May 3rd, 2012 / Workouts

From MINT Master Trainer, Mary Duke Smith

For those of you who have already tried TRX as a part of your workout
routine – either with your trainer, in a TRX class or by learning it on your
own, you probably have found ways in which it enhances your overall
fitness and functionality.

If you have not yet tried TRX suspension training, here are a few reasons
why I think it can be a very helpful part of anyone’s fitness routine.

• The basics of TRX suspension training are easy to learn.
• Using the TRX allows you to move naturally.
• TRX allows you to learn movements that would otherwise be too difficult
for you to do – and then increase the challenge level incrementally as you
improve.
• You can work on your flexibility and range of motion with TRX in a way
that allows you to gradually progress at your own pace.
• Your core will be actively engaged in your workout when you use TRX.
• You can make your TRX workout as challenging as you want it to be.

A lot of what we hear and see about TRX in the media refers to its use with
training professional athletes, soldiers and other highly fit people. TRX is
great for these populations, but you don’t have to be super-fit to enjoy the
benefits of TRX. Really anyone can do it and the benefits are there for you
to experience! Come try it out in a class or training session and see how it
can work for you!

April 23rd, 2012 / Health & Wellness, Workouts

From MINT Owner & CEO, Patrick John

Reporting back from a post I made to this blog eight months ago.  At the time I had let the demands of family and the businesses take over all my time, and was off balance without regular exercise. I made a no-excuses commitment to get back into regular training.  My trainer Will Noel knew my challenges and created a very systematized and methodical approach, and I plugged in daily bike rides to and from work and watching total calories.

Just like anything in life, it’s amazing what we can accomplish when we really apply ourselves- since then I’ve lost over 5lbs, but most important feel terrific, sleep great, and am more productive- plus old clothes fit again! 34 jeans- wow!  It’s also amazing what we can accomplish when we acknowledge that we can’t do it alone!  See you on the workout floor.

Patrick

March 23rd, 2012 / News, Workouts

From MINT Dupont Fitness Director, Vanessa Hailes

After running two marathons, one half-marathon, four 10-milers, six 10-k’s, and an unknown number of 5k’s, you would think that I would have some sort of grasp on my training details including my pace, my heart-rate, my distance, etc. The only time I have ever had an idea of how fast I’ve run them is looking up my chip time post-race and thinking, ‘Wow, I’m not that bad!’. I’ve always been a ‘go-with-the-flow’ kind of runner – just going where the wind takes me, and not taking anything too seriously – but deep-down, always wanting to get better.

I began running marathons in 2009, and was more motivated to track my distance using websites like WalkJogRun and MapMyRun, then using basic math skills i.e. ‘when did I get off my couch and when did I get back onto it?’, to get a rough estimate of my pace. There were countless times after a run that my running buddies and I would recall a training run and say ‘Yeah, we ran 8 miles – or was it 9?’ just to look it up and find out it was only 5. I became more motivated because my running was somehow improving (based on my race times), so I began to get more curious about knowing exactly how far I was running and how fast. I started researching GPS watches and Nike tracking devices you could insert into your shoes and use with an iphone – but I came across some minor problems which included, 1.) not have the money for a GPS watch (or the desire to wear something as big as an ipad on my wrist), and 2.) not having an iphone due to my loyalty to Sprint.

Then one day, I put my foot down, and I finally upgraded to a Droid. I began exploring the wonderful world of running apps available and came across one that has since changed my world – Endomondo. Why do I love this app? Its tracks my workouts (running, cycling, and MORE), analyzes them, automatically archives each workout, and I can even challenge my friends. Before beginning a workout I choose a customized goal – distance, calories burned, time, pre-set routes, another friend (live!), or go against a previous workout. Along the way, my Endomondo pal chimes in over my music and tells me my mile time, lap time, and expected finish time – and it updates itself after each mile. When stopping (for traffic lights, of course), the time and workout automatically pauses, and when running resumes, so does the workout – it has a voice-over that indicates this each time.

