Forza!

My SUPing Adventures

Gretchen Falck — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:44:20 +0000

Recently, I’ve taken up a new activity – SUPing or Stand Up Paddling. My family and I took our new SUP board up to the Gun Flint Trail to try it out on Bow Lake, the lake my parents are on during the summer months. After getting over the initial feeling of tippyness, the board was surprisingly stable and oh so easy to paddle. For the first time in my life, I wished I lived on a lake or river. All four of us were able to use it, my eleven year old daughter getting the hang of it faster than any of us. Over that weekend, I enjoyed several trips around the lake aboard our SUP, including an early morning glide into the mist hanging over the calm water and an evening paddle into the sunset. Since then, we’ve tried a few lakes in the area, both north and south. Last night we tried SUPing on the Cannon River, putting in near Riverside Park. The Cannon River, at least at this time of year, proved to be another great site for SUPing. Rich and I plan on doing as much SUPing this fall as we can fit in. SUPing can be a leisurely, stress reducing paddle or a great core and cardio workout depending on how much effort you put into it. Either way, SUPing is another way to enjoy being outside and taking advantage of our state of many lakes and rivers. Give it a try!

TRX and RKC teaming up!

Gretchen Falck — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:00:01 +0000

Check out the new DVD combining TRX and kettlebells. We’ve been using both since January and I’ve always thought they make a great combination, so I’m happy to see that these two companies, Fitness Anywhere (TRX) and Dragon Door (RKC) agree with me. For a preview, just click on the picture here and it will take you to the Fitness Anywhere Site. They are offering 20% off this DVD until July 25th.

Sarcopenia

Gretchen Falck — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:27:24 +0000

I have a new word to add to your lexicon – sarcopenia. You are all familiar with it even if you have not heard the term before. It was a new one for me, too.

Sarcopenia means age-related muscle wasting and was discussed in yesterday’s Star Tribune Variety section in an article entitled “Strong Arm Tactics”. Here is an interesting statistic from that article.

“…adults who don’t have a strength-training regimen risk losing 1/2 to 2 percent of muscle mass a year between ages 30 and 80.”

The article also refers to a study published in JAMA whose test subjects (nursing home residents over the age of 90) were given a strength training regimen for 8 weeks and made major improvements in muscle mass and strength.

So no matter what your age, you need vigorous strength training three times a week to maintain (and gain – when you push yourself) muscle mass and strength.

Healthy joints, healthy pocketbooks

Gretchen Falck — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:34:57 +0000

A few months ago, I read an article in the New York Times Personal Business section entitled “Caring for Hips and Knees to Avoid Artificial Joints“. It had some interesting statistics I’d like to share with you. In 2007, the cost in the US for hip replacements was $19 billion and for knees, $26 billion and the numbers are expected to rise. A typical joint replacement surgery costs between $30,000 and $40,000. With insurance you may still have out-of-pocket expenses of $3,000 – $4,000 plus the cost of time off for the surgery and recovery. This is becoming a big business as people start getting osteoarthritis in their 30s and 40s rather than 50s and 60s and therefore need replacements sooner and possibly multiple times. I’ve been hearing ads on the radio for joint replacement surgery. In essence it is telling you not to let joint pain interrupt your life, get in and get your joints replaced. If you are at the point were this is your only option, then I say go ahead and get it done. If you are not there yet, read on.

My father has had both a hip and a knee replaced, and although he is feeling less pain now, it has not been an easy road and things are not as good as they once were. After his hip replacement, he ended up with an even shorter leg than he had prior to surgery (a contributing factor to the deteriorating hip joint in the first place) and now has to wear a lift in one shoe or have one heal built up (an added expense) and can’t go barefoot for any length of time. As for the knee replacement, it was complicated and extremely painful. Now I’m not saying don’t have joint replacement surgery if you need it, but think how much better it would be not to need it!

Aching Knees?

The article mentions several ways to avoid the cost and pain of osteoarthritis, one of the main reasons people get a joint replaced. The first is controlling your weight. As your weight increases, so does your risk for osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee joint and even more in women than men. A woman’s risk of osteoarthritis of the knee drops in half if she loses just 10 pounds! Another suggestion is to get fit with a low impact form of exercise. The muscle you build up around joints act as shock absorbers and decrease the likely hood of injury. Finally, they say don’t waste your money on specialized nutrients like shark cartilage and glucosamine and choindroitin as they are expensive and of limited benefit. I would add to that, though, that high quality Omega 3 supplements are the exception and will give you a good bang for your buck.

