Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

A few months ago, I met Matthew Rich. Although we’ve only hung out two times, I consider him a good friend. In fact, I’d call him my inspiration. He’s taught me so much about life.

How we met
It was interesting how we came to know each other. See, I have this Fit Friends fan page on Facebook and one of my friends suggested that Matthew fan the page. Right away, I noticed him. He was really enthusiastic about the health and fitness information I was posting, and was adding a lot of interesting comments. He really loved the purpose of the fan page — to motivate others to be happy and healthy.

We decided to chat on the phone — we were both interested in creating a video with workout moves and other fun stuff. After a little while, I had to go, but we made plans to keep in touch and get together to do more brainstorming. I’ll never forget what Matthew said before we hung up … he told me that there was a lot more he still had to tell me. Matthew told me he has cerebral palsy and is in wheelchair. That really caught me off guard because I knew he was a personal trainer, loved karate and just started dance classes. He uses his crutches whenever possible.

The key here is that I didn’t know he had any physical challenges. With his attitude, his accomplishments and his goals — you’d never know it. That’s how he lives his life. He doesn’t let things hold him back or feel saddened by what he can’t do. Matthew pushes ahead and does the things that people wouldn’t expect. He does it for himself, but he does it for other people too. He’s an example of how with hard work and determination, anything is possible. He says his place in life is to inspire others. I LOVE IT.

Appreciating the small things
After we hung up the phone, I got emotional immediately. I never told Matt this, but I called our mutual friend right away and cried. “Meeting” Matthew really put things into perspective. At the time, I was really stressed out with work, managing my time and meeting my personal and professional goals. I’m often really hard on myself … looking ahead to the next big thing … but Matthew’s influence has helped remember the little things.

It’s easy to forget how fast and easy it is to tie my shoes, go out for groceries or make myself a meal. For him, it’s more challenging. It takes more time, or maybe he needs help. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re looking to push yourself a little harder and get “competitive” in a fun and friendly way, workout with a partner! It’s a great exercise approach — especially if you’re used to just doing your own thing.

Two awesome runners, kickboxers and fitness enthusiasts — Tina and Tasha — demonstrate an explosive and challenging partner exercise.

In this photo, Tasha is holding a plank position while Tina executes a side-to-side lateral jump.

Plank: Lie face down with palms flat on the floor, elbows aligned directly below your shoulders. Push yourself up into a position where your back is flat and your weight is in the balls of your feet and upper body/elbows. You can keep your hands flat on the ground or together as Tasha has hers placed. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for three to five reps.

To make the plank more challenging, hold the position with all your weight on one side. Keep one foot on the floor as you lift the opposite leg off the ground and “wrap” your foot closely around your base foot — crossing your ankles. Switch sides. If you are doing a plank without a partner, you may want to lift one leg straight up off the ground, hold, and switch sides.

Side-to-side lateral jump: Stand on one side of your partner, and bend your knees into a slight squat. In an explosive movement, jump over and to the side — landing with knees bent into a squat. Continue jumping from side to side for 10 seconds to one minute.

To make this jump less challenging, stand about one foot behind your partner — and do the same side-to-side movement.

To make this jump more challenging, tuck your knees up to your chest as you move side to side. Also, speed up your time — as soon as you land, explode into a jump in the other direction.

Photo by David Michael Howarth Photography.

Billy and I are like night and day — sometimes. I’m really out there and adventurous. I’ll do just about anything once. I talk too much and I wear my heart on my sleeve. Billy’s reserved. He’s private at times and not boastful, and likes to do his own thing. I like creative stuff like dance shows and plays — and he’s a horseshoe tournament champion and loves his Yankees and Giants. When we decided to do something together — he wasn’t into my mud runs, rock climbing, etc. — we picked tai chi. We had the special shoes and all.

What is tai chi? My definition = a slow, peaceful karate-dance.

Tai Chi promotes the circulation of chi — or life energy — within the body, encouraging wellness and vitality. Basically, you do a series of flowing movements and your body is in constant motion. The exercise is not strenuous — your feet are always planted, and your move your torso and arms in graceful, deliberate, and sequenced movements. They say tai chi can: reduce anxiety and depression; improve balance, flexibility and muscle strength; improve sleep quality; lower blood pressure; relieve chronic pain; increase energy, endurance and agility; and improve overall feelings of well-being.