Endomondo has been a great recommendation for all of my running friends, whether they’re seasoned runners, or just beginning. Its all based on real-time GPS, and takes the thinking (and tapping of your watch) out of the running experience. Workouts can automatically upload to Facebook or Twitter accounts so friends can view routes, be impressed by distances and pace times – but if you have an off-day and are embarrassed about your run, you also have the opportunity to remove it, or be like me and just comment under it that, ‘I had a cramp’.

Sometimes on different points of my run, I noticed that I hit a really great stride on a hill during a certain song (it was probably Britney Spears, I’m not embarrassed), and the beauty of Endomondo is that I can go back and look at my route and see exactly on the map where my songs changed! Its simple to use and provides various modes of motivation. You can use it as a weightloss tool to track your caloric output against your daily input, or just out of curiosity of knowing how far you went and how long it took you to get there. The fact that its hooked through my phone allows me to run with more peace of mind, and less bulk of also having to carry an additional ipod. Albeit, a droid or an iphone isn’t the most compact of running devices, but its become my one-stop-shop for music, gps tracking, and 911 emergency-access if I fall into a pothole (yes, it’s happened).

For those of you who haven’t tapped into this amazing FREE resource, take the time to add it to your phone and see how it can change your entire perspective on your workouts, how it prompts continuous goal-setting, and the ability to find more motivation for every mile.

February 28th, 2012 / Workouts

Our third and final component to the Ski Series – here’s hoping you find snow somewhere to put all this information to use!

MINT Master Trainer, Lance Breger

Much like your skis, boots and poles, a stable and strong core is essential to have before hitting the slopes.

Your core is made up of over 20 different muscles that connect to your pelvis and spine.

These muscles are important even though they will be covered by many layers of clothing because of their influence on preventing injuries and increasing your ski performance.

When training the core there are three areas to cycle every 4 to 6 weeks:

1. Core Stability
2. Core Strength
3. Core Power

In today’s blog we will focus on one core stability and one core strength exercise:

Core Stability Exercise
Horizontal Medicine Ball Figure 8 with Two Feet Standing on Bosu
12-15 repetitions, one set in each direction

Core Strength Exercise
Bodybar Wood chops
8-12 repetitions, one set in each direction

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 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

November 4th, 2011 / Health & Wellness, Workouts

What are the benefits of doing bodyweight training vs. machine-based training? Here’s an article from Women’s Health that I really liked!  It takes a look at 10 exercises and explains the value for both safety and fitness of taking a bodyweight approach vs. using a fixed motion machine.

Doing bodyweight exercises correctly also helps you establish movement patterns that benefit you in many areas of your life. The movements are natural and make sense.  Enjoy!

Train Better: 10 Exercise Machines to Avoid

By Stephen Perrine with Leah Flickinger and the Editors of Women’s Health

Seated Leg Extension Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train the quadriceps.

What it actually does: It strengthens a motion your legs aren’t actually designed to do, and can put undue strain on the ligaments and tendons surrounding the kneecaps.

A better exercise: One-Legged Body-Weight Squats

Lift one leg up and bend the opposite knee, dipping as far as you can, with control, while flexing at the hip, knee, and ankle. Use a rail for support until you develop requisite leg strength and balance. Aim for five to 10 reps on each leg. (If you are susceptible to knee pain, do the Bulgarian split squat instead, resting the top of one foot on a bench positioned two to three feet behind you. Descend until your thigh is parallel to the ground and then stand back up. Do five to 10 reps per leg.)

Seated Shoulder Press Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train shoulders and triceps.

What it actually does: Overhead pressing can put shoulder joints in vulnerable biomechanical positions. It puts undue stress on the shoulders, and the movement doesn’t let you use your hips to assist your shoulders, which is the natural way to push something overhead.

