The next session of S.E.A.L. Training starts on Wednesday.

Don’t worry. It’s not as intimidating as it sounds.

I was interested in S.E.A.L. training for my husband. He planned on participating in “I Lost It At The Club“, which was run last January for the first time. But the program wasn’t taking place this year, so he was looking for another way to kick-start his weight-loss goals for the New Year.

Unfortunately, the times for S.E.A.L. training don’t match up with his schedule, but I wanted to share what I learned, because it sounds fantastic.

Personal Trainers Steve Lopes and Bruce Hedlund run the program.

S.E.A.L. stands for Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Life. The class focuses on the following:

Strength:Blending traditional weight-training with everyday movements.

Endurance: Increasing cardiovascular and muscular thresholds.

Agility: Combining movements of everyday life with sports training.

Life: Integrating activities of everyday life with fitness.

Bruce tells me that this program is unique because the results are clearly measurable. You will notice a difference in your body, your overall strength, and your endurance once you’ve completed S.E.A.L. training. The class utilizes traditional weight-and-strength-training methods, along with some unconventional ones thrown in to make the class interesting.

And while “Summer S.E.A.L.” was held outside, “Winter S.E.A.L.” is held indoors because one never knows what a Rochester winter has in store.

Steve put me in contact with Frank Dana, Midtown member and S.E.A.L. graduate. I asked him a few questions about the program. Here’s what he had to say:

What was your favorite part of the training?

My favorite part was the fact that the workouts were always changing.  The workouts would build on each other and would challenge my body.  On top of that, the trainers would make sure the participants would perform the new exercises correctly.  The trainers are excellent and the coaching they give to the participants throughout the course is worth the price.

What changes did you notice in your body and overall strength from when you started?

I have chronic lower back problems and this training helped with my back issues immediately.  Proper lifting/exercise technique is greatly emphasized in this class.

What can members interested in S.E.A.L. training expect in class?

Expect great workouts lead by very knowledgeable trainers.  The S.E.A.L. workouts will energize you and by the end you will notice a big difference in your body.

Would you recommend S.E.A.L.? If so, why?

Yes.  The fact that my lower back felt great after my S.E.A.L. sessions speaks volumes.  Plus, having to commit to workout classes twice a week can force people needing a kick start in their New Year’s resolution workouts.

 S.E.A.L. begins on Wednesday, January 12th and runs through February 12th. The class meets twice a week for five weeks, on Wednesdays from 6:00am-7:15am and on Saturdays from 8:00am-9:15am.

The cost is $180 per person for the five-week program.

Have you participated in S.E.A.L. training? What did you think?

Thanks to everyone who entered the latest giveaway by sending in their feedback on this blog and the club’s Facebook page. And congrats to Steve Sullivan, whom random.org selected as the winner of the Midtown logo sports bag.

My primary goal in running the giveaway was to ensure that the Facebook page and the blog are both useful and interesting. Based on the feedback I received over the past few days, it sounds like you’re enjoying both.

So, what did members have to say about Midtown’s social media?

Here are some of the comments I received, followed by my response to each:

I like how you have been able to bring a fresh perspective to the happenings at Midtown. Keep on writing, especially about classes you’ve personally experienced. I would love to hear more about Kinesis!

Thanks! I plan on writing about my class experiences more this year. I will shamefully admit to being a primarily Fitness Floor girl (what with the half-marathon training), but I’ve taken a Pilates Reformer class (amazing) and also Cardio, Strength, and Conditioning (high-energy and intense). I also want to try the new MXT class (Midtown Xtreme Training) very soon. You can check out my post on Spinesis, which includes Kinesis, here. I will definitely add a post on Kinesis to my plan for the blog.

I love the blog the way it is, but would like to see more entries on weight loss and nutrition!  Also, more contests/giveaways!

Great ideas! I am looking into interviewing some Midtown staff members with nutrition and weight loss expertise. If anyone reading has lost weight and would like to share what worked/didn’t work, I would love to hear your story. Feel free to email me.

Oh, and more giveaways and contests are coming soon!

