In case you're wondering ... that means "Welcome" in Japanese. This week's workout is karate, and we were given a very warm welcome at Dojos Family Martial Arts in Ankeny.
Neither Sonya nor I expected this to be a killer workout. Fun, yes. New, absolutely. But grueling? No. Boy were we clueless.
Master Instructor Jeff Wilber was awesome to work with. He is a high energy, super positive guy who made our workout really fun, even if we were dying during parts of it. "We like to have fun, exciting classes that are very positive," says Master Wilber, "this is not your traditional karate class!"
We started with a pretty basic warmup... some running, knee strikes, kicks and arm swings to get the blood pumping. Then the small target bags were added to the mix. Pretty soon we were doing full kicks down into lunges while punching the bag on the floor. It didn't take long for us to break a sweat during this drill and it was the first one! Master Wilbur uses the "Tabata Protocol" - you do twenty seconds of high intensity exercise, followed by ten seconds of rest. In this class, we did three rounds of each exercise. What made this really brutal was the way we constantly went back and forth between cardio work and ab work - and a lot of ab work that was really full body work. There were a few plank exercises that had every muscle in our bodies begging for mercy! All the while Master Wilber was screaming things like, "Your attitude determines your altitude!" and "If it hurts just smile more! big smiles!"
And you know what? We WERE smiling. This class was a blast and we were sorry when it ended. We worked really hard but had a really good time doing it. It's easy to understand why Master Wilber says, "I recommend martial arts for everyone between the ages of 4 and 104 ... anyone can do martial arts training and benefit from it."
If you want to give martial arts a try, contact Master Wilber at 963-9989 and check out the website at www.mydojos.com.
Have a great week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Whip it Good!
Hey friends!
Thanks for stopping by the workout blog. Sonya and I keep thinking we're going to run out of ideas for this series, but the new forms of fitness routines just keep flowing into our inboxes. Thanks to all of you for contributing!
This week we're doing rope training with Barb Mendoza from Fitness By Design. "I like to say there's a big fitness toolbox," says Barb, "and this is one tool." Barb has been a personal trainer for twenty years, so she's seen it all. She says she likes these new, weighted ropes because they're a form of "functional training" - which means we're mimicking a lot of movements we perform in everyday activities.
This turned out to be another workout that's a lot harder than it looks. The ropes are long, heavy, and anchored to the floor at one end. We have to hold on to the free ends and then do the moves Barb tells us to... whiping the ropes up and down and side to side takes a lot of strength and coordination. "The heart rate goes up, the legs get tired, the core and the arms are very engaged," explains Mendoza.
It doesn't take long at all for our biceps to start burning. Soon Barb has us start doing jumping jacks while holding the ropes, and then our hearts are thumping. The break from the cardio involves ab moves on the floor and we realize this is a total body workout. Throw in more toys like disks and a BOSU and soon we're working muscle groups we didn't even know we had!!!
This workout was a blast and Barb is a great trainer. If you're interested in trying the rope workout, contact Barb. 277-9721 or info@FitnessByDesignDM.com.
Here's to a happy and healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Thanks for stopping by the workout blog. Sonya and I keep thinking we're going to run out of ideas for this series, but the new forms of fitness routines just keep flowing into our inboxes. Thanks to all of you for contributing!
This week we're doing rope training with Barb Mendoza from Fitness By Design. "I like to say there's a big fitness toolbox," says Barb, "and this is one tool." Barb has been a personal trainer for twenty years, so she's seen it all. She says she likes these new, weighted ropes because they're a form of "functional training" - which means we're mimicking a lot of movements we perform in everyday activities.
This turned out to be another workout that's a lot harder than it looks. The ropes are long, heavy, and anchored to the floor at one end. We have to hold on to the free ends and then do the moves Barb tells us to... whiping the ropes up and down and side to side takes a lot of strength and coordination. "The heart rate goes up, the legs get tired, the core and the arms are very engaged," explains Mendoza.
