Mountain Fitness Center

Spinning, or indoor cycling, is a fantastic way to get a great workout in under an hour. It burns calories (between 400 to 800 in a single session), increases endurance, and strengthens the muscles of the legs and even the core. Peering into the back room when there is a spin class going on can make the sport seem daunting. “But it’s not,” says Tina Follett, instructor at Mountain Fitness.

“I want everyone to know [spinning] is not intimidating,” she says. “You have to start somewhere.” She’s right; the hardest part about spin is showing up for your first class.  Tina breaks it down every Tuesday and Thursday during her 1:00 pm beginning spin class.

“What people don’t understand is that the spin experience is different for everyone,” Tina relates. “The person on the bike next to you is riding within their ability, using the resistance they are comfortable with.” The benefits are the same regardless of ability or fitness level.

Tina starts by building a foundation, such as correct body position and posture. Following cues, students work out at their level. When riders are ready, she challenges them with intermediate movements, such as jumps and standing climbs. The goal initially is to develop strength and confidence. And confidence is an important concept for Follett. “I’m all about empowering women and I think spin builds self confidence because at first you think you can’t do it,” she says. “And then you find out you can.”

While a spin workout creates energy, Tina picks music to help with pacing and motivation. “It’s hard not to ride to a beat,” she says. Tina’s playlist ranges from thrumming pop tunes to favorite classic rock songs with a little rock-a-billy country thrown in for cool down.

A typical beginning spin class starts with a five minute warm-up before moving to a light or moderate seated climb followed by a sprint. From here Tina takes the class through a series of simulated flat roads, downhill sprints, hill climbs, and eight-count jumps, which are subtle lifting movements performed while seated. In total the class lasts 50 minutes and includes a five minute cool down.

If you are afraid, Tina says don’t be, and if you’re curious, she says give it try. Remember, you have to start somewhere. Sign up for Tina’s beginning spin class online or by calling (909) 866-7020.

Snowshoe the Bear is just a week away and many of our members are preparing to participate in this 5k and 10k. Either distance is enough to make pre- and post-race nutrition an important aspect of training, regardless of whether your goal is to podium or to finish. “It’s important to fuel your efforts with easy to digest foods and supplements,” says Heather DeVito, co-owner of Mountain Fitness and past Snowshoe the Bear top finisher. “Before a race I will eat oatmeal and a gel to give me energy to burn and then during the race have a gel, which is easy to digest, and hydrate with electrolytes.” she says.

The key is to figure out your pre-race nutrition ahead of time. “No carbo-loading,” Heather says. “Eat normal the night before a race and always try out your nutrition before race day.” This means test meals and supplements during training. Heather also recommends paying attention to how you feel and perform when implementing a new pre- or post-race nutrition strategy. “This allows you to go in confident so that during the race you don’t have to feel, only perform,” she adds.

In short, a well-balanced meal before and after your race are key to performing and feeling your best. To make it easier, Mountain Fitness Center carries Hammer Nutrition products. Below is a summary of some of Hammer’s pre- and post-race-specific products that might be helpful for your next race.

Hammer Gel: Made with real fruit, Gel is gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Containing complex carbohydrates, use the gel to refuel during endurance activities.

Recoverite: Recoverite minimizes post-exercise muscle soreness because it replenishes your carbohydrate and protein stores and delivers generous amounts of beneficial glutamine and electrolytes (both play a vital role in the health of muscles). These nutrients result in rapid and enhanced recovery, ensuring that even if you train hard today, you can feel great tomorrow.

Endurolytes Fizz: We often hear that we also need to replace electrolytes during endurance-based activity. Hydration isn’t enough. Added to water, Hammer’s Endurolyte Fizz is an effective electrolyte supplement that helps to prevent cramping, which ensures your body’s muscular, digestive, nervous and cardiac systems are performing optimally.

