I've got to be honest with you. Pole dancing is not my thing. At least not in front of strangers, with the lights on, wearing workout clothes and no makeup.
That being said, a fantastic local trainer convinced us to visit her studio and give it a try, in a little bit different way.
Pole dancing is a great workout. But if you’re a little shy about actually dancing, this may be the workout for you.
It’s called “Pole Blast.” It’s a way to apply the pole to your fitness routine.
“It’s fun and upbeat,” says Jennifer Kees, the owner of Kees Camp Pole Fitness Studio.
Jennifer is clearly comfortable on the pole. She should be. She’s been dancing and training others for nearly two decades.
“People think, ‘Oh, there’s no way I could do that.’ I don’t want anyone to think that they can’t do it. The pole blast class is the way for people to get in here and try it.”
It begins with what Jennifer calls, “Juicy Joints.” The joints are stimulated, which keeps them loose. “Try to grow a little taller with each kick,” says Jennifer as we loosen up the hip joint.
Once we’re warmed up, we move on to some exercises designed to give us “perky pecs” and “lean legs.” Using the pole for balance, we move through a series of plies and squats. A few of these, and our quads and hamstrings are screaming. “Push, push, push,” says Jennifer. “Oh my goodness, don’t stop!”
“Pole Blast” is a good introduction to the pole, which in this case, isn’t used for dancing. Instead, it’s used to improve balance, strength and flexibility.
The abdominal work is some of the hardest. Simply hanging on the pole engages the core.
“This isn’t something I’m doing outside of fitness,” says Jennifer. “I do it for fitness and I want everyone else to come in and experience it.”
And if you master these moves, you may want to take it to the next level. “Or not – it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to take the Pole Blast class into our dancing choreography if that’s not where your comfort zone is. That’s fine. You’re still going to get a great work out.”
And eventually, a great, dancer’s body.
Sonya and I were sore for DAYS after this workout - we highly recommend it. Jen is a fun, energetic, knowledgeable instructor who will push you in new ways.
Give it a try! Here's the contact information for the West Des Moines studio:
http://www.facebook.com/KCPoleFitnessStudio
WEB: www.keescampstore.com
EMAIL: jen@keescampstore.com
PHONE: 515-779-5337
FAX: 515-285-2788
Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
5 super strength moves
Hello fitness friends!
Whether you snow shoe, ski or ice skate … winter sports are a great way to get in shape. Personal trainer Travis Steffen says there are some exercises you can do to prevent injury and soreness and they’re great no matter what kind of winter workout you have in mind.
“So from all the way down at your feet up through your core, that’s what’s really being worked during winter sports.” Steffen shows us five strengthening moves that are simple and require no equipment.
“First, we’re going to work the anterior tibialis. It’s the muscle right here on the front of the shin.” It might be small – but this muscle can cause a lot of pain if you ignore it.
“A lot of people will have big calf muscle but weak anterior tibialis and they’re going to get shin splints.” If you’ve ever had that injury – you don’t want it again. Prevent it by placing a weight plate or a body bar on top of your foot. Then just dig your heel into the floor and flex your toes toward the ceiling.
“Now we’ve got gastrocnemius – or the calf muscle.” It’s opposite the anterior tibialis and it’s bigger and more powerful, but Travis says it still needs attention. Calf raises are an easy way to target the calf – either on a step, or on the floor. You can add weights if you want, but just lifting your own body weight is effective.
“Now I want to focus on the core a little bit….” Forget traditional crunches, Travis says planks are the better way to get strong. “When you’re doing these you’re kind of replicating the same type of movement you’re getting on the slopes because it’s not a single contraction, it’s a static hold.”
Now to the huge muscle groups in the legs - quadriceps and gluteals. Full squats are the way to go to strengthen your lower half, but the deceiving wall sit is ideal for a sport like skiing. “You are bending and flexing your knees on the slopes, but you’re also holding contractions.”
There you have it - five basic moves to help you power through powder … or any sport you choose. “If you really want to perform better and you don’t want to be sore the next day – those are the areas you need to focus on.”
