Failed Fit: "Ski" Skating...

By Jess in Minneapolis

source

Yesterday, Dustin and I took a ski-skating lesson at Hyland Park through the Three Rivers Park District. I signed us up several weeks ago, and I'm glad I did because yesterday was a beautiful warm winter day.

We both have cross country skied a handful of times in our lives, but only in the "classic" technique. I had heard that "ski skating" would be much harder than classic...and it was.  It was impossible! At least for me, it was. I just couldn't get it.

It didn't help that I was pretty tired (maybe just a touch hungover) from my friend Sam's CD release party at Honey the night before, but it didn't take long before I became really frustrated with myself during the lesson. Why was it so hard for me?

Of course, Dustin got the hang of it right away, and I was left behind just trying to stay upright and move forward. Ugh.

It didn't get any better throughout the hour and a half lesson. The instructor tried his best to help me, but this was a large group lesson, and he really didn't have the time to spend with me to work through my "issues."

Here's the thing- skate skiing is very different than classic.  It involves transferring your weight from one ski to the other, supported by the inner edge of the ski on the snow. Its supposed to look a bit like ice skating. The skis are shorter and stiffer than those used for the classic technique, and the poles are longer. Honestly, it looks pretty easy. But something wasn't clicking for me, and I guess I wasn't in the right mindset to stick with it. I suppose I basically gave up, and I was ready for the lesson to be over. When it finally ended, I allowed myself a short "pout"...well, I wallowed in my grumpy mood for a little too long....

A bit of background- I grew up in Wisconsin, where our closest "ski" hill was Cascade Mountain outside of Wisconsin Dells. The term "mountain" in its name is a bit of a misnomer. Its barely a small hill, and even at that, I only skied there a handful of times in my childhood. In college, I took one trip to Aspen with a boyfriend, but I was never all that comfortable on skis. When I started dating Dustin, he wanted to teach me how to snowboard. I was happy to leave skiing behind and pick up boarding instead.

Here we are on one of our first "ski" trips together, in Vermont. Dustin was learning to telemark ski while I learned to snowboard.

Let me tell you, learning to snowboard was not easy. The learning curve was quite steep. That first year included multiple tears being shed. I spent a lot of time on my butt. I fell thousands of times, and I often became really frustrated with myself.

But now, eight years later, snowboarding is one of my favorite winter hobbies. Even though learning to snowboard was hard and humbling, I stuck with it, and now, I really enjoy it. The struggle was well worth it.

With that said, I feel like I can't give up on learning to skate ski. I need to stick with it.

If you would have asked me if I'd try it again immediately right after the lesson, I definitely would have said no way! Now I have had a little more time to digest my experience, and I don't want to walk away from what could potentially be a really fun winter hobby.  After all, Dustin really enjoyed it, and there are hundreds of cross country trails near us that we should really take advantage of over the winters.

I was really disappointed with myself today- disappointed that I couldn't do it, and disappointed that I gave up. So, mark my words- I am not giving up!  I am going to sign up for a private lesson, and give it another try. Fingers crossed that with a little one-on-one coaching, I will at least learn the basics and be able to join Dustin in this winter activity!

Fit Challenge: 30 Day Plank Challenge

By Jess in Minneapolis

Did you get your plank in today? 90 seconds was pretty tough for me.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day, but if you hopped onto the challenge a little late, feel free to do 60 seconds again today, and 90 tomorrow.

For those of you who are right on schedule, go for the 90 seconds today, and rest tomorrow. You can do it!

Dustin and I did our 90 seconds this morning after a cross country "skate" ski lesson (Unfortunately the skate ski lesson was a huge failed fit for me- more about that in another post). During my 90 seconds, I kept asking Dustin "How much longer? How much longer?" I'm scared about the jump to 120 seconds on Day 16, but hopefully with 2 days at 90, it won't feel so bad.

Let me know if you complete the challenge today.

Good luck!

Fit Challenge: 30 Day Plank Challenge

By Jess in Minneapolis

I'm participating in Athleta's 30 Day Plank Challenge. I can't believe I forgot to tell you! 

But don't worry, its not too late for you to jump on board. I really want you to do it with me!

