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From January 2007
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Workout Report
OK, it’s that time of year when you resolve to make up for the transgressions of the just-survived holiday season. If yet another round of free weights isn’t the ticket and the latest fitness innovations rule your day, not to mention your waistline, you might benefit from some or all of the following. And put down the cannoli.
Bailamos!
Move over, Emmitt Smith, dance your way to a more fit physique with Zumba, cardio-salsa, ballroom boot camp, ballet, belly dancing, hip hop and hula. Dance-fitness classes are one of the newest forms of group exercise available at virtually any gym in the Sacramento area, and the latest wrinkle is salsa-inspired Zumba: easier to learn, same fitness quotient. The key to success is strengthening the core abdominal muscles while potentially tightening glutes, calves, inner and outer thighs and even triceps and deltoids. Local dance schools have caught onto this craze and are offering dance-fitness classes. The perk? Dance schools tend to charge on a per-class basis, so monthly membership fees may not apply. On average, a dance-fitness class will burn anywhere from 250 to 450 or more calories per hour, and you can put your dance skills to future use.
Striptease and Stripper Poles
If traditional forms of dance don’t interest you, then try the exotic. Cardio striptease, lap dancing or a home-mounted stripper pole are the hot new methods of getting in shape all over the country. The stripper pole workout is effective because it strengthens the arms, back and upper body while the body is suspended from the pole, and it strengthens the abs, thighs and hip flexors when the legs are being lifted or the body is dipping toward the ground.
The most popular at-home pole method has been Sheila Kelly’s S Factor, as seen on Oprah and in magazines such as Los Angeles and Entertainment.
The S Factor stripper pole ($279) mounts to your ceiling with hardware that disguises itself as a plant hook. Two-day beginner classes are taught throughout the state, and classes for all levels are available on video ($30-$35) or in a book titled “Strip Workouts for Every Woman.” If you are not interested in working out at home, cardio striptease classes are offered at Lady Fitness in Sacramento, and weekly pole classes are available at several gyms throughout the Bay Area. These classes offer a total body workout. Not a bad way to burn 400 to 500 calories per hour.
Climb Your Way to Fitness
Indoor rock climbing is a fun and effective way to strengthen and tone your upper and lower body. Pipeworks Gym in Sacramento and the Rocknasium in Davis offer introductory classes for beginning indoor rock climbers. Rock climbing promotes flexibility while targeting almost every major muscle group in the body. In addition to adding to your physical adeptness, indoor rock climbing is a vigorous mental challenge. As if working a puzzle, the climber must mentally configure a means to the top of the indoor mountain before rappelling to the bottom. Still not convinced? Indoor rock climbing burns 350 to 700 calories per hour, depending on your weight. Try taking your office mates to Pipeworks for one of their office team-building activities, and see who can live up to the challenge.
Gyrotonic
Wahida Sharman, an occupational therapist and owner of the EPY Center, is a certified Pilates and Gryotonic instructor. With two decades of experience, her technical knowledge of anatomy and movement helps her inspire and teach clients to use an integrated approach to exercise that promotes fitness, health and well-being. “Our approach to health differs from traditional methods of weight training and fitness because, most exercises work large, superficial muscle groups and do not focus on the deep intrinsic muscles crucial to proper balance and posture,” says Sharman.
Through specially designed equipment, Gyrotonic movements use sweeping, spherical motions to stretch and strengthen in a three-dimensional plane. The system uses breath and free-flowing movements to enhance health and improve spinal mobility. The Gyrotonic method of exercise was developed in the early 1980s by Juliu Horvath, a Hungarian professional dancer who suffered a serious injury and devised the system for his rehabilitation.
Horvath’s methods invigorate and train the body to move with fluidity, relaxation and power. Based on principles of gymnastics, swimming, ballet, tai-chi and yoga through which major muscle groups are worked interdependently, the Gyrotonic equipment is now found in rehabilitation centers, dance studios, sports training and fitness facilities all over the world. Sharman discovered the system as a result of her own need for rehabilitation after suffering from chronic pain following a car accident.
“With multiple pain injuries, I tried acupuncture and then Pilates, which led me to Gyrotonic exercises,” says Sharman. “I found it to be a tremendous help, and I was surprised to learn that I added more than an inch to my height.”
