I may have pretended to run just for this photo opportunity.

It had been over a year ago when my friend first orchestrated getting a group of college buddies together to go to this event. Two weekends ago I finally ran the Warrior Dash in the mountains of Windham, NY. The event is an outdoor 5K race through a mountainous and muddy path and comprised of various obstacles along the way, but also a day of fun and challenge to enjoy and share with friends, family, and total strangers.

Why did I decide to run the Warrior Dash?

As a practicing martial artist, I am continuously discovering how my body physically moves and have been improving my performance and technique over time. Once I began to become consciously aware of what I was doing, I have been wanting to see what kind of limits I could push myself outside of martial arts. A friend of mine invited me to participate in this fun event with him, and I saw this as an opportunity to see how my training has affected me in my overall physical fitness. Growing up, I hardly did any physical activity at all, was very out of shape, and could not even run a quarter mile without feeling winded.

Doing a self-evaluation of own athletic level gave me confidence that I would be to tackle the obstacles, but I greatly lacked (and still do) any running ability. When I had researched other obstacle course mud races, the Warrior Dash seemed “easiest” for me to establish a baseline of how well I could run. To me running was the biggest obstacle, one that I wanted to train for more than anything. If anything, I knew I could (somewhat easily) walk the course if I had to resort to that. Above all, I just wanted to try something new and different and have fun with some old friends of mine.

What happened during race day?

The next wave of people beginning their dash.

After checking in at registration and stowing our personal belongings, we lined up at the start line where an announcer would pump up a wave of people ready to go and and then release them every half hour.

The race began at the bottom of a ski slope which quickly became a steep climb up the side of a mountain. Walking up the mountain was really the most difficult part of the race. Not running, just walking. With so many people rushing up the side of a mountain, there was not much choice but to follow behind the masses as they slowly moved upwards.

Various obstacles were placed throughout the entire course which included wading through mud pits, crawling under barbed wire, walking across rope bridges, jumping over fire, and climbing over walls. In total there were only about twelve obstacles, most of them being a slight variant of another one. Waiting times were at least 10 or 20 minutes to get past a single obstacle, because so many people were lined up waiting to go though none were required for race completion.  The bottlenecks gave some people a break to recover, but it definitely impacted the final completion time for the race (for those who were interested in racing competitively).

It’s really not as bad as it looks.

As long as you’re in some reasonable physical shape and can cover 5K, most obstacles probably will not present a huge challenge. Training your legs and lower body will definitely help. The barbed wire is high enough that crawling under it will not scratch you. Unless you lack a lot of arm strength, the walls are also very easily scalable. If a 7-year-old girl made it up the 20-foot wall, so can you. Some parts of the course were very steep and having mud and rain didn’t help. Going up and down the inclines felt like they posed more of a physical danger than the obstacles themselves.

Regional thunderstorms also hit the mountain while we were running. That only added to the entire experience of traversing the grass, mud, and rocky terrain of the course. Our motivation to finish the race became stronger once we began seeing lightning off in the distance. However, it was far away enough for everyone to stay out of harm’s way. The skies cleared up and the sun came out shining right after we finished the race and helped ourselves to food, showers, and free swag.

Despite a huge lack of running to train for the event, I had made it through the entire course without much problem. The first mile straight up the mountain though was not something I had anticipated. Barefoot shoes were perfectly fine for this type of event, but something more cushioned might have been preferable. The impact on my body eventually led to aches in my ankles (mainly from running up and across the mountain), and I had to stop at one point to recover from a cramp in my calf from running and jumping so much. Other than that, I was able to maintain a very light and slow jog throughout the race after the initial incline, which is much better than I had expected of myself.

Why did I decide to run for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?

I have been involved with community service in various capacities since I was a student in high school. That is where I met someone who started a Youth Program in the volunteer department at a large organization which has grown tremendously over the years. That person has also been a big influence on my life, she is a huge proponent of youth activism and empowerment, and also happens to be my martial arts instructor. Giving back to the community is something I learned over the years in knowing her, an idea also reinforced by my parents who have always been very selfless, taking care of other people and providing for them no matter who they were.

