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Pilates, a system of exercise created by Joseph Pilates, was originally designed to be a one-on-one personalized workout with an instructor. Nowadays, thanks to late night infomercials and books galore, Pilates seems to be thought of as just a generic “mat class”, but the true intention is to use any and all of the spring-loaded equipment created by Joe, including mat, to find and strengthen weakness in the body. Not every body needs every exercise. The work is most effective when tailored to you.
It may help to understand where Joseph Pilates came from. Joseph Pilates was a sick child, suffering from asthma and rickets, and was determined to create a healthy body for himself. So, he studied yoga, wrestling, gymnastics and acrobatics, and throughout his life put together a series of exercises using a mat. He started teaching mat conditioning, and quickly noticed how nearly impossible it was for most people, so he knew they needed something else to support their mat work.
At the same time, he was German national in an internment camp and many of the people around him were injured soldiers. For the injured soldiers he attached heavy springs to their hospital beds, so they could strengthen their bodies from bed. This design evolved into the “Cadillac” or “Trapeze Table” that current Pilates instructors use to strengthen legs, arms, chest, back and of course abdomen.
The Universal Reformer, or another “bed on springs,” offers additional resistance in order to provide more stability or to provide an added challenge to those who need it. When Pilates is taught one-on-one (the ideal way), the instructor typically incorporates work on the reformer and mat, as well as other Pilates apparatus, based on your needs. The individual session caters to the specific needs of the client, where each exercise is systematically performed and specifically chosen for you.
The focal points of his work are to increase lung capacity, to improve core strength and to use one’s mind to control body movements.
Hence, the six Pilates principles evolved:
- control
- Centering
- Concentration
- Precision
- Breath
- Flow
The work on the mat, where your muscles create the resistance, and the apparatus, where springs create the resistance, complement each other. As you become stronger by working on the apparatus, consequently, the mat work often becomes more challenging and fulfilling. Including private Pilates sessions in your fitness regime will better allow an instructor to focus on your individual needs, and will help you to develop the strength and flexibility necessary to correctly perform and benefit fully from the mat work.
Your workout should never feel easy, but should always present new and different challenges as you work your powerhouse deeper. So, enjoy the “journey” that is Pilates. It’s well worth the hard work!
To introduce Pilates in to your workout regime, or inquire about private Pilates instruction, please contact Pilates Director Danielle Zack.
With more daylight extending in to the evenings, why not use this opportunity to change your fitness routine?
Training outdoors can awaken your urban fitness child and enhance your workout experiences. All you need is a good pair of athletic shoes, a resistance band and a jump rope. The challenge of having to do something outside of your comfort zone, along with the fresh air and great weather, is what outdoor workouts are all about. Just outside the Seattle Athletic Club Downtown doors, you can find easy access to the waterfront by heading down the overpass and stairs at the base of Lenora Avenue. There are running trails along the waterfront, as well as the pier 66 stairs and Sculpture Park grounds that provide a lot of options to plan a rewarding routine around.
Here are some exercise examples and calories expenditures pertaining to the movement to get you started:
- Running stairs for a hour = 612 calories
- Doing a circuit of upper and lower body = 544 calories
- Running a 12min mile = 544 calories a hour
- Jump rope 3 minutes = 100 calories
By using some simple activities, mixed with some base exercises, you can easily build a 750 calorie burning workout together. An example might include: a small run in, do a flight of stairs, stop do some upper body & lower body resistance band sequences, add a minute of jump rope, repeat a 2nd set and run back to club to finish with some core work and stretching.
If you need help with putting this routine together contact any member of our fitness team.
 If these benefits seem like something that interest you and you would like to be our group workouts please contact Martial Arts Trainer Jody Garcia.
Neuroplasticity is the ability for the brain to grow new synapses and expand the wealth of knowledge stored away as memory. In order to create new synapses, the brain needs new stimulus. There are several ways to enhance brain power and retention.
Sensory motor skills can boost cognitive ones, so that’s just one more reason to exercise. When it comes to aging, the most important way to improve neuroplasticity is through stability work. Several muscles have to communicate and work synergistically in order to perform an exercise correctly. Functional training is a way to improve coordination and integrate contra-lateral movement (where a movement is synchronized with both sides of the body performing different movements). Another way to improve brain power through exercise is doing a sport that requires quick reflexes, hand/ eye coordination, speed and agility. This will improve reactive skills and depth perception among many other benefits.
