I Won! Pretty Hard Work/Brazil Butt Lift/Erika Jacobson Giveaway!

Back in April I entered a contest on this blog post:  http://prettyhardwork.com/your-best-butt-ever-with-90-days-of-personal-coaching/  At the beginning of May I found out I indeed was the winner of the Brazil Butt Lift DVDs and coaching with Erika Jacobson.  Erika was a trainer on Jackie Warner’s tv show Workout that aired on the Bravo network.  We chatted on the phone after I won and I am going to have 90 days of coaching with Erika.  You can read about the fabulous Erika Jacobson here:  http://www.erikajacobson.com/  

I was excited to get started on this Beachbody series because although I got great results with The Butt Bible as documented here on my blog, my butt can still use a little help and after watching the infomercial for Brazil Butt Lift countless times I really wanted it.  I was actually just about to purchase it myself when I won it on the Pretty Hard Work blog.

Leandro Carvalho is the creator of the Brazil Butt Lift workouts and a personal trainer of the supermodels.

When I received it I had already worked out at the gym that day but I needed to do some cardio so I chose to do the Cardio Axe workout.  This workout is a beginner/intermediate level (not really intense enough for me) but does have some tricky foot work if you are not familiar with these moves or are uncoordinated.  A lot of the moves were familiar to me from doing Zumba so there was no problem there.  Leandro is very likeable and goofy and I like the way he broke down the segments and built on them until putting them all together at the end.  The thing I did not like and it is a really BIG thing is that the music was horrible on this workout. In a dance workout it is imperative to have good music.  I am not sorry I did this workout once but I doubt I will use the Cardio Axe portion again.  I would suggest to someone to go out and buy some other dance workouts on the market.  There are some spectacular ones and I would recommend any of them with Jennifer Galardi – she has a few in the Dance off the Inches series that are really good.  If you are like me and are at an advanced level you will probably just want to stick with your current cardio routine.

Now, that being said while the Cardio Axe workout was not the best it could have been when I did Bum Bum (pronounced Boom Boom) and High and Tight I found that these workouts are worth their weight in gold.  Bum Bum is 20 minutes in length in which you do a series of squats and lunges performed at different paces to work your butt/thighs.  Leandro also builds up to some leaping and jumping to make this a dynamic workout.  I was sweating by the end for sure.

After Bum Bum I also did the High and Tight workout.  With this workout you use the little resistance band loop that you get with the package and first you do a standing series with the band.  Then you go to the floor and do a series with the band working each leg independently.  I can say that I really felt my glute medius working and that is good because that is an area I need to work and slim down.  That’s why I wanted this package.  In the third segment you do more floor work with the option of using ankle weights.  I don’t have ankle weights yet but I can tell you my butt and thighs were burning by the time I finished.  I think the progression of the movements and doing them independently on each leg is what makes this work the intended areas.

Today I did the Secret Weapon workout.  This workout uses a towel that you place on the floor as sort of a slider for your foot to perform some side lunges and backwards lunges.  If you have carpet you may need to use paper plates.  I’m not so sure a towel would slide on carpet.    In this workout once again you will work each leg independently performing first side lunges at 3 different paces – first in a count of 4, then a double count and then single counts.  This same idea is done for the backwards lunges.  Then, Leandro puts the two movements together done at the 3 pace levels.  You really do feel it by the end.

The total Brazil Butt Lift package is nice.  It has workout cards you can use for travel or at the gym. (I really wanted these!)  It has a booty makeover guide to help you figure out the schedule you should use for your workouts (because we all don’t have the same type of butt).  There is a fat burning foods guide and a 6 day supermodel slim down plan.  You also get a measuring tape, a pencil and the booty resistance band.

Check back with me as I review the other workouts that are on this series.  Trust me, there is more than what I have touched on above.  I’m looking forward to the others.

 

Where I Would Be Without My Fitness Lifestyle

I am starting a new series titled, “Where I Would Be Without My Fitness Lifestyle.”  I am hoping to get some other fitness peeps to do a little diddy about how they envision their life if they didn’t life a fit lifestyle.  I am going to start.