Patients at St. Jude never have to pay for the care they receive, and it is one of the world’s leading centers for researching and treating pediatric cancer and other child diseases. I knew running the Warrior Dash would be fun, but when I learned about the charity aspect, I knew I couldn’t pass the chance to make a difference. The event itself already carried meaning for me, but running for a cause made it even more meaningful, and that is something I hoped that everyone else would support.

Thank you to everyone who donated to my Warrior Dash campaign!

After months of talking and e-mailing, I was able to meet my own personal goal and raise $3000 dollars for the charity. All the friends and family who have contributed deserve a huge thank you not just from me but from the organization as well for opening up their hearts. Up until the race day, I had been the top fundraising participant, singlehandedly raising more than any individual or team, and I could not have done it without everyone’s help. Though the race is over, you can still contribute to my Warrior Dash run at donate to support  St. Jude’s mission by visiting the link below.

• http://www.mystjudeevent.org/mattchan

On a side note, Bicycles.SE moderator freiheit and frequent Fitness Chat user, will be participating in the Climate Ride event this coming September. He will be cycling 320 miles along the coast of California and through its valley to raise money to support sustainable solutions and bike advocacy. He is very close to reaching his fundraising goal, and it would be awesome to help him reach his final amount. You can make a donation to his campaign at the link below.

• http://bike.climateride.org/participant/ericeisenhart

Where am I going from here?

If you’re falling out of your current fitness plan, then perhaps re-evaluating your fitness goals will help you get back on your feet. Setting small goals (while keeping the overall big picture goal in mind) helps keeps things realistically attainable. We may become too focused on the little things and sometimes forget the what the long-term plan is. Willpower alone will not remedy the lack of motivation. Having the desire to become fit is great, but what we think in our minds, ideal as it may be, doesn’t always reflect the actual reality around us and vice versa. Sometimes we just need a little extra help in reaching our goal.

Tracking your progress over time can help paint a picture of where you are in reaching your fitness goal. There are many ways to do this ranging from simple pen and paper to using one of the many fitness apps or devices out there. By breaking down your goal into smaller steps – micro-goals if you will — you can figure out what it is you want to track. Over time, you can tweak and fine-tune your performance to reach the next level of where you want to be. Tracking comes into play by visualizing how you’ve improved. Even if you don’t meet the goal you’ve set, that doesn’t mean no progress has been made. Any effort you put in will not be lost, and tracking is a reflection of the improvements that have accumulated over time and contributed to your physical performance. If anything, you should take this as a sign that you are improving even if it may not be so immediately visible.

Looking up to other people can also motivate you to become a better performer. You don’t have to idolize superstars or celebrities; instructors, friends, random strangers, classmates, or whomever can all satisfy this purpose. Watching and being around others, especially those who are more experienced, can serve as an inspiration to be better, stimulate your mind, and challenge yourself to go beyond what you can do. The effort you put in will manifest both physically and mentally and also feed back into the tweaking your performance to meet your end goal. What is important about having other people is creating a support system that will provide guidance and insight as to how you can continue striving for excellence.

Variety is important to keep things interesting in order to prevent mental and physical stagnation. If you feel like you’re getting bored with an activity, change your routine once in a while. Introduce a new exercise, tweak your program slightly, or just briefly try something completely new just to break up the monotony. Whatever exercises you do can easily translate into other physical forms after you develop the physical capabilities. After years of martial arts training, I have started experimenting with running (for the Warrior Dash) and rowing (for Dragon Boat) and discovered that these activities come very easy to me. Understanding your body and being more aware and conscious of what it is doing will open a breadth of opportunities for you to go and test out your limits. You might even pick up something even more enjoyable and fun and meet a whole new crowd of people.

Sometimes getting fit isn’t fun, but turning fitness into a game alters the way you think and approach it. Games like Dance Central, Zumba Fitness, and Wii Fit are available to aid you in your fitness adventure. They can help you lose weight as long as you stick to it. Zombies, Run! is a mobile app that immerses the player in a zombie apocalypse in which running in the real world directs and advances the story in the game. Sometimes putting something of value on the line can also prompt motivation for fitness. Fatbet.net enables you to engage in friendly competition with your friends by having each person create a challenge and agreeing to a wager. GymPact forces you to go the gym by using behavioral economics. When you sign up, you put an amount on money along with a commitment to work out. If you fail to make your commitment, you’ll lose your money. However, when you do make your scheduled workout, you will earn a cash reward which is paid by those who didn’t go to the gym.

