In addition to our chat with Susan, I discuss my recent blog post over at Primility about my first couple of weeks as a “Real Food Flexitarian” and how I am going about instituting healthy habits that stick into my daily life in 2012.

Note: This show recorded live at 8:00 ET on Tuesday evening. Listen to this episode using the player below:

To download the episode, click here.

Background on Susan Armijo:

Full bio: http://www.centrefordance.com/staff/susan/

Susan is the Owner and Artistic Director of Centre for Dance. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of North Texas where she studied Marketing and Advertising. Susan began dancing at the age of 18 months old. She has studied Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Drill, Country, Salsa and Gymnastics, as well as taught in all of these fields and group fitness classes. She has competed and received awards in dance, softball, color guard, winter guard, drawing and playing clarinet. Susan directed the award-winning North Garland High School Color Guards and Winter Guards for three years, while guest teaching and judging for area high school color guards and dance teams. She has also choreographed several Christmas plays for local churches.

Susan has worked with Shella Sattler, Kim McSwain, Jenny Durbin, Gino Johnson, Buster Cooper, Dejan Tubic, Chelsea Traille, Janelle Ginestra, and more! She managed Dallas Power House of Dance for 6 years, and helped to open and manage their Frisco location as well. In addition to managing Power House she also taught classes during her time there.

Susan’s additional credits include: Guest judge for the 2006 Dallas Mavericks Dancers auditions, Trix cereal commercial, Diamond Rio music video, fashion show for a local clothing store, featured performer at the Super Cuts Convention, can be seen on various packaging distributed nationwide for The Brinkmann Corporation, and appearances on Fox 4′s Good Day and WFAA Channel 8′s Good Morning Texas.

However, I was bopping around the gym recently and I spied a flyer for a “spine class.” Even though the flyer did not suggest speed and sweat, I was intrigued. I am always fixated on toning my core or tightening my glutes, but I never offer any tender loving care to my spine.

So I took the encounter with the flyer as a little wake up call and jotted down the information for the “Spines in Motion” class.

I did some more research when I got home and realized this class was offered at a chiropractic office. I thought, “Oh great I am going to have to get cracked in this class.” (Although I always get corrected when I say “get cracked.” I am aware the correct terminology is “getting adjusted.”)

“I’m not the Easter bunny and chiropractic is a bit more sophisticated than voodoo dolls and ‘cracking backs’,” Dr. Andrew Oteo said. “This always gives me a good laugh, so I’m always happy to speak with people that are confused about the profession.”

I learned from the flyer that Dr. Oteo is the brains behind this “Spines in Motion” operation. So I dial the number of Longenecker Chiropractic Center and am greeted by a sweet Southern woman. I knew these were my kind of people because she gently referred to me as “sugar.” I am still enthralled by the Texas accent even though I’ve been a Texan for two years now. She hooks me up with Dr. Oteo and he gave me a quick overview of what to expect in the class and then signed me up.

“Your spine is the central structure of your body,” Dr. Oteo said. “In fact, your central nervous system is so important that it’s the only structure in your body completely encased in bone to protect it. When your spine is out of proper alignment, there are a variety of physical and metabolic factors that are compromised.”

Of course my ears perked up when he said metabolic issues were involved with alignment issues. Also, my shoulders are always hunched forward. Sometimes I feel like I have the posture of Marla Hooch on A League of their Own. So if I could gain any tips on how to straighten up, I was game!

“By receiving chiropractic adjustments in conjunction with a solid nutrition and exercise program, people are less likely to become injured and better equipped to adapt to higher intensity training as their program becomes more physically demanding,” Dr. Oteo said.

I walk into the office and the class was fairly small, which was good for my first time as I had not a clue what I was doing. I was quite impressed with Dr. Oteo’s knowledge of the anatomy of the human body. Every question I had…boom! He had a solid answer for me. Definitely made me excited for the class because I knew I was going to be offered some valuable tidbits.

“Through my research, I have adapted yoga, Pilates, and strength training techniques into a comprehensive program specifically geared towards posture,” Dr. Oteo said.

Definitely cleared away some of my ignorance. Dr. Oteo walked us through a series of stretches anyone can do, any time of day. He was articulate in having an explanation for everything, as well as a remedy. To rectify my Marla Hooch posture, he demonstrated some useful stretches. I have been practicing them after being hunched over a computer all day. I have to say I can see an improvement. I find that I am more aware of my posture, as I know that can affect my health.

“Without a properly functioning spine and properly responding nervous system, all of these key health components are not able to express their full potential,” Dr. Oteo said. “The health of your spine and nervous system therefore directly affects your overall health and vitality.”

**********

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans.

She attended the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better. While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk.

Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She also is a reporter for DFWreporting.com where she reports on positive, uplifting news in the DFW Metroplex.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio, Kimberly is training for her second marathon: Disneyworld 2011.

Follow Kimberly on Twitter: @Fit_Trip_Kimber

It’s been a while since I have let out my inner sultriness. In fact, the last time was almost a year ago when I attempted a swing around a shiny pole during a pole dancing class at Move Studio in Dallas, TX. And let me tell you, I felt like the exact opposite of a sexpot. In fact, I felt like an uncoordinated, graceless sloth trying to get my feet off the ground during a swing.

With 2011 rolling on, I realized I was slouching into my fitness comfort zone and it was time to truly step outside the walls of the aerobics studio and shake what my mama gave me – which is quite a lot. So I thought “what better way to shake it up” than to throw on some heels and hit up Centre for Dance in Dallas!

I wanted to brace myself for the simulated sexual shenanigans that went on during a burlesque class, so I decided to go all “Mary Tyler Moore” and cover it for DFW Reporting. Check out the dance moves and full story here.

Centre for Dance [HD] from DFW Reporting on Vimeo.

I must say that I was quite impressed with the folks at Centre for Dance. It was not nearly as taboo as I had expected. Instead, the instructor was bursting with confidence, a melodic rhythm, and class. In fact, I admired her confidence so much that I came home and tried to exude her feistiness in the privacy of my own living room (but she definitely takes the cake on that one).

This tiny ball of relentless energy is Geena Ngaaje and she possessed the endurance of a marathoner. Right before she dove into the Burlesque hour, she was busting it out to heavy jams in a grueling Hip Hop session. She dipped her booty down low and got some major air, all in a matter of seconds. As soon as the Hip Hop class was over, she traded in her baggy ensemble for four-inch heels and tights.

Minutes before the class started, I was ultra-bummed. I was standing there in my “reporter” clothes, but this class looked like it was going to be a blast and a half. Like I said earlier, once I saw how fun and classy these girls were, I laughed at myself thinking this class was “taboo.” That is the thing about treading in uncharted fitness water: you may gather qualms or misconceived notions because you are apprehensive, but once you get in there a large cloud of the worry lifts.

Pretty soon Miss Sassofrass, aka Geena, struts in and the bass starts thumping. In fact, I can feel it in my chest. I am standing awkwardly in the corner, while our camera guy is circling the class. My toes are tapping and my hips might be swaying a bit side-to-side. It was dark so I really didn’t care. I was beyond inspired by Geena’s confidence and how fluid her motions were.

The interesting method Centre for Dance practices is they have a variety of Burlesque-themed classes. Some involve a sexy chair dance while others are a bit more cardio-intense, such as Cardio Tease. The particular class I covered was Hip Hop High Heels, and let me tell you: the music in this class was awesome! I came home and downloaded the tunes on my iPod and you can bet I am strutting it on the street to these sexy Hip Hop jams. Well, maybe not strutting, but in my head I totally am!

While these sultry dance moves may be fun and flirty to execute, they are also a pumper for the ol’ gams. Think about it: pop-lock-and-drop requires some intense quadriceps work. If those puppies aren’t strong, there will be a whole lot of tipping over, especially in stilettos, and don’t think the legs are the only body part overhauling it. The way Geena had these girls mold their body into contorted poses was definitely strenuous on the entire core. Bending forwards, shimmying to the ground and snaking their bodies back up, I was in utter amazement and quite jealous I wasn’t partaking in the fun, toning workout.

Besides the toning and cardiovascular benefits this exercise style has to offer, I loved how all the women in the class were consumed with confidence and pride. I am not saying they thought they were the next Shakira or Beyonce, but you could see on their face that they were proud because they took an hour out of their busy day to do something just for themselves. That room was dripping with girl power. You could tell they weren’t mastering these moves to prove anything to anyone…just themselves.

So, if you are looking for a fun way to treat yourself, check out your local gym or dance studio and see what they have to offer in the way of Burlesque. Unless you are a glorified sex kitten, I can guarantee you will feel silly, clumsy, out-of-place and foolish; however, throw those self-induced limitations out the door and let go for an hour. You might be surprised how this little act of bravery can impact other areas of your life. I know I can’t wait to go to one of these classes where I can concentrate on nothing but the music, motion, and myself.

**********

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans.

She attended the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better. While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk.

Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She also is a reporter for DFWreporting.com where she reports on positive, uplifting news in the DFW Metroplex.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio, Kimberly is training for her second marathon: Disneyworld 2011.

Follow Kimberly on Twitter: @Fit_Trip_Kimber

I am always proud to say that fitness is my first love; however, fitness can also play quite well into a relationship. In an effort to keep things fresh and interesting, I believe it’s important for couples to encourage one another to be active and try new challenges.

They do it on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, don’t they?

I am just teasing – I am not suggesting that show is a positive model for a sustainable relationship. But, I do believe couples can become closer when they try new adventures together. Not to mention, get those endorphins flowing and no one will be cranky, right?

I looked to one of my favorite young, married couple at work as inspiration for this article. Morgan and Derek are these edgy, kind-hearted souls who are always on a quest for that next adventure. Whether it is getting hitched in Vegas to rock climbing and belaying each other, they know how to keep the relationship exciting.

