on a scale from one to ten.
“Most people rate themselves as being much higher and then when they strap one of these on they realize they’re not even close to where they need to be for the aerobic weight loss zone they want to be in.”
The most accurate heart rate monitors feature a transmitter that wraps around the chest. The most basic monitors cost about $50. More advanced models, which can include complex data analysis and computer compatibility, will set you back a couple hundred dollars.
Angie says all of them make your work-out the best it can be, “because it takes all the guesswork out of it.”
You can find heart rate monitors just about everywhere, and the staff at places like Fitness Sports or Scheels can help you pick one that's right for you.
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
This week we're focusing on a simple little tool that can make all the difference in the world when it comes to what you're getting out of your time working out.
You may feel like you’re giving it your all, when in reality you need to work a lot harder to maximize your calorie burn.
Personal trainer, Angie Gallagher, swears by a heart rate monitor to keep you in the zone.
“I use it myself every work-out because I want to make sure I’m not wasting my time.”
There are several different calculations to determine your maximum heart rate and the rate at which you’re burning the most calories and fat. Our goal is between 140 and 150 beats per minute to get the most workout “bang for our buck.”
“When you use that equation with this monitor you know exactly where you need to be when you’re doing your cardio workout so that you’re not going to low or too fast and injuring yourself.”
Angie says it’s far more accurate than the “Perceived Rate of Exertion” test, in which you rate the work-out on a scale from one to ten.
“Most people rate themselves as being much higher and then when they strap one of these on they realize they’re not even close to where they need to be for the aerobic weight loss zone they want to be in.”
The most accurate heart rate monitors feature a transmitter that wraps around the chest. The most basic monitors cost about $50. More advanced models, which can include complex data analysis and computer compatibility, will set you back a couple hundred dollars.
Angie says all of them make your work-out the best it can be, “because it takes all the guesswork out of it.”
You can find heart rate monitors just about everywhere, and the staff at places like Fitness Sports or Scheels can help you pick one that's right for you.
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Muscle Glide
By now you’re used to us showing you funky fitness tools, but this one’s different. "I fully understand when someone looks at this they're going - what the heck is that?!?!" says inventor Bret Daves.
"It's one of those really silly stories,” he explains with a laugh. “Several years ago I was doing triathlons and I'm not a spring chicken anymore and I was having some leg issues." Bret tried everything ... yoga, massage, chiropractors ... nothing eased his pain. "I remembered when i used to rollerblade and some racers used to take the skate and roll it up and down their legs."
It was an "a-ha!" moment, that led to the creation he calls “Muscle Glide”. "As word got out, more and more people were asking me to make them one. I thought, well maybe there's something to this." First local universities ordered some. Then Scheels started stocking them. And Bret became bold. "I called the NFL,” he says with a grin, “about half the teams called back and ordered!" Before he knew it - a business was born!
Everyone who uses the Muscle Glide turns into a fan, and there’s real science behind it. "When you work out, your muscles actually get little tears,” explains Bret, “the theory is, if you take an implement and roll it over your muscles it helps break up that scar tissue in the muscle."
Most people don't care about the theory. It's the feeling that makes people fans of the Muscle Glide. You can use it on yourself - or convince a friend to give you a massage. Either way, this therapy tool will help ease those workout-related aches & pains.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out www.muscleglide.com or visit a Scheels store near you!
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
"It's one of those really silly stories,” he explains with a laugh. “Several years ago I was doing triathlons and I'm not a spring chicken anymore and I was having some leg issues." Bret tried everything ... yoga, massage, chiropractors ... nothing eased his pain. "I remembered when i used to rollerblade and some racers used to take the skate and roll it up and down their legs."
It was an "a-ha!" moment, that led to the creation he calls “Muscle Glide”. "As word got out, more and more people were asking me to make them one. I thought, well maybe there's something to this." First local universities ordered some. Then Scheels started stocking them. And Bret became bold. "I called the NFL,” he says with a grin, “about half the teams called back and ordered!" Before he knew it - a business was born!
Everyone who uses the Muscle Glide turns into a fan, and there’s real science behind it. "When you work out, your muscles actually get little tears,” explains Bret, “the theory is, if you take an implement and roll it over your muscles it helps break up that scar tissue in the muscle."
Most people don't care about the theory. It's the feeling that makes people fans of the Muscle Glide. You can use it on yourself - or convince a friend to give you a massage. Either way, this therapy tool will help ease those workout-related aches & pains.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out www.muscleglide.com or visit a Scheels store near you!
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Workout - at work!
Hello workout friends!
This week were helping you sneak some fitness into your day, even if you don't have time to do it before or after work.
Think about it, you don't just work at your desk. You eat at your desk. Some days it feels like you practically live at your desk. You may even spend your free time at your desk, surfing the internet.
Personal trainer, Angie Gallagher, says all of that sitting isn’t doing your physique and favors, even if you’re relatively active otherwise.
“Studies show that if you sit at an office all day and you never move from your desk, except on one of your breaks and then during lunch, you can be negating your workout – an hour in the morning or after work – you’ve negated that, simply by sitting all day.”
Shocked, we ask Angie what we need to do to maintain our gains while at work.
“You could use a water bottle. You could use a coffee mug or even a towel if you have that at your office and an office chair.”
The water bottle and coffee mugs double as light weights. They’re perfect for some quick bicep or tricep curls or overhead presses. The towel will help you get a good stretch. Even something as small as standing up while you’re on the phone helps get the blood flogging.