You can get fit with Travis anytime it's convenient for you by visiting his website:
http://www.workoutbox.com/home/3/
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Whether you snow shoe, ski or ice skate … winter sports are a great way to get in shape. Personal trainer Travis Steffen says there are some exercises you can do to prevent injury and soreness and they’re great no matter what kind of winter workout you have in mind.
“So from all the way down at your feet up through your core, that’s what’s really being worked during winter sports.” Steffen shows us five strengthening moves that are simple and require no equipment.
“First, we’re going to work the anterior tibialis. It’s the muscle right here on the front of the shin.” It might be small – but this muscle can cause a lot of pain if you ignore it.
“A lot of people will have big calf muscle but weak anterior tibialis and they’re going to get shin splints.” If you’ve ever had that injury – you don’t want it again. Prevent it by placing a weight plate or a body bar on top of your foot. Then just dig your heel into the floor and flex your toes toward the ceiling.
“Now we’ve got gastrocnemius – or the calf muscle.” It’s opposite the anterior tibialis and it’s bigger and more powerful, but Travis says it still needs attention. Calf raises are an easy way to target the calf – either on a step, or on the floor. You can add weights if you want, but just lifting your own body weight is effective.
“Now I want to focus on the core a little bit….” Forget traditional crunches, Travis says planks are the better way to get strong. “When you’re doing these you’re kind of replicating the same type of movement you’re getting on the slopes because it’s not a single contraction, it’s a static hold.”
Now to the huge muscle groups in the legs - quadriceps and gluteals. Full squats are the way to go to strengthen your lower half, but the deceiving wall sit is ideal for a sport like skiing. “You are bending and flexing your knees on the slopes, but you’re also holding contractions.”
There you have it - five basic moves to help you power through powder … or any sport you choose. “If you really want to perform better and you don’t want to be sore the next day – those are the areas you need to focus on.”
You can get fit with Travis anytime it's convenient for you by visiting his website:
http://www.workoutbox.com/home/3/
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
When you see Shirley and Craig Phinney working out at the gym today, you’d never guess they used to be couch potatoes. A few years ago, Craig was weighing in at more than three hundred pounds. Shirley hated what she saw in the mirror and she’s the one who decided they needed to make a change.
“I got fed up,” she says with a shrug. “I told him, ‘here’s your ultimatum: you can do a fitness program or a personal trainer’ – that was it. There wasn’t a third choice and I wasn’t going to give him one because this was our life!”
Shirley wasn’t the only one trying to give Craig a wakeup call…so was his doctor. He remembers the conversation well. “He said, ‘Craig, you’re killing yourself and you’ve gotta do something.' It was the second time he told me I was near death.”
The first time was February of 2009. Craig was diagnosed with colon cancer. He eventually received a clean bill of health and returned to his job as an Ankeny police officer. He and Shirley also started “Cops Against Cancer”.
“With our organization we’re helping families where insurance doesn’t,” Craig explains, “we’re helping them with things like lodging and gas and meals. We approach those families and say – we can help, let us help.”
The Phinney’s knew they needed help getting fit so they started training with Daniel Wright and Rebecca Meyer of “Biggest Loser” fame … and life started to change. Craig can’t keep the smile of his face when he talks about it. “I was 53 years old, a non-athlete and I was able to do stuff I’ve never been able to do before in my life!”
Even a serious knee injury didn’t derail the workouts. The Craig and Shirley kept at it, dropped a ton of weight together, and want others to know they can do the same thing. “No matter the obstacle or what you’re going through, there’s a way… you just have to make it in your mind that you’re going to do it.”
You can help the “Cops Against Cancer” help other families by participating in a fitness challenge on March 3rd.
For details: http://www.copsagainstcancer.org/
“I got fed up,” she says with a shrug. “I told him, ‘here’s your ultimatum: you can do a fitness program or a personal trainer’ – that was it. There wasn’t a third choice and I wasn’t going to give him one because this was our life!”
Shirley wasn’t the only one trying to give Craig a wakeup call…so was his doctor. He remembers the conversation well. “He said, ‘Craig, you’re killing yourself and you’ve gotta do something.' It was the second time he told me I was near death.”
