The Uninteded Benefits of Exercise - by Jenni Falconer

The benefits of exercise are well known. By doing as little as 15 minutes
of physical activity per day, you’ll be getting your body into shape, build
muscle, lose weight, and also limit your risk of developing a whole host of
serious diseases later on in life.

And if that’s not enough, then don’t fear, because exercise can do much,
much more for you, in ways you will have never have thought of before. In
this article, we’re going to do over some of the more subtle rewards
regular exercise can bring.

More Energy
For those people who don’t do exercise, you might think you have a point
when you question how exerting energy can actually result in ultimately
having *more* energy
<http://www.webmd.com/diet/20061103/exercise-fights-fatigue-boosts-energy>.
But make no mistake: spend a few hours in a gym each week and you’ll be
zipping around. Studies have shown that regular exercise is one of the best
ways to beat fatigue, and can be even more effective than caffeine and
energy drinks for waking people up. The next time you’re struggling to wake
up in the morning, don’t think an extra half hour of sleep will do it: head
down to the gym for a quick routine and you’ll be raring to go in no time.

Feel Happier
Who doesn’t want to feel a little happier in life? Though the reasons why
aren’t yet fully understood, it’s known that exercise improves mood and can
also be used to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety. Scientists
believe that it’s to do with the feel good chemicals
<http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise.aspx> that are created when
we’re physically active. So when you’re using the treadmill or rowing
machines, know that you’re not just making sure your body is in tip-top
condition - you’re also taking care of your mental health, too, and
improving your happiness along the way.

Boost Ignored Areas Of Your Health
Our modern lifestyles are great for some things, and not so great for
others. One of the biggest factors is the food we eat, which all too often
fails to deliver the crucial vitamins and minerals we need. If our days
consist of driving to and from work and then sitting at home, we’re liable
to suffer deficiencies in crucial vitamins such as vitamin D and vitamin C,
which can have real health problems
<http://www.kwikmed.org/vitamin-d-deficiency/> if they go untreated. The
rise in vitamin D deficiency is getting so bad that it’s becoming an
epidemic in the United States.
<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vitamin-d-deficiency-united-states/>


But never fear, because the gym is here to help! The Harvard School of
Public Health found that those who exercised regularly typically have higher
levels of vitamin D than those who don’t
<http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/chomistek-exercise-vitamin-d-heart-risk/>,
and also had better cholesterol, while other studies have shown that those
who hit the gym are less likely to be struck down by common colds and
illnesses. Why? Nobody is quite sure yet, but somehow those hours in the
gym make your body better prepared to ward off niggling illnesses. In all,
these studies are giving exercise a pretty big thumbs up!

Improve Concentration
How far along in a book do you usually get before you toss it aside? How
about those long tasks in front of a computer - do you usually find
yourself taking more breaks than you’d like? And how about those long
drives?

Again, no one is quite sure why, but studies have shown that exercise can
give us a major concentration boost. It’s so effective, in fact, that some
schools actually use aerobic cardio in order to boost academic performance
and behavior. After a few weeks of regular exercise, you’ll notice that
you’re able to focus on the important tasks for longer and do them to a
higher standard.

And The Rest
As you can tell, there’s plenty of unintended benefits to exercise, far too
many to list here. To list just a few more: your skin will look better
<http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/Article/TMG9956550/464/diet-exercise-improve-complexion.html>,
you’ll have a better handle on your life (especially if you’re battling
addiction), and even your memory will improve.

In many ways, building muscle and getting the body you want are just a
small fraction of the benefits of joining a gym. Not will you look great,
but you’ll feel fantastic and develop traits that can be invaluable in your
day-to-day life. Now that’s special!

Sweat Inequity and the Evolution of Group Fitness - by Lucinda LaRee

As Co-Owner of City Fitness Gym, Cleveland Park’s neighborhood gym, I take issue with the statement “Gyms suggest a lack of structure, intensity and discipline” in the article Sweat Equity in the December 3, 2015 Style section.

Workouts should have structure – the right variety of fitness classes, personal trainers, and tailored workouts provide that in a gym setting. Workouts should provide intensity – and that means different things to different participants, some want to feel the burn and scream, others find pain to be long-lasting and negative. Workouts do need discipline to be effective – trainers provide that for some; group fitness classes bring a social accountability to others.