We're only on day 10, so we can call it a 20 Day Plank Challenge! Let's do it together. In fact, I'll even post a before and after picture of my "core" to see if there is any difference...I'm doubtful there will be a visible difference in 20 days, but I guarantee that ours cores will be stronger by the end of this challenge. Let's do it!

Also, going forward every month in 2014, I'm going to do a 30 day challenge (next month will be a sit-up challenge) to keep us all motivated and strong this year.

Now as you can see below, we’re already on 1 full minute, but I know you can do it! You can do anything for 60 seconds. 

Don’t worry if you miss a day. You can make it up the following day with two planks that day.

Okay, here I am doing my 60 second plank...in my work clothes. And yes, Tilda follows me around every where I go. I love that dog.

Let me know that you are in by joining in by stating "IN" in the comments here. We'll keep each other accountable.

There are even rest days built in. Let's strengthen our cores!  

60 seconds again tomorrow, let's do it!

Weekly Recap: Just trying to stay warm...

By Jess in Minneapolis

I haven't had much to post about lately, as I feel as though we are just trying to survive here in Minneapolis. The cold weather has been worse than ever, and I think a lot of people are hibernating to an extent. I'm really hoping the meteorologists are right and that a "heat wave" is on its way this weekend (30+ degrees!) 

What happened in fitness last week?
I still managed to get in some exercise despite the crazy cold weather. Here's a recap of how the week turned out in fitness:

Monday: Run on treadmill, 7 miles
Tuesday: Hour long barre class at Haute Barre, run on treadmill, 6 miles
Wednesday: New Year's Day run- brrrr! About 8ish miles
Thursday: Swam laps in the AM, then Aerial Circus Fitness class in the PM
Friday: Complete rest.
Saturday: 12 miles outside...tough going in the snow
Sunday: Boxing at TITLE boxing

I only ran four days (about 32 miles), had one complete rest day, one swim, one barre class, and one boxing class.

What's happening in fitness fashion?
Athleta just came out with some really fun new prints! I'm loving their new Chatarunga tights, aren't you?

source

They are $69, and oh, so adorable!

source

What's happening in Fashion?
Tom's suede lace-up wedges have been around for a little while, but I only just recently purchased a pair. Let me tell you, they are SO comfortable. I mean, they aren't a slipper, but they are the closest thing to it in a wedge! They are by far the most comfortable wedges I have ever worn. Favorite Fit for sure! I have paired them with skinny jeans, skirts, and dresses, and I'm really loving them. At only $89, they really aren't too expensive either.

Well, that's all for now. I hope you are surviving this arctic spell that has hit the nation.

How are you staying active in the cold? Please share!

Fits Do Fitness Class Reviews: Boxing at TITLE Boxing Club

By Jess in Minneapolis

Earlier this week, it was Aerial Fitness....today was boxing! A friend of mine has become a member at TITLE Boxing Club in Edina. She has a new-found passion for this hard-core workout, and she invited Dustin and me to try it out with her this morning.

This morning was brutally cold, so heading indoors to get a serious sweat sounded like a fabulous idea. 

We arrived 15 minutes early for the 9 am class, and filled out the necessary paperwork. Then a super friendly instructor fitted Dustin and me with the hand wraps. It was a bit of a complex process to wrap the hands, but I felt pretty hard core once they were on! (Is pink still hard-core?)

He gave us each a pair of boxing gloves and told us to head over and pick out a bag. I believe there were about 60 bags in the space. Though this morning's class was busy, there were still enough empty bags for us to find a spot within good site of the instructor.

The studio itself was quite large, very bright and clean, with cubbies for your personal items. I noticed a few showers, as well as some weightlifting equipment and treadmills. There was also a full-on boxing ring in the space for actual sparring!

The class started with a 10-15 minute warmup, which included some stretching and then plenty of cardio. It included some jogging, jumping jacks, side stepping, high knees, skips, and more. I started to sweat during the warmup, and was all pumped up by the end to start the boxing!

The basic structure of the regular boxing class includes eight sets of three minutes of boxing, with one minute "active rest" in between. During the "active rest" we definitely weren't resting- we were doing burpees, pushups, squats, and more! Sometimes we would incorporate some planks too. After each "one minute rest," we were back to the boxing.