It doesn't take long at all for our biceps to start burning. Soon Barb has us start doing jumping jacks while holding the ropes, and then our hearts are thumping. The break from the cardio involves ab moves on the floor and we realize this is a total body workout. Throw in more toys like disks and a BOSU and soon we're working muscle groups we didn't even know we had!!!
This workout was a blast and Barb is a great trainer. If you're interested in trying the rope workout, contact Barb. 277-9721 or info@FitnessByDesignDM.com.
Here's to a happy and healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Derby Dames
Hey everybody! Welcome to Workout of the Week. This week you get an honorary roller derby name ... "Fitness Fiends". In case you didn't know, there is an international registry for roller derby names and it's serious ... so don't even think about ripping off great ones like "Bloody Mary" or "Amber Waves of Pain."
Sonya and I have tackled quite a few fitness challenges so far, but none of them required helmets and knee pads... this week's does! We need the protective gear because we're lacing up roller skates. This is practice with the Des Moines Derby Dames. Our coach is Showstopper and she's all busienss. "I'm pushing them to go beyond what they think their limits are, really..." she says with a grin.
We're just struggling to skate, and then we learn there's much more to this workout on wheels. Wall squats and planks follow sprints around the rink and we're convinced this is the longest two hours of our lives. "You gotta skate past the tired," says Showstopper, "it's a whole new level."
We spend more time on our rear ends than our our skates - keep in mind it's been at least two decades since we've even taken a leisurely spin around a rink. We aren't even thinking about hitting and blocking, but for some on the team, it's second nature. "Yeah, they call me Shoulders, but my real name is Elbow. But you can't use your elbow ... it's a foul." Elbow MacFearson loves the fierce competition, and the workout. "I'm horrible about the gym. I have a membership I never use. I need someone ordering me around like Showstopper does." And there's a reason we won't be taking part in the scrimmage. Elbow's suffered a broken hand and ligament damage! "I've seen it all, " she says, "compound fractures, blood on the rink. Hot Lips broke her elbow, it was bad!"
We decide we'll stick to stumbling around the rink like the rookies we are, even though the Derby Dames insist we could join the team ... eventually. "If you can train well and you're willing to be coached," says Showstopper, "you can do anything!"
You can catch the Des Moines Derby Dames in action this Saturday at 7pm at the 7 Flags Events Center.
In the meantime... check out some derby names I came up with ... :)
Sonya Hitshusen
Sonya Slam Master
Sonya Make U So Sore
Heitshusen the Hitter
Erin Blockavich
Erin Go Bad
Erin the Exterminator
Kiernan the Crusher
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Sonya and I have tackled quite a few fitness challenges so far, but none of them required helmets and knee pads... this week's does! We need the protective gear because we're lacing up roller skates. This is practice with the Des Moines Derby Dames. Our coach is Showstopper and she's all busienss. "I'm pushing them to go beyond what they think their limits are, really..." she says with a grin.
We're just struggling to skate, and then we learn there's much more to this workout on wheels. Wall squats and planks follow sprints around the rink and we're convinced this is the longest two hours of our lives. "You gotta skate past the tired," says Showstopper, "it's a whole new level."
We spend more time on our rear ends than our our skates - keep in mind it's been at least two decades since we've even taken a leisurely spin around a rink. We aren't even thinking about hitting and blocking, but for some on the team, it's second nature. "Yeah, they call me Shoulders, but my real name is Elbow. But you can't use your elbow ... it's a foul." Elbow MacFearson loves the fierce competition, and the workout. "I'm horrible about the gym. I have a membership I never use. I need someone ordering me around like Showstopper does." And there's a reason we won't be taking part in the scrimmage. Elbow's suffered a broken hand and ligament damage! "I've seen it all, " she says, "compound fractures, blood on the rink. Hot Lips broke her elbow, it was bad!"
We decide we'll stick to stumbling around the rink like the rookies we are, even though the Derby Dames insist we could join the team ... eventually. "If you can train well and you're willing to be coached," says Showstopper, "you can do anything!"
You can catch the Des Moines Derby Dames in action this Saturday at 7pm at the 7 Flags Events Center.