The Council of the District of Columbia gave us a Resolution as the Longest-Standing Woman owned Fitness business in the District.  We have been in the fitness business for 33 years. We have survived all the fitness trends and continue in our commitment to improve the health and fitness of the community. We did not accomplish this longevity by promoting an elitist attitude, unrealistic physical appearance or a cult like atmosphere with short-term “Killer Workouts” that promise quick results and end in long-term overuse injury from unbalanced programming. Maybe our unique position of being a neighborhood “boutique” gym allows us to offer more attention and promotes adherence.

The article suggests that the Type-A personality is new to DC and that what they seek more stress and pressure. Type-A’s have been here from the beginning. Some thrive off of more stress, but many crave a haven from the storm. When 9-11 occurred, when the Wall Street collapse occurred, when other large stressors have affected our community, our attendance has gone up. What activities were busier? Yoga, group strength, and other mind-body modalities. People did not seek torture, they wanted nurturing and peace. We have many members, Type-A’s and not, who have been exercising in our friendly community for 25-30 years who could not have made it to their Silver years healthy and strong if they focused only on High-Intensity Training Trends.

Don’t get me started on some of the statements or words in this article that I found offensive: HURTS LIKE HELL.  HURTS SO GOOD.  POUNDING.  BODY-NUMBING. HATE IT OR HATE IT YOGA.  MISERABLE.  INSTURMENTS OF TORTURE.   S & M.   FIRE. SCREAMING, FIENDS, BLACK OUT, OBSESSION. These words belong in the article below RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. AND GET USED TO IT, about 355 mass shootings this year in the United States. This is an interesting juxtaposing of articles to say the least. This attitude is not a recipe for longevity but a set up for exercise burnout.

There is nothing new under the sun. What many of these programs have done is to rename and amp up already existing exercise practices. You can take Pilates and yoga, combine them (which has been done for decades) and “Power” market them with a new name…and they are still Pilates and yoga, but not necessarily safer or better. Add a celebrity smile to your marketing and suddenly you have a sensation. Kudos to their marketing teams, but one wonders if their safety guidelines and teacher training can properly keep up with the demand.

An interesting article to write might be the evolution of group exercise and what it does for people. In my 52 years, I have been in a Sports Illustrated workout video, I brought Ashtanga Yoga into the DC gym market, I have taught step, strength, slide, hi/lo, circuit classes, interval training, Pilates and now pole dancing. I get the need for variety and challenge the mind and the body. Our gym offers a huge variety of classes and types of trainers to provide that variety and structure to our clientele. We encourage everyone to work on all fitness components – cardio-respiratory, body composition, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility. We also encourage balance – physical and mental. I personally use the Medicine Wheel as a guide for wholeness and wellness and we use these same principles to guide our members.

I end this with words that I feel would benefit the Type-A, work-obsessed people of this city and world at large:

BALANCED

GROUNDED

EMPOWERED

STRONG

FLEXIBLE

ENERGITIC

HAPPY

GRACEFUL

CONNECTED

PEACEFUL

How we journey there may be the most interesting story of all.

Lucinda LaRee

Co-Owner City Fitness Gym

Finding the Fountain of Youth...in the Potomac River, by Dega Schembri

Somehow I got it into my head that when I turned 60 I would do a triathlon.  But, then I had a minor health scare at age 57 and the perfect counter strike was to strengthen my lungs.   So I decided to take up swimming and what better motivator to learn how to swim than by signing up for a triathlon?  Don’t get me wrong; I was no stranger to the water having been raised in Detroit in the proximity of the Great Lakes. But swimming free style, breathing properly, and going for 750 meters (1/2 mile) in the open water was, in a word, frightening!  I couldn’t even swim 25 meters without stopping and that was in a pool. Open water would be even worse. So what was I thinking? 

For the sake of full disclosure I have been in the fitness business for 30 plus years steadily teaching aerobic and body sculpting classes and providing personal training sessions at the fitness facility in Washington, DC that I co-own, City Fitness Gym. I also do my own weight training workouts. While I am not a cyclist, a runner and clearly not a swimmer, I knew that I had the physical ability and endurance to do all three.  I would just be completely out of my comfort zone.  I decided that this would be a good thing. 

I believe that as we age, our fears often become bigger and we stick with what we know and take fewer risks. I also believe that when you stop exploring, stop trying new things, and stop pushing yourself beyond your own level of comfort, you accelerate the aging process. 

