February 15th, 2012 / News

Patrick hauls in a Barracuda!

From MINT Owner, Patrick John

“Work hard, play hard” best sums up how I look at life, for as long as I can remember.  Although the past years, with the a softened economy, the Downtown club launching as well as having two kids under the age of two – life has more of the former and less of the latter.  We preach “balance” at MINT , and we know how difficult it can be to keep up.  Last week Melissa and I took off for the first time in a while, one stop was to visit a MINT partner, Captain Daveon his 44′ Sailing Catamaran, Island Girl, in the southeast corner of Puerto Rico, sailing to the “Spanish Virgin Islands.”  This was a quick trip of only two days and nights out sailing, full of swimming, snorkeling, fishing, sun, good food and yes, a few drinks also.  One evening I dove for conch for a great fresh dinner aboard!  We stayed on the island for a few more days to recharge and refresh.  MINT’s goal is to provide a daily retreat in the city, but make sure you get your out-of-town retreats as well (not just business trips!).  I personally love boats, and if you like the water, highly suggest you consider a trip like ours, Captain Dave is running fitness trips, which include whatever mix of relaxation, yoga, swimming, exercise, massage and partying you like.  In this case we’ve broadened the reach of great member perks – as Captain Dave has reduced his rates for any MINT members who are interested in hoping aboard.  The boat can hold up to 6 – 8 people total and is more affordable to most hotel rooms, direct flights are also available (can I come with you?).

February 9th, 2012 / Workouts

While it may feel like anything but winter outside, we realize that many of our members may be traveling out west this winter for a little ski/snowboard action.  Since full days out on the slopes can hit you hard, prepare for your trip with our three part series of Trainer tips.

From MINT Trainer, Canaan Dorian
Snowboard Training Tips/Stabilization techniques

I love to get to the mountains and snowboard but its always the first couple runs that are the most challenging when you have been out of it for 8 months or if you are like me and just get that one trip in a year. Working on stabilization exercises will not only improve your technique but is the best possible way to prevent injuries. A stable joint can protect the rest of your body when accidents do happen. Here are some good tips to keep in mind when training this season:

* Work on strengthening your Hamstrings Quadriceps to stabilize your knee joint. With 2 feet on a single board the twisting and torque that can affect your knee is sometimes inevitable with a fall. A strong knee joint will prepare you and also give you the muscular endurance you need for the longer runs. Favorites to try: Bosu Squats, TRX suspended lunge, lower body work with an Indo board.

* If you do fall your chest, shoulders, and arms are pushing you back up quick. My favorites to get ready for this are Planks on the bosu, TRX push ups, Medicine ball push ups, and kettle bell snatch’s standing on the bosu or balance board. The instability aspects of these exercises will strengthen the right muscles and make your shoulder joint more stable.

* A strong core is really important for snowboarders when you switch directions constantly on a run. Pikes, and standing oblique twist with added weight are two of my favorites because they directly relate to the movements you will be making. Shoot for timed exercise training and circuits to best increase your muscular and cardiovascular endurance simultaneously

January 31st, 2012 / Around DC, Uncategorized

MINT member Kayvon Sarmadi shares his member experience with us:

I moved to DC about a year ago and I was looking for a gym with a convenient location, nice equipment, clean locker rooms and workout space, and a great staff.  MINT has satisfied and exceeded my expectations on every level.

Let’s start with the club itself.  The gym is always extremely clean and the staff feels more like family.  I never have to wait on equipment which is a nice change of pace from other gyms considering I usually go in peak hours.  The trainers are excellent and membership is very reasonable for what you get.  The members also make the club great because they are so respectful of the other people in the gym.

MINT really differentiates itself with the level of classes and training that is available to its members.  As a guy who was a collegiate athlete and takes fitness very seriously, I have never really been into taking classes at gyms.  I viewed them as very cookie cutter ways to get in mediocre shape until I came to MINT.  I was skeptical at first, but since the first time I tried “Men’s Intensity” with Chris Barnes, who is without a question the best trainer I have worked with, I have been hooked.  I really enjoy the creativity of the class and how it challenges me each week with its constantly changing exercises.  Primetime Boxing is my other favorite and is far from your average “boxing” class.  Rather than being a cardio class where you throw random punches with no real technique or purpose, you get to work with real boxers who stress technique and boxing related fitness.

Overall, I recommend MINT to people of every fitness level, there is something at MINT for everyone!

Thanks Kayvon for putting your experience at MINT down in writing for us – we LOVE to hear what MINT means to our members.  We hope we’re fulfilling our promise to you – to be the best health club you’ll ever join.