The Kettlebell Swing

So here is my plug: swinging a kettlebell is a great form of low impact exercise that strengthens the muscles across both the knee and hip joints and will burn a lot of calories to help you get excess weight off. If you don’t have a kettlebell at home, I recommend getting one or get in to Forza! three times a week. Take your fish oil supplements! Care for your joints now, avoid expensive and painful surgeries. Your joints will feel better and you will be doing your part to lower the national health bill!

Have a great Memorial Weekend!

Gretchen Falck — Thu, 27 May 2010 22:31:45 +0000

We are nearly half way through our current strength building and fat burning workout plan. I hope you have noticed a difference in your strength. I know I have, and I have watched all of you gaining confidence in using the bigger bells. I may not always comment, but you can be sure I notice when you start doing the Turkish Get-Up with the next size up. Those of you whose schedules have allowed for more consistency in your workouts have probably made greater strides, but I hope all of you are finding these workouts challenging and rewarding. So on this Memorial Weekend, I hope you can get out and enjoy the great weather we are having and do something active. After all, the reason we want to get stronger is to get more out of life! Speaking of which, check out the new testimonials to see how Forza! is making a difference in the lives of two Northfielders.

1st World Fitness Day – Free Class

Gretchen Falck — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:52:20 +0000

Saturday, May 1st is the first World Fitness Day. Actress and fitness icon Jane Fonda will be launching the event in Atlanta, GA. In honor of this, classes at Forza! are free for that day for everybody! This includes new people, so come in for a free class and bring a friend to celebrate fitness throughout the world.

6 Week TRX Special

Gretchen Falck — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:56:48 +0000

I’m offering a spring special deal. A 6 week, 60 minute a week TRX class for $60. This is like getting one TRX class for free! The class will be on Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30, starting April 29th and going through June 3rd . Participation is limited, so call or email to reserve your spot. Summer will be here before you know it. Start on that beach body now!

Six small or 3 bigger meals?

Gretchen Falck — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:40:29 +0000

In a recent article in the New York Times , writer Ahahad O’Connor cites a study demonstrating that metabolism remains the same whether meals are eaten three times a day or 6 times a day as long as the calorie amount remains the same. This refutes the popular notion that eating smaller meals more frequently will boost your metabolism. I for one am happy to hear that it doesn’t make any difference. Personally, it is easier for me to plan three healthy meals a day than six. I also tend to eat fewer calories overall when I don’t let myself snack. However, there are those of you out there that do better with more frequent eating, so go ahead and snack away (just make sure it is a healthy snack that includes a good protein, a complex carbohydrate and a good fat. The article ends with the recommendation that to boost metabolism, try exercise. Amen to that!

More core!

Gretchen Falck — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:50:50 +0000

I recently (okay, it’s been a few weeks now) read an article in the Health Journal Section of the Wall Street Journal about the latest fitness rage – core strength regimens. The author, Kevin Helliker, describes his experience in working with a personal trainer to develop his core strength. He had been running, swimming and lifting free weights, but had not done anything for his core – the muscles of his torso from under his arm pits to his knees (the part of his body that has to be stable in order to safely and efficiently perform any of the other activities he had been doing). ”Many sports-medicine specialists expect core-strength exercises to become the third leg of public-health recommendations in regard to workouts. Just as cardiovascular exercise is promoted for heart health and resistance training for strong bones, experts expect core-strengthening movements to gain public-health favor for avoiding muscular-skeletal pain and injury, particularly of the neck, back and hips.” Mr. Helliker worked with his personal trainer twice a week for three months and after that time, his running speed increased, he lost body fat, he was pain free in his shoulders and neck and his posture improved. I, too, have experienced the benefits of core strength training. I have seen improvements in so many of the people I have worked with these last two years. One of the reasons I was so attracted to kettlebells in the first place was that I was building core strength without having to do sit-ups (one of my least favorites activities). We do do activities in class that specifically target these core muscles, but everytime we swing a bell or use the TRX, we are strengthening our core muscles. We get our cardio, resistance training and core work in on everything we do. Can’t get much more efficient than that!

TRX Class Expanding

Gretchen Falck — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:07:18 +0000

There are now 6 TRX Suspension Training systems in place and they are now mounted to the ceiling. This will give us more room and make some of the exercises easier to do, but not necessarily easier on your muscles! Come in and see!