Saturday Yoga

This Saturday, February 18, will be my last Saturday class with you all. I am sorry to have to give up the class, but the 1015 time will no longer work with my schedule! If the class were earlier in the day I could keep it, but I am hopeful that you will enjoy your new instructor!

I am keeping my Tuesday night yoga and Wednesday night High Voltage. :)

New Instructor for Thursday Nights

I am pleased to announce that the Thursday night (1815) yoga classes will continue and you will have a new instructor. Please make them feel welcome!

As usual, I will still be teaching the Tuesday night and Saturday morning yoga classes as well as the Wednesday night High Voltage classes.

If you're curious about High Voltage, please scroll down and click on the High Voltage FAQ.

Thursday, 1-19-12, Yoga

As of right now, I have not heard any updates regarding what will happen with the Thursday night yoga classes. As far as I know, no one has taken over the class and I have not been asked to teach it at 7:00pm. (I can't teach it at 6:15pm anymore, but I could teach it at 7:00.)

I would suggest either skipping yoga tonight since I don't believe there will be an instructor there at 6:15pm... or at least coming prepared to do a regular gym workout.

I am so sorry for not having a clear answer for you right now. I wish I knew what the fate would be for the class, but right now I've not been given any information to pass along to you.

Please feel free to leave your comments/concerns about this situation on a comment card in the lobby of the fitness center, or e-mail my supervisor at TD Support Servies, Mary Walley: maryw@tdsupportservices.com.

Again, I truly apologize and I hope we get this figured out soon!

This Month's Group Exercise Schedule

Click on the image below to see a larger version.

February 2012 Group Exercise Schedule

(does not include spinning classes):

What's High Voltage?

A few of you (okay more than a few) have inquired about my High Voltage class that I teach on Wednesday nights. Each and every one of you are invited to join me as I lead you through a variety of exercises! Everyone and every fitness level is welcome to come. For those of you with injuries, etc., we can absolutely modify any exercise so you will still benefit greatly from the class. Please read my FAQ below - and if you still have questions, feel free to ask!

HIGH VOLTAGE FAQ

1. What exactly is “High Voltage?” What do you do in that class?

As you enter the class, you will see that I have already set up our 10 stations, so there is no need to arrive early and set up anything at all. We will start the class with 5-10 minutes of warm-up and light stretching. After that, we will walk to each station and I will demonstrate what to do at each one.

Then the fun begins: you will pick a station to go to first, and at the sound of the horn, you will begin that station’s activity. You will work out at that station for 1.5 minutes, then at the sound of the bell, you will move to the next station. I allow 20 seconds to switch stations to give you time to get a drink, towel off, and rest a bit before we begin our next 1.5 minute workout. We continue this process of 1.5 minutes working out, 20 second rest/switch for about 35-40 minutes.

The whole time you are working at your station, I am moving around the room, watching to ensure everyone has good and safe form and to answer any questions you may have. I am 100% dedicated to you and ensuring you have a good, safe workout! I will not be working out during this class – rather, I want to be available for you in case you have questions about what to do at a station or how to modify a particular exercise.

We continue this “circuit” until class has 15 minutes left. Then we will move to the floor (on mats I will lay out for you) and I lead you in 10 minutes of ab-blasting and back exercises. I will challenge you to work your core to its max during this time. For the last 5 minutes of class, we will cool-down and stretch.

2. What if I haven’t exercised in awhile and I’m not as in shape as I used to be? Can I still participate?

Absolutely. The class may sound a bit intimidating by its title and description, but all fitness levels and capabilities are welcome to join. All I ask from you is that you give it your best. I keep a completely non-judgmental environment in class, so I invite you to come and give it your best. Most of all have fun!

3. I have some injuries/conditions that prevent me from doing certain movements. Can I still participate?

Yes, definitely. I understand what it’s like to have some physical limitations and the feelings that can go along with that. Please know that I am happy to offer you personalized modifications so that you can still participate and reap the benefits of this class. Also, there is plenty of variety between stations, so chances are that you may only be limited in one or two exercises but fine to fully participate in the rest of them.