Heed Sports Drink: Heed provides steady and consistent energy for those longer activities – more than two hours. While it helps prevent cramping, it is not an electrolyte. Rather, Heed is a complex carbohydrate formula that delivers nutrients to help you keep pushing your pace and finish your workouts strong.

Whey Protein: Adding protein as a supplement is essential if you are training for a race. It maintains and repairs lean muscle mass and helps to enhance recovery between hard workouts and racing. Hammer uses Whey because it is the most easily assimilated of all proteins and contains a high amount of recovery-specific amino acids.

To learn more visit www.HammerNutrition.com. Mountain Fitness carries numerous Hammer Nutrition products and is able to order any Hammer product. For information, check in at the front desk.

There are many styles of yoga – from the very traditional to newer, more active styles such as Vinyasa and Bikram. Yin Yoga, often referred to as slow deep stretch, utilizes conventional yoga postures, or asanas, but the focus is less muscular in nature. Think seated or supported asanas (like easy pose [sukhasana], plow [halasana], half frog pose [ardha bhekasana], or pigeon) as opposed to standing postures.

The goal of Yin Yoga is to open areas of the body that are tight, such as the hips, pelvis, lower spine, and shoulders. To do this, postures are held for longer periods from one to five minutes. Because the positions are held for longer, Yin Yoga goes deeper than the muscles and into the body’s connective tissue and joints, which tend to grow tighter as we age. While muscles are impacted during the practice, muscles are fairly pliable. Connective tissue and joints are not and behave more like taffy, requiring longer periods of time to flex or stretch.

Many people confuse Yin-style yoga with restorative yoga. Though they are very similar, they are fundamentally different. While the goal of restorative yoga is relaxation, the purpose of Yin is to intensify stretching using either the weight of the body’s skeleton or gravity. Some yin postures are performed in a prone position and, overall, leave the practitioner feeling refreshed and relaxed. Yin is more about opening those areas of the body that were tight.

A typical Yin Yoga class lasts 60 minutes and takes practitioners through a series of eight to ten postures, each held for various lengths of time. The class focuses on a particular area of the body, such as the hips or the lower back. No experience is necessary and Yin Yoga can be modified to accommodate all levels of fitness. For more information, contact Cathleen at Cathleen@cathleencalkins.com.

Each month we like to recognize a member for the effort they put forth at Mountain Fitness. This month we picked Mary Bradford because we felt she represented a commitment to fitness and wellness that we truly admire.

Member of the Month for January: Mary Bradford
Member of MFC: 2 Years

Why we picked Mary: While it’s easy to see that Mary has amazing determination when it comes to fitness, what is not visible is Mary’s exceptional commitment to fitness. We know that many of us have busy schedules and Mary is no exception. Her days are long, active and challenging but she still finds time to get in a CrossFit or other workout. We asked Mary to describe her typical day: “My day consists of leaving Big Bear about 5:15 am to teach math and science to middle school students. I commute a little over an hour but it is a job I love and I get the opportunity to laugh every day. So it’s worth it. School ends at 3:15 and then I have either soccer or softball practice until 5:15. I get back to Big Bear about 6:30 and, from there, I typically go to the gym for a quick workout before going home.”

Why Mary picked Mountain Fitness: “I joined because I had heard a lot of positive things about Mountain Fitness Center and to me it isn’t your typical gym. The entire staff is so welcoming and wants you to reach your fitness goals, whatever they may be. Both Dustin and Ted have been extremely patient and helpful in my own personal success and continue to push me further.”

What fitness regimes/programs do you do: “I am currently following the CrossFit program and enjoy how diverse each workout is. About a month ago, I started lifting weights to try and gain some strength. The combination of both of these workouts has helped me become a better, all-around athlete. It might sound stupid but I enjoy these workouts because it makes me feel like a college athlete again. I have to push myself both mentally and physically to succeed at them and I enjoy that challenge.”