At age 57 I signed up for the 2009 New Jersey Sprint Triathlon and immediately enrolled in the DC Triathlon Club’s “New Triathlete Program” (NTP).  Their first training session began with a 5 K run and I was undoubtedly the oldest in the group.   I quickly discovered, though, that most everyone was nervous about the run, not everyone was a runner and “triathlete wannabes” came in all sizes and shapes. It was a hopeful start.

During the NTP program I participated in all the group workouts and clinics.  Not only did I stand out because of my age, I also had a bike that was not your state of the art “Tri-Bike”.  It was a bike that I was emotionally attached to, having been given to me by my staff when I turned 50.  With it’s purple flower decorations, I was constantly asked if THIS was the actual bike I was going to use in the NJ Triathlon, to which I would proudly reply, YES!

When the day finally arrived, I was a wreck.  A few weeks prior to the real event I participated in a practice triathlon sponsored by the DC Tri Club.  It’s called “practice” for a reason.   First, the swimming was done in a pool – a far cry from the open water of a lake – and though I completed the swim, I was the last one out of the pool. Next, I had to immediately hit the bathroom (nerves) before I could get on my bike, and to top it off I started my run with my bike helmet on. 

The memory of all of that forced me awake even earlier than I needed.  We arrived at the event at about 6 a.m. and as I waited for my group to get called into the water, a woman about my age standing next to me could feel my fear (and probably also see my entire body shaking). She told me not to worry and that once I got out of the water I would probably pass her up on the run. The open water is intimidating because as you follow the big orange buoys that help you keep track of where you are going, you have a pack of other folks swimming over you, doing the same thing.  Despite all my freestyle training, my swim on that day consisted of a combination of the backstroke, sidestroke, and breaststroke and sometimes the front crawl. But I made it out of the water, the endorphins kicked in, the hardest part was over and I was in competitive mode. 

When you participate in triathlon events, they make sure that your body is marked using a bold black marker to write your race number on your arm and your age on your calf. This mortified me until I passed someone younger than me and was elated that they could see my age. The encouraging woman that calmed me down at the beginning of the race was correct – I did pass her during the running segment.

I don’t think I will ever forget the feeling of crossing that finish line, especially with my son watching and cheering me on.  I did it!  I wanted to do more!  I was hooked.  And most importantly, from that day forward, I could say that I AM A TRIATHLETE!

Since my first triathlon, I spent a lot of time and money learning how to swim better.  I now enjoy the quiet, meditative, and rhythmic back-and-forth of swimming laps; my Zen of swimming.  I bike almost one hour to and from work whenever I can and get a short run in about once a week.  I even sign up for some 5K and 8K runs.

I have since participated in four more triathlons, three of which were on the Potomac River.  Of those five I have actually won my age division three times! Even though winning isn’t really my goal, getting up on the platform and being number ONE is quite the emotional boost! My goal is to do one triathlon a year.  I love the cross training aspect of triathlon training because it does not limit you to just one sport. Swimming has made my entire upper body noticeably more toned and the running and biking have strengthened my lower body.  I still participate in other types of fitness activities including Yoga and Pilates.

Today, I feel physically younger at 62 than I did at 52 and attribute it to my triathlon training.  Who would have thought that I would find the fountain of youth swimming the notoriously murky waters of the Potomac River?  So, don’t let your chronological age hold you back either mentally or physically.   I challenge you to TRY A TRI!  It only takes completing one to say “I AM A TRIATHLETE!”

Silver is the New Blonde, by Lucinda LaRee

I turned 50 this year, went through menopause, grew out my silver mane, became a grandmother and joined the Pole Pressure Dance Troupe.

The half-century mark snuck up on me. Busy raising my son, owning and operating my gym, and living my ups and downs, I woke up one day and realized I had gained 20 pounds in the last 7 years. ‘How did this happen?’ I asked myself. Being a lifetime fitness enthusiast and owner of a health and fitness business it seemed out of character to find myself overweight or should I say, ‘over FAT!’

Looking back I can see where it all started. When I turned 43, I was peri-menopausal.

Hot flashes, no sleep, and all I wanted to do was eat potato chips and drink beer. I was emotional and stressed out! I was going through a separation, my teenage son was acting out, and my life was not what I expected it be. I moved to the suburbs and added an hour-long commute to my already packed day that meant more sitting and more stress.

