Wednesday, December 28, 2011

As the New Year approaches, many of you who already go to the gym will notice an increase in the membership, perhaps creating a need to wait for a particular weight (ha, wait...get it!), or a particular machine. Although this can be a smidge annoying, we should celebrate the newbies and make some room! New Year's resolutions not withstanding, the new year can be a good time to start a different challenge and rather than be bothered by the standing-room-only crowds during your workout, it can be an ideal time to be an encourager.

There are many articles out there for first-timers to the gym, particularly the weight room, as the prevailing opinion is that we, women, are not "welcomed" in the parts of the gym stereotypically set aside for the men (such as the free weight area). Honestly, I don't let it worry me and I've never experienced this attitude. I have noticed that most of the time, my male counterparts are too busy doing their own training to pay attention to me. In fact, the vast majority of the men I meet during my training, are very gracious and polite. Of course, it's important to return the favor by not hogging certain equipment, or if someone is standing near a piece of equipment you want to use, ask ahead of time to make sure they aren't just resting between sets before jumping in. The few women I see on the free weight side are there just as I am...to train. Another key to being comfortable on the free weight side is to become familiar with the equipment--read about it online or, better yet, ask one of the staff members at the gym to show you what to do. They don't mind! Of course, if you are not comfortable with free weights, the machines are there for much the same thing and are generally safer if you are just starting out. I tend to enjoy free weights, as I am not able to "cheat" by using my stronger right side to compensate for my left side, especially with shoulder lifts and bicep/tricep work.

Finally, with the New Year, please please don't fall into the "drop 50 lbs in 6 weeks" mentality. You didn't get unfit or fat in 6 weeks, so why should it take 6 weeks to lose it? Lest anyone think I am being holier-than-thou, I suffer from a condition that makes is especially difficult to lose weight, unfortunately. So I struggle greatly with losing weight and, in general, try to focus on my fitness and how my clothes fit as opposed to the scale or the BMI charts. I get very frustrated with my progress and, believe me, sometimes I wish that I could safely lose a bunch of weight with much less time invested. It's an insidious trap that can be very difficult to ignore, particularly if we buy into media expectations. Don't get me wrong. I still try to lose the extra weight I have, but this must be done through my diet. Not A diet, but my diet overall. Now that the holidays are winding to a close, the emphasis for me is getting back into my routine--regular workouts and cleaner eating, as opposed to the miracle "6 minutes to a 6 pack" or trying to deprive myself food-wise.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Need a way to manage holiday stress? And how about your eating habits? We all know that despite our best efforts that holiday eating sometimes gets out of control. How can you turn down your aunt's special Christmas cake that she makes that you know has 1500 calories a slice, but ohmygosh-it's-so-good-and-she-won't-make-it-again-til-next-year? So you indulge because, well, you can. And what about how you feel when your(insert appropriate name here-mom, sister, brother, uncle, inlaw, etc.) says something that just grates on your nerves, not to mention how you feel when you spend hours/days in the company of those you love, but don't really like? (Let's be honest here.)

The way to deal with this is EXERCISE. Time can get away from you and be at a premium, but it doesn't have to be a long workout or even very intense. Just as short walking breaks at work can give you a second wind, a walk around the neighborhood, or as in my case, a short, slow kata workout, can give you perspective, calm your nerves, and possibly minimize the effects of overindulging in that AWESOME chocolaty dessert. Even if exercise isn't feasible, just getting away from it all can relax you. I learned this from my mother-in-law during large family gatherings years ago. She would often snag my husband and me and we would end up ditching the party and taking in a movie. It was a nice break for all of us, especially since I knew almost no one there (my first introduction to my husband's family).

