To Gym or Not to Gym: The Case for Fitness Everywhere!

Image via funkstar.co.uk

BY: DAVID PRADO, CONTRIBUTOR

For those of you out there who know me, you already know that I am not the type to spring for fads in fitness. As a matter of fact, when it comes to judging a new fitness craze or cult workout, I am downright bordering on pretentious. But... that's only because I'm a downright genius. Well... not really. I've just spent more time than I would like to admit in gyms, talking to 'fitness gurus'. So when people ask me if they should try out Zumba, I promptly inform them that we are no longer friends and to keep an eye on their Facebook friends count because it just went -1.

I mean, c'mon people! If it's something you can do after a few long islands, it's not a workout. And unless you are leading a completely sedentary lifestyle and are on the verge of having the doors to your place widened, I can tell you with Nostradamus-like accuracy what Zumba will do for you... nothing. Leave that and the shake weight for your mom and her bridge group.

If you are reading this blog, chances are you already cook healthy food, workout all the time and look pretty damn good if I might say so myself. Yeah, you sexy beast! This post is for you! Let's talk about RESULTS. 

I hear it all the time... 

"David, I'm working with Brad, my personal trainer at LA Fitness, but I don't see results anymore."

OR

"Summertime snuck up on me! Even after 4 months at the gym, I'm not exactly beach-worthy and 'so and so' will be there. I need to look GOOD! I mean, GOOD! What do I do, David?"

DIVERSIFY (AND NOT JUST YOUR PORTFOLIO):

From the no-nonsense way I started this article, you might think I'm going to suggest jumping on a treadmill and grinding it out for 2 hours a day. For an absolute stranger, yeah... that might be my suggestion. But for you? You are a sexy beast... you need more. You, my friend, are fine-tuning with the precision of an infinite decimal. 

You need to do the following...

Image via runningofthereeses.com

GET OUT!

That's right! It's already warming up so now's the time to start working on that tan. Go for a jog with a friend or Charlie your dog. Got a bike? Ride it. I don't mean leisurely. I mean go 'Lance Armstrong' on that thing (minus the blood doping of course). GO FOR TIME. Get a $30 bike speedo, attach it to your bike and see how much you can improve your mile. Lastly, do not underestimate the pool. There is a reason why everyone tunes in for the swimming portion of the Olympics. I mean... look at those bodies! When I saw the bodies on Avatar, I thought to myself 'No way! Thank God it's CGI and not real life!', but then I saw the 400 meter swim at the Olympics and hit the pool shortly thereafter with a renewed passion.

Image via nytimes.com

NOT THAT CLASS!

"But David, you HATE classes!". No, I don't. I HATE some classes, not all of them. Which classes do I HATE? Well, we already addressed those seen at your local gym's Silver Sneaker's program, such as Zumba. Now let's address the rest of the offenders.

Generally speaking, classes offered at the big box gyms suck. How does one figure that out? Ask yourself - Could I have done this workout without the instructor?. If you answered 'yes', then you most likely took a class at LA Fitness, Life Time Fitness or whatever big box you walked into. The instructor didn't motivate you, instruct you properly or even bother asking if you were new to the class. That's because most instructors at these types of gyms are not certified, nor have they done any sort of in-house training. And why should they? They only get paid $30-50 per class. Most just do it for the free membership.

The big corporate gym owners don't care if you show up for a class. They don't make any extra money when you show up. It's not part of their business model. As a matter of fact, it makes much more sense for them to charge your account each month for membership and have you NOT show up for group classes. I mean, heaven forbid you put their equipment to use and it breaks from wear and tear!

Image via nytimes.com

THIS CLASS!

So what classes should you take? Those classes with instructors that care about how you feel and perform in their class. Why? Because they make money on your attendance and they will work hard to make you come back! They have to earn your love and commitment. So pedal that indoor cycling bike until it breaks! They don't care! Sure, these gyms are small, but they have classes back-to-back on the hour. And instead of having to fight for your place in class like you do at the big box gyms, you can reserve your place beforehand and take your sweet time getting there, knowing your spot is secure.

Here are a few classes that will help you in your quest for the perfect summer bod (in order of preference)...

*SOUL CYCLE - Indoor cycling that will get you dancing on the bike!

*TRX - Suspension training that leverages gravity and body weight to perform hundreds of exercises!

*FAST TWITCH - Circuit-based training that utilizes your speed and power!

*CROSSFIT - It's a cult. Find one.

If you find yourself hitting a wall with your workouts, maybe it's time you tried something new! Mix it up a bit, hit the pool, visit a boutique studio and I'll see you sexy things at the beach!

David Prado is a cycling instructor, personal trainer, general fitness enthusiast and recent law school grad (woot! woot!). On his days off, he can be found on his road bike, biking more miles than you've ever thought possible in one day. He also makes a mean mojito and dances salsa like a pro, thereby making him one of the most fascinating men in the Atlanta area, if not the most opinionated. 

The Experts Weigh In: Get Your Yoga On!

