Tag: training

Kettlebellin’

Leave a comment

I’ve rekindled with an old flame: kettlebells. Aren’t they pretty?!

FullSizeRender(22)Made of iron or steel, kettlebells are (literally) full of potential for anyone, from professional athletes to first-time exercisers who are looking to gain strength and burn fat. Kettlebells combine the benefits of heart-pumping cardio endurance with weight-lifting in a dynamic, full-body workout. It’s like fusing a killer spin class or an energized run with intense strength-training session. Instead of choosing cardio or weight-training, kettlebells are a double whammy.

Kettlebell training builds muscle, increases endurance, strengthens balance, burns fat, and, in-turn, boosts metabolism too! Another added bonus is that kettlebells can be incorporated into your existing routine or utilized as the primary workout, in which case, it only takes about 20-30 minutes to reach exhaustion and reap the benefits. There have been many times where I’ve only had 10-15 minutes to spare and I turn to kettlebells for a quick full-body burn. Although they can be used to target certain muscle groups and body parts, pretty much all kettlebell exercises engage and strengthen the core. Due to the handle, the center of gravity of the weight is constantly changing, teaching your body to adapt by turning on a range of muscles.

KBThere is definitely a technique to training with kettlebells and proper form is highly important to prevent injury and maximize effectiveness. I would suggest taking a class or consulting an expert if you’ve never used a kettlebell or aren’t confident you have it down. Fortunately, the Hamptons has some great kettlebell experts. Try a Kettlebell class at Sag Harbor Gym with Sara (pictured above) and/or a class at Truth Training in East Hampton. You’ll get a kick-ass workout and eventually, you’ll learn to love yourself some kettlebells too! Once you’ve got your form down, you may just want to invest in one of these bad boys for yourself.

Sara explains: kettlebells can be used as a full body integrative movement, strength isolation, cardio drill, or all of the above. I’ve kept a kettlebelll in my workout routine for years and with all of the types of exercise equipment out there, kettlebells remain my favorite. The range of resistance, exercises, and challenges using a kettlebell makes it absolutely impossible for one to plateau. Besides the fact that everyone looks badass flinging iron, kettlebells build muscle and increase exertion, which burns more calories throughout the day, long after your workout. Who doesn’t want that?!

8309043682_cff4e10768_zOne Healthy Breakdown: why choose between weight-lifting and cardio when you can do both with kettlebells?

Fitness Fun in the Sun

1 Comment

Summer is the season to be outside as much as humanly possible, soaking up warm sunshine and beautiful beach days! Instead of spending time inside the gym or skipping your fitness routine altogether (a big no no!) we’re bringing the workout outside for a double whammy. That irreplaceable post-sweat endorphin high is even better in beautiful natural surroundings like the Hamptons! Here’s a run down of the not-to-be-missed outdoor workouts offered around town. Get ready to hit the beach, pool deck, water, or vineyard for some fitness fun in the sun!

Yoga in the Vines & HIIT Bootcamp at Wolffer Estate Vineyard

FullSizeRender(33)Wellness at The Surf Lodge

Erika Bloom Pilates at Ruschmeyers and The Baker House

SUP Yoga with Jessica Bellofatto

SUPyogaJB2One Ocean Yoga at Channing Daughters Winery

East End Mermaid at Well Within Studio

SUP fitness and race training with Evelyn at Haven’s Beach

Stand Up Paddleboarding with Paddle Diva

image(4)Time to Breathe Zen Beach Yoga & SUP Yoga

Wellthily’s Summer Sessions at Gurney’s

FullSizeRenderPhysique 57 at The Montauk Beach House

Jimmy Minardi’s Beach Workout

One Healthy Breakdown: outdoor workouts – try ’em all before the fall!

 

 

 

 

Looking Forward to the Inaugural Bridgehampton Half-Marathon!

Leave a comment

Get ready folks, we’re counting down the days for the first official Bridgehampton Half-Marathon! The event will take place on Saturday, May 10th at 9am. Runners can still sign up and get training, it’s going to be a gorgeous spring route around the Hamptons…and a super fun day for all!