In the meantime... check out some derby names I came up with ... :)
Sonya Hitshusen
Sonya Slam Master
Sonya Make U So Sore
Heitshusen the Hitter
Erin Blockavich
Erin Go Bad
Erin the Exterminator
Kiernan the Crusher
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Background Checks
Thanks for stopping by the Workout of the Week blog!
Today's topic is making sure your personal trainer or exercise instructors are properly educated and certified.
"It's not only for safety,” says Jenny Weber of the Wellness Council of Iowa, “it's also so the person feels that they're getting a full exercise prescription." Think of it like this, cooking dinner doesn't make someone a chef, driving a car doesn't make someone a mechanic, and working out at the gym doesn't make someone a trainer. "That person needs to come from a bachelor of science in exercise physiology or kinesiology along with professional certifications." Weber says if we want to get the most out of workouts with a trainer - it's critical to make sure the person is properly trained themselves! If you’re not comfortable asking the personal trainer or group exercise instructor ... ask the owner or manager of the club you are joining. Find out what kind of education, certification and experience exercise professionals have and also ask if the gym requires them to continually renew their certifications.
There are dozens of organizations that provide training and certification. Common ones for personal trainers include The American College of Sports Medicine and The National Strength and Conditioning Association. Group fitness instructors are often certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and the American Council on Exercise. Once certified, trainers and instructors usually have to work to maintain their skills. "Yearly you're required to take continuing education credits which is crucial because the industry changes," explains Weber. Bottom line – don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s your money, your workout and your health.
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Today's topic is making sure your personal trainer or exercise instructors are properly educated and certified.
"It's not only for safety,” says Jenny Weber of the Wellness Council of Iowa, “it's also so the person feels that they're getting a full exercise prescription." Think of it like this, cooking dinner doesn't make someone a chef, driving a car doesn't make someone a mechanic, and working out at the gym doesn't make someone a trainer. "That person needs to come from a bachelor of science in exercise physiology or kinesiology along with professional certifications." Weber says if we want to get the most out of workouts with a trainer - it's critical to make sure the person is properly trained themselves! If you’re not comfortable asking the personal trainer or group exercise instructor ... ask the owner or manager of the club you are joining. Find out what kind of education, certification and experience exercise professionals have and also ask if the gym requires them to continually renew their certifications.
There are dozens of organizations that provide training and certification. Common ones for personal trainers include The American College of Sports Medicine and The National Strength and Conditioning Association. Group fitness instructors are often certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and the American Council on Exercise. Once certified, trainers and instructors usually have to work to maintain their skills. "Yearly you're required to take continuing education credits which is crucial because the industry changes," explains Weber. Bottom line – don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s your money, your workout and your health.
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Are you kidding me?!?!?
Hello and welcome to the Workout of the Week blog!
If you've been following along for the past few months you know Sonya and I are up for about anything. So when our colleague and friend Brooke Bouma invited us to give kettlebells a try, we happily agreed. Brooke has been working out with personal trainer Doug Van Wyk for a long time and says although she's always gotten a good workout, she's never worked as hard as she is during the kettlebell routine. Even with that knowlege, we were not prepared for what we experienced at Fitness World Downtown.
First, Doug had us to kettlebell swings. They're kindof like squats, but with a lot more movement. "So it's really about the hips and thrusting them," Doug explains. After just a few reps we were all sucking wind and Doug made us do several sets of twenty. "Your butt should be burning after ten." Uh ... yeah!
The next exercise involved pushups - which we HATE. Here's the thing ... you do the pushups on top of the kettlebells. And that's not all. You add a row after each pushup! "Your body doesn't want to do it," explains Doug, "but drop that hip more, there hold it, let em burn." By "them" he means our arms, our abs, our butts ... pretty much everything.