The first time was February of 2009. Craig was diagnosed with colon cancer. He eventually received a clean bill of health and returned to his job as an Ankeny police officer. He and Shirley also started “Cops Against Cancer”.
“With our organization we’re helping families where insurance doesn’t,” Craig explains, “we’re helping them with things like lodging and gas and meals. We approach those families and say – we can help, let us help.”
The Phinney’s knew they needed help getting fit so they started training with Daniel Wright and Rebecca Meyer of “Biggest Loser” fame … and life started to change. Craig can’t keep the smile of his face when he talks about it. “I was 53 years old, a non-athlete and I was able to do stuff I’ve never been able to do before in my life!”
Even a serious knee injury didn’t derail the workouts. The Craig and Shirley kept at it, dropped a ton of weight together, and want others to know they can do the same thing. “No matter the obstacle or what you’re going through, there’s a way… you just have to make it in your mind that you’re going to do it.”
You can help the “Cops Against Cancer” help other families by participating in a fitness challenge on March 3rd.
For details: http://www.copsagainstcancer.org/
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Fitness Fusion
It’s a trend that’s a little controversial – but it will help you battle boredom because you get to try a variety of exercises, all in one class.
At first glance, it looks like we’re doing cardio kickboxing or interval training. But there’s also weight lifting and even some Pilates.
Personal trainer Angie Gallagher explains, “We’re taking popular classes and mixing them…fusing together to make something new.” It’s called “fitness fusion” – in it, instructors combine different workouts to keep you on your toes.
“The big craze right now is still Pilates, but then mixing it with cardio. It can be anything - salsa, hip-hop, boxing….”
Some fitness experts aren’t crazy about the idea of blending these moves with aerobic exercise, but others think fusion classes are a way to get people to try yoga or Pilates when they otherwise wouldn’t. “There are all those functional movements that are a part of day to day living. Those require your core to be activated and strong.”
In many fusion classes you’ll get those benefits, along with moves that test your endurance and some heart-pumping cardio. You’ll blast calories – and get out of a rut, fast! “Not only do participants get bored – instructors get bored! Everyone is looking for ways to mix it up and make it fun, too!”
Angie has a new studio. For information on working out with her:
www.fitnesswithangie.net
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
At first glance, it looks like we’re doing cardio kickboxing or interval training. But there’s also weight lifting and even some Pilates.
Personal trainer Angie Gallagher explains, “We’re taking popular classes and mixing them…fusing together to make something new.” It’s called “fitness fusion” – in it, instructors combine different workouts to keep you on your toes.
“The big craze right now is still Pilates, but then mixing it with cardio. It can be anything - salsa, hip-hop, boxing….”
Some fitness experts aren’t crazy about the idea of blending these moves with aerobic exercise, but others think fusion classes are a way to get people to try yoga or Pilates when they otherwise wouldn’t. “There are all those functional movements that are a part of day to day living. Those require your core to be activated and strong.”
In many fusion classes you’ll get those benefits, along with moves that test your endurance and some heart-pumping cardio. You’ll blast calories – and get out of a rut, fast! “Not only do participants get bored – instructors get bored! Everyone is looking for ways to mix it up and make it fun, too!”
Angie has a new studio. For information on working out with her:
www.fitnesswithangie.net
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Babies change everything!
Most women who've been pregnant and given birth are reading the title of this blog and thinking, "No kidding!" But this week's workout is about more than your body changing. It's about how bringing little ones into the world and realizing that you're responsible for the people they turn into can change your whole outlook on life.
“My daughter will say, mommy come run with me and in my old life that never would have happened,” says Sara Miller. Two years ago, she weighed 269-pounds. She’s now nearly half that – and she credits her family – in part, for her weight loss. “I started running as an anniversary gift to my husband.”
Her husband does triathlons … he’s an exercise enthusiast. It was his dream to one day do a race with his wife. “So I said okay, I’ll train to do a 5K.” Sara remembers, “it was really because I didn’t have an anniversary gift picked out yet !”