“[Working out together] It’s important because it helps us work on communication and teamwork,” Morgan said. “Also, it’s super cool to get a ton of compliments from Derek when I’m doing a good job. It’s nice to know when someone is proud of you. It helps us trust each other more also.

“Also, I really like seeing him progress as a climber. It’s a really neat thing to see him outside the role of husband and watch him as a climber. Plus, it makes both of us happy, which makes us in a more positive mood at home.”

Besides the mental benefits rock climbing can lend, there are many ways it can enhance your physical appearance, strengthening and toning muscles. I worked at an indoor rock climbing wall in college and it was such an intense workout. I thought it would only challenge my strength. Oh no – it challenged my heart rate as well. It was pumping and my entire body was shaking. Ignorantly, I thought only my arms would be doing the heavy lifting, but the legs are where you really get your umph to keep on climbing to the top.

When I was rock climbing on a regular basis, I noticed an increase in my flexibility. In turn, this encouraged me to improve my stretching even more. I then wanted to advance my yoga and Pilates practices. I love how fitness can do that for you. It reminds of the children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. You have one thing and then that makes you want something else in addition to that. It’s like a domino effect. You are just reminded and inspired to try something else as your confidence raises and you can’t get enough.

“Rock climbing is great for your confidence and sense of accomplishment,” Derek said. “Occasionally, I still hit the regular gym for some weights and cardio, and at the end of my workout, I just feel tired and worn out. Conversely, after a good 3-hour climbing session, I feel awesome. Especially after climbing hard routes or even just completing a section of a route that I haven’t been able to do before. Also, climbing is a great way to stay fit with friends. The atmosphere at the climbing gym is very social.”

The If You Give a Mouse a Cookie effect is hitting Morgan as well. She has found a new fitness love in addition to her rock climbing endeavors. As she began feeling even more fit and fabulous with rock climbing, she was encouraged to try yoga. But listen folks, not just any yoga. She kicked it up several degrees and becoming a dedicated yoga student in the practice of Bikram Yoga. Bikram Yoga is a system of yoga that Bikram Choudhury created from traditional yoga techniques and it became popular in the early 1970s. Bikram Yoga classes last 90 minutes apiece and consist of a series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. The temperature is typically 105°F with a humidity of 40%, so it has naturally been affectionately coined as a form of hot yoga.

“Rock climbing gave me confidence in myself by seeing that I could go from a zero upper body strength girl, to a chick that could get up walls that some men couldn’t get up,” Morgan said. “I started thinking if I could do that, then I could do anything I set my mind to and worked for. Plus, being that high off the ground used to terrify me. Now I’m not scared at all. It’s taught me that some of the things I thought were scary and impossible at first, aren’t that bad at all, and are usually pretty fun. I’ve been inspired to attain other goals that once would have seemed impossible.”

Morgan recently completed a Bikram Yoga 60-day challenge where she had to complete 60 90-minute Bikram Yoga sessions in a matter of 60 days. She passed with flying colors and is already brainstorming for her next fitness feat.

“I have been so much more of an active person since I started climbing,” Morgan said. “Not only that, but I have learned the lesson of how important it is to stay positive, focused, and set goals for yourself.”

With Morgan and Derek romping around, knocking out all these fitness goals, it encourages me to share that with my boyfriend, instead of accomplishing my fitness goals in solitude. Perhaps we will attempt rock climbing together or a spin class. Either way, I know I will be a bit competitive and of course want to do my best. I can’t have him upstaging me – or at least not go down without a fight!

For those of us who are out of the rock climbing practice (me) or who maybe have never been rock climbing, it can be incredibly intimidating to tackle this fitness monster. Will the rope be able to hold me up? Will it fray and I will topple to a massive injury? Will people laugh at me when I can’t even get 10 feet off the ground?

I know all these thoughts ran through my head the first time I rock climbed and to be honest, these thoughts still run through my head. It made me feel better to know Morgan shared a similar sentiment as I did, but look at her now!

“I had no idea what I was doing,” Morgan said. “Once I got to the top, which took forever, I was so scared to let go of the wall and come down. Derek and a staff member had to talk me into letting go. I was ready for someone to come get me with a ladder. I was terrified. It was so ridiculous I was up there hanging on for life, laughing at myself for being scared to come down.”

Now, once you get past the initial fear and become a rock wall master, you might think it sounds a bit monotonous. Don’t fret- there is always a new technique to conquer and you will be back at square run feeling like a fool in no time. But then of course, you will continue to fight like a champion and you will be ready for the next goal.

Bouldering is another form of rock climbing that I have yet to try. Whenever I see people performing this technique at the gym, I think of Spiderman. With this practice, the climber is meandering through various routes without being harnessed. The wall is obviously much lower to the ground and a “crash pad” is placed underneath in case of a slippery fall. Some times these climbers are literally holding on for dear life, being completely upside down. Derek has also felt inspired from his active lifestyle and decided to compete in a bouldering competition. He placed second at the intermediate level and is already planning his next competition.

“Placing second in the first round of the competition series inspired me to train harder so that I can continue to do well and finish out the series on top,” Derek said.

So, I think we can all look to Morgan and Derek for some creativity in keeping the romance alive. I know that I want to “copy” them a little bit and have those feelings of encouragement and pride in my boyfriend. Let’s all get our bums off the couch and into the gym. A little excitement never hurt anyone; perhaps it will be the one thing that keeps that relationship up and running.

“Without working out together, it would be pretty boring,” Derek said. “Staying active gives us activities to do together, things to talk about and a way to bond outside of living together.”

**********

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans.

She attended the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better. While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk.

Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She also is a reporter for DFWreporting.com where she reports on positive, uplifting news in the DFW Metroplex.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio, Kimberly is training for her second marathon: Disneyworld 2011.

Follow Kimberly on Twitter: @Fit_Trip_Kimber

Yesterday I took a beating.

A major beating that left me a broken woman.

I ventured home this weekend to visit my family and my mom has been talking up this new workout called Body Design. She takes it several times a week and drones on about how it’s the ultimate challenge.

She asked me if I would go with her and I was like, “Heck yes – let me show you how it’s done!” I thought to myself, no offense Mom, but I teach five classes a week and this is going to be a piece of cake.

So I went.

And oh my gosh – stop me in my tracks. I was far from a pro and I am in amazement that my mom voluntarily endures this abuse on a weekly basis.

When I heard the term “Body Design”, I had a vision of Femme Bots being manufactured on a conveyer belt. My mom assured me there would be no seductive robot production…just blood, sweat and tears.

So we rolled out of bed on a Saturday morning and rolled into class. The room was packed and I could feel the energy bouncing off the walls. I jumped to the front row right next to the madre, thinking how impressed she would be with my cardio skills. She explained the format to me: we would alternate between bouts of cardio and strength training moves with the body bar, weights, step, and tube.

The music started pumping through the speakers and our instructor promptly spouted off commands. Maybe she was a robot because she made every execution look flawless, like she was skipping along to a game of hopscotch.

I knew I was in trouble before the warm-up was even over.

My heart rate began soaring when she had us performing some sort of frog jumps on our steps. I looked at my mom and thought, what the hell did I get myself into? I guess I got a little too big for my britches and was definitely taken down a couple notches when the serious muscle work began. I suddenly had flashbacks of my experience with the Jay Johnson Boot Camp in Dallas. Some of these moves looked all too similar and my smile turn into a look of pain.

As the class progressed, the instructor was whipping out moves I had never seen. I looked around the class and my classmates were pumping it with all their might. There was quite a collection of folks in there — from tiny teens to a chap in his 60s. I was pleased that there were a good mix of men and women; we were all in the torture chamber together and we had a full hour to endure.

The trickiest, most painful move was one that included the body bar. I opted for a 12-pounder and that was plenty heavy for me. Others in the room had 18-pound body bars and trust me, we were doing what felt like a million reps. A couple times I had to drop the bar and just focus on the leg work as my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest and onto the floor.

Although I was miserable and screaming cuss words in my head, I was grateful I was getting that shock to the system. It’s so common for me, and I’m sure many others as well, to just get in the groove of a weekly routine. As a result, we may not see improvements in our fitness level as we hit a plateau. Well, yesterday my ass definitely got bumped off the plateau and up a mighty hill.

About halfway through the class, I was so tortured I began fabricating excuses in my head to escape the class. Should I say I have a stomachache? Side cramp? Leg injury? Just as I was about to run out, faking a headache, trusty ol’ Enrique Iglesias made a debut in the class. His pipes started bursting through the room and my energy level peaked. I am basically obsessed with his summer smash “Baby I Like It” and he inspired me to push through all the reps.

There is definitely something to be said for music and working out. They complement one another so well and I feel like I could never workout in silence. Even if I am just doing crunches in my living room, I have to crank up the tunes and get the adrenaline going. I credit my iPod for helping me survive the marathon I did in March – without that sucker, forget it!

So you think I am complaining about this class? Well let me paint you a little scene here:

Imagine a set of risers, piled about 6-8 inches high. All your weight is on one leg and a body bar is over your shoulders. Now give me a big squat, trying to touch your buns to the step and then lift up and curtsy lunge back with a bicep curl. Now do that about fifty times. And just when you think you’ve had enough of that, it’s time for the cardio section. This ranged from jumping off the step to basketball shuffling combined with super high jumps. You name it, we did it.

This cyclical process lasted for an entire hour and we used every single second. When we got in the car I felt like I had just run a marathon and was absolutely spent. It was all I could do to hop in the shower and get ready for the day; not to mention I was absolutely famished and could feel my metabolism burning it up. We moved around that step in every possible position you can contort the body into and every single muscle was aching.

This format of workout is incredibly intense, but I didn’t feel like I was just hopping around for an hour, putting pressure on the knees. I performed some incredible strength training while my heart rate stayed elevated the entire hour. Those intervals of cardio were plentiful but didn’t last more than three minutes each set. The benefit of the alternating is the class passed by incredibly quickly and I never felt bored. I might have dreaded what was ahead but I certainly didn’t stare at the clock the entire time.

