One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to improve health.
Unfortunately, most New Year’s Resolutions are also doomed to fail.
In the interest of saving you time in route to your destination (the body of your dreams, we hope!), let’s examine some of the most common exercise mistakes to determine whether you have what it takes to succeed.
Mistake #1: Doing Too Much, Too Soon
If it has been a while since you’ve exercised, or you have been exercising inconsistently, your body isn’t going to respond well to a strenuous program right off the bat. Choose a schedule that you can stick to (e.g. one hour per day, three times per week), and begin at an intensity level that feels challenging, but not debilitating. Make sure to incorporate adequate time for a warm-up and cool-down.
Mistake #2: Forgetting Proper Technique
When it comes to resistance training, technique is the difference between getting results and getting injured, or not seeing any improvement at all. It starts with proper posture, which means keeping the core engaged (imagine how you would brace yourself if someone was about to punch you in the stomach), and standing tall with a neutral spine, shoulder blades pulled back, and head lifted.
Courtesy of Denverpost.com
Also, make sure you know the purpose of the exercise you are about to perform. What muscles are working? What is the proper range of motion for the exercise? Is this the most effective way to target the muscles I want to work?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, it’s time to talk to a trainer or instructor, or do some research on your own. Time spent now on learning how to do the exercise correctly means less time to your goal.
Mistake #3: Choosing Quantity Over Quality
If doing an hour of cardio means walking on a treadmill while you catch up on the latest episode of Law and Order and you barely break a sweat, then that hour didn’t do a whole lot to help you improve your fitness (the same concept applies to doing a lot of repetitions with almost negligible weight). Working out should feel challenging, and the good news is, challenging yourself appropriately will lead you to the results you want in less time.
Courtesty of Workoutequip.com
Mistake #4: Always Doing the Same Thing
Don’t worry; you don’t have to give up cycling if that is your favorite workout. Just make sure that you are changing your exercise intensity from time to time (alternating hard days and easy days, or increasing resistance over time), and maintaining a balanced program. That means incorporating cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training.
Now for the Number One resolution-killer
Mistake #5: Ignoring the Truth
Make sure you are answering the following questions honestly:
If the answer to these questions is “No,” or “I’m not sure,” you may be setting yourself up for failure. Give yourself your best chance at fitness this year – avoid these detrimental mistakes, create and stick to a plan, and go for it!
What are your fitness goals this year? What steps are you taking to achieve them?
The annual holiday blizzard has hit, complete with last-minute shopping trips, baking extravaganzas, parties, parties, and more parties. How about giving yourself the gift of stress relief and letting your workouts at Midtown be the calm in your storm? Here are all the details you need to know about the remaining holiday events at the club.
An Opportunity to Give Back
Help someone stay warm this season by decorating our Holiday Mitten Tree. This month, Midtown is collecting donations of new mittens/gloves, hats, and scarves for West Suburban PADS to distribute to those in need in our community. Both children’s and adults’ sizes are needed, so let’s make it as full and colorful as possible! Thank you in advance for your support of this great cause.
Club Hours
Saturday, December 31: Holiday Hours 7:00AM – 1:00PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 12:00PM
Sunday, January 1: Holiday Hours 7:00AM – 1:00PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 12:00PM
Class Schedule
Saturday, December 31:
Sunday, January 1:
And in case you didn’t have a chance to join us on Christmas Eve, here is a quick recap of some of our special holiday classes:
Wishing all Midtown members and friends a joyous holiday season, and a happy and healthy 2012. How are you going to make this your best year yet?
Why do we care about trends? Researchers study them, writers report them, teachers teach them, and tweeters tweet them. Although there are many advantages to being “in the know,” one of the most important reasons to pay attention to trends is that they can help us prepare for and adapt to changes ahead.
Over the past six years, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has identified trends in the fitness industry with their ”Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends” (you can view the full 2012 survey text here). Come January 1, some of the most popular resolutions will be health- and fitness-related, so let’s get a jump on meeting our goals by looking at what the 2012 fitness trends mean for us.
Educated, certified, and experienced fitness professionals are the core of a rapidly expanding industry. In spite of tough economic times, consumers still place a lot of value in getting and staying healthy. The fitness industry has responded to this need by employing qualified trainers and instructors.
What does that mean for you? You can breathe a little easier knowing that you can trust your fitness professionals to lead you in safe and effective workouts, helping you reach your goals faster and giving you more bang for your buck.
