Choosing the Right Gym

If you are going to make exercise a regular part of your daily or weekly routine, choosing a gym is an important decision. You want to choose a place that meets your needs and makes you feel comfortable so that you will be likely to return. Over the past fourteen years of working out, I have belonged to or worked at all kinds of gyms: university gyms, a hospital rehab facility, community centers, hotel gyms, the YMCA, Bally's Total Fitness, California Fitness, Lifestyle Fitness, Lifetime Fitness, Urban Active, as well as personal training and yoga studios.

'My husband is currently in the process of changing his gym membership, and this got me to thinking about things to consider when choosing a place to work out.

1. Evaluate your goals and needs. Not everyone exercises in the same way. How often per week/per day do you want to exercise? Do you prefer using cardio machines (like treadmills, elliptical machines, rowing machines, stationery bikes, etc.), group fitness classes, free weights, resistance weight machines? Do you want to work with a personal trainer? Are you trying to lose weight, tone your muscles, improve sports performance, increase your endurance? Do you like variety in your workout or are you comfortable in your routine? Once you clarify your goals and needs, then you can more effectively determine the right match for you.
2. Determine your budget. You can find gyms priced all over the spectrum. Figure out what you can afford to pay before you go in, so you are not roped into a contract that is more than you can manage. Gym fees are often not set in stone; don't be afraid to negotiate. Often you can ask what specials are being offered - one area sales people are frequently willing to drop is in the "membership" or "sign-up" fee.
3. Evaluate the cardio / weight floor. Things to think about: are there enough machines of each kind to accommodate all users during the busiest times of the day? (You might visit during the times that you would likely use the gym to see how busy it is.) How sophisticated are the machines/do they have all the options that you like/is everything in working order? Is there a variety of different kinds of machines? Are there enough TVs? How close are the machines to each other? Is everything clean and sanitary? How noisy is it?
4. Evaluate the group fitness classes. Look at a class schedule. Think about the times that you would be available to take classes, and check out the selection. Is there a variety? How often does the schedule change? Is there an extra charge for classes? What qualifications do the instructors have?
5. Amenities. Are towels provided? Are the locker rooms clean and sanitary? Are there plenty of showers? Do the locker rooms provide hair dryers, shampoo, etc.?
6. Personal Training. Is personal training available? What are the rates? What are the qualifications of the trainers?
7. Extra programs. Does the gym offer any additional programs, such as nutrition or weight loss classes, run clubs, basketball leagues, etc.? Is there a spa, shop or cafe? Does the gym offer discounts to its members on any other community services? Is childcare available and what are the hours?
8. Convenience. Location, location, location. Remember, you hope to be visiting your gym several times a week, if not every day. Make sure that it is close enough to your home or workplace so as to be relatively easy to access. Also, make sure the hours, including weekend hours, align with your schedule.

There are so many things to think about when choosing a place to work out, and sometimes, it may be difficult to find a perfect fit. If you can think of something else to consider, let me know!

Today's workout:

65 min. run (7.23 mi)

50 min. yoga

With Peace and Acceptance

Yesterday, I read an interesting blog post from Yogic Muse about finding the line between pushing yourself against your limits and not engaging in self-harm. Coincidentally, when I met with my yoga teacher today, she set a similar intention for our practice: focusing on ahimsa. Maria pointed out that ahimsa, the yogic principle of non-harming, starts with ourselves. I tend to be a "Type A" personality and sometimes push myself very hard, and can sometimes push myself too far with regard to the physical aspects of yoga.

As our practice went on, we started working on bhujapidasana. While I can get into this arm balance pose when I am practicing at home, it is not a graceful or flowing process. I sought Maria's advice on getting into the pose more smoothly and possibly some modifications. In any case, while attempting to get into the pose, I fell flat on my face! So embarrassing. Also, it hurt! It seems that in the midst of striving to achieve a difficult posture, I lost sight of our original intention - ahimsa - and my determination to do "better" actually caused me harm.

Maria took this teachable moment to point out the ways that ego can interfere with our practice, and that yoga can be about putting aside the ego. Through yoga, we can become aware of our bodies, and we can accept our bodies for what they can do today. Each day our body may be different, but when I practice yoga, I do so in the present moment, with whatever abilities or limitations I currently possess. Another yogic principle is santosha, or contentment - acceptance of what we have, or who we are.

So, for today, my intention is to practice with both ahimsa and santosha, both on and off the mat.

BTW, the photo above shows my amazing daughters practicing yoga at home with the help of their Yoga Pretzels deck. Love it! (and love them!)

Today's workout:
30 min. run (4.0 mi)
60 min. private session yoga
60 min. yoga @ home

Winter Blahs

Even though the weather lately has been much nicer than usual for this time of year, the colder weather from the past few weeks has created a winter malaise in me. The fact that my daughters keep getting sick hasn't helped anything either!

It seems every winter, my motivation level drops, and I just feel sluggish. I want to curl up with a Slanket on the couch in front of the TV and do nothing (for the record, I do not own a Slanket or any similar product ... just regular blankets). I definitely notice that I eat more food in the winter, not because I am hungry, but it's like some kind of primal urge to develop an extra layer of fat to keep me warm.

When I feel like this, I try to just push through it. I make exercise and yoga a priority and always carve out time in my day for those activities, even if I don't feel like it. A workout that I force myself to do is better than none, and even if my effort is subpar, I still feel better when it is done.

Another way to increase my motivation is with a friend. If you have someone to whom you are accountable, you are less likely to miss a day at the gym, and you will have a more enjoyable experience if it is shared.

I am trying to take advantage of these recent beautiful days, and the kids and I are getting out every afternoon and playing on the swing set. Even when the temperatures do drop back down though, you can still bundle up and get some fresh air and some exercise by taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Once you start moving, you are more likely to keep moving!

