If you had the chance to design and then enjoy a weekend retreat that was tailored to your own needs and preferences, what would it look like? Would you want to be in a beautiful place, eat wonderful healthy food, to get to know the natural environment of ocean and mountains? Would you want to meditate and have personalized restorative yoga sessions? Would you want to end your evening with the most amazing bodywork you will ever experience? Does that sound better than the usual spa experience where m

ost of your time will be spent inside and eating food that is cooked for multiple guests? Having been to many spas in different parts of the country, my recent weekend at Soma Get Fit was in a different league entirely and far surpasses all my other experiences. Here’s why: For starters, the staff spends considerable time before you arrive to develop a personalized itinerary and menu. They want to know what priorities you have, be it cardio/aerobic, yoga and meditation, hiking, biking, kayaking or other water sports. Once that is established, they develop a schedule that integrates the extraordinary natural environment of Santa Barbara into your entire exper

ience. I biked in town, stopped at a number of beautiful parks where Karen led me and my friend Marlo in Yoga sessions. Scott and Karen took is on an amazing hike into the hills of Romero Canyon where the views and flowers were terrific. We visited a soothing Buddhist temple, which allowed us to appreciate silence and some time for reflection and more. Karen guided us on our kayaking trip in the harbor and educated us about the marine biology of the area.

We went to the Farmer’s Market with our personal chef Lys Poet where we picked out the produce that she transformed into a 4 star meals. Each evening ended with Scott Crawford giving us each the most amazing 2 hours of bodywork. His talent must come from the Gods. His work is magical and you won’t want your session to end.

The activities, the setting, the food and the tone all contribute to this unique experience. But the essential quality of the Soma Get Fit stems from its people. They are invested in creating experiences for their guests that change body and mind. Their goal is to facilitate personal transformations that their guests have envisioned for themselves. They come to you without judgment, they don’t have preconceptions and they really want to “be there” for their guests. They are gentle but determined that the time you spend at Soma Get Fit will mean something, both while you are there and after you leave. The only drawback to this entire experience is that you have to leave. I for one will go back as soon as I can.

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2. A Review in Vital Juice for Soma Get Fit
3. CHILL OUT LA LAUNCHES REVIEW FEB 2010

Do you know the difference between Yoga and Pilates?  If your answer is no, you aren’t alone.  Over the years as a Pilates Instructor I’ve been asked by friends “how’s yoga going.”   Today that question makes sense as I’m in the middle of a yoga certification.  However, for the past 7 years while I’ve only been teaching Pilates, the question would make me laugh.  Then I sometimes get “what’s the difference between the two”?  My go to answer for years was “think of yoga as mind/body and Pilates as body/mind.”  It seems a little simplistic to me today, but until recently I didn’t really know how to give a more in depth answer.  Now many years into teaching Pilates, practicing yoga, and being immersed in a yoga certification, I feel I can answer with more substance.   Happily I’ve also come to realize that the two compliment one another quite nicely.

While there might be a few similarities between Pilates and yoga, like the obvious increased strength and flexibility, at the core they are quite different.  Pilates has only been around for about 100 years, while yoga with much more spiritual and meditative aspects dates back at least 5,000 years.  Pilates uses apparatus with springs to give bodies the resistance they are unable to find on their own when doing the mat work.  Yoga is all done on a mat, with props and walls used when needed.  I’m so grateful to those walls as they’ve saved me with my inversions on a number of occasions.  Peter Fiasca wrote in his book, Discovering Pure Classical Pilates, “Although some of the postures of yoga may resemble those found in Pure Classical Pilates, it is in the emphasis and execution that one discovers their distinct differences.”  The classical approach to Pilates keeps bodies moving from one exercise to the next with breath being important and core always a constant focus.   Where as yoga poses might be held for many minutes at a time while perfecting the alignment and focusing on breath.  The breath is also linked to movement.  Many  yoga teachers like to have students set an intention in a yoga class and carry that through until the end of class.  Pilates is an all over workout, but the strength starts at the core.  While yoga touches on the core in some of its poses, it definitely isn’t the main focus.