Who inspires Mary: “I really don’t have just one person that inspires me. It’s a combination of people that I deal with on a daily basis. My students inspire me to stay creative, think on my feet, and be able to have as much energy as they do. When I come to the gym everyone here—the staff or the other gym members—inspire to push myself and try things that I wouldn’t expect to do.”

Kathy Portie played soccer when she was younger but sustained some serious injuries to both knee joints. Because of the damage, Kathy admits she was sedentary for 10 to 15 years. “Success for me now is that I don’t have to wear my knee brace,” Kathy says. “And, I’m playing soccer again.” Kathy now has an understanding that her previous injuries don’t hold her back from exercising. “I’ve regained confidence,” she adds. “I understand my limitations and I work within them.” (Kathy is currently training for Conquer the Grizzly race series and you can find her at Mountain Fitness most Wednesday and Friday mornings at spin class).

Roy Meyers is 61 and about to retire. He has held a desk job and sat a computer for most of his career; in retirement, he wants to be more active. “I know my body is getting in to shape and I am increasing endurance,” Roy says. He’s eating the right foods and watching his portion sizes. All of these positives are good, but success to Roy is knowing he can do it. While he joined the Biggest Loser program to lose weight, he’s finding that success is more than just weight loss. “I can move more, I have stamina, I have endurance,” he says.  “I have a long way to go,” he adds. “But if I want to go skiing or jump on a bike, I know I can do it.” (Roy participates in the Biggest Loser Program at Mountain Fitness and is training for retirement).

Cindy Vaughan says success is about feeling good. She experienced a recent success while participating in Mountain Fitness Center’s Biggest Loser program. As part of the Biggest Loser, the group went on a shopping excursion to Vons. Cindy put items into her cart that she would normally buy and the trainers then reviewed those decisions with her. “It was interesting reading labels,” says Cindy. “I bought the normal stuff but most of them needed to go back and I had to make different choices.” One of the items she returned was the Lucerne brand low-fat cottage cheese. “Though it was low fat, it had 16 different ingredients, whereas the Daisy brand had only four ingredients,” she learned. Success to Cindy is eating foods that are more natural and the results include feeling better and having more energy. (Cindy really enjoyed the shopping experience and feels like she is more fit).

Toni Gerlette has been a personal trainer for five years but that doesn’t mean she is perfect: for Toni, success if more about forgiveness than a specific fitness goal. “Success is the realization that I shouldn’t beat myself up when I do fail,” Toni says. She now knows that it’s not failure to make a mistake, such as missing a workout or cheating on her diet. “It’s okay,” she adds, “You can get back on it and start over immediately.” (When not training others, Toni is training for her second Iron Girl Triathlon and working toward a certification in strength and conditioning).

We believe most of the people who come to the gym for exercise and nutrition have similar experiences as these folks. We don’t care about how we look – we want to feel like we’re in control of how we look, and of how we feel. We want to feel empowered. If that sounds like you too, then you’re probably on the right track. Keep up the good work, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or make new friends.

To your success!

You may remember in Vol 4 of the Newsletter (October 2011) we talked about the Buzz about Cross Fit. We explained the basics, provided a sample workout, and discussed the elements of CrossFit. It was a pretty eye-opening piece and since then we have set up a regular CrossFit program and Ted received his Level 1 Trainer Certificate, providing him with even more knowledge and enthusiasm about CrossFit’s methodology, concepts and movements.

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We knew CrossFit would be a hit, but don’t take our word for it. See what participants had to say. We asked MFC members Tyler Cockrell, Mary Bradford, Erinn Whitmer, and Tyler Wood a few questions about their experience with incorporating CrossFit into their fitness routine. Here’s what they had to say:

MFC: What brought you to CrossFit?
Tyler C.: Initially, I didn’t know what Cross Fit was until Ted invited me to WOD (terminology for Work of the Day). During my first WOD, I remember thinking “this is crazy.” But I have been hooked ever since.