“Just moving a little bit… is enough to make the heart rate accelerate enough that you don’t negate the activity you’ve done previously or after work.”
And once you’re up, why not take a walk up a few flights of stairs.
“Take them instead of the elevator or park a little further away in the parking lot… all those things add up at the end of the day. They’re important.”
Equally important, a little movement might help you reduce your workplace stress.
“Because your blood is flowing you are more active. Studies show that people have higher concentration, less depression, less anxiety and less stress, which we all experience at the workplace.”
If you're interested in working out with Angie - check out her website:
http://www.fitnesswithangie.net/
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
This week were helping you sneak some fitness into your day, even if you don't have time to do it before or after work.
Think about it, you don't just work at your desk. You eat at your desk. Some days it feels like you practically live at your desk. You may even spend your free time at your desk, surfing the internet.
Personal trainer, Angie Gallagher, says all of that sitting isn’t doing your physique and favors, even if you’re relatively active otherwise.
“Studies show that if you sit at an office all day and you never move from your desk, except on one of your breaks and then during lunch, you can be negating your workout – an hour in the morning or after work – you’ve negated that, simply by sitting all day.”
Shocked, we ask Angie what we need to do to maintain our gains while at work.
“You could use a water bottle. You could use a coffee mug or even a towel if you have that at your office and an office chair.”
The water bottle and coffee mugs double as light weights. They’re perfect for some quick bicep or tricep curls or overhead presses. The towel will help you get a good stretch. Even something as small as standing up while you’re on the phone helps get the blood flogging.
“Just moving a little bit… is enough to make the heart rate accelerate enough that you don’t negate the activity you’ve done previously or after work.”
And once you’re up, why not take a walk up a few flights of stairs.
“Take them instead of the elevator or park a little further away in the parking lot… all those things add up at the end of the day. They’re important.”
Equally important, a little movement might help you reduce your workplace stress.
“Because your blood is flowing you are more active. Studies show that people have higher concentration, less depression, less anxiety and less stress, which we all experience at the workplace.”
If you're interested in working out with Angie - check out her website:
http://www.fitnesswithangie.net/
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Strolling & Toning
This week’s workout is specifically designed for new parents. There’s no gym, no equipment and no daycare required! "It's great because they can bring the babies along with them," explains personal trainer Cathy Bormann, "the class is call Strolling and Toning. It's a class to help moms get back into shape."
You've probably heard of this type of group fitness class. "It’s just a stroller and baby!” Cathy says with a laugh. She makes it sound simple, but this is no walk in the park – even though the class takes place in a Park.
Strollers turn into obstacle courses and resistance bands get biceps burning. What Cathy has the group doing is basically High Intensity Interval Training – or HIT. "We do resistance, then cardio, then stroll and we keep repeating that for an hour," she explains. HIIT is one of the best workouts for whipping post-baby bodies back into shape.
"I've always enjoyed lifting weights and its harder to find time,” says Brigit Peterson, “each time you have a kid, there's less time to get to the gym!" Eight month old Regina is Brigit’s THIRD child. Most of the moms here say during this hour they enjoy fitness and friendship. "We have a lot of similar things to talk about,” explains Brigit, “I also like that everyone has a kid - it kind of puts us on the same level and we’re not super fit like we used to be."
We think these ladies look as fit as anyone we know! During one part of the routine they’re jumping up and down stairs for cardio and doing a full body squat-press for resistance. It is a brutal circuit but Cathy says it can be modified for any level. "We can definitely take it back a step or pick up for those that need extra challenge."
The class also keeps people accountable. "It's a little bit just to get yourself back in the swing, back in the routine,” says Cathy, “once you feel good and start hitting it hard, it all starts happening." However, in the midst of jumping jacks and pushups life also keeps happening. There are tears and noses to be wiped and diapers to change – but everyone here understands.
If you’re interested in the “Strolling & Toning” class – call the Walnut Creek YMCA at 224-1888 or visit the front desk!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
You've probably heard of this type of group fitness class. "It’s just a stroller and baby!” Cathy says with a laugh. She makes it sound simple, but this is no walk in the park – even though the class takes place in a Park.
Strollers turn into obstacle courses and resistance bands get biceps burning. What Cathy has the group doing is basically High Intensity Interval Training – or HIT. "We do resistance, then cardio, then stroll and we keep repeating that for an hour," she explains. HIIT is one of the best workouts for whipping post-baby bodies back into shape.
"I've always enjoyed lifting weights and its harder to find time,” says Brigit Peterson, “each time you have a kid, there's less time to get to the gym!" Eight month old Regina is Brigit’s THIRD child. Most of the moms here say during this hour they enjoy fitness and friendship. "We have a lot of similar things to talk about,” explains Brigit, “I also like that everyone has a kid - it kind of puts us on the same level and we’re not super fit like we used to be."
We think these ladies look as fit as anyone we know! During one part of the routine they’re jumping up and down stairs for cardio and doing a full body squat-press for resistance. It is a brutal circuit but Cathy says it can be modified for any level. "We can definitely take it back a step or pick up for those that need extra challenge."
The class also keeps people accountable. "It's a little bit just to get yourself back in the swing, back in the routine,” says Cathy, “once you feel good and start hitting it hard, it all starts happening." However, in the midst of jumping jacks and pushups life also keeps happening. There are tears and noses to be wiped and diapers to change – but everyone here understands.
If you’re interested in the “Strolling & Toning” class – call the Walnut Creek YMCA at 224-1888 or visit the front desk!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
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