12

The Bridgehampton Half is more than just a normal half-marathon. It’s an event for the entire community. Participants will run through storied Sagaponack and Bridgehampton, past potato fields and stunning estates, past horse farms and white sand beaches. What could be better?!

The course is beautiful, flat and fast, with ample opportunities for everyone to come out and cheer on the runners – Sagg Main Beach parking lot should prove to be a party! Join One Healthy Hamptons and Anke’s Fit Bakery to be a part of what we hope will be a springtime mainstay for years to come! We’ll be cheering, meeting, greeting, and serving Anke’s fresh-baked healthy goods. As if that’s not yummy enough, the Bridgehampton Half is a registered 501(c)3 charity; all net proceeds go directly to local outlets. This year’s run will benefit the Southampton Hospital and The Bridgehampton Museum! Fitness, food, fun, and philanthropy? We can get on board for sure!

photo-1-e1394487406729While registration is filling up fast, volunteers for the Bridgehampton Half are much-needed. If you’re interested in volunteering, or you have a child who needs community service hours, this is a great way to earn some credit while doing something fun outside. Please email volunteers@bridgehamptonhalf.com if you can help out!

One Healthy Hamptons: see you at the starting line on May 10th, let the games begin!

Winter Running Tips

Leave a comment

If you like to run regularly or you’re training for a spring race, you’re not going to wait around for the ice to melt and warmer weather. Let’s face it, that treadmill is just not the same. Unfortunately, it could take weeks…months for spring running, so, let’s face reality, bundle up, and get out there!

Dog Sled Ride

  • Spray sneakers with a waterproof solution.
  • Dress as if it’s about 15-20 degrees warmer than it actually is. This will prevent overheating when you start to sweat, but will keep you warm enough to keep on chuggin’.
  •  Wear a moisture-wicking base layer and add breathable layers. The first thing to get cold is the first thing to overheat: neck, head, and hands. Sport zippers, a pullover, and items of clothing that keep you warm, but allow for ventilation when you work up a sweat.
  •  Make sure your clothing is tight enough that it all stays in place, but loose enough that you can move freely.
  •  Keep your core warm. If the majority of your body isn’t warm, you won’t last. Wear a vest to add heat to your middle while keeping your arms free to move with your stride.
  •  Run during the warmest time of the day (around 2-3pm). If you’re going to run early in the morning or after dusk, be sure to wear reflective gear or a light, so that passing cars can see you clearly.
  •  Start running into the wind and finish with the wind on your back. You’ll be more comfortable before you start to sweat.
  •  Use the 3 W’s: be sure that your outer layer is warm, waterproof and wind-resistant.
  •  Get down with down, it’s hands-down one of the warmest and lightest materials you can wear.
  •  Wear gloves with grippers. Taking your gloves off to change your music is the worst. Grippers rock.
  •  On a snow day, opt for fresh snow rather than packed-snow, which can be very slippery.
  •  Don’t forget to hydrate. Just because it’s not hot out doesn’t mean your body doesn’t need to replenish water. Drink up as you wind down.
  •  Stretch. Your muscles will crave a post-run stretch, as the cold increases tightness.
  • Have fun! If you don’t enjoy it, it’s just not worth it.

One Healthy Breakdown: The Bridgehampton Half is less than 12 weeks away, get running today!

13.1 – Janet’s First Hamptons Half

Leave a comment

Last Saturday, I ran my first half marathon right at home in the Hamptons. The sun was shining, the weather was gorgeous; it was the perfect day for a great race!

Before I began training for this half-marathon, I wasn’t a serious runner. I enjoyed running and did an easy three-mile run (with a lot of walking breaks) a few times a week for cardio, but I didn’t know much about long distance running. Truth be told, I was the girl who dreaded the mile run in high school, but I am also the girl that likes a challenge. In May 2013, I decided that the Hamptons Half Marathon would be my next challenge.

