Posted on Sat, May 21, 2011
Nothing beats Kickboxing Training for getting out your frustrations and relieving stress! Taught by Eastpointe’s experienced Mauy Thai fighter and certified trainer, Anthony Craparo, as well as by our certified trainer and group fitness instructor, Tarryn Dieterrle, you can learn Kickboxing techniques and exercises in one-on-one or small group sessions. “I’ll teach you the right way to kick and punch”, said Anthony. “Unlike Kickboxing Aerobics classes, in Kickboxing Training you make contact… you get to hit stuff… which makes it a great way to relieve stress and get into the best shape of your life. And while we’re at it, you’ll learn some self defense skills too.”
Kickboxing combines elements of traditional Western boxing with Eastern martial arts to give you the most incredible total body workout you will ever experience. This rigorous workout utilizes controlled jabs, hooks, uppercuts and kicks with the bag and gloves designed to increase your balance, agility, strength, stamina, reaction, speed and coordination. “I’ll take you through the techniques that competitive Kickboxing fighters use to train,” said Anthony. “Besides the physical benefits of Kickboxing Training, it can also improve self confidence and self esteem.”
Whether you want to lose weight, work on upper body or lower body conditioning or improve core strength, Kickboxing Training has it all. "Kickboxing Training is focused, fast paced and fun,” said Tarryn. “Anyone can do it. From kids to seniors, whatever your fitness goals, Kickboxing Training can get you there.”
So what are you waiting for! Get in the best shape of your life and make “contact” by signing up for Kickboxing Training at Eastpointe Health & Fitness. Click here for a complimentary 30-minute session.
Posted on Mon, Apr 18, 2011
If you are looking for a total body workout that totally kicks butt, than you can’t do better than taking a Kickboxing class at Eastpointe Health & Fitness. Kickboxing is an excellent way to increase your stamina, flexibility, and strength . . .and it’s a lot of fun!
Combining elements of boxing, martial arts, and aerobics, Kickboxing gives you overall physical conditioning and toning. This rigorous cardiovascular workout utilizes controlled jabs, hooks, uppercuts and kicks designed to get you on your way to a leaner body. Practicing Kickboxing moves can also help to improve your balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
"Kickboxing is a great exercise for all fitness levels,” said EPH&F Kickboxing Instructor Julia Marone. “No matter where you are in your fitness journey, modifications can be made to all of the Kickboxing movements to allow for lower or higher impact on your body. It can also be a great interval workout by allowing combinations of martial arts style movements and plyometrics.”
EPH&F also offers Turbo Kick which is a variation of Kickboxing. “Turbo Kick is a little different from Kickboxing.” said EPH&F Turbo Kick Instructor, Krista Corr. “It’s a combination of Kickboxing moves along with dance moves choreographed to motivating music. Turbo Kick is high energy fun with a hip hop flare.” Krista is so passionate about doing Kickboxing that that is why she became an instructor. “I was taking the class for a year at Eastpointe and the instructor got hurt,” she said. “There weren’t any Kickboxing subs at the time and I couldn't live without it because Kickboxing had become a part of my daily routine. So I decided to get certified in Turbo Kick myself and now I’m an instructor!”
Kickboxing is also a great stress reliever. If you’ve had a bad day, you can Kickbox away your frustrations. Fans of Kickboxing also say that the practice helps them to feel more empowered and confident achieving a healthier state of mind. "Exercising is always more enjoyable with a group and when you’re doing freestyle Kickboxing or Turbo Kick time just seems to fly by,” added Julia. “Everyone is always sweating after class and smiling I love to see new faces and members getting into the combinations. So if you've had a bad day or good day come down and kick it! I guarantee a good time and a better mood."
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and jab, punch, and kick your way to fitness.
Posted on Thu, Apr 07, 2011
By Michael Muradi - Gym Member & Personal Training Client
Not all fitness places are created equal. Some may have magnificent decorations, state of the art machines, and amenities like pools and hot-tubs that can draw the superficial inclinations in all of us. In my early twenties, I was struggling with getting in shape and developing the kind of fitness consistency necessary for a healthy body and mind. More importantly, I was sick and tired of saying one day I will get into top notch shape or this New Year’s I am definitely going to make this a priority. The one thing that I found out about the gyms with all the hype and hoopla is that they do enough to get you in, but nothing more than that. For people like me who were just starting out and had no clue or confidence about machines, routines, and form that makes a big difference.