Once you do meet your goal, it is important to continue what you are doing. Giving up is the worst thing to do at any point; maintaining your fitness and health never ends. Exercise isn’t necessarily easy process; if it were, everyone would be fit and healthy. Rather than think about how difficult exercise is, keep in mind that what you’re doing is a positive benefit for your life. Everyone has to start somewhere, even those who are elite athletes or have gone through extreme weight loss regimens. Even if you find yourself down from time to time, don’t let that discourage you from the ultimate result. Stay focused on what you want and who you want to be. The path should never be a hopeless road.

Common Misconceptions About Juggling

Let’s start off by dispelling a few of the common misconceptions about juggling.

• It’s not exercise. All it takes is five minutes of trying your hand at juggling to realize it is a cardio exercise. Practicing juggling burns up to 280 calories an hour (depending on body weight), similar to walking. Using proper stance and engaging core muscles increases the exercise factor of juggling.
• It’s just for clowns. Chances are that at least one of your friends or family members knows how to juggle. It’s for people of all ages and body types. Many professional athletes use juggling to improve coordination, reaction time, and sharpen focus. A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals even credits his amazing catching ability to juggling.
• It’s difficult to learn and is for coordinated people.  Just like with anything, the key to learning to juggle is using the right resources that teach the skill in a simple way. If something isn’t working, switch methods or teachers.  Coordination is by no means required to juggle; in fact, juggling is one of the best ways to increase coordination, an important but often overlooked element of fitness. Having taught people from ages four to eighty four, including pro athletes and people with Parkinson’s disease, I’ve found that anyone can learn to juggle.

How Juggling Makes a Great Addition to Any Exercise Routine

• It’s a truly portable exercise. Juggling can be done nearly anywhere with minimal equipment. Juggling balls can be kept on the office desk for a quick bout of activity during a stressful day, or brought on business trips to exercise in the hotel room. Juggling makes a great rainy day alternative or way to keep active throughout the day both pre- and post-gym workouts.
• It works out body and brain. With the unfortunate prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, brain fitness is a hot topic. Juggling is brain fitness that also burns calories. German researchers found that learning to juggle increased gray matter in the brain in 7 days. (Source: Changes in Gray Matter Induced by Learning—Revisited)
• It’s an exercise that doesn’t ‘feel’ like exercise. Because juggling is goal-based and requires problem solving and focus to learn, it doesn’t feel like a traditional cardio workout, or even a workout at all. This makes it an attractive option for those just getting started with exercise, or those that find it difficult to walk or run on the treadmill and need something more engaging. It’s also a way to keep exercise exciting while challenging the body in new ways.
• It’s an easy way to keep active when recovering from lower body injury. Many of us have experienced foot issues from running or walking. For avid exercisers, not being able to workout due to injury can be very frustrating. Since juggling is upper body cardio and can even be done sitting down, it offers a great option for exercise during recovery, or even just to give your feet a rest once in a while.

Juggling Basics and Lesson

So how do you do it? Some people find it easiest to learn with juggling scarves (plastic grocery bags make a fine substitute). These will float slowly through the air so you can learn the juggling pattern in ‘slow motion.’  Learning with balls (small oranges can also be used), will take longer, but uses the same pattern as with the scarves.

The photo demonstration below shows how to juggle with balls. To start with scarves or grocery bags, follow the same steps except hold your hand in a prone (face-down) position. Other than that, the pattern is exactly the same.

Stand with feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Once the three-ball sequence starts to feel comfortable, engage your core by holding in your abs and keeping your feet planted. (You can also juggle sitting down in an armless chair.)

Note: Consult your physician before starting this or any exercise program.

Photos are meant for you to follow while looking at them. When instructions say hold ball in your right hand, the model will be holding it in her left hand so that it forms a mirror image with you as you practice.

One-Ball Sequence

To get your throws smooth and solid, it’s important to start out with one ball.

Step 1  Hold one ball in your right hand.