What I like best: Updates on my Facebook feed about new programs/classes that I might not otherwise hear about (ie Psyclewerks, holiday bootcamp), even if I don’t end up attending.  I’m no good at reading the print material.  It used to stink when I’d hear about something *after* it happens and assume, “I would have gone if only I had known…”  Now I have no excuse!

I’m really glad you find the Facebook updates useful. I like all my information online as well, and in my house, paper tends to get lost in the shuffle (or covered with crayon).

I love your writing – insightful, clever, and personal.

Thanks!

How about posting a “workout/challenge of the week”.  Post in the beginning of the week and have people post their results….
 
An example:  “Do as many pull-ups as you can in 3 minutes…resting as much as you want with the clock running”
 
Two things it will do. 
1.       Start a dialog between members on the page.
2.       People might see each other doing it at the gym and do the challenge together.

Image courtesy of Spencer Olinek

I love this idea. I’m going to get in touch with the trainers to see if they’d be willing to share some ideas for the challenges.

I’m fairly new to Midtown and constantly run into members I know that give me tips and such about Midtown. Maybe have a “Did You Know?” section on the blog or website and direct new members to it. That way we can utilize all the great things Midtown has to offer and perhaps do more know more.

Another great idea! Over the spring and summer, I posted “Fun Facts” on the Facebook page. These “facts” were little-known tidbits of information about Midtown that many members might not know about. For example, in the wintertime, the “mineral” in the Mineral Soaking Tub is actually salt from the Dead Sea imported via California.   

You can find all these facts by searching back through the Facebook page, but I will compile them on the blog in one area.

I like both the FB page and the Blog, but one thing makes reading and digesting the post a little difficult for me: The posts are longer than most and would benefit from having a title or key word category so that I can scan the page and easily find the posts that interest me. I’m not sure if it would work, but if the posts had all caps or bolded titles including TENNIS, RUNNING, GROUP EXERCISE, INSPIRATION, FEEDBACK, etc. then I might be able to quickly find the info I’m interested in reading.

This is a compelling idea. I wish Facebook provided users with text formatting tools (bold, color, or underline) but unfortunately, it doesn’t. I would fear that because using all caps is akin to “shouting” in the online world, people might read the posts that way. Plus, some posts pertain to multiple categories and some don’t pertain to any one category.

I will give this idea more thought. If you have ideas on how to categorize the posts or how to make them more readable, please let me know.

Keep the feedback coming. The contest may be over, but I’d still love to hear from you. Remember, this is your blog and it’s your Facebook page. Anytime you have an idea for a topic you’d like to see covered on the blog, or a way to improve our Facebook page, please email me at kristi@meetme-atmidtown.com.

2010 is coming to a close. Newspapers are printing their “Best of” and “Worst of” lists, Time has named its Person of the Year, Merriam-Webster has selected “austerity” as its Word of the Year (no surprise there), and people everywhere are reflecting on the year’s top stories.

I thought Midtown should get in on the action, so here are some of the club’s 2010′s highlights:

Fitness

• Kettlebells arrived at Midtown and have quickly become one of the more popular training methods. Kettlebells are being used in two of the new Group Exercise Classes: MXT(Midtown Xtreme Training) and Triple Fusion, which start in January. Check out the new class schedule and give them a try.
• Personal Trainer, Psyclewerks superstar, and Group Cycle instructor Doug Rusho was named the Top Male Indoor Cycling Instructor in the nation. Doug won a Keiser M3 Stationary Power Bike (just like those in the Cycling Room). He also taught a class at the Indoor Cycle Instructor PRO Conference in Boston in October.
• Personal Trainers Steve Lopes and Bruce Hedlund launched their new S.E.A.L. (Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Life) small Group Training Program this past summer. The class had a total of 16 participants and is running again in January.

Group Exercise

• Early this month, group exercise instructors underwent Keiser cycle educational training to better acquaint them with using the new M3 bikes, which are the same ones used in Doug Rusho’s Psyclewerksprogram. The bikes have only been in the club for a few week, and positive member feedback has been phenomenal.
• In addition to MXT and Triple Fusion, two other new classes have hit the schedule: Cardio Aerobics, a fun cardio calorie-burner aerobics class for all fitness levels, which may include strength-training and abs, and Sports Conditioning, a challenging, fun class, which used various non-choreographed strength and conditioning drills to improve flexibility, mobility, strength, and conditioning level.
• The new schedule also includes two evening Cycle Express classes, and a Saturday Spinyasa class.

