Mama Said Knock You Out!

Boxing is a great all-around cardio and strength workout

As I walked through the fifty heavy bags hanging from the massive steel cage, I was determined to make LL Cool J (and his mama) proud.  My hands were fully wrapped; I was ready to throw down. 

While I may have been psyched up for a full-on sparring session, a boxing workout for fitness does not typically involve throwing punches at an opponent.  Instead, you target  your aggression toward the punching bags, or in some classes, simply throw punches in the air.  A variety of boxing-based workouts have been on the fitness scene for some time, including Tae-Bo and cardio kickboxing.  Title Club Boxing is the new kid on the block, bringing old school boxing training to your Columbus neighborhood.  If you thought Tae-Bo was a workout, your world is going to be turned upside down with this one.

Eli Ayars, the tatted-up, musclebound MMA fighter leading the class, certainly looked the part, but his demeanor was helpful, safety-minded, and attentive to each participant.  He brought a certain manic energy that wound the class up and got us energized.  Music pounding, trainer bouncing, we started in right away with short interval warm ups - jumping jacks, push ups, squats, lunges.  We progressed to explosive movements, with split lunge jumps, “star” jumps, squat jumps and burpees.  Between each set of warm-ups, we ran laps around the gym. 

This warm-up engaged large muscle groups, elevated our heart rates and definitely burned some calories.  The mixed-level group approached each move with modifications as necessary, and since each interval was timed rather than counted, each participant was able to set his own intensity by adjusting the pace to the individual’s fitness level. 

We donned our gloves for the boxing portion of the class, the real meat and potatoes of the workout.  Eli focused on technique here, encouraging new participants to learn the proper movements to avoid injury.  Combinations of punches were relatively simple, the goal being to burn calories.  Anaerobic drills, short bursts of forceful work, had us working at the upper limits of cardiovascular capacity, increasing efficiency of the cardiovascular system.   In between intervals, we got to rest and recover, and after a series of drills, we ran laps again.  My shoulders started to burn as I nailed the bag over and over again.  These repetitive motions clearly build muscular endurance, but on their own would not encourage much gain in muscular strength. 

The boxing portion of the class culminated with an all-out “sprint” with 20-second intervals of different moves of our choice.  Left jabs, then right crosses, push-ups, now alternating upper cuts, followed by alternating hooks, high knees, jab-cross combo, more push-ups, squats.  I was out of breath, and I was not the only one.  A girl next to me muttered to Eli, “You’re killing us!”, but she was smiling.

Currently, females outnumber males in these classes, as women are generally more often drawn to group fitness than men.  Carla Meinberg has been boxing at Title Club for several months and believes that she “gets more out of this than [she] did with a personal trainer.”  She finds herself with more energy after classes, and has seen improvements in her physique and in her core strength.  Many participants also report an increase in self-confidence and a feeling of toughness.  If you can deal with the physical challenges imposed here, you can face almost anything.

As more and more men become aware of the benefits from boxing, their numbers are growing.  J.C. Decker, a Title Club boxer for one year, lost twenty pounds after starting these workouts, without even trying.  The trainers motivate him to push himself harder than he would on his own.  Eli intones that with this workout, “There is no second guessing.  It’s never boring.  It’s never dull.”

If you are looking for an athletic workout to get lean and toned, boxing may be a good fit for you.  Check with your trainer to make sure he is properly certified and trained in boxing technique, exercise physiology, and safety considerations.  Have fun, fight hard, and make LL Cool J proud.Follow @catherinederrow

Energize your workout!

Glucose is the main source of energy for physical activity.  Eat foods with complex carbohydrates to fuel your workouts.  Eat small portions about an hour before you begin exercising.  Smart choices for pre-workout nutrition are:

·      Fresh fruit (bananas, apples, oranges)

·      Trail mix with dried fruit (no M&Ms or other sugary candies)

·      Oatmeal

·      Lentils

·      Energy gels

Don’t forget to drink plenty of water as well!!

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Nutrition Basics

Basic nutrition facts are common sense – the challenge is accepting what you already know to be true and sticking with your goal to eat more healthfully.