Step 2  Toss the ball from your right hand over to the left so it peaks above the left side of your forehead.

Step 3  Catch the ball in your left hand.

Continue to practice by tossing from right to left, then left to right. When this feels comfortable, move on to the two-ball sequence.

© 2012 JuggleFit LLC

Two-Ball Sequence

Step 1  Hold one ball in your right hand and one in your left.

Step 2  Throw the ball from your right hand over to the left so it peaks above the left side of your forehead (just as you did in the one-ball sequence).

Step 3  When the first ball peaks, throw the ball from your left hand over to the right in the same way.

Step 4  Catch the first ball in your left hand.

Step 5 Catch the second ball in your right hand.

Pause and take a deep breath, then repeat Steps 1-5, but this time throwing from the left hand first. When this is comfortable, move on to the three-ball sequence.

© 2012 JuggleFit LLC

Three-Ball Sequence

Step 1  Hold two balls in your right hand and one in your left.

Step 2  Throw one of the balls from your right hand over to the left so it peaks above the left side of your forehead.

Step 3  When the first ball peaks, throw the ball from your left hand over to the right in the same way.

Step 4  Catch the first ball in your left hand.

Step 5  When the second ball peaks, throw the third ball (in your right hand) over to the left.

Step 6  Catch the second ball in your right hand.

Step 7  Catch the third ball in your left hand and stop.

When steps 1-7 are smooth and comfortable, continue the pattern beyond three throws. Anytime a ball peaks, throw another ball to the other side. Focus on aiming for the opposite ‘corner.’ It’s just the same throw over and over again, from right to left and left to right. Think of it as the simple pattern that it is, and focus on good throws. Catches will come with time.

© 2012 JuggleFit LLC

Practice Tips

• Practice over a bed or couch to make things easier.
• Set a timer for your practice session so you can be in the moment and fully focus.
• Record your progress. Aim to get at least one more throw each time you practice.
• Have fun!

Heather Wolf

Heather Wolf is the founder of JuggleFit LLC and is certified by the American Council on Exercise as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor. She has taught thousands to juggle for fitness through her DVDs and live workshops, and has appeared in national media such as Fox & Friends and Woman’s Day magazine. Heather is also the creator of the popular Shake a Snack™ app for iPhone® and iPod® touch.

I’m excited to announce that Fitness.SE is among RunKeeper‘s initial launch partners for the release of their new Healthy Button! Much like the buttons that allow you to share a post on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus, the RunKeeper Healthy Button allows you to share “fitness tips, inspiring stories and healthy food recipes” with your RunKeeper friends (your “street teammates”).

Here’s what it looks like on our site:

For those of you who haven’t used RunKeeper, it’s a really cool smart phone app that helps you track your workouts using GPS. It eliminates the need to plan out the route for your runs and bike rides – you can just go and RunKeeper will give you updates on distance, average speed, and calories burned. Everyone who signs up for RunKeeper also has a profile page that showcases your workouts. You can connect with your friends to see what they’ve been up to, comment, and help motivate each other. With the addition of the healthy button, you’ll now be able to share posts relating to healthy living with your friends as well!

So what does this mean for us? Basically, it’s a great new way for us to share Fitness.SE content with our RunKeeper friends. Sharing to Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus are all great for getting the word out to a really large network, but the RunKeeper network is more targeted towards people who are looking specifically for content like what we have – tips about exercise, nutrition, and healthy living. So every time you read a great post on fitness.stackexchange.com, hit that Healthy Button and share it with your RunKeeper friends!

The SideWinder comes in three varying sizes and weights.

The SideWinder exerciser is a tool developed by Frank Nieman, an Illinois woodsman who was climbing trees for a living. He saw the need for strengthening his crew’s grips for climbing and created the device. It comes in three models of varying sizes and weight which accommodates different hand dimensions and strength requirements.

The device is relatively small and light which makes it quite portable whether you’re traveling or wanting to keep it in your office drawer. The entire tool is quiet no matter how much resistance you use. After months and months of use, there is no diminished resistance so long as you release the tension knob after each workout. As an added bonus, the product has a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects (presuming responsible use of the SideWinder).