When I started doing Pilates it was because I thought it was similar to yoga but better.  I tried yoga when I was in college and I have the distinct memory of laughing my way through the class with my friends.  It’s funny to think about that now as yoga has become just as important to me as Pilates is.  Honestly I can’t imagine not having either modality in my life.  Pilates might have helped me get to yoga, but I wouldn’t be able to practice yoga the way I do without my Pilates background.  Anyone with experience in Pilates knows the core is the primary focus, but this is not the case with yoga.  Although, recently I have had some yoga teachers do ab work in their classes.  It seems they are beginning to realize the importance of core strength.  I’m convinced that my inversions, which at times are still tricky, haven’t been as hard for me in my yoga training as they have been for my fellow trainees, because of my core strength and understanding.  This goes both ways though.  My mid-back and shoulders tend to get tight and standing over people all day teaching doesn’t help.  I look forward to that first moment in yoga when I get to extend and twist my spine.  I can’t say I love the deep shoulder stretches we do, but I can completely appreciate what they’re doing for me.  There is plenty of extension work in Pilates, but yoga just goes that much deeper.

So for all you yogi’s out there wanting to move your practice forward, why not try Pilates.  And for all you hard core Pilates fanatics, take a stab at yoga and see if you can increase your extension or twists.  If you haven’t tried either, I hope you now have a better understanding of the differences between the two and will pick at least one to add into your workout routine.   I’m a firm believer of cross-training as muscles can be like people and get bored.  Mix it up and have fun!  Take note that there are many styles of yoga and Pilates out there  (another topic for another time) and finding the right style for you is important.

Kristen Matthews teaches Pilates in Los Angeles, and is currently going through Yogaposer’s 200-hour yoga certification.  You can follow Kristen on twitter or become a fan on facebook.  To read more about where she teaches go to www.kristen4pilates.com.

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This is a review of June Chadwick

Presenting the Alexander Technique

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1) I’ve Completely Trained Outdoors: I’m fortunate to live very close to some of the great hikes of Los Angeles. So rather than spend hours indoors using treadmills and other machines (aka massive amounts of electricity), I’ve been generating my own and enjoying the beautiful scenery and weather all around me. Plus, with all of the recent rains, the sky is clearer and the hills are greener than I have seen in a long while.  I’ve also had the privilege to train with SOMA Get Fit’s Scott Crawford.  In addition to my cardio regimen, Scott has me on the Gray’s Functional Training system.  I believe this on top of the targeted body work that Scott also provided me with is the number one reason I was not very sore after the race as was able to recover so quickly.

2) I’ve Used Clothing and Shoes Made From Sustainable Materials: I ran in Brooks Green Silence Shoes. We’ve covered their eco-cred in a previous article, but one of my favorite things about them is that parts of the soles are biodegradable. It’s great to know the shoes won’t be sticking around for a bazillion years after I stop using them. I also treated myself to an outfit from Lululemon . Lululemon is possibly the best athletic company when it comes to using sustainable resources and being mindful of its environmental impact. I opted to buy something new because a majority of my workout clothes are made of cotton and cotton can chafe after a while. Realizing that I was going to be sweating it out for over five hours, I decided it was a worthy investment, and something I will continually reuse.

3) I’ve Hydrated with H20 and Coconut Water: I’ve steered clear of the Gatorade, Powerade, Sugarades etc and have been using healthier sources of hydration from filtered water (my own filter and reusable bottle) and Naked Coconut Water which is chock full of electrolytes. During the run I enjoyed Clif Bar Blok Chews, which are also a healthy source of electrolytes. I also munched on the Clif Bar Protein Roks to keep my energy high. I did end up having a few cups of Powerade along the way, but not that many.

4) I’ve Minimized Waste: I always use my own water bottle, but for a 26-mile race running with one in hand will be too much. The race staff are generous to offer water and hydration stations along the route, but I noticed from my last race (a half marathon) how much trash was created by paper cups being guzzled and quickly chucked to the ground by exhausted runners (even in a race, I can’t stop thinking about this stuff). For this one, I’ve invested in a water belt so I can carry some of my own water (and coconut water) and I won’t have to be so dependent on the stations. I did end up having to visit a few of the stations, but I reused the same cup over 10 times.

5) We Carpooled: 25,000 people will be running this race, so hopefully 25,000 cars won’t be driving to the starting line. My fellow We Run Green teammate Lauren Selman and I will carpool to and from the race and to pick up our materials a few days before. The marathon is also offering a shuttle service for runners to take advantage of.