I know I posted on here before about how I got sick and tired of being sick and tired and that the end of a relationship was the last straw and a kick in the ass to change my life around to finally start living for me and not for other people.

This was me back in the summer of 2007.  I am smiling in this picture because I was drunk, but in reality I was miserable as hell. Little did I know that a few months after this picture was taken my life was going to change for the better.  Something was going to happen and it was going to hurt but in the end who would have thought that I would be thankful for all the pain that I endured.

Now let’s just say that I didn’t get that kick in the ass to change my lifestyle.  What if I didn’t take that first step to get myself to the gym?

Well, let me tell you folks I would still be miserable.  I’d probably still be going from one bad relationship to another thinking that I better take what I can get because who the heck is going to love someone that looks like me. Or perhaps I’d be in a bad long term relationship that I settled for because I was afraid if I left no one else would want me. I wouldn’t have my friends at the gym.  I wouldn’t have my friends at Zumba.  I wouldn’t have the confidence I have gained.  I wouldn’t have this blog.  I wouldn’t have become a columnist for Fytness Fanatik magazine.  I wouldn’t have all of my fitness network connections that I’ve made throughout the years.  And last but not least I wouldn’t have the sense of accomplishment that I have acquired from inspiring others to change their lives into a healthier lifestyle – which may in turn give them a longer life to do things with their loved ones.  It is nice to know that even if it is only one life that I touch for the better…..that’s one life that I wouldn’t have touched if I hadn’t turned my life around.

 

Jessica Smith-Gomez Cardio Abs Workout DVD Review

I am absolute ecstatic and excited to finally be able to bring you a workout DVD review from one of my favorite people in the fitness industry – Jessica Smith-Gomez.  She just released a new workout DVD from her 10 Pounds Down series:  Cardio Abs.  Boy was I excited to get this one and I wasn’t disappointed in the least.

First a little about Jessica.  Besides working out with her on the old Exercise TV, my first experience with her was on the Women’s Health Train for Your Body Type workout DVD that I still enjoy doing down and again.  It’s a go-to workout DVD for when I go to my folks’ house. I also love her Boot Camp DVD from the 10 Minute Solution series.  I do the cardio segment on that frequently as a finisher to my gym workouts.  It is kick butt for sure!

Jessica is a girl’s girl.  She’s pretty but she’s not intimidating nor does she have an attitude or heir about her.  She’s down to earth and she also happens to be newly married to one of the hottest men in the fitness industry: Guillermo Gomez.  They have done some workout DVDs together as well.

You really should look Jessica up on Facebook.  I haven’t even begun to touch on the other things she is involved in.  She writes articles for various fitness magazines and websites, releases short exercise videos and gives tips on exercise, nutrition, etc.  She really is one of the best.

Cardio Abs (90 mins total) has three separate workouts and a short bonus workout.  It also has a downloadable meal plan in case you need some direction in that area.  You will need a set of dumbbells (for workout No. 2) and beginning on your level you really should try to push yourself in that area.  I used 10 pounds but I think I could have used 12 if I had a set of 12s.  I saw one page recommending 2 to 5 pounds and I really thought that was ridiculously low.

This is a solid upper intermediate workout that can keep even the most advanced exercisers happy.  With three solid workouts and the bonuses I really feel that you get your money’s worth with this one.

Cardio Abs (28 Minutes) – Is a fun kickboxing inspired routine. There are 5 separate segments and within those segments Jessica has a section to get the heart rate up.  She also offers power movements to keep advanced exercisers happy.  You also have the option to keep it low impact as well.  After completing the workout one time through and you become familiar with the moves you could just start off with the higher impact/power moves if you really want to kick it in the butt (I’m speaking to us advanced people).

Total Body Abs Transformer (28 Minutes) – In this workout you will use your dumbbells.  Remember ladies try to push yourself and go heavy.  I used 10s but wish I had a set of 12s.  I may try my 15s in the future.  This workout has 3 separate segments.  Each segment is repeated and also has a short cardio burst.  Jessica uses a 16 rep count for each of the moves and the movements are a bit dynamic.  You will feel the burn provided you are using heavy enough weights.  The workout is also done in a way that your heart rate is maintained throughout.