Using the SideWinder is very simple. A know at the top adjusts the tension, and all you need to do is grab it in both hands and twist back and forth. You can vary intensities to your desire and do as many or as few repetitions as you like. The SideWinder website has a workout routine you can follow, but take note that varying your routine is key to building up strength and muscle in your forearm. Additionally, the SideWinder can be held in a multitude of ways which will also work your biceps, triceps, and shoulders. When you’re done, untwist the knob at the top release the tension.

Screwdriver Grip

Horizontal Grip

Vertical Grip

Behind-the-Back Grip

My experience with the SideWinder so far has been nothing but positive. My weak wrists were brought to light when I started wielding weapons in my martial arts training. Despite the natural increase in my wrist strength, I still had some trouble particularly with bladed weapons. The SideWinder has strengthened my “kung fu grip” since I started using it, and I can feel the conviction much more in various hand techniques.

A simple tool like the SideWinder is a perfect accompaniment to any fitness enthusiast looking to strengthen their forearms and increase their grip strength. There are nearly no downsides to using this device (within reason). If anything, airport security might take notice though given its considerable weight and size if it happens to be in your carry-on luggage. While some may find it pricey, it’s well worth every penny for something extremely durable (machined from aluminum and steel) and portable which provides a complete wrist workout.

_{Note: As tempting as it looks, the SideWinder is NOT meant to be used as a lightsaber prop.}

Yoga, the 5000 year old practice has become one of the hottest exercise trends with almost 11 million Americans participating. Everybody seems to be doing it and touting the benefits. Locally, yoga studios and gyms have seen their class sizes expand dramatically.

And for good reason. Practicing the postures, breathing exercises and meditation makes your mind, body and spirit run like a well-oiled machine. Yoga makes you healthier, happier and gets you in shape — all at the same time.

But don’t take my word for it, there are hundreds of studies and scientific research that show that yoga helps manage or control anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, blood pressure, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, headaches, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stress and more.

Yoga helps:

• Improve muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina
• Reduce stress and tension
• Boost self esteem
• Improve concentration and creativity
• Stimulate the immune system
• Create a sense of wellbeing and calm.

Yoga is for everybody

How about you? Have you been thinking about starting yoga, but are worried that it will be too difficult? Maybe you’re convinced that everyone else will be able to twist themselves into pretzels, while you can’t even touch your toes.

No need to worry. Yoga is truly for everybody. Just make sure you know what kind of body you are (tight muscled athlete, stressed out mom, senior looking to add activity) and start your practice with classes that accommodates your specific ability and physical needs.

Anyone can do yoga. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are or whether you’re a couch potato or a professional athlete. Age and fitness level do not matter because there are modifications  for every yoga pose. The idea is to explore your body and learn what it can do, not strive to become as flexible as an elite gymnast.

Yoga is for everybody, but NOT for anybody who has:

• severe osteoporosis
• high or low blood pressure
• problems with his or her spine

Also, if you are pregnant, obese or rehabilitating from an injury, you should definitely get clearance from your doctor and know the kinds of limitations you before you start to practice.

How to get started

Once you’ve decided that you like to try yoga, make a plan so that decision to try yoga ends up being a good experience.   This requires some research of your part, but worth the investment so that you get are matched up with a class situation that is right for you.

1.     Find a Class

Many yoga classes are out there, and you may be turned off if you pick one that does not suit your personality and state of physical fitness.  The many different styles of yoga offered include Hatha, Vinyassa, Power, Bikram/Hot, Kundalini and more. If you can read up on the differences between the various styles before you take a class, you will be better prepared to know what to expect and to know what sounds appealing or not to you. As a general rule, most Vinyassa and Hatha style yoga classes are good for beginners.

Check yoga studios and research online to find out about the local yoga classes in your area. Many gyms also offer yoga classes, which is a great place to start if you already belong to a gym.

2.     Dress the Part

Dress in comfortable clothes that are form-fitting. You don’t want your shirt and pants to fly up when your body is moving down and around. Take off your shoes and socks because yoga is done barefoot.

Bring a sticky mat. You can buy these inexpensively everywhere from department stores, athletic stores or yoga studio/pro shops. The mat creates traction for your hands and feet so you don’t slip. Some gyms/studios have mats for students but the down side is that lots of people probably use them and you can’t be sure how often they are being washed.

