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We would love to be able to say that spring has sprung but it sure doesn’t feel like we’ve escaped winter. We’ve all had many outdoor activities spoiled by the weather, and to be honest, the island girl and even the Swede have had it with this rain! We are desperately waiting for the arrival of days of “tank-tops and shorts” workouts, but let’s not let the gloomy, wet, cold conditions discourage us.
We know that it’s tempting to delay/avoid exercise and to blame the weather for not having the energy to get moving, but we promise that a workout is going to put you in a better frame of mind and can be the perfect ‘blues-be-gone’ activity!
Here’s to the arrival of long, sunny days, filled with
many outdoor activities! Hope to see you very soon!
Happenings
Rowe and MichRoFit ladies celebrating in style
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MichRoFit Circuit
A few days ago, the Ro part of MichRoFit turned 42 years young. In conjunction with turning another year wiser (and stronger), MichRoFit would like to celebrate the joys of another healthy year with you. All newbies at MichRoFit Circuit’s Monday sessions (6:15 PM to 7:30 PM) get half off for the entire months of April AND May! |
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MichRoFit Private Gym
As mentioned in the February edition of MichRoFitted, the MichRoFit Gym is open to clients for private and semi-private personal training sessions. With the kind of weather we’ve been having, even the most fervent outdoor exerciser opted for indoor training sessions when it was too blustery to be outside. The gym has been busy!
Party!
On June 3rd, we are going to have a “bring summer on” party/open house at the MichRoFit private gym. Hope you’ll stop by to say hello!
VasbySF Track Club
This summer, the European Championships in Track & Field will be held in Coach Miche’s home country, Sweden. Unfortunately, this year, he will not be competing but instead, “spectating” and cheering on his fellow Swedish athletes. While in Sweden, we are going to spend time with our Vasby Sweden Track Club. This will be an opportune time to learn and share training programs with this group of hard-working young men and women, and the perfect time to start planning the Vasby exchange program, which is tentatively planned for summer of 2007! Stockholm is gorgeous, especially in the summer. Our US athletes will get to train with our Swedish counterparts and get to enjoy Sweden in its best time of the year!
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Hydrostatic Body Composition Testing
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Last month, we had our very first experience in
“getting dunked.” Rowe had a hydrostatic body composition test with FitnessWave. The 'dunk'
test is said to be the most accurate of all the body fat tests, and we would love to make this convenient
and accessible to you.
If you are interested, please contact
MichRoFit ASAP for more details. The more
sign-ups we have as a group, the better the price
will be! We are currently targeting the afternoon
of June 3rd, and the venue will be at the MichRoFit
private gym site in Mountain View. Mark your
calendar and sign up
now.
Why Having an Accurate Body Fat Assessment is Important
Did you know that your diet and nutritional needs should be based on your lean body mass? Your lean body mass otherwise known as your LBM is a critical measurement when establishing a nutritional program for weight loss or muscle gain. This number determines your daily caloric intake to be consumed based on your basal metabolic rate. As we are not all alike, this number must be properly calculated and personalized to you to maximize fat loss and your training goals.
Why Other Methods Don’t Measure Up
Although it may surprise you, some other methods of body fat testing can be off as much as +/- 8%, which means that if you get a reading of 18% you could theoretically be 26% or you could be 10%. On one end of the scale you are nearly obese, and on the other end you could be borderline unhealthy because of having potentially too low of body fat, especially if you are a woman.
From a nutritional standpoint you could be under or over 1,000 calories a day and this is a huge difference when trying to gain lean mass or lose weight and keep it off! Sometimes getting inaccurate advice and test readings can do you more harm than good!
About the Test
- The actual test only lasts a little over ten minutes
- The test will be carried out by a trained FitnessWave staff member
- The procedure will be conducted in a private setting
- You will need some type of bathing attire and a towel
- You will be completely submerged in water in order to obtain an accurate reading
- Six page comprehensive analysis will be sent to you
- Universally considered to be the ‘Gold Standard’ in body composition testing
The fact that bone, muscle, and connective tissue collectively known as lean mass sinks, while body fat floats, is the main principle behind hydro-densitometry (hydrostatic) weighing. By obtaining your land weight and water weight (based on buoyancy), our specialized computer program can scientifically calculate your body fat as a percentage of your total weight. |
Kick-boxing Cardio Workout
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During the string of Monday Circuit outdoor sessions
when not even our best of sun dances kept the rain
away, MichRoFit took those rained-out evenings as
our opportunity to spend the time in the company of
our good friend Jorge, jabbing, kicking and getting
great cardio workouts at his Kick-boxing classes.
We invite you to join us at our workouts with Jorge
at Hiruko, and see why he has a loyal following. Oh,
and as a guest of MichRoFit, your first class is
free - thank you, Hiruko! |
Also, in this issue of MichRoFitted, Natalia, Hiruko’s
co-founder (and Jorge’s better half), contributes an
article reminding us of taking the time and
remembering to “breathe.”
Member Spotlight: Melinda
Melinda and hubby, with Miche and Rowe in Stockholm
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In this month’s MichRoFitted, we are casting the spotlight on one of the MichRoFit Circuit regulars! We are proud to present Melinda, our “longest- running” member of the MichRoFit program! Melinda attended the very first session back in April 2002, when MichRoFit Circuit was still nicknamed “Swedish Army Bootcamp.” Now, four years later, she is still going strong as a member, still bringing her great smile and positive energy to each MichRoFit session.
