True or False: I will lose all of the progress I made lifting on the floor and doing cardio on the treadmill if I start taking group classes. By Amy Sauvola

False!

Three years ago I would never dream of trading my gym floor work out for whatever class was going on in the group class rooms. A guy named Richard approached me and asked if I was interested in any classes and would I like to take one. I thought to myself, “I am going to hate this but I will try it”. I tried the class. It was fun but I still wasn’t convinced it was right for me. I continued to work out by myself doing the same type of work out every day. I challenged myself and was doing a pretty good job staying motivated and keeping fit. Time passed and Richard approached me again and asked if I would ever be interested in teaching a class. I explained to him that I taught some classes in college and it has something to do with my degree so I would look into it. This conversation led me to become certified in Step Aerobics and as time passed three more certifications found their way into my repertoire.

Back to the topic mentioned above!

Today I had some free time and decided to work out with a friend. Since I teach eight plus classes per week I don’t have much time to work out in a non-class setting like I used to. I was nervous that my strength and conditioning in free-weights and running had been lost.

Wow! I was elated to discover that not only could I lift as much as before but I could also run long distances faster than before. Is there a chance that it was a”skill versus will” type mind-game? Sure, my determination to succeed in this workout probably got me passed a few barriers. Whatever the case may be it is exciting to know that I haven’t lost my gains in what used to be a daily ritual for me.

As an advocate for group exercise, of course I want everyone to take group classes. Do I want all of you to instruct? Of course not! I want to keep my job (attempt at humor so please laugh). On a serious note, there are many benefits to group exercise. Group exercise gives you a chance to work out and have fun. In addition it becomes a chance to build relationships. The relationships you build become motivation to not only push you they also provide healthy competition among you and your peers.

Gym Bumz has a variety of classes taught by certified instructors. Go to our website (www.gymbumz.com) or stop at the front counter to check out the class schedule.

 If you haven’t taken a group class before I invite you to try one. If you have tried classes before come on back until you find the one that suits you.

Hope to see you soon!

ETIQUETTE? NEVER HEARD OF THE GUY - By: Dan Bassila

Today I would like to discuss with you the topic of etiquette.  There are many varying definitions of the word depending on where you look for it, but after some searching I seemed to find one that is straight to the point and easily understood.  According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, etiquette is defined as personal conduct or behavior as evaluated by an accepted standard of appropriateness for a social or professional setting.  What this means to me is to act considerately given the specific situation.  This applies to any situation, at any time, in any occupation or social setting.  So with that being said, let us take a look at etiquette as it applies to the fitness center or gym setting.  Even though there may not be written rules for public display at your specific exercise facility, there are unwritten ones.  Let’s take a look.

#1: No matter who you are, or how long you may have been a member at a given club, it is required that you check in upon arrival.  This is advantageous to the club owners for a couple of reasons.  It initially highlights any situation the member may have (overdue payments, invalid address, wrong name, etc.) and it is a way to track attendance at any given timeframe throughout the day.  This only helps the member in the long run in terms of tracking peak hours to make sure there is enough staff available as well as possibly adding additional classes or trainers for these times.

#2: Wipe your equipment down when you are done with it.  Every gym or fitness center is required to carry some form of sanitary solution(s) for members to use, whether it is in the form of a spray bottle and towel or actual dispensers with wipes.  Either way, it is there for you to use it!  Most gyms also carry towels for you to borrow or even purchase.  If you are someone who sweats considerably during exercise, that is just fine but please wipe up your puddle of sweat before the next person comes along.  How would you like to lie on a bench that is completely saturated with someone else’s sweat?  It’s just flat out gross!  Without going into specifics, there can be more than just odor and moisture contained in the sweat that comes out of people’s bodies.  I’ll just leave it at that.

#3: Take care of your equipment and other items when you are done with it/them.  There is nothing worse in my opinion than lazy people.  If you fall into this category, then what are you even doing at the gym?  Every gym or fitness center I have ever been to has strict guidelines about this.  Consequences can include suspensions of memberships or even terminations.  It is common courtesy anywhere to take care of something when you are done with it.  There is nothing like walking into any empty dumbbell area and seeing barbells loaded with five plates on each side, ten pairs of dumbbells scattered on the floor, and empty water or Gatorade bottles thrown in the corner.  I would love to see how disgusting these people’s homes are.  Speaking more specifically about Gym Bumz Fitness, there is a nice gentleman some of you may or may not know by the name of Richard Montalvo.  Richard is one of the cleaning staff workers who help to keep our gym as clean as it can be.  He arrives as early as 6:00 or 7:00 am some days.  When Richard walks in every morning, I see him spend about 45 min to one hour EVERYDAY picking up weights, dumbbells, trash on the ground, amongst other things.  Putting weights away is not even his job but he does it anyway because he cares about the gym.  It is YOUR gym!  Take care of it like it belongs to you!