The Gyrotonic tower or ladder is a beautifully carved wooden structure that looks innocent enough, but its ability to provide a full upper back stretch harkens back to the medieval rack of torture. There is also a padded wooden bench with two spherical dials to achieve the sweeping motions. Both of these pieces of equipment are used in gentle, flowing, elongating movements to exercise the shoulder girdle and lower back, differing from Pilates exercises, which work the core muscles through linear motions.
Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit, and it is intense, rigorous and fast paced. Ashtanga incorporates a series of poses in a set, particular order.
Power Yoga: Power yoga is a western term for a hybrid of Ashtanga yoga. Like Ashtanga, Power yoga incorporates series of poses into its sequence; however, the order may be different than that of Ashtanga.
Vinyasa Yoga: Vinyasa yoga synchronizes breath and movement. Class will typically start with a series of sun salutations and progressively become more difficult.
Bikram Yoga: Bikram yoga is often called “hot yoga” because it is practiced in a room heated to 100-105 degrees. This helps to detoxify the body by promoting sweat.
Iyenger Yoga: Iyenger is a fluid type of yoga that concentrates on body alignment while holding poses for long periods of time.
Zen Diving: The fusion of scuba diving and yoga may seem a bit unusual but is becoming a popular vacation-retreat activity. The Yoga Diving company teaches both yoga and scuba diving to the vacationer and then combines the two. The 2006/2007 vacations take place in Dahab, Egypt.
Spa Yoga: If yoga diving is a bit advanced for your taste, try underwater yoga, specifically in the spa. Much like Bikram’s methods, spa yoga raises the body temperature and creates a buoyant environment for the participant, reducing the amount of impact on the body.
Laughter Yoga: The latest international craze, gaining popularity in Southern California, incorporates laughter into traditional yoga’s chanting and stretching exercises. Participants make time to guffaw, snort, chortle, belly laugh and giggle themselves into fitness. Not yet available in Sacramento … but we can hope!
The New, the Old, the Exotic
By Tara Manners and Jeanne Winnick BrennanOK, it’s that time of year when you resolve to make up for the transgressions of the just-survived holiday season. If yet another round of free weights isn’t the ticket and the latest fitness innovations rule your day, not to mention your waistline, you might benefit from some or all of the following. And put down the cannoli.
Bailamos!
Move over, Emmitt Smith, dance your way to a more fit physique with Zumba, cardio-salsa, ballroom boot camp, ballet, belly dancing, hip hop and hula. Dance-fitness classes are one of the newest forms of group exercise available at virtually any gym in the Sacramento area, and the latest wrinkle is salsa-inspired Zumba: easier to learn, same fitness quotient. The key to success is strengthening the core abdominal muscles while potentially tightening glutes, calves, inner and outer thighs and even triceps and deltoids. Local dance schools have caught onto this craze and are offering dance-fitness classes. The perk? Dance schools tend to charge on a per-class basis, so monthly membership fees may not apply. On average, a dance-fitness class will burn anywhere from 250 to 450 or more calories per hour, and you can put your dance skills to future use.
Striptease and Stripper Poles
If traditional forms of dance don’t interest you, then try the exotic. Cardio striptease, lap dancing or a home-mounted stripper pole are the hot new methods of getting in shape all over the country. The stripper pole workout is effective because it strengthens the arms, back and upper body while the body is suspended from the pole, and it strengthens the abs, thighs and hip flexors when the legs are being lifted or the body is dipping toward the ground.
The most popular at-home pole method has been Sheila Kelly’s S Factor, as seen on Oprah and in magazines such as Los Angeles and Entertainment.
The S Factor stripper pole ($279) mounts to your ceiling with hardware that disguises itself as a plant hook. Two-day beginner classes are taught throughout the state, and classes for all levels are available on video ($30-$35) or in a book titled “Strip Workouts for Every Woman.” If you are not interested in working out at home, cardio striptease classes are offered at Lady Fitness in Sacramento, and weekly pole classes are available at several gyms throughout the Bay Area. These classes offer a total body workout. Not a bad way to burn 400 to 500 calories per hour.
