Workout Challenge: Medicine Ball Madness

This week’s workout challenge comes from Kate McNally, Trainer at FT Dedham. Grab a medicine ball that is a challenging weight, but one you can use throughout the routine. Give this workout a try on your own, or ask for it in your next session.

FT Success Story: Bob Lexander

Fitness Together Dedham Success Story

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Bob Lexander – age 60
Production supervisor for the Dedham/Westwood Water District

For most of Bob’s adult life, he’s been an avid runner, marathoner and all around fitness enthusiast, partly because he loves being active and partly in hopes of hedging a family history of health issues. “My father had heart disease, arthritis and cancer,” says Bob. “I always hoped I could outrun it.”  But as he got older, his knees began to break down. After his third knee replacement (the second on his right side) failed to heal as well as he’d hoped, doctors put him on heavy doses of arthritis and pain meds and told him he’d just have to live with it. Despite physical therapy his exercise routine all but came to a complete halt.

Last April, Bob’s wife, Mary Ellen Kelly, became concerned at seeing her husband slip into a funk the longer he went without exercise. Kelly, an attorney, had heard of Fitness Together through her professional networking group. When she suggested to Bob that a personal trainer might be able to help, he agreed to give it a try.

Trainer Kate McNally likes to take a holistic approach, striving to carefully match a client’s personality and goals to his or her program. Specializing in body composition change and endurance training, McNally uses a wide variety of training styles to fit her clients’ goals. Though she started Bob on a gentle regimen, she quickly saw that his determination could take him beyond his limitations.

“In his time at Fitness Together Bob has greatly increased leg strength and flexibility; two really important achievements for guy as active as Bob. All this with little complaint,” says McNally. “Bob Lexander is the model client. When you ask him to do something, he not only does it, but will give 110%. He really wants this. Wants to be stronger, healthier, more fit.”

Since first beginning at Fitness Together last April, Bob has lost 20 lbs and completely weaned himself from his medications. “It’s been a big deal to me to get off those pain meds,” says Bob. “It’s just been so good for my outlook.”

His wife, Mary Ellen, was so inspired by Bob’s success, she also signed on. After increasing her fitness level and losing weight, the couple is enjoying a more active lifestyle.

“Our quality of life is so much better now. I’m in better shape than I’ve been in years. We enjoy walking and hiking together. Now we can walk up big hills without breathing hard and my knee is even flexible enough that I can ride my bike. Going to Fitness Together has been a wonderful thing.”

Says his trainer, “I really enjoy training Bob, training someone with his motivation makes my job easy. Bob comes to every session ready to work hard, usually already dripping sweat from his so called “warm up” (30-40 mins hard on the elliptical). He is just as dedicated in life to family and work as he is in the gym. Bob is making great strides toward his goals and you can tell by just looking at him. He looks great!”

FT Dedham

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Trainer Tips: Day at the Race!

by Michael Cardoza, Vice President Operations, Lifestyle Fitness Corp.

Clients often ask us why we (trainers and fitness professionals) work out the way we do.  Obviously our trainers want to live a healthy life and look good but some of them have other reasons for pumping insane amounts of iron or logging crazy amounts of  miles on their own two feet.

For instance check out this article on Bill Coleman, Assistant Manager of FT Cohasset.  Bill competes as a powerlifter at the age of 52.  We also have Kate (Dedham trainer) and Ashley (Westborough trainer) who both take part in road races ranging in distances anywhere from 5K to a marathon.  Stan (Dedham trainer) is a competitive natural bodybuilder.  Personally, I am a triathlete.  So why do we torture ourselves through high levels of exercise just to compete in  these types of events.

We all have different reasons for doing what we do and personally my primary motive is my competitive spirit, as my wife so kindly puts it.  This past weekend I had the opportunity to enter a local triathlon as a late entry.  The late entry is due to the fact that we had our first child 5 weeks ago and my swim, bike and run training has been at a minimum.  So I was unsure how well I would do.  Because I still find the time to fit alternative workouts into my schedule I felt my fitness was at a point that I could still finish the race strong.  There were no expectations to get on the podium but at least I could get some of that competitive energy out of my system.

After each race I like to cool down by stretching near the finishing chute because I can see others finish the race.  I always get goosebumps when I see someone come across the line with emotion because I can imagine the type of dedication that person had to train for this event.  Most of the emotional finishers that I am referring to are not your typical skinny athlete and clearly it took a huge commitment for them to even get to the starting line.  My hat always goes off to those people, more so than the winners.

This particular race really changed my perspective on why I toe the line.  Yes I am still competitive, but after finishing 2nd in my age group, which most people would be more than happy about, I found I was more excited that I ran into a client after the race.  She was there supporting her husband in his first triathlon race.  So why was I excited to see her if she wasn’t racing?  There are two main reasons:

• She verbally committed to doing that exact race next year. She was clearly inspired by watching the race and somewhere found her motivation to commit to a new goal. That is exciting!

