A SOMA Experience Video: Edward Farwick

Check out our latest retreat experience video with our most recent Guest Edward Farwick. It will certainly get you wishing for a retreat of your own.

This entry was written by scrawford, posted on January 14, 2010 at 6:54 am, filed under Bodywork, Experiences, Fitness, Food, Green Lifestyle, Hiking, Life is Fitness, Lifestyle and Spa, Los Angeles, Meditation, Nutrition, Outdoors, Pilates, Press, Products, Retreats, Santa Barbara, Skin Care, Stand Up Paddle Surfing, Yoga and tagged beach, biking, Fitness, Hiking, Karen Keltner, Los Angeles, mountains, Outdoors, Retreats, Running, Santa Barbara, Scott Crawford, Skin Care, SOMA GET FIT. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Perfect Exercises For Those Stuck at a Desk All Day

Need a workout you can do anywhere? Try these simple exercises daily to keep you moving in all planes of motion courtesey of Scott Crawford Soma Get Fit.

This exercise targets the hip flexor which when sitting is tight, this opens it up in turn releases the low back.

1-split stance

2-back toes turned in slightly, hands on hips

3-feel stretch in hip flexor as you lean back slightly and bend into front knee

4-twist hip complex

This exercise builds leg strength and endurance especially in the glutes, while stretching hip and shoulder girdle. Reaching down toward floor when moving into squat engages lats and stretches tense shoulders and necks, releasing tension.

1-feet forward, under shoulders, neutral stance

2-weight shifted slightly towards heals

3-sit down in chair and reach arms towards floor feel back engage and neck stretch

4-float up so that heels stay on floor, mini backbend engaging core, stretching arms back towards ears staying relaxed in shoulders

This exercise challenges balance while working lower and upper body together. Lunge first then rotate, feel core as rotation moves while the back is stretching opening muscles.

1-lunge to side making sure feet stay neutral; keep ankles, knees and hips in alignment

2-after land lunge rotate toward side you are lunging to feel core muscles rotate you while the upper back stretches

3-upon return toe tap other direction

4-twist with toe tap

*Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor or medical professional before trying any of these exercises. Your Daily Thread and Scott Crawford/Soma Get Fit are not responsible for any injuries.

This entry was written by scrawford, posted on January 13, 2010 at 9:06 pm, filed under Fitness, Green Lifestyle, Life is Fitness, Lifestyle and Spa, Los Angeles, Outdoors, Santa Barbara and tagged green work out, new year’s resolutions, Scott Crawford, SOMA GET FIT, wellness retreat santa Barbara, Working out. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Keeping Fit When the Motivation Gets Tough + Soma Get Fit Retreat Giveaway

Orginally Posted by Tracy Hepler of Yourdailythread.com

Each New Year, many of us re-discover our motivation to get in shape, only to have it wane and disappear come spring. Well this year is going to be different—seriously. Rather than setting unrealistic goals, I’m focusing on the day to day and what I can actually.

I sat down with Scott Crawford, founder of Soma Get Fit , an active wellness retreat in Santa Barbara (and my friend and trainer) to see what tips he could share for keeping in shape the whole year.

Tip 1: Keep Moving

Like many of us, I’m trapped behind a computer most of the day. This is a big no no according to Scott. He suggests taking mini stretch breaks 3 to 5 times a day. Whether it’s a simple hanging stretch or a brisk walk around the office. You can even create your own mini yoga or Pilates routine if you have the space. The point is to keep moving, and you’d be surprised how much these breaks not only benefit your body: they’ll rejuvenate your mind and make you a more productive worker too.

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Tip 2: Food Matters

You are what you eat so watch AND log it. Most people don’t keep track of the mini snacks they have during the day. Whether it’s a hanful dof crackers or an afternoon cookie, these calories add up. If you have a habit of snacking, Scott suggests using a food journal to write down what you’re consuming. You’ll be able to see the habits that might be sabotaging your workout efforts. He also recommends eating mini meals every 3 to 4 hours and NEVER eating anything when the sugar content is greater than 20% of the total carbohydrates (well almost never as I’ve got to have a cupcake every now and then).

Tip 3: Get Outside

Leave the crack berry, iPhone and iPod at home and head into the great outdoors (or at least a more natural area considering we’re in a city). Exercising outside is not only good for the environment as it uses no electricity (other than your own juice), it releases tension, clears the mind and loads you up on vitamin D (which you get naturally from being in sunlight).

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Tip 4: Morning or Night

I’ve always been curious if it makes a difference whether you work out in the morning, afternoon or evening; it turns out it doesn’t. Scott suggests picking a time when you feel most excited about working out. If you’re not a morning person, you’re not going to feel motivated to do anything early, especially exercise. The key is to make the time that you do work out something you look forward to and enjoy. That is how you’ll actually make the habit stick.

To help keep you in shape, Scott has shared a quick full body exercise program using dynamic stretching, endurance and strength exercises. It’s extremely beneficial for those who sit at a computer all day since it allows your full body to move in three planes of motion. Click here to see the complete list of exercises.