It was a pretty cool experience. I’m not going to lie though — it was challenging! I’m very high energy, so I have a hard time being quiet and just calming my mind, moving slowly and measuring my breaths. Some of the moves were difficult to follow, but I think that’s with any new type of exercise until you get used to it. At the end of six weeks, I still didn’t think I was any good though. (Billy wasn’t any better! )

I really liked calm and gentle energy in the room …

If you’re looking to try a class, just do a quick search online. You might find that your local karate studio, gym or wellness center offers a tai chi program. You may even find a tai chi studio — TRY IT!

Photo by Diana bella computer is in hospital’s.

John Miller is a sweet, articulate and friendly person. I met him on twitter, and we hit it off immediately. I’d say we have similar values and we both care about others — and we’re kinda quirky in a fun way! In fact, when I asked him to send me a picture, he sent one where he’s dressed as a sheep for Halloween. I love it! John says the picture “expresses his oddness.”

Read about some of his life experiences and how they’ve made him who he is today. He’s an ambitious and caring blind individual with a passion for life that’s sure to inspire you!

ATG: What do you do “for a living?”
John: Currently, I torture myself by attending graduate school for rehab counseling and psychology. My ultimate goal is to find a way to bring people with disabilities and travel together.

ATG: What’s your favorite childhood memory?
John: My first airplane trip, which was from Charlotte to Los Angeles. We were headed out there to compete in an event called the Braille Institute Olympics. We trained for months, but were still slower runners than most of the other athletes there. I didn’t care though, as I got to meet some celebrities and visit Magic Mountain amusement park.

ATG: Have you ever been discriminated against or treated poorly for being who you are?
John: I was once denied a chance at employment when the hiring person heard that I was blind. She told me and my job placement specialist to turn around and leave because “he can’t even see the screen!” This was before we even pulled into the parking lot.

I know it’s something I should have fought, but I lacked the advocacy skills to do so at the time. It gave me a taste of how cold and cruel some people can really be.

ATG: What do you believe in?
John: I believe there’s ultimate goodness in people. Despite me mentioning how cold and cruel some people are, I have actually had many more positive experiences.

ATG: What are your life goals?
John: To gain a real sense of independence for myself. Then, I’ll reach out to help others do the same.

ATG: What do you do to “de-stress?”
John: Turn the volume way up and bounce around! You’d be surprised at how getting your blood flowing can change things. I admit that if things are looking particularly bad, I might crawl into bed either for a short nap or an early crash. I think the first method is actually more effective.
Read the rest of this entry »

Hello, Friends! I’m wishing you an awesomely healthy and energized week. Hope you like this “mixed tape” I put together — just for you! Feel free to comment or add your own suggestions. I have more mixes coming soon.

1. “BOYZ” – MIA
2. “American Boy” – Estelle
3. “Boom Boom Pow” – Black Eyed Peas
4. “Make it Clap” – Busta Rhymes
5. “I’m a Hustla” – Cassidy
6. “Do it to It” – Cherish
7. “Love Lockdown” – Kanye West
8. “Bonafied Lovin’” – Chromeo
9. “Shawty Get Loose” – Lil’ Mama
10. “King of the Dancehall” – Beenie Man
11. “Jook Gal” – Elephant Man, etc.
12. “Calabria” – Enur
13. “Get Me Bodied” – Beyonce
14. “Long Way to Go” – Cassie
15. “D.A.N.C.E.” – Justice

Photo by massdistraction.

The first movie I ever saw in the theatre was Karate Kid. It’s one of my favorite memories. My big brother, Mike, and I went with my grandma and got a big tub of popcorn! Looking back, I’m not surprised that that was my first movie. Martial arts was always around me.

We grew up watching Bruce Lee movies — Enter the Dragon, etc. — and since I liked whatever Mike liked, we watched karate movies over and over again on beta and VHS. I can remember tagging along to Mike’s karate classes. My dad would pack a chicken leg wrapped in tin foil for me. When I got hungry, he’d wrap the bottom of the drumstick up with the foil so I could eat without making a mess.

At family parties, I showed our cousins that I could do a straddle too. We were the Recinto kids — Mike with his junior black belt and Bruce Lee hair cut — and me, just doing whatever he was doing.