3.     Know What to Expect

Arrive at least 10 minutes early to your yoga session and tell the teacher it’s your first class. In a typical yoga class, the students place their mats facing the front of the room. The teacher may start class by doing some centering and breathing exercises. This is followed by warm-up poses, more vigorous poses, then a final relaxation/ meditation. Most yoga classes end with Corpse pose, also called Savasana (pronounced sha-vass-ahnah). With this pose, you lie flat on your back, close your eyes and relax. Do not walk out of a class while the class is in Corpse pose. If you have to leave, do it before.

At the end of the relaxation, the instructor typically bows her/his head as if in prayer, clasps her hands together in front of her heart and says, “Namaste” (pronounced nah-mas-tay). The class will then say that back to the instructor.  This Sanskrit word means “I honor you.”

After your first class, ask your teacher any questions you have or provide feedback if you have any. Make plans for your next class and know that it will be easier than your first. You are now on your way to becoming a healthier and happier you.

Enjoy!

Elyse Familant

Elyse Familant is a personal trainer and teaches yoga, spinning and core classes. She has been in fitness industry for more than 25 years. In addition to offering classes and fitness routine, Elyse provides stress management techniques and nutritional counseling focused on eating healthy for today’s demanding lifestyles. Elyse has her B.S. from Cornell University and is an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, Aerobics and Fitness Association of America Certified Aerobics and Fitness Instructor; AAAI Certified Yoga Instructor; Stott Pilates Certified Pilates Instructor; Mad Dog Athletics Certified Spinning Instructor and PiYo Certified-Pilates/Yoga fusion Instructor. You can contact her at elysef@resultspr.net.

Let’s start with some typical New Year’s resolutions. They tend to sound like this:

• “I want to be fit.”
• “I want to be healthy.”
• “I want to lose weight.”

What is wrong with these statements? They are overly broad, generalized, vague statements that are unfocused, open to interpretation, and don’t say anything specific about what you really want or should do. Note that asking general questions like these also don’t make very good questions on the Fitness Stack Exchange and are likely to be closed. Without sitting down and really putting the mental effort into saying what you want, losing sight of your New Year’s resolution becomes very easy.

Focus on one goal and be extremely specific about it. Having a single, clear and defined goal will layout the foundation for you to discover how to reach that goal. That means quantifying what you want to achieve that is meaningful to you. Here are some examples:

• “I want to lose 30 pounds in 3 months.”
• “I want to run a 5K by June.”
• “I want to deadlift 100 pounds.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. When you are specific about your goal, you can create a process to take specific, actionable steps to meet your end result. By keeping it simple, hitting an achievable milestone will be an empowering experience. There will be less variables to think of while tracking progress, and a smaller goal will also be easier to fit in your schedule. Once you’ve established what you want to achieve, then you can move on to figuring out how you should achieve it.

Obviously, deciding what exercise or routine is best for you depends on the goal. That subject is for another day, however. The steps you take to reach your goal will vary in themselves. Given that though, creating a habit out of those steps is ultimately what you want to do. Having a process and system in place is definitely better than grasping at straws and shooting in the dark.

As lofty as swimming the English Channel or running a marathon may seem, they are certainly not impossible feats. It takes lots of time (and sometimes decades) to reach such levels, but even elite athletes had to take the first step. Fitness requires takes time and patience. If you take one small step towards your goal, slowly work your way up and increase your metric (e.g. lift a slightly heavier weight, cut your running time by a seconds) the next workout. Strive to push yourself without overexerting to the point where it becomes detrimental.

Don’t consider missing your goal a failure. The final outcome is not supposed to be the end of your fitness experience. The habit you create and the intrinsic change in your behavior is really what you should be aiming for in the New Year rather than stating the outcome as a resolution. Keep going, and you will eventually reach your goal.

Fitness 101 is not a full-fledged fitness program or exercise regimen; it is a starting point and guide for people to venture on their own paths. We want people to pursue their own goals, stay active, and hopefully learn more about themselves. The Fitness 101 series and our Fitness & Nutrition Q&A site will be great resources for people doing that. We welcome and encourage everyone to visit our site and ask whatever questions they have about fitness, and we as a community will do our best to give you good advice.