For years, clients and students have told me about getting stuck in ruts. I realized that was exactly what was happening to me – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. It was time to re-center and use the Native American Medicine Wheel to change my life.

My intention for 2012-2013 or “The Rainbow Bridge” as Brooke Medicine Eagle, author of The Last Ghost Dance, calls it has been to focus on the Native American Medicine Wheel to balance my life. The Native American Medicine Wheel represents the horizon line and is divided into the four cardinal directions: North, East, South and West. It is then subdivided into four more directions: North/East, South/East, South/West and North/West. The center of the wheel represents the self and one’s connection to the sacred circle, or circle of life. In India this “sacred circle” is known as a Mandala.

Circles are found in nature as in the rings of a still lake when you drop a pebble into it, the rings of a tree trunk that tell its age, the movement of a hurricane or whirlpool, the shape of the Sun, moon and planets, and the cycles of time and seasons. My roots are not just silver – they are grounded in my Native American ancestry and my yoga practice. Both cultures emphasize balance and harmony, and influence my life.

In The Last Ghost Dance, Brooke encourages all of us women to take responsibility to heal Mother Earth. To heal the world we live in we need to first heal the body we live in. To do this we must take a good hard look at our lives, past and present, take steps to heal the wounds, and transform our inner landscape. We must let go of the people, things, and thoughts that weigh us down, be in the now and intentionally create a new vision for our life. Then we can move courageously forward.

One thing I discovered on my inner journey was remembering how much I loved music and dance. It was my love for Jane Fonda and Jazzercise when I was 16 that got me on my path to becoming a fitness professional. Through the years, movies and dance sparked my interest and my creativity. I read a book many years ago called the S Factor by Shelia Kelly named after the S-curvature of the female body. After reading this book I wanted to learn more about feminine erotic dance and pole fitness. During the first introductory class I was so amazed at the teacher and how she could move her body, defy gravity and how beautiful, powerful, strong and fit she was. I was intimidated, impressed and out of my league!  But I took a leap of faith and started Pole Dance Fitness at City Fitness, the gym I currently co-own in Washington, DC.

Many women my age ask why I pole dance, saying ‘nobody wants to see a 50-year old stripper!’  This comment makes me laugh – pole dancing classes have nothing to do with stripping. They are a celebration of feminine energy and power. It is difficult for women and men of all ages to break through the stereotype of a pole dancer. I tell them I love pole dance fitness because it combines everything I expect from a well-rounded workout.  I am empowered when I lift my bodyweight and execute a trick that requires all of my strength, endurance and flexibility.  I enjoy the creative expression of the feminine dance movements or making the S curve!  After every class I thank my amazing teacher Sarah for helping me bring my “Sexy” back.  Yes, it’s OK to be sexy at 50!  As I say, ‘Silver is the new blonde, fit is the new thin and strong is the new young!’  I have lost 12 of the 20 pounds gained, and put on some serious muscle weight and body confidence!  My body has never looked better!  Who can argue with that!

Washington, DC is the perfect example of a city full of women who end up embracing their masculine energy instead of their feminine, as that is what is often required to be taken seriously in the business and political world. They feel that they have to hide and play down their womanhood. It saddens me to see the average woman on the Metro or walking on the street stressed out, hunched over her smart phone looking like an old woman!

In the ‘70s, Gloria Steinem promised we could have it all. For me “all” means claiming all parts of being a woman: the six-figure salary, the six-pack abs and the S-curve of the female form. I want to own my own business, my home and most of all, I want to own my own body, my curves, my sexuality and my sensuality. I don’t think I need to be like a man to be a good woman.  “I’m just a girl” as 40-something pop singer Gwen Stefani with her awesome six-pack abs sings, “I’ve had it up to Here!”

As I see it, 50 is the new 40. Jane Fonda became our workout guru when she was 40.  Gretta Pontarelli, a 60-year old pole dance competitor along with beautiful Cindy Joseph, the silver-haired super model who was discovered in her late 40s, can be our new role models along with the forever fit and amazing Jane. When I teach yoga classes at City Fitness I feel blessed to be surrounded by so many women over 50 who are smart, beautiful, strong, healthy, vibrant and socially aware. It’s not about hiding our age. It’s about being “Pro-age” as Cindy Joseph says, celebrating our wisdom and grace and making the most of our life. We, the Jane Fonda Generation!