Also, with an elevated heart rate through the session, more work is performed in less time, resulting in more calories burned. I kept thinking, I wish I could do this class several times a week- love/hate relationship to the max!

Check out your local gym and see what kind of cardio/strength combo class they have to offer. The names will differ from gym-to-gym but look for a description consisting of the following words: interval, circuit, cardio, strength and/or drills. This would be an optimal class for men and women so go give it a whirl.

Even if you hate it and it sucks, at least you tried something new and can feel a sense of pride. I know I was darn proud of myself that I didn’t cower away and that I made it through the entire session. I am definitely proud of my mom and think she is a workout warrior, even if she enjoys the self-inflected pain.

[Editor's note: The pictures above are not necessarily of "Body Design" workout classes. I couldn't find any that 100% fit what Kimberly described, but the images give you some kind of idea.]

**********

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans.

She attended the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better. While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk.

Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She also is a reporter for DFWreporting.com where she reports on positive, uplifting news in the DFW Metroplex.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio, Kimberly is training for her second marathon: Disneyworld 2011.

Follow Kimberly on Twitter: @Fit_Trip_Kimber

Eek! This thought might suddenly cause you to panic.

Fear not. We’ve still got some time to shape up before you ship out on your sizzling vacation.

As I am a self-proclaimed gym junkie, the thought of being apart from my workout destination sends me into a frazzled state of mind. I suddenly become uneasy and stressed.

This is not what vacations are for!

It’s our time to kick back and splurge. So, in an effort to allow myself to relax while simultaneously not feeling like a two-ton tilly, I have crafted my ideal formula for balancing the splurge with the sacrifice.

And trust me, this plan of attack is splurge-focused with sacrifice in the background.

Now, with the idea in my head that I would be crafting this article after my first vacation of the summer, I did a little pre-test for my balancing equation. I went on a trip with my family this past weekend and I came prepared to fight the battle of the bulge. I loaded up the car with healthy, substantial snacks, running shoes, hand weights, and my Ipod.

As I only head to this specific location once a year, I knew I was bound to splurge on some high quality eating at my favorite restaurants. You can’t drive 400 miles and deprive yourself of delicious food you have craved all year round.

Pre-trip “beach bod” challenge

Whenever I prepare for a vacation where I know I’ll be hitting up the beach in a bikini, I aim to eat no sugar throughout the week a month or two prior. (When I say “no sugar,” I mean no processed sugar. I am definitely not going to deprive myself of fruits!) Whenever I am contemplating caving in and cheating on my beach bod challenge, I remember that soon enough I can splurge all I want to on vacation with special treats.

Wouldn’t you rather feel healthy and strong going into the vacation? It’s pretty much inevitable that some damage will be done over the reprieve so just accept that and embrace it. You can glide right back into your routine upon your return. Also, below are some tips that can allow you to integrate quick, simple workouts into your vacation schedule.

Skip the dime-a-dozen fat traps

The first battle (for me anyway) comes along the first pit stop. As I walk into a gas station, visions of candy bars begin dancing in my head. Same goes for the overpriced airport gift shops with shiny, foiled candy wrappers.

Well snap out of it! This ain’t Willy Wonka and the freakin’ Chocolate Factory! You don’t need that artificial, run of the mill crap! Save those calories for something special that you couldn’t get for $0.89 cents every day of the week.

After you dodge that bullet, feel a sense of accomplishment. It might be a tiny step, but a successful day begins with one smart decision. It’s much more empowering to keep up with the pattern of good decision making if it’s established from the beginning.

When I feel I am susceptible to that tricky temptation, I think of how miserable or disappointed I will feel later. And isn’t it unfair that it takes one minute to gobble down a chocolate bar, but it takes hours for the guilt and yucky feeling to wear off? Save yourself the misery and skip it!

Get your rear out of bed and up that hill

I know vacation is all about being lazy, footless, and fancy free. However, having little surges of workouts sprinkled throughout your day will benefit you.

As much as it pained me to set my alarm for 8 AM while I was on vacation (I am not a morning person), I made the sacrifice. I scooped myself up out of bed and hit the pavement for a morning run. As soon as I was up and getting ready, I was incredibly grateful I didn’t hit the snooze button. Even doing a twenty or thirty minute walk will jumpstart that metabolism and burn some calories.

You won’t regret it if you get up and work out, but you could potentially regret it if you don’t. This mini workout (or full-fledged workout if you’re so inclined) will give you extra energy and lessen the guilt when you indulge in that special treat later in the afternoon.

Just listen to your favorite song

Some other great workouts I do while on vacation don’t require a gym. Before I hop into bed, I will pop in the Ipod and do a series of lunges and squats for the legs. I usually do about a song’s length, just to feel the burn. You want to preserve all the hard work you’ve been doing the weeks leading up to the vacation, so keep those thigh muscles engaged.

I like to follow these leg exercises with some ab work. Don’t we all feel a little flabby-ish in the tum after the extra food and drinks we’ve indulged in? No frets. Just suck that belly button into the spine and finish off the night with a few core moves. I usually do ab work for one or two songs – depends on if it’s a “sweatpants kind of night” or not.

I like to start off with some plank moves to initially engage the core. Now gently tip your hips side to side, while remaining in the plank position. If that doesn’t hurt, then maybe you are a robot. After you do that for a minute or two, flip on over to your back and hit up those basic crunches. After your upper abdominals feel the burn, do some reverse curls to work those lower abdominals. Then finish it off with some bicycles for the obliques – you’ve successfully pumped that core in all the quadrants.

If you’re really feeling ambitious, grab some hand weights and do some arm work for a song’s length. If you don’t have hand weights, I would recommend tricep dips off the side of the bed or the desk chair. The farther your booty is away from the bed or chair, the tougher it’s going to be on those triceps. Another option is just focus on one muscle group per night. Just think, taking fifteen or thirty minutes to work these muscles will honestly make a difference in how you feel physically and mentally.

You didn’t know you were working out already?

A lot of times when we are on vacation, we are seeing the city. Commonly, our mode of transportation is our legs. Bonus: you are burning calories while you are seeing the sites!

Just think of how many miles you cover at a theme park or romping around an enchanted city. Conceivably, you could be walking six to eight hours a day, depending on your itinerary. So I say, go ahead and eat that dessert!

As the weather is nice, we are of course going to be outside more. Partake in activities that allow you to experience the culture while dually staying active. At the beach you could try surfing, boogie boarding, or snorkeling. If you are touring a city, opt in for the walking tours and stairs when possible.

Also, when you are sitting in a cab, plane or on a subway, contract your abdominals. I will usually do 100 in a row. My stomach always feels more firm right after I do this. It’s similar to doing a crunch but you are simply just sitting there. No one will even realize you are “working out.” Might as well make good use of your travel time!

Take advantage of what you’re already paying for

A common amenity hotels have are fitness facilities. They might not be flashy or bountiful, but they have sufficient equipment to get your heart pumping.

This past weekend my brother and I ventured off to the workout center at the hotel and I was honestly dreading my treadmill experience. That is my least favorite way to workout but I was craving some cardio. So I saddled up and hopped on the treadmill.

After four minutes I was bored out of my mind and wanted to stop. Then I thought to myself, you’re here, you’re going to stay on. So I switched it up and would do sprints, then I would walk on an incline, then I would jog. I basically tricked myself into thinking I was having a decent time. Pretty soon, twenty minutes was up and I moved onto some calisthenics, arms, and abdominal work. Before I knew it, we had been there an hour.

Turn up the jams and you will lose yourself in the workout. Also, take advantage of the swimming pool, assuming it’s not cluttered with loud kiddos practicing their cannon balls. This is a complete body workout and could serve as a relaxing way to wind down your day.

Always be prepared

If you have some time to spare and want to engage in an exercise cultural experience, check out what activities you can do at your destination.

Look up the nearby gyms and print out a free guest pass to take a class or go rock climbing. Many gyms offer free one-day or weekly guest passes, so take advantage. Especially if you are going to a bigger city, this may be your only chance to engage in some of the cutting edge fitness trends. This could easily fit into your itinerary and would only take an hour.

One of the most enjoyable and interesting experiences I had in another country was taking a kickbox class. This was before I was a kickbox nut, but I credit this slightly with my current kickbox obsession.

I was in Paris and there was a fancy, expensive gym near my apartment. As a student I knew I couldn’t afford the 300 Euro a month membership, but I definitely wanted to experience another country’s realm of fitness. So I marched myself in there and asked in broken French if they had free guest passes. Much to my surprise, they were kind and signed me up for a class.

The class was electrifying and boosted my energy to the max. Although I didn’t understand a dose of what the instructor yelled out, I was able to follow virtually every move. I guess there is a universal language of fitness.

Enjoy yourself – splurges should be guilt-free on vacation

The bottom line is that we want to enjoy ourselves on vacation. It’s inevitable that we are going to splurge. If your family is anything like mine, when we go on trips, eating is often the main event. You have to take advantage and experience exotic cuisines and specialties you can’t have every day.

You’d be a fool not to!

You have most likely spent a lot of time preparing and dreaming about this vacation, so make the most of it. Just remember: a few minutes of working a day on your vacation can help you ease back into your workout routine upon the return.

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About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for marathons with her best friend Jackie.

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The worst thing that could happen when you are dedicated to an active lifestyle is losing sight of that inspiration.

To me, it’s like a relationship: when your traditional workout routine is losing its luster, kick it up a notch and step out of your comfort zone. You could potentially find a new love or it could make you appreciate your current workout even more. Either way, you have nothing to lose and it’s a sure way to get your workout in for the day.

Recently, I personally was feeling like my routine was getting a little blasé so I thought, what better way to spice it up than dancing it out!

