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Dear Members, Clients and Friends,
You've got your week of workouts planned and you are ready to go. But, then after Monday's workout you can barely sit down. Do you bag it all and stay home? The answer takes a little bit of explaining and personal trainer and triathlon competitor, Remy Maguire does just that.
First of all, you need to know the difference between "good" pain and "bad". Just because you are achy and walking funny doesn't mean you are steps away from injury. The burn you feel during a hard workout is caused by the release of lactic acid in your muscles. This is a good thing and is a sign that you are working hard enough to get stronger! Embrace the "good" hurt! You can help ease this immediate soreness and get rid of the lactic acid build up quicker by taking the time to cool down and gently stretch after your workout.
The soreness you feel a day or two later (delayed onset muscles soreness, or DOMS) comes from the repair of tissue during muscle growth, as the thousands of tiny micro tears are mended by your body to create bigger, stronger muscle.
While it might seem like you should take a day off, the best thing you can do to ease the soreness is to get moving again. Do some aerobic exercise that gets nutrient-rich blood and oxygen flowing back into those muscles. Jogging, body weight squats, and other aerobic exercise are great ways to help relieve leg soreness. Give the heavy lifting a break for a day or two.
If you feel sharp, acute pain when you bend or move your joints this might be a sign of approaching injury. Tenderness and aching of your shoulders is a typical result of lifting heavy weight overhead but pinching or snapping can be a sign of overtraining or injury. If this is the case, rest and reevaluate your training routine and see a professional if the pain persists.
Here's the wrap up...
1. Know the difference between good pain and bad.
2. Embrace the good hurt.
3. Eat well to help muscles recover.
4. Warm up and cool down.
5. Keep moving.
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Events and Program
- Boot Camps Co-ed and Dudes Only options. Bring your buddies and train hard.
- SASS - Senior Agility, Strength & Stamina with Gillian, Senior Strength Specialist begins Wednesday, September 7th.
- Senior Pilates team training coming soon! Email Meghan Ash with any questions, [email protected].
- Small group trainings, including core, flexibility, HIIT, boxing, Pilates, and more!
- Summer Teen/Student Fitness Membership $80 for 2 months / $100 for 3 months (ages 10-16 must accompanied by an adult) available now thru September 1st, 2016.
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Client of the Month
Chris Clothier
June/July 2016
One of my first exposures to athletic activity was in my early teen years when I swam competitively for a local swim club over three summers. In my final year when I turned 16, I was told I should quit because I was now too old for a girl to be competitive in swimming! At that time in history, it was rare to find athletic outlets for girls/women and we had no sports (outside of gym class) for girls even in junior or senior high school. I stopped being very active at that point - until I turned 30 and ran my first "fun run" in Denver. I ran for the next 25 years and then turned to cycling when my knees could no longer take the pounding of the concrete. During those years, I ran two marathons and was a member of a gym off and on, participating in some classes as well as working out on my own. I often became bored with the routine and would drop out for periods of time.
A few years ago, cycling became my passion and my touchstone. I rode daily for fun and to commute everywhere. So in December 2015, at age 67, when I fractured my right arm at the shoulder and tore my rotator cuff in a cycling/streetcar track accident, I was lost. I have been injured before, but this time I was unable to do anything except walk for three months - it was brutal. I couldn't ride my bike or even drive. When I was able to start moving a little, I realized that I needed to do something drastic!
Northwest Women's Fitness is only a couple blocks from my apartment and I knew that I needed to go somewhere close or I would find reasons not to go. When I walked in, I found a whole new world! Everyone was very friendly and everyone was working out really hard! They also have an "expresso bike" with cycling animation that gave me the feeling that I was actually riding - it was what I needed to feel back on the bike! I had a "groupon" that allowed me to work out for six weeks and encouraged me to read the "Six Weeks Results Manual". What an eye opener! I thought that since I had been physically active for most of my adult life, that I knew it all! How wrong I was. I learned so much from the manual and realized that the philosophy of the gym was quite amazing.
Within a week, a wellness challenge started at the gym, so I signed up, even though I knew that there would be things I couldn't do. It changed my life in ways I couldn't have foreseen, encouraged me to eat better (which I needed), and helped me commit to going to the gym as much as I could.
I met with a personal trainer, Carol, who took my measurements, and I weighed in. At the end of the challenge, after six weeks of focused workouts (with Carol's training sessions and guidance), much better eating, and having fun getting to know others at the gym, I was hooked on Northwest Women's Fitness and joined as a member. In the six week challenge, with the encouragement of Carol and the team, I lost ten pounds, became much stronger all over, and found that some muscle imbalances (that I didn't know I had) were beginning to balance out.
With Carol's continued encouragement and training, I continue getting stronger. She changes my routine regularly to keep me from getting bored and to push me to get stronger and try more challenging exercises. She has also been in contact with my physical therapist to make sure we are doing what is best for my overall healing. It is amazing! In the past I would have just done the same routine for years, but with the changeup I notice the difference and am more balanced than ever before.
I continue healing and am finally riding again! I now realize how important it is for me to stay balanced and strong while riding (and in life!). I am delighted in how much I have changed in the past few months, and am excited about taking my new awareness of my body to a new level on my bike. I have also found that I am more patient with my body as I try to adjust to a new level of wellness, balance and strength. I have some goals for the summer and hope to complete a "century" ride (100 miles). However, I am also aware that I want to complete it by using my body in its best form. That means I will continue to eat well, be active and continue to strength train with Carol's guidance. I look forward to continuing to stay strong and healthy with the help from Northwest Women's Fitness Club and everyone there!
Chris Clothier
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