Concentrated Abs (26 Minutes) – This workout was probably the most challenging for me.  I definitely found where my weakness is.  I have a high cardio capacity and am very strong but my abs aren’t as strong as I thought.  I really felt it in the front of my abs the day after doing this routine.  It starts off with a balance challenge as the warm up which really is quite challenging for me.  I have terrible balance.  There is floor work that contains plank challenges, crunches, etc.  These aren’t your typical moves, however.  Jessica throws in some different techniques that may just kick your ab routine into gear.  She repeats each segment twice and uses the 16 rep count.  I can tell you that my abs burned after this.

Bonus Workout: Tabata Inspired workout (4 Minutes) – If you’ve been following my blog you know I’m a fan of Tabata.  A short four minute all out 20 seconds on 10 second rest protocol.  The movements that Jessica chose were fun and really get your heart rate up.  You will need to warm up and cool down on your own for this one.

I like stringing two (or three if I use the Tabata) of these workouts together or I use them as a finisher to my gym workout.

 

Sometimes Goodbye Is a Second Chance

When this song came out I was in a rocky relationship.  It wasn’t the one that started me on my fitness journey.  Fitness was actually a HUGE part of this relationship and is what brought us together in the first place (we were and still are both members of the local Y).  He was a seasoned bodybuilder and had muscles to die for.  I honestly used to walk behind him just so I could look at his perfect butt.  There is just something about more mature well developed muscles (he was nearing 50 at the time).  He actually did support me along the way of my fitness journey and was a great mentor and motivator to me but deep inside we were two completely different people and I had been blinded by his boyish grin and beautifully sculpted muscles.

When I told him of my writing aspirations he scoffed at me and almost belittled me.  I never did quite convince him just how serious I was about it.  In the end, when I knew things weren’t going to work out, this song motivated me with the thought that after this relationship was over I was going to have a second chance to live the way I hoped and dreamed to live.  As the song says:  “Here’s my chance – this is my chance.”  I have never looked back and I’ve never been happier.  Sometimes goodbye IS a second chance.

 

Tropical Traditions – Virgin Coconut Oil – Review and Giveaway!!!

Tropical Traditions was generous enough to send me a quart of their virgin coconut oil to try and to then write a review on.

I have had this for a little over a month now and I have used very little at this point.  1.  The portion they sent me was very generous; and 2. I had a reaction to the product that was not the fault of the product – - I will explain.

Upon receipt of the supply of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions I tasted a little directly out of the jar.  It had a pleasant light coconut flavor (this is what makes it in the “virgin” category).  I then proceeded to cook with it using it to coat my frying pan for a chicken stir fry.  All of those things were pleasant and positive about the product.  A few hours later, however, the product had produced a laxative effect on me and after doing some searches on the internet I found that it could be because I no longer have a gallbladder.  I haven’t had a gallbladder since I was 20 years old.  This was my first time ever consuming coconut oil and some of the articles I read suggest that those of us without gallbladders may have to build up a tolerance to it.

I will reiterate that I think the product itself is fine and I’m not just saying that because I was supplied with it.  I truly believe that it happen due to circumstances beyond my control.

Needless to say, I will continue to use the product.  There are a couple of recipes I want to try that call for it, like black bean fudge and chocolate chip cookie dough balls.  I also hear that it’s great for your skin.

Virgin Coconut Oil: America’s First Traditional Handcrafted Virgin Coconut Oil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6eycjf29M

How to Use Coconut oil: There are hundreds of uses for coconut oil! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x28yuVzwrMk

Tropical Traditions’ YouTube Channel for Recipes  http://www.youtube.com/user/TropicalTraditions

Now if you would like to try your own one person will be selected randomly (winner will be chosen on May 1st).  Here is what you need to do:

As a requirement to enter this giveaway, please subscribe to the Tropical Traditions’ email Sales Newsletter here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm and come back and leave a comment saying that you did.

 Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:  http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm

Tropical Traditions Home Page:  http://www.tropicaltraditions.com

BONUS ENTRIES BY DOING THE FOLLOWING:

o    Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter @troptraditions and @ttspecialdeals and comment back here saying you did – one entry per each @ follow (so come back and comment twice)
o    “Like” Tropical Traditions on Facebook (Please no, “I was sent by…” posts or posting a link to my or your own blog, they will be removed) and comment here saying you did.
o    Follow Tropical Traditions on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/troptraditions/ and come back here and comment saying you did.


MORE INFORMATION ON COCONUT OIL:
o    How to Use Coconut Oil: There are hundreds of uses! http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/how-to-use-coconut-oil.htm
o    Where to Buy Coconut Oil? http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/buy-coconut-oil.htm
o    What is Virgin Coconut Oil? http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/what_is_virgin_coconut_oil.htm

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

 

Special Guest Blogger, David Haas – How Physical Fitness Helps Create Cancer Survivors

Today I am honored to present an article by a guest blogger who wanted to share some important information on my blog.  David Haas is an Awareness Program Advocate for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.  I am sure all of us have been touched one way or another by cancer, whether by a friend, relative or yourself.  Let’s create more survivors through fitness!

David’s Biography

Joining the organization in 2011, David Haas is a cancer support group and awareness program advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. In addition to researching the many valuable programs available to our site’s visitors, David often blogs about programs and campaigns underway at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, as well as creative fitness ideas for those dealing with cancer, while creating relationships with similar organizations.

Read more about this organization: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/david/bio.htm#ixzz1r7WXl5zO

Follow David on Twitter: @haasblaag

How Physical Fitness Helps Create Cancer Survivors

Keeping yourself in shape is one of the best things you can do, and when you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, the benefits of physical fitness only increase. Many of the ailments we suffer from are less about what we come into contact with than how our bodies respond. Immunodeficiency-related disease sufferers are all too well aware of this, as normal sicknesses are made far worse by cancers.

When you get sick, your body responds by fighting back. This takes help from every organ, but most of all the liver, lymph system and blood vessels. These organs help create antibodies and t-cells that fight off foreign invaders. While this system is generally accurate and effective, it requires a lot of energy to work properly.

When cancer and mesothelioma patient’s diseases’ spread, or undergo metastasis, they cause problems all over. The asbestos fibers that cause mesothelioma often migrate through blood vessels and tissue membranes. Of course, the body isn’t slacking off during this entire hubbub. The immune system of a cancer patient recognizes the foreign antagonists and devotes resources to fighting them off. Unfortunately this takes many calories of energy, and with cancers that spread rapidly, there’s often far too much work for even healthy patients.

This is why exercise is vital to cancer survivors. Because staying fit boosts your energy levels and ensures your body has a higher metabolism, it helps the immune system. Fit patients have more resources at the ready and their bodies are more apt to flush out waste because of their higher rate of enzymatic processing. Patients diagnosed with cancer stay ahead of their disease by beginning fitness programs early on.

But wait, you ask, won’t exercising take away vital resources my body needs to fight infections and other diseases I encounter? Surprisingly, the answer is no. Unless you’re already very weak, your exercise program will help boost your health, as long as you make sure to take it easy. There’s no need to tire yourself out. Working your way up to a comfortable level of regular aerobics is sufficient. Start exercising soon and watch how an improved metabolic rate can make your cancer more manageable.

THANK YOU DAVID FOR YOUR GREAT POST ON MY MISTRANSFORMATION BLOG!

 

Music Motivation – It’s the Climb

Okay, I’m not a huge  fan of Miley Cyrus.  I did indulge in an episode of Hanna Montana or two when my nephews (who are soon to be 18 and 16) were preteens and still young enough to watch that sort of thing.   Okay, I lie – I watched that damn show in rerun on Saturday morning TV quite frequently and damn it if I didn’t enjoy it.  I’m busted!  That shit was cheesy but it sure was funny!  I’m just not that impressed by her music.

Sometimes music speaks to us in ways that we don’t understand.  That is where her song, The Climb comes in.  When that song came out, I was going through a hard time in my life and there was something about that song that was like a salve to my broken and battered coal black soul.

This was a few years ago and while not at the beginning of my fitness journey, it certainly isn’t where I am today either.  Something about the song just said, “Sure you’ve got a long way to go but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself along the way – so buck up chica and get your ass moving.”