So, it’s no surprise that Mike has a karate studio of his own now … and I work there. Actually, I really started getting into it in 1996 — because of Mike, of course! Billy Blanks came out with Tae Bo and changed the karate/kickboxing scene in a big way — just like Karate Kid did in 1984. Mike was in college and working at a karate studio; he and another “Sensei” began the kickboxing program at the studio. They encouraged me to come do the classes, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

I’ll never forget the day that Mike was like — go teach abs. I had NO IDEA what I was doing … but I just did it. Afterwards, he told me that I should have counted the sets, etc. I laugh about it now — that’s such a simple thing — but I had no idea.

Now, here I am. I’ve been teaching kickboxing and other classes for ten years! I love it. It’s a way for me to be creative, energized … and a leader. As you know, Mike has his studio, and we’re a team. More about this later — all the community work and fundraising we do through the studio — but I’ll just say, I love my life, I love teaching and I love my big brother!

To take one of our karate or kickboxing classes, call Amerikick Medford at 609.714.2212.

Photo by David Michael Howarth Photography.

Yesterday, my fiancé SERIOUSLY asked me if I knew about Imelda Marcos and her shoe collection. Then he told me it must be a Filipino thing. I just looked at him … really? OF COURSE I KNOW IMEDLA MARCOS. We’re Facebook friends, and my parents have been calling me Imelda since the beginning of time!

I love shoes. I have LOTS. But now, I go for comfort AND style. The days of crushing my feet into a size too small — and wearing stilettos for hours are LOOOOONG gone. (No more swollen chicken nugget toes!) I’ve just gotten smarter with my shoe collection … and the shoes I own now are strategic purchases.

Barely heels. I had an ex-boyfriend who was 6′ 5″! When we went out, I swore I looked like his adopted Asian child at 5′ 1″. So I wore ridiculous heels and ran to keep up with his long stride! Of course, I was 24 or so, so my feet could stand the pain.

Comfort brands. I’m all about Privo, Reiker, Keen and anything you can buy at The Walking Company or Benjamin Lovell. They’re more expensive, but they’re worth it. I got into Privos because I used to get pains — pre-stress fractures — in my feet from jumping and plyometrics from teaching kickboxing.

Sports-specific. I invested in good pairs of running shoes from the Princeton Running Company and Haddonfield Running Company. I wear stability shoes — good for most runners, but best for mild to moderate pronators, light or female runners weighing less than 180 pounds and moderate-mileage runners who average about 15-30 miles per week.

Casual always. There’s really no point in getting dressed, right? I wear sneakers as much as I possibly can, and pick sneaks that have a little “give” and aren’t narrow. I love my Sauconys, Asics and Puma.

Good sole. I can’t wear flat flats. I need support! Again, my Privos are the bomb, and I wear them pretty much every day.

My advice is this: Buy what you want, wear what you want … but try not to waste your money on shoes that just “look” good. Get shoes that serve a function and are fashionable! Since you’re standing, walking and exercising, you want to make sure everything — from your nose to your toes — are aligned the way they should be!

Photo by Sarah and Mike …probably.

Sometimes, being “sexy” and feeling “sexy” is a state of mind. It’s true … when you look great — you feel great! In honor of Valentine’s Day, get a little flirty, fun and playful with your workout routine.

Here are some creative fitness moves you can do at home. All you’ll need is a chair, music of your choice and good attitude.

Hip roll, head roll – Stand behind your chair. Roll your hips to the right and to the left. Then, roll your head to the right and to the left for a quick stretch. Keep one or both hands on the chair for balance. Suggested: Do one to two sets of 15 reps.

Long stride, short stride – Take a sexy walk around your chair. Try big steps and work your way around with just five steps. Take small steps and work your way around with 10 or more steps. Suggested: Go around the chair a total of 10 times, alternating your stride (5 steps – 5 times; 10 steps – 5 times).

Close-open, close-open – Sit on your chair and open and close your legs. Make your movements slow and measured to really work your inner and outer thighs. You can also add your own “resistance.” Focus on squeezing your outer thighs with each “open” movement, and squeeze your inner thighs as you bring your knees together. For an extra challenge, keep your feet off the ground and grip the seat underneath you for balance. Suggested: Do three sets of 15.

Flirty kick – Sit on your chair and move forward so you’re on the edge. Lean back and grip the seat underneath you. Lift your legs up, squeeze your abs tightly, keep your knees together and kick — tiny little kicks — to work your abs. Suggested: Do three sets at 30 seconds each set.