By this point in time I was calling Doug foul names, and he hadn't even thrown the most difficult move at us yet!!! It's called the "Russian Twist" and it must've been invented by someone with a really twisted sense of humor. It's very hard to explain (watch the workout video under the As Seen on 13 tab) but you start on the floor on your back, push up onto one hand with the other hand in the air and your opposite leg extended, then sweep that leg behind you into a deep curtsy lunge and finally push up into a standing postion. Reverse all of that until you are back down on the floor on your back. That's one rep. And that's when I said, "I HATE YOU!!!!"
This was brutal. By far the most brutal workout we've done. But you know what? Sonya and I are going to start working out with Doug every Saturday and here's why, "Using kettlebells you can actually incorporate all of the aspects of training into one," he explains, "you get a cardio training while doing resistance training and you work your entire body."
We could feel this through our entire bodies when we were doing it and for days afterward. If you're looking for a new challenge - give kettlebells a try.
Until next week ...
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
If you've been following along for the past few months you know Sonya and I are up for about anything. So when our colleague and friend Brooke Bouma invited us to give kettlebells a try, we happily agreed. Brooke has been working out with personal trainer Doug Van Wyk for a long time and says although she's always gotten a good workout, she's never worked as hard as she is during the kettlebell routine. Even with that knowlege, we were not prepared for what we experienced at Fitness World Downtown.
First, Doug had us to kettlebell swings. They're kindof like squats, but with a lot more movement. "So it's really about the hips and thrusting them," Doug explains. After just a few reps we were all sucking wind and Doug made us do several sets of twenty. "Your butt should be burning after ten." Uh ... yeah!
The next exercise involved pushups - which we HATE. Here's the thing ... you do the pushups on top of the kettlebells. And that's not all. You add a row after each pushup! "Your body doesn't want to do it," explains Doug, "but drop that hip more, there hold it, let em burn." By "them" he means our arms, our abs, our butts ... pretty much everything.
By this point in time I was calling Doug foul names, and he hadn't even thrown the most difficult move at us yet!!! It's called the "Russian Twist" and it must've been invented by someone with a really twisted sense of humor. It's very hard to explain (watch the workout video under the As Seen on 13 tab) but you start on the floor on your back, push up onto one hand with the other hand in the air and your opposite leg extended, then sweep that leg behind you into a deep curtsy lunge and finally push up into a standing postion. Reverse all of that until you are back down on the floor on your back. That's one rep. And that's when I said, "I HATE YOU!!!!"
This was brutal. By far the most brutal workout we've done. But you know what? Sonya and I are going to start working out with Doug every Saturday and here's why, "Using kettlebells you can actually incorporate all of the aspects of training into one," he explains, "you get a cardio training while doing resistance training and you work your entire body."
We could feel this through our entire bodies when we were doing it and for days afterward. If you're looking for a new challenge - give kettlebells a try.
Until next week ...
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Money is no excuse!
Hello gang! I'm really tardy posting the blog today - my apologies.
This week the focus is building muscle. So here's a question for you ... do you have to lift weights in order to build muscle? "No way!" says personal trainer Gigi Filer. She says exercises like pushups and lunges work just as well, using your own body weight!
Sonya worked out with Gigi and Daniel Wright of Biggest Loser fame and got some great tips for us to share with all of you. For instance, if you are like us and you HATE pushups - try doing them against the wall or even the edge of a countertop at first. Then you can move on to pushups on your knees. Once you start building strength you can challenge yourself with full pushups or make them even tougher by using a BOSU ball or any other unstable surface. Gigi says pushups are the gold standard for getting lean and mean. "It gives you a different resistance because it's a constant resistance in both directions. The muscle is challenged during the entire range of motion - there is no rest!"
The same goes for lower body exercises like lunges and squats. If you do them correctly you can burn a ton of calories and target several muscle groups. Add a resistance band or grab any kind of weight and you turn things up a notch - no fancy equipment needed!
"No excuses," says Gigi, "you don't have to have a gym membership and you don't have to have a stack of weights at home."
So get movin' ... money is no excuse!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
This week the focus is building muscle. So here's a question for you ... do you have to lift weights in order to build muscle? "No way!" says personal trainer Gigi Filer. She says exercises like pushups and lunges work just as well, using your own body weight!