The gift to her husband is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s helped her shed more than 120 pounds over the last two years after struggling with her weight her entire adult life. “When our son Lincoln was born, it was very easy to say ‘it’s a boy so he’ll watch Dave and be just like Dave.’ I thought he wouldn’t struggle with weight because he’d model after his dad and be okay.”
The birth of Sara’s daughter – a day before her 30th birthday - changed everything. The minute the doctor said, “it’s a girl,” - Sara says knew she could no longer hide from her responsibility. it was *her turn to be the role model. “You know I’m looking at this little girl and thinking about all the promise that this baby has in this tiny little body and realizing there’s no reason my body can’t have that promise, because at one time it did.”
Sara started monitoring her diet the day after Coraline was born. Six weeks later, she joined Weight Watchers. Fruit replaced doughnuts and she started viewing food as fuel. Her attitude about “diets” changed entirely. “I don’t feel like I’m doing this until I get to a certain point and then I can be done – hallelujah!” she laughs, “I will probably be doing this until the day I die because it’s that important to me. I don’t want to let this go.”
Sara now measures everything she eats and even makes her own yogurt, to avoid preservatives and extra sugar. And on the side of the fridge, there’s another motivator. It’s a two year old picture in which Sara is about twice the woman she is now. “Dave says I walk differently and just carry myself differently and I feel like that self-confidence comes from not necessarily having a smaller body, but from accomplishing something I set out to do.”
Sara made good on that anniversary promise and finished her first 5-k last year. Her children were there to watch their mom – and role model – cross the finish line.
Sara also writes a blog, which she says helped her work through some of her issues about weight and food.
http://weightylife.blogspot.com/2012/01/control.html
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
“My daughter will say, mommy come run with me and in my old life that never would have happened,” says Sara Miller. Two years ago, she weighed 269-pounds. She’s now nearly half that – and she credits her family – in part, for her weight loss. “I started running as an anniversary gift to my husband.”
Her husband does triathlons … he’s an exercise enthusiast. It was his dream to one day do a race with his wife. “So I said okay, I’ll train to do a 5K.” Sara remembers, “it was really because I didn’t have an anniversary gift picked out yet !”
The gift to her husband is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s helped her shed more than 120 pounds over the last two years after struggling with her weight her entire adult life. “When our son Lincoln was born, it was very easy to say ‘it’s a boy so he’ll watch Dave and be just like Dave.’ I thought he wouldn’t struggle with weight because he’d model after his dad and be okay.”
The birth of Sara’s daughter – a day before her 30th birthday - changed everything. The minute the doctor said, “it’s a girl,” - Sara says knew she could no longer hide from her responsibility. it was *her turn to be the role model. “You know I’m looking at this little girl and thinking about all the promise that this baby has in this tiny little body and realizing there’s no reason my body can’t have that promise, because at one time it did.”
Sara started monitoring her diet the day after Coraline was born. Six weeks later, she joined Weight Watchers. Fruit replaced doughnuts and she started viewing food as fuel. Her attitude about “diets” changed entirely. “I don’t feel like I’m doing this until I get to a certain point and then I can be done – hallelujah!” she laughs, “I will probably be doing this until the day I die because it’s that important to me. I don’t want to let this go.”
Sara now measures everything she eats and even makes her own yogurt, to avoid preservatives and extra sugar. And on the side of the fridge, there’s another motivator. It’s a two year old picture in which Sara is about twice the woman she is now. “Dave says I walk differently and just carry myself differently and I feel like that self-confidence comes from not necessarily having a smaller body, but from accomplishing something I set out to do.”
Sara made good on that anniversary promise and finished her first 5-k last year. Her children were there to watch their mom – and role model – cross the finish line.
Sara also writes a blog, which she says helped her work through some of her issues about weight and food.
http://weightylife.blogspot.com/2012/01/control.html
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
How's your gait?
There is new technology at a metro fitness store that could help you get more out of your workouts. It promises to prevent injuries by putting you in the right shoes. The shop in Ankeny where you’ll find it is called “Kyle’s Bikes” but you’ll also find shoes… and Bill Lorenz.