 

·       No need for fad diets.  Forget Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, or whatever else.  The key to long term weight loss and maintenance of goal weight is changing eating habits for good.

·       Avoid processed foods.  If the ingredients are unrecognizable, unpronounceable, or too numerous to count – stay away!

·       Choose whole foods instead.  Get your nutrients and vitamins from fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, and legumes that can be found in nature.  These foods are more easily digested, lower in calories, and overall more healthy for your body.

·       Eat mostly plants.  While meat offers a great protein source, studies show that plant-based diets are more healthful.

·       Eat the colors of the rainbow.  The bright and vibrant colors found naturally in fruits and vegetables reflect the variety of nutrients that they offer. Make sure your plate contains lots of different colors, the darker the better.

·       Limit portion sizes.  You don’t have to join the “clean plate club”.  Cut your sandwich in half and save the other half for later.  Use a smaller plate to limit serving size.  Say no to seconds.

·       Eat mindfully.  Slow down.  Chew your food.  Set the fork down between bites.  Ask yourself, “am I hungry now?”  If not,do something besides eat.

·       Don’t beat yourself up.  We eat for a lifetime.  Eat for pleasure, but eat for health as well.  Enjoy your food and dine joyfully.

The steps to eating better are easier than you think.  Commit to making a few changes at a time.  Forgive yourself for lapses, and get back on the right track.

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Dieting and Kids and other Sensitive Subjects

A personal essay by Dara-Lynn Weiss in the recent issue of Vogue magazine has caused quite a stir. The essay concerns Weiss' attempts to regulate her daughter's eating habits as a result of her pediatrician's observation that Weiss' daughter's BMI fell into the obese category.

Internet bloggers and commentators express outrage at the Weiss' admissions of occasionally harsh criticisms of her daughter, reprimanding the daughter for unhealthy food choices, making scenes in restaurants, applying rules inconsistently, and acting hypocritically by secretly consuming the same foods she admonished her daughter for enjoying. (All parents make these mistakes and more all the time. I find no need to vilify Weiss for confessing her parenting sins.) Clearly, by putting personal and family issues on public display Weiss opens herself up to judgment, and may subject her daughter to undue embarrassment from the scrutiny of the sometimes strained mother-daughter relationship.

However, in my reading of the article, I find Weiss' tone to be self-aware of her shortcomings. She does not claim to be recommending to readers a litany of effective parenting methods; rather, her essay is an acknowledgement of the difficulties of navigating an important, but sensitive, subject with her daughter when she has yet to come to terms with how to deal with it herself. Weiss admits to struggling with body image issues, food, and weight herself. She faces these issues with ambivalence, wanting to allow her daughter indulgences while at the same time encouraging healthy choices.

Her daughter's pediatrician expressed concern over her daughter's weight, and indeed, childhood obesity is a real problem. Reading over many of the commentators, people brushed off the idea of obesity in children by commenting that a little weight on kids is normal and nothing to be concerned about. However, health problems associated with obesity are well-documented, and the problem is growing exponentially, with the incidences of childhood obesity tripling over the past thirty years.

While Weiss' methods may leave something to be desired, at least she is attempting to deal with the problem. She also addresses an issue that I feel is often neglected: the type and amount of food that children are confronted with on a daily basis. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has made it his mission to help schools overhaul their menus to include healthier options, but unfortunately, most schools are continuing to offer the same mass-produced, overly processed, canned, frozen junk that we had on our plates as kids. Adding to that, each and every milestone is a child's life appears to be rewarded by some kind of candy or unhealthy treat. Cupcakes brought in for birthdays, candy for Halloween/Valentine's Day/Purim/President's Day/Arbor Day, lollipops for haircuts, cookies included with kids' restaurant meals, and on and on. Everywhere they turn, kids are confronted with sugar in all forms. A child struggling with her weight meets temptation all the time, forcing her to make difficult decisions.

Furthermore, several commentators suggest that Weiss failed to factor in exercise as part of the equation, when in fact, she does mention that she enrolled her daughter in tae kwon do, an activity in which her daughter enjoys participating. Physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle, part of the way that we build healthy habits into our children's lives.