Sonya worked out with Gigi and Daniel Wright of Biggest Loser fame and got some great tips for us to share with all of you. For instance, if you are like us and you HATE pushups - try doing them against the wall or even the edge of a countertop at first. Then you can move on to pushups on your knees. Once you start building strength you can challenge yourself with full pushups or make them even tougher by using a BOSU ball or any other unstable surface. Gigi says pushups are the gold standard for getting lean and mean. "It gives you a different resistance because it's a constant resistance in both directions. The muscle is challenged during the entire range of motion - there is no rest!"
The same goes for lower body exercises like lunges and squats. If you do them correctly you can burn a ton of calories and target several muscle groups. Add a resistance band or grab any kind of weight and you turn things up a notch - no fancy equipment needed!
"No excuses," says Gigi, "you don't have to have a gym membership and you don't have to have a stack of weights at home."
So get movin' ... money is no excuse!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
New life ... New love
This week's installment isn't just about working out. It's about life and love and learning to love yourself.
Last Friday (when I was sick with stomach flu) Sonya caught up with Rebecca Meyer and Daniel Wright from the Biggest Loser. Combined, they've lost more than 400 pounds. Wow. Months after the leaving the ranch, the two are a couple - living in Des Moines and devoting their careers to helping others reach their fitness goals. "When I'm working with someone I know exactly how they feel," says Daniel. "I was the guy who was too big to even fit on a treadmill!" Daniel and Rebecca remember well what it was like to be morbidly obese. They admit losing hundreds of pounds was difficult but they say maintaining is even harder - both mentally and physically. "Suddenly it's the finale and you're done and it's maintenance life," explains Rebecca. "We still need to workout and it's hard work. So I ask myself, do I want to be as thin as i was at final? No. Do I want to be as heavy as i was? No. It's just finding that mid-range ... at least for me."
Finding a happy medium can be a challenge in all aspects of life. For Rebecca and Daniel it included strategies to keep their old selves from making a comeback. They went through their closets and set limits. If the size 38 pants or the XL shirt start getting snug - somethings gotta change. No excuses. The couple says that's their new motto and they're trying to instill it in others. "We're basically living proof that it can happen just with diet and exercise!"
It's not fancy - but it works. Just like the programs offered by Hy-Vee and Wellmark. For tips on choosing healthy foods and getting a fitness plan going, visit www.wellmark.com. Click the "Health and Wellness" tab and then choose "Wellness Resources." There you'll find a wealth of information on living a healthy life!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Last Friday (when I was sick with stomach flu) Sonya caught up with Rebecca Meyer and Daniel Wright from the Biggest Loser. Combined, they've lost more than 400 pounds. Wow. Months after the leaving the ranch, the two are a couple - living in Des Moines and devoting their careers to helping others reach their fitness goals. "When I'm working with someone I know exactly how they feel," says Daniel. "I was the guy who was too big to even fit on a treadmill!" Daniel and Rebecca remember well what it was like to be morbidly obese. They admit losing hundreds of pounds was difficult but they say maintaining is even harder - both mentally and physically. "Suddenly it's the finale and you're done and it's maintenance life," explains Rebecca. "We still need to workout and it's hard work. So I ask myself, do I want to be as thin as i was at final? No. Do I want to be as heavy as i was? No. It's just finding that mid-range ... at least for me."
Finding a happy medium can be a challenge in all aspects of life. For Rebecca and Daniel it included strategies to keep their old selves from making a comeback. They went through their closets and set limits. If the size 38 pants or the XL shirt start getting snug - somethings gotta change. No excuses. The couple says that's their new motto and they're trying to instill it in others. "We're basically living proof that it can happen just with diet and exercise!"
It's not fancy - but it works. Just like the programs offered by Hy-Vee and Wellmark. For tips on choosing healthy foods and getting a fitness plan going, visit www.wellmark.com. Click the "Health and Wellness" tab and then choose "Wellness Resources." There you'll find a wealth of information on living a healthy life!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
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