So, relax, take care of yourself and remember that this season isn't about the gifts and the wrapping paper and getting people the best gifts ever. It's time to spend with family (maybe even in small doses!) and to remember why we really have CHRIST-MAS.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

How to Battle the "Ouchies", or the I-don't-feel-like-moving-anymore-syndrome

What do you do after you have begun your journey into fitness and exercise and, after having an excellent workout the day before, you wake up the next day and you are SO SORE YOU CAN'T MOVE. Staying in bed sounds like the best possible option at that point. There are things you can do to minimize soreness, or at least minimize the impact it has on your life.

First of all, soreness is a part of the process. As you exercise, particularly if you are just beginning or coming back after a long layoff, you will be using muscles and tendons that simply have not been engaged in some time. In addition, by breaking down the muscle tissue, even minutely, you set your body's systems into motion to repair those muscles to build them up stronger. The acutal process of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)- or that condition which causes us to be so freaking sore, we don't want to get out of bed- has more to do with the fact that the body's response is an inflammatory-repair response and the release of metabolites into the system. The long and the short of it is that you have mild to severe tenderness in the muscles. The good news is that this condition is temporary (24-72 hours). Contrary to popular opinion, it has nothing to do with a build up of lactic acid in the muscles. Lactic acid increases the "burning" feeling in your muscles when you workout, but this feeling does not last.

Now that you know you will be sore...here are some things you can do to make yourself feel more human. One popular option is to take anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. While this is optimal if you are really, really sore, this is not the best option. Who really knows what long-term use of ibuprofen and the like does to the body? One piece of advice is to invest in a foam roller as a part of cool down. See here for ideas on how to use a foam roller. I have one that I use occasionally, particularly if I have had a really intense workout.

Active recovery is another fantastic option. An example of active recovery is walking, performing yoga, or even performing small household tasks. In other words, the more you sit still, the more stiff and sore you will be. In nice weather, I walk around the complex where I work during breaks. I go nice and easy and just enjoy being outdoors. Another example of active recovery for me is to do my kata slowly and with purpose, but without tension or force. Keeping the body moving often does for me what taking several days off does.

Ice baths are one option preferred by some. I have read of runners who swear by them. If the thought of an ice cold bath isn't appealing, you can also use an outdoor garden hose to spray down your legs, etc. I probably would use this idea only in the summer, but the thought is that the cold water reduces the swelling and inflammation in the muscles.

Sports massages are also useful for helping get rid of DOMS. I really enjoy massages, but it's not always a feasible option for me. If this is an option, find a really good massage therapist. I go to a man who happens to be certified in sports medicine/sports training. While this is not a requirement, he is a fantastic massage therapist and talks to me about injury treatment and prevention. (If you know me, you know how important this topic is for me!)

So, there are few options to help you out when you experience the inevitable soreness that comes from exercising. While it can be difficult to view soreness as a positive thing, just keep in mind that the muscle soreness from exercising is a great deal easier to take than soreness from inactivity!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

One of my friends got injured today while working out. Although injuries can and do happen even under the best of circumstances, I'm really sad about this because she is another of my "inspirations." Not only does she battle diabetes, but she fights the same fight that many of us over 30 deal with--aches, pains, and the like. She's a mom with two kids who also works outside the home, yet she has been training diligently for her promotion to her first degree black belt in karate. Needless to say, she's hit a snag, but when I spoke with her at the emergency room today, she was still speaking optimistically of the future. Her injuries will heal, of course, but having dealt in the past with injuries which negated my ability to work out regularly, I admire her spunk and fortitude.

On an upbeat note: today I had five new students in my women's only karate class! I had a blast teaching these women! None of them had ever set foot in a dojo before and they felt all the awkwardness that beginners feel when starting out. They hung in there though! I get really excited about introducing women to the martial arts. It's always awesome to see the true strength that women possess and even more rewarding to see THEM realize that they are strong and empowered.

Friday, December 9, 2011

If you want true inspiration to get into the gym, or go to the track, or take a yoga class, you should really read this post over at Stumptuous.com. If you ever needed a reason to let go of your excuses as to why you shouldn't exercise, this poster can give them to you.