#4: If you are using multiple machines or equipment at one time, allow other members to use some of them in between your sets (especially during peak hours).  It is regular practice and perfectly acceptable to superset or dropset different exercises with each other, but please allow others to work in between your rest or down time.  I understand this may be a hindrance sometimes, however if a gym or fitness center is crowded it is vital to the flow and success of the establishment.

#5: Considering where you exercise, there may be a mixed bag of people working out in the same quarters.  Please be considerate of that and watch your language and/or gestures when it applies.  If you are a big guy lifting a mountain of weight and there happens to be an older lady exercising next to you, put the filter on your brain and mouth.  My guess is she doesn’t want to hear you swear or talk about the girl you encountered at the bar last night with your buddy.  Just think if that was your grandmother.  Would you want someone talking around her like that?  I’m guessing probably not.

Last but not least #6: No matter what or where the exercise facility is, there are always at least a couple men known simply as “That Guy.”  These are the guys lifting excessively loud so everyone pays attention to them, lifting directly in front of the dumbbell rack so no one else can get to the weights, flexing every five seconds in the mirror, and simply walking around like they are the only ones in the gym.  Now there is no actual rule against being “That Guy,” but I just wanted to speak on it.  Also, they are very entertaining to watch when you are doing cardio and there is nothing on the television.  If you disagree with me about the existence of this phenomenon, well then I’ve got news for you.  You are him.

THE LOWDOWN ON KETTLEBELLS By: Dan Bassila

 

I recently made a trip to Chicago to obtain a Level 1 certification in kettlebell training from Jason C. Brown and his company Kettlebell Athletics.  Having handled a kettlbell only a couple of times in the past, I really had no idea what I was getting into.  There were many different movements and poses that were not in my everyday repertoire.  I found that no matter how good of shape you may think you are in, this type of training will quickly put your ego in check.  But the experience was well worth it and completely enlightening!

Now if you haven’t seen or heard about kettlebells yet, let’s take a brief look at what they are all about.  Kettlebell training is said to have originated sometime in the early 1700s in Russia and broke into the U.S. in the early 1900s, fell out of favor, but has resurged within the past ten years or so.  A kettlebell is a solid weight (sort of a bowling ball or cannonball shape) usually made from cast iron, with a handle attached to the top of it.  As you will find with traditional weights, kettlebells come in a variety of sizes from just a few kilograms to well over thirty.  You can use kettlebells to perform traditional weight training movements, but the challenge is using them for their specific exercises (front swings, high pulls, Turkish get-ups, arm bars, windmills, halos, to name a few) which are well over 100 and counting.

The difference between traditional weights and kettlebells lies in the way the actual weight is distributed.  With dumbbells or barbells the weight is evenly distributed and centered.  With kettlebells the weight is loaded in the lower portion with the handle acting almost like a pivot in which the weight can be rotated.  This type of training will instantly fire upon your fast-twitch muscle fibers to help balance and maintain the load.  As time progresses, the body will begin to permit these new changes to occur, resulting in increased strength and stronger connective tissue, increased flexibility and endurance, as well as increased joint mobility.  Sounds pretty good, huh?

Of course, if you actually see someone demonstrating a kettlebell workout, it may appear to look dangerous.  As with any training regimen, there is always a risk for injury; especially if equipment is used improperly or carelessly.  However, as Jason pointed out, people who are active runners injure themselves over 65% of the time from running; people who play sports injure themselves from their respective sport over 40% of the time; and (get ready for my sarcasm) a WHOPPING 8% of people who train properly with kettlebells obtain an injury from them!

So next time you are in the gym and you see those funny looking cannonballs with handles, walk over to them and check them out.  Also, try not to be too concerned about what you look like using them or if people are looking at you funny.  Another interesting tidbit Jason pointed out is that it takes around 5,000 repetitions to learn a move and another 5,000 repetitions to correct that move.  So all you have is time on your side.