PT Diaries

I remember the summer “Just Dance” first played on the radio;  I was obsessed with it.  I played it over and over on my computer speakers for Jim (the cool lawyer) at my office. Laughing he would shake his head and say with a huge smile “You know I tell my 11 year old daughter not to listen to this main stream crap…” I didn’t care, it just made me feel good!

I wasn’t sure what to expect at Lady Gaga’s concert last night at GM place (aka Rogers Arena).

Although I think she’s this century’s Madonna, unlike her, Gaga didn’t pull the ultimate diva move and didn’t make us wait until midnight to bless us with her presence; she emerged on the stage promptly at nine P.M.  She looked absolutely fabulous.  Her body was rockin’, her ass killer!! I swear she must do over 100 squats a day!

Some of my expectations were fulfilled; a sexually charged, narcissist Gaga danced around the stage surrounded by fireworks and hot half naked men frolicking and adoring her … and then out of nowhere Lady Gaga straddled the piano and sang a cappella… the crowd went silent. Her voice was raw, real and brought chills up my spine as she poured her soul out about her drunken father.  No amount of yoga classes would ever allow me to bend over a piano half naked, look so graceful and play the shit out of it!!! That my friend is TALENT!

The blood, the weird masks and the overall creepiness is interesting and would even pass as artistic to some people.  But I think the show is too naughty for the pre-tweens and tweens.  A 10 year old girls sat beside me and I found myself blushing and feeling awkward as Gaga yelled “M*ther F**ers get your d**ks out” I wouldn’t bring my daughter to see this type of show; distinction between reality, sexuality and what is acceptable are easily skewed when you are so young.

Did I love Gaga or did I hate Gaga…?? Well unlike Britney Spears who’s  performance was a train wreck that confirmed that she is simply a recording artist without a real gift for music (or dance) I think Lady Gaga is the real deal. She put on a great show and backed it up with a real voice; ya…she’s  chosen the money making, video selling, recording industry to make a bazillion bucks but she is still up there with Christina Aguilera if you ask me; beside who the heck am I to judge?  If I had her talent would I not do the same?

Before you knew it… the costume changes and set turnovers were done…it was over.

“Encore! Encore!!” the crowd chanted!

Finally…..Lady Gaga saved the best for last “J’ai ton amour and je veux ton revenge, J’ai ton amour, I don’t want to be friends… oh…caught in a bad romance…”

A definite 2 thumbs up in my opinion!

PT Girl xo

Surfaces

Where do you typically run; concrete, treadmill, trails, the running track? All these surfaces have pros and cons. Your best bet is to try and mix it up whenever you can.

Walk breaks

I personally dislike breaks and try to avoid them. But when I first started to run I took walk breaks a lot.  Professionals say walk breaks are key and should be taken before feeling gassed. This type of training is designed to increases your endurance and help avoid injuries. (Especially for newer runners)

Chat

Keep a comfortable pace while training. You should be able to maintain a light conversation or recite a poem (slightly winded). If you are signing along to Lady Gaga or Britney on your iPod you are not pushing hard enough but if you can barely get a word out, you’re definitely pushing too hard – slow down!!

Mileage

Running 101: only increase your mileage 10% every week.  Add an extra run day to your schedule or add extra minutes to your existing runs. Always listen to your body and if necessary only increase your mileage every second week.

Rest

Take a day off every week, recovery is very important. Get eight hours of sleep and make sure your diet includes plenty of carbs and protein to help recovery.

Mix it up

Trade in one of your runs for a spin class, do some laps in the pool or modify one of your runs to include some sprints, hills and speed work.

Shoes

Your running shoes should be worn outside and on the treadmill.   A good pair of sneakers should last you 300-500 miles.  Check the bottoms every 5-6 months and invest in a new pair when the bottoms are worn to avoid injuries.

Soft Landing

Your heels or mid foot should hit the ground first then transferring your weight into your toes; always landing softly without expending extra energy. If you tend to run on your toes for long periods of time, don’t be surprised if you encounter shin splints.