Strength training is here to stay. Having been near the top of the trends list for several years, strength training is the first training “type” on the trends list, accompanied by personal, core, functional, and group training.
What does that mean for you? Since most of us sit at a desk all day, adding a little weight-bearing exercise such as resistance training can help improve our energy levels, mood, and overall functionality. Expect fitness centers to continue to update equipment and training options to facilitate strength-training programs that meet the needs of all types of exercisers – a stronger body is yours for the taking!
No one will be left behind. Training options are becoming more population-specific, with new programs being tailored to the aging Baby Boomer population and the fight against childhood obesity (just to name a few). Your fitness professionals are trained specifically to work with a variety of individuals from athletes to people fighting obesity or other diseases.
What does that mean for you? The fitness industry is actively trying to meet you where you are to help you get the most you can out of an exercise program, regardless of your goals or fitness level. In other words, you don’t have to start off looking like Jane Fonda to make exercise a part of your life.
It’s all about energy. Zumba, boot camp, and spinning are growing in popularity. These group classes are high-energy and fun, and put the emphasis on pushing your physical limits.
What does that mean for you?Releasing stress through dancing, high-intensity training, and cycling will leave you feeling strong, accomplished, and ready to tackle life’s challenges. You just have to be willing to give them a try. And although not “trending” anymore, Pilates fans shouldn’t be worried that their favorite class is going to disappear; only time will tell whether these new arrivals and old favorites will continue on as actual trends rather than fads.
The key this year is to work with Midtown to customize a fitness program that will leave you feeling refreshed, rejuventated, and (hopefully) like you had a darn good time.
Now that you know what’s to come in 2012, it’s time to use this information to start doing something that will work for you.
Your 2012 motto shouldn’t be “once I meet my goal, I’ll be happy.” Instead, how about you take a chance on what the industry is giving you and say “it’s time to give myself knowledge, revitalizing energy, and a sense of accomplishment, and add some more fun to my fitness routine.” Now that’s a reason to work out today.
What do you think of these trends? Have you already tried any of these fitness programs or plan to in 2012? What are you going to do differently in your workout routine this year?
You wrote it, we read it, and now we’re sharing it! Last month, Midtown group fitness instructor Frank Ringhofer led a promotion encouraging members to share stories about how group exercise has helped you reach your fitness goals. Sure, we could just recap the research reports that tell us that group exercise adds accountability, structure, and fun to a workout routine, but we thought our own participants are really the best authority on the subject.
So here are your Top 5 Reasons Why It Really is “Better in Groups!”
You Sweat No one said it better than Joyce, “When I first joined the club, I did not perspire…now I am a virtual faucet.”Group exercise classes provide new physical challenges that help participants get outside their comfort zone. Instructors constantly bring you new ways to train your cardiorespiratory and muscular systems, so that you won’t get stuck in a rut. According to Pat, “I don’t get nearly as good of a workout running or on an elliptical as I do in Spin class.”
You Make Gym Buddies If you know the chest track in Group Power is about to make your arms burn like never before, it’s much easier to go for it with friends by your side. Group exercise classes provide a way to connect with others who will encourage and support you en route to reaching your fitness goals. As one of our members said, friends help you “endure and progress.” You also told us that many class-formed friendships even go beyond the walls of Midtown. How great is that?
You Add Variety to Your Routine Many members mentioned the appeal of the variety within and between classes at Midtown. From Yoga, Pilates, and Qi Gong, to Group Active, Group Power, Group Kick, and Group Step, to Cycle, and of course Zumba(!), there is really something for everyone regardless of your fitness level, or even your mood on any particular day. Instructors are consistently changing and adapting classes by providing new music, new moves, and new motivation, which brings us to our next benefit…
You Get Inspired and Motivated, and Have Fun We were so pleased to hear from many of you that our instructors are going above and beyond to respond to and meet your needs. Our number one goal is to provide safe and effective fitness classes, and getting you excited to come back for more is the ultimate bonus! According to Sally, “Caring instructors who are willing to share modifications that make things doable for ME are what keep me coming back.” Please continue to provide us with your feedback, so that we can continue to exceed your expectations.