4. What types of exercises are at each station?

Variety is the name of the game! At each High Voltage session, I like to target your entire body so you get a full body workout every time. There are 10 stations and I like to alternate cardio with resistance/weight stations. For example, you might do jumping jacks at one station and then do bicep curls at the next station with skipping down and back at the next, and squats at the next, and so on. We finish the workout with some core work on the floor to target your abs and back. If you have back concerns that prevent you from doing some of these exercises, please speak to me before class and we will come up with alternate solutions that suit your needs.

5. What kind of music do you play in the class?

I play upbeat, energetic music that inspires you to keep going and giving it your all. J Some musical genres I might feature can range from classic rock to pop to soft rock with very little “techno” and no rap or hard rock. I like some songs without words, too (i.e.,Yanni, Moby, Crystal Method, etc.). Likewise, you might hear some Billy Joel, Goldfrapp, Three Doors Down, Michael Franti, Michael Jackson, Thousand Foot Krutch, Muse, Jimmy Buffet, *NSync, and REM just to name a few. I always ask for your music suggestions and am happy to include your favorite songs in future workout sessions. There are index cards provided for you after class to write down your favorite workout tunes so I can include your preferred songs, too.

6. What should I bring to the class?

You should bring three things: a water bottle filled with plenty of water, a towel, and (most importantly) a great attitude. Have a willingness to try new things and push yourself while we work out!

7. Sounds great. When is the class? Who teaches it?

We meet in the aerobics room on Wednesdays at 1730. My name is Sara and I also teach yoga on Tuesdays and Saturdays. I currently hold my Personal Trainer Certification from ACE, sometimes sub for spinning classes, and am also studying to become a Physical Therapist Assistant. I love exercising: I see the benefits it produces in the body, mind and spirit and I believe that the more we can get our bodies in motion, the better we will feel.

8. Why is the class called “High Voltage?”

I decided to call the class “High Voltage” because… I am a nerd. I like learning about physics, and when I learned that Volts = Amps x Resistance plus all the things that go along with electricity like capacitors and circuits, I originally wanted to describe the class like this: “High Voltage is a class where you will amp up your fitness capacity by doing circuit training with plenty of cardio and resistance training.” Yeah, I know. It’s corny! J

Sara's Teaching/Subbing Schedule for February

EVERY Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday my schedule is the same:

Tuesdays: Yoga at 1815 in the aerobics room

Wednesdays: High Voltage at 1730 in the aerobics room

Saturdays: Yoga at 1015 in the aerobics room, through February 18, 2012

Here's what's unique to this month:

February 18 will be my last Saturday yoga class with you all... unless I come to sub every now and then! I don't know who the replacement will be just yet - but I will miss you all! You have been such great Saturday students. If the class were earlier in the day, I could keep teaching it - but 1015 won't work for me anymore. :(

February 25 - Evelyn and Ellis will be teaching yoga that Saturday morning

Welcome to Whole Body Health!

You might be wondering why I've decided to create a blog... well, to answer your question, there are several reasons for this blog's creation.

First, as your group exercise instructor, I wanted you to know that I'm listening. I value your thoughts, questions, and opinions and I thought it'd be fun to create an open forum for you to come and communicate with both me as well as others who participate in my group exercise classes. This is a community forum for all of us to chat and share ideas and questions.

Secondly, I often have ideas and information I would like to share with you all but there is sometimes not time during my group exercise classes. Here, I can share inspirational tidbits of wisdom I may learn or a new exercise tip to help you get a better workout. I also like to cook and when I find a healthy, tasty recipe I plan to post it here and share it with you.

This communication is by no means one-way! If that were the case, I'd just ask that you sign up on my e-mail blast list and I'd send out a newsletter once a month! Instead, I want to hear what you have to say. I want to know what kind of music I can include in my next exercise session and what exercises you have found to be particularly beneficial so I can include those in my classes. I want to know what you like about my classes and also offer suggestions for improvement. How can I best serve you? I want to know!

So let's have fun. Let's share the wisdom we learn, exercise tips and strategies, and who knows what else. Let this be an open place of communication where we value each other's thoughts and opinions.

Have fun!