Training was hard, it was definitely a unique experience. I had a fantastic training plan put together for me by awesome Ultra-Marathon runner, Dennis Fabiszak. Training included: speed work, hills, and long runs, all summer long. (Plus, if you are in the area, there are free training runs put together by the coordinators of the Hamptons Marathon and Half from Memorial Day to Labor day). It was tough to wake up and be ready to run at 6am to beat the summer heat, but nothing beats the feeling of conquering a new personal record. Some days, I wanted to just stay in bed. Some days, I just wanted to quit and start walking (and sometimes I did, no shame in walking!), but I kept trudging along, and with each mile, I became stronger and more powerful.

Although I knew I had trained hard, I was definitely nervous. The race nerves started to sink in a few days before when I went to pick up my packet. Friday night, a few friends that were running with me and I had a pasta party to relax and refuel, and soon enough it was race day!

My alarm woke me up bright and early on race day (5am!) to the tune of Katy Perry’s “Roar.” I ate breakfast and was ready to go. I lined up with my pace group and we were off! The first few miles were along rolling hills, but were nice and shaded. It was pretty chilly with temperatures in the 60’s, but I felt good…until about mile 5 when I began to hit a wall.

The course flattened out, which sounds good in theory, but the shade from the trees disappeared. I’d take rolling hills over the sun beating down on me any day. The girl scouts cheering me on at the water station did help me feel a bit better, but I was definitely hurting. As I got closer to mile 6, the shade from the trees came back, but it wasn’t helping. I really thought I was losing it until I started to hear “Eye of the Tiger” and then came across the Lululemon girls! They had a great dance party going on with some awesome signs that totally re-energized me! At mile 6, I also stopped to refuel, which made a huge difference. I was happier, energized, and ready to take on the next 7.1 miles. Phew.

I happily ran mile 6 through gravel and then 7, 8, and 9 flew by. Before I knew it I was at mile 10 which meant I only had a 5k to go! At this point in the race you enter an out-and-back route, and as I was running out, I saw my friend Kristen who was about a mile ahead of me. We high-fived, and she went on to have an awesome time. The turn-around takes you to the beach, where there is some beautiful, breathtaking scenery. While everyone else was taking it in, the math nerd inside of me had just one thing on my mind. All I could think about was where I fell in the distribution of the race times, what the average finish time was, and what the standard deviation was (fyi, I am currently in graduate school for statistics).

Before I knew it, I was at mile 12! I really started pushing myself. I picked up my pace and began passing people to get to the finish line. I just wanted to be done; 20 weeks of training came down to this moment! I pushed myself to the end for a time of 2:14:35…15 minutes faster than my goal of 2:30!

I chugged a chocolate milk at the finish line and went to enjoy some post-race perks – free massages and lots of food!

Here are a few top things I learned from my first Hamptons half:

  • It is impossible to take an attractive photo after running 13.1 miles.
  • Who cares what you look like in a photo, YOU JUST RAN 13.1 MILES!
  • It’s okay to be proud of your accomplishment and want to share it with everyone.
  • It is perfectly okay to wear your medal around your neck for the rest of the day, wherever you go.
  • You may plan to take a fitness class the next day. You may get to the gym and realize that yoga is a better choice.
  • The first stop after running a half should be Espresso’s for a delicious, giant sandwich (or your favorite indulgence!)
  • The second stop: the beach! There’s nothing else to do but relax and enjoy the day!

The Hamptons Half Marathon was a fantastic race; I would definitely recommended it to anyone running their first half. There were water stations at every mile, a ton of bathrooms on the course, and beautiful views. The course is relatively shady with some rolling hills, and it is really well-organized, which makes a huge impact. The coordinators send weekly emails informing us of what is to come, registration is a breeze, and we got our official results the same day! Perfect for a beginner like myself. Sad you missed the fun of the Hamptons Marathon and Half? No worries! May 10th, 2014 is the inaugural Bridgehampton Half, registration opens this month!

