Limited Spaces Left for Summer 1 Boot Camps

Now is the time to reserve your sport in our TRX and Traditional Boot Camps.

TRX BOOT CAMP
We have room in the M/W 5:30 PM starting 5/22
and the T/Th 6:45 AM class starting 5/28.
10 classes, $100. Best TRX bargain in the Triangle!

TRADITIONAL BOOT CAMP
3 spaces left
M/W nights at 6 PM starting 5/20.
8 classes for only $40!
Everyone who comes to at least six classes, wins a t-shirt.


To register for either class, contact Mary Ann today!

Exercise of the Month of May - Core Stabilization

May's Exercise of the Month is Pilates Single Leg Stretch with Ball Hold

This core exercise requires a lightweight medicine or small Pilates ball.

Start by lying on your back.

Curl up your head and shoulders to hold the ball between your elbows and the tops of your knees.
Your knees should be above your hips at a 90 degree angle.
Use your hands to support your head, but do not pull on your head and neck.




Keeping the abs engaged, inhale as you fully extend your right leg.
Exhale to return your right leg to the ball.






Repeat with your left leg.



The lower your extended leg is to the floor, the more challenging the exercise. But watch out for excessive arching of your low back with the extension


Try to complete 20 total leg extensions to complete one set.


To make this exercise a little easier:
     Extend leg toward the ceiling
To make it more challenging:
     Extend your leg out and hold for the three counts before returning knee to ball

Neva's Expert Trainer tip:
When doing CORE exercises slow down and focus on proper breathing and control. Complete a full exhale when contracting the core muscles.    

Neva and many of our other great trainers are here all summer. Contact mdobbins@duaa.duke.edu if you are interested in Personal Training at Duke.

April Exercise of the Month - Muscle Up

The Muscle Up is another popular CrossFit exercise that you can do at the Wilson or Brodie Recreation Centers.
The following describes the movement as it is broken up into small pieces, however, this is a plyometric type of movement in which one needs to explosively move through each phase in order to complete the exercise. The muscle up consists of 4 steps - A hang, an explosive (kipping) pull-up, a triceps contraction and a lateral grip dip.

 
1) Hang on to the widest grip pull up bars.  
 
 
2) Making sure your whole body is tight, swing your legs forward. While they are swinging back, prepare yourself to explode upwards. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
3) As your legs go past neutral hanging position and start to give your body upward momentum, pull upwards in an explosive burst. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


4) Use this momentum to carry your body above the bar where you bring your wrists around the top of the bar and push up into a dip. Repeat.
 
 
 
 
Sanjay's Expert Trainer Tip: Make sure you pull up behind the bar and not underneath it.

More Than Tabata

Tabatas are great for workouts, but did you know there are other ways to do H.I.I.T. (High Intensity Interval Training?)
Try one of these protocols the next time you want to challenge yourself.

1. Helgerud HIIT
Helgerud, et al., Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39(4):665-71., 2007.
Studied 40 men, 4 groups:
Found that those working at 90-95% of max heart rate increased VO2max more compared with those who did more moderate exercise.
Try this “Helgerud” workout:
FOUR min of running near top of threshold with 3 min jog recovery= 28 min.
Benefits:
- HIIT increased VO2max more than LSD and LT.
- 15x15 = 5.5% ↑ V02
- 4 x 4 = 7.2% ↑ V02
 
2. Perry HIIT
Perry, Heigenhauser, Bonen, Spiet, High-intensity aerobic interval training increases fat and carbohydrate metabolic capacities in human skeletal muscle. Appl Physiol, Nutr Metab, 33(6):1112, 2008.Studied untrained men & women for six weeks. 10 x 4 min intervals at 90% VO2 peak, 2 min rest, 3 days/week.
Results:
- Reduced break down of glycogen (more fat being used)
- Reduced lactate accumulation
- Increased fat oxidation at 60% of pre-training VO2 peak.
- Training power output increased by 21% and VO2 peak increased by 9%.
Try this Perry Work-out:
4 mins Cycling/Rowing at 90% Max HR, 10 times, 2 min easy cycling/rowing recovery=58 mins

Fitness Programming Changes for Spring Break

SPRING BREAK IS HERE!
Please note, there will be a slight change in the services the Duke Fitness Team offers over the week of Spring Break 2013.
There will be a pared down group fitness schedule:
http://recreation.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/SB-Fitness-2013.pdf

In addition, the evening fitness counselors will not be available Sunday, 3/10 through Sunday 3/17. This means there will not be a fitness orientation at 6 PM on either Sunday.
The M-F morning counselors will be in attendance.