The Verdict? I don’t think these massive races can really be super green; they’re by definition big productions that create a lot of waste. However, I do think individuals can make their own experiences less wasteful and these big races could partner with more eco-friendly companies like Naked Coconut or Lululemon.

Training however, can definitely be done greener and truthfully I’ve enjoyed doing it outdoors and using healthier food and beverages more. Plus I love knowing I’m not running in materials laden with chemicals.

So what do you think? Did you run the marathon? What did you think about the eco-friendly nature of the race? Do you run green or train green? Tell us how in the comments below.

Originally posted by Tracy Hepler from Your Daily Thread.com

Images via Fishbowl2009 Flickr, Brooks Running and Interbike

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Discomfort is what we’re are discussing here. Remember, our job as fitness professionals and as active individuals is NOT to diagnose or treat medical conditions, including low back pain. This is NOT to serve as a guide for diagnosis, but an article to recommend some strength and flexibility exercise choices for clients that report discomfort in the low back. If you at all suspect other structural issues, always refer the client or yourself to a qualified health-care provider. Remember folks, our world is about motion and exercise, not medical conditions. Now on with the show…

So why would someone’s low back be prone to being sore or stiff with extra activity? Most likely it is because their back is what we like to call “hyper-tonic”. It has more tone to it than normal. Now I know we all want to be toned up, but not like this. A hyper-tonic low back is one that has a level of constant tension in it that is higher than normal. This also generally means that the fibers in it are shorter than normal. We also may not feel the effects of this tension until we overdo something. So, a group of muscles that sits at this level of tension let’s say, is already angry. An increased level of work placed on these angry muscles, well, gets them really ticked off, and they in turn let you know it. Along with angry low back musculature, the hip flexors are often just as angry and as they go, very often so does the low back.

Now without having to go into detail too much about how this works (if you want to know the detail just email using the info below), the ab muscles and glutes (butt muscles) are actually the opposite. They are a bit more mellow than normal, in fact we’ll call them drowsy. This all puts the body in a position that favors this mish-mash of angry/drowsy muscles and leads to more and more discomfort and maybe even more serious issues.

How does this all come about in the first place? Well there are a couple schools of thought on this and I happen to believe both play a part in this widespread problem. The first one being quite simple, we sit A LOT as a society now. When we’re seated, our hip flexors maintain a shortened position and are just asking to become hyper-tonic (aka angry) over time. This can often lead to an angry low back. The second one being about available motion. Just like we talked about with the knee, if the segments above and below the one in question don’t have enough motion, our body will find it elsewhere. In this case, we’re talking the shoulders/thoracic spine and hips/pelvis. Our low back vertebrae (or lumbar spine) are fairly mobile relative to the thoracic (stabilized by the rib cage) and sacral/coccygeal (stabilized by the pelvis and/or fused) vertebrae. So whatever motion my body may not have at the shoulder girdle and hips, my body will find at my lumbar spine since that is a nearby segment with some extra mobility to it. That is, my low back takes the hit for what my shoulders and hips cannot do.

So how do we work with this?

1) Open up the front of the shoulders (increase mobility)
2) Strengthen the back of the shoulders and upper back (helps with posture maintenance)
3) Open up the hips (quiet angry hip flexors)
4) Increase glute activation (wake up drowsy glutes)
5) Stretch the low back (quiet angry low back muscles)
6) Wake up the abs/core control (wake up drowsy ab/core muscles)

That’s a tall order, so I’m going to give you a few suggestions when consulting with other fitness professionals, or if you are a casual exerciser, about what to look and ask for.

1) Pec major/minor stretches, latissimus dorsi (lats) stretches: usually shows up as stretches that you see people doing in a doorway or with their arm up on a wall
2) Scapular (shoulder blade) retraction exercises: usually some form of bringing the arms from a position in front of the body to one behind it while maintaining elbows out away from the torso
3) Hip flexor stretches
4) Types of squats, lunges, or deadlifts: these need not at all be heavy and must be done perfectly to target glute activation otherwise other muscles may try to step in and take over the motion
5) Low back stretches: usually involve a rounding of the low back while standing or “on all fours”
6) All types of core exercises including, but by no means limited to, variations of ab crunches

There are all kinds of ways to accomplish the above and this should serve only as a starting point of discussion and research for the best selection of exercises to “wake up” and “quiet” the right muscles for your or your client’s specific needs and body. This is to get you thinking about programming, not serve as the detailed guide on it. There could be other muscular imbalances at play and a thorough motion analysis is warranted before beginning individualized programming. And don’t forget my mantra “When in doubt, refer out.”