Image courtesy of odditycentral.com

BY: DANI PALLO, CONTRIBUTOR

What do you think of when you hear the term “yoga”? If you had asked me that question 4 years ago, it would have conjured images of Hollywood types sipping wheatgrass while folded into pretzels, faint aromas of patchouli floating through the air, and the hum of non-sensical chanting and “Ohms”. I was once a hard-core cardio junkie, completely of the mind-set that real athletes don't waste their workout time practicing yoga. I couldn’t have been more wrong. My fellow athletes, cardio-junkies, and yoga non-believers, open your minds and listen up. I’m here to tell you that yoga changed my world for the better in more ways than you could imagine. I’m not exaggerating. I could go on for days, but here are 3 reasons you should hop on a mat and mix up your routine...

1)  INCREASED FLEXIBILITY = HAPPIER MUSCLES AND FEWER INJURIES

I used to think that yoga was only for flexible people. You were either flexible and did yoga, or you weren’t. If you were in the latter category, yoga wasn’t going to work for you. Seriously. Now I look back and realize the absolute absurdity of this point of view. It’s like saying only people who are full should eat food - it just doesn't make sense. 

Image courtesy of evolutionvt.com

They call it yoga practice, not yoga perfect, for a reason. You do it so you can get better. And you WILL get better. And more flexible. I promise. Runners and cyclists, in particular, have incredibly tight hips, quads, and hamstrings. I didn’t realize how tight my muscles were until I plopped myself into pigeon pose for the first time, held it for what seemed like an hour (in reality it was probably 90 seconds, max) and felt the difference when I got out of the pose. The only thing I can compare that sense of release to is the feeling you get after a great massage. My hips may have been screaming at me during the pose, but my muscles couldn’t have been happier at the end of it. And happy, flexible muscles mean a decreased likelihood of muscle strain and injury.

2)  YOU'LL GET STRONGER - ALL OVER

Image courtesy of yogameditationcenter.org

Yoga gave my body definition without bulking me up. I’m not talking Madonna arms here, but instead, just enough definition to wear a tank top without feeling self-conscious. After years of busting my butt on the treadmill, doing endless crunches, and high reps of curls, tricep dips, and chest presses, I felt cheated. Why didn’t anyone tell me what a difference this yoga stuff makes? Well, I’m telling you now. And this goes for men, too. Some of the most toned male bodies I know belong to men who practice yoga.  Think about it. In yoga, you’re moving through positions that require you to support your own body weight (building muscle strength) and you’re holding these poses (building muscle endurance). Yoga requires you to use a variety of muscle groups for each pose, so you’re getting stronger all over, as opposed to focusing on one muscle group alone, as you traditionally would if you were lifting weights.

      3)  YOUR OTHER WORKOUTS WILL GET BETTER

Yoga teaches awareness – both mental and physical. These are valuable nuggets you can take from the mat into your other workouts.

Let’s discuss the mental piece first. During a yoga practice, your breath is your guide. Your focus is on maintaining steady, slow, deep breaths as your body flirts with its own limits. If things become too intense and your breath becomes shallow and quick, you learn to relax and reconnect to the steadiness of your breath, all while continuing to explore your physical limits. So why is this important for your other workouts? Think about your last hardcore cardio session. Think of that moment when your heart rate peaked and you were breathless with effort. The tendency at that point is to tense up. You clench your jaw, scrunch your forehead, and squeeze your fists a little tighter. All of these little reactions use up energy, not to mention, make you look slightly ridiculous. Yogic breathing teaches you to find the mental calm in the middle of the physical storm that your body is enduring. This means faster recovery, less wasted effort, and ultimately a more efficient cardio workout. Yoga teaches you to take the drama out of your workout – ultimately letting you push a little harder for a little longer.

Image courtesy of moonfun.net

Now on to physical awareness. Yoga will show you a whole different side of your body. As you work through each pose, you start to notice how things are connected. It’s truly a full body, integrative practice. I remember the first time I got into the downward dog position. I literally felt every square inch of my body come alive. The way that I shifted the weight from my fingertips to the heel of my hand directly impacted the stretch I felt in my calves and the rotation of my shoulders.  I truly got to know my body through exploring it in yoga. And now every time I climb onto the bike to teach, I’m so much more aware of every muscle group.  Understanding your body means you can make it work for you a heck of a lot better. 

So shed your preconceived notions, open your mind and your heart, and let a little yoga into your world by checking out a studio near you. You'll be surprised at what you can gain when you lose your inhibitions and step onto that mat.

Dani Pallo is a cycling instructor at Flywheel Sports Atlanta and a former competitive gymnast and gymnastics coach. Dani found herself drawn to yoga in recent years and now considers her love for yoga borderline obsessive. If you couldn't tell already, Dani is also one smart cookie - she graduated with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech. When she is not working or teaching class, you can find Dani at Piedmont Park, her favorite place in all of Atlanta, reading a good book or indulging in a pint of her favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Cherry Garcia. Hey! She worked it off in yoga class! 

To check out one of Dani's classes at Flywheel Atlanta, click here!