One Healthy Breakdown: Janet’s experience is so inspirational! She proves that with a LOT of hard work and dedication, that we can accomplish amazing goals. Looks like she’s hooked on halfs now! Thanks for sharing your experience with us Janet…and Happy Birthday! ~ Kiley & OHH

We Partied Under the Stars

Leave a comment

What’s better than spending a Saturday night with the stars sipping drinks and roasting marshmallows under the stars at the Bridgehampton Beach and Tennis Club?! Doing it all for a good cause! Saturday night, Women’s Health Magazine and the FEED Foundation kicked off their annual Run10Feed10 Campaign, Hamptons-style. Run10Feed10 is the 10k sweeping the nation, raising money to feed mouths in need, fighting the hunger epidemic, one meal at a time.

photo 1From chatting it up with one of my fave ladies, Gabby Bernstein to Kelly Bensimon shaking her booty on the dance floor, sitting around the bonfire with Kelly Rutherford and fam, to top designers in their best ‘Hamptons chic,’ it was a night to remember, that’s for sure. So what brought all of these fabulous people together to party under the stars? Fighting hunger, that’s what.

photo 3

photo 2Women’s Health and The Feed Foundation are stopping hunger in its tracks, one mile at a time. As of today, 50 plus million Americans are living hungry. Sadly, hunger effects about 1/6 children, inhibiting their ability to learn and thrive. Right here, in our own country, in our own city, in our own neighborhood. Unlike disease and natural disaster, hunger is a problem we can all do something about, fast. We can all take one morning this fall to push ourselves to run 6.2 miles in what has become such a popular event that last year, they shut down the West Side Highway! Local fitness studios even jumped on board; local classes at Flywheel Sports, Barry’s Bootcamp, and Exhale went to the cause, in addition to their generous donations to the event’s silent auction.

Women’s Health sure knows exactly how to do it up here in the Hamptons. Drinks were flowing, dj was playing, s’mores were roasting, and the company was amazing. Lauren Bush Lauren displayed FEED’s adorable bags that raise money to fight this epidemic worldwide.

photo 3Yes, the Hamptons definitely got behind the cause. You want in? Your registration for the upcoming Run10Feed10 run in NYC Sunday, September 22nd will donate 10 meals to those in need. What’s better than running NYC knowing your feeding 10 mouths?

One Healthy Breakdown: OHH is all about paying it forward, doing good, feeling good, sweating for a good cause, and of course, a good party under the stars. Thanks Women’s Health Mag and the FEED Foundation for a memorable summer night. See you September 22nd!

Q & A w Z: Muscle Fibers

Leave a comment

Q. What is the difference between slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers? Why is it important to work both?

A: Let’s talk about muscle. Muscle allows the body to turn energy into motion. You won’t be able to do anything without muscle tissue. You have more than 600 muscles in your body. They help you move, lift things, pump blood through the body, and even help you breathe. Pretty cool, huh? I’m sure you’ve also heard about slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers, or Type I and Type II…Getting a bit more specific here. Little confused? No problem. Keep on reading and you’ll find out more about each and what they do.

I like to keep it simple and try to explain science in simple English. Type I (slow twitch) muscle fibers dominate in an elite distance runner’s body. They are trained in endurance. Think about running for a long period of time, at a steady pace, medium intensity; these fibers are fatigue-resistant. They also produce less force than Type II fibers and that’s the main reason why they can last a lot longer. Marathon runners, bikers, or swimmers for example, work on running endurance, which occurs when the slow muscles use oxygen to create energy for long-lasting muscle contractions.

Athlete Running Through Finish LineOn the other hand, Type II, fast-twitch muscle fibers, are associated with strength and power. Think about super heavy squats or sprinting. How much you can do? How long can you last? Not long. Your fuel runs out quickly. These fibers fatigue super fast. Fast twitch fibers use anaerobic metabolism for fast energy instead of oxygen; the muscles get the energy faster, and in fuller force, but do not exhibit endurance. When we think of Type II fibers, we typically picture Olympic lifters, track sprinters, baseball players, and bodybuilders.