Aquatics

• Camp Midtown had huge participation numbers throughout the entire season.
• The Midtown Currents Swim Team came in 3rd overall in the RPSL Championships (14 teams) with the younger swimmers winning their respective age groups. In two years, the team plans on being the fastest summer swim team in Rochester. Of course, it’s already the most fun.

Mind/Body

• The department collected $1,582 in donations on Thanksgiving for the Bivona Child Advocacy Center.

Tennis

• The USTA recognized Midtown as a pioneer in the field of 10 and Under Tennis, and an industry leader in adapting to the needs of younger players and helping them to hone their technique. This recognition came after the USTA set in place new rules for teaching tennis to kids, all of which Midtown has been implementing for years.

Kidtown

• Camp attendance continues to increase, and whenever there is a school holiday, parents have come to rely on Camp Kidtown as a place for younger children to have a blast in a creative, active, and fun atmosphere.

As for me, the year has been a mixed bag. I’m wrapping up my first year as a member, and I have nothing but positive things to say about my member experience. That’s the good.

The bad? Well, the Rochester Half-Marathon I spent months training for in the spring and summer never happened. Sidelined by a double calf strain, I enjoyed a pity party for one on a weight bench in the club as I watched the clock tick over to 7:45am on September 12th, the time the race was beginning.

However, eight sessions of ART (Active Release Technique) in the fall, followed by a strict regime of stretching put me back in the running business. And I plan on rocking the Flower City Half-Marathon on May 1st of next year.

2010 also marked the debut of this blog and the re-launch of the Midtown RochesterFacebook page.

What have you liked about the posts I’ve run on Meet Me at Midtown? What haven’t you liked? What would you like to see more of, or less of?

We also want the club’s Facebook page to be as useful for you as possible, so please let us know what you’ve liked and haven’t liked, or would like to see more of on Facebook as well.

One current Midtown member who submits their feedback in the Comments section or emails it to me at kristi@meetme-atmidtown.com will win this high-quality Midtown Sports Bag!

I will select one winner via Random.org on Tuesday, January 4th, at 5pm, and post the name of the winner on our Facebook page and here on the blog on January 5th.

Happy and healthy New Year!

It’s the last “Ask the Trainer” post for the year, and Kim Myga is answering your questions this month.

Kim began her career in the fitness field nine years ago after working for many years as a nanny to four children. She was inspired to enter the field after creating workouts and dietary guidelines for a diabetic friend, who after months of following Kim’s protocol, was taken off her diabetes medication. 

In addition to training, Kim is also passionate about Pilates and teaches classes as well.

Reader Question: I read somewhere that the metabolic benefit of exercising in the morning or the evening depended upon your body weight. Is this true?  What are the benefits of morning vs. evening cardio workouts?

Kim: I haven’t read any evidence that supports this.  As for what time to do cardio workouts, keep in mind that it’s consistency and completion that’s most important. Your training needs to involve a routine that works for you.  If you have more energy in the morning, get it done early. Just be sure to eat something before.  If you’re an evening person, train later.  Exercise does help with achieving better sleep; however make sure you leave enough time for the body to settle before going to bed.

Reader Question: I’m finding it difficult to find enough time to do cardio, weight training, and stretching/relaxation exercises each week during this busy holiday season. Is there a particular class or group of classes that you could recommend that would incorporate all these activities?

Kim: First, pencil yourself into your schedule. Just as you may plan a lunch date, plan a workout.  Fortunately, we offer a variety of classes that combine activities. These include Spinyassa, Cardio Strength Conditioning, boot camps, Total Body Conditioning, Cardio Kickboxing and more.  Or, treat yourself this holiday and check out our 30-minute classes, which include Kinesis and Pilates.   

Reader Question: I have no fewer than 12 holiday parties to attend in the next month. Weight management is high on my list of priorities, and I don’t want to backslide (I’ve lost 30 pounds this year). Besides the usual advice of never going to a party hungry and not overdoing the alcohol, how can I make certain I don’t have 10 pounds to lose in January?