One of the reasons I try to work on my fitness is because I can. Almost two years ago, I had surgery on my ankle to remove some scar tissue that had developed as a result of my stubbornness at not resting it when I sprained it (so, yes, there was more than one lesson learned during that time). I was on crutches for what felt like forever...no karate, no gym, no nothing. After about three weeks, I got a walking boot thing. The head of our karate system came to visit around that time from out of town and I went to the dojo intending to watch and at least absorb by osmosis what he was teaching. He took one look at me and ordered me on the mat, asked me to bring the chair I was sitting in and told my fellow black belts to do the same. We spent the entire class in the chair working on different kicks and that was the BEST workout ever! I learned then that you can always find a way to work out!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Today for the first time, I did "Cindys," (a Crossfit workout of the day) that consisted of 5 (weight assisted) pullups, 10 pushups, and 15 squats. I completed 10 rounds in 20 minutes, which is not great, but not bad either. I was sucking wind when I finished, but wow, did I feel good afterward. We will see how I feel in the morning!

I've been doing quite a bit of reading at several strength training for women websites. I am really enjoying Gubernatrix. The author there gives excellent advice about exercise technique, as well as demystifying the experience of the weight room.

I have yet to find a martial arts/fitness blog written by a woman. (Hey, maybe I'm the first!) I plan to keep searching, however. Most of what I have found is primarily focused on MMA style fighting. While I have nothing against MMA, even the representative women who engage in this form of martial exercise (I hesitate to call it an "art", but that is a post for another day) are...well, let's just say that there appears to be an emphasis on looks and their photogenic qualities. Again, definitely not knocking these women...they are active, after all, and I totally support that.

I know that there are more of us female martial artists out there who do our art because we love it. So back to the "Google" drawing board!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

What's that you said, Leslie's Body?

I have had several really excellent workouts lately, and because of this, it's difficult to make myself rest. Although it sounds antithetical, rest actually helps performance particularly in weight lifting or periods of intense training.

Weight lifting, or strength training, breaks down muscle and rest is required to rebuild the muscle, which will rebuild stronger. Resting, therefore, is important in a physical sense. I do find, as I get older, that I require a bit more rest than I did in my 20s, but in actuality, I feel I perform better.

Mental rest is important as well. There have been days that I just did not feel up to the challenge of going to the gym or the dojo, or I felt like skipping my run. Most of the time, the lethargy I feel has more to do with the stresses of my job or life in general rather than facing up to my training routine. In those cases, if I can get myself to the gym/dojo, 80% of the time, I can do my workout and the endorphins make me feel better. In the dojo, especially, I feel much better, as the energy of the students or the challenges of my own training can break me out of a funk. The other 20% of the time, the lethargy indicates a serious need to step away from workouts.

Common sense tells me that I need to rest today, as I have had a pretty intense week of activity and have an intense workout planned for tomorrow, but the desire to workout can override my sense on occasion. My much more intelligent cousin opted out of our run this morning and I applaud her for being able to make that decision. I, on the other hand, am concentrating on completing this post so I won't sit and *twitch* over my desire to be active! Listening to my body, which is telling me that if I go out and try to run, my knee will be angry with me later. Thanks, Leslie's Body.

The one best reason to rest and recover is that you do not want to run the risk of overtraining or burn-out. Many experts advise taking your resting pulse rate every morning to obtain an idea of your average. Once an average is obtained, if your pulse is 10 beats a minute higher than normal, it could be a sign of over training and fatigue. For me, a higher resting pulse rate sometimes indicates that I may be getting sick, I have noticed. This makes a great deal of sense, in that fatigue and over training can potentially compromise one's immune system. In fact, there have been times, I admit, that getting sick forced me to rest when I wouldn't have otherwise.

One of the fights I have daily is the struggle for balance. Listening to my body, knowing what my threshold is, and giving myself adequate time to rest will make me a better athlete in the long run.