Got questions? Please email me at rich@oraclefited.com

Thanks for reading and talk to you soon!

Rich

About the author:
Rich Fahmy MS is the Director of Education for Oracle Fitness Education, a company that specializes in continuing education for health and fitness professionals (more info can be found at www.oraclefited.com). He is a trainer’s trainer; and some, although very few, would say he’s a cross between Chuck Norris, a Real Man of Genius, and The Most Interesting Man in the World. And by some, that means just him.

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The Alexander Technique

Explorations in alternative methods to heal the body

By Peter Dugrè

This is the time of year when people strive for new beginnings, when people take a good look in the mirror and reflect on what they ought to do differently. While some advise not to look too deeply and not to try  to change too much, June Chadwick, certified instructor of the Alexander Technique, would teach a student to forget—or unlearn—all of their old bodily habits, and when it comes to posture and body movement, she would ask for a total transformation.

The Alexander Technique (A.T.) is about posture, but not about standing at attention; it is about increased fitness and wellness, but not about a rigorous exercise regimen; it is about body awareness, but not about harsh criticism of body image.

Although the A.T. is about ease and relaxation, it is an intensive lifelong journey. “Even after being a student and then a teacher for 30 years, I still come to realize new things that I’m doing, areas where I’m putting too much stress on myself, that I could be doing differently,” said Chadwick.

Chadwick teaches A.T. at her home on Toro Canyon and also at the Santa Barbara Polo and Raquet Club during the summer. The technique, although almost unheard of by many in the United States, is more popular in Great Britain, Chadwick’s native country, where Frederick Matthias Alexander, creator of the technique that shares his name, spent much of his life after migrating from Australia.

Alexander began to develop the technique in the 1890s while working as an actor in Australia. He had trouble with voice loss and hoarseness, problems that threatened his livelihood, and he was told that there was no explanation or remedy for his sudden, onset of hoarseness. As an actor, Alexander could not go on without a voice, so he began observing himself with the help of friends to determine what he might be doing to cause his voice problem.

Alexander’s observations led to a simple discovery. He noticed that when he wished to project his voice, his habit was to throw his head back as if trying to yell into the air. Upon observing this habit, he realized that what he was doing actually blocked off his airway and was counter productive to his goal of pushing more air through his vocal chords. When Alexander stopped his old, counter-intuitive habit, his voice woes disappeared.

From that pragmatic approach at rectifying his personal problem, Alexander developed a far more complex system of teaching others how to use their bodies properly.

Chadwick said that some open-minded chiropractors refer clients to her so that she can help them learn what type of body mechanics could help ease tension on their spines and inhibit body motions that cause skeletal injuries in the first place.

“People always say my back hurts or my neck hurts,” said Chadwick, “but what they should say is, ‘what am I doing to hurt my neck and my back?’”

Like Yoga, the A.T. teaches its students to become more aware of their bodies, but according to Chadwick, only the A.T. carries over to everyday life in a way that is specific to individuals to help reduce unnecessary strain on the body.

For instance, Chadwick teaches students how to properly sit at a desk if they do so for a major part of their lives, or how to lift boxes, ride horses or any task that requires repetition and the potential to cause problems in overworked areas. “Eventually, you will know when you’re pulling in or squishing, so the right way will become automatic,” said Chadwick.

The starting point for instruction in the technique is with the head’s relationship to the spine. “The body needs to support the heaviness of the head,” said Chadwick. “Most therapists—nobody really—addresses the relationship of the head to the body, but it weighs 10 to 15 pounds.”

Chadwick explains that the body is actually a fine-tuned machine, designed to work well, if used correctly. And that means realizing that the spine is a like a big spring meant to have that dense head balanced on top of it.