Kim: Weight management and mingling this time of year can be challenging.  Try scheduling a complementary fitness evaluation so you are aware of your current progress.  Then, write down your goals and read them daily.  Stay focused and enjoy the company of your family and friends more than the cocktails and dinners.

Reader Question: My 14-year-old daughter is overweight and her pediatrician has encouraged me to assist her with healthy eating and exercise. I am cooking more healthfully at home, but what do you recommend in terms of exercise? Are there any machines she can safely use at the club?

Kim: It’s so important to teach children a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition and exercise.  Midtown offers a “Teen Permit.”  This includes a free orientation with a fitness professional.  He/she will teach your child how to use the equipment safely.  Also, check the schedule for kids after school classes as well.  They are interactive, motivational, and fun.  

Reader Question: I have friends who use Hydroxycut  for weight loss. I know it’s dangerous, but I have to admit that they look pretty good. What is your professional opinion on using it?

Kim: It sounds like you’ve answered your own question. Your body is an incredible machine. Use your body and your mind to achieve your fitness goals.  That’s all you need.  

Reader Question: I have used a particular Midtown trainer a few times now to develop new weight-training programs.  I have been very pleased, but I am starting to see some repetition in the programs and am considering trying a different trainer to change things up.  Is this considered poor form?  I don’t want to offend the original trainer but I also want to get the most out of my sessions.

Kim: Your trainer shouldn’t feel offended.  I believe it’s important to have variety.  Personally, I like my clients to work with other trainers when I’m out of town.  Each trainer has different knowledge and skill sets.  We can all learn from each other.  I do advise you to speak with your current trainer before working with someone new.  As a trainer, we want all of our members to get the most out of their sessions.  Your goals are our goals too.

Thank you, Kim!

Do you have a question for one of the trainers? Post your question as a comment to this post, or email it to me at kristi@meetme-atmidtown.com. If you email the question, I will ask it anonymously on your behalf, and post the question and answer (but not your name) on the next “Ask the Trainer” post. You do not need to be a member to ask a question.

 You can find past “Ask the Trainer” posts here.)

Remember this?

Yeah. Me either.

Winters in Rochester can seem endless. The good news, though, is that beauty up there is opening up again in four short months.

And the club is hard at work using the off-season to make next year’s pool season the best one yet.

When the pool closed at the end of October, Tim Auerhahn, Aquatics Director, hosted a “Lap Swimmers’ Breakfast” to solicit feedback from the 2010 pool season. Tim said he received some great ideas, which he plans on discussing with others at the club over the next four months.

 Here are a few of his favorite member suggestions to improve swimming at the club:

• Get a covered area by the hot tub for towels in the winter.
• Add electrical outlets around the pool deck for sun bathers with electronic devices.
• Have the lifeguards do more “foot patrols.”
• Install air conditioning in the poolside bathrooms and clean them more regularly.
• Play more fun pool music, and less country!
• Have Dive-In Movies for adults.
• Run free clinics for flip turns and stroke techniques

Do you have any suggestions for improving the pool or outdoor facilities? Share them here, or email them to tim.auerhahn@midtown.com.

I did not grow up playing sports.

A childhood illness kept me indoors for most of my elementary school years. I read. I wrote stories. But I missed the chance to experience the thrill, camaraderie, and teamwork of organized sports.

As a mom, I want for my children what I missed. And because  “Midtown” and “Tennis” go together like “Snow” and “Rochester,” I thought this would be the perfect place to start their experience with sports.

In September, my four-year-old daughter entered the phenomenal Junior Tennis program. Peggy Schuster coached her Level 7  group lessons, designed for the preschool set.

Her nine-week lesson experience was, in a word, awesome. So much so that she’s now several weeks into another session of lessons.

Want to know why her lessons rocked?

Here are 7 Things You Need to Know About Level 7 Tennis at Midtown

1. The Lessons are 110% Designed Around Fun

Don’t get me wrong. The kids are learning the fundamentals of the game, including how to hold the racket, the different parts of the court, and how to correctly position their fidgety little bodies, but everything Coach Peggy does with the kids is centered around them having a blast. The drills have kid-friendly names, incorporate fun props like plastic dome hats to help with balance and cones for catching balls. The lessons are designed to teach kids how to play via a series of creative games.