He starts by interviewing us, and finds two very different athletes. Sonya runs about five times a week, putting in at least five to ten miles every time. Bill asks me how far I run and how often. “Never,” I say. He starts laughing. “I’m not kidding,” I respond.
Bill says it doesn’t matter. He has us take off our shoes and socks and hit the treadmill. He’s using the Dartfish Gait Analysis System. While we run, it records.
In slow motion it’s possible to see a person’s biomechanics. Sonya’s are normal and Bill wants to record her running in her shoes. The program allows us to see the recordings side-by-side.
“So you can see the angle is the same whether you have the shoe on or not, so the shoe is not changing anything about your biomechanics,” he explains, “my opinion would be that you’re in an appropriate shoe. Yay for you!” he laughs.
For me it’s a much different story. After I spend a few seconds running barefoot Bill says, “Come down and look at how you run, you may find this interesting.” More like horrifying! Where Sonya’s feet stayed mostly in a straight line, mine roll toward the inside. Bill explains that this is “over pronation”. It means my feet and ankles have trouble stabilizing my body and shock isn’t absorbed efficiently. A lot of people have this biomechanical abnormality and it’s easy to correct with the right shoes.
“This is what we call stability shoes,” says Bill as he comes out of the back room with an armload of boxes, “these are all appropriate for a pronator.” I try three different brands built to keep my feet from rolling around and pick the pair that feels best to me. “Aren’t those nice?” Bill asks me, “you could become a runner, yet!”
What we found out is that whether you’re hoping to try a 5k like me, or planning to train for your sixth marathon like Sonya, gait analysis can help you get there. “This software is the 21st century way to fit people with the correct running shoes,” Bill says with a grin, “I may’ve just changed your life!”
If you want more information, I found this great article on the Runner’s World website:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-327-7727-0,00.html
Gait analysis is FREE at Kyle’s Bikes!
515-965-0333
http://www.kylesbikes.com/
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
He starts by interviewing us, and finds two very different athletes. Sonya runs about five times a week, putting in at least five to ten miles every time. Bill asks me how far I run and how often. “Never,” I say. He starts laughing. “I’m not kidding,” I respond.
Bill says it doesn’t matter. He has us take off our shoes and socks and hit the treadmill. He’s using the Dartfish Gait Analysis System. While we run, it records.
In slow motion it’s possible to see a person’s biomechanics. Sonya’s are normal and Bill wants to record her running in her shoes. The program allows us to see the recordings side-by-side.
“So you can see the angle is the same whether you have the shoe on or not, so the shoe is not changing anything about your biomechanics,” he explains, “my opinion would be that you’re in an appropriate shoe. Yay for you!” he laughs.
For me it’s a much different story. After I spend a few seconds running barefoot Bill says, “Come down and look at how you run, you may find this interesting.” More like horrifying! Where Sonya’s feet stayed mostly in a straight line, mine roll toward the inside. Bill explains that this is “over pronation”. It means my feet and ankles have trouble stabilizing my body and shock isn’t absorbed efficiently. A lot of people have this biomechanical abnormality and it’s easy to correct with the right shoes.
“This is what we call stability shoes,” says Bill as he comes out of the back room with an armload of boxes, “these are all appropriate for a pronator.” I try three different brands built to keep my feet from rolling around and pick the pair that feels best to me. “Aren’t those nice?” Bill asks me, “you could become a runner, yet!”
What we found out is that whether you’re hoping to try a 5k like me, or planning to train for your sixth marathon like Sonya, gait analysis can help you get there. “This software is the 21st century way to fit people with the correct running shoes,” Bill says with a grin, “I may’ve just changed your life!”
If you want more information, I found this great article on the Runner’s World website:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-327-7727-0,00.html
Gait analysis is FREE at Kyle’s Bikes!
515-965-0333
http://www.kylesbikes.com/
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Wanna Fight?!?
Hello fitness fans!
This week Sonya and I were pushed to our limits in a challenging, FUN class.