You Can Take Your Fitness to a New Level Perhaps the best thing we learned from reading your stories is that group classes have helped you make some incredible changes in your lives. You have improved multiple aspects of fitness, including aerobic capacity, muscular strength/endurance, and flexibility. Many of you have also achieved significant weight loss, and are feeling healthier than ever. While we could sit here and take the credit for your success, we instead offer our congratulations to you for putting in the effort and making it happen. You are the inspiration for why we teach!
If you haven’t tried group exercise yet, I want to leave you with one last thought from Deborah, who submitted our winning entry: “This is the first time in my life that I have kept a fitness habit going for as long as I have. I don’t plan to ever go back to my former non-fit self. Try it. You’ll get hooked!”
Thank you, Deborah, for your inspiring words, and thanks to all who participated in sharing your stories with us.
You have nothing to lose (except maybe a few pounds), so get started with group exercise today!
What class are you going to try this week?
Although Thanksgiving menus have changed over the years, turkey and pumpkin have been standard fare since the first feast at
Plymouth Colony. As much as we enjoy these tasty items and their accompaniments, we fret over the amount of calories consumed during these last weeks of the calendar year.
Worry no more! Midtown has developed a plan to help you stay fit and trim; all you have to do is be willing to move. Here are all the details you need to know about the upcoming holiday schedule at the club.
Club Hours
Wednesday, November 23: Regular Hours 5:30AM – 10:30PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 1:00PM and 3:30PM – 8:30PM
Thursday, November 24: Holiday Hours 7:00AM – 1:00PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 12:00PM
Friday, November 25: Regular Hours 5:30AM – 9:30PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 1:00PM and 4:00PM – 7:00PM
Class Schedule
Wednesday, November 23:
Thursday, November 24:
Friday, November 25:
How do you decide which class(es) to take? It depends on what you need. If the start of the holiday season has already sent your stress level skyrocketing, a Yoga or Qi Gong class may be your best bet. On the other hand, if you are feeling energized and ready to sweat out the incoming calories, Cycle, Zumba, Group Power, or Cross Train might be right up your alley. Try out BalletFit for the best of both worlds!
For the newbies, here are a few more details on a couple of our special classes.
Kidtown Festivities
Wednesday, November 23, and Thursday, November 24: Sign up your kids for Turkey Day fun in Kidtown where they’ll make their own Thanksgiving placemat or pinecone turkey. They’ll also enjoy some classic holiday favorites like “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “Garfield’s Thanksgiving Special.” Reservations required.
How do you plan to get active this Thanksgiving? Family Turkey Bowl Football anyone?
If you spend a lot of time around the club, you’ve probably heard talk of Heart Rate Monitors (HRMs).
Courtesy of Polar Electro.
Trainers are recommending them to clients, group exercise instructors are recommending them to their classes, and friends are comparing their “calories burned” in the locker rooms.
But will a HRM work for you?
Like all things in life, that depends.
Heart rate monitors can range from $50-$450, it’s important to decide whether a HRM is a good investment before you buy one.
Here are 5 ways a HRM can help you, and what other considerations are necessary to make sure your expectations are met as safely and effectively as possible.
HRMs can help you:
1. Improve your health: HRMs can help you find and maintain the right exercise intensity to reach your goals. If you are working to attain the 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise (50-70% of maximum heart rate) 5 days per week recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the device will tell you whether you are doing that. Higher-end models can provide specific zone intensity and time requirements to reach weight loss and fitness performance goals.
Unfortunately, your HRM won’t tell you what activities to do, how to do those activities correctly, or how to balance the other components of total health – nutrition, sleep, etc. From inexperienced exercisers to elite athletes, additional input from a doctor or trainer may be needed to paint a complete picture of an individual exercise program.
2. Measure your effort: Measuring the work-rate of the heart is the most accurate method of determining how much benefit you are deriving from your workout, and using a HRM is more accurate than interrupting your workout to take your pulse manually. Apart from user-error (e.g. the strap falling off, or accidentally stopping the training computer during a workout), HRMs are pretty dependable, as long as you always remember to use it! 
3. Exercise safely: Feedback from HRMs can help prevent you from exercising too hard in a single session (and thus burning yourself out for several days), and from over-training in general. A heart rate that is higher than you expect it to be before, during, or after a workout, can be a signal that your body needs more rest. Most models don’t see the whole picture, however.
For example, certain medications can affect your heart rate, and your monitor can’t account for working an active job (think construction worker) if you only wear it during structured workouts. Again, listening to your body and asking for advice from a health or fitness professional can round out the picture.