While Weiss may not be the poster child we want for combating childhood obesity, at least she is taking steps in the right direction for her family. Rather than snipe at her over the internet, let's find ways, hopefully more constructive ways, to help our children stay healthy, be active, and eat nutritiously.


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How's Your Body?

Someone asked me today: "How's your body?" and I obviously answered: "AWESOME." How's that for a positive self image?

That's not what he meant, of course. He was asking me, have you had any injuries? For a person who trains everyday, usually twice a day, and has for over fifteen years, that's not an unreasonable question. I have been lucky to have been healthy and injury-free (other than muscle soreness) through the many years of intense working out.

That seems to be less common than you might think. In his book, Warrior Girls: Protecting Our Daughters Against the Injury Epidemic in Women's Sports, Michael Sokolove draws attention to the disturbingly high incidence of injuries in women's and girls' sports. Due to a variety of factors, including the competitive climate of athletics with regard to the intensity of play and year-round duration of practice and play, the fundamental musculoskeletal differences between male and female athletes, and the fierce determination of the players, more and more girls and women are getting hurt in their sports. The proportion of female athletes who experience significant injury (such as an ACL tear) is exponentially higher than for their male counterparts. In some sports, like soccer and basketball, tearing an ACL is almost a rite of passage, an inevitable part of participation.

Unfortunately, while eager young athletes and their driven coaches may see these injuries as detrimental in terms of lost playing time and deconditioning while rehabilitating, the consequences can be much more severe. Every surgery, no matter how minor, carries inherent risks, and each time these women go under the knife they subject themselves to the possibility of additional complications. Furthermore, tears and damage to the ligaments and tendons of the joints of young, healthy people may result in crippling impairments twenty years down the road.


Of course we do want our daughters to run and play and compete. We can't have them sitting on the sidelines watching the boys play. So how do we keep them safe? Here are some ideas:

• Cross-training. The tendency of the past few years is to have kids specialize in a single sport from a very young age and immerse them in the sport completely so that they are playing and training for the one sport year-round -- through the regular season, school, club and travel teams. This leads to a lot of repetitive movements and overexposures to opportunities for injury. Allow children (boys and girls) to play a variety of sports and games. This will create a cross-training effect that will strengthen the whole body in different ways.

• Rest. Hyper-competitiveness and drive may give her an edge over the rival team, but is it worth it if she can't walk in middle age? Keep a reasonable training schedule that allows for at least one true rest day a week. While training, remember to get sufficient sleep each night. Fatigue leads to injury.
  

• Increase muscle strength. Many joint injuries result from weakness in the muscles supporting the joint. In addition to cardiovascular endurance, athletic drills, and practice games, incorporate resistance training to strengthen the muscles, particularly the lower limbs. Do weighted squats and lunges to strengthen quadriceps and hamstrings

• Listen to your body. Respect the signs and signals that your body gives you. "Warrior girls" want to play through pain and push through injuries -- but this only makes the injuries worse. Although it can be hard to stop, particularly if it is a key moment in a game, it may make the difference between a minor ache and a catastrophic injury.

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Krav Maga - Find Your Inner Fighter

An attacker slams you hard to the rough asphalt and presses a knife up to your throat. Do you know what to do? If you practice krav maga, then you are prepared to defend yourself in such a scenario.

This latest fitness trend isn’t really about fitness at all, even though you can certainly improve your fitness through regular krav maga training. Krav maga was developed, and is currently practiced, as a method of self-defense under unpredictable and dangerous conditions. Its founder, Imi Lichtenfeld, faced with aggressors in World World II-era Eastern Europe, combined elements of wrestling, boxing, and gymnastics to overcome and defeat assailants. Later, he brought this method of self-defense to the fledging Israel, where the army was trained in krav maga for hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. More martial arts techniques and movements were incorporated, and krav maga proved to be extremely effective for fighters in real-life situations.