2. Peggy Schuster has the Patience of a Saint

Trust me on this one. I’m Catholic and I know my saints. Level 7 tennis is for 3-and-4-year-olds, hardly the most attentive, easily directed, and focused age group to work with. But Peggy is the picture of patience. Sometimes the kids, my daughter included, are silly, goofy, and distracted. Peggy never loses her cool, talks to them on their level, and through some form of magical tennis pro power is able to bring them back into the lesson with a smoothness and ease she should package onto a DVD and sell for $29.99 to parents of preschoolers everywhere.

3. Your Child is Made to Feel Important and Safe

My daughter had a great start to her lessons. She went to the first two excited, happy, and fully engaged. And then something went awry in her little brain.

Suddenly, she no longer wanted to go to her lessons. She cried after walking onto the court for the third lesson. We had to leave. She refused to get into the car to go to her fourth lesson. She never gave a reason for not wanting to go. After a two-week hiatus, she agreed to return.

Coach Peggy welcomed her back. She placed a mesh dot used in some of the drills  in one corner of the court and told my daughter that that was her safe place. If she was worried or felt sad, she could go to that dot and feel safe. She never needed to use the dot, but the special attention Coach Peggy paid my daughter made a difference. She finished out the remaining five weeks of lessons without feeling upset again.

4. Lots of Effort is Invested in Planning the Lessons

My daughter is only four, so I don’t yet have a lot of experience with organized sports lessons or practices. But if they’re all organized and executed like the junior tennis lessons at the club, I would be thrilled. It’s obvious that Peggy invests a lot of time into planning the lessons. The energy level is always high. The kids are constantly moving, and one game or drill is always followed quickly by the next, to minimize distraction and keep the kids engaged.

5. Creative Drills Turn Lessons Into Games

All the warm-up activities and drills have great names such as “Sharks in the Water,” a balance drill where rackets placed in center court are the “sharks” and the kids follow Coach Peggy along the lines with small plastic domes on their heads and attempt to stay out of the “water”). Other fun drills include “Lobster Claws,” “Cleaning House,” and “Spaghetti and Meatballs.”

The kids also run obstacle courses designed to practice split steps and correct body positioning.

6. Teamwork is Tops

While my daughter has attended camps and classes before, this is her first foray into sports lessons. Coach Peggy places a lot of emphasis on teamwork, a new concept for my four-year-old. The kids are often paired together for drills, they gather in a group to go over new games, and they always form a team huddle together at the end of each lesson, where the kids place their hands in a pile, one kid chooses “the word of the day,” and they shout,  ”1-2-3 snowflakes” (or “ice cream” or “Superman”, etc.).

7. Your Child Will Improve

I will admit to being a skeptic about this one. My daughter would much rather glue macaroni to sheets of construction paper than race her bike down the street. She was not enrolled in Soccer for Babies. She’s not a natural athlete.

But she’s now able to hit the ball on a bounce. She can engage in a short rally with another player, and she knows the “ready” position. Her balance and agility are greater than when she started, and she’s able to keep her body positioned correctly most of the time. I can’t wait to see what she’ll learn next.

I am very impressed with what my daughter has experienced in her lessons. It’s easy to see why Junior Tennis at Midtown is so popular. It’s a professional, creative, well-run program designed to encourage interest in a great sport. Peggy Schuster is amazing with the kids, and my daughter adores her, often bringing her pictures she’s drawn for her.

I could not have asked for a better first experience with sports for my preschooler.

Do you have kids enrolled in Junior Tennis at Midtown? What do you think of the program?

Wow.

What a journey it has been.

I found myself getting depressed this past week knowing our first Psyclewerx session was ending. This week’s homework focused on threshold efforts in Z3 with a strong start and finish in zone 4. It was designed to prep our athletes for the 20-minute functional threshold post-power test. I was told it was the hardest yet, despite my aim to make it a little shorter and easier.

Before class started I could sense a lot of nervous energy around the room, because, after all, it was test day. My daughter Hannah was present making sure everyone’s water was up to par. I kept the warm-up protocol and the test exactly the same as the first test class.