Driving down the road about a week ago this song came on the radio and normally I would have turned the channel to a rock station but I sat and listened to it again with tears in my eyes realizing just how far I had come from that original point in my life.

THE CLIMB – Miley Cyrus

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there’s a voice inside my head saying
“You’ll never reach it”

Every step I’m taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I’m not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody’s gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It’s all about, it’s all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa

 

Then and Now – Jillian Michaels Cardio Kickbox and Kickbox Fastfix DVD reviews

Before Jillian Michaels released her 30 Day Shred phenomenon, she had a line of workout DVDs in a series entitled, “The Biggest Winner” – clearly a wordplay on The Biggest Loser.  This series included a Cardio Kickbox DVD.  This line is from 2005.  Fast forward to 2012 and Jillian has released a new Kickbox workout DVD called Kickbox Fast Fix.  I am going to review both of these on this blog and see how far Jillian has come.

The Biggest Winner (How to Win by Losing) Cardio Kickbox – this is roughly a 20 minute workout.  At first it was almost painful for me to watch.  This was clearly a “scripted’ workout session and the clothes everyone was wearing were almost “costumish.”  The workout is a basic intermediate level intensity that a beginner could do.  Jillian does offer a modifier.  There isn’t a lot of kickboxing here but nonetheless you never stop moving so you will work up a sweat.  There are a few punches, a few kicks, some jumping jacks, jumping rope, etc.  There are no punch/kick combinations – not even the basic jab, cross, hook, uppercut – the only thing that comes close is the front kick/back kick “combo.”  There is a warm up and about 3 circuits in this workout.  It’s hard to tell where a circuit even ends and a new one begin because she repeats some of the movements almost randomly. At the end of this workout a background performer says, “that’s it?”   That pisses Jillian off and she makes them do an additional 30 seconds of jumping rope, 30 seconds of jumping jacks and 10 pushups to end it.

This may have been the “birth” of the tough Jillian that we saw in her later DVDs. You could definitely tell that Jillian was a lot more unpolished and unsure of her on screen persona than she is today.  Sure she still acts tough in her latest videos but she carries a different kind of confidence that she doesn’t in this video.  It could be maturity, it could be her huge success.

If you are looking for a quick workout that doesn’t require any equipment or a lot of thinking then this is for you.  I used to do this one in the morning before work.  I’m glad I revisited it.  It was nice to compare her to the new workout.

Kickbox Fastfix – Unlike the earlier kickbox DVD the new release contains 3 20 minute workouts and also offers a tutorial for those who are unfamiliar with kickboxing terms and movements.  Each 20 minute workout follows the same formula.  There are 4 circuits.  They begin right off the bat without a warm up so if you feel the need, remember to warm up on your own.  There is a short cooldown/stretch at the end of each workout.  The workouts have a certain focus within each Number One is for the upper body, Number Two is for the lower body and Number Three is for the abs.

I would have like this better if it had been one or two longer workouts with an option for premixes to break them down if you wanted. When I do these, I do them altogether for an effective workout or I do one as a finisher to my normal routine. The workouts are intense enough but sometimes she cuts combos out and I suspect it is in an effort to keep within time constraints. I do like that Jillian changed things up with the set (as opposed to her last several) and gave us more background people (familiar faces at that). Please watch your knees whether on carpet or not. I have hardwood floors and still could feel a twisting in my knees on some of the combos.

After reading several other reviews of this workout DVD, a huge complaint among others is that Jillian does not work both sides of the body evenly – mostly on the combinations.  I know how much of a pet peeve this is for some.  It doesn’t completely ruin it for me because it’s more of a cardio focus than strength but I did want to point it out so everyone is aware of it before they make a purchase.  You could modify that by switching sides each time you do the DVD or if the combo is repeated on the workout just switch sides at that point.

I think this kickbox workout DVD was a good try for Jillian but I just don’t think it quite hit the mark.  Given that Jillian’s specialty is martial arts, I really think that she could have done better. If I had to rate, 3 1/2 stars.out of 5.