Everyone has a mix of both types of muscle fibers. People who have major disparity between muscle fibers often end up being elite athlete (genetics play a huge role). If you have a specific goal, you’ll gear your workouts towards Type I for endurance training or cardiovascular health or Type II for strength, agility, and bone density. Make sure not to neglect one or the other. Your workouts should include both the heavy loads necessary to stimulate what I call the “Big Boys,” the Type II fibers, as well as the lighter loads that do a better job getting the “Slow Boys” or the Type I fibers to grow.

One Healthy Breakdown: Now we know all about muscle fibers and that it is important to have some balance of the two types of exercise for overall fitness!

If you have a question for Z, email kiley@onehealthyhamptons.com or post on the OHH facebook page!

Philosofit’s Philosophy: Move Better

PastedGraphic-1

Over the past few weeks, since visiting Philosofit, I have become more aware of how my body operates. Like most people, we run around everyday, going about our daily business, rarely (or never) stopping to think think “am I doing this movement correctly, am I using the right muscles to lift this or push that?” Functional movement is the actions we take to function, to go about our daily lives, regardless of what that entails. I’ve learned the importance of performing functional movement properly. And, I’ve learned the consequences when we don’t…

Philosofit (Lumber Lane, East Hampton) was founded by Ari Weller, Movement Specialist and distinguished private fitness trainer. The goal at Philosofit is to help everyone, from professional athletes, to aging adults, wounded vets, and fitness enthusiasts such as myself. The premise of Philosfit is building a solid movement base for any kind of person, any kind of training, any kind of injury. It doesn’t matter how fit or good we look, if movement causes pain, we must re-evaluate.  That’s what Philosfit is for. “We know more now than we ever have about the human body. This is a good place to be,” Ari reassured me. And then he showed me how this is true by running me through the Philosofit experience, breaking down how parts of the body work, and how parts of my own body are experiencing movement, right or wrong.

001_0758ASince Ari wants to be more than prepared for anyone that walks in the door, their Movement Specialists must be trained in NKT (Neurokinetic Therapy) and one of the following additional specialties; Functional Strength Training, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Ki-Hara Resistance Stretching, and Heart Rate Variability. The facility is full of different fitness tools to truly be able to aid any client and any issue.

001_0844AEach and every relationship at Philosofit begins with a Functional Movement Screening; (FMS) a 7-task performance test to identify weakness, inbalance, and pain associated with movement. Sadly, I scored pretty low on the FMS…but the results showed exactly where I needed to focus. Once Ari had identified my areas of weakness, competency, and most important, pain, he showed me some exercises to do before and after working out everyday to release the body parts that are tightened from compensating and to fire up the parts that are used to taking a backseat.

I used to think that our bodies are just supposed to know what to use, when, and how. Well, that’s not necessarily the case and repetitive misuse can cause long-term damage, intense pain, and ongoing frustration. I kind of thought I wasn’t dealt the best cards in terms of running, to blame it on “bad knees.” Again, not necessarily the case either. When I asked Ari if the issues he sees daily, such as my “bad knees,” is due to muscles, bones, genetics, or what, he noted that it doesn’t really matter. The method focuses on relieving pain by correcting movement, regardless of where the issue stems from, the solution has proven successful for a large spectrum of incompetence.

It’s about re-training the brain and the body, securing the correct movement basics, and then pushing the body. Philosofit’s technique always comes down to quality over quantity. Ari noted that it takes 3,000 correct movements for the brain to store the action, but it takes only 300 incorrect movements to relearn bad habits. Take running, or even walking, for example. It takes only 300 dysfunctional steps to secure bad habits; however, it takes 3,000 consistent, correct movements before the brain acknowledges and stores the functional movement.

It takes a lot of dedication to relearn the basics, but it can make a colossal difference. I preach the importance of a strong mind-body connection. I know if I’m going to preach it, I’ve got to practice it. After visiting Philosofit for an initial screening, I really had to evaluate myself (check myself before I wreck myself, or at least, make some changes so I don’t wreck myself even more.) I had to learn to walk before I could run, and consciously remember to take each stride one at a time, or else I’d revert to old habits and compensations. In doing so, I’ve become more aware of my own mobility patterns, strengths, and weaknesses.

