December 1st, 2011 / News

The music that plays at MINT has always been an important part of the club’s identity as an physical and mental urban retreat.  Since our opening in 2006 our music has been largely the same genre- Zen World Tranquil music with a slow to medium beat.  Most of our feedback through the years is a fondness for our approach to music.

In efforts to ‘refresh’ the music, we recently made some changes by mixing in some heavier and faster tempos- still in the Zen World genre- and these changes have been well received.  Included with the new schedule, we picked a Wednesday afternoon schedule as a test: Rock music spanning late 80′s, 90′s, and 00′s.  That new Wed schedule was met with mixed reactions, and we’ve nixed it- Wed will now match the rest of the week.  We hope you are enjoying the music and it adds to your MINT experience.  Please feel free to respond via the blog, or reach out to any of us with comments.

In health,

Patrick John

October 13th, 2011 / News, Workouts

The idea of hula hooping may bring a smile to your face, but in reality, it’s likely you consider the hula hoop a relic of your childhood.  NBC4 News recently visited MINT to see why we’re still putting hula hoops to use.  Just what can one of these large, round hoops do for you?  Plenty!

Hula hooping offers a full body workout, including core and cardio.  Regina Armenta, the instructor of MINT’s Joyful Hoops yoga fusion class explains that hula hooping offers the unique benefit of balancing your body – it is an ambidextrous workout.

Enjoy the clip below from the segment that aired on the 5:00 PM news Wednesday, October 12th.  Join us for a Joyful Hoops class at MINT Dupont, Sundays at 12:30 PM.

What’s Your Workout: Hula Hooping at MINT

October 5th, 2011 / Health & Wellness, News

Did you know that by switching up your workout routine you’re also keeping your mind active and preventing diseases such as Alzheimer’s?  The Washingtonian recently featured “Six Ways to Improve Your Brain’s Health.”  Keep you mind and your body healthy when you try a new class.  Rotate a new routine into your regime.

From the Washingtonian:

“Mix up your workouts
Changing things up when it comes to exercise is already known to be good for your body, but it’s also good for your brain. If you’re a kickboxer on Mondays and a yogi by Wednesday, you’re in luck. “Physical activity is most effective for the brain when you do a variety of exercises,” says Dr. Constantine Lyketsos, director of the Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.”

September 29th, 2011 / News, Skin Care

Written by, Malaika Thompson, Licensed Esthetician

Free radicals are unstable molecules that are roaming free inside and outside of our bodies.  Antioxidants capture, prevent and repair free radical damage inflicted on on our cells.  Some antioxidants are produced by the body but others must be supplied by diet and skin products.

Studies have demonstrated that the skin is the last organ to receive antioxidants from food and dietry supplements, so it is of the utmost importance that in addition to maintaining healthy diets, we care for our skin by following a consistent skin care regimen and seeking regular treatments from skin care professionals in order to preserve a youthful complexion and problem free skin as we grow older.

Some of the most powerful and common antioxidants found in skin care products include vitamins A, C, and E.

• Vitamin A is known to fight lines, wrinkles, and acne. it can greatly improve the condition of our skin. one of the best known versions of vitamin A is found in the prescription formula “Retin A”.

• Vitamin C is richest in citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers and greens. This important vitamin attacks free radicals, including those from overexposure to sunlight. it helps the skin by supporting the production of collagen.

• Vitamin E’s richest natural sources are vegetable oils, nuts and grains. It helps your skin to retain moisture, prevent scarring and treats discoloration.

September 16th, 2011 / News

My team and I have been running at over 100% for over a year with the launch of the Downtown club, managing facility improvements at Dupont, staff changes, and growth in general.  We love what we do and we hope it shows.

As summer is coming to a close, thinking about our weekends away and our local outings with friends ought to inspire us to find greater balance in our every day lives.  Celebrate the end of a great summer with us.  Join Melissa, other club managers and me for a casual member cookout this Saturday from 12:00 – 3:00 at MINT Dupont.  Bring a friend, bring your dog- have some grub and a beer.  See you there!

August 10th, 2011 / Health & Wellness, News

The Washington Post highlighted an intuitive finding in last week’s paper – lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain.  Despite the common sense-factor, little has been deeply understood about why this is the case.  New research leads us to believe that it boils down to the interplay between sleep and hormones.

Individuals who sleep a minimum of 7.5 hours a night recharge their body with the recommended amount of REM cycles.  Unfortunately, many people don’t have the luxury of sleeping for that duration each night.  Without experiencing five REM cycles per night hormones that produce the sensations of hunger and fullness falter.  Rather than remaining in balance and functioning as they should,  sleep deprived individuals are robbed of their ability to discern when enough is enough because of a hormone imbalance.

“Sleep deprivation causes your body to release more ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger, and less leptin, the hormone that tells your body it’s full. When those hormones are out of whack, your body wants more food and lacks the sensitivity to know when to stop eating.”

Additionally, according the article “sleep-deprived subjects consumed about 300 more calories per day (2,800 vs. 2,500) than the well-rested subjects.”  While there are many causes of sleep deprivation, take this bit of news as your prescription to enjoy the last weeks that remain of summer – where a slower pace and lighter work schedule may be the recipe for rest!

August 3rd, 2011 / Health & Wellness, News

Fitness enthusiasts are passionate about their health and well being, regardless of their age.  The Washington Post featured an article on Monday, “Older athletes are reluctant to take it easy even though their bodies have aged,” which observes that age does not determine one’s level of fitness.  It’s highly likely that you’ve encountered many individuals at age 40 who are in worse shape than many physically active 60 and 70 year olds you may know.  Individuals can be athletes at any age.