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When asked how she found out about the program: “I’m diabetic & was looking for other ways of getting in shape. I had met Rowe through friends & had admired what great shape she was and is in. When she & her boyfriend (now husband), Miche, started their fitness classes, I decided to give it a try and has been hooked since then.” Melinda enjoys the camaraderie among the attendees of MichRoFit Circuit. “It is a great workout that evolves as one’s fitness level improves. I’ve come a long way from that first day. I now have definition in my arms that I thought I would never have! I have more endurance and now able to jog, a big improvement from when I could only walk the stations at class. More importantly, I really enjoy it!”
Melinda’s motivation to exercise goes beyond keeping in shape. Her biggest hurdle has been being diabetic, and this condition is her main driver to stay fit. She wants to offset the complications of diabetes and one of the musts is to exercise regularly. Her goal is to always be in control of her diabetes and not let diabetes be in control of her. Her big wish is to be healthy enough and be able to have a baby (who’ll have her husband’s beautiful blue eyes!).
Melinda was born in good old San Jose and resides in Campbell with her hubby of almost one year (Fun facts: Miche and Rowe were wed on 04/04/04, Melinda and hubby were wed on 05/05/05. Miche, as you know is Swedish, Melinda’s hubby is also Swedish). The couple enjoys having friends and family over for dinners or Sunday brunches (he is a fantastic chef!). Melinda likes to make jewelry, go on hikes, explore new places, and of most of all, spend time with her Swede.
We are blessed to have Melinda as part of MichRoFit and are even more blessed that she has become a very good friend. She is an inspiration and a reminder of how to face life’s trials head-on, with grace and a positive attitude.
Breathe! Your Health (and Peace) Depend On It
I’m only half way done with my to-do list, work is driving me crazy, I have too much homework, I wish I could be in better shape, I haven’t cleaned my house in two weeks, and I can’t remember the last time I went out to see a movie or hang out with my friends. Sound familiar? Every year, we have the best intentions to find balance in our lives, and yet, somewhere along the way we get carried away by our torrential list of projects and expectations.
Time seems to pass faster with every year that goes by, and while we do a pretty good job keeping track of our tasks – completed or not – we tend to forget the essential: breathing. Breathing is a habitual process. We breathe because we have to, and not always because we want to. Maintaining an intentional focus on breathing is not only the best way to slow down time, but also the key to maintaining a healthy body and a calm spirit. Here are three techniques that will enhance your breath awareness.
Dragon Breath
Imagine that your lungs are shaped like two big balloons. Inhale, and fill the balloons half way. Inhale again, and fill the balloons all the way up to the top. Now exhale s-l-o-w-l-y and let all the air out of the balloons. Repeat two times. Pay attention to the way the air feels as is enters and leaves your nose. Work on relaxing your shoulders, neck, and face muscles as you exhale. Feel tension melt away. Take three Dragon Breaths five to ten times a day.
Open Heart Breath
Imagine your heart has a door that is slightly open. Breathe in slowly through your nose and visualize the breath blowing in through the open door. As you exhale open the door a little wider. Continue the practice until you can see the door completely open. This breathing practice comes from the ancient traditions of Qigong - the older relative of Tai Chi. According to Chinese medicine, the “Heart/Mind” energy vessel (also called middle Dan Tien) is located around the heart. The Open Heart Breath allows you to “fill” this essential energy reservoir. Thoughts and emotions that burden you slowly deplete the middle Dan Tien vessel. Remove anger, doubt, fear, anxiety, and worry. Do this practice every time you discover a negative emotion or thought.
Breathe Into Your Heels
Close your eyes and take a deep breath through your nose. Imagine your breath doing a body scan. As you inhale, slowly scan your entire body moving downwards until you reach your heels. Exhale slowly. As you exhale reverse the body scan, but this time, as you go up, imagine that you are storing healing energy in your body. Store energy in your legs, your abdominal area, along your spine, and all the way up until you get back to the head, where you take another deep breath in, and start a new scan. In our daily, unfocused breathing, we barely use one third of our lung capacity. This practice will enable you to focus on increasing lung capacity, while building a deeper awareness of your body. Practice at least three times a day.
As you start building an intentional breathing routine, notice subtle changes in your breath, and pay close attention to how your breath responds to physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges. Guided imagery can help build a consistent breathing practice. Consider exploring mediation or visualization as a way to focus your attention on your breath. Not only will your health improve, but you may also find inner peace along the way.
Natalia Gabrea
Natalia is the Executive Director and Founder of Hiruko (hirukocenter.com), a wellness center in Los Altos, CA. She is a certified Integral Qigong and Tai Chi™ instructor, and holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Calendar of Events: Spring 2006
VasbySF Practices:
Sat 10:30 to 11:30 AM
Tues 5:30 to 6:30 PM
MichRoFit Circuit:
Mon 6:15 to 7:30 PM
Sat 9:15 to 10:30 AM
Special Events:
VasbySF Track Club Competitions:
Stanford Open, April 30
Modesto Relays, May 6
Peyton Jordan US Open, June 11
MichRoFit Party:
Saturday, June 3rd
Contact us for directions
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