January 24th, 2012 / Health & Wellness

The new year is among us and like most people I ask myself where did this past year go?  Also like most people I look at the new year as new start, a time to challenge myself and to improve upon this past year. Following these simple rules when setting your fitness goals for the new year and tee yourself up for success:

Keep it simple, specific, realistic & set a date or time line

Schedule yourself

If you have never worked out in the morning and you are not a morning person, don’t schedule morning workouts. Look at your schedule for the week/day and schedule your workouts or runs for the time that works best for you.

Your Goals should be measurable

Set performance goals, not outcome goals

You should take care to set goals over which you have as much control as possible.

What are your action goals?

How many days a week are you going to run, workout, what is your plan? If you don’t have a plan make sure your research or ask for help. Feel free to grab a trainer for assistance.

Following these few steps can help this year be the healthiest and happiest year yet!

January 10th, 2012 / Around DC, Health & Wellness

Before you travel down the rabbit hole of setting you eye on an ideal weight or a minimum number of times per week that you expect to get to the gym during 2012 – Stop and think with us…. Why is fitness a means to an end towards a better, more enjoyed life?

Before you set SMART (Specific, Meaningful, Adaptive, Realistic & Time-bound) goals for yourself take a step back with us and let’s build the value in the bigger picture.  Having a crystal clear mission will always give you cause to take action.

Why does having an active lifestyle matter? Here are four fundamental reasons WHY movement matters:

• Exercise boosts brainpower
• Movement melts away stress
• Exercise gives you energy
• Exercise Helps ward off disease and strengthens your heart

Put the experts at MINT to work for you this year. Recruit us and we’ll make your personal mission a priority. See how the team at MINT is ready to make 2012 YOUR year!

January 6th, 2012 / Health & Wellness, Workouts

Let me start off by saying that I hate to stretch, I have my whole life.  It doesn’t help that I have been very inflexible my entire life, but I also do not like the slowness of it and the lack of immediate results.  You would think then, that all the recent articles saying that stretching does not prevent injuries and may do more harm then good would make me happy, right? Wrong.

There is a tendency in the fitness industry (as well as many others) to try and simplify things down to one-sentence answers and phrases that will sell magazines, books, training sessions and programs. As someone with ten years experience working in the fitness industry and as an elite athlete I have first-hand knowledge of how detrimental this can be.   It is my belief (and studies back this up) that conventional static stretching such as a toe touch is almost always a bad idea before working out, especially if your muscles are cold, but that doesn’t mean that static stretching doesn’t have its place for some people at certain times.  I also believe that the right kind of stretching will have great benefits in injury prevention and performance. A large amount of the negative press is based off a 2008 running study that had different groups do specific stretches before running or not do the stretches.

I was actually asked to be a part of this study but declined, as I didn’t want to change anything in the year running up to the Olympic Trials.  The problem with this study is that they didn’t take into consideration the flexibility issues of each person. Different people and their respective muscle tensions, injury backgrounds, etc, need and will react differently to different stretching regiments.

Most recent articles do make a point of saying that dynamic warm-ups are now believed to do a better job of injury prevention.  This I do agree with, but in my opinion most of these are forms of stretching, there-by negating their eye-catching headline and confusing people.  I am a big fan of Active-Isolated stretching, especially before exercise and specifically for athletes who have had inflexibility and range of motion issues in the past.  The Wharton family is a big proponent of the current Active-Isolated movement.

I started working with the Whartons in 2002 and within weeks of starting their routine had seen dramatic increases in range of motion. I recommend their book (found on that site) to anybody who is interested and Phil Wharton is currently living in the Washington DC area and available for individual or group sessions.  We are working on getting him in for a stretch clinic at Mint.

My point in all this is that stretching is something that should not be avoided; rather certain types of stretches should be avoided at certain times.  One of our great trainers, Pilates or Yoga instructors here at Mint can help you figure out which style stretching is most applicable to you personally and which exercises you should avoid.

Thanks, Sean

December 21st, 2011 / Health & Wellness

Finding time to take a break, or a ‘retreat’ from the hectic pace of life has been something that’s been on my mind for awhile. I’ve started, stopped, started again and stopped many practices I thought might ease the stresses of my schedule.  A couple years ago it got a bit more complicated as I began to shuttle back and forth between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD –where I live. Juggling my role as a husband, a son, a brother, an employee, a manager, and board member can quickly take up much time, so much so, I almost forget about my own needs.

I have committed to playing soccer a couple days a week which has been great. It’s really helped to keep my stress levels down. I realize, however, I need more. I need more moments of mental clearing to not just help keep the stress levels low, but help me find the clarity as I deal and make smart decisions with navigating life’s changes and demands. (I’m taking a breath now…….).