After my experience with the Alyson Stoner Project, I thought it was time to take it from my living room to the gym. I had shaken it up a bit with Zumba classes, but wanted to fill up my dance card with a different beat. So I pretended I was a hip hop diva for the night and hit up a hip hop class at the local gym.

I had made a pact with a gal who comes to my Step Sculpt class to go with me. We had both been wanting to get our dance on but were too inhibited to venture into the class alone. Fortunately, we had each other for our first class.

We walked in and the front row was pretty sparse, so I decided to fill in the gaps and take one for the team. I looked around and most people appeared to be pretty unsure of what they were about to get themselves into. I overheard a few ladies behind me predicting what the class would be like and slightly making fun of themselves for being terrible dancers.

There was even male representation in the class. It never occurred to me that a hip hop class could be a place to find a date. But then I thought that it was a perfectly genius idea, particularly for the fellas. They would most likely be outnumbered by women, and I am sure they enjoyed those odds. So men, don’t feel left out of this workout. The guys in there were working it and some flowed with such grace and ease that I was incredibly jealous of their hip hop skills.

Before I knew it, the music started blaring from the speakers and our instructor was cuing us to reflect her movements. I stopped in my tracks for a second and just stared at her. She was moving her rib cage like it was disjointed from the rest of her body. It reminded me of a whip, cutting through the air. My jaw probably hit the floor in utter amazement.

I tried with all my might to replicate her movements but I am pretty sure I just looked like a spastic human, trying to keep up. That was fine with me though- my heart rate was elevating and I could feel those muscles in my core becoming engaged. In my head I was secretly making mental notes of the different dance moves so I could practice them at home before the next time I went out dancing with my gal pals.

I loved the format of this particular hip hop class.

For the first thirty minutes, we focused on a few eight counts per song. This allowed us to get our heart rate up gradually and “master“ the moves as best we could. Then about the fourth song in, our instructor switched gears and made our quads burn until I thought they would fall off. Our heart rates were still pumping with all the level changes and leg work we were doing, still working at a high intensity.

This was the first time I did leg work that actually involved some rhythm and dance. I was used to the ol’ monotonous lunges and squats to target those quads, hamstrings and glutes. This switch-up was a much welcomed change and helped me keep my mind off my aching legs.

By the way, the music was incredible in this class. As soon as I got home, I downloaded a few of the songs I could remember. They are definitely keepers on the Ipod and great jams to work out to, even if I’m not busting a move.

The first thirty minutes blazed by and it was time for our choreography section of the class. As soon as we were learning the first steps, I pretended I was at the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders’ training camp. I was just waiting for one of the coaches to come in and tell me to dip down lower or make my movements bigger.

Fortunately for our class, our instructor was nothing but kind. She was so encouraging and supportive, even though she might have been thinking that a lot of us lacked any hint of rhythm. Continually showering us with words of affirmation and positive vibes, I almost started believing her that I actually was dancing well. That just speaks to the power a good instructor can have over your success in a workout.

Before I knew it, the hour-long class had zipped by and it was time to stretch and go on home. I had all the fabulous songs stuck in my head and as soon as I got home I practiced a couple of the new moves I learned, hoping I could improve the appearance of my execution. Fat chance, but I wasn’t going to quit.

I was intrigued by this class and wanted to hit it up again. So I went back and much to my surprise, my body was more comfortable with the movements and I was able to tackle them with more ease and sassiness. I was so tickled that this only encouraged me to be more confident.

As my confidence grew, I felt I was able to work even harder, less aware of the other people in the class. I wasn’t constantly thinking after every little mess up, “oh my gosh…did they see me mess us?” Instead I was relishing the fact that I felt awkward as hell during my first time, but decided to come back and test the waters again.

I guess that extra practice paid off! Now I know I am not a Justin Timberlake or Beyonce when it comes to the dance moves, but at least I got my rear out there and tried something new. I got over the embarrassment, worked my muscles in ways that were unfamiliar to them and broke a sweat. So in my book, that was a freakin’ fabulous accomplishment!

Just so you know, a hip hop class doesn’t solely involve gyrating your hips and pumping your chest. Here are some of the core benefits of a hip hop workout:

• Cardiovascular challenge, which can in turn lead to a healthier heart and lungs
• Balance improvement and coordination
• Stimulates the brain as you are memorizing the moves
• More energy
• Weight loss potential
• Confidence is boosted when you master the moves and gain a sense of accomplishment
• Stronger muscles, potential to sculpt and create more definition

So go forth and hip hop. Check out your local gym for class times. Or you can even pick up a hip hop DVD and do it in the privacy of your home. Whatever you do in your fitness journey, find something that inspires you and empowers you to feel a sense of accomplishment and happiness.

* – Girl (Stephanie Remigio) doing hip hop dance photo credit: Bailey Shiffler via DailySkiff.com

* – Group hip hop class photo credit: BalletAustin.org

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About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for marathons with her best friend Jackie.

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Ever since I was a tiny tot, I was always on the chubby side.

In fact, my pediatrician one time put me to tears when he said I was obese and needed to see a dietician. Instead of thinking “screw you, don’t call my baby fat,” my mom took his advice and encouraged healthy eating choices and some much needed cardio.

We called on the expressive chap Richard Simmons to help get my rear in gear. Although I loved “Sweatin’ to the Oldies,” I never felt that I connected with it. It was more of a task than an enjoyable way to spend my time. There were other weight loss methods we tried but I always got frustrated and just accepted the fact that I would always shop in the “Pretty Plus” section at Sears.

I had to wait a few painful years until the baby weight melted away and I discovered my passion for running and fitness. It sure would have been nice to have Alyson Stoner as my dance coach to help rid me of those extra LB’s.

Kevin Schmidt, actor and co-creator of the Alyson Stoner Project (ASP), drew from his own weight loss success story to inspire others.

“I was a very chubby kid growing up, even the word fat was used to describe me. I’ve always known what foods I should and shouldn’t eat but I never learned portion control,” Schmidt said. “At my heaviest, I was 190 pounds standing five-feet-two-inches tall. During the production of ‘Cheaper By The Dozen 2’ in 2005, I decided it was time for a drastic change. I switched from conventional food to an organic and all-natural lifestyle. I learned how to exercise and how to lose fat, gain muscle, or stay a consistent weight.”

So Schmidt is talking the talk and walking the walk. How did dancer and actor, Alyson Stoner get involved with the ASP?

“I have always enjoyed staying active, but I’ve noticed how distorted our culture’s perception of health has become, so I want to teach my generation a message of balance, freedom, and joy as opposed to pressure, obsession and rigidity, like most diets and workout programs,” Stoner said.

She couldn’t have hit the nail more on the head.

What I think is quite valuable about this particular project is its focus on pure enjoyment. Watching and participating with the Alyson Stoner Project  DVD, I can see how participants could feel more confident and free. Once you master a move, of course your confidence is going to get boosted up a bit. Not to mention, the endorphins your body is producing while engaging in this workout will keep you coming back for more.

When I found out about the Alyson Stoner Project, it was obviously near and dear to my heart from the get-go. I couldn’t help but wonder if the person who suggested I write an article about it asked me because I was a self-proclaimed chub in elementary school when he knew me. He was confident I would be able to relate!

“The ASP is a unique concept showing kids there are fun ways to be physical,” Schmidt said. “Dance is continually rising in popularity, for good reason, so I knew the angle I wanted to take to convey the philosophy behind the ASP. Inspiration can come from anywhere, we just hope to inspire one person at a time to become aware of their health before serious damage is done. Baby steps eventually equal leaps and bounds.”

These moves seriously get the heart rate pumping and help raise the energy level. When I was bopping along to one of the segments, I pretended I was a background dancer in a music video. The moves work the entire body, simultaneously allowing you to feel cooler than you really are.

More importantly to me, this program allows a safe, positive role model into the participants’ lives, never having the focus on body image. This is what separates the ASP from the clutter of fitness DVDs out in the market today.

“The ASP never once mentions a certain appearance or size as being the goal of working out; no scales or counting every calorie or talk of getting toned,” Stoner said. “The focus is achieving internal health, which ultimately results in an individual’s ‘perfect’ weight anyway.”

This is exactly what America’s youth needs right now. No more scantily-clad females doing squats in hot pants. These young impressionable children and young adults need positive, encouraging role models who are raising their hands and saying “I am taking control of my health and my happiness.” Stoner does this in quite a professional and welcoming manner.

I think participants will be quite receptive to her warmness and down-to-earth feel. Although she is incredibly talented and decorated with a long list of acting and dance roles, you still feel like you could hang out with her in your sweatpants. That trait is going to make the connection with the audience and that is where the health transformation is going to come into play.

“Kids watch ASP at sleepovers, after school, or on the weekends with their parents and siblings,” Stoner said. “The feedback has been very positive. Kids no longer view being healthy as a burden, but as a privilege that can be very rewarding and fun.”

Schmidt and Stoner are not the only masterminds in this new approach to fitness. They are joined by close family and friends to put their plan into motion. Be sure to check out the bios of each member at the end of the article and learn about the entire team from dancers to the behind-the-scenes team.

“The dancers and actors are actually well-known, talented stars who donated their time because they believed in the project,” Stoner said. “We’re very thankful for everyone’s support. In most cases a simple phone call to ask if they would be interested in helping out in some way was all it took.”

I have given you the behind the scenes look and motive for the ASP’s conception. But what did all that hard work and planning turn into?

“The ASP reaches the younger generation through media, the most major influence in their lives besides family,” Stoner said. “Also in addition to working out, you have an entire package of entertainment, including music videos, celebrity guest appearance and behind the scenes interviews.”

These ambitious young entertainers are definitely onto something. I sure wish I had the ASP to jam out to when I was an overweight pre-teen. Instead I scolded myself for not looking like the anorexic supermodels that graced the covers of magazines. This ASP method could realistically transform a child’s life and the rest of his/her future.