A better exercise: Medicine-Ball Throws

Stand three feet from a concrete wall; bounce a rubber medicine ball off a spot on the wall four feet above your head, squatting to catch the ball and rising to throw it upward in one continuous motion. Aim for 15 to 20 reps. Alternative: Standing alternate dumbbell presses. As you push the right dumbbell overhead, shift the right hip forward. Switch to the left side.

Seated Behind-the-Neck Lat Pull-Down Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train lats, upper back, and biceps.

What it actually does: Unless you have very flexible shoulders, it’s difficult to do correctly, so it can cause pinching in the shoulder joint and damage the rotator cuff.

A better exercise: Incline Pull-ups

Keeping your torso stiff, pull your chest to the bar 10 to 15 times. To make it harder, lower the bar; to make it easier, raise the bar.

Seated Chest Fly Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train chest and shoulders.

What it actually does: It can put the shoulder in an unstable position and place excessive stress on the shoulder joint and its connective tissue.

A better exercise: Incline Push-Ups

Aim for 15 to 20 reps. If this is too easy, progress to regular push-ups, and aim for five to eight reps.

Seated Hip Abductor Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train outer thighs.

What it actually does: Because you are seated, it trains a movement that has no functional use. If done with excessive weight and jerky technique, it can put undue pressure on the spine.

A better exercise: Lateral Band Walks

Place a heavy, short, looped resistance band around your legs (at your ankles); sidestep out 20 paces and back with control. This is much harder than it sounds.

Seated Rotation Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train abdominals and obliques.

What it actually does: Because the pelvis doesn’t move with the chest, this exercise can put excessive twisting forces on the spine.

A better exercise: Cable Wood Chop

Let your heels turn freely with your torso. Aim for 10 to 12 reps.

Seated Leg Press Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.

What it actually does: It often forces the spine to flex without engaging any of the necessary stabilization muscles of the hips, glutes, shoulders, and lower back.

A better exercise: Body-Weight Squats Bischoff, Beth

Focus on descending with control as far as you can without rounding your lower back. Aim for 15 to 20 for a set and increase sets as you develop strength.

Smith Machine Squats
What it’s supposed to do: Train chest, biceps, and legs.

What it actually does: The alignment of the machine—the bar is attached to a vertical sliding track—makes for linear, not natural, arched movements. This puts stress on the knees, shoulders, and lower back.

A better exercise: Body-Weight Squats

Focus on descending with control as far as you can without rounding your lower back. Aim for 15 to 20 for a set and increase sets as you develop strength.

Roman Chair Back Extension Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train spinal erectors.

What it actually does: Repeatedly flexing the back while it’s supporting weight places pressure on the spine and increases the risk of damaging your disks.

A better exercise: The Bird-Dog

Crouch on all fours, extend your right arm forward, and extend left leg backward. Do 10 seven-second reps, and then switch to the opposite side.

Roman Chair Sit-up
What it’s supposed to do: Train abdominals and hip flexors.

What it actually does: The crunching motion can put undue stress on the lower back when it is in a vulnerable rounded position.

A better exercise: The Plank

Lie facedown on the floor. Prop up on your forearms, palms down. Rise up on your toes. Keep your back flat and contract your glutes, abdominals, and lats to keep your butt from sticking up. Hold this pose for 20 to 60 seconds.

October 20th, 2011 / Health & Wellness, Workouts

The Washingtonian had a great write up this week with recommended exercises for expecting Moms.  Beyond guiding yourself through the workout routine they thoughtfully designed, there are many classes and trainers at MINT who at the ready to be your knowledgeable counselors.  Make sure your adapting your workouts appropriately when you’re working out for two!

“Safe Workouts to Do While You’re Pregnant: Fit Check”

By, Melissa Romero – Washingtonian

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

September 14th, 2011 / Workouts

MINT Trainer Will Noel recently collaborated with Washingtonian Magazine to outline an arm toning workout.  Check out his full post on the Well+Being blog here.