They say the longer the winter the bigger the spring, AND,we can be sure that spring always comes.  How long does my rest need to be in order to have the largest impact on my life? There was an article in the New York Times earlier this month that I found fascinating –  It profiles a couple of individuals who are practicing ‘extreme retreats’, wherethey are removing themselves from everything, even people. They’ve returned from these retreats with awesome clarity and direction in life. Now, granted, retreats are nothing new. But reading the article was another signal to me about what’s possible when one does stop and truly take a rest.

I may not choose to embark on a 30 days silent retreat anytime soon, but my trust in the benefits that lengthy restprovides is surely growing. I’m a beginner at rest and retreats being strategic in my life. I think this will have to change.

December 7th, 2011 / Health & Wellness

“How do I feel today?”  When is the last time you asked yourself this?  When is the last time you stopped and took a “me moment”?

I used to wake up every morning and reach for my blackberry first thing.  Before even getting out of bed, I would already be anxious, trying to reconcile how I would fit as much into the day as I needed to.  I had forgotten about “me”, forgotten to take care of ”me”, forgotten “me” existed.  This posed a problem because I work in one of DC’s top health club and spa facilities and was not practicing what I preached.

Taking the advice of a dear friend, I started waking up earlier and taking a short stroll to clear my thoughts and think about ”me” before facing the world - this was the beginning of my “me moments”.  I now have a daily ”me workout moment” – which includes studio classes and Pilates sessions, which I look forward to ALL OF THE TIME!  What I had somehow lost track of amid my busy schedule was that without taking care of myself, what I have to contribute to my career, friends and family is diminished.  The solution was in front of me the whole time!

I encourage you to take advantage of all the opportunities for ”me moments” that are readily available to you at MINT – your club spa retreat. There are so many aids towards stress relief, recovery, and preventative maintenance provided just for you.  Have a “me strengthing moment” and take a personal training or Pilates session.  Perhaps give yourself a ”me nourishing moment” and speak with a Nutritionist.  Or even a ”me stress relief moment” by taking a yoga class and receiving a spa treatment.  However you may spend your “me moments”, be sure they are just for YOU.

Now…..how do you really feel today?

“Think it…Be it…Live it”    – Maria Smith

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

November 28th, 2011 / Skin Care

Written by, Malaika Thompson, Licensed Esthetician

WHAT IS A VITAMIN EXACLY?

A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet.

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO YOUR SKIN?

Your skin is the fingerprint of what is going on inside of your body, and all skin conditions from psoriasis to acne to aging are the results of your body’s internal needs. Lack of vitamins can make the skin lifeless, blotchy and dull. If you feed your skin from the inside and the outside, it will benefit!

VITAMINS THAT ARE GOOD FOR SKIN

-Vitamin A-
Strengthens the protective tissue of the skin and helps to prevent acne and to reduce excess sebum (oil) production. It is also a powerful antioxidant that flushes out toxins and free radicals from the body to reduce wrinkling and fine lines.

-Vitamin B Complexe-
There are 12 of them, the most essential include:

Vitamin B1 AKA Thiamine
Enhances circulation and is a powerful antioxidant.

Vitamin B2 AKA Riboflavin
Essentail for healthy skin, Hair and nails. Acne is a symptom of Riboflavin deficiency.

Vitamin B3 AKA Niacinamide
Helps the skin to retain moisture.

Vitamin B12 AKA Cyanocobalamin
Is one of the most important B vitamins as it helps the body produce red blood cells and keeps your nervous system working properly thus helping to prevent stress!
Low levels of B12 can cause anemia and depression.
Creams containing B vitamins can give the skin an instant healthy glow while hydrating cells and improving skin tone.

-Vitamin C-
Helps to counter the damaging effects of the sun, smoke and pollution. Topical Vitamin C promotes collagen production.

-Vitamin D-
AKA THE “sunshine” vitamin as this is where we obtain it from. It assist in the absorbtion of calcium and phosporus which contributes to the formation of healthy skin and strong bones.

-Vitamin E-
Is an antioxidant that improves healing and tissue repair. Topical vitamin E helps to reduce wrinkles and makes the skin look and feel smoother. When combined with vitamin C it is highly protective against sun damage.

We must remember to take a multi vitamin everyday, it will supplement most of our daily requirements, and ensure greater longevity of all our organs including of course the largest organ of all- your skin!

QUALITY BRANDS TO CONSIDER FOR OPTIMAL BENEFITS

For the oral adminstration of Vitamins I recommend Shaklee. It is considered the number one natural nutrition company in the U.S and has been established for over 50 years. visit www.shaklee.com for details and/or to order.

For the topical application of most if not all of the essential Vitamins required to ensure beautiful and healthy skin in the near and far futur consider Alchimie Forever Swiss Antioxidant skin care lineavailable for purchase (with free shipping and handling) at both the Dupont and Downtown MINT locations.