By Andrea Scarberry
Who else is hooked on the World Cup? I sure am. This past weekend, my family spent all day Sunday glued to the TV. I knew I wanted to watch the games, but I also knew that I wanted to get in some healthy activity. Here's a little something fun that I came up with to get my blood pumping and my muscles working while I cheered on my favorite teams. The best part - this workout uses only your own body weight and requires no extra equipment! If you have a carpeted floor and a sturdy chair or coffee table, you're all set up for this one. Try it next time you're parked in front of your favorite show!
THE "GET UP AND MOVE" WORKOUT
Complete 50 reps of each of the following, taking small rests where they are needed:
- Sit-ups
- Push-ups (from the knees is fine if necessary)
- Lateral leg raises (50 each side; can be done standing or lying down - lying down is more challenging)
- V-ups (sit-up variation where straight arms and legs lift skyward simultaneously and meet at the top of each rep)
- Tricep dips (took a sturdy chair from my dining room table, but a good sturdy coffee table would work too)
- Split squat (50 each side; for an added challenge, elevate back foot slightly for a Bulgarian split squat)
- Calf-raises (use a step if you have stairs, or grab a step-stool, so that you can get full flexion and extension of the ankle)
Finisher - Squat Series:
- 20 seconds bodyweight squats
- 20 seconds jump squats
- 20 seconds squat hold
With the games to distract me, this workout seemed to fly by, but was still challenging enough to leave me feeling nice and sore the next day. For the squat series, I had my husband time me, but it would be easy to time yourself with a clock that has a seconds hand or using the stopwatch on your phone.
I hope that you give it a try! Until next time, have a happy and healthy week ahead.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
A Chat With Nick Martinez, Competitive Cross-Country Mountain Biking Cyclist and Personal Trainer
By Andrea Scarberry
This past week I had a chance to sit down and chat with JCC trainer Nick Martinez. Nick is a familiar and friendly face here at the JCC, and if you're a member, chances are good that you've met him. Chances are also pretty high that he's made you laugh, or at least smile, with a dose of his infectious charm. Nick is well-known as a dedicated member of the JCC's personal training staff, but here's something you might not know about Nick - he participates competitively in the extreme sport of cross-country mountain biking. Read on to learn more about Nick, and how his passion for fitness and cycling was ignited and realized!
Nick has played sports in some form or another, pretty much ever since he learned to walk. He was active in baseball, track, and varsity basketball during his high school years. He was also first introduced to cycling as a senior in high school, and with his team sports days coming to a close with graduation, he took up mountain biking as a way to stay fit and active as he entered college. Nick attended the University of New Mexico, where he studied education. He worked briefly as a substitute teacher, and was eventually hired on to work exclusively with the ED (emotional disorder) program at McKinely Middle School - one of only two ED programs in the entire APS system. At the same time all of this was happening, Nick was interning with the JCC. He knew that ultimately, he wanted to be in a position to help others, and just wasn't quite sure that teaching in a classroom environment was his personal niche. Eventually, Nick made the transition from APS to the JCC complete, began working as a consultant on the fitness floor, and completed his certification through ACE to become a certified personal trainer. Nick has now been with the JCC for close to six years.
At the JCC, Nick wears many hats. Along with his titles of personal trainer and staff-on-duty, he also runs a corporate wellness program for the Albuquerque Journal, which includes weekly fitness classes on-site at their office. He is the trainer in charge of the Kid-Fit program, and also worked with the Team Lean program. He represents the JCC as a part of APS's Title 1 program, providing fitness and fun for low-income students during their after-school programming. In the past, he worked with Shalom House providing group fitness for seniors and briefly worked as a personal trainer for a charter school and a preschool.
As mentioned earlier, Nick picked up cycling as a senior in high school. A buddy was selling his old mountain bike, and Nick jumped at the opportunity. He immediately fell in love with the sport. "You don't have to be training to race or compete on the bike - I love it because it's a fun and adventurous way to stay fit outdoors," Nick said. "I am in total control of the bike, and my current fitness level is really my only limiting factor. I think cycling is great for the mind-body connection, and mountain biking specifically gives me a front row seat to nature. I've seen things on my bike that I probably never would have seen otherwise."
I wasn't too familiar with the cross-country mountain biking scene, so I had Nick break it down for me. In a cross-country mountain bike race, there is a distance course set up, just as there would be in any other type of race. The big difference is that the majority of the course is made up of mountainous terrain. Where in a road race things like "riding with the pack" and "drafting" are used to pace participants, a mountain bike race typically requires all-out max effort through the duration of the course, and expert handling is a must. There are several categories as far as race participants are concerned, and it's all based on standings. Elite is the highest ranking, and below that are categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. Nick has worked his way up to the prestigious title of a category 1 ranking, and hopes to gain elite status in the future. He was also named the 2009 state champion in his category.
When I asked Nick about race training, and what is most important in preparing for a cross-country mountain bike race, he had some important things to note. In Nick's eyes, nutrition and hydration are of the utmost importance, especially leading up to race day. When he's training for a race, he is very regimented in his nutrition, fueling himself consistently the same exact way before each training ride, and again on race day. This way, he's not in for any surprises, and he knows how the food is going to make him feel and what kind of energy it's going to provide. Aside from fueling, Nick says working on his flexibility, balance, conditioning and just taking good care of his body overall keep him feeling great on the bike.