“Have a long-term goal but take it a day at a time,” Schmidt said. “Educate yourself on the right foods to eat and when. Explore various physical activities and find one that is not only effective; but fun. When trying something new, you rarely know where to start. Explore the options, learn from your mistakes and make smarter choices in the future.”

Alyson Stoner Project Team Bios:

Alyson Stoner

A native of Toledo, Ohio, Alyson moved to L.A. at age 7 to begin acting and continue dancing. She has appeared in music videos alongside Missy Elliott and Eminem and has performed with OutKast and Will Smith.

She can be seen daily on the Disney Channel with numerous guest appearances on network television. Cheaper by the Dozen 1 & 2, Step Up, Alice Upside Down, Camp Rock and animated features line her movie resume.

Alyson’s singing career began with her title song in Alice Upside Down and followed with a remake of Dancin’ In The Moonlight for Disney (as a music video on the Space Buddies DVD). She’s also featured on DisneyMania 7 as well as The Little Engine that Could.

She is set to release her first single “Flying Forward” on April 20, 2010 on iTunes and other online services. She returns as “Camille” in Step Up 3D and “Caitlyn” in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam in 2010.

Kevin G. Schmidt (writer / director)

At 18, Kevin embarked on a physical and mental metamorphosis – evolving from a “chubby” character actor to a “leading man.” Along with numerous guest appearances on Prime Time TV, Kevin can be seen on daytime’s The Young and the Restless as well producer and star of the hit web comedy Poor Paul.

Schmidt’s features include Cheaper By The Dozen 1 & 2, The Butterfly Effect, Resurrection Mary, Disney’s Princess Protection Program and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel.

Lindsay Taylor

A professional actor and dancer since age 8, Lindsay has guest starred on My Name is Earl, All of Us, Seventh Heaven, Without a Trace, Disney Channel and Nick TV. The youngest ever to teach at the Millennium Dance Studios in North Hollywood, CA, she has taught Friday night Hip Hop for 9 years. Her movie credits include Greek, Bratz Movie and A Time for Dancing and alongside Zac Efron in 17 Again.

Monica Parales

Monica showed off dance talents with Missy Elliott and Eminem before appearing in national commercials for Target, Gap, J. C. Penney, Limited Too, Sears, Old Navy and Burger King. She now adds TV’s Everybody Hates Chris, Just Jordan, Wizards of Waverly Place, iCarly and Gary Unmarried to her acting resume. She was the face of Nike Women of Asia and a JammX Kid. Monica is now with Nick Cannon’s “School Gyrls” pop singing group.

Khameron Lawrence

At age 9, Khameron Lawrence knew Hip Hop was his dance style. Working with artists Missy Elliott, Michael Jackson and Lenny Kravitz plus doing commercials and print work for J. C. Penney, Discovery Channel and Nike and performing with Jonny’s Jr. Live Show in Japan all appear on his resume. Look for him on Shark Tale and Kung Fu Panda DVD bonus features and watch for his own Mixtape project as he produces his own music now.

Brennan Saucedo

A native Southern California kid, Brennan first discovered dance, while taking tap at age 11. It didn’t take long to find Hip Hop when he realized dancing was his true passion! Professionally, he’s been featured on the Dance Revolution TV show and has appeared in Macy’s, Nike and AT&T commercials. Presently he’s traveling throughout California with Team Millennia Dance Group, teaching dance and attending Fullerton Junior College.

Kendall Schmidt

The youngest brother of the “Schmidt trio,” Kendall has been an actor since childhood – landing numerous roles in television shows, commercials and feature films. Recognizing his passion for music, Kendall has since embarked on a dual acting / music career as song writer, guitarist, vocalist, and Producer. He is currently starring in the new Nickelodeon show entitled “Big Time Rush!” where he plays the character Kendall Knight, a hockey playing kid from Minnesota, that gets recognized by a big-time music producer and given the opportunity of a lifetime to go record music in Hollywood (but not without his friends). You can check out some of Kendall’s covers and original music at http://www.youtube.com/K3ndallSchmidt & http://www.myspace.com/HeffronDrive ;

Kenneth Schmidt

The oldest brother of the “Schmidt trio,” Kenneth began his entertainment career (print, commercials and television) in New York and later moved to Los Angeles with his brothers and mother. Since finishing high school, Kenneth has pursued his interests in political science at U.C.L.A. with an emphasis in Chinese. His goal is to receive an entertainment law degree. In his spare time, Kenneth focuses on creating his own music as writer, guitarist, vocalist and producer.

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About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for marathons with her best friend Jackie.

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Midwest Sports Fans (MSF) Disclosure of Material Connection: Kimberly Westphall received a complimentary copy of the Alyson Stoner Project DVD as part of the review process. That said, MSF only writes about stories that we believe will interest our readers, and we only link to and endorse sites and services that we would use or have used ourselves. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I had been dreading this day, just as much as I had been looking forward to it. I didn’t even realize it was possible to feel two polar opposite emotions simultaneously. I guess that’s what happens when you have your first marathon lurking around your thoughts for eight months.

Two years ago I decided to run a half marathon. Considering the farthest I’d ever run in my life was four miles at once, this was a daunting task. I roped my college roomie, Jackie, into the deal and we dedicatedly began training. Two years and two half marathons later, we decided to put our big girl running shoes on and conquer a full-fledged, 26.2-mile marathon.

Conquer we did. Well, kind of. In our words, we “rocked it.”

In my opinion, we selected a fabulous marathon as our first. Our landscape was Washington D.C. Talk about an inspiring scene to get that adrenaline flooding through the body. Another inspiring factor propelling Jackie and I through the 26.2-mile trek was the fact we both used to be little chubby humans.

Jackie’s coined nickname was blimp and I certainly accrued a slew of obesity-related names by rude 4^th graders.

So, it was our mission to rock it for those little chubby girls who could barely do the six-minute mile in 6^th grade.

Let’s start from the top of my trip to D.C. The race was Saturday so I got in a couple days early to spend some quality time with the bestie and load up on the carbs. Let me tell you, it sure feels fantastic when you feel required to eat pasta. No guilt whatsoever! Jackie took me to a fun pasta bar in Chinatown and then we hit the hay pretty early. The next day was busy with race registration and shopping for our perfect race day ensembles. We may have not been the fastest racers, but we were definitely the best dressed! It’s our tradition to have matching outfits each race we partake in together. This year we fashioned running skirts and totally looked the part. Before the race, a group of ladies came up to us and said “wow you must be serious runners.” We chuckled out loud and said, “don’t let the outfit fool you- we are faking it ‘til we make it!”

The morning of race day, we set our alarms for 5:15 AM. I am not a morning person so I was dreading this wakeup call like no other. As our alarms buzzed in sync, Jackie exclaimed, “rise and shine.” This was a familiar exultation from living with Jackie for two years. I burst into laughter and could not believe that race day was upon us. Jackie spouted off encouraging statements as we prepared for the many hours of running ahead. We were soon spinning around the apartment, blaring our pump-up play list to get in the zone. We continually repeated, “DC 2010: This is gonna suck.” Although this might have been our joking mantra, we were fully prepared to push ourselves to the max and run our hearts out.

We soon navigated our way through the streets of D.C. to the RFK Stadium where this pursuit was going to take place. Parking was chaotic, which we expected with 12,000+ racers. The police didn’t even know what to tell us, so we were freaking out a little bit. Although nothing was going to get in the way of the finish line. In the mean time, we rolled down our windows and chatted up our fellow competitors. The aspect I love most about these races is the cordialness among the runners. Now if we were with the serious runners who are the leaders of the pack, perhaps they would tell us to eat their dust. But back in chorale nine, the company is quite pleasant. Soon enough we found a parking spot and sprinted into the expo center. We were hesitant to expend any energy before the race but we wanted to keep warm. As we were inside, we instantly made friends with folks from all over the country. Perhaps our favorites were two gals from the Northeast who have been running together for years. One of them completed five marathons in one year when she turned 50. We told them they were our inspiration and we hoped to catch up to their accomplishments. Then we met another first-time marathoner at the starting line. This girl looked the part and you could tell she was a serious runner. We knew we wouldn’t be running side-by-side with her for long.

Finally, the moment we had been anticipating for months: the race had started! My first jam on the Ipod was “Let it Rock” by Kevin Rudolph. The heavy beat blared through my headphones and I could feel my energy elevating. Race day was upon us! I cannot even describe the feeling of everyone, all shapes, ages and sizes pounding it on the pavement. You learn that some people have been “marathoning” it up for years, while others were first-timers just like us.

As the course stretched out in front of us, I felt like I could run all day. I was desperate to hold onto this feeling, ignorantly hoping it would not subside. Fortunately, I was actually able to cling onto the feeling for the first half of the race, which in my opinion was the most amazing part. The course was simply majestic as we ran alongside the National Mall where we passed the Capitol, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian museums, sculpture gardens and most magnificent- the White House. Jackie tapped my arm and pointed up toward the right and there the White House sat. I think our pace picked up a bit from how inspired we felt. We were actually passing people left and right, which was shocking to us. As each mile marker was behind us, we would give one another the traditional high five in celebration.

I certainly don’t want to fool you, Jackie and I did not run the entire course. We had no intention of doing this. Our plan was to run a mile, walk a minute. That method worked well for us in the past and we felt it best to implement it again. For the first 13 miles, we blazed through the streets and did not feel the need to walk; however, around mile 15, our bodies were feeling the fatigue and we walked a bit to give our quads a break. We looked down and our hands were grossly inflated. Our faces were salty and our legs felt like tanks. I know I am painting a glamorous picture for you- race day ain’t pretty folks!