What do you do to stay motivated and active during the colder winter months?

Today's workout:
50 min. interval run (6.57 mi)
20 min. resistance training
75 min. primary series yoga

Headaches and Yoga

Tonight I was really suffering from a sinus headache. I occasionally get these, and the pain is very intense, especially if I sniff. I needed to practice tonight, though, after having neglected my asana practice for the past two nights, so I set out my mat despite the pain and went for it.

At the start of the Sun Salutations, the pain was almost unbearable, and I nearly gave up. Particularly, each time I went down for a forward bend, and then rose up again at the end of the sequence - yowza!

However, I noticed the pain easing gradually with each sun saluation, and the stuffiness that I had been feeling was abating. As I went into the Sun Salutation B sequence, my headache was almost gone. I also more aware and attuned with my breath throughout this practice. My chest, nasal passageways and head felt clearer and the intense pain was gone.

When I got to my computer, I checked out some information about headaches and yoga here and here and here. This information confirms that yoga has been shown to be beneficial to treat and prevent headaches - those sites refer primarily to tension headaches, and not sinus headaches. Most of the information I found also recommended a gentle, restorative practice to deal with headache pain, and I was doing a more vigorous Ashtanga practice, but that is what I am accustomed to, and it worked for me.

On a side note, my body was feeling very stiff and crunchy after two days of no yoga (even though I did run and work out on both of those days) ... now I am feeling juicy and flexible and alive! Yay for yoga!

Today's workout:
60 min. interval elliptical (5.66 mi)
25 min. resistance training
75 min. primary series yoga

Present Moment

Our family is currently struggling with a stressful situation, trying to reconcile past actions and choices with our current state, and figure our where to go in the future.

My thoughts and turmoils are brought to in perspective when I read these words from Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, which were transcribed in a tiny little book, be free where you are, from a talk he gave at the Maryland Correctional Institution.

"To be able to breathe in and out is a miracle ... I am alive. I can breathe in and become aware of my in-breath; I can breathe out and become aware of my out-breath. ... For me, to be alive is a miracle. It is the greatest of all miracles."

"Everyone walks on the Earth, but there are those who walk like slaves, with no freedom at all. They are sucked in by the future or by the past, and they are not capable of dwelling in the here and now, where life is available. If we get caught up in our worries, our despair, our regrets about the past, and our fears of the future in our everyday lives, we are not free people. We are not capable of establishing ourselves in the here and now."

"Life is only available in the here and now. The past is already gone, and the future is yet to come."

Today's workout:
30 min. run (4.06 mi)
45 min. resistance training

Swine Flu Over the Zippy Nest

My oldest daughter, unfortunately, contracted the H1N1 virus (a/k/a "swine flu"). She has been home from kindergarten the past couple of days and will be again tomorrow.

Luckily, her case seems relatively mild, her fever responds to medication and her mood is generally upbeat. However, I am not used to being confined to our home, and we are both developing some cabin fever.

My running schedule has been thrown completely off, and my husband and I are alternating days when we go to the gym since I cannot go during the day while she is sick. Hopefully she recovers soon, and the other children stay virus-free.

I hope you and your families stay healthy!

Today's workout:
75 min. primary series yoga
20 min. Pilates core exercises

Starting Yoga for Fitness

Recently, I have had two friends approach me independently asking for advice on getting started doing yoga to improve their overall fitness. Specifically, they have expressed interest in improving their flexibility and toning their muscles.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. Try out several different teachers/classes. There are many different styles of yoga, and even the same type of yoga can be taught in a very different way by each individual teacher. While you can choose the class that is most convenient, that may not be the perfect match for you. In addition to the Columbus JCC, great power yoga classes can be found throughout Columbus, at Yoga on High, V Power Yoga, through Tracey Gardner, just to name a few!
2. Introduce yourself to the teacher and don't be afraid to ask questions. Let the instructor know that you are new to yoga and her class ... let her know that you are open to receiving adjustments (if you are) - that means that you are willing to have the teacher put her hands on you to physically help you move into the pose. While you shouldn't pester the teacher throughout the class, remember the questions that come up as the class is going on, and bring them to the teacher afterwards. Most teachers are more than happy to clarify, explain or demonstrate for a couple of minutes after class.
3. Focus on your body and the breath during yoga. While in certain types of exercise it is fine to "zone out" and just let your body move (like running or biking), in yoga, you keep your mind zeroed in on what your body is doing. Be aware of your alignment, find and stabilize your core strength, identify the muscles working in each pose. Listen to the cues and prompts provided by the instructor, and apply them to your body to move into each posture.
   
4. Listen to the your body. Use the awareness of your body and modify your practice as needed. Most yoga teachers will provide adjustments for different levels of flexibility and strength. Use modifications as needed -- if you are not able to get into the full expression of the pose, it is usually better to do a modified version rather than attempt to push your body farther than it is able to go. Identify areas of weaknesses or tightness in your body and send your breath to those areas ... you can do additional poses or stretching exercises throughout the week to work on those areas of your body.
5. Release yourself from judgment and competition. Every body is made differently. Don't pay attention to the people next to you in class and try to judge yourself against them. Maybe they have been practicing for 20 years, maybe this is their first day too. Maybe they are double-jointed, or maybe they have rheumatoid arthritis. It doesn't matter -- yoga is not a sport or a competition. If you can't go into a pose today, that's OK - each time you practice you might go a little deeper. You will gain something each time you practice.

If you are interested in checking out books or DVDs for developing a home practice, Gaiam and Acacia are good resources. Also, Yoga Journal online has tons of articles and guidelines for many yoga poses.

Good luck! Let me know how your yoga journey progresses!

Today's workout:
65 min. run (7.73 mi)
40 min. resistance training