Hiking the John Muir by City Fitness Owner Lucinda LaRee

2012 has brought its share of inspiration. In addition to The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin, I read the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Inspired by Gretchen to try new things and then by Cheryl’s journey, I spread the word to friends, clients and co-workers about the books. My sister, Shara, who loves an adventure story, read Wild and was also very inspired.

We cooked up this idea to do our very own “Wild” backpacking trip. Ready to challenge ourselves and reconnect with the mountains of our youth, we looked toward the John Muir Wilderness in the Eastern High Sierra.

The trailhead is the shortest trans-Sierra starting at The Vermillion Resort on Thomas Edison Lake in the West at 7,648’. It travels along Mono Creek along the Mono Pass Trail, up and over the mountain range, summating at Mono Pass 12,780’ off the eastern ridge exiting at Rock Creek Lake around 8,000’a few miles Northwest of our childhood home. A total of 25 miles, this trip would be a rare treat due to a light snow season.

Our new goal excited both of us to work out. We needed our bodies ready to carry 40-pound packs, something neither of us had ever done before. My training involved hiking in Rock Creek Park in North West DC with the City Fitness Gym hiking club and the “IT” workout, City Fitness’s signature interval step class, to build my endurance. My weight training emphasized leg and back strengthening exercises: deadlifts, squats and body weight rows using the TRX.  My flexibility and core training included Samayama Yoga and Pole Pressure pole dance classes. Shara chose Spinning classes to develop her cardio-respiratory endurance, weight training to get stronger, and yoga classes to improve her flexibility.

The trip was amazing – the grandness of the rock formations, the smell of pine and sage in the air, the noise of the Aspens when the wind blew through the trees all put us in touch with those mountains of our youth. We met some really cool people executing challenges of their own: the woman who had been on the trail for 3 months from Oregon who helped fix our stove, the guys doing the John Muir trail decked out with techie gear blogging their trip, the young endurance runners who did the 25 mile pass in one day carrying almost nothing but their water and themselves. We’ll never forget the lightning storm on the ridge with the Boy Scout troop. There is something comforting in the knowledge that they knew CPR just in case.

The best part of the trip was spending time with my sister bonding. We worked together keeping each other going by good conversation, reciting poetry (If by Rudyard Kipling), counting steps, singing to keep the wildlife away, and talking about our childhood, our lives, our family and friends, and our dreams.

The last night of our trip we camped deep in a mountain valley along Mono creek.  Sheer granite walls surrounded us.  My sister went to sleep early as I read to her from my survival book. As the twilight descended upon the tent I could feel the quiet absorbing into my body, my mind.  I listened to the rhythm of the creek, the wind, and my sister’s breath.  I looked out at the stars and the Jefferson Pines so tall they reached the heavens and I realized that I too am Wild; a high-Sierra girl running through a mountain meadow. This part of me is real, authentic and needs space and the freedom to roam, explore and be adventurous.

The last day we summated Mono Pass. It took us several hours longer than expected due to the weather. We began the descent following the switchbacks down. From a distance Shara spotted what she thought was a bear. Several switches later I declared it a dog. Bear. Dog. Bear. Dog. As we made a turn we ran smack dab into our families – my son, Shara’s daughters, and Moriah (their dog). Whew. What a site for sore eyes and bodies. We did it and it was difficult, and having our little search party find us and carry our packs out was just what we needed. We expected challenges like sore shoulders, tired legs and shortness of breath at the summit. Other difficulties such as our stove not working, getting caught in a high-altitude lighting storm, and the emotional effects of an intense trip, pushed us to our limits. We screamed and cried and laughed.

To keep the spirit alive, I will continue to explore the nature in my own back yard. Rock Creek Park and Great Falls Park may not be “The mountains are calling and I must go,” as John Muir puts it. But in a big city like DC, it’s a true blessing to have nature woven into our lives so intimately.

We are planning another Back Packing Trip for next summer, maybe a section of the John Muir Trail/Pacific Crest Trail near Mount Whitney. In the meantime I will dream about my childhood home and the Sierra Wave. As John Muir himself puts it best, “Long, blue, spiky-edged shadows crept out across the snow-fields, while a rosy glow, at first scarce discernable, gradually deepened and suffused every mountain-top, flushing the glaciers and the harsh crags above them. This was the alpenglow, to me the most impressive of all the terrestrial manifestation of God.  At the touch of this divine light, the mountains seemed to kindle to a rapt, religious consciousness, and stood hushed like devout worshippers waiting to be blessed.”

The Ladder Pushup Workout featured in Washingtonian

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/wellbeing/fit-check/the-ladder-pushup-workout.php#more

Read this article submitted by City Fitness Gym General Manager, Tom Brose, in the Washingtonian Well+Being E-Magazine.