There was a timer/clock in the corner that kept track of our "rounds." I thought it was a nice touch!

The instructor wore a headset with a microphone, so I could usually hear her instructions pretty well. There were a few times that I had a little trouble seeing her demonstrating the moves, as she frequently moved around the class to give guidance. However, it wasn't usually too hard to follow along, as the sequences were generally straightforward with a  combination of "jab", "cross", "uppercut", and "hook."

I have only taken one bag boxing class at the Firm, and that was many years ago. I have, however, taken quite a bit of kickboxing over the years.  How many of you had a video of Billy Blanks Tae-bo?  I definitely had a well-loved copy in high school, probably on VHS! Then, later in life at the University of Minnesota, I took quite a few kickboxing classes at the free rec center. I knew the basic moves, but bag boxing is definitely more challenging. There were a few times when I would hit the bag "wrong", and it would really hurt my hand or wrist. Yet when I hit it hard and "right" directly on the bag, I could tell the difference.

Tips for Trying out Bag Boxing: I didn't bring a sweat towel, and was pretty drenched! I definitely recommend bringing one. I also brought a water bottle with a twist top, and I wasn't able to open it without taking off a glove. I recommend bringing a squeeze top water bottle so you can easy take water breaks when you need to without taking the time to take off your glove.

Don't be discouraged if you get a little lost! Sometimes I would lose track of the "sequence" we were doing (probably because I was getting a little tired). I just tried to keep moving, and then would try to see what the other more experienced boxers were doing around me, and catch up.

Most importantly, just have fun! Sure, this is a good workout that builds strength and burns lots of calories, but it also is a great way to take out some pent-up aggression, get a good fix of boxing endorphins, and have a little fun!

My arms are pretty shaky now, and I have a feeling I will be sore tomorrow. I definitely got a solid workout in, and it was fun to try something new. I can see why my friend likes this workout so much.

Your first class is free, and you get to keep the hand wraps (not the gloves though). The website doesn't give a lot of information about pricing, but I believe the best deal is a monthly membership.

TITLE Boxing Club is a national chain, so if you have a certain type of membership, you will be able to take advantage of the studios across the country, which is a great idea if you travel a lot for work.  Currently, in Minnesota, there are locations in Edina, Woodbury, and Arden Hills. The club also offers kickboxing (with the bag), Power Hour workouts, and personal training. Its open to all levels- no previous experience necessary!

Head on over to TITLE Boxing Club, and give it a try!

Fresh New Fit: Aerial Fitness at the Stomping Ground

By Jess in Minneapolis

Have you ever been to a Cirque du Soleil show? I have seen a few of them: a traveling show in Minneapolis, and a couple different ones in Las Vegas. I was always impressed by the aerial performers. I knew that the moves they were doing just had to be challenging, but I had no idea just how challenging.

Let’s just say that I will have a greater appreciation for those performers the next time I see Cirque du Soleil, because last Thursday night, I actually tried to do some of those moves myself!

I purchased a Groupon for two aerial fitness classes at The Stomping Ground. 

None of my girlfriends seemed all that interested in joining, so lucky Dustin was “coerced” into joining me. 

I bought him the same Groupon (2 classes for $25, a $50 value) He grumbled quite a bit as the class approached..."Why do I let you convince me to do these things?"  He grumbled all the way downtown to the lofted studio where the class was held.  I told him to just try the one class, and if he really hated it, he wouldn’t have to use the second class that was part of the Groupon. He agreed. What a sport.

We arrived at the studio a little late, and waited outside in the below 0 temperatures, calling the numbers listed on the door to get access (be sure to have your phone handy if you go here!) No one was picking up the phone, and I was getting a little worried, and a lot cold. Fortunately, someone who lived in the building arrived and let us in. (Apparently, he was one of the instructors who lived there)

We quickly ran up the stairs, threw off our coats and shoes, and joined the two other girls in the class on the stretching mats. (There were only four of us total in the class)

We spent the first 15 minutes stretching, and I started to look around and wonder what we were in for... The space was full of character- exposed brick and dimmed lighting. 

