Gettin' Fit & Healthy with Rickie

 Hello out there... It has been 2 weeks since my return to teaching group fitness classes at the gym.   My classes have been much smaller than pre - COVID and I am hoping for the return of more participants soon.  I know we are all leery about going out to establishments if it is not essential.  Please know that we as instructors and the facilities are doing their best to keep you safe and healthy.  For those of you that have returned we will continue to provide 110% of our efforts in your work out and we will do as much as we can to make you comfortable. Gyms may not be considered essential but some of us are just not going to do that work at home. With the climate of our society right now we could all use an essential workout for our mind as well as our body.  Exercise is a great stress reliever and it can help clear your mind, both essential to aid in lower blood pressure, better sleep, reduced anxiety, improved immune system.  As we all know t...

Exercise at Any Age Exercise is not just for the young it is also for the young at heart it helps keep us 'young at heart'. We have heard many excuses and I am sure some of you have come up with some doozies yourself, but know this, stillness is bad.  Approximately 3 million people die each year due to physical inactivity.  Regular exercise is important in all stages of life, it is especially critical in older adults for good health.  You are never too old and it is never too late.  Of course you should always consult your doctor prior to beginning a program and your doctor can prescribe the best type of activity.  If you have been inactive start slowly, begin with 5-10 minutes of moderate of physical activity each day, when you feel yourself beginning to get stronger than gradually either increase the amount of time or the intensity.  It is not always your age that gives you that tired feeling and thinking 'I just need to take it easy' it is more likely we...

  Today I would like to share with you my favorite morning routine.  Ideally I like to do this routine while the house still quiet and prior to checking emails or my phone.    Begin in a quiet place with your yoga mat and a cushion or you can use a neatly folded blanket.  Take a comfortable seated position on your cushion or blanket, just high enough to raise you backside a few inches from the floor.  Rest your hands on your legs or cup them in your lap comfortably.  Allow your spine to be nice and tall but not stiff and the crown of your head reaching towards the sky.  Gently close the eyes and allow the muscles in your face to soften.  Try to sit quietly for a few minutes or stay longer if you like. Focus on your breathing with your mind nice and clear.  It helps to count your breaths to yourself to keep the mind from wandering but if it does just come back to focusing on your breath.  Once you feel  you are ready, wiggle you...

  Family dinner time...prior to COVID-19 during the rush of work, school, kids extracurricular activities, homework it was tough to have a family dinner.  Well with everything on hold or coming back slowly I hope many of you are getting back to those 'old days' of family dinner.  Where you choose to have dinner whether it is at the table, bar in the kitchen or out on the deck, it is up to you but try to leave the TV off, phones and other devices off or at least in another room on vibrate.  Going back to the statement 'Wherever you are be all there.'  Some of these dinners will bring on fond memories, it opens the pathway for discussion, provides a bond with your children, spouse or with whomever you share your household.  It helps to create an open dialogue that may continue outside of dinner which is always a good thing.  Also provides structure that may carry over into the next generation.  Always remember children learn by example and whether t...

  Seize the Fall Season It is beginning to feel like fall and for some of you that brings the excitement of football season, fairs, farm shows or festivals and who doesn't look forward to the rush of color that ushers in the season.  Unfortunately during these current times fall sports are different from previous seasons, many fairs and farm shows have been cancelled and every community is finding their way to best get the kids back to school safely with or without sports. We are all ready to get back to normal but we now have the opportunity to seize this time we have to get outdoors and reconnect with your family and friends.  Do a little research to find trails, parks, tennis or basketball courts in your area.  Find what will interest you and your family whether it is a short hike or bike ride, if you have the equipment hit some tennis balls or shoot some hoops or just try some backyard games.  You don't need to be experienced at any of these just get out, ha...

Stretching basics & tips     Introducing stretching or flexibility training to your workout does not need to be complicated, confusing or tedious.  To get started let's just introduce flexibility exercises focusing on the muscles worked during your workout. Keep in mind you may need to stretch some muscles you may not have considered, for example after running of course you want to stretch your legs but you should consider stretching the chest, back, shoulders & side body. We all know the legs are working on our run but we also rely on the upper body to assist in power and some runners also can be tense in this area.     A few guidelines to follow during flexibility training. Ideal time for flexibility training is after your workout and cool down, if you are cardio training.  This ensures our muscles are warm and pliable, cold muscles are more susceptible to injury during stretching. With that in mind if you are just working on flexibility training ...

  Stretching...do I need it?     Ahhh stretching...for some of you the  'ah' emulates that feeling of release after a good stretch, for others it is a question 'do I really'?       When I first started teaching group fitness classes in the early 1980's we were always told to stretch and we understood why it was necessary but always felt like it could have been skipped or we kept it short and sweet.       So the easy answer to this question is 'yes!'  That goes for all of us regardless of the type of workout, our fitness level or the length of the workout. Every workout should be followed by stretches at least for those muscles you were using. This includes cardio workouts like Spin, HIIT, Zumba, kickboxing, walking or running, etc. You are using muscles during all of these workouts.  Once you have completed your cardio work and cool down, also important, do some basic stretches for any of those muscles you felt fatigue dur...

  Dirty Dozen Workout 12 exercises / 12 reps / 3-4 sets This workout is great if you have no equipment available and it can be adjusted to fit your time frame, 2 sets instead of 4, add weights if you wish to make it more challenging or you can of course do more sets.  So saddle up here we go... Prisoner Squats - Feet planted firmly & slightly wider than hips, hands behind head with elbows wide & chest lifted. Lower into squat position, feet remain firmly planted, chest is lifted throughout movement. Lateral lunge - Begin with feet hip width apart step one foot out wide to the side and lower into squat, push up through heel and return to start position. You can alternate legs or one at a time.          Mountain Climbers - Begin in Plank position bring alternating knees in towards chest quickly. To modify lower to forearms and tap alternating knees to floor. Plank Jacks - Maintain plank position begin with feet hip width apart, jump feet apart an...

  More Core On the most recent blog we covered the core area, the muscles involved and the importance of training all the core muscles. Today's post will provide you with a variety of core exercises to mix in to your workouts.  Let's kick off with a few Plank variations: Remember to modify with Knees on floor Plank:  technique on 'Core Confusion' post Add alternating shoulder taps - Solid plank position, tap opposite shoulder holding solid plank            Walking plank - solid plank, begin on forearms walk up on to hands and back down to forearms Plank with Knee to chest - solid plank position bring knee in towards chest modify: forearms on floor and alternating knee taps to floor Dead bug:  lying on back with bent knees, abdominal muscles are braced. Bring arms up so fingertips are reaching to the ceiling and raise feet off floor so knees are bent at 90°.  Arms are reaching actively, abdominal muscles braced, slowly extend and low...

Core Confusion When you hear the term 'core' in regards to exercise or the human body do you just think of your abdominal muscles?  Well the 'core' is so much more and it plays a very important part in how our body moves and functions. As you look at the diagram to the left the grayed out areas are all considered muscles of the core. You can see this not only includes the abdominal muscles but also the hips, glutes and low back area.  So when we emphasize the need to strengthen our core it includes all of these areas.  When the core is strong and balanced it helps to prevent falls, supports our body, helps to correct poor posture, allows us to execute many exercises properly and helps to eliminate back pain.  Planks, the definitive core exercise, involves the engagement of multiple core muscles.  So if you have been doing a crazy # of crunches, sit ups, reverse crunches, etc. do yourself a favor and add in a Plank.  Full sit ups can be very difficult to do ...