When Thomas Circle Sports Club began its transformation into Balance Gym last summer, many of you let us us know there was one thing we needed to bring back — spin instructor Stacy Martin. We listened and Stacy rejoined the team in December, bringing not only her enthusiasm back to spin, but to her position as Membership Coordinator. Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about Stacy!
Q: What drew you to Balance?
A: I really am impressed with the fact that Balance Gym has such a variety of ways to work out. You can do spinning, yoga, boxing, CrossFit or you can take a Pole Pressure class. Where else in the city can you get that type of variety from a gym. There are no excuses for claiming boredom here. Once you think you have reached your fitness goal there is always something for you to advace to. I have never worked for a gym that offers so many fitness styles and classes. It is a great place to grow and learn.
I used to work at the Washington Post doing sales and marketing behind a desk everyday 9-5. Switching to the fitness industry was one of the best things that I could have done.
You may have been hearing a lot of about the pros of interval training lately. For example, this Associated Press story: “Interval Training Can Exercise Hours Sharply,” which says “intense exercise sessions could help people squeeze an entire week’s workout into less than an hour.”
So what exactly is interval training? Who does it? Can I do it? Does Balance Gym use it? Thanks to Balance Trainer Ben Wiedemer, we can answer all your interval inquiries!
Q: What is interval training?
A: At the very basic, interval training consists of short periods of high intensity work followed by periods of lower intensity work that allows the individual to recover.
Q: Who has historically used interval training? Who uses this type of training now?
A: Historically interval training has been utilized mostly by athletes to improve their performance on the field, track, court etc. In recent years, however, more and more non-athletes have embraced interval training, because it will dramatically improve an individual’s aerobic capacity to work at higher intensities. At Balance Gym one of our goals is to help our clients improve their “work capacity”— or in other words— do more work (run, lift etc) in less time.
CrossFit and fitness enthusiasts across the East Coast were a buzz on Sunday about DC’s Most Primal Competition held at Primal Fitness. Here at Balance Gym, we were also pretty excited because so many of our members and trainers were there to compete!
And compete we did! We’d like to congratulate former Balance trainer Josh Courage and Balance member Steve Opiyo on their second and third-place wins respectively. We’d also like to give a shout out to trainer Jim Bathurst who held his own in first place for the first two events — and strong competitors (and Balance members!) Tom Arend, Chris Sheppard, and Crossfitter Ewunike Akpan. A special thanks to CrossFit DC coach Tom Brose, who helped time the last event and coaches many of the aforementioned competitors weekly.
The overall competition consisted of three events. The first one event was announced one week prior to the event, while the other two were revealed the day of the competitions.
Event 1:
Two attempts at an “Overhead Anyhow” using strict USA Weightlifting rules. Most went for the Clean and Jerk. Though Jim Bathurst decided on a Continental Lift (see video below).
Event 2 (see video below):
Three boxes (much like Jersey walls) of increasing heights were placed in a line across the gym floor. In front of each box was a sandbag of decreasing weight. In the case of the guys, this meant 120 lbs, 100 lbs, and 80 lbs. For women it was 100lbs, 80lbs and 60lbs. First the bags went over the boxes, then the competitors. PLUS, they then had to scale an 8-foot box and then do the box jumps again, in reverse. Fastest time won.
Event 3 (see video below):
15 minutes of AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
Block run (about 300 meters)
25 double-unders
10 burpees
Check out Jim Bathurst’s video of the first event here:
Check Out Josh Courage’s videos of Event #2 and Event #3 here:
Today’s post comes from Guest Blogger Jim Bathurst, CSCS, NSCA and personal trainer at Balance Gym.
During these winter months where the days are shorter, the nights longer, and the weather less bathing-suit friendly, we all find ourselves getting a lot less sunlight. And with that decrease in sunlight, we see a decrease in vitamin D production in our body. But what if I was to tell you that you may be deficient in vitamin D in the middle of summer too?
Why is Vitamin D Important Anyway?
First off, why should we even care about the levels of vitamin D in our body anyway? What has it ever done for us? Well, how about…
Yes, Valentine’s Day is over, but the love at Balance Gym is not! Yesterday we told you the story of Robin and Taryn Habberley and how they love having a full-time workout partner. Today we bring you the story of Season Dietrich and Matt Burris, a couple whose love for being fit is only matched by the love they have for each other! And the start of this tale begins… right here at Balance Gym Kalorama.
Around the end of the summer of 2008, Matt and Season got off to a hot and sweaty start — at a early morning Balance Boot Camp that is! Something about Season had caught Matt’s eye and he started asking around about her. “I guess it’s good if you can make an impression on someone despite the fact that it’s 6:30 a.m. and you’re drenched in sweat.”
The two eventually found out they had a lot in common and started dating on Feb. 13 2009 — and have been working out together ever since. Everything from Balance Boot Camps, to taking long walks and hiking Machu Picchu, to trying their hand at the Olympic bobsledding facility in Lake Placid, NY. Season says they even “come up with our own boot camp workout when we’re away from Balance.”
Much like Robin and Taryn, Season and Matt really enjoy the motivation having an active partner brings. “Motivation is definitely a big benefit, and working out together is also one of the ways in which we grow closer,” Season explains. “Challenging each other and accomplishing physical feats together makes us feel like a powerful team!”