Yet, Chadwick hesitates to call the teachings of the A.T. a way to correct posture, because, she says, posture is too rigid of a term. Always trying to sit up straight actually can cause problems. People try to have correct posture and actually force their bodies into tight positions that may restrict lung motion and scrunch the shoulders and neck, or force the head and butt back and out of their natural alignment with the spine.

In a personal lesson of the A.T., Chadwick quietly observes a student’s way of moving, and with gentle hands-on instruction, makes her students realize when their muscles may be too tight, and when too much strain is being placed on the body. “I think this is about giving people choices they didn’t know that they had,” said Chadwick.

The main goal of the A.T. is easy to embrace: put less stress on the body by making it work less. Chadwick does not particularly agree with high impact workouts that she says tend to harm the body more than help, especially in the long term.

For 2009, perhaps instead of ramping up the workout routine to put stress on the body and cause lasting injury, pursue an easier course of body recognition and reeducation that can provide long term health benefits such as the A.T. The new beginnings can develop from within.

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By Kristen Matthews

I recently took a workshop on “The Science of Pilates.”  We discussed the parallels and differences between Personal training and Pilates, and how we (Pilates instructors) fit into the gym world.  Pilates has been around for many years, but it’s really only been the past few that it’s become more mainstream.  With that being said, it can sometimes be a challenge making gym members see the benefits of Pilates.  My goal is to help people realize that Pilates can be an important foundation to any type of physical activity. Both Pilates and PT take clients through workouts that are based on their level from beginner up to advanced.   And in both you work on hypertrophy (changing the muscle), muscular endurance, and muscular strength.  The goal in any type of exercise is to change your body and variety in your workouts will help to reach that goal.

Personal training focuses mostly on concentric motion, which occurs when a muscle shortens in length and develops tension.  An example of this is the upward movement in a bicep curl.   In a training session you typically tear muscle fibers, which creates muscle soreness, lactic acid build-up, and degrades flexibility.   On the other hand, Pilates focuses mostly on eccentric motion.  This is the development of tension while the muscle is being lengthened.  Picture the lowering of the arm in a bicep curl.   Pilates typically stretches muscle fibers because of the focus on eccentric motion and the goal is to find symmetry between strength and flexibility.   Pilates will restructure your body from the inside out, starting at your core.   It’s an all over workout, with many muscle groups working for each exercise.

When putting together your own workout schedule, think about how you can vary it.  As much as I love doing Pilates I’d get bored pretty fast if that was the only type of physical activity that I was doing.   I mix it up by going to yoga classes, hiking with friends, and working with my Personal trainer, Laura Hebert of Santa Monica Sweat.  In every one of those activities I am engaging my core. My yoga is stronger because of my Pilates practice.  The training I’m doing with Laura is helping me see weaknesses that I wasn’t noticing when doing Pilates.  And hiking is a way to get my cardio in and spend time with friends.  Who said working out should be boring!   Remember that the more you do something, the faster you will see results.  If you’re thinking of adding Personal training or Pilates to your routine, aim for doing each two times a week.  You can even start with doing Pilates two times a week and training one day a week or vice versa.  Your body will thank you and so will your health.

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It has been argued that the greening of athletic shoes is often the most difficult because of all of the different components involved in creating a shoe.

That fact didn’t stop The Brooks Running Company who just released The Green Silence Running Shoe made from 75% post consumer materials and non-toxic soy-based dyes. In fact, the Green Silence uses less than half as many parts compared to a regular running shoe. The components are even biodegradable and whatever needs to be held together is done with water-based adhesives. Basically, when it comes to sustainability, this shoe has set the “Green Standard.”

All of these environmental strides are great, but only if the shoe really works. As you may know we’ve launched the We Run Green Campaign here on YDT as I train for the Los Angeles Marathon, so as a part of my training regimen I took these puppies out for a spin.

The first thing I noticed was how light weight the shoe felt; I use to think my Asics were pretty light, but they seem like clogs compared to these. I also enjoyed the breathability the shoe provided, keeping my feet cool and comfortable. There was plenty of cushion and support too, no different than my regular gear.

The verdict: Brooks achieved its goal of creating a shoe that “incorporates sustainability, without sacrificing performance.” I’m going to keep training in them and use them for the big day. After the 26.2 miles, I’ll let you know if I still like them.