 

Women’s Health 15-Minute Belly Butt & Thighs Workout DVD Review

http://www.wh15minuteworkoutdvd.com/wh15minuteworkoutdvd/vid/whdvdvide

Above is the ad and a link to the video that got me excited for an intense new workout DVD from Women’s Health.  I already own one from Women’s Health with the beloved Jessica Smith that I totally love and take with me on the road for when I visit my folks.  I was hoping for something as good and intense as that one.  This is my review:

Women’s Health 15-Minute Belly Butt and Thighs Workout DVD is three separate 15 minute workouts.  I pieced them together for a 45 minute workout.  I was hoping for intense but the video must have shown the most intense parts because even after 45 minutes I didn’t feel it was at the intensity that I like it at.  I felt that it was a great workout for intermediates but for an advanced level exerciser I think the intensity just isn’t there. The day I did it, I had even been sick in bed all day and was able to complete the whole thing.  I can’t say there weren’t some movements that weren’t challenging (especially the balance work) but on a whole, it just didn’t do it for me.  Trainer Jennifer Widerstrom was pleasant enough and her background girls (one is a modifier) actually impressed me the most.  These girls looked like high school age girls but were very articulate and professional.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of them in the future!!!

Workout One:  Bodyweight Workout – This workout is exactly how it sounds, all bodyweight challenged – no weights needed.  She does some swivel squats and follows it up with some quarter turn squat jumps.  The rest is some additional bodyweight movements that will challenge the core and follow them up with some plyo moves and dynamic movements to get the heart rate up.

Workout Two: Stack It Up Workout – This workout uses progressions from two different movements combining both for the third movement.  Some of these are balance challenged.  I liked the thought of the progressions but I just didn’t feel that the dynamic movements between them were intense enough.  This workout uses dumbbells.

Workout Three:  Back To Basics Workout – This workout is to familiarize yourself with the four most basic movements – The Push, The Pull, The Squat and Stability.  She does a circuit of each type of these movements and then adds a dynamic movement between to get the heart rate up. This workout uses dumbbells.

I am sending this one back and am going to try the Men’s Health 15-Minute Abs, Arms and Chest Workout DVD instead.  Unfortunately, sometimes the men’s workouts are amped up more than the women’s.  Hopefully some day they will be on the same level.

I like to be out of breath after a short workout and if you want an intense 15 minute workout do Bob Harper‘s Bonus Workout on his Total Body Transformation DVD (I did this one tonight).  That was the intensity that I was hoping for with these.

 

Weekend at Bernie’s – - EXCUSES, EXCUSES

People like to give excuses why they don’t workout.  I don’t have time.  I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m not motivated. I’m too old.  Yada, yada, yada……

Well, today, I am going to dispel the latter excuse.  I have a special guest on my blog.  It is my cousin, Bernie.  Bernie is a spin instructor for Bally Total Fitness in the Maryland area and I am going to let him tell you in his own words why the excuse, I’m too old is bull$hit.

THIS IS BERNIE

How long have you been a spin instructor? 

6.5 years (I teach about 215 classes a year on average)

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What made you want to be a spin instructor?

I was a distance runner for many years and began to have knee problems because I wasn’t prudent about my training and racing.  After my third arthroscopic knee surgery, my orthopedic surgeon said I was looking at a total knee replacement.  Later that week, I was working out at my local fitness center and was somewhat reluctantly talked into taking a spin class by a friend.  After two or three classes, I was hooked.  Spinning gave me the workout I craved without the impact on my knees.  (Riding a cycle is, after all, one of the rehab exercises after knee surgery.)

Within three months after starting to spin, I decided I’d like to get certified and become an instructor.  I saw a chance to be of service and have fun doing it.  There is so much to like in spinning: I liked the camaraderie of the group, the wall-to-wall energy in the cycle studio, and the option to go hard or easy to suit oneself.  But most of all, I liked the music and the juice-you-up effect it has on the riders.  It’s a true ergogenic aid.  Bottom line: I decided to make it my mission to nurture the physical and spiritual well-being of my riders through music and sweat.

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Should someone have a certain level of fitness before they start a spin class or could a beginner level do it?