Working on progressive matrices and geometric configurations will improve spacial thinking and problem solving. Strategy games and adventure games improve vital activation of multiple hemispheres of the brain at once.
Attention is the sine qua non of learning and thus of boosting intelligence. In order to improve attention and mental clarity many variables have to be considered. Multitasking actually makes it hard to focus your attention. Too many things going on at one time will only give you diverted attention and create bad habits. Be a perfectionist with one thing that requires your attention at that very moment. Meditation is the key to de-cluttering the mind. Learning to decrease unnecessary expenditure of your energy on over analytical processing and emotional roller coasters brings you to the ‘present’ where you can focus and retain what is in front of you and have energy and motivation to learn new tasks.
Nutrition is something most people don’t recognize has a huge impact on brain power. Hydration and healthy, regular meals should be occurring before signs of thirst or hunger appear. Try eating more filling, low-glycemic foods when you know you won’t be eating again for a while.
Sleep will also help brain power. Listen to your body and what it needs. Most people are so sleep deprived they go through there day like zombies. Retention will improve when you are awake and more of your senses are involved in a task. Napping in the middle of the day or after a particular challenging task can also boost memory, so take advantage of a little down time.
Working at these small things will improve mental health and in turn quality of life by motivating you to try new things and explore. For additional ideas or recommendations contact me, Amber Walz.
All athletes face the dangers of getting hurt during their sport. That is why we train and practice. It helps provide the body and mind with some confidence that we can perform that tasks required of us. One of the largest components to this sense of confidence is proprioception. Proprioception refers to the sense of a joint position in relation to the rest of the body. This allows our body to know where we are in space; more specifically, while we are moving. The more balanced our body becomes; the more efficient our movements will be, making ourselves stronger. Once the body can control the hips and spine, the primary muscles can take over to perform the power required. The true key to any sport is efficiency. Can I prepare my body for any type of movement that may occur during performance? Can I avoid getting hurt while still going all out and not holding anything back?
Balance training will do much more than make you less clumsy. Along with strengthening your hip and ankle stabilizers you will become more agile, developing the ability to change your center of gravity throughout movement. The body loves to learn through trial and error. You have to start to lose your balance before the body can learn where it needs to step up and activate. Hiking provides a perfect example of this type of proprioception. While the start of the hiking season might require that your entire attention remain focused on the trail to avoid falling, after a few hikes, you start to notice that you are more confident in your ability to adjust to the terrain by foot feel alone, thus making you less focused on the trail below you and allowing you to look up and enjoy the scenery occasionally. This helps to establish your connection with your surroundings and will in turn help with your balance.
This proprioception can get incorporated to your regular workout routine easily. When standing performing front raise exercises, try standing on one foot. This causes the body to become more unstable and will recruit different muscles to help find the balance point. When that becomes too simple, try closing your eyes. Try keeping your eyes closed through an entire yoga class, or pilates mat session to see if you can feel where your body is in space, focusing solely on your movements. Try a yoga class that focuses on balance training or arm balances. This will teach you which muscles to engage and which muscles to relax to help become more successful.
There are several training styles that incorporate balance in exotic, interesting ways. AcroYoga is a great way to help teach the body proprioception. The practice requires both the base and flyer to know where each other in space throughout all of the movements. Each person must be in control of their own body while also remaining mindful that it is a partner practice. The base recruits hip stabilizers to maintain a stacked leg position while the flyer activates more spinal stabilizers as they attempt to lift their bodies away from the base to create the sensation of lightness. When a spot is available, the practice can be taken to new levels by using blind folds. This really forces a new level of trust and balance that the body would not have experienced otherwise. Once the neural pathways are developed the body can use these movements as tools to help their efficiency on the court, out in the woods, or even in the pool.
 Never be afraid to try something new! Bertrand Russell stated that Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. Contact Personal Fitness Trainer Thomas Eagen if you are interested in learning more about proprioception training or AcroYoga!