I also used the same music to keep things as consistent as possible. The class settled down after our 15-minute warm-up and I could sense a change. People were less anxious and ready to go. I gave some last-minute pacing strategy advice and they were off. I think a few athletes were almost too excited as I could hear very heavy breathing after only 90 seconds. From there things settled down and they established a rhythm.

At the halfway point, we even heard some team encouragement, and it wasn’t coming from me. By the time we hit 15 minutes, everyone was in tune with their efforts and they crushed the last 5 minutes. New scores were recorded and collected as everyone recovered.

We started the celebration with a few uplifting songs like Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” and “Dog Days are Over” by Florence and the Machine. We finished our final effort and the room just naturally filled with applause and cheering. I can honestly say I have never heard that kind of warm, fulfilling reception after any cycling class.

Everyone was very proud of what they accomplished and experienced together over the last 8 weeks.

I played a “danced up” version of “Listen to the Music” by the Doobie Brothers and handed out the graduation “diplomas.”

"Graduation" Diploma (w/new logo)

I will be putting together a post-grad packet including all of the previous homework assignments, bike set-up guidelines, FTP test protocol, and new power zone cards. I also am starting a power cycling workout service for those who want fresh training assignments and to continue their improvement. I hope to see my athletes out on the floor, continuing to be “power players!”

Results

We still have a few athletes to test as one was sick and two others were out of town. Unfortunately we had 4 athletes “drop out of school.” But, on the very positive side of things, the average improvement for the whole class was 10.7%!!!!!!!!!!!    

7 athletes were between 1-10%

6 were between 11-20%

and 3 between 21-40%.

I would like to thank the class for the gift and the thank you cards, and Ms. “Tabata” for the heartfelt speech. This was the debut class, and was very special to me. This program really has legs under it!  

A very special team.

I would also like to thank Kristi Gaylord for giving me the opportunity to guest-post on this blog, and for editing my somewhat suspect writing skills!

I eagerly look forward to Psyclewerx 2.0, Session #2, after my wife and I settle in with our second child, who is due in a few weeks. I will immediately start collecting/editing music, and writing the next session. I don’t forsee any big changes to the program, but I have learned a few things that need to be tweaked.

If you’re interested in taking Psyclewerx the next time it’s offered, or in re-living what you’ve just finished, you can read about the past eight weeks of class here.

 Psyclewerx 2.0: “Ride the Experience.”

One door closes, as many doors were opened.

Personal trainer and fitness instructor Laura Regna is answering your questions this month.

Laura started working as a trainer at Midtown over six years ago. An accomplished dancer with Biodance, Laura holds both a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from SUNY Brockport and a Master’s degree in Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Buffalo. Laura also has a national certification and has attended several other certification programs in a variety of exercise programs, including Pilates, yoga, aqua, flexibility and Kinesis training.

Kristi: What’s your favorite part of your job?

Laura: I love meeting and working with new clients and going to a work environment knowing that I am going to help others and myself to get or stay fit.

Reader Question: I missed the chance to sign up for a kettle bells orientation. Some of my friends had one, and seem to love the kettle bell workouts, but I am slightly intimidated. We’re all women in our 60s. Are kettle bells a good workout choice for us?

Laura: Kettle bells can benefit all age groups including women and men in their 6o’s. However, it’s hard to say that kettle bells are good for everyone, especially if you have had past injuries or you currently have a health condition, such as hypertension.  I would recommend that you talk with a personal trainer to see if it is a good fit for you.

Reader Question: I took up outdoor cycling this year and love it, but once the snow arrives, I won’t be able to ride anymore. I’ve heard there’s a big difference between indoor cycling and outdoor. Should I transition to a spinning class, or ride the recumbent bikes to best mimic my outdoor cycling?

Laura: I would highly recommend Doug Rusho’s cycling class or any other cycling class that would match your schedule. Also, I would suggest that you mix up your workouts with our cycling bikes, and seek the advice of a personal trainer who instructs a cycling class, but has outdoor cycling experience, to help increase your workouts over the winter.