Drop it like it’s hot – Sit down on your chair and stand up — to work your quads, hamstrings and glutes. Concentrate on that squat position to make a 90⁰ angle with your lower half and squeeze your glutes tightly as you stand back up. Suggested: Do three sets of 15.

Dip, baby dip – Stand with your back facing the front your chair. Grip the edge of the seat and keep your fingertips facing toward you. Bend your elbows to make a 90⁰ angle and bend your knees to make a 90⁰ angle. Lift and lower — keeping your hips up — to work your triceps. For more of a challenge, do the same arm movement and keep your legs straight and extended. Suggested: Do three sets of 15.

Sexy lunge – Stand behind your chair and push one leg back, squeezing your glutes. Bend your front leg and make sure your knee is on top of your ankle at a 90⁰ angle. Hold on the back of the chair and slowly pull your back leg up to meet your front leg to work your legs, hamstrings and glutes. Suggested: Do this 15 times each side — two to three sets.

Lean back – Sit on your chair backwards. Hold on the back of the chair and lean back to stretch and exercise your back. Shake your head to toss your hair! Do three sets of 15.

Step-up and walk away – Place one foot on the seat of your chair. Push though the heel of that foot and step up to pull yourself up and work your quads, hamstrings and glutes. Step down and walk away. Do this 15 times each side — two to three sets.

Open and up – Lay with your back on the ground in front of your chair. Stretch your arms out to the side or keep them under your hips. Open your legs to be on either side of the bottom of the chair, then bring your legs together to work your abs. Do three sets of 15.

If you want, show your “honey” these sexy fitness moves … and enjoy your night!

This blog was also featured on MrsMosNJ.com. Photo by B G.

Sometimes, I’ll be sitting in the same position at my desk for hours. Usually, I’m pounding away at the keyboard with my heart racing because of deadlines. I’ll look at the clock and realize I didn’t stop to drink water, eat a snack or go to the bathroom — and it’s noon! Ugh, there goes my diet plan of eating small meals throughout the day, and my goal of staying hydrated. On top of that, my back and shoulders are tense and achy. This is all bad!

Well, besides getting a manicure or pedicure, one of my favorite “treats” for myself is massage! Yeah, it’s $59 (plus a tip), but it’s well worth every penny, especially with my lifestyle. I have long days, teach fitness classes and workout a lot and tend to over-commit to everything. I’m beat up. I’m constantly running around trying to save the world and inspire others that I just need an hour dedicated to me.  

So how else do I justify getting a massage? The health benefits! My masseuse and friend, Mandy Urena from The English Touch, in Mount Laurel, NJ, explains how massage is good for you and your body:

Massage …

• Calms the nervous system and promotes a sense of relaxaion and well being.
• Reduces tension and anxiety.
• Improves blood circulation, which delivers oxygen and nutirients to the cells.
• Stimulates the lymphatic system, which carries away the body’s waste products.
• Prevents and relieves muscle cramps and spasms.
• Can help with pain management in conditions such as a arthritis, sciatica and muscle spasms.

Read the rest of this entry »

I always wanted to go rock climbing. My cousins told me I’d love it. I did!! I gathered a bunch of my “Fit Friends” and we went one day to Elite Climbing in Maple Shade, NJ. I felt like an expert wearing the harness. It was the same thing we wore during my aerials class at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts.

When we were there, I said a bunch of times that I could get addicted to this!

It was really cool to get all the way to the top! Of course, I could do the beginner walls no problem. It was awesome. The other walls … woah hard, especially the kind that are not completely flat. I was too short to reach sometimes … and I think that’s how I got hurt. I ended up messing up my shoulder. I felt it two days later after rock climbing and kickboxing the next day. Apparently my scapula got stuck to my rib cage. I couldn’t reach for anything, it felt funky. Luckily my friend, Amanda, an occupational therapist, manipulated my shoulder and literally separated it for me. I liked getting the stem treatment. I liked being hooked up to the machine with the sensor pads? it was a good pain. After some treatments and rest, I feel better. I just am hesitant to go back there right away …

So what’s my advice? Bring friends! Try it. STRETCH before — we are not spring chickens anymore!!! Do some arm circles, shoulder shrugs, squats, etc!