Our April guest chef was Kerry Jean-Francois who presented seasonal salads to our members and guest. The Kale and Beet salad was one of the favorites of the night.
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 bunch Swiss Chard
- 1 bunch Purple Kale
- 1 bunch Green Kale
- 1 c. Red Cabbage, chiffonade, rinse in cold water
- 1 ea. Red Beet, medium dice
- 1 ea. Golden Beet, medium dice
- 2 ea. Carrot, peeled and cut in half width wise
- 2 TB Sunflower seed (roasted – shelled)
- 2 TB Pine nuts
- 4 TB Feta cheese, crumbled
- Preheat oven: 400 F
- Rinse and wrap beets in foil, place on sheet pan – roast ~ 40 – 50 min til tender.
- Using potato peeler, peel carrot into ribbons.
Salad Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 TB Garlic, fresh, chopped fine
- ½ tsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
- ¼ c. Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Tarragon, fresh, chopped
- In small saute pan, toast garlic – remove reserve.
- In small jar with lid, combine Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil – shake until emulsified.
- Add Tarragon to vinegar-oil jar with garlic and shake until well blended.
Final Preparation Direction:
Combine all ingredients and toss with vinaigrette.
If there is a single exercise to do on a consistent basis, it would be a PUSH UP. Push ups are an awesome compound movement that is going to work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.
The great thing about push-ups is that they use your body weight as resistance, so you don’t have to use any equipment. When done correctly, a push up is one of the most effective exercises to strengthen your upper body.
Military Push Ups
- Place your toes and hands on the floor, making sure your back and arms are straight. Keep your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and tighten your abdominal muscles.
- Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor.
- Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Don’t lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back.
- Repeat several sets.
Modified Push Up
- Place your hands and knees on the floor. Keeping your gluts and abs tight, your back should be in one diagonal line with your head and neck, and your feet should be lifted from the floor.
- Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor.
- Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Don’t lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back.
- Repeat several sets.
To make your workout more challenging, place your hands on a chair or bench for an incline push up.
For help designing a new workout, or information on planning modifications to your existing workouts, please contact Fitness Director, Jacob Galloway.
Do you ever watch ESPN, see the NFL players training, and think, “Man, my gym really needs a tractor tire and a sledge hammer!” Or do you catch your eyes on the super fit member doing kettlebell swings and think that you really need to buy one of those for home! Or maybe you watch a YouTube video of some amazing new training on nothing but a log and a huge rope and think that you have really been missing out on the magical answer to achieving your goals! Well stop wondering and start reading…
The fitness industry is a million dollar industry, why, because everyone is always looking for the next big thing, the next revolution in health and fitness. If you stay up late enough you’ll probably run across half a dozen infomercials nearly all dedicated to some new piece of equipment that is sure to give you a six pack, a perfect butt, decrease body fat, allow you to enjoy endless hours of amazingly effective cardio. Everything from the Shake Weight, to the Pilates chair, to gizmos and gadgets that help you jump higher, run faster, and lift more. Does it work? Chances are no, chances are its all flash and no results. Some things may work if you stick with them but the “getcha” of equipment for the home is that it’s accessible all the time so you put off using it. Plus there is no one there to push you to do it, to support you, to help you, or to cheer you on. So most of the time you use your equipment at home for a week and then it becomes a clothes hanger (like that treadmill collecting dust in your basement). But in addition to the lack of use, the equipment is mostly smoke. You can lose 10lbs without a Bo-Flex if you got your diet in order and stopped coming to the gym just to use the steam room.
But what about fancy stuff at the gym, it must be worth it right?