If you find yourself asking questions such as:

• What kind of exercise should I start with?
• How does fitness and exercise affect my diet? Does it matter what I eat?
• What is the ideal nutrient breakdown for my body type and goals?
• I am overweight. What should I do?
• How often should I exercise?

then Fitness 101 is for you. One important aspect to take away from Fitness 101 is to simply start moving. It is the single best best thing to do for your health as stated by Dr. Mike Evans.

The inception of this series will eventually segue to other topics. We have ideas and plans for the direction of the series, but we also want to hear what you would like to see in the future.

Achieving a healthy, active life is not something that happens overnight. It takes time, patience, perseverance, and hard work. Fitness is a long-term and continuous process. Every journey begins with a single step, and we are here to help.

What is Zumba Fitness 2 for the Wii? It’s a game based on Zumba, the popular dance fitness program. Once you enter the disc, you create a profile, and then you’re ready to go! You can choose to do a single Zumba song, a full Zumba class, or create your own custom routines. Zumba workouts vary in length and intensity that you can choose for your own needs. Included with the game is a promotion to try out a weeks’ worth of Zumba classes for free at a 24 Hour Fitness location.

The game includes a Zumba Fitness Belt that holds your Wii Remote while you dance your hips away. Zumba Fitness 2 is meant to be a hands-free experience, and the game works by tracking your hip movements. The belt has enough length to accomodate a variety of waist sizes, but may slip off for those who are slimmer. One thing about putting the Wii Remote in the Zumba belt is that the Wii Remote must be oriented upright (with the infrared port pointing at the ceiling) with the buttons facing outwards (no accidental hip-dialing). For almost an hour, I had the Wii Remote upside-down and was wondering why it wasn’t “working.” Any Wii Remote covers will also make putting the controller in the belt a bit more difficult since there isn’t a lot of wiggle room in the pocket.

If you’ve never done Zumba before, the game includes tutorials that break down a variety of moves according to dance style. A virtual Beto (the creator of Zumba) performs each move slowly where you can easily follow and imitate. Once you feel comfortable with the slow pace, you can try the same move at the normal speed.

Many if not all the movements in Zumba Fitness 2 focus on your core – hips, waist, and abs. You can see it in the animations of the characters throughout each song. Since the Wii Remote only tracks movements originating from you waist, your arms and legs are secondary. You don’t necessarily need to move them as much, but moving your core will help generate movement all throughout your body which will maintain your balance and also provide a better workout.

The game will provide feedback based on how well you do similar to other rhythm games like Rock Band or Dance Dance Revolution. A rating of 1 to 5 stars is assigned based on how well you do. The better you do in the game, the more trophies you will unlock. There is even a calorie counter in the game that tracks how many calories you have burned. Be forewarned though, the calorie tracker only tracks full Zumba classes and only if you complete the whole session (no quitting halfway).

This game is not targeted towards active individuals. I didn’t find the workout to be particularly intense. I broke out in a very light sweat after half an hour and did not find the movements to be stressful at all. I didn’t think the tutorials were helpful by themselves as jumping right into a dance routine. Doing that gave them more context which I found easier to pick up moves that way.

Zumba Fitness 2 does have its merits though. It is great for beginners, and the range of movements will work your whole body at once. For those who are shy or reclusive and want to try something privately without feeling self-conscious publicly, Zumba Fitness 2 is a great outlet for that. I was getting jitters just putting the game disc in the Wii. If I can get over that, other people can too. Is it more fun with other people? I haven’t tried, but I imagine haphazardly mimicking Zumba movements in a somewhat organized fashion is bound to generate laughs.

Zumba Fitness 2 makes a good aerobic workout for those looking to start with something fitness related. The entry barrier to Zumba Fitness 2 is very low. The game does not focus on details or nuances so long as you are moving your body. Actual physical Zumba classes will vary among instructors and classes. For someone like me, this game made me feel completely uncoordinated. Yet I was able to allay my fears, imitate the movements, and even have fun which is really what you should be doing. Zumba Fitness 2 may not be for everyone, but for those who give it a chance, it may find a new place in your fitness world.