As krav maga grows in popularity, most participants flock to classes seeking fitness benefits. In the Level I class that I took at Ohio Krav Maga & Fitness, we got our hearts pumping and blood rushing by jogging around the gym. After a few stretches, the fighting began right away, with punches delivered to our partner’s focus mitts. My no-nonsense partner forcibly pushed me away if I edged in too closely. I could feel my heart rate rising with this high intensity work.

Unlike other forms of martial arts, krav maga is not a sport. There are no matches, and the focus is not on form or alignment -- it’s about getting the job done. As a result, functionality is premium; all moves are meant to translate into real-life situations to effectively defeat your attacker.

In our class, instructor John Lovins led us through several groundwork maneuvers designed to free ourselves from being pinned down by an assailant. We first perfected the best way to fall and get back up while still protecting and defending ourselves. We then moved to partner-work with another person straddling and choking the other. These positions can be uncomfortable for someone with personal space issues (like me!), but as another instructor, Terri Rosen, pointed out, “this is a safe place to deal with that uncomfortable feeling” rather than in a truly dangerous situation with a stranger digging his fingers into your windpipe.

Grappling with my partner as I learned points of weakness, throwing elbows and dodging kicks, I felt empowered and strong. I also felt tired, as our entire body was employed to defend ourselves. In krav maga, there are no rules, no time-outs, no off-limits. This system is based on the real world, and in the real world, you do whatever you can to stay alive. Krav maga gives you the tools to take advantage of your own power. In the process, you gain strength, burn a few calories, and become more confident.

For power, we finished off with drills, moving quickly through hard and fast punches on the striking pads. While we were slugging it out on the shield, our partner would simulate a knife attack, which we then fought off using the skills we had practiced earlier. The adrenaline is rushing, your shirt is dripping with sweat, and instructor Sue Burton sums up your thoughts, “Holy crap! What just happened?!” What happened? I'm a fighter now.Follow @catherinederrow

Power Yoga

Today I tried out a much-hyped studio that offers power yoga. Power yoga is a hybrid form of vinyasa yoga that grows out of the Ashtanga tradition, cultivating the physical benefits of yoga.

Typically, one of the primary purposes for doing yoga is the focusing of the mind. Beryl Bender Birch, one of the first proponents of power yoga says, "the idea behind the physical practice of yoga is to encourage a deeper mind-body awareness ... [improving the] physical body helps bring clarity and focus to the mind as well."

However, at this studio, top 40 pop and R&B music blared from the speakers while we practiced, preventing any clearing of the mind. While the music was fun to listen to, it distracted the focus from the breath and perhaps inhibited body awareness, as our minds were on the music rather than our actions on the mat.

One of the main differentiations of this type of yoga from traditional yoga was the pace. The teacher led us through the sequences at a tempo significantly quicker than even Ashtanga yoga, a very athletic form of yoga. Although the instructor cued the breath, if a practitioner were breathing at that rate, she would likely hyperventilate. As a result, movements were not linked to an inhale or exhale, which usually typifies most vinyasa practices.

Another disadvantage to this faster rate of movement is the sacrifice in alignment. Most practitioners (this was a mixed-level class) cannot achieve proper alignment when their bodies are changing shape at such a rapid pace. Safety is a huge concern. Unfortunately, in this class, the teacher practiced along with the students, with her back to the class. She was not monitoring the students for good form, or even able to make verbal corrections as she could not see the students.

Moving at such a quick pace made for a good aerobic workout, however. Our heart rates increased, and we were definitely burning calories. Yoga is still a low-impact activity with a moderate intensity, so the calories burned are going to be less than a high impact activity like running for the same period of time.

Power yoga does have some strength building components to it as well, leveraging our body weight to perform planks, push-ups and balance work. These exercises will certainly make a difference in your body over time, especially compared with a sedentary individual, but the strength gains are going to be less than doing a traditional strength training program with resistance.

Lastly, the room was heated to approximately 90-95 degrees, increasing the flexibility of the muscles. Warm muscles are more relaxed and have increased range of motion. However, it is unclear to me to whether significant gains in flexibility can be sustained after the class since the poses were not held for any length of time.