My Yoga Journey - by Lucinda LaRee

My journey in becoming a yoga teacher and businesswoman are intertwined.  The study and practice of yoga has played a big part in my life.  I am committed to offering high quality classes day in and day out to service my clients, helping them become strong and flexible while encouraging them to be part of our neighborhood gym.

As a teenager growing up in California, I was inspired by Jane Fonda – she was such a fit, vivacious, active, politically-aware woman that she became my role model. So, at 16 I took my first Jazzercise class. This led me into teaching fitness classes in San Diego at Cal a Vie, which then opened the door for an opportunity to work at the Norwich Inn and Spa in Connecticut.

In the summer of 1989, Sports Illustrated held auditions nationwide for the next “Fitness Star” to lead their Sports Illustrated Exercise Video Series.  They planed to audition extras in Norwich, as they would be filming the videos at the spa in the fall. At the time, I was 25, teaching five classes day, running track and doing interval training at the local high school.  As I ran I visualized myself in the videos, a technique I learned from the book “Think and grow rich”.  I wanted to be a Fitness Consultant for the Rich and Famous and this audition was my chance. The audition turned into more than I expected, I was not picked just to be an extra, but was given the role of “Fitness Expert” to lead the Super Models: Cheryl Tiegs, Elle McPherson and Rachel Hunter.

Elle was a committed yoga practitioner and wanted to do a Yoga/Fitness video.  At the time this was unheard of, but we received the go ahead with one stipulation: we had to call it “Stretch and Strengthen” because it was believed no one would be interested in a Yoga video.  I met with her to watch a video of her yoga practice and we created a workout using her favorite yoga poses and my favorite mainstream fitness movements.  I had never taken a yoga class in my life yet here I was in charge of choreographing this merger of mediums with a Supermodel. The video series hit the market and were an instant success - they sold over a hundred thousand copies.

Upon the video release I moved to DC and began teaching fitness classes for Fit Physique, Inc. and my now business partner, Dega Schembri. DC, by nature, is a high-stress city. To address the stress levels and tight muscles of my students, I always ended my classes with stretch and relaxation using the techniques learned from the yoga video experience and from the yoga classes I had begun taking at Unity Woods. My students really enjoyed the stress relief and this established my reputation as a mind-body teacher.

In 1993, Brian and Doris Forscheimer hired me to consult/design and open City Fitness Gym in Cleveland Park. I was committed to create a “spa like” fitness class schedule and with much reluctance Brian and Doris agreed to let me try a yoga class. They preferred to start with a less-popular time slot to test the waters. Yoga turned that around and the class was consistently full. That led to a more balanced class schedule in which we offered yoga several times a week.

In 1996, I joined in a partnership with Dega and we bought City Fitness with a vision of creating a gym with a heart and soul.  We wanted grow our specialty class offerings at the gym and corporate sites and yoga was at the top of our list.  In 2000 the demand was so great we decided to start our Samayama Yoga Teacher Training Program to train teachers for the growing market.  Our company had been training qualified fitness instructors since 1993. We brought in the experts: Beryle Bender Birch of Power Yoga fame and David Swenson, one of the original Ashtanga Yogis.  I continued my studies with many other gifted yogis and used my experience to train and hire teachers who expressed our overall mission of safe fitness programming and community.

In 2013 Fit Physique will be celebrating a 30-Year Anniversary and City Fitness will be celebrating a 20-Year Anniversary.  We have been offering high quality fitness and yoga classes all these years and have added other mind-body mediums such as Pilates and T’ai Chi.

The abundance of bad yoga press lately does not surprise me.  Where there is money to made people take notice. A yoga business is like any other business - you need to make money for the business to continue and to pay a living wage to your employees. There can be very high overhead, particularly in cities like DC. But, there are still ethics that should not be ignored. It is unethical to open a yoga studio down the street from your teacher and become their competitor. It is unethical to practice business techniques that will do harm. As a yoga teacher and lifelong yoga student I follow a code of conduct and professional ethics. We are taught to honor our teachers, those who have gone before us to make this sacred path for us to tread.

I am not ashamed of my unique path in becoming a Yoga teacher or my company’s mission to provide the best service possible while operating a socially responsible and financially profitable business.  I believe in right livelihood.  I need to earn a living to support my family and hope in doing so I can also improve the well-being and quality of life of my students.

It makes me happy to imagine a world filled with wonderful yoga teachers and students practicing daily.  I believe humanity can only benefit from this large group of people, some of whom are my dearest friends, practicing with commitment and enthusiasm.

Sincerely,

Lucinda LaRee/E-RYT Master Yoga Teacher
CO-Owner

The Happiness Project February Update - By Lucinda

I made a commitment for 2012 to focus on a book written by Gretchen Rubin called the “Happiness Project.” I invited my friends, family, personal training clients and yoga students to take this yearlong journey with me.