Before the race, one of Jackie’s favorite things to do was look up inspirational race quotes. Our favorite one we kept repeating with laughter was, “Marathon running is a terrible experience: monotonous, heavy, and exhausting.” That being said, we still were eager for the challenge. A few other quotes we clung to inspired us to have gumption, drawing energy for the first part of the race from our mind. The second part from our personality and the last part from our heart. I think this was definitely true, especially in Jackie’s case. Jackie wasn’t feeling the pain in the quads as much as I was. At one point, we were busting our tails, power-walking style. As we passed officers, fellow racers and spectators, Jackie offered them a wave, kind word and a cheeky smile. She was chatting it up with all sorts of cats while I was fighting back tears of pain and fatigue. Even though we vowed to stick together the entire race, I turned up my Ipod as loud as I could to drown out her chipper voice. As much as I wanted to strangle her out of jealousy and pain, I was so grateful she was our cheerleader and pace keeper. If it wasn’t for her, I would have been on my hands and knees crawling. She definitely should have won the award for Miss Congeniality!

I did conjure up some cheer when the volunteers and other participants would shout, “Rock Chalk Jayhawk” as they spied my KU hat. That definitely boosted up the adrenaline, finding a link between myself and the other participants. One hunky fellow who worked on Capitol Hill, turned around as he passed us and shouted “Boo KU.” He was from Mizzou so naturally he did not enjoy my hat. We did strike up a conversation with him around mile 23 as we temporarily walked to work through the pain. I also met someone who is from my hometown along the way which was another exciting link. Like I said, the human element of the race is my favorite aspect. All these people have the same goal as you and share the same pride. Speaking of pride, the most overwhelming moment for me was mile 25 as we were crossing a lengthy bridge. I could see the stadium on the horizon and I knew the finish line was a mile away. I hate to admit it, but I was listening to Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.” With a combination of being famished, in pain, fatigued and proud, tears of joy began streaming down my face. I was belting the lyrics out, overwhelmed with all we accomplished on race day. We passed the marker for mile 26 and picked up speed. We were going to finish this race strong! As we crossed the finish line, Jackie did a karate chop and a kick. How the lass had enough energy to conjure up strength for that, I have no clue. We clutched our medals and kept repeating that we couldn’t believe we had finished a marathon!

It’s been three days since our day in the sun and we are busy researching our next marathon. We have pledged to join forces once a year and knock one out. So if you have any suggestions on a race, please let me know. Also, please share with me your race day stories or proud fitness moments you have experienced. I am eager to know about them. Thanks for sharing and reading about my first marathon experience!

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About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, and when she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for marathons with her best friend Jackie.

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* – Marathon photo credit: MeetUp.com

All eyes on me in the center of the ring, just like a circus…

Well all eyes were certainly on me, but that could be due to the slur of profanities escaping my screaming lips.

My stomach felt as if it had leaped from the trunk of my body to the summit of the arched ceiling at the Trapeze School of New York.

Initially I had no clue I was screaming. It was one of those surreal moments when you are lost in what’s actually going on. In a matter of three seconds, I was slapped back into reality when my instructor sternly commanded me to stop screaming. I was suddenly entirely aware of my freaked-out-fit and settled myself down.

I stuck my lips together tight enough where no sound had a chance of escaping. I then began taking deep breaths, trying to gather myself. I soon realized another tricky task was at hand: letting go of the trapeze and plunging into the net below.

Countless thoughts began brewing in my head. What if the net breaks? What if somehow I bounce so high that I fling myself out of the net and into the wall? What if my arms become detached from my body? My trip on the trapeze was almost up and my arms began feeling heavier than sandbags.

In due time, my fingertips surrendered their grasp on the bar and I was gently dumped into the net without a single scratch. I began making my way towards the rest of the class, with a silly, proud smile on my face like I just rode my bike for the first time without training wheels. I threw up my hands in jubilee and exclaimed, “I’m all right,” so pleased with myself that I just mastered this initial flight.

I was soon informed I did not exactly master my first encounter with the trapeze. I took a peek at the video of my first take-off and was instantly horrified. My legs were flailing, I was screaming cuss words that I must have made up and I basically did not accomplish any of the technique we had just gone over in ground school.

Failure to the max!

Although it may have been a failure in the eyes of a true trapeze artist, I was ecstatic inside. I honestly thought there was a pretty good chance I would back out of this fitness challenge. Even the split-second before I leaped into the unknown on the trapeze, I figured I would be heading down the same way I got up: the ladder.

So, I dare anyone to say my first attempt was a failure. In my mind, I knocked it out of the park.

[View with PicLens]

Overcoming the Fear of the Trapeze

I mean come on, this is the girl who despises the log ride at theme parks because she cannot stand the feeling of her stomach being “tickled” (or whatever that sensation is called). Not being able to feel my feet, having my stomach disjoined from the body and screaming bloody murder is not my idea of a swell time. If anything, it’s torture.

So, heck yes I am proud of conquering my fear and swinging from that trapeze like I was a genuine, trapeze artist.

This first trapeze experience was captured at the Trapeze School of New York in New York City. In an effort to constantly give my fitness routine a jolt, I decided to flavor it up with a trapeze class. So I ventured from Dallas to New York City for a chance to conquer both a physical and emotional challenge.

Now, I must admit I was worried how this task was logistically going to play out. I never did the monkey bars as a little kid. When it came to big jungle gyms, my experience was pretty much limited to the tire swing. To my surprise, the result of this class was much better than anticipated.

Although my entire body was shaking after my first lift-off, I was able to climb back up that ladder and actually focus on the technique I learned in ground school, attempting to perform what I learned correctly. It just took a moment to get over the initial shock of jumping off the platform and being flung back and forth.

There were a few surprises along the way – and pleasant surprises I might add.

First, when you are performing your trick on the trapeze, you execute the move at the peak of your pendulum-like motion. Therefore, you are essentially weightless and the momentum helps you transition into your next move.

Another happy surprise: the instructor offers verbal cues for every move you need to make. Simply put, if you just listen to the prompts, you will have no problem. This one is a little easier said than done. First, you must meander around the daunting idea that you are swinging through the air. Once you wrap your head around that, your brain is less clouded and you can hear your next signal. The instructors were encouraging and welcoming, which is definitely a vital ingredient in this concoction of a fresh fitness venture.

The Trend Towards Trapeze Fitness

Let’s get to the primary reason I was desperate to attempt this trapeze class.

There has been a lot of buzz about trapeze-inspired workouts. Some of the posh gyms sprinkled through out the world have Cirque du Soleil-type fitness classes. Jukari Fit to Fly classes, a new gym experience from Reebok and Cirque du Soleil, are something I definitely want to try next time I am in a city that offers them.

Oftentimes when I am flipping through entertainment or fitness magazines, I run across an article featuring celebrities exploring trapeze fitness workouts. Celebrities such as Hugh Jackman, Kim Kardashian, and Amy Winehouse have been spotted flying high in the air with the greatest of ease.

The Effectiveness of Trapeze Fitness

The fitness opportunity trapeze work possesses is extraordinary. I was sore for three days straight after my two-hour trapeze stint. Flying enthusiasts claim trapeze work builds muscle strength, stamina, balance and coordination. I can certainly attest to the muscle strengthening, particularly the work I did on the low bar.

To master the moves, the instructors guided us students through the motions on the low bar. We were working with no momentum so we were forced to pull all our own weight. This was the kicker for me. In fact, I strained my neck a bit because I kept pulling only from my shoulders and upper body. I was attempting to tuck into a ball and flip my feet over, ignoring help from my stomach muscles. This was nearly impossible unless you sucked in those abdominals and let the core assist with the lifting.

As soon as I concentrated on the core area, I soon felt the tension alleviated from my neck and I was able to complete the exercise. I could definitely feel it in my abs then, but an aftershock has been making my abs scream for the past few days. Every time I move I am reminded of my activity on the trapeze.

My pecs, arms and backs are naturally feeling the effect of the workout as they collaborated, allowing me to hold myself up and flip over the bar.

The Importance of Trapeze Fitness Safety

The instructors did caution us that joints could potentially fall out of place with this upper body-intensive workout. If we had injuries or joint problems, we were to make them known up front. There was also a waiver to be signed, making you a little bit more nervous about the climb up the ladder and send-off into the air.

All the cautionary tales about trapeze fitness aside, I personally felt safe. We were harnessed in at all times. From the first rung of the ladder until we were safely out of the net, we were strapped in with a harness. There were three instructors watching us the entire time. They were serious with their stunts and tricks, but they were even more serious about the safety. In our class, we had eight students so there was plenty of time to ask questions and make sure we were squared away on every little detail we needed to know. This also allowed everyone to have his or her swing on the trapeze several times.

Although I definitely saw improvement in my technique and confidence through the course of the class, I never fully mastered the moves. This just means that I will have to go back and be sure I do.

However, my great friend Cristina, a fabulous New Yorker, did master the moves and then some! She was the source of inspiration for me taking the class, as she took her first class back in December. Cristina is a daredevil by nature and has this incredible thirst for adventure so I knew I just had to have her by my side. I called her up and told her I was heading her way and the vehicle of choice was a trapeze. I was so proud to be there with Cristina. Some spectators in the room were “oo-ing and aw-ing” when she was performing a catch-and-release with one of the instructors. I felt like I was one of the cool kids because I was friends with the star student!

Why the Trapeze Makes for a Great Fitness Changeup

The most important thing I took away from this experience, besides incredibly sore arms, pecs, and abdominals (feel the burn!), is that the ride may be perceived as an impossible feat, but the payoff is bountiful.

After my two-hour class at the Trapeze School of New York, I felt completely invigorated; there had to be an extra spring in my step. I was strutting down the streets of New York with my head held high, picturing myself as this fearless gal who was up for anything. I wanted to stop strangers on the street and tell them what I had accomplished and encourage them to have their turn on the trapeze. I refrained from strangers on the street but I am telling you to go forth and take a glide on the trapeze.