While cautionary in it’s recommendations, the article asserts that consistently varied workouts for older audiences can result in tangible long-term benefits.  According to orthopedic surgeon Vonda Wright, and author of Fitness After 40, ”vigorous conditioning can mitigate declines in strength and aerobic capacity”  Wright also asserts that “senior athletes can also lessen the chances of injury through such steps as cross-training and taking sufficient rest time between intense workouts.”

July 27th, 2011 / News, Workouts

MINT Head Trainer, Lance Breger, was featured in the Washingtonian’s Well+Being blog yesterday demonstrating how to work with Battling Ropes.  You’ve seen these large, heavy ropes at both MINT Dupont and MINT Downtown – but what are you supposed to do with them exactly?  Allow Lance to explain, the full article is available here, his recommended workout is pasted below along with his demonstration video from the Washingtonian.

Warm-Up Breger recommends warming up the entire body before doing a Battling Ropes workout. Incorporate some arm circles, planks, and squats into your regular warm-up.

Exercise 1: Arm Waves Muscles worked: Triceps, shoulders, core, quads

Reps: One set of 15 seconds

Hold the two ends of the rope, palms facing down. Stand shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Create waves with the ropes by moving your arms up and down at a controlled, rapid pace.

Exercise 2: Alternate Arm Waves Muscles worked: Triceps, shoulders, core, quads

Reps: One set of 15 seconds

Hold one end of the rope in each hand, palms facing down. Stand shoulder width apart with your knees slightly bent. Create waves with the ropes by alternating your arms up and down at a controlled, rapid pace.

Exercise 3: Arm Circles Muscles worked: Shoulders, core, quads

Reps: One set of 15 seconds
Hold the two ends of the rope, palms facing down. Stand shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Create counter-clockwise circles with each end of the rope.

Exercise 4: Side Throws Muscles Worked: Triceps, shoulders, back, core, quads

Reps: One set of 15 seconds

Hold the two ends of the rope together on one side of your body, palms facing down. Stand shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Lift the rope and throw it to the other side of your body, keeping your hips stationary while twisting your core. Lift the rope and throw it back to starting position. Repeat this motion at a controlled, rapid pace.

July 19th, 2011 / Health & Wellness, News

Zumba is the most fun I have ever had at a gym and it is quickly becoming one of the most popular classes – both at the gym and in dance studios nationwide. The New York Times recently ran an article about Zumba that reported the increasing number of Zumba-related injuries. The good news is that all of these injuries can be prevented. Here are some things to remember when taking a Zumba class.

• Work out at your own level. You can vary the level of aerobic activity both throughout a song and through the duration of the class.
• The best shoe to wear in Zumba is a thin-soled shoe that does not stick to the floor.
• Make sure you have room to move during class.
• A good Zumba class has a warm up and a cool down.
• The teacher should be certified both through Zumba and a professional fitness association.

One of the great things about MINT is that all of your teachers are certified and educated to provide you with the safest way to exercise. And hopefully you are having as much fun as we are!

July 12th, 2011 / News, Skin Care

Written by, Malaika Thompson, Licensed Esthetician

Skin cleansers work as emulsifiers to remove dirt, excess natural skin oils, bacteria, cosmetics and exfoliate the surface skin cells.  Which in turn helps your skin breathe and attain the correct nourishment if followed by toning and moisturizing.

When considering a cleansing agent for daily use determine your skin type and pick a cleansing agent suited to your skin – a good cleanser will not disturb the ph balance of your skin and keep it feeling nourished and fresh.  If you’re unsure of your skin type consider booking a facial appointment and consult with an aesthetician.

For those with oily skin, the importance of cleansing is doubled, as they may want to remove excess oil from oil glands but not the fat that waterproofs the skin. Therefore, cleansers meant for oily skin have a certain amount of astringent present instead of an oil-base that helps rid the extra oil and prevents clogging of sebaceous glands that can lead to skin disorders like blackheads and acne.

Those with dry and sensitive skin need to choose a cleanser that protects the oil content of their skin since the extra foaming variety suited for oily skin will only strip the skin of natural moisture and dry it. Such persons need to pick a cleanser that has oil-balance properties to re-hydrate and moisturize the skin after the ritual.

Cleansing and Skin Care tips

• The best way to begin cleansing your face is by washing your hands thoroughly to prevent transfer of bacteria to your face
• Begin with the hairline and work your way down with gentle sweeping movements over the face, lips and down the neck
• Massage the cleanser gently onto the face with light movements of the fingertips and leave on for absorption and deep cleansing for about a minute
• Next, with the help of a clean cotton makeup pad, wipe away the visible dirt and pollution with your hands and if there is any cosmetic residue, wipe it downwards towards the neck
• Rinse your face using cool water to splash it. The temperature of the water is very important, as too hot or too cold water can cause flushing and increase broken capillaries, if such exist on your skin

Additional ideas from beautytips.ygoy.com

• Be sure to cleanse at night! Skin cell regeneration (the process where fresh, new skin cells replace old, dead skin) happens at a faster rate at night so the simple act of cleansing before going to bed will ensure that this process occurs in a healthy and optimal manner

• Cleansing and skin care tips are meant to increase the lifespan of beautiful skin and help in detoxification of unhealthy toxins in the body. Always follow up with a good toner and moisturizer. Cosmetic brands that are sure to provide promising results include Alchimie Forever’s Excimer Purifying Gel Cleanser for normal to oily skin and Alchimie Forever’s Exciser Gentle Cream Cleanser for normal to dry skin