Interestingly enough, after ballooning to 230lbs in late 2005, I decided to give Eastpointe Fitness a try after speaking with the owner, Paul Mazzella. Paul was very down to earth and empathetic and basically assured me that if I was willing to do my part (eat right and just show up consistently) that I could achieve my goals. Soon after signing on, the staff at Eastpointe were incredibly nice and supportive. I had never worked out in a place where the trainers would stop what they were doing to say “keep up the good work” and “you’re doing a good job”. From a confidence standpoint, it certainly helped to keep me motivated and made me feel safe enough to continually trying new things. I was also one of those people that worried about what others might think if I tried this or that in a gym. However, within two months that feeling and discomfort virtually disappeared and I was finally feeling like a regular…. In June 2006, after making it a personal goal to get lean and healthy for four months, I lost 70lbs and it was amazing!! All the years prior, I could not see myself in a gym, however at that moment I could no longer envision not being in a gym and more importantly not being in Paul’s gym. I had maintained my weight loss and routine for an extended period of time and it was simply unbelievable.
Consequently, in the spring of 2008, I began to develop some issues with my lower back and I went to the Doctor and was prescribed an array of painkillers and drugs which essentially numbed the pain, but did not really do anything else. I decided soon after to try personal training with one of the trainers, Nadine Wallauer. Within a month of the training specifically designed for strengthening my lower back, my pain disappeared and I had actually developed more strength and better form overall.
I have since remained a steady client of Nadine’s and I would recommend her to anyone at any level. Whether you are starting out, getting back in, or simply want to enhance your fitness, Nadine has an amazing ability to bring out the best in people and she has become someone who I consider a great mentor and friend as well. In addition, I have also worked with Charlie Grant who is also an amazing trainer with tremendous insights on strength building and power. I have also taken body sculpt classes with Grace Long and consulted with general manager and nutritionist, Kim Garrity on how to eat better and make optimal food choices. I consider the staff to be a team with a down to earth multidisciplinary approach to fitness and health and that is something you don’t always get at other fitness facilities.
I am proud to say that Eastpointe Health and Fitness has played an important role in my life and the continuing development of my health and fitness. Most recently I went to England for a year and came back out of shape and a little overweight. However, just like the old days, it was coming back to my second home and with my extended family at Eastpointe Health and Fitness that has helped me return back to my old self. According to my most recent training session with Nadine, I am only two months away from returning to my 2006 shape! What else can you ask for?
I hope you will give Paul Mazzella and his wonderful staff a try!
Sincerely,
Michael Muradi
Posted on Wed, Mar 23, 2011
Core Balance is a low-impact class for all ages and fitness levels. It focuses on the all important “core muscles” which are critical for flexibility and balance, and are cited as the number one problem area by women. The class helps you build strength and flexibility and results in an improved posture and a strong lean body. “Core work is not just about abs, and balance is not standing on one leg, it's about creating a strong frame for your body that will help prepare you for daily life activities”, said Grace Lang Personal Trainer/Instructor at EPH&F.
Your core consists of the collection of muscles around your midsection that, when strong enough, supports your body in almost everything it does, from swinging a golf club, to reaching up for something on a top shelf. Weak core muscles leave you susceptible to poor posture, lower back pain and muscle injuries.
The class utilizes a variety of fitness tools such as the stability ball, dyna-bands and resistance bands, as well as free weights. The easy to follow exercises engage your core muscles, while also engaging other muscle groups, so you get a full body workout. For example, by performing exercises while sitting or lying on a stability ball, you strengthen your core as it is being engaged in maintaining your balance while at the same time building strength of other muscle groups by incorporating free weights or resistance bands. “I love adding variety to my classes and mixing up the exercises to keep the class fun while at the same time keeping muscles challenged”, said Grace.
If you haven’t tried a Core Balance class, we invite you to put your core to the test and experience the total body workout the class offers; Grace teaches the class on Tuesdays at 5:15 pm.
Posted on Sun, Feb 13, 2011
SPIN class is a group exercise class lead by a certified instructor, which offers a high-intensity, yet low impact workout perfect for everyone from the beginner to advanced participant. "SPIN is truly a class for everybody,” said Spin instructor, Dori Murray. “You can work at your own pace and ride with the class, there is nothing else like it! Spinning offers our members an efficient way to maintain or lose weight, stay in fabulous shape, promote fat loss, and improve lower body and core strength.” A typical SPIN class lasts about 45 minutes and includes warm-up and cool down stretching.