In addition to the New York locations, the Trapeze School of New York has set up shop in Boston, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Look at this opportunity you have to incorporate fitness into your vacation – just trying to give you a little bang for your buck!

Not to sound dramatic, but this experience truly struck a chord with me and I feel empowered, not only with fitness but life in general. Here’s to having more empowering, encouraging, blissful moments like that. Now get out there and get swinging!

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About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, which she discusses in her first Blogging Fitness post today.

When she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for the 2010 Washington D.C. Marathon with her best friend Jackie.

I have made my workout preferences clear, stating that I need a major sweat-drenching routine and that I like it bouncy.

However, I might be changing my tune a bit.

Recently, I have felt my flexibility might be dwindling a bit so I decided to focus some of my attention on Yoga and Pilates. Over the past two weeks, I made it a goal to add in some Yoga and Pilates classes as a supplement to my traditional routine.

Over this short amount of time, I have come to see how people get hooked on this relaxing, but challenging, form of exercise.

Perhaps I am a bit intimidated by these workouts, as I am definitely not the bendiest of folks. So when I am not able to wrap my leg over my head, I feel inferior to the other participants in the class. However, as my new charge is “no intimidation when it comes to fitness,” I marched my mat and myself into the group fitness studio and clung to the attitude that I was a pro. Fake it ‘til you make it, I guess. This newfound attitude benefitted me immensely.

Trying Pilates

The Pilates class was the first attempt, and I must say that I am now more familiar and comfortable with Pilates-based moves. With the various years of Jazzercise and strength training classes I was involved with, some Pilates moves crept their way into the choreography.

The class actually zoomed by and I wasn’t finding myself peeking at the clock every five minutes. Instead, I left feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready for bed. This was the ultimate way to wind down from my busy day and head home. I found I liked the night classes because by the time I left the gym it was 9 pm and I could focus my attention on the great workout I just performed. In turn, that feeling was soaked in until I fell asleep. Sweet dreams indeed!

My First Yoga Class

I grew a sense of confidence and empowerment for Yoga the next day. Yoga is a little bit more out of my comfort zone. Sure I have been to my share of Yoga classes, but I always found myself taking the easy way out. I would perform the simplest modification of the pose and would never push myself to the next level. I didn’t want to find myself in this situation again because you don’t grope the same level of accomplishment as when you push yourself and go for it.

With a can-do attitude, I had another success with my Yoga class. To make the situation even more enjoyable, some familiar faces were in the class and they welcomed me in. (Just as a side note, if you see someone new in your fitness class, go over and welcome them in. Acknowledge they took that step to try something new. Let them know how excited you are about the class and how it’s great to have a new pal.) I felt even more relaxed after this Yoga class as our focus was on balance moves and lengthening the muscles. This felt outstanding after my cardio session and strength training class. Once again, I slept like a baby.

During the first week of my Yoga and Pilates journey, I could tell a difference in how my muscles felt. Another little perk: I could tell a difference in the way my clothes fit. Once again, feeling inspired by my progress I decided to conquer a new Yoga goal. Time to turn up the heat…seriously.

Preparing for Hot, Hot, Hot Yoga

I remember hearing about Hot Yoga in college but thought “why the heck would you subject yourself to that?” My friends raved about it, saying they felt so cleansed and purified. This just sounded like a bunch of frou-frou fitness talk to me, but I decided to open my mind and take the plunge this past weekend.

Perhaps my timing wasn’t the most optimal. I had just completed a long run for my marathon training so I was a little apprehensive as to how my body would react to the sweltering heat. I took the appropriate precautions and nourished my body with some nutritious food and drank plenty of water. I was exhausted but kept thinking I will not regret this. I repeated in my head, You will only benefit from this power workout and you get to take a nap when it’s all over! It always inspires me to have a little incentive or special reward for myself when I conquer a mega-workout.

I headed over to my friend Angela’s house and she psyched me up for the toasty Yoga session. She is a fan of the hotness and encouraged me to enjoy it as well. She warned me that it would be terribly smelly in the room and there might be men in Speedos. I braced myself, held my breath, and entered the sweltering room with a temperature of approximately 100 degrees.

What Hot Yoga Class is All About

Instantly I felt like my breath was sucked out from me and I became frantic. I thought I am literally going to die from suffocation. The Yoga instructor informed us that once we entered the room, there was to be no talking. This was completely opposite from my typical random yell-outs during cardio classes. No singing along with the jams in this class.

I tried to allow my body to get acclimated to the frying pan of a room and I laid down slowly on my mat. Everyone around me seemed just fine, relaxed in various traditional Yoga poses on their mats. Although I felt like I was literally melting in the first two minutes, my breath normalized and I was no longer on the verge of panic. Still not allowed to talk in this “sacred” room, I turned to Angela and crafted out some sort of hand messages, letting her know I would go wait in the car if I got too overwhelmed from the heat. Although I didn’t want to back out from the challenge, I wanted to have a plan B just in case my body was overloaded with heat.

During the midst of my relaying information to her, I had to contain the giggles. Why is it, when someone tells you that you’re not allowed to talk, you feel like you could bust into a fit of laughter? So I avoided looking at Angela, in an effort to contain myself and not get booted from the class and banned forever.

Pretty soon the itty-bitty Yoga instructor came in and she calmly gave us our cues. With this Hot Yoga class, we rapidly went through 31 postures consisting of balance moves, strength training, core stabilization, and of course some deep stretches. With this specific class, there are no passive stretches as the aim is to strengthen and tone the muscles. So it wasn’t quite as relaxing as I had envisioned, but the benefits from the class were positive indeed.

And perhaps the benefit I enjoyed the most was the sweat factor! This might top the cake as one of the sweatiest workouts I have ever done. No wonder the gents wear the Speedos! Although I wasn’t hopping around, I could definitely feel my heart rate pounding, as the level changes and strength moves got my heart pumping.

As the class progressed, the poses became more challenging. You could tell which students were the advanced ones, having practiced their craft for many years. I was a bit more on the wobbly side but pleased with my progress and the fact that I was stepping out of my comfort zone. On another positive note, I felt a swift breeze from time to time. I was not exactly sure where this breeze was coming from, but I was eager to embrace it. The time actually passed by fairly quickly. There was no clock in the room to stare at and wish the time away. The instructor eventually commanded us to lie down and relax, taking in everything we had just done for our bodies.

Final Thoughts on Hot Yoga

I took a few moments to relax and take deep breaths. I was soon bursting with pride that I had attempted and succeeded in achieving this fitness feat! I honestly thought that there was a good chance I was going to have to back down due to the heat. However, I sucked it up and mastered the test!

As soon as I was exiting the room, the 75-degree hallway felt like an igloo. I soon began shivering, desperate to get out of my soaked-up workout clothes. I hustled into the locker room and begin piling my layers on. Here’s a tip: make sure you bring an extra set of dry clothes. Unfortunately I did not and I was freezing the entire way home.

Despite my teeth chattering, I felt refreshed and cleansed of all toxins. Although I wouldn’t want to do this sizzling workout on a daily basis, I could definitely see myself craving it in the future. In fact I am going to take another whack at it this week. Hopefully it won’t be such a shocker when I first enter the room; I will be prepared for the heat.

There are precautions that must be taken when engaging in this heat-intensive workout. Dizziness, light-headiness and nausea can be a result of this form of Yoga practice. If you venture to try this, make sure you are plenty hydrated and do not overdo it during class. With any workout routine, listen to your body and don’t push over your limit. After I was finished with the class, the Yoga studio provided me with an electrolyte powder with tons of vitamins and nutrients. This helped minimize my headache from the dehydration.

If you are up for the ultimate sweat fest (and I mean SWEAT FEST) then go forth and partake in some Hot Yoga. As mentioned, this was out of my comfort zone but I am bursting with pride that I tried it, mastered it, and want another go at it! If not Hot Yoga, give the traditional Yoga a try. You only have calories and stress to lose.

Namaste.

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About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, which she discusses in her first Blogging Fitness post today.

When she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for the 2010 Washington D.C. Marathon with her best friend Jackie.

* – First Hot Yoga class photo credit: Macabre Fitness

* – Second Hot Yoga class photo credit: Hot Yoga Willits

Zumba is taking the fitness world by storm – get in on the action!

There is a lot of buzz going around about Latin-influenced dance workouts. I first heard of such classes when I was a student at the University of Kansas. One of the classes was called Zumba.

The name Zumba is sassy and a bit mysterious. I didn’t really know what to expect; I was just hoping I would get my heart pumpin’ and burn it up.

What I actually got was so much more.

I walk into the group fitness room and see this beautiful Colombian gal named Victoria at the front of the class. I am thinking that this chick is going to judge me for sure – she is a hot commodity! However, I am quite wrong with my initial impression as she turns out to be the most down-to-earth person who truly has a passion for fitness.

Pretty soon the music is pounding through the speakers. I suddenly feel that perhaps I am at a party on the streets somewhere in South America. Victoria commands the room, moving her hips in a way I didn’t think was humanly possible. I am afraid they are going to become separated and fall off. Shakira has nothing on her!

I try to emulate her moves but my hips simply cannot keep up. Not to mention I probably look like one of those marionette puppets. To make matters worse, the guys from the basketball courts soon come to the window of the group fitness room and are peering in at the jam-packed room. However, we don’t let that phase us. This is our Zumba class and we only have one hour to get down and break a sweat.

That was my first time, and I soon after became a Zumba-addict. Although it wasn’t the most intense workout I’d ever done, it certainly got my heart rate up and worked the waistline the entire class.

I soon got to know the regulars in the class and the various other instructors. Another one of my favorite instructors was Vina. She was spunky and had a smile on her face the whole time. She could shake it and exuded such confidence when instructing. That is such an admirable aspect in an instructor. I love when their passion for fitness is displayed and they are rowdy and energetic; it definitely boosts my energy up several notches. Vina was inspired by Victoria, as I was, to take Zumba classes regularly. Six months later, she was hooked and decided to be certified as a Zumba instructor.