Reader Question: I am a 45-year-old male in good health, but I need to lose about 30 pounds. I play basketball in the gym a few times a week, and I think this is enough to get me in shape over time. My wife thinks otherwise and believes I need more cardio. I need a professional trainer’s advice to settle the score!

Laura: Basketball is a start, but basketball is an anaerobic activity, or a workout lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes . An anaerobic activity is a shorter-duration workout than an aerobic workout. Although you might play basketball for an hour your heart rate will not stay in the target heart rate zones needed for an aerobic workout, because of the amount of stopping involved in the sport.

For fat loss, the USDA recommends that an individual get at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderately intense physical activity, while eating a properly balanced diet.  A few examples of moderately intense physical activity include jogging, brisk walking, bike riding, most sports, yard work, and swimming.

The USDA also suggests that you should work in your target heart rate, which is between 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate per minute. The way to find your target heart rate zone is based on your age.  Subtract your age from 220, and you will have your estimated maximum heart rate. Multiply by 0.60 through 0.85 to find your low and high end of the target heart rate zones.

Sorry, your wife is right! You need more physical activity to drop the 30 pounds.

Reader Question: Which is the better ab workout-Pilates or yoga?

Laura: Both Yoga and Pilates classes have benefits to working on your abdominals. If you have taken both of these classes before, I would recommend you continue with the class that you enjoy the most.  If you enjoy both, and it’s a time issue, then take one Yoga class and next time you’re at the club, take a Pilates class, and so on.

Reader Question: How many clients does each trainer work with? Does each trainer have a specialty? I have one particular trainer in mind, but I’m worried he won’t be able to work with me during the times I need him. I work hours that vary from week to week.

Laura: The trainers have their own schedules and each one of our personal training team has an hourly goal.  We are all certified personal trainers here; however, each of us has different strengths that may align with your needs specifically.  I would approach this trainer because our hours change from week to week, and he will most likely be able to fit you into his schedule.

Thank you, Laura!

Do You Have a Question for One of the Midtown Trainers?

Post your question as a comment to this post, or email it to me at kristi@meetme-atmidtown.com.

One lucky current Midtown member who submits a question will win a high-quality Midtown Sports Bag (pictured on the sign in the lobby of the club)!

I will select one winner via Random.org on Tuesday, December 7th, at 5pm, and post the name of the winner on our Facebook page and here on the blog on December 8th.

If you email the question, I will ask it anonymously on your behalf, and post the question and answer (but not your name) on the next “Ask the Trainer” post. You do not need to be a member to ask a question, but you do need to be a member to win the sports bag.

So, what do you want to know?

*Congratulations to Aimee Bohn! She won the Midtown logo sports bag because Random.org selected her name from all those who emailed me questions for our next “Ask the Trainer” post! Thanks to everyone who sent in a question (or two!). We have even more giveaways on the way, so keep reading here and the Facebook page.

This is what we have been training for.

For week #7, we experienced a “simulated mountain bike race.” This was a profile modeled after the Laurel Classic Challenge held in Wellsboro, PA in early September for the last 16 years.

The hills in PA are much longer, and the forests much deeper than here in NY. The place just has an epic feel to it. This course features 3 long climbs of 16, 8, and 12 minutes, and some long descents. The terrain is moderately technical with some rocky sections. The coolest feature is the “Left Run Trail,” which follows and crosses multiple times a beautiful steam between two very large ridges.

The athletes had completed their homework, which consisted of long climbs and steady state threshold efforts. They were ready.

After warming up, we introduced our dedicated competitors with a “rolling call up.”

Authentic Race Numbers for Extra Motivation

With athletes such as Alan “The Situation” Bloom, Laura “Lethal Lolita” Elder, Lisa “Hurtlocker” Moose, and Bill “Spitfire” Spitale wheeling the line, this place was ready to rock.

We had a little pre-race drama as Amy “To the Top” Tomaino’s bike was missing. Apparently, someone stole it from the team’s hotel the night before. Luckily her sponsor provided her with a spare.

The racers were paused and waiting, and then the cowbell rang.

More Cowbell!

They were off in a mad dash and the fire was started. They hit the first and longest 16-minute climb. We created a mantra for this entire challenge:

“I Can, I Will, I Am.”