• She was with her daughter who is at an age where she absorbs everything around her.   She just witnessed her mother get excited about committing to this race next year and her father finish a race and have fun doing it.  This is leading by example.

The reason why Ashley pounds the pavement or Bill lifts large amounts of weight is no better than the other.  The important thing is that they have a reason or inspiration to achieve something.  As a new father the driving force behind my long workouts is no longer competition, but rather inspiration.  I want to show my son how to live a healthy lifestyle and I want to inspire others the way our client was inspired by her husband finishing the race this past weekend.

What drives you to be active?  Visit us on FaceBook and tell us what inspires you.  Maybe your story will inspire someone else!

In Health,

Michael

___________
Michael Cardoza Vice President Operations
Michael has been with Fitness Together since 2003. Michael started with Fitness Together as the manager of Dedham and has also managed the Norwell and Westborough studios. Before taking on the Vice President role Michael was the Area Director for Lifestyle Fitness Corp. Lifestyle Fitness Corp. owns and operates Fitness Together studios in Dedham, Cohasset, Norwell and Westborough.  Michael has been a certified personal trainer since 2001. He earned a finance degree from Bentley College and a master’s degree from the University of London (North London Campus).

He believes staying fit requires a lifestyle commitment. He feels a balance of strength training, cardiovascular training and healthy nutrition are the key elements to staying healthy. Michael has been active his entire life. He was a three sport athlete in high school and played soccer at the collegiate level. Now, he prefers staying active through strength training, triathlon and any other outdoor activities.

FT Cohasset

FT Dedham

FT Norwell

FT Westborough

Find more info on Fitness Together Studios across Northern New England on FTGetsResults.com

Fitness For Valentine’s Day: Yoga For Couples

Article selected by Kate McNally, Certified Personal Trainer, FT Dedham from Livestrong

Overview

Yoga is a series of movements that help stretch, lengthen and strengthen your muscles. Many yoga instructors offer partner yoga classes for couples looking to improve their overall well-being and better their relationship. Performing yoga postures with a partner allows couples to learn to work together while providing support during stretches. There are a variety of partner yoga moves and stretches that can be incorporated into your daily fitness routine.

Double Standing Straddle

Stand back to back to your partner about a foot apart. Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend forward at the hips, maintaining a flat back, and reach through your legs to grasp your partner’s arms. Keep your head in alignment with your torso and hold the pose for the desired length of time. The double standing straddle targets your hamstrings and hip flexors.
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Double Boat

Sit facing your partner with knees bent. Sit close enough so your toes touch each other. Extend your arms to grasp your partner’s hands. Take your right foot and lift your toes off the floor so the ball of your foot is touching the bottom of your partner’s left foot. Extend your right leg up as you push your foot against your partner’s. Keep your right leg up — for your partner, the left leg — while performing the same steps with your left leg. Both legs should be up and straight. Maintain a straight back and tilt your head back to gaze upward. Hold the position and release. The double boat pose targets your abs and hamstrings while stretching your spine.

Supported Back Arch

Stand back to back with your partner. One partner stands with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and bends forward, while the other partner rests on his partner’s back, arms extended overhead. The partner bending forward should fall forward enough to place hands flat on the floor for additional support. Hold the stretch for the desired amount of time as you incorporate deep breathing. Switch roles and repeat. The supported back arch targets the thighs, hips and abdominal muscles in the partner who bends forward. Increased flexibility is gained in the back, neck, quadriceps and hip flexors of the partner who bends backward.

Partner’s Padahastasana

Stand back to back with your partner while keeping a distance of at least 1 foot from each other. Reach behind and hold your partner’s hands. Slowly move into a forward bend until your backs are parallel to the floor. Allow your chest to lengthen as you press your glutes into each other. Gradually move your hands to your partner’s forearms while you both bend forward deeper. One partner lifts the torso back to the parallel position while the other partner maintains the deep stretch. The partner in a deep stretch should bring the torso back to the parallel position while the partner bends forward into the deeper stretch. Continue alternating between stretches for one to two minutes and then slowly come up together.

Read more at Livestrong

Kate McNally
Certified Personal Trainer
Kate enjoys an active lifestyle. She has been running competitively for eight years. This has made physical fitness a big part of her life. Looking to satiate her need to move, Kate found a fulfilling career in the fitness field as a Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor.

Kate attended Eastern Nazarene College, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelors of Science in Physical Education and Movement Arts. She has been a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Association of Sports Medicine since 2008. Kate also received certification as a Group Exercise Instructor through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.

As a trainer Kate likes to take a holistic approach, striving to carefully match a client’s personality and goals to their program. Specializing in body composition change and endurance training, Kate is prepared to use a wide variety of training styles to fit her client’s goals.

Fitness Together Dedham

More on our FT Studios across New England at FTGetsResults