Climb Your Way to Fitness
Indoor rock climbing is a fun and effective way to strengthen and tone your upper and lower body. Pipeworks Gym in Sacramento and the Rocknasium in Davis offer introductory classes for beginning indoor rock climbers. Rock climbing promotes flexibility while targeting almost every major muscle group in the body. In addition to adding to your physical adeptness, indoor rock climbing is a vigorous mental challenge. As if working a puzzle, the climber must mentally configure a means to the top of the indoor mountain before rappelling to the bottom. Still not convinced? Indoor rock climbing burns 350 to 700 calories per hour, depending on your weight. Try taking your office mates to Pipeworks for one of their office team-building activities, and see who can live up to the challenge.
Gyrotonic
Wahida Sharman, an occupational therapist and owner of the EPY Center, is a certified Pilates and Gryotonic instructor. With two decades of experience, her technical knowledge of anatomy and movement helps her inspire and teach clients to use an integrated approach to exercise that promotes fitness, health and well-being. “Our approach to health differs from traditional methods of weight training and fitness because, most exercises work large, superficial muscle groups and do not focus on the deep intrinsic muscles crucial to proper balance and posture,” says Sharman.
Through specially designed equipment, Gyrotonic movements use sweeping, spherical motions to stretch and strengthen in a three-dimensional plane. The system uses breath and free-flowing movements to enhance health and improve spinal mobility. The Gyrotonic method of exercise was developed in the early 1980s by Juliu Horvath, a Hungarian professional dancer who suffered a serious injury and devised the system for his rehabilitation.
Horvath’s methods invigorate and train the body to move with fluidity, relaxation and power. Based on principles of gymnastics, swimming, ballet, tai-chi and yoga through which major muscle groups are worked interdependently, the Gyrotonic equipment is now found in rehabilitation centers, dance studios, sports training and fitness facilities all over the world. Sharman discovered the system as a result of her own need for rehabilitation after suffering from chronic pain following a car accident.
“With multiple pain injuries, I tried acupuncture and then Pilates, which led me to Gyrotonic exercises,” says Sharman. “I found it to be a tremendous help, and I was surprised to learn that I added more than an inch to my height.”
The Gyrotonic tower or ladder is a beautifully carved wooden structure that looks innocent enough, but its ability to provide a full upper back stretch harkens back to the medieval rack of torture. There is also a padded wooden bench with two spherical dials to achieve the sweeping motions. Both of these pieces of equipment are used in gentle, flowing, elongating movements to exercise the shoulder girdle and lower back, differing from Pilates exercises, which work the core muscles through linear motions.
Yoga 101
Hatha Yoga: Hatha tends to refer to a slow-paced yoga class. Hatha is a good beginner level class, as it should teach the fundamentals of yoga.Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit, and it is intense, rigorous and fast paced. Ashtanga incorporates a series of poses in a set, particular order.
Power Yoga: Power yoga is a western term for a hybrid of Ashtanga yoga. Like Ashtanga, Power yoga incorporates series of poses into its sequence; however, the order may be different than that of Ashtanga.
Vinyasa Yoga: Vinyasa yoga synchronizes breath and movement. Class will typically start with a series of sun salutations and progressively become more difficult.
Bikram Yoga: Bikram yoga is often called “hot yoga” because it is practiced in a room heated to 100-105 degrees. This helps to detoxify the body by promoting sweat.
Iyenger Yoga: Iyenger is a fluid type of yoga that concentrates on body alignment while holding poses for long periods of time.
New Trends:
Outdoor Yoga: Trendsetting gyms such as Crunch and Sky Sport Spa in Los Angeles are now offering outdoor yoga classes both during the day and in the evening. Locally, outdoor meditation retreats are offered once per month (weather permitting) through the Sacramento Yoga Center.Zen Diving: The fusion of scuba diving and yoga may seem a bit unusual but is becoming a popular vacation-retreat activity. The Yoga Diving company teaches both yoga and scuba diving to the vacationer and then combines the two. The 2006/2007 vacations take place in Dahab, Egypt.
Spa Yoga: If yoga diving is a bit advanced for your taste, try underwater yoga, specifically in the spa. Much like Bikram’s methods, spa yoga raises the body temperature and creates a buoyant environment for the participant, reducing the amount of impact on the body.
Laughter Yoga: The latest international craze, gaining popularity in Southern California, incorporates laughter into traditional yoga’s chanting and stretching exercises. Participants make time to guffaw, snort, chortle, belly laugh and giggle themselves into fitness. Not yet available in Sacramento … but we can hope!
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