One of the first things Gretchen talks about are studies that show regular exercise makes people feel happier. To exercise better is one of the goals.

I believe it is important to have exercise and wellness goals. My theme this year is “Change it up.” I am a true earth girl, a Taurus. I can get very comfortable in my routines, maybe too comfortable. So this year I intend to have more fun: The Happiness Hair Project - 31 hair styles in 31 days, be more creative in my workouts by trying new exercises and fitness classes like Pole Dancing, and challenge myself to a mud run. Like I said, I am earth girl and I love to get dirty!

I asked my yoga students what they wanted to get out of their yoga practice in 2012 and this is what they said;

1. To be more challenged
2. To learn to balance
3. To do yoga four times a week
4. To get stronger & more flexible
5. To open hips & breath better
6. To be once inch taller by practicing better posture
7. To integrate mind, body by being mindful and paying attention in the poses

In my yoga practice I hope to find more space in my body, mind and spirit. I want to slow down and be in the present moment and become better at backbends.

Other happiness goals are as follows:

1. Go to bed earlier. I gave myself a regular bedtime and it makes getting up a lot easier.
2. Tackle a nagging task. - I scheduled my yearly medical check up and mammogram.
3. Toss Restore and organize. - I cleaned out my closet and donated bags of cloths to the good will.
4. Act more energetic and to feel better.

2011 was a very busy year with all the renovations at the gym. After a long commute home all I wanted to do was eat something quick, have a glass of wine and veg out on the couch. I knew better. I love being outside and walking my dog, cooking and eating healthy food, a beautiful salad filled with fresh vegetables all colors of the rainbow. I was finding it very difficult to cultivate the discipline to do the very things I know are good for me - the actions that make me happy and easy to do the things that don’t. I just wanted instant gratification! If that’s not a “rut’ than I don’t know what is. I would wake up the next day feeling low energy and the cycle would start all over again.

I am one month into my happiness project and feeling energized and excited about life.

Sleeping eight hours a night, eating my vegetables and whole grains, getting lots of exercise and having more fun. Not only do I feel happier, but also I even have a little spring in my step.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts,” Winston Churchill

“Happiness lie in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort," Franklin Roosevelt

Changes for 2012 by Lucinda LaRee

CHANGE YOUR MIND

CHANGE YOUR BODY

CHANGE YOUR LIFE

CHANGE YOUR WORLD

Four years ago during the Presidential campaign Obama’s word was Change. 2012, an election year City Fitness’s word is Change. We have seen many changes in the last 18 years of business.

When City Fitness opened in 1993, the most popular class format in was Step Aerobics. The most popular class today is Yoga with body sculpting and boot camp classes next in line.

The gym opened in the Grunge era. We played Pearl Jam on the CD player and got pumped up to lift. Now we have satellite radio and everyone has their very own entertainment centers via their Ipod, Iphone or Ipad.

Although other things may have changed over time, everyone is still looking for the new fitness trend, quick fix, and “ultimate” workout to start off their New Year. We are here to say there is no such thing as a quick fix. It is good to change it up, don’t get me wrong. Try new things, push to the next level, and think outside of the box. If not for muscle confusion, then make workout changes for excitement and the challenge of learning something new.

We don’t believe it should always be “out with the old and in with the new.” Keep what works for you and be willing to change what doesn’t. We want to encourage everyone to step it up and step out of your comfort zone:

· Try a class you’ve been to afraid to attend because you think you will make a fool out of yourself – odds are you won’t, and even if you do have a GREAT time trying.

· Set up a Fitness evaluation and program design or sign up for a Personal Training Starter Package to get one on one attention and out of your workout rut!

· Turn off your Ipod, unplug your ears and have a conversation with your neighbor. You might just make a new friend.

There is no hiding at City Fitness. Unlike the big “BOX” chain gyms that offer extreme deals without membership limits, 50 treadmills in a row where you’re just a hamster on wheel, and that don’t care if members actually use the gym or not, we are owner operated and want to see our members getting the most bang for their buck. The only way to do this is use the gym, focus on your workout and be a part of our fitness community. We are here to help you reach your goals. City Fitness has everything you need to do it. All we need is your commitment.

In 2011 our intention was to give our gym a lift from the ground up. We replaced the floors, painted and repaired the facility, refinished the deck, replaced the windows and worn our bench pads, purchased some new fitness toys and mats and made a stab at better storage for our fitness props.

2012 will bring more changes with new cardio equipment and more dance classes, but it will still offer you the same consistency in our awesome instructors and trainers that continue to learn and grow and want to share their knowledge with you. Enjoy our beautiful gym to break a sweat, swing a kettle bell, chant “om,” or stand on your hands.

WE SAY TO YOU

“BRING IT”

AND LET’S SEE WHAT CHANGE CAN DO