Nick attributes a lot of his success to his opportunity to work here at the JCC. He says that the people that he works for and with have helped shape his success. "For me, I think the JCC has always been an environment where I have been given every opportunity to grow and excel in my career. It's given me a chance to let my natural abilities shine through."
Nick's Kid-Fit program begins June 16th, and is open to kids ages 8-12. The class meets twice a week, on Monday and Thursday evenings from 5:15-6:00 p.m. Classes include games, obstacle courses, and other fun fitness-related activities for children. Cost is $79 for JCC members, and $99 for non-members. See the membership office for more details or to get your kiddos signed up!
Nick is available for one-on-one and group personal training sessions, and tries to stay involved in many of the other programs that are available at the JCC. If you are interested in training with Nick, don't hesitate to say hello when you see him, or set up an appointment through the membership office. I hope that you enjoyed this week's chat with a trainer, and until next time, have a happy and healthy week!
This past week I had a chance to sit down and chat with JCC trainer Nick Martinez. Nick is a familiar and friendly face here at the JCC, and if you're a member, chances are good that you've met him. Chances are also pretty high that he's made you laugh, or at least smile, with a dose of his infectious charm. Nick is well-known as a dedicated member of the JCC's personal training staff, but here's something you might not know about Nick - he participates competitively in the extreme sport of cross-country mountain biking. Read on to learn more about Nick, and how his passion for fitness and cycling was ignited and realized!
Nick has played sports in some form or another, pretty much ever since he learned to walk. He was active in baseball, track, and varsity basketball during his high school years. He was also first introduced to cycling as a senior in high school, and with his team sports days coming to a close with graduation, he took up mountain biking as a way to stay fit and active as he entered college. Nick attended the University of New Mexico, where he studied education. He worked briefly as a substitute teacher, and was eventually hired on to work exclusively with the ED (emotional disorder) program at McKinely Middle School - one of only two ED programs in the entire APS system. At the same time all of this was happening, Nick was interning with the JCC. He knew that ultimately, he wanted to be in a position to help others, and just wasn't quite sure that teaching in a classroom environment was his personal niche. Eventually, Nick made the transition from APS to the JCC complete, began working as a consultant on the fitness floor, and completed his certification through ACE to become a certified personal trainer. Nick has now been with the JCC for close to six years.
At the JCC, Nick wears many hats. Along with his titles of personal trainer and staff-on-duty, he also runs a corporate wellness program for the Albuquerque Journal, which includes weekly fitness classes on-site at their office. He is the trainer in charge of the Kid-Fit program, and also worked with the Team Lean program. He represents the JCC as a part of APS's Title 1 program, providing fitness and fun for low-income students during their after-school programming. In the past, he worked with Shalom House providing group fitness for seniors and briefly worked as a personal trainer for a charter school and a preschool.
As mentioned earlier, Nick picked up cycling as a senior in high school. A buddy was selling his old mountain bike, and Nick jumped at the opportunity. He immediately fell in love with the sport. "You don't have to be training to race or compete on the bike - I love it because it's a fun and adventurous way to stay fit outdoors," Nick said. "I am in total control of the bike, and my current fitness level is really my only limiting factor. I think cycling is great for the mind-body connection, and mountain biking specifically gives me a front row seat to nature. I've seen things on my bike that I probably never would have seen otherwise."
I wasn't too familiar with the cross-country mountain biking scene, so I had Nick break it down for me. In a cross-country mountain bike race, there is a distance course set up, just as there would be in any other type of race. The big difference is that the majority of the course is made up of mountainous terrain. Where in a road race things like "riding with the pack" and "drafting" are used to pace participants, a mountain bike race typically requires all-out max effort through the duration of the course, and expert handling is a must. There are several categories as far as race participants are concerned, and it's all based on standings. Elite is the highest ranking, and below that are categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. Nick has worked his way up to the prestigious title of a category 1 ranking, and hopes to gain elite status in the future. He was also named the 2009 state champion in his category.
When I asked Nick about race training, and what is most important in preparing for a cross-country mountain bike race, he had some important things to note. In Nick's eyes, nutrition and hydration are of the utmost importance, especially leading up to race day. When he's training for a race, he is very regimented in his nutrition, fueling himself consistently the same exact way before each training ride, and again on race day. This way, he's not in for any surprises, and he knows how the food is going to make him feel and what kind of energy it's going to provide. Aside from fueling, Nick says working on his flexibility, balance, conditioning and just taking good care of his body overall keep him feeling great on the bike.
Nick attributes a lot of his success to his opportunity to work here at the JCC. He says that the people that he works for and with have helped shape his success. "For me, I think the JCC has always been an environment where I have been given every opportunity to grow and excel in my career. It's given me a chance to let my natural abilities shine through."
Nick's Kid-Fit program begins June 16th, and is open to kids ages 8-12. The class meets twice a week, on Monday and Thursday evenings from 5:15-6:00 p.m. Classes include games, obstacle courses, and other fun fitness-related activities for children. Cost is $79 for JCC members, and $99 for non-members. See the membership office for more details or to get your kiddos signed up!
Nick is available for one-on-one and group personal training sessions, and tries to stay involved in many of the other programs that are available at the JCC. If you are interested in training with Nick, don't hesitate to say hello when you see him, or set up an appointment through the membership office. I hope that you enjoyed this week's chat with a trainer, and until next time, have a happy and healthy week!
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