We arrived expecting a tough workout from a place built around Mixed Martial Arts. If it sounds intimidating, don’t worry. You don’t have to be interested in fighting … just interested in pushing yourself.
It only makes sense that Joe Brammer would run this sort of gym. He’s a professional MMA fighter. “We incorporate a lot of Mixed Martial Arts movements in there, but you’re not going to be getting punched a kicked yourself,” Joe says with a grin, “but you are doing those movements to get the workout.”
Welcome to Elite Edge Gym’s “Lean Body Boot Camp” where Joe and his team of trainers push participants in new ways every day. “We always constantly change it to make sure nobody hits a plateau and also to keep people interested so they don’t get bored.”
That’s unlikely. For instance, on the day we visit the gym the workout is split into three stations. Each station contains four exercises and we’re going through them three times.
We start with the station built on MMA skills. When we’re punching the focus mits Joe wearing the emphasis is on power and speed. Hitting a heavy bag ten times and then doing burpees requires a ton of endurance. Tapping the constantly moving double-end speed bag tests our hand-eye coordination and it takes a surprising amount of agility to pounce on the dummy that just lies there on the floor! This section also helped us identify our strengths and weaknesses. Sonya excelled on power punches but couldn't hit the double-end bag to save her life while I was the exact opposite.
By the time we’re done with this station, we’re pumped up – and exhausted. There’s no time to rest though, because the trainers are screaming at us and it’s on to the next two rounds. The format is the same … four exercises, three times through.
We’re done with the punching and kicking. These two stations are all resistance work. We’re doing everything from squats and pushups to hamstring curls and overhead presses and there’s very little down time.
By the time the class is finished we feel tired, but great. Maybe we’re not ready for the ring, but we’re definitely tougher than when we walked in the door. Joe says that’s the idea. “We want to keep it fun but we want to make sure everybody hits their goals too … that’s what we’re here for.”
For more information on Elite Edge Gym and Lean Body Boot Camp:
http://eliteedgegym.com/
http://lean-body-boot-camp.com/
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
This week Sonya and I were pushed to our limits in a challenging, FUN class.
We arrived expecting a tough workout from a place built around Mixed Martial Arts. If it sounds intimidating, don’t worry. You don’t have to be interested in fighting … just interested in pushing yourself.
It only makes sense that Joe Brammer would run this sort of gym. He’s a professional MMA fighter. “We incorporate a lot of Mixed Martial Arts movements in there, but you’re not going to be getting punched a kicked yourself,” Joe says with a grin, “but you are doing those movements to get the workout.”
Welcome to Elite Edge Gym’s “Lean Body Boot Camp” where Joe and his team of trainers push participants in new ways every day. “We always constantly change it to make sure nobody hits a plateau and also to keep people interested so they don’t get bored.”
That’s unlikely. For instance, on the day we visit the gym the workout is split into three stations. Each station contains four exercises and we’re going through them three times.
We start with the station built on MMA skills. When we’re punching the focus mits Joe wearing the emphasis is on power and speed. Hitting a heavy bag ten times and then doing burpees requires a ton of endurance. Tapping the constantly moving double-end speed bag tests our hand-eye coordination and it takes a surprising amount of agility to pounce on the dummy that just lies there on the floor! This section also helped us identify our strengths and weaknesses. Sonya excelled on power punches but couldn't hit the double-end bag to save her life while I was the exact opposite.
By the time we’re done with this station, we’re pumped up – and exhausted. There’s no time to rest though, because the trainers are screaming at us and it’s on to the next two rounds. The format is the same … four exercises, three times through.
We’re done with the punching and kicking. These two stations are all resistance work. We’re doing everything from squats and pushups to hamstring curls and overhead presses and there’s very little down time.
By the time the class is finished we feel tired, but great. Maybe we’re not ready for the ring, but we’re definitely tougher than when we walked in the door. Joe says that’s the idea. “We want to keep it fun but we want to make sure everybody hits their goals too … that’s what we’re here for.”
For more information on Elite Edge Gym and Lean Body Boot Camp:
http://eliteedgegym.com/
http://lean-body-boot-camp.com/
Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
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