Most non traditional equipment at the gym is great if you know how to use it. Here at the SAC we have a Versa Climber (it’s down in cardio next to the Stepmills), and what an awesome machine, if you know how to use it right. Do you need to have a Versa Climber to achieve your goals? Absolutely not. Do you have to know how to use the TRX to improve your flexibility and strength, no. When you see your co-workers working out with a trainer and tossing a sandbag around do you feel like maybe that’s why she looks like a swimsuit model and you don’t? Well the equipment is not the answer. Yes, the equipment we offer here at the SAC is amazing and helpful to training but it WILL NOT MAKE OR BREAK YOUR TRAINING. Just because you don’t know how to use the Quadmill does not mean you cannot strengthen your quads a number of other ways and some of them remarkably similar to the work you get on the Quadmill. Just because you don’t know how to swing a kettlebell doesn’t mean you can’t grab a dumbbell and accomplish a similar exercise with the same principles. While it’s nice and fun to change up your routine and learn something new and cutting edge it’s not magically going to change your workout world. The most important part of changing your workouts is learning proper movement. Understand why you are doing exercises and how they apply them to reaching your goals. If you understand the basics of movement then you can literally workout efficiently anywhere. If you only know how to use a TRX for exercise the next time you find yourself on a 2 week vacation you might not have a clue of how to get in a workout, let alone a good effective one. So equipment is great, but knowledge and understanding how to move your body is the ultimate key.
When you start and master the basics the possibilities are endless. You can learn how to use the fancy stuff but don’t think that learning how to use a strength rope is going to change your body into a professional athlete. When it comes down to it, it’s not about the equipment, it’s about how you move your body without weight, straps, bands, bags, bells, bars, etc. that will make or break your fitness advances. So bottom line, don’t get consumed by the fancy, the new, or the different…rather, be consumed by quality of movement and building a base of knowledge. Then if you feel like swinging a sledgehammer onto a huge tire go for it; but just remember why you are doing it and how it applies to you and your goals!
 If you are looking for further ideas on how you can integrate some of these great pieces of exercise equipment in to your workouts, please contact Personal Fitness Trainer, Adriana Brown.
As spring approaches, we get excited about enjoying outdoor activities here in the Pacific Northwest, including running. It’s easy! Just grab a pair of running shoes and head out the door! But have you ever jumped into a running regime, only to find yourself nursing an injury a few weeks or months down the road? Whether you are new to running or training for yet another marathon, look for ways to cross-train for a balanced body so you can enjoy running all season long.
Most runners know that it is critical to have a strong core, back, hips, and pelvic muscles, but what is the best way to achieve that? One option for this cross training is Pilates. Pilates is a series of exercises given to you by an instructor who learns your weaknesses and tight areas, and then develops a program based on those needs of stretching and strengthening.
I’ve noticed that runners are generally good at Pilates; they seem to know how to engage their gluteals (bottom muscles) and are aware of their core/abdominals. However, runners also tend to have tight quadriceps (thighs) and hip flexors, as well as weak hamstrings (back of legs) and inner thighs. These imbalances in the muscles of the legs and hips can potentially cause pain and injury for runners, especially the knee, hip, ankle and foot.
Pilates helps to balance things out in the legs by strengthening the hamstrings, inner thighs, and gluteals to take pressure off the front and side of the leg, leading to better alignment and less chance of injury. Plus the hip, abdominal and back strengthening exercises help to maintain better stability and alignment through the entire body while running.
The best way to learn what your body specifically needs is to meet with a Pilates Instructor one-on-one. But, in the meantime, some at-home exercises you could start today include the following:
- The Hundred
- The Abdominal Series of five
- Single leg stretch
- Double leg stretch
- Single straight leg stretch
- Double straight leg stretch
- Criss-cross
- Spine Stretch Forward
 A balanced body will result in better performance, quicker recovery, and less chance of injury so you can enjoy running all season long.
Hop on any treadmill, elliptical, bike or any other piece of cardio equipment and it is sure to greet you. A bright and colorful graphic telling you exactly what heart rate you need to get to in order to burn your fat right off. But does this really work? The conventional wisdom in exercise science has long been that weight loss requires sustained, moderate aerobic activity. The “Fat Burning Zone” commonly recommended on cardio equipment follows this model. For example, a treadmill may recommend that a 40 year old maintain a heart rate of 111 beats per minute (bpm) in order to burn fat like a bonfire. Using an age predicted maximum heart rate equation, this would work out to be around 42% of a 40 year old’s Heart Rate Reserve (HRR). HRR is a useful method of calculating exercise intensity that accounts for a person’s baseline fitness by factoring resting heart rate into the calculation. The thing is, 42% of HRR is widely considered to be at the low end of moderate intensity. This is the intensity at which you can read a book, hold a full conversation with a friend and maybe even sing along with your iPod. Would working harder have a benefit for weight loss?