"Last week a member told me, 'Your class is my weekly therapy.' This was one of the best compliments you can receive as a SPIN instructor,” said Kelly Lawrence, Monday and Thursday evening SPIN instructor. “SPIN aerobics is one of the few workouts that you can add a personal touch to, both as the instructor or the student. The instructor guides the class with a choreographed bike ride and the user can adjust that ride to meet their needs. The ride can be modified for any age, fitness level, or physical restraints.”
Dori recommends Spinning no more than three to four days a week. In addition to Spinning, strength training is recommended so that Spinning does not burn away muscle, but burns the fat you want to get rid of. Along with strength training, yoga and Pilates will help to elongate muscles and improve muscle symmetry.
At Eastpointe Health and Fitness, each SPIN instructor brings their own personality to the workout with their music selection and riding style. Whether you are going “around the world” with Britney Spears, “jumping” to the latest GLEE tune or “climbing a hill” out in position 3 with Tom Petty, there is a SPIN workout for everyone at Eastpointe Health and Fitness.
Posted on Thu, Oct 21, 2010
By Susan Patton, Personal Trainer
Are you suffering through long steady bouts on the treadmill? Have you found yourself falling asleep on the elliptical as your body goes into auto pilot? Let me tell you something, if you’re bored, so is your body! Time to look and feel alive, inside and out with interval training.
Interval training consists of short burst of high intensity followed by a recovery period. The process is repeated throughout the duration of the total workout, which should always first include a low intensity warm-up period of about 5 minutes and a cool-down period of 5 about minutes.
You may only be able to start out doing about 10 minutes of interval training, with your warm-up and cool down, may only add up to 20 minutes total. And if you’re used to putting in something like 60 minutes, this may seem like you’re cheating yourself. This is most certainly not the case. In most areas of fitness, it is the quality of the workout, not the quantity. Say your boss gave you 4 hours of work to do and you got it done in 2 hours? That would make you pretty effective and efficient (and perhaps invite some snide remarks from your co-workers.) It’s essentially the same idea in fitness. You can get the same, and perhaps more, benefit from a high intensity 20 minute workout as you can from a lackluster 60 minute workout. Interval training is one way to achieve this efficiency.
Since everyone’s maximum intensity levels differ, you should gauge yourself on a rating scale of 1 – 10: 1 being almost at rest, 5 at a jog and 10 at a full out sprint. After your warm up, bring your self up to about a 7 for 15 – 30 seconds, then back down to a 5 for a minute or 2. Repeat this process for 10 minutes then begin a cool down. As time progresses and you become more fit, increase the intensity of your maximum interval as well as the duration, decrease the amount of recovery and increase the total time for the intervals beyond 10 minutes.
Yes, you will feel uncomfortable for those 15 – 30 seconds, and it’s impossible to expect you to endure a workout of substantial time, too far removed from your comfort zone. But, you can’t increase your fitness without bringing yourself out of your comfort zone for a period of time. That’s the beauty of intervals. You’re only out of your comfort zone for a limited amount of time. And in that time, you begin to allow your body to reach a new level and increase your lung capacity. As you do that, you also increase your body’s capability and efficiency for processing oxygen, a must have for your muscles!
And just think, if you don’t have to spend 60 minutes on the treadmill anymore that leaves you more time to get out on the gym floor and build some lean muscle, your body’s number 1 defense against body fat! (See Cardio vs. Strength Training).
So next time you see the person next to you jack up the intensity and make all that noise for 30 seconds or so, they aren’t crazy, they’re interval training! Stay healthy my friends!
Posted on Fri, Oct 08, 2010
By Susan Patton, Personal Trainer
So you’ve decided to get yourself into shape. Congratulations! You’ve joined Eastpointe Health & Fitness. Even bigger kudos! You have visions of your future self with leaner legs, defined shoulders and tighter arms. You want to create a bit of a little “situation” out of your own abs. Most of all, you want to increase your metabolism and your overall health.
Now what?