Currently Ben holds down several part-time gigs as a blogger and podcaster. In addition to being Get Fit Guy, Ben has his own blog and podcast at Ben Greenfield Fitness, and actively contributes to Endurance Planet, Rockstar Triathlete Academy, and Train for Top Dollar.

Now that we know his background, let’s check out his answers to our questions! (Note: this was a phone interview, so the answers are paraphrased.)

Q: Doing all these different podcasts and blogs, do you ever get tired of answering people’s questions? Do you tend to get the same questions over and over again?

A: Not really. Each of my different podcasts and blogs caters to a different audience; the Get Fit Guy listeners represent a large sector of the fitness population and tend to be people who are just starting to work out, whereas my followers on Ben Greenfield Fitness are people who are already really serious about fitness and have specific questions about different diets to try (e.g. Paleo vs. Atkins) and different workout regimens to follow (e.g. Kettlebell workouts vs. Crossfit). Endurance Planet is mostly marathon runners, Rockstar Triathlete Academy is obviously triathletes, and Train for Top Dollar is for trainers and fitness professionals. So I have a pretty varied audience and get to discuss many different topics.

Q: What is the most interesting topic you’ve addressed lately?

A: I did a podcast on Ben Greenfield Fitness about a new way to measure body fat. There’s this new ultrasound device that you wave over a muscle or joint and it instantly produces a picture on your computer and tells you your body fat percentage.

(Psst – If you’re interested in hearing more about this device, go to minute 45 of the podcast I linked to.)

Q: Is that more accurate than the BMI calculators that you squeeze?

A: Much more accurate – it’s not even a fair comparison between the two methods. The ones that you squeeze are easily affected by things like what’s on your hands, if you’re sweating, etc. The ultrasound device is pretty new, but starting to become more mainstream.

Q: Ok, now I have some questions from our site that our users would like to get your opinion on. First of all, what are some common fitness myths? What is the worst one, in your opinion?

A: The biggest myth out there is that you need to do cardio to lose weight. In fact, that’s probably the most inefficient way to lose weight. A combination of high intensity efforts like sprints, coupled with weight lifting (squats, overhead presses, and other fully body moves) and eating right is much more efficient. You get a greater “after burn” with weight lifting, and you’re more likely to overtrain with cardio and therefore not stick to it.

Q: What other things keep people from sticking to an exercise routine?

A: Not quantifying goals is a big one – just working out for the sake of working out could cause you to get stuck in a rut. It’s really important to change up your workout routine and have fun with it. Playing basketball, going for a walk – all that stuff counts. You only need to spend lots of time in the gym if you’re not being active otherwise.

Q: What do you recommend to people who aren’t very active and want to begin exercising?

A: Listen to the Get Fit Guy podcast! In all seriousness, there are some good tips on there. But also, a good way to start is to go to the gym and just go from machine to machine doing a set on each one. It’s a good way to expose your muscles to a variety of different activities. Be sure to bring a notepad and write down your seat settings so you can remember for next time.

Q: Do you think that could be intimidating to people who might not know how to use the machines? Do you have any tricks to make going to the gym less intimidating to people who are just starting out?

A: Actually, what many people don’t realize is most gyms offer a free personal training session when you first join, so that could be a good way to learn how to use the machines. Even if you don’t get a free session, there are always trainers hanging out in the weight room – and it’s their job to be there and answer questions, so take advantage of them.

Q: How many days per week do you recommend working out?

A: I recommend lifting weights at least 2 days a week, preferably 3, and then doing some other kind of exercise, like a class at the gym, once. It’s important to stay active the rest of the week too – that could be anything from walking your dog to gardening. As long as you’re staying active you don’t need to go to the gym every day. Personally, I do an upper body workout on Mondays, a lower body workout on Fridays, and I play basketball and tennis twice a week.

Q: How much is too much?

A: That really depends on your fitness level. If you’re a body builder, you’re conditioned to work out 2-3 hours a day 6 times per week. If you’re just getting started, you could do as much as 40-60  minutes a day as long as you have 1 day of rest each week.

On behalf of Stack Exchange Fitness & Nutrition, I’d like to say thanks to Ben for doing this interview for us, and I encourage everyone to check out his podcasts!