There is just one request I have from a more stylistic perspective – more color selection please! Perhaps if I were part of the German national running team I might feel different, but red, yellow and black are not my favorite color combos.

You can purchase the Brooks Green Silence Online for $100.

Learn More: Check out Brooks’ commitment to the environment and what happens to the lifecycle of your shoe on its website.

Don’t forget, when you’re done with these or any athletic shoes, be sure to recycle them.

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Is having good posture a drag?  Good posture can be easier than you think.

Most people donʼt know how to sit or stand with good posture in a way thatʼs comfortable. We have never been taught how to balance our bones and move with the least amount of stress on our bodies. In fact, not only can it comfortable to sit and stand but it can feel easy and very freeing

How about walking?  Wouldnʼt you like to be able to walk anywhere, either a hike or into a room with poise and confidence and fluidity?  It has nothing to do with age.  It has everything to do with learning how.

Do you find yourself getting short of breath?  You can learn how to breathe freely , giving yourself more energy and a better voice!

The principles of the Alexander Technique enable us to change anything thatʼs getting in the way of our mind and bodies having lightness and ʻfree flowʼ, throughout our day, no matter what our activity.  Our overall health changes and top to toe pains and strains diminish dramatically.

For more info visit: www.alexandertechniquewithjune.com or www.alexandertechnique.com

This is a guest post from  June Chadwick, Image via bgh.com

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by Rich Fahmy

I’ve been getting asked a lot lately by client and trainer alike about knee discomfort for exercisers. You know, the knee discomfort that appears usually as the subtle tugging feeling or tightness felt at the outer side or front of the knees. And can at times escalate to pain.

Let’s talk about the knee a little. It essentially is a pretty helpless joint. By this I mean it does what the ankles and hips tell it to do, the knee is at their mercy.

So what’s the point? The point is that when a client or you has knee discomfort, it almost always is never the knee itself, but what lies above and/or below it. To put it quite simply: the motion I don’t have in my hips and ankles will be found in my knees. Remember when we move, our body will get us from ‘point A’ to ‘point B’. It may not look pretty and it may not be the most efficient or optimal motor recruitment pattern, but it will find a way. So it is quite common that my knees take the hit for the lack of mobility of the joints around it. This sets up overuse patterns, and structures that normally would be responsible for let’s say, stabilizing the knee in a particular plane of motion, end up doing even more work than needed. This often leads to some form of pain and tendinitis.

**READ THIS** It should be noted that our job as fitness professionals and as active individuals is NOT to diagnose or treat medical conditions, including tendinitis. This is NOT to serve as a guide for diagnosis, but an article to recommend some flexibility exercise choices for clients that report discomfort in the knee. If you at all suspect tendinitis or other structural issues, always refer the client or yourself to a qualified health-care provider. Remember folks, our world is about motion and exercise not medical conditions. “We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.”

While traditional muscle group exercises for the quads and hamstrings, usually in the form of leg curls and extensions, will do fine at strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee, they may not do much, if at all, to increase motion in the joints that are impacting the knee.

So what do you do exactly?

1) The idea is to increase the mobility of the hips and of the ankles so they can do their jobs, and the knees won’t have to pick up the slack. There are all kinds of ways to do this but to keep things simple, seek out good stretches for hip flexors and calves, these are the most common muscle groups that reduce the available motion in the hips and ankles respectively. And if you or your client doesn’t even have any knee issues, these are good to do anyway.

2) It’s a good idea to also build stability in the joints of the lower body. It is one thing to increase the available motion in a joint with flexibility exercises, it’s entirely another thing to train the body to actually know what to do with the new-found motion once it has it. For the sake of keeping things simple again: for the lower body this just means get your clients standing and actually bearing their weight. If they are sitting on machines all workout long, the body isn’t learning to manage and stabilize their body weight with their lower body. You can then try staggering a stance, narrowing the width of the stance, or even trying single leg exercises if they qualify for them.

Until next time…

Rich

About the author
Rich Fahmy MS is the Director of Education for Oracle Fitness Education, a company that specializes in continuing education for health and fitness professionals (more info can be found at www.oraclefited.com). He is a trainer’s trainer, and some, although very few, would say he’s a handsome man’s man. And by some, that usually refers to himself and his mother. Contact him at rich@oraclefited.com.

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