You dig through some old boxes you haven’t seen in a while to retrieve some old workout clothes. You check yourself out in the mirror and decide to take off the headbands, wristbands and leg warmers and put them back in the box (hey, they could come back in style someday). You think, “Has it been that long since I worked out?” and instead, opt for a pair of sweats and a “Pete and Eldas” t-shirt. On your way to EPH&F, you think about what won you that free t-shirt (eating an entire double XL pie yourself) and how many of them you have (27). Then you think about pizza.
Pulling into EPH&F, slightly hungry now, you boldly swipe your key tag as the front desk encourages you to “enjoy your workout!” “Wait, I’m really here to workout?” you think as you stand before a conglomerate of people who seem to operate on auto-pilot. They buzz busily around the gym, as if following a map, and you think “hey, where’s my map?”
Scanning the room in a panic, you search for the most familiar piece of equipment you can find and spot the cardio area. Ahh, sweet stationary bike. After a few weeks at the gym and careful observation of fellow gym members, you boldly venture on to a new piece, the elliptical. You bounce around from cardio piece to cardio piece, gradually adding onto your workout. 20 minutes, 35 minutes, 55 minutes! Wow! You feel better. You actually like to sweat and you have more energy. One problem . . .the scale is moving at a snails pace, you’ve only moved your belt buckle over one notch and your arms still jiggle when you celebrate an interception in the red zone on Sundays. “I’ve been working out for months and I don’t look any different, what the heck is the problem,” you ask?
Too much cardio.
That’s right! Doing too much cardio can actually have a slightly adverse effect on your goals for a more svelte you. Now, that’s not to say you should toss your time on the treadmill or bike completely, but if that’s all your workout routine consists of, you’re missing a huge piece of the pie (no, no, not pizza pie. Focus!).
The truth of the matter is that cardio workouts will burn calories and will help you lose weight, but it will NOT change the way your body functions. Ask yourself this: “Do I want to just lose weight, or do I want to change the way my body functions?” Now, I’m no Mysterion the Mind Reader, but I’m going to say you opt for the later. In that case, I’m going to introduce you to a part of the gym you may not have ventured into just yet, but holds the missing part of your workout regimen, the weight room. That’s right, weight training will increase your metabolism, will change the way your body functions, and will help with that pesky belt buckle.
Never fear, I’m not talking about becoming the next Mr. or Miss Olympian, but adding just a few pounds of lean muscle to your frame will do your body wonders. Yes, I said ADD. Stay with me.
We’ve all heard that “muscle weights more than fat” right? Wrong! A pound is a pound! (Gotcha). It’s what that pound is made up of that makes all the difference. In fact if you compare, side by side, a pound of muscle and a pound of fat, the muscle would take up two thirds of the space the fat takes up! They weigh the same but the muscle is smaller and denser. Therefore, you can weigh the same, but look and feel completely different, depending on what makes up more of your body’s composition. I don’t even own a scale.
Adding lean muscle to your body increases your metabolism. For every one pound of lean muscle you have on your body, you burn approximately 50 calories, AT REST! That’s like giving your body extra points on the final exam, or overtime on the job. It’s something your body will do naturally while you sleep, eat, work and play. 50 calories? Big deal right? I can knock off 50 calories chewing sugar free gum in a day. That’s just one pound in one day. We need to look at the big picture here. Say we replace 10 pounds of body fat with 10 pounds of lean muscle. Now the numbers are more impressive: 500 extra calories at rest per day, at seven days a week adds up to 3500 calories! And guess how many calories just happen to be in a pound of body fat? Ding ding! That’s right Johnny, the answer is 3500 calories in a pound of body fat! Now tell’em what they’ve won: a leaner physique, increased energy, lower risk for killer diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, and a new wardrobe! (Well, that unfortunately would come out of your wallet, unless you have some great clothes that are in the box next to the headbands, wristbands and leg warmers. You just may want to consult your favorite reality TV star for its decade appropriateness.).
So get up off that cardio machine and start learning about the rest of the equipment at EPH&F. Hey, you pay for a gym membership, right? Might as well use the whole facility. Of course, it’s best to consult with a professional, especially when embarking on new territory in your workouts. EPH&F personal trainers will offer the best guidance towards the most efficient and safest ways of getting to your own personal goals, keeping in mind injury and the proper way of easing into a new workout.