Awww Valentine’s Day. Are you celebrating spending the day on the couch, with your favorite someone and a box of chocolates? You’re probably not the only one. Bob Harper, celebrity trainer best known for his work on The Biggest Loser, recently told the press that it’s your relationships that can effect your lifestyle the most. This can be negative (being couch potatoes, eating all your meals out) — OR it can be positive (cooking together, hiking outdoors.)
“”Following the same path, you can encourage each other in a good way,” Harper says. Having someone close keep you accountable means you can find the motivation to head out the front door and go for a jog even when it’s pouring rain.”
To see a real life example of this, look no further than Balance Boot Camps. Several times a week and almost every Saturday you’ll see husband and wife team, Robin and Taryn Habberley jumping boxes, doing burpees and lifting weights together.
Both Robin and Taryn both grew up playing sports. Robin spent his most of his youth playing Rugby and Cricket, while Taryn was a member of a state champion softball team. “She still has the circa 1995 t-shirt,” Robin jokes.
Has Snowpocalpyse got you down? Sigh… Can’t run without slipping on the ice. Car has been blocked by a snowplow. Gym is closed. Excuses! Excuses! This doesn’t mean you can’t get your workout in!
Balance trainer and Kalorama manager Ori Gorfine says bad weather should never be an excuse for not keeping up your fitness routine, so he created the following:
There’s Snow Excuse Workout
-10 minutes, as many rounds as possible
5 push-ups*
10 sit-ups
15 squats
* Can’t do that many push-ups? Try doing them at an incline against a bed or couch.
“This is a great full-body workout,” Ori says. “You’ll work three different muscle groups without having to take a break — and it will elevate your heart rate so you’re getting in some cardio too.”
Traveling? This makes for a great work out in your hotel room too!
It isn’t exactly a news flash that staying fit keeps your body in better working order than those who just lie around all day. But a recent article in the New York Times tells us now we have research that shows us why it also keeps us younger: exercise keeps your cells living longer!
In a recent study, German scientists formed four groups: young (in their 20s) and sedentary, young and active (running at least 45 miles a week), older (average age of 51) and sedentary, and older and active (running at least 50 miles a week. *Editor’s Note: Whoa!*) and examined their white blood cells. What the researchers discovered was some pretty amazing stuff.
If you know more than one or two female athletes, more than likely you’ve probably heard the words “I tore my ACL.” Why? Well, research has shown that young female athletes are three to times as likely as boys to tear an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
To help combat this seemingly growing epidemic, Balance Gym Kalorama recently launched a class for a traveling girls soccer team who wanted to learn how to propely protect their knees.
The girls are now strengthening their legs with resistence belts, toning their core through sit-ups and learning to land softley by jumping off truck tires.
This unique way of training caught the attention of the Washington Post, which recently profiled the class. The article says that “girls who take part in such programs can reduce their chances of injury by as much as 88 percent compared with those who don’t”
If you’re looking to strengthen your ACL, The American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests performing closed-chain exercises (for example, leg presses, squats, lunges) as part of your strength-training program. Also, do some cross-training in your cardiovascular workout using the stairclimber, stationary bike, elliptical trainer or ski machine.
For ACE’s Top Six Exercises for Preventing ACL Injuries, click here.
Good news for all those women who aren’t afraid to do a little heavy lifting. British Columbia researchers released a study recently, which found that older women who did an hour or two of strength training exercises each week had improved cognitive function a year later.
The researchers formed two groups of women between the ages of 65 to 75. One group performed strength training exercises with dumbbells and weight machines, while the other stuck to balance and toning exercises. Those that did the strength training improved their scores on executive function tests by 10.5 to 12.6 percent. The other group’s scores were actually lower!
At Balance Gym Kalorama, we know the importance of keeping fit by using weights, no matter your age. Which is why we offer a Senior Fitness class on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. For more information call 202-797-0021 or email Ori Gorfine at ori@balancegym.com.
rejoined the team in December, bringing not only her enthusiasm back to spin, but to her position as Membership Coordinator. Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about Stacy!
people squeeze an entire week’s workout into less than an hour.”
friendly, we all find ourselves getting a lot less sunlight. And with that decrease in sunlight, we see a decrease in vitamin D production in our body. But what if I was to tell you that you may be deficient in vitamin D in the middle of summer too?
Taryn Habberley and how they love having a full-time workout partner. Today we bring you the story of Season Dietrich and Matt Burris, a couple whose love for being fit is only matched by the love they have for each other! And the start of this tale begins… right here at Balance Gym Kalorama.
every Saturday you’ll see husband and wife team, Robin and Taryn Habberley jumping boxes, doing burpees and lifting weights together.
It isn’t exactly a news flash that staying fit keeps your body in better working order than those who just lie around all day. But a recent article in the New York Times tells us now we have research that shows us why it also keeps us younger: exercise keeps your cells living longer!
If you know more than one or two female athletes, more than likely you’ve probably heard the words “I tore my ACL.” Why? Well, research has shown that young female athletes are three to times as likely as boys to tear an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
recently, which found that older women who did an hour or two of strength training exercises each week had improved cognitive function a year later.