Images via smh.com.au, apartment therapy & rachellowry

This entry was written by Soma Get Fit Guest Writer, posted on January 11, 2010 at 10:55 am, filed under Green Lifestyle, Life is Fitness, Los Angeles, Outdoors, Press and tagged green work out, new year’s resolutions, Scott Crawford, SOMA GET FIT, wellness retreat santa Barbara, Working out. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

ORGANIC MAGIC-SOMA GET FIT

by Scott Crawford, MABS, MABC, LMT, MFTi

People have very different views of magic.  The commonality of magic is the ‘wow’ factor, how did they do that, how did that happen.

This company (SOMA GET FIT) or concept organically develops magic.  The magic I allude to is one of synergy relating to inspiration, love and connectedness.  The common Denominator: Health-Wellness-Nature-Love-Full-Potential-Release-Beauty-Creativity-Giving-Sharing and much much more.

Susan Aposhyan described SOMA-atic psychology as the ‘body experienced from within.’

Original thought was to bridge a therapeutic model through Psychology utilizing movement and touch.

Life organically created this dream in which a unique emergence of a concept, from our retreat perspective, that allows an individual, couple, small-group to enjoy an experience that can be life transforming.  This concept promotes disconnection from life’s distractions, it puts the guest into natural environments which in of itself provide a spiritual intrinsic opportunity for depth experienced from within. Each guest is empowered at every turn within their journey as they process mentally while enjoying movement as sustainability in their past, present, future body.

The Team is comprised of the Best of the Best not only at what they do, but each possessing a loving caring unique eclectic persona.  This is truly what sets us apart.  The guest will feel the love and brilliance/talent as they work with each team member.  The ability of adaptability allows each guest to feel a connectedness in a day and age traveling into entropy of technology.  This connection is the magic shared by all parties from the inside out.

The magic as the guest works with the chef, who works with the dietician, who works with the bodyworker, who works with the fitness instructor, who works with the medical director, who works with the SUP instructor, who works with the hike guide, the list of talent continues, but the magic comes from within of each person outward to touch the guest in turn touching each other.  The magic that occurs is the thought of change, the presence of love, the felt sense of gratitude, the focus on self in a shared journey with health as the ideal.  This magic evolves into lifestyle through spirit each guest and team member refreshed, revived, inspired, reconnected with opportunity to create change for the love of their self or body experienced within.  The magic is intuitional, the spirit of a shared feeling.  The feeling(s) have an everlasting affect and effect.

Each person travels forward returning in the day to day world with a new idea, a new presence that then inspires  and touches others around them.  There are no limits.

RECENT COMMENTS REGARDING THE MAGIC:

Edward Farwick, “I still cannot believe this….wow, wow, wow….I still feel great and HAPPY : )…

Daniel Alcheh, “give yourself the chance to do that dream idea that you never tried, made time for or knew how to begin…”. Always wanted to water ski? Dreams of sky-diving? Make SOMA your dream catcher.”

Jamie Kiffel Alcheh, “Wish working out could feel like…a vacation? Turn your exercise routine inside-out with a SOMA Get Fit Retreat weekend! Escape to Santa Barbara, where the mountains, ocean, sun and sky will become your gym. Walk on water by stand-up paddle surfing with a pro. Discover the power of balance training, surrounded by roses and historic architecture. Ride a horse through leafy trails. Eat the finest farm-to-table organic food, prepared for you by a star chef. The possibilities are endless: you choose your experience, and SOMA will provide the world’s best experts to guide you for two days, a week, or even longer. Jump start fitness, clear your mind and set fire to your creativity–your life may never be the same.”

Erin Harris Mahoney, “think it’s brilliant that Soma makes use of existing landmarks, parks and hotels. Another part of my retreat which I found incredibly invigorating was working out in the fresh ocean air – such a difference from being in a gym, or even being outdoors in many of the polluted parts of Los Angeles. Breathing clean air and looking up at the sky makes a significant difference in how you feel while you exercise.”

Melissa Beaugrand, “It was so rewarding for me to cook for Edward last month. We met at the beginning of his stay here at the farmers market, and I tried to get a sense of what he liked and disliked.  Because he was so agreeable and open and easy to talk to, I really feel like I got to know what  his general eating habits were.  I was able to tweak his meals based on what I thought he normally eats, yet make it healthier and more low calorie.  I also got to get feedback!! Yay!  Because of what I learned about him, I added more cilantro, I made sure all the carrots were raw.  I added lowfat cheese.   The feedback was first person – he was able to tell me face to face that he loved something – and it was so rewarding to see his eyes light up thinking about a meal that he had eaten.  I think that is what I am going to enjoy the most with SOMA forthwith.  I will get to not only meet great people, but get firsthand feedback and be able to make them happy with the food that they are going to eat.  Food makes people happy.  Food makes me happy.  Seeing my food make people happy is priceless.”

Janet Rifken, “I am writing to you about Scott Crawford who has been my trainer since the beginning of September. To say that my experience with him has been life-changing would be an understatement.”

This entry was written by scrawford, posted on at 12:36 am, filed under Experiences, Green Lifestyle, Life is Fitness, Los Angeles, Outdoors, Press, Retreats, Santa Barbara and tagged love, magic, Retreats, Scott Crawford, SOMA GET FIT, Team. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.