Fitness assessments will still be available by appointment.

Have a safe, healthy and happy Spring Break!

Exercise of the Month - DEADLIFT

The Deadlift is the exercise of the month of March. Master personal trainer Jeremiah Horne shares  tips for good technique when performing this lift which targets hamstrings and glutes. Because this exercise can injure your low back if done improperly, technique is key.

With a grip width slightly wider than your shoulders, bend your knees to pick up the bar.

 
 
 
 
Engage your lats (the muscles of your upper back), roll your shoulders back and keep your chest open and lifted.

 
 
By hinging at the hips, extended your tail back, so the bar starts to slide down the front of your legs.

Leave a slight softness in your knees, lowering until you feel a challenging amount of tension in your hamstrings.





Don’t worry about lowering the bar all the way to the ground, unless you have the flexibility to safely do so.

Keep the bar close, your shoulders back and chest up as you come back to a standing position.

Jeremiah’s EXPERT TRAINER Tip: Think about keeping the top half of your t-shirt showing throughout the movement, never let your chest face the floor.

Try TRX this spring

Time to sign up for TRX after Spring Break!
 
 

TRX, or suspension training, is open to all Duke students as well as employee members of the Wilson and Brodie Recreation Centers.

The classes meet:
Tuesday and Thursday Nights at 6 PM, starting 3/19
Thursday and Tuesday Night at 7 PM starting 3/21
Wednesday and Monday Mornings at 7 AM, starting 3/20
Wednesday and Monday Nights at 5:30, starting 3/20
NEW
Special Intensive TRX Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 AM starting 3/18

TRX Boot Camp is only $100 for all ten small group sessions.
If you take the Special Intensive SIX session M/W/F class it is only $60
 
Visit our webpage or contact Mary Ann at mdobbbins@duaa.duke.edu to reserve your space.

Exercise of the Month

The Kettlebell Swing is the Exercise of the Month of February

The Swing is the basic movement in kettlebell work.

1. Start with the kettlebell on the ground and your body loaded into a squat position.










2. Drag the kettlebell back, bringing it between your legs and close to your body. Your knees should be bent, but not in a deep squat.






3. Powerfully snap your hips forward while squeezing your glutes to drive the bell in front of your body. This should be done in one quick powerful movement, not in segments.








4. By keeping your lats (the muscles of your upper back) and glutes engaged, stop the momentum of the bell no higher than shoulder height, and control the swing back down between your legs.




Pointers:
1. Think power from hips, not arms. You should never "arm up" a kettlebell
2. Start with a lighter weight so your can properly learn the movement
3. At the top of the swing, look out for arching your back. If you keep both your glutes and the muscles of your back engaged, you won't lean back

Duke Personal Training DOES NOT endorse the overhead swing often suggested by Crossfit. In terms of cost/benefit, the potential cost to the low back is far greater than any strength advantage of continuing the swing overhead.

Moderate Vs. High Intensity Exercise

The debate over what is the best way to lose weight continues. After much recernt research showing the benefits of High Intensity Interval Training, a recent study from Denmark says the moderate intensity is enough.
Read about the study as well as the experts take on its merits in this article from ACE.

School is out on Monday, But Group Fitness Classes Are On!

The regular group fitness schedule is in place for Monday, January 21st. Even though academic classes are suspended in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day, all the regular group fitness classes at Brodie and Wilson will go on. Check out the schedule here:Duke Spring 13 GF Schedule.

Try an Express Class Tonight!

Fitness Express classes start Weds, Jan 19th in the Wilson and Brodie Weight Rooms.
If you have about 15-20 minutes you can join the Fitness Counselors for one of two FREE classes:
Women on Weights
- an efficient strength training circuit using weight room equipment to tone and firm all major muscles and improve functional strength. Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:45 PM
Explore the Core
- emphasizes your power center, including abs, hips and glutes, for improved functioning, posture and appearance. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:45 PM

Welcome Back

Welcome Back Workouts
January 13, 15 and 17th at 7:15 PM

Brodie and Wilson Weight Rooms

Work with a fitness counselor to learn a circuit style workout that will improve strength and burn calories.

The program is FREE, just meet at the weight room desk.

Evening Fitness Counselors are on Break


This means also means there are no EXPRESS CLASSES or Sunday Evening Gym Orientations
during Finals Week and Winter Break.
See you back in 2013!