For me, power yoga was enjoyable as an aerobic workout, an alternative to using the elliptical or going for a run on a "rest" day. I really don't consider it true yoga, since to me, one of the primary goals of yoga is relaxation and focusing on the breath, which was completely absent from this practice. Still, power yoga is a fun way to burn calories and maintain muscle tone.Follow @catherinederrow

Body Fat Percentage

Most people who are overweight know that they need to lose weight, but the question is: how much? When you are beginning a training program, it is helpful to go through a series of fitness assessments, including body composition. Learning your body fat percentage will give you helpful information about the direction that your fitness program should take.

There are several methods of determining body fat percentage, including hydrostatic weighing (underwater), skinfold caliper testing, handheld devices, DXA scan, and BodPod. Most of these methods have some disadvantages, and varying levels of user error or inaccuracy.

One of the most accurate methods of measuring body fat composition is through the BodPod machine, pictured here. This machine is a highly accurate measure, performing an analysis of the body through air displacement. The test is non-invasive and relatively inexpensive, but it may be difficult to find a machine nearby. I completed my test at Baseline Fitness, a personal training studio in Worthington, OH.

For the test, you need to put on a bathing suit and swim cap, and you sit very still inside the egg-shaped pod. I thought I might be somewhat claustrophobic, but the test is only 50 seconds. For accuracy, the test is repeated at least once, potentially twice. When the test is complete and you have dressed, the administrator will explain the analysis, which includes body density, fat weight, fat-free weight, total weight, and body fat percentage.


This information is analyzed according to a chart like the one seen here, and recommendations are made based on your results and your current lifestyle habits.Follow @catherinederrow

TRX Suspension Training

This article appeared in the most recent issue of Columbus' only athletic fitness magazine, 11athletics.

Walking in, I was faced with a torture chamber. At least, that’s what it looked like at first sight. Long yellow and black cables dangled from large steel cages all around the room. It was like no gym space I had ever seen before. Although I had spotted a lone TRX in the corner of my own gym, an entire room full of this equipment was a little intimidating. What was I in for?

TRX Suspension Training was created by a U.S. Navy Seal as a way to train in unconventional environments - on ships or submarines, for example. A compact and versatile piece of equipment, users leverage their body weight to perform the exercises. Listed as one of the top ten fitness trends of 2010 by Outside magazine, this seven-year-old company is growing quickly and TRX equipment is available in many gyms throughout central Ohio.

Having seen this yellow and black cable in my own gym, I often wondered whether it was worth figuring out how to use it. It looks awkward and complicated and maybe even a little scary. Rachel, a group fitness instructor who uses TRX as part of her personal exercise regimen, says, “It's brutal. It works. I dread it like no other form of exercise.” That did not make me feel better.

I decided to check out a class at Pai Yoga and Fitness, a boutique gym offering 60-minute TRX classes. Skeptical about whether the instructor could fill an entire hour with varied exercises, I chose my place under one of the straps. However, from the warm-up onward, the trainer led us through a quick-paced, active workout. We got moving right away with deep squats while holding the handles of the strap. Jason White, our trainer, demonstrated how to vary the resistance by moving closer or further from the fixation point, increasing or decreasing the incline of the body.

We transitioned into some intense core training, with a range of plank exercises, both on our forearms and hands. With the feet suspended in the handles of the straps, we really had to brace our abdominal muscles to stabilize the body. Throughout the workout, Jason offered modifications, but challenged us to work harder.

Rest between exercises was brief, 30-90 seconds. Enough time to catch our breath and get a quick drink, but we were able to keep our energy up and stay engaged in the workout. From a standing position, with one foot in the handles, we performed stationary lunges with the added resistance of a 3 kg medicine ball. It was helpful to have a professional and certified trainer there to not only demonstrate the movement, but observe and correct technique.

From a functional training perspective, going into the class, I doubted whether TRX would have much impact on speed. As I exploded up into jump squats and sprang up on one leg between burpees, however, I realized these plyometric exercises can improve performance and speed.

Before we moved into our cooldown and stretch, Jason led us through a series of upper body exercises, including variations on bicep curls, tricep pulldowns and push-ups. In sixty minutes, we worked the whole body. The unique demands of the TRX equipment required more stabilization work from the core than traditional weight lifting exercises.