Like any exercise program, a person should get cleared by his/her physician first.  And I suppose it would be prudent to be fit enough to be able to walk a half mile at a conversation pace.  And they should have enough balance and strength to support their body weight out of the saddle (if they want to have the option of peddling up a hill standing up; i.e., out of the saddle).  That said, the only difference between riding as a beginner and as an experienced spinner is how hard you want to push or go easy during various segments of the ride.  The class typically occupies the better part of an hour: 7 to 8 minutes warmup (two-songs of increasing intensity in my class), 37 to 38 minutes of hills and flats of various speeds (riding to the beat of the music…dancing on the bike, if you will), followed by 8 to 10 minutes of cooldown and stretching on and off the bike.
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What is your age? 68   (YES FOLKS THAT’S A SIX AND AN EIGHT!!!! That’s Bernie on the left.)

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What is the age range of the people in your spin classes?

Mostly 24 to 55, but I’ve had some people in their 60s, a few folks in their 70s, and one in his 80s.

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What would you tell someone who says: I can’t do spinning because I’m too old?

If you are ambulatory, and can peddle a bike safely without a major health concern, you can take a spinning class.  It’ll take you back to the days when you went out to ride bikes with your friends.

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How does music motivate the people in spinning classes?

Good music is paramount in cycle class.  I spend an inordinate amount of time listening to and selecting music for my spin-class playlists.  In my particular class, the five-word philosophy is “The Music Is the Road.”  And so it is.  We ride to the cadence of the music that I’ve preselected for various segments of the class: warmups, slow (steep) hills, fast (less steep) hills, flat road, sprints, surges on choruses.  We not only use the cadence of the music as our guide, but also take a cue from the vocalist’s intensity.  The best music has an appropriate cadence and also makes an EMOTIONAL connection with the riders.  So there is an art to selecting a mix of classic rock, R&B, even classical music to make a connection with the riders.  Like a good author, you have to know your audience.

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How do you come up with your playlists?

When I began teaching I began to parse music into the aforementioned categories: warmups, fast hills, slow hills, sprints, cooldown and stretching, etc.  I auditioned over 12,000 songs.  About 600 songs made into my “best cycle songs” database.  I still add songs that I hear on oldies radio stations or songs that are popular now.  That makes me stay current and helps me reach a wide audience.  I select songs from each category at whim and according to whether or not I’ve used any of those songs recently with that particular class.  I develop a “lesson plan” that goes with each playlist as a reminder to myself what I want to do with each song and to be able to coach/cue the class accordingly.

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What are the benefits of spinning?

Spinning is a good cardiovascular workout and (depending on the intensity) burns up to 700 calories per class. It principally works the lower half of your body (legs and butt), [and] when you are out of the saddle and riding with good form, it can work the core muscles.

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What does spinning offer that other forms of exercise do not?

I’m not sure spinning is alone in this, but it offers the opportunity for an intense, easy-on-the-knees workout.  The intensity is, of course, ramped up by the music and the co-action effect of being in a room where other are going a little crazy doing the same activity.  A person should still do resistance training for the major muscle groups, other forms of cardio like Zumba, core strengthening, and flexibility classes like yoga.

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What would you tell someone who is on the fence about taking a spin class?

Try a class.  If it doesn’t appeal to you, try another class with a different instructor (like having the right therapist or hair stylist, the instructor can make all the difference).  If it still doesn’t appeal to you, move on to another class or activity that grabs your soul.

Some clubs have beginners spin classes, but I’ve never been to one. I assume they give a tutorial as they go, and give a shorter class.

Since my clubs don’t have beginners classes, I set newbies up on the bike, give them a 10-minute tutorial, and tell them to ride as easy or as hard as they want. And I make sure I explain myself in detail during the class and keep an eye on them. Make sure they drink too.

Good reason to get to class early: I never know when I’ll have new people to set up beforehand.

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Bernie is truly an inspiration to all of us who try to give the excuse that we are too old to do something.  I bet Bernie gives those in their 20s a run for their money in his spin classes.

So, now, NO MORE EXCUSES!  GET OUT THERE AND WORK!!!!