Why are my hamstrings so tight? Why is my core so weak (I do abs!) Why do I feel like I’m not gaining the benefits of lunges? Ari was able to explain where I’m lacking and more importantly, why. Now I know that other muscles were compensating for the muscles that should have been working, the muscles that allow my hamstrings to stretch, my core to activate, and lunges to be effective. I’m starting to notice that when I’m struggling at the gym or experiencing pain in day to day tasks, I back it up and make sure I’ve got the basics down.

It takes time and dedication, but with the help of Philosofit, we can identify the problem, rebuild a solid base of movement, and then work towards where we want to be. Whether that’s better posture and less back pain, gaining muscle, increasing our race time, or perfecting down dog, it’s always going to resort to quality over quantity.

One Healthy Breakdown: Maybe you can teach an old (or older) dog new tricks.

Q & A w Z: 30 Minute Workout

1 Comment

Our very first “Q & A w Z!” as in Zivile Ngo, well-known local fitness instructor, competitive athlete, and one super-sweet, bad-ass chick.  Every week, Z will be answering YOUR fitness questions.  To submit a question, simply email kiley@onehealthyhamptons.com or post on your “Q for Z” our facebook page.  Z will be fielding questions and providing her expertise…you’ll see below she knows a lot about a lot!

photo(42)

First, Z tells us a little bit about herself:

“I’m a self-starter. I came to this country six years ago from Lithuania. Leaving everything behind (homeland, family, friends) was not easy. It was quite difficult to find myself when I was thrown into a new environment. I was lost. Thankfully, I found the gym. It was the place where I found peace of mind, it was my therapy, and slowly but surely, it became my passion. In addition to my Master’s degree in finance, my true passion was dancing, which is quite far from the financial and business world. I was a dancer for many years and once I moved to the U.S., the gym became another dance floor for me. However, I felt like I needed to improve. I needed a challenge. I then got certified with Les Mills International and started teaching group fitness classes at Hamptons Gym Corp. I was still “hungry”, I wanted more. I became a Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, which allowed me to work one-on-one, design workout and nutrition programs, and make my clients stronger, healthier, and happier. This is my dream job. I love every aspect of it and I want to be better and better at it everyday. I also compete as a Figure athlete. I’ve been doing it for a couple years now, and it’s been an incredible journey, very challenging yet very rewarding, since I’ve gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about nutrition, training, rest, balance, etc.  You can also come and hang out with me at B East studio in Amagansett where I teach TRX classes, or Lululemon in East Hampton, where I do complimentary classes. Fitness is a part of my life, fitness is a part of me, it’s my passion, and my respect for it will never die.”

That’s Z…And now for the Q and the A:

Q & A w Z

Q:  If I only have 30 minutes a day, what kind of workout do you recommend?

A: 30 minutes is enough time to stimulate the muscles if you pick the right exercise, the right workload, and the right timing. I would go with compound movements like squats, dead-lifts, rows, or presses to maximize effects because they engage more than one muscle group at a time. Everyone is different, so our workouts will be different. Each and every person is going to have unique goals, abilities, and personal preferences. Whether you choose to spend your 30 minutes doing yoga, strength training, cardio, or whatever it may be, in order to do what you do effectively, you must have a concrete plan and stick to it. In order to maximize the time, you must plan every move, don’t just do what sporadically pops into your head. Plan your workouts and write them down, so that when you step into the gym, or wherever you exercise, you know what you’re doing, how many sets, how many reps, at what pace, and for how long. Stick with your program and master it. Track your progress. If you’re unsure what’s right for you, it may make sense to consult a professional or hire a trainer for one session to create a program custom to you. Your program should challenge you, but not push you too far. It needs to be safe for your body and should be something you enjoy so you’re more likely to stick with it. If you plan ahead of time and stick to the plan, 30 minutes a day is enough time to produce results and get closer to your goals.

One Healthy Breakdown: great advice – whatever you do, make the most of it!  If you have a question for Z email kiley@onehealthyhamptons.com or post on the OHH facebook page!