A thorough review by Shaw et al. in 2009 of 43 randomized, controlled trials says yes. As you probably assumed, people who altered their diet and exercised lost the most weight. But pooled results for over 300 participants showed that people who exercised at a high intensity achieved increased weight loss over those who exercised within the “Fat Burn Zone.” The reason that the myth of the “Fat Burn Zone” persists is that there is some truth to it. During a long, moderate workout, your body is more likely to use fat cells as a fuel source; literally burning fat as part of the metabolic pathway. But after this type of moderate workout, your body can return to a normal, resting state fairly rapidly and your calorie expenditure for the rest of the day is not tremendously altered. More intense activity, including cardio and resistance training, does not burn as many calories during the workout and most of the energy comes from sugars. However, this type of exercise greatly increases your oxygen consumption even after you finish your workout. Schuenke et al. in 2002 found that after an intense resistance training session for example, this period of increased energy expenditure lasts as long as 38 hours. Oxygen consumption is directly correlated to the amount of calories burned so one intense exercise session can increase your ability to lose weight over a day after you exercise! No wonder that the authors of the review concluded that “vigorous activity is more effective than moderate or light intensity exercise in inducing weight loss.”
This has huge implications on your workout if you are trying to lose some pounds, tone up or even win the Lose It! grand prize. Try to incorporate high intensity workouts by doing intervals during your cardio workouts and adding in some resistance training circuits. Keep in mind that high intensity exercise is not for everyone and if you are new to exercise or have always done moderate activity, you should talk with a Personal Fitness Trainer. We can create a program that allows you to reap the benefits of high intensity exercise in a healthy, sustainable and enjoyable manner.
 Please contact Hunter Spencer if you have any questions or would like to set up a high intensity weight loss routine. Good luck with your weight loss goals and enjoy your newly intensified workouts!
One of the most frequent things I see at the gym is people working out without eating breakfast or food before they start their gym routine. Your body only has so much energy floating around in it that it can quickly utilize for movement (about 30 min). After that it has to start to pull from stores in you muscle and kidneys. This is usually when I will see my clients start to turn pail, have super low energy and become dizzy. Their body is trying to pull enough stored energy for quick utilization; but there is a little bit of a time lapse where you are running on empty. This is much like what happens to someone who has Diabetes and is referred to as Hypoglycemia. The easiest remedy would be to get some kind of sugar in the body; I have found that orange juice or just fruit works wonders for the “bonking” that happens during exercise on an empty stomach or if you are a diabetic.
Warning signs of hypoglycemia are:
- Mild Symptoms: Trembling or shakiness, nervousness, rapid heart rate, palpitations, increased sweating, excessive hunger
- Moderate Symptoms: headache, irritability and abrupt mood changes, impaired concentration and attentiveness, mental confusion, drowsiness
- Severe Symptoms: unresponsiveness, unconsciousness, convulsions
Insulin’s normal response to meals would include an increase in blood glucose, causing an increase in insulin. Insulin is transported throughout the body and causes the body to enhance its glucose uptake and utilization. A defect anywhere along this pathway for glucose uptake signals diabetes. During exercise low levels of glucose are the main problem to deal with during prolonged intense exercise where the liver does not release enough glucose to match the need of the working muscle.
Benefits of exercise on Diabetes:
- It increases insulin sensitivity, causing a long term improvement in glycemic control (meaning your body needs less insulin to clear the glucose).
- Decreased Cardiovascular disease risk factors
- Weight loss and reduced body fat
- Better psyche
- Reduced occurrence of Type II diabetes
How to exercise to get the best benefits:
- Try for 170 min of weekly exercise
- Combine weights and cardio to your daily routine
- Combine diet and regular exercise
- Exercise must be maintained to keep results
Exercise is a must for anyone, but especially those with diabetes; you can increase your quality of life and make diabetes more manageable. Every day will be different with exercising and your energy levels so you will need to watch how your body reacts to exercise; especially 30 minuntes into it. Remember to eat for exercise and to have some quick energy on hand in case your body needs a little more to finish up the workout.
 If these benefits seam like something that interest you and you would like to be taught by one of the Seattle Athletic Club’s highly educated fitness staff please contact Fitness Director Jacob Galloway.
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