And finally, be patient. It can take up to 6 weeks for some people to develop 1 pound of lean muscle. Think about how many years (and how many pizzas) it took you to get where you are now: five years, 10 years, 20 years or more? I can promise, if you work out the right way, stay consistent with it and follow up with some other adjustments in your lifestyle, the next 12 months could change your life. Yes, one year, not five. So good luck my friends and stay healthy!
Posted on Tue, Jul 06, 2010
Elaine Egidio asked: Many gym members who come to the gym regularly, find it hard to maintain their exercise routine while traveling. Can you recommend exercises that can be done in a hotel room using items that are easy to pack such as dyna bands, etc.
Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer Charlie Grant answers:
The first thing I would do when arriving at a new hotel is to ask where the closest gym is and a phone
number. Call and ask about a day or weekly pass, then do a drive by to check it out. If there wasn't one close or it didn't look good, I would use my Resistance bands and Dyna bands which are light weight and easy to pack in your luggage. When I used to travel I carried Resistance bands with a door chock on them. You would close it in a door at different heights so you could do chest presses or flyes, rows, move it high and do pull downs, triceps move it low or stand on it to do bicep curls, up-right rows, front and lateral shoulder raises. You could also stand on it and do squats, shoulder presses. Also standing on it and moving side to side using your leg abductors and adductors. I would also go running if the area looked safe, if not you could run in place or use the stair wells for you cardio.You're only there for a few days so make the best of it.
Photo Credit: Photograph World Sense
Posted on Tue, Dec 22, 2009
Dan White asked:
I was recently told by my Dr. that it's time for me to give up the heavy weights. Can I still increase mass and strength while lifting less than my max?
The following answer was provided by one of our expert personal trainers, Kevin
Delia... Yes for both areas of concern but it might be a little bit harder to accomplish the strength goals than the mass goals. Repetition ranges and the corresponding weight alterations for those repetitions will elicit a somewhat specific response of the trained muscles of the body. (This type of routine will have better success when used with sets of 3 or more or a pyramid routine.) Lighter weights and higher reps will help with toning and endurance gains, usually reps of 15 and above. Medium weights and reps will give you the hypertrophy (mass building) response, anywhere from 12 down to 8 reps. In the next zone of weight training, strength gain, reps will be from 8 down to 4. The final zone being for power gain, reps will be anywhere from 4 down to 1 rep.
Plenty of routines cross the lines into each other. The reason for that is to vary the program so the muscles are stimulated (shocked) to respond differently over the course of an individualized weight training program.
As described above, when the weights increase and the reps reduce there will be a tremendous difference in the stress placed on the tendons of the muscles. This will likely lead to some type of joint discomfort over time or immediately, many factors are involved. Depending on your training goals though this might be something of no concern, however, this is more than likely the reason many doctors will suggest that lighter weight be utilized as advanced age nears for their patients. My suggestion would be to vary the reps between the high end of the strength zone and up to the high end of the endurance zone. This will allow for you to continue to work on your goals of mass building and little bit of the strength. This will also help you reduce the joint and tendon discomfort associated with heavy weights.
Posted on Sat, Nov 07, 2009
Brooke Goss asked: For my cardio workout I enjoy running and using the elliptical but lately I have gotten shin splints. Is it my shoes? Is there an exercise or stretch that I can do to help? Also, do you have any suggestions on what I can drink or eat before my run to give me more energy? Thanks!
Paul Mazzella: Your questions were good ones and I had to consult my experts. For the first part of your question I consulted Mai, one of our Physical Therapists, who offered the following suggestions: Many times, shin splints are caused when the foot and ankle are not functioning properly. If your shoes are old (it is recommended that sneakers be replace somewhere between 300 - 500 miles), replacing the shoes may help. Also, choosing the elliptical over running may ease symptoms. You should try stretching your calf muscles (gastroc and soleus). It may also help to stretch your tibialis anterior muscle (if the front of your shins are hurting). Start in the tall kneel position, then lower your body and sit on your feet, keeping your toes pointed and our heels together. For the second part of your question, I deferred to our Nutritionist, Kim Garrity, who offered the following advice: Carbohydrates are your bodies primary source of energy. A carbohydrate snack approximately 1/2 hr to 1 hr prior to your workout is best to increase energy supply to the muscle. Good sources would be fruit, whole grain cereal or a cereal bar, crackers or pretzels. You should aim for between 30-60grams.
Thanks for two great questions Brooke!