Mary B.: I started doing cross fit because Dustin convinced me. After doing it for a month or so I noticed it started bringing my competitive edge back after not completing in sports for about 2 years. What I like about Cross Fit is that each day brings something new. Not to mention how supportive and encouraging Ted, Dustin and everyone who participates in the program is.

Erinn W.: As a wildland firefighter my job demands endurance and strength and can cause muscle balance issues. Cross Fit is helping me make gains in all those areas. I also like the atmosphere: very positive, encouraging, and fun. Sometimes we get some friendly competition going and it is a way to really push each other.

Tyler W.: I was looking to mix it up a bit and had heard about the CrossFit workouts thru the grapevine. Then, I saw a post on the MFC site that said CrossFit was coming. I’ve known Ted for several years now. He helped me train for the Big Bear marathon a few years back and I’ve worked out at his gym a few times in the past. So, I just reached out to him about signing me up for the new program.

MFC: What was your biggest hurdle, fear, or intimidation factor about CrossFit?
Tyler C.: The general culture of CrossFit was somewhat intimidating. I mean, there is specific lingo, moves and mentality. On my second or third WOD, Coach Dustin jokingly made me sign an agreement that if I was not going to give 110%, then I should just go home. At first, I thought that was a little intense. Then I started to think, I go to the gym to get results, not waste my time. So I committed to the program and been reaping the benefits ever since. This program is not the “pick things up and put them down” type of experience.

Mary B.: I have never really been intimidated by the Cross Fit program but have come across my fair share of hurdles. I have accumulated several bad habits throughout my athletic career and this is really the first time that they have been pointed out to me. The program has taught me how to perform exercises correctly. In the long run, learning these certain movements will help me accomplish so much at the gym, but more importantly be able to sustain a longer and healthier life.

Erinn W.: I was nervous I might get hurt by the intensity, but Ted and Dustin are very attentive to building up weight carefully and teaching proper form. I have suffered no injuries, only recovered from old ones. It’s great!

Tyler W.: I don’t normally back away from much but I guess my biggest hurdle was trying to learn all of the moves, in particular the Olympic style weight lifting moves – squat, press, clean, lifts, etc. There were a lot of things I didn’t know, and the learning continues every day. But Ted and Dustin are great at breaking things down and walking us thru it. Each day involves warming up and learning the moves. That takes a lot of the intimidation or fear out of the workouts.

It was all new to me, though I’ve learned from experience that everything new is a bit uncomfortable at the beginning, but then becomes second nature with repetition and practice.

MFC: What has most surprised you about the program?
Tyler C.: At first I thought that all the weight lifting might make me gain too much muscle too fast and make me slower. The exact opposite has happened: I weigh less, with less fat and more muscle.

Mary B.: The Cross Fit program has helped me become stronger; more balanced and aware of my body and the movements it makes. I was a huge stickler on not wanting to lift heavier weights because I didn’t want to become huge. This was my main concern with the program and to my surprise, the program has not made me huge but has helped me start to develop strength and lean muscle.

Erinn W.: In the past I did a very structured program that included long hours of slow distance and circuit-style weight workouts. I have cut my miles in half and replaced my old weight program with CrossFit. Plus I have dropped :50 seconds in my 2,000 meter rows and my mile time was :15 seconds faster this week.

Tyler W.: The biggest surprise for me was how varied the program is. Some days the workout is only 3-8 minutes while other days it can be close to 30 minutes. I was also surprised how strenuous the workouts were on your body even though they were pretty short compared to other workouts I’d done in the past. I was used to working out 1 to 1.5 hrs each workout. With CrossFit, I could do a 10 minute workout and really feel it for the rest of the day. So, just because they may be short, the output is quite a bit.

I also enjoy the competitive aspect and camaraderie all of the participants share.

Interested in finding out what CrossFit is about or viewing daily WOD’s (CrossFit lingo for workout of the day), click here.