4. Track your progress: Some HRMs are able to store and display weeks’ worth of training sessions, which will help you identify possible training errors, or hopefully just reinforce that you are staying on track! From the perspective of someone who never really liked math and can’t always remember how much she ran three days ago, it’s a nice benefit. However, all of the tracking and reporting tools are usually not available unless additional equipment or software is purchased.
5. Put the fire back in your program: Most of us probably never thought we would be taking orders from computers, but I have to admit, I can’t help feeling a little guilty when my HRM tells me “incomplete training week” or “train a lot more.” That is usually enough motivation to get my butt to the gym.
Some of you may prefer a social or physical push to exercise that can make a digital reminder more of an annoyance than a motivator. But at least for me, having that little screen tell me that I met my training goal for the week feels like the extra pat on the back I couldn’t give myself.
What do you think? Is a heart rate monitor worth it?
Boot camps are a popular trend in the fitness world. Participants expect to be pushed to their physical limits to achieve results fast. This is certainly an enticing proposition, but may also be somewhat intimidating.
Is Boot Camp appropriate for all fitness levels? What does Boot Camp offer that other fitness classes and programs do not?
I sat down with Personal Trainer Kelly O’Brien to learn more about what Midtown’s Boot Camp is all about.
Kristen: What is Boot Camp?
Kelly: Boot Camp is a small group training class that allows participants to get semi-private training at an economical price. Each session is designed using the principles of interval training to burn more calories.
Kristen: What is the advantage of interval training?
Kelly: Interval training consists of periods of higher intensity exercise, which increase the heart rate, followed by periods of lower intensity exercise to allow for recovery and the ability to accomplish more high-intensity work overall. Interval training has been shown to increase cardio-respiratory fitness and burn more calories in shorter periods of time.
Question: What happens in a typical class?
Kelly: It’s hard to talk about what is “typical” because we mix it up all the time! Weather permitting, we usually go to the track and field area at Concordia University (about a 5 minute walk from Midtown). We run, do squats, lunges, pushups, sprints, jump rope, run bleachers, and sometimes finish up back inside the club with TRX. The variety in the class is a big benefit because it constantly pushes the body to adapt to new challenges.
Kristen: That sounds pretty intense. Can anyone take this class?
Kelly: Anyone can do Boot Camp. We modify or change exercises to obtain the most appropriate challenge for all fitness levels. Safety is our number one priority, followed by effectiveness and fun! That said, all members are welcome to check it out. Better yet, bring a friend, so you don’t have to “feel the burn” alone!
Kristen: How big is the class, and when do you meet?
Kelly: We currently have 3-5 participants per class, which allows me to give participants more personal attention. The class meets Monday evenings at 7PM and Saturday mornings at 8:30AM for fifty minutes to an hour.
Kristen: What is the cost of the class, and how can I sign up?
Kelly: A four-week session costs $136 or $34 per class. The next session will begin the week of October 10th. Participants can register for one or two classes per week. Registration forms are at the front desk.
Kristen: So, does it really work?
Kelly: Participants have told me they feel stronger and that exercise is getting easier. Here’s one I remember, “After starting my boot camp workouts with Kelly, I feel more in shape than I have felt in a long time. In fact, I think it has made my other cardio workouts much easier.”– Vicki Custardo-Koch.
Kristen: Why do you enjoy leading Boot Camp?
Kelly: I love teaching the class mostly because I enjoy the people. I love challenging them and showing them that they can do more than they thought they could. I am so passionate about exercise, and I really like to share my knowledge with others.
Don’t miss your chance to take your workouts to a whole new level! What fitness goal are you working to accomplish this fall? Do you think Boot Camp can help you get there?
Let’s face it, we DON’T all do the same exercises, use the same equipment, or wear the same things when we workout. 
But we DO share the same workout space.
That means we can’t just plug in our ear buds and ignore how our workout habits effect others. Young or old, male or female, fantastically fit or still getting there, we can and should work together to ensure a safe, comfortable, and professional environment for everyone.
So, if you’ve ever wondered about the DOs and DON’Ts of the fitness floor, check out Midtown’s Eleven Rules of Weight Room Success.
Image courtesy of Concord High School
Image courtesy of Stephanie C. Hodges
So, those are our top eleven.
Are there any important rules we missed? What are your biggest pet peeves when it comes to health club etiquette?