This tough workout offers great cross-training benefits for runners, cyclists and other athletes looking to improve core strength and get leaner. The core training benefits attracted Kevin Vance, of Lululemon, to the workout. He has been taking the TRX class for a month and already feels stronger. Once people try the workout, says Jason White of Pai Yoga, they keep coming back.

If you want to check out TRX Suspension training, mention 11Athletics and enjoy a free class pass at Pai Yoga and Fitness, 6367 Sawmill Road Dublin, OH 43017, (614) 397-8230.Follow @catherinederrow

Keeping Yourself Safe

A recent article in the New York Times has the yoga blog world in a flurry over its focus on injuries that yoga practitioners have suffered. The article goes so far as to quote a senior teacher as saying that most people should give up yoga as the potential for harm is too great.

Clearly, as pointed out by the author, William Broad, yoga is a physical pursuit, and like all physical activities, there is some potential for injury. There is a risk of injury walking from your house to your car, in picking up your child, even in moving the shower curtain from one corner to the other. Yoga has been shown to offer lots of benefits to students, both physical and mental, and students flock to classes looking to calm their minds, relax their bodies, strengthen their core, and tone their arms. Yoga is often offered as an option to rehab from an injury. So why all the fuss?

Unlike in the activities mentioned above, or in solitary athletic pursuits like running or cycling, in yoga, students' movements are typically directed by a teacher. Students trust that their teachers are knowledgeable about anatomy, kinesiology, biomechanics, and injury prevention. As there is vast differentiation between yoga teacher training programs, this may or may not be the case. Furthermore, there are many different types of yoga. (See Alison Hink's yoga infographic for an idea of the plethora of styles out there). Some types of yoga are slower, more relaxing, and focused on restoring the soul. Others are more athletic and focused on toning your butt. Depending on the type of yoga being taught, the potential for injury may greater.

Additionally, many classes, particularly in gyms or health clubs, are multi-level classes, with beginners setting up next to advanced practitioners. Modifications may be offered, but students may not be sure if the modification is right for them, and in a large class, a teacher may not be able to adjust each student or personally address everyone's needs or issues -- although hopefully she will attend to anyone endangering themselves.

The key is not to forget one of the central tenets of yoga is ahimsa - nonviolence. Which of course, includes yourself. Here are some ways to keep yourself safe and hopefully, injury-free, in your yoga class:

• Know your teacher. Introduce yourself, find out her/his name. Ask where she trained, and what her yoga interests are. Don't be shy. This information is important and will help you find out if she is knowledgeable about the body and how it works. Beware of teachers who have only one or two weekend workshops for training. Look for a teacher who has at least a 200 hour RYT qualification (although that is no guarantee, it usually means a more in-depth training program).

• Find out what type of yoga is being taught in the class. If the schedule just says "yoga", find out what that means. Is it hatha? yin yoga? ashtanga? jivamukti? If you ask and don't understand the answer, ask for clarification or look it up online. If you ask, and the answer is "just yoga", then refer to the above-referenced point ... you probably need to find a different class.

• Ask about the level of the class. Is it being taught for beginners? intermediate? advanced? Are the students assumed to have a certain skill level? Does that correlate with your skill level? Let the teacher know your previous experience with yoga.

• Be aware of your body. Do you have any pre-existing injuries? Have they healed completely? Let your teacher know before class starts. While you are practicing, if you feel any pain, back off the pose immediately. Become aware of the difference between pain and sensation. You will feel sensation in your body as you stretch and move, but it shouldn't hurt.

• Become aware of contra-indications and risks for poses. Certain poses carry more risks than others, particularly inversions. As you become more involved in your practice, take the time to educate yourself regarding the poses that you are practicing. Make sure that there are no reasons why you shouldn't be doing any of those poses and then practice with care.
  

• Remember: It's just yoga. There's no rush to get into a certain pose and it's not a competition. Enjoy the practice and let the benefits envelope you rather than becoming stymied by a possible injury.
  

Namaste!Follow @catherinederrow