There were two "lyra", or large metal hoops hanging from the ceiling with thick mats underneath, and then three "tissu" ropes hanging on the other side of the room. Tissu is the French word for the material used for these "ropes". It’s not silk- the instructor explained that silk wouldn’t work as it has no “grip:. You would slide right off of silk!  I’m not sure exactly what tissu is, but it felt like a heavy but smooth material with some “give,” like spandex.

There were mirrors on two sides of the space, and then curtains on the other sides, blocking off what appeared to be living quarters for some of the instructors.

We finished stretching, and the instructor told us we'd start the evening’s class on the lyra. Fun!

She had us test the lyra to get a feel for how heavy they were, and then we did a few little exercises with it to warm up our upper body.

Our instructor for the night was a very slim woman, probably in her mid-20s. She said she had been practicing aerial performance for about three years, and she was really quite good at it. She would demonstrate each move for us, and she made it look so easy and graceful...and then one of us would give it a try, and it would be way harder than expected!

First, we learned how to swing our legs up over our heads into an upside down “pike” position. 

From there we would swing our legs up over the lyra until we were hanging from our knees. 

Then, with one big core lift, we’d swing up to sitting position inside the circle of the lyra. Once in the sitting position, we tried balancing, by letting go of first one, then two hands.

The biggest challenge for me was just swinging my feet over my head into the pike! I just did not have the core strength to do it, and I always needed assistance. However, Dustin, who apparently may have a future in the circus, had no problems at all getting into the pike position! The biggest challenge for him was pointing his toes and trying to be graceful, ha! But seriously, he must have a much stronger core than me, even though I am the one who does all this yoga and barre. What the heck? All he really does for strength is rock climbing, but apparently, that is enough, because he was able to do nearly every move she demonstrated, and I was the one who struggled!

The instructor showed us a few other moves, like turning to the side, lying prone with our legs on one side of the lyra, and our upper body on the other. Then we’d lean way back and let go, holding on with just our legs. Crazy, but so fun!

By the end of our lyra work, I could tell my muscles were going to be sore the next day. Every time we tried a move, I would definitely feel like I was working, and there was some sweat dripping! It was an interesting type of workout, but I love switching it up like this (and I’m really grateful Dustin joined me!)

We spent nearly the whole class on the lyra, with only 10 minutes or so to try the tissu. I didn’t really mind though, as the lyra was really fun and challenging.

With the tissu, we only had time for some quick instruction on  climbing. You would wrap the tissu around one leg, and then sort of “stand” on the wrapped foot, as you pulled yourself up the rope to the top, rewrapping your foot as you went. Again, Dustin zipped right up to the top. I think SOME of his circus prowess had to do with upper body though, not just core! I struggled to climb at all! To be honest, by that point, my muscles were pretty tired, and I was ready to head to Black Sheep for some post-circus pizza and a Surly beer....!

Dustin climbing the tissu

When the class ended, I had a feeling Dustin had actually enjoyed it, even after all his complaining.   And I was right- he was willing to admit that he did enjoy himself after all. He will be joining me next week for our second session. Can I say, I told you so?

I won’t be quitting my day job yet to join the circus, but the class was more fun than I expected, and definitely more fun than DUSTIN expected.  I highly suggest that you give it a try, I think you’ll have a good time.

The Stomping Ground is located in the Coldside Building, at 110 North 3^rd St downtown Minneapolis.

From their website, “we support the performance arts community of acrobatics, aerialists, dancers, fire dancers, object manipulators, etc., by offering an inspirational environment where trying new things and refining your talents is strongly encouraged through weekly classes and open gym/skill shares. The Stomping Ground has 600 sq. ft. of hardwood floors and 13 ft. high ceilings with mirrors lining 20 ft. x 8 ft. of walls. We have 4 aerial rig points with 3 tissu, 2 lyras, a sling, 2 poles and a plethora of object manipulation props. An audio jack hook up is available to plug into the sound system and purified drinking water for hydration.”

