TRX

The holidays are a time to indulge, absolutely! A little of this and a little of that, sure, but did you know that the average Thanksgiving meal totals about 4,500 calories and over two hundred grams of fat?! Shockingly, it’s true! Don’t you dare skip out on the fun – you can still enjoy your tasty turkey, beloved potatoes, and precious pie, in fact you should! In true Thanksgiving fashion, I give you these tips to burn it off, move it out, bounce back to balance, and regain your sanity!

1. Sign up for a local Turkey Trot, a popular pre-feast 5k in various towns across the country. If you’re in the Hamptons, Montauk it is! If you don’t have a local trot, pick a playlist that fills you with energy and gratitude and head out for a run around your neighborhood. Even a couple of miles will rev your metabolism, get your endorphins going, and burn off a piece of pie. That “runner’s high” just may empower you to make better food choices all day long!

2. If you’re not going to trot, find a class. Luckily, you’re not the only one seeking a turkey day workout, so dedicate an hour to sweating before the cooking. Here are some of the many options:

Join Rachel at Exhale Bridgehampton at 8:10, 9:25, or 10:35am
Take 90 Minute Spin at Sag Harbor Gym 8am with Kerrie, John, and Cindy
Jim’s at Truth Training in East Hampton at 9:30am
LTB with Patti at Pure Barre Southampton at 9:30am
Jessy’s teaching open yoga 8:15 Friday at KamaDeva
Surf it off with Emma Friday 8am at Well Within
You can find Rachelle teaching at Flywheel at 8:30am
Turkey TRX with Linda at 8:45 Thurs and Fri. Gain some peace of mind at Silich Core + Strength in EH for Indo Board Yoga with Evelyn at 9:45 Fri.) ‘Tis the season for giving and Silich is offering unlimited classes for $200 thru Dec. 31, free yoga when you purchase 1 TRX class, and sales on personal training, gift bundles, gift cards, & youth packages!

3. Walk it off. Instead of settling on the couch after your big meal, why not take a family walk? Leash the dog, rally the crew, bundle up, and take a spin around the neighborhood. Walking is the best non-workout workout because you can literally do it wherever you are (no excuses!) Your stroll will aid digestion, produce endorphins, and give you an opportunity to enjoy nature with loved ones.

4. Hit the yoga mat for a morning flow. As much fun as family holidays can be, sometimes they can get a little chaotic and stressful too. Anyone have that kinda family? Thought so. Yoga practice will get your body moving and your mind centered for the days events.

One Healthy Breakdown: wherever, whenever, however, just MOVE and give thanks for what our bodies can do for us!

I finally got to take Linda Silich’s TRX class at Studio 89 (Claypit Road, Sag Harbor.) This is not your average TRX class, because Linda is not your average trainer. The class is a lot like Linda: a whole lot of goodness packed into one. From kickboxing to dancing, sprinting, and of course tons of TRX strength-training, Linda’s regulars know that anything and everything is fair game.

We warmed up with some cardio and then stretched using the TRX bands. TRX allows for a unique workout, conventional strength-training in an unconventional way. We went through the standard strength-training moves to target different muscle groups; biceps, triceps, squats, etc. The difference with TRX is that you’re really creating more resistance by loading the bands with your own body weight.

Linda pushed us through three levels of intensity for each move, so that we could challenge ourselves and modify accordingly. I’ve noticed with TRX, it doesn’t feel like it gets progressively harder, it’s almost more of an instant discomfort that tells you you’re doing it right. Seems backwards, but it’s effective, that’s for sure. When we pushed into the tougher modifications, my glutes or triceps instantly felt the work. And then we pushed and pushed. And pushed. Linda does the moves right alongside you, keeping an upbeat demeanor and a smile throughout the class that made me want to stay at her level.

You’ll never be bored training with Linda. She brings enough energy for the whole class to feed off of. She’s friendly, upbeat, fast-paced, and funny. Yes, you’ll laugh, but her class is no joke. Did I mention that this particular TRX class included kickboxing, running, and sprinting? Seriously, at one point, we ran on the outdoor track behind Studio 89 and sprinted the last side of the track. Told you this class is non-conventional! I asked Linda how she runs through class with such a variety of ‘tricks’ up her sleeve. Depending on the class and the music, she’ll just feel something and go with it. Sometimes, she’s very musically driven and lets the beat govern the movement, other times, she’ll feed off of the class’ energy and modifications. She clearly has been doing this long enough that it’s second nature.

The music is always catchy, Linda’s vast taste is a pretty perfect compliment to her teaching style – anything goes if it gets the body moving. Linda’s the only trainer that will get Paddle Diva, Gina, off her SUP board…and that, my friends, is no easy task!

Ayayay, the last TRX segment was extreme. I have a feeling this is what the inventors of TRX were envisioning: sheer agony. We ended the class on the mat, feet suspended by TRX bands, doing plank exercises and push-ups. Ok, this is when I finally broke an intense sweat and actually wanted to shed a tear. I felt pretty capable throughout class until this last point, when my core and shoulders began to scream. Best way to whittle your middle? Get those TRX bands around your ankles, get down in plank and just hang out. Dare I say that this one exercise alone may make ‘typical’ planks and push-ups seem…easy? Cringe. Thankfully, the song ended and we moved on to stretching. I survived another one, phew.

On a personal note, Linda goes above and beyond in all walks of life. From running a business, (Groundworks Landscaping) to being a fabulous mom, teaching fitness classes, and being super involved in the community, Linda deserves a shout-out for being a huge inspiration!

One Healthy Breakdown: Linda is truly one-of-a-kind. Take a class with her and you’ll be instantly hooked on Linda and TRX!