Image courtesy of www.agirlsdayouteureka.com
Many consider massage to be an unnecessary self-indulgence, a way to pamper oneself, or the first stop on a “girls’ day out at the spa” itinerary.
These beliefs, however, leave out the very real benefits (physical, mental, and even social!) that massage can provide.
I had a chance to discuss massage with Midtown’s new therapist, Yvonne Zipter, and got answers to a few questions that will help you get the most out of your massage experience.
So what does massage do to help even the casual exerciser improve overall health and performance?
Massage can:
So Where Do I Start?
Massage is not, as the saying goes, “one size fits all.” To get the most out of your massage experience, your massage should be tailored to your fitness routine. Let’s look at some examples from Yvonne.
For you Pilates fans out there, a massage that breaks up adhesions in the soles of the feet can help you become more flexible and better able to perform the small movements necessary to get the most out of each exercise.
Runners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes may benefit from techniques such as myofascial release and trigger point therapy (see below) to relieve pain in vulnerable areas such as the Achilles tendon and illiotibial (IT) band.
Here are some o f the most common massage techniques/types to consider when working with your therapist
Is Massage Really for Me?
Although massage is generally a safe healing practice, it can pose some risks especially if you have an injury. Speak to your health care provider about any current conditions to determine whether massage therapy is right for you. You may experience some discomfort during or mild soreness after a session, particularly if a more intense form of massage is being used (e.g. trigger point).
The key is to communicate with your therapist. Make sure to discuss all potential health problems before your session, and don’t be afraid to speak up during your session if something hurts!
Sure, not every muscle issue requires the attention of massage therapist. Icing, stretching, rest and other types of self-care can help reduce muscle pain and improve physical function as well.
But, as Yvonne says, “if you have a nagging muscle issue brought on by too many squats, a marathon session of hoops, or too much front crawl, you should think about spelling relief M-A-S-S-A-G-E.”
What do you think? Has massage helped you maintain peak fitness performance?
I wasn’t always a runner. 
My earliest experiences with running were unremarkable at best, and emotionally and physically painful at worst. I was the kid who finished dead last in the mile race in 5th grade gym class. After being cut from the volleyball team in middle school, I tried cross country and hated every minute of it until I quit.
As far as I was concerned, the sport of “running” could eat my dust.
I stayed active through high school and college, playing other sports and trying a variety of fitness workouts. They were okay, but none of them really got my blood pumping the way I wanted them too. Was working out really just about being fit, looking good, or doing what you are “supposed to do?” Or, was it possible to enjoy the journey along with the destination? If I was going to continue working out for the rest of my life, I was hoping the answer to the latter question was yes.
On the morning of my most dreaded college final in my junior year, I gave running another chance. Actually, it was more of a last ditch effort to overcome the effects of all-nighters and a stomach full of vicious butterflies. If there was anything that could take my mind off of the exam, it was the pain that would come from running.
So at 5AM, I walked to the recreation center, up the stairs to the indoor track, and I ran. For about 9 minutes. My calves and lungs burned, and I felt utterly exhausted. But somehow, I was calmer too. It was the first time I felt like running could offer release instead of tension, and it was that realization that led me to go back out again and again. Granted, it also helped when I learned about and corrected the running form errors that were causing my calves to feel like they had knives sticking in them. But the point is, running got easier and became a lot of fun.
Later that spring, I registered for my first 5K race. I never thought I could finish 3.1 miles running the whole way, and I almost didn’t. It was hot, humid, and I still ended up with a cramp in my side, but when I crossed that finish line, I was hooked. Running had become my “thing.” It was what I wanted to do when I was stressed, tired, bored, happy, or peaceful.
Running was something I could do, just me, for me, anytime, anywhere.
Running isn’t about how fast, far, or where you go, or how cool or crazy you look getting there. For me, running is about crossing the first finish line and looking immediately toward your next one. I call myself a runner because I’m going somewhere. Away from a stressful situation, towards a goal, or just down the street to enjoy some fresh air. This is one journey that I hope lasts a long time.
Are you ready to lace up your shoes and run? This fall, Midtown is offering an 8-week “Run Your First 5K” program to help beginning runners train for the Frank Lloyd Wright Races 5K/10K in Oak Park on October 23, 2011.
Contact me, Kristen Schumacher (kristen.schumacher@midtown.com) for more details, or stop by the front desk to register.
What’s your running story? Love it or hate it, we want to hear about it!