"The Right Fit" for Aerial Fitness:

The website instructed us to wear fitted tops, with yoga pants or footless leggings. Dustin joked that he doesn't exactly have those in his wardrobe… Most of his running pants have zippers at the bottom, which were not allowed as they could tear the equipment.  He went with some longer athletic shorts and a t-shirt, but he had to keep tucking his shirt into his shorts lest it drape over his head when he went upside down (which we did a lot!) and the teacher gave him a bit of hard time for wearing shorts. For the next class, he will definitely wear pants. I just wore a pair of Athleta leggings and an Athleta tank. You could wear socks on the lyra, but not on the tissu.

What to Bring: I brought a water bottle, but that was it.

Who should try it? Anyone! Male or female. I’m sure it’s easier if you have some previous dance or gymnastics experience, but Dustin and I have neither, and we still managed to have a good time.

Fit Fanatic: New Year's Day Run in the Freezing Cold.

By Jess in Minneapolis

Happy New Year! We are going through a crazy cold spell here in Minneapolis. The high on New Year's Day was only 0 degrees, and when I woke up, it was -7 with a "feels like" temperature of -20.  I would normally just head to the treadmill, but a few brave souls had organized a New Year's Day run to start off 2014, and I didn't want to miss out on the....fun? Fun? Is that what we're calling it? Ha!

On New Year's Eve, there was plenty of texting back and forth with this group, and I was thinking (hoping?) that the run would be cancelled, but it wasn't. Nope! At 9 am, three girlfriends came over, all bundled up, and we ventured out into the arctic cold for a New Year's Day run. We managed 7.8 miles, and to be honest, it wasn't really that bad.

With the right gear- with the Right Fits- you can run safely and comfortably, even when the temperatures are below freezing.

This post is all about the gear! I'm going to share with you what each of us wore to run, providing links to similar products for you to purchase to complete your winter running essentials and run through the winter safely and comfortably.

Me (Jess):
Footwear: SmartWool, Yak-Trax & Brooks
The trails were mostly clear, but I still wore my YakTrax Run paired with my Brooks Ravennas.

I wore a regular pair of running socks under a pair of SmartWool knee high ski socks. I probably wear my YakTrax more than most people (I was the only one wearing them that day), but I think I'm a little nervous ever since I broke my ankle on the ice in 2008.

Bottoms: Two layers.
I wore two pair of tights- a pair of Craft running tights (similar) and then a pair of fleece lined Adidas running tights (similar). The Adidas pair are pretty warm, but they don't actually stay up on my butt very well. This wasn't really an issue though, since they were on top of another pair. Problem solved!

Top: Four layers.
On top, I started with a lululemon bitty bracer, then my Costco tank top, Athleta long sleeve twist top, Nike long sleeve half zip (similar), and then a Nike windbreaker jacket (can't find anything similar online). The jacket is puffy and bright, and a good top layer.

Head: 
I wore my Nike face mask, but this was a bad choice. The face mask works well for a few miles, but then it starts to get sweaty, and then the sweat freezes, and you are left with a hard wall of ice covering your face and chin. I think that a warm hat,  paired with a neck gaiter (like THIS) is a better choice, because you can rotate the neck gaiter around as it freezes. Sounds weird, but it works! I won't be wearing the face mask again. My chin was FROZEN by the end. Failed Fit.

Hands:
I wore my Craft XC split finger gloves. Best gloves ever.

They really kept my hands warm. In fact, I was tempted to take them off towards the end, as my hands were getting so sweaty! They are seriously the best running gloves.

So, that's a lot of layers, but other than my face issues, I felt pretty comfortable with what I was wearing in the cold.

Let's move on to what Lindsey wore!

Lindsey
Footwear: Brooks!
Lindsey is a Brooks girl as well, with the PureFlow 2 as her shoe of choice. She paired hers with SmartWool tall wool "ski" socks. Seriously, snowboarding or ski socks are perfect for cold weather running!

Bottoms: Two layers.
Lindsey also wore two layers on bottom. She went with a pair of Under Armour Fitted Coldgear thermal pants (similar) and Brooks Utopia Thermal Pants <--I have these too, and they're great!