Aches & pains

When slight aches and pains start affecting your stride take a break until you heal. Running through it or ignoring the issues can cause serious problem which will inhibit you from running for an extended period of time. Trust me… when your knee locks up 15 km away from home you’ll wish you’d taken the time off to heal. I know I did! Read standard RICE.

We all have an injury story and we all have our bad habits. Recognizing our bad behaviors is the first step to correcting them. I never carry water or electrolytes and I rarely stretch. What’s your bad habit?

PT Girl xo

December was a busy month filled with travels and festivities.  In January I got back in the swing of things, working out with my Personal Trainer twice a week and running two to three times as well. I haven’t been to the Steve Nash Sports Facility in two months but yesterday morning I packed my bag and committed to going to my favorite spin class. The class doesn’t start until 5:30 p.m. but I knew if I wasn’t there by 5:20 p.m.  I risked the chance of not getting a bike. I rushed out of work, battled the traffic across town and arrived at the gym at 5:10 p.m. A lineup of 25 people has already formed in front of the class room.  “Jeez this class is getting popular! I didn’t leave work early for nothing; I better get a freaking bike!!” I groaned as I darted to the changing room, stripped off my clothes and changed into my workout gear as fast as humanly possible. With my laces still untied I grabbed a face towel and dashed to the end of the lineup.  I stood there tapping my right foot nervously. The lady in front of me turned and asked “How many bikes in the room?” “I’m not sure, maybe 30.” I responded. She glanced at the line and shrugged.

The door to the spinning room opened at 5:15 p.m. sharp and the people from the earlier class came out and the line slowly marched in. When I got near the door I noticed there were few bikes still available and jumped on the first vacant one I walked by.

Tim walked in and headed to the instructor bike at the front of the class. I noticed he bleached his hair since I last saw him.  “It suits him” I thought to myself as I started warming up to Lady Gaga on my iPod.  Twelve minutes before the start of class and all the bikes were occupied with eager cyclists.  A few stragglers came waltzing in and stood at the front door with a stunned look on their faces, scanning the room. “Sorry we’re full.” Tim said with a smile.

“Ok class, lets get’s started….” Tim said enthusiastically. I took off my ipod and braced myself.  Tim’s spin class is broken into three equally painful sections.  His music selection is high energy and carefully synchronized to his prearranged workouts. While a class setting can be impersonal compared to a one on one personal training session, Tim has a unique way of connecting with the group and pushing us beyond our limits. Personally I’m not big on inspiration talk but he delivers his motivational lines without the cheese factor. “What brought you here today? Think about your goal. Are you trying to lose weight?  Going on vacation?  Training for a specific event? See your goal, reach for your goal. It’s at the top of this hill.”

Half way through the second section of the class I was drenched in sweat and a puddle had started to form under my bike; I’m working much harder than I did in the past but I was barely winded.  “Yeah yeah yeah” Tim shouted out.  I gave even more effort; if Tim said to give a half a turn on the dial I would give it a full turn and still managed to find the strength to spin faster and faster.  The calisthenics and weight training I’ve been doing at deWolf Training is definitely paying off. I was feeling like a real athlete when out of nowhere I got the worse cramps. I check the clock to my right and saw there’s only 10 minutes left. “Are you on your edge? Are you giving 100%?  It doesn’t matter to me, only you will know. But you came all the way why not give it your all?” Tim asks. I took a big gulp from my water bottle and told myself “Ignore the pain and finish strong!!” By the end of the class my body was definitely fatigued but I felt great! “My glutes will hurt tomorrow.  Let’s hope my deWolf doesn’t have squats on the menu.”

If you’re looking for a hard core cardio workout that is different every time I highly recommend Tim’s Wednesday 60 minutes 5:30 p.m. Spin Class at the Steve Nash Sports Facility. He has a great energy and teaches a unique and intense spin class. Oh yeah… and if you still have oomph after he’s spun you out, feel free to join him right after for a killer 30 minutes abdominal workout.

PS – Don’t forget to arrive early.

PT Girl xo