Exercise AND Get Good Grades

As finals approach, it is important to exercise your body as well as your brain for peak performance.
Check out this article on the positive correlation between physical activity and high GPA:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/vigorous-exercise-linked-with-better-grades/



So take some time over the next few weeks, to close the books and get moving at the gym, in the pool or outside.

Have a healthy finals and holiday season from the Duke Fitness Team!

Get Outside with Rec and PE on Saturday

Two Big Rec and PE events are on tap for tomorrow, Saturday November 10th.

On the West Campus Turf Fields we have our annual Soccer Shoot Out. This 7 on 7 tournament runs from 9AM to about 3 PM. If you aren't playing, you can still come out and cheer for your favorite intramural teams.





On the East Campus Quad at 2 AM we will hold KING of the QUAD, a First Year Dorm v. Dorm event with goofy games, crazy relays and a wild obstacle course. All first-years are welcome to participate or spectate!


Food and drink will be sold at both events.

This looks to be one of the last really nice and warm Saturdays this fall, so get outside and get active with Rec and PE. Outdoor activity has been shown to decrease stress and improve mood more that indoor activity. Checkout this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/23/outdoor-exercise-health-benefits_n_1616467.html 

Have a happy, healthy weekend outdoors with Duke Rec and PE!

November's EXERCISE of the MONTH

The Barbell Squat
 
Step 1 - PREP
Position barbell on rack at upper chest height. Step in front of bar and place it high on back of shoulders and grasp barbell to sides. Remove bar from rack, step back and stand with shoulder width stance.
Step 2 - EXECUTION
Bend knees while allowing hips to bend back behind, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Descend until thighs are just about parallel to floor.
Return to standing by extending knees and hips until legs are straight. 
Repeat 






REMEMBER:
  • Knees should track in a straight line, don't let them buckle in as you press up
  • Keep back staight and focus on having an open chest
  • Both feet should maintain contact with the floor throughout the range of motion, don't come up on toes

The Debate Over Heavy Weight V. High Repetitions

So the debate over how to gain muscle size wages on. Check out this interesting article from ACE. The study it reviews holds that as long as you perform reps to failure, you don't ever have to lift those big dumbbells.


Let Duke Fitness know what you think! Post a comment.

Lactate Threshold Training

If you want to learn more about training for peak performance, here is a great article by Dr Len Kravitz of the University of New Mexico:
http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/lactatethreshold.html

Exercise of the Month

September's Exercise of the Month is the BURPEE
The burpee is an excellent body weight exercise because it has both strength and aerobic properties.
To perform a burpee:
1. Raise your hands up as you jump up
2. Drop down into a squat, then place your hands on the ground
3. Hop or walk both legs back to a plank position and hold for a beat
4. Hop or walk both legs in to a squat
5. Power back up to a jump with hands over head

To make the burpee an even greater strength move,
add a push up after you hop to a plank.
 
Try this move at the beginning of a workout as a warm up
OR as a 4 minute Tabata (20 seconds on 10 seconds rest X8).

We've Added Advanced TRX

For those already familiar with TRX, we have added Advanced classes to the TRX schedule starting this month. Both classes are on Tuesday/Thursday - at 1 PM or 4:45 PM.
Visit our website to learn about all of the Duke Personal Training TRX classes:
http://recreation.duke.edu/recreation/personal-training/trx-boot-camp/

Find a Race this Fall

Fall is a terrfic time for running outdoors. There are plenty of races on the calendar, including the Durham Rambling Rose Half Marathon on Ocotber 21st.
 
Endurance Magazine offers this list of upcoming road races in the area:


We want YOU!

Drop In Space Available
 
Duke Personal Training Boot Camp
9/11 thru 10/4
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 PM.
K-Ville Lawn
Only $8 to drop in

Contact Mary Ann at mdobbins@duaa.duke.edu with questions

WELCOME BACK WORKOUTS

Join us in Wilson or Brodie Gym for a free circuit workout.
The Welcome Back workouts are at 7:15 PM, meet at the Weight room desk.
Classes take place on
Tuesday, Sept 4th
Thursday, Sept 6th
Sunday, Sept 9th
Come learn a quick and easy circuit workout that you can do anytime! Circuit training combines aerobic and strength work for a solid overall workout. CrossFit and similar gyms have been promoting circuit workouts, and you can do them anywhere!

Join us this week for these free sessions!