Top: Four layers.
Four layers for Lindsey as well.  She started with an Under Armour Heat Gear short sleeve (similar), and then a Champion base layer long sleeve (similar). Then she topped those with an Under Armour fitted cold gear thermal long sleeve (similar), and a super cozy Marmot polartec power shield shell jacket (similar) Marmot makes really great cold weather gear, and I think their stuff is worth the extra money.

Head:
Lindsey wore a 686 infidry balaclava with mouth vent, which she highly recommends! (similar here) She paired it with a Brooks headband, and said she felt pretty warm.

Hands:
She wore two pairs of gloves- Mizuno knit gloves and Nike storm-fit tech running gloves. (Find similar gloves HERE and HERE)

Lindsey said she felt pretty warm and was dressed well for the weather!

Next up...Kelly! Now Kelly used to say no running for her if the temperatures were in the single digits, but she was one of the primary organizers of the New Year's day run. I guess 2014 brings a new tougher, cold resistant Kelly!

Kelly
Footwear:
Kelly's shoe of choice is the Asics Nimbus. She paired hers with just ONE pair of regular fitsox (apparently she isn't on the SmartWool ski sock bandwagon yet!)

Bottoms: Two layers.
Kelly's base layer was a pair of well-loved (or, as she said "really old") spandex, with Nike running tights on top (similar).

Top: Three layers.
Only three layers for Kelly on top, but her top layer was quite warm. Her base layer was a Nike shell, topped with a warm long sleeve from Costco (I'm telling you, they have some decent fitness attire at Costco!) and then a black down jacket from Target that was super warm and cozy. (similar) I think I need to buy one of those. Only $34.99 and really cute, right? Go Target!

Head:
Kelly was smart and went with the neck gaiter and a wool hat.

All of Kelly's winter gear for today's run!

Hands:
She gets warm hands quickly, so she only wore a pair of Nike running gloves and was completely fine.

Kelly said overall, she was dressed well, and felt pretty warm. The only exception was that her hamstrings were a little chilly. She said should have used a warmer layer on bottom.

Next up...Monica! Monica is one tough cookie, and she is a really strong runner. I didn't get an individual picture of her on New Year's Day, but she's the second one from the left in the group photo above with the snow covered purple hat.

I feel bad that Monica didn't get own picture, so here's an adorable picture of her dog Darla!

Monica
Bottom: Two layers.

Monica wore two layers on the bottom, with a pair of Reed Street Spandex leggings topped with a pair of Athleta Polartech Power Stretch 2 Tight  (Awesome pants, only $79!)

Top: Four layers!

Monica started with a Nike dri-fit seemless tank top, and then put on an Athleta Longsleeve Wonder Wick It Tee Running Top  (She's a bit of an Athleta lover, if you can't tell!)  Next, she wore a North Face Women's Windwall 1 Jacket, and on top of that, a North Face Apex Bionic Soft Shell Jacket. This girl was READY!

Head:

On her head, Monica wore a Bula Beanie. To protect her face, she wore a Dakine Hood-lum bandana. Its not shown in the picture above, but this is kind of what it looks like:

They are pretty popular with snowboarders, but work well for running as well! Monica also donned a one-of-a kind polar fleece scarf (handmade by her mom- so awesome!)

Hands:
She kept her hands warm with some Saucony Ultimate Run Gloves.

Dustin joined us as well for the New Year's Day fun. He wasn't a big fan of being the only man on the run, so he cut his run a little short. He did recommend that we grow beards to keep our faces warm, but I'm not sure that's going to work for the ladies.

He wore his Brooks Cascadia trail shoes (he prefers those to YakTrax), a Patagonia base layer, Craft running tights (similar), a Craft running jacket (similar), his knit hat from the Mustache Run in 2012, and Craft gloves (similar to mine). Apparently this guy loves Craft brand running attire!

We didn't think it was a good idea to bring Matilda on the New Year's day run. Vizslas are superb runners, but they don't have a very thick coat, and aren't really winter dogs. Even when the temperature is in the teens, she still gets cold paws and ends up running on three legs. We took her to the neighborhood dog park later in the day instead to let her run free. That was a better idea for our little sweetheart.

So there you have it. Hopefully this post offered you some helpful ideas for the right gear to get you through the rest of what could be a very long and cold winter.

Happy Winter Running!