After ascending this climb, we flew across the Plantation Trail, and then down the Stinger Trail. Since we cannot coast on our indoor bikes, we used the descents as a recovery. Athletes were always given zones, but were also free to push their own limits. After all, this is a race.

Climb #2 up Spoar Hollow Rd. was no problem. It was 8 minutes of finding “ the perfect balance of space, energy, and time.” We rode on some flat, grassy double track before another long descent. We got word from a course official that we were sitting in 5th place.

We headed into the underbelly of the beast following the stream. We mimicked stream crossings by doing a drill called a slide. We also learned how to call out and execute a pass using some surges as we passed the 3rd and 4th place riders.

Things get wet and muddy!

We hit climb #3, which is the final big test. 11 minutes of some steep sections in no man’s land. It is wide-open logging trail with nothing to latch onto. Competitors had to dig deep to hold onto their podium position.

“Remember you are not here because of the path that lies before you, but because of the path that lies behind you.”

We crested the climb and punched through the log trail. We did some log “hopping” to stay with the mountain bike experience. Hopping or jumping off of a fixed-gear bike has some risk involved, but with appropriate cadence and just a few reps we kept everything in control and, passed the 2nd place rider: “On your left!”

As usual, my equipment had problems. My shoe cleat began to loosen and eventually disconnected from my shoe. I had to pedal “old school” with one foot clipped on and one out. Very typical for an epic mountain bike race.

What the........?

On the technical Scotch Hollow Pine Trail, we executed “pushes” and traversed small rock gardens and took over first place. We found a gap and headed down our final descent of 6 minutes. Towards the bottom we were caught. As we exited the woods, it was a 1-minute drag race down a dirt road to the finish. We stayed strong to hold onto first place.

The music, the scene, and the motivation just flow for this ride. It is one of my favorites, and our team more than met the challenge. One more round of homework and we re-test for the last class.

Then graduation.

We will have a celebration workout after the test, and then I have something special for our graduates.

Stay tuned.

Psyclewerks group: What did you think of The Laurel Classic Challenge?

Doug Rusho is everywhere these days. If he’s not motivating his Psyclewerks class to push through the pain, he’s teaching spinning or training his clients.

Now, he’s hijacking the blog once again to talk about Spinesis.

Go, Doug, go.

Do you want to enjoy family, friends, and really good comfort food on Thanksgiving? Does Aunt Sarah’s deep-dish caramel apple pie lure you back to the fridge at 3am Friday morning?

If so, you can balance out your Turkey Day consumption with some high-calorie-burning workouts.

Spinesis, this Friday at 10:00am, is exactly what you need.

What is Spinesis, you ask?

It’s a group exercise class limited to 12 people, which combines two types of training, Kinesis and Indoor Cycle. Each person starts cycling with me in the Cycle Room. Then, groups of six head next door to the Kinesis studio to work out with the ever-so-sassy and energizing Dina Smock for 12 minutes of Kinesis. The other six people continue to cycle. Each group will go through three rounds for a total session time of 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Both rooms are music-equipped for maximum motivation.

Never done Kinesis? Now is the perfect time to start.

Kinesis is movement-based, total body training, utilizing four special cable stations. Participants choose their own weight and go through a station over a timed interval. Weights are light because the intervals are usually more than a minute. There is only enough recovery time to get to the next station. Setup at each station is quick and easy. As you can imagine, your breathing will remain high and so will the calorie expenditure!

Kinesis is focused on true core conditioning and strength endurance.

It is great for toning and total body coordination. I have taught and taken many Kinesis classes and I really like the workout. It is something that feels totally different than anything you would do in the weight room. This is exactly what the body needs, something new and different to spice up that metabolism!

This will be my first Spinesis with Dina. I plan on bringing my own unique teaching style, the usual “music mapping,” and new to any past Spinesis class, something I call “Powertrip.” You’re going to have to sign up to find out what this is!

Spinesis is not your run-of-the-mill fusion class. The small group, the music, and the workout combine to form a unique experience.

I like Turkey Day as much as anyone, but to truly enjoy it, we have to find a balance. Make your reservations at the front desk now ($20/guest and guests are welcome for the same price), and do the holiday right!