“The number one benefit [for taking a Zumba class] would be the increasing level of confidence,” Vina said. “Every time a participant masters a new move, he/she would feel really good about himself/herself. I can tell by the way they look at themselves in the mirror, giving themselves that ‘sexy look’.”

I don’t know if I ever conjured enough gumption up to give myself a sexy look in the mirror. But I definitely gained confidence with the moves as the classes continued over time. I was focused on the technical aspect of the movements. I wanted to make sure I was getting the full benefit of the moves, working that core area and waistline. Once I “mastered” the moves, I felt that I had better control of my hips and could really feel the burn in the muscles.

“It is funny how the first thing that participants say before they take this class for the first time is that they are not coordinated,” Vina said. “Guess what, my own mother thinks I’m uncoordinated. Zumba is one of those classes that proves the saying ‘practice makes perfect.’ As long as participants keep on practicing by coming to the classes, they would be amazing before they even realize it.”

So, have I piqued your interest in trying a Zumba class? You are probably wondering what the heck goes down during this hip-shaking good time.

A typical Zumba class consists of a track with a low-impact warm-up, just to ensure the body is revved up. There is also some foreshadowing of the signature moves that will occur throughout the class. There are six to seven songs with different types of medium to high impact Latin dance moves. Each song has its own choreography, so when you hear those familiar beats, you know which moves to bust out.

Some of the dance moves include Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton, Belly Dancing (my personal favorite) and Samba. The Reggaeton is fabulous as well as it has more of an urban beat so you can really go to town. I have been known to get a little carried away when those jams are cued up on the stereo.

About halfway through the class, you will be granted a water break. After catching your breath and re-hydrating, you will be greeted with several more tracks of high energy music. To top off the class and bring the heart rate down safely and slowly, a relaxing song will finish off the night with some slow Salsa. The instructors might switch it up a bit and throw in some muscle toning at the end, just in case you didn’t work those muscles enough with all that dancing.

I loved taking the Zumba classes at night because you felt like you went out to a club but didn’t have to get all dolled up. Plus you got your workout in and worked up quite the sweat. You know how I love to get a little extra bang for my buck.

If you think you are not a dancer and don’t belong in this class, think again. The idea is to keep moving, have fun and exercise in an innovative, mind stimulating way. It sure beats the pounding it out on treadmill for an hour.

Now I don’t like to leave out the fellas. Guys, you may be thinking that you would not be caught dead in a Zumba class because it’s way too girly. However, I have taken Zumba classes with guys and man can they shake it! Some of them were moving with more rhythm and flare than I was.

“At first they [men] would feel awkward moving their hips, but they would soon catch up to the ladies,” Vina said. “Personally, I like to approach the male participants to make them feel more comfortable because I understand that the female to male ratio is normally about 25:1. It can be intimidating for those guys, but when I see them keep coming back weeks after, I know they are enjoying themselves too.”

Besides the benefit of working the heart, enjoying a workout and gaining confidence, Zumba has the capacity to transform your shape. As the abdominals are being held in the entire length of the class, they are working like crazy to keep you balanced and standing up.

“I know that as regular people, we always have body issues no matter how fit we seem to the public eye,” Vina said. “Zumba is one of the classes that will encourage us to get in touch with our own bodies and the way we are able to move them. For once, I believe that many people (including myself) start to appreciate the ways their bodies move instead of just complaining about the way they look.”

There you go – a thoughtful way to approach having a positive attitude and body image. Base your fitness success off how you feel and how your agility increases with the different fitness regimes you experiment with. Not only will your muscles become more toned, your endurance will increase. As your endurance increases, you will be on a quest for the next fitness challenge to kick the intensity up a notch.

After moving to Dallas, I was determined to find a similar class so I wouldn’t have to go through withdrawal. I found a class called Latin Impact and it’s fabulous as well. The music is wonderful, the dance moves are a blast and most importantly, I break a sweat.

Who’s going to go try a Zumba or a Latin-inspired workout now? Check out the fitness schedule at your local gym and see when you can pop in and take a class. Grab a friend and go experience a spicy new way to work it out!

About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, which she discusses in her first Blogging Fitness post today.

When she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for the 2010 Washington D.C. Marathon with her best friend Jackie.

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Flab and drab are getting the boot in 2010. So heat up your workouts in 2010 by trying something new: Boot Camp Fitness.

The holiday season is over. Our pocketbooks may be a bit lighter, but how ‘bout the bod? It is common and quite often expected to have a chub-tastic holiday and treat ourselves a little too much to the cookies and delectable delights that come with the territory. However, it’s time to whip into shape and take it off; I am talking about the lb’s of course.

Now, let’s not focus just on how we want to look. Instead, let’s focus on how we want to feel: endorphins flowing and energy levels rising.

You don’t need to hear me harp on and on my love for group fitness; however, I just experienced the ultimate group fitness program that seriously left me gasping for air. By my measure, it has proven to be the ultimate workout that I’ve encountered in the last few years.

I am sure a lot of you are searching for that one golden fitness routine that will be the real deal, the one that is going to help you become more inspired, fit, and energized. And I may have encountered exactly what you are searching for.

Whenever you are looking to shake things up and transform your physique, you literally need a change-up. Otherwise, your body will simply maintain and your shape will not change. Looking for my own “shock to the system” I called upon the team from Jay Johnson’s Boot Camp.

Here is a video diary of my first ever Boot Camp Fitness experience:

I remember hearing about boot camp fitness about ten or fifteen years ago as it was making its debut on the coasts. As a child, I imagined men and women traipsing through mud and being thrashed by barbed wire. Many years later, I now realize that the callisthenic exercises are implemented into Boot Camp Fitness, minus the mud. (Although blood, sweat, and tears still remain.)

I have had my share of boot camp classes at several gyms and they are indeed challenging, but I always found myself at the front of the pack and was able to keep up with all the exercises. With Jay Johnson’s Boot Camp Fitness, that simply was not the case at all.

I am literally laughing out loud as I type this and think back to my 5:30 am face-to-face with Jay Johnson and his crew. I was chatting it up with the lads, laughing and smiling before the interview, being as chipper as I could be at 5:30 am in the blistering cold. They asked me if I was going to do the boot camp and I told them, “of course!”

The mood quickly changed, however, when I was commanded to get in line with the rest of the campers and hit some laps.

I must admit I was intimidated and followed their cue without skipping a beat. I joined everyone else, hoping the running would bring some warmth to my body. As I was running I thought how crazy we all were for leaving our warm beds and running against the cold concrete with the moon still shining down.

But as my heart rate rose, so too did my body temperature. That craziness soon felt like inspiration and gratitude.

Once we got back to our mats and begin stretching, I thought, “This isn’t so bad. What’s the big fuss about?”

Yeah, that lasted for about one and a half minutes.

Soon we were doing squat-thrusts, high kicks, leap frogs, and more calisthenics than I could even name. All I can tell you is that they worked and it’s hard to walk as I write this post immediately afterwards. My entire body is aching. When I turn my shoulder, I feel my abdominals scream with pain.

So, of course, I love it! I am getting some bang for my buck indeed – and then some.

Back to the workout. After the warm up, the stations were outlined quickly for us. I was trying to be a front row diva and get in the first group as I am all smiles and eager for the challenge.

The first station required us to run around the parking garage holding a body bar. After our stint around the block three times, we were to do squats and overhead raises with a jump fifty times. I didn’t think this sounded too intense as I don’t mind running at all. Once again, I underestimated the intensity of the drill.

Gripping that heavy body bar tuckered me out and I was spent. After a few minutes I wanted to chuck that body bar out the window and break free. Instead it just kept getting heavier and heavier and I was actually grateful when it was finally time for squats. My heart rate was soaring and I was huffing and puffing. Just when I thought I was in great shape and my endurance was the best its ever been, I got knocked down a few pegs.

The next round of joyous torture included ladder jumps, ab rollers, and many more intense drills. I soon realized the main reason my heart rate was soaring was because the exercises involved level changes. Whether they were jump squats or leap frogs, the level change pumped up the heart rate and provided me with a complete body workout. (Note: on some of the workouts, I worked at a low impact level, which means I nixed the jumping. I simply bent my knees and involved the level changes, which in turn kept me working at a high intensity, low impact level.)

Others around me also modified their workout to suit their level of fitness. Regardless, everyone was kicking it, and sweat was pouring left and right. If you’re not sweating, you aren’t working hard enough!

Clearly, Jay Johnson’s boot camp style is rubbing off on me.

I must admit I am grateful for the fitness revelation I had at Jay Johnson’s Boot Camp. As painful and miserable as it might have felt in the moment, I wanted to go back for more. I know I need the endless push-ups, ladder jumping, and pain-piercing abdominal exercises. This is going to be my ticket for a transformation of the body!

The current Boot Camp Fitness campers are living proof of the effects this specific boot camp can have on your body. Johnson said it is remarkable the amount of weight loss participants see with his boot camp. People will come, and within several weeks both pounds and inches have been shed. While improving their physique is often a prime motivation for people to workout, let’s not forget the most important benefit: our health. Endurance, strength and agility increase with the military-inspired exercises performed.

With 2010 here, I am sure the majority of us have some extra motivation to boost up those workouts and trim up the tummy. As I was reminded at the boot camp, “no pain no gain.”

If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, give it a whirl yourself by visiting www.jaysbootcamp.com. There are many locations in the Dallas Metroplex where you can join a group. Not from Dallas but still want the live Jay Johnson Boot Camp Fitness experience? No problem. You buy, they fly. Really. Jay Johnson and his team will pack up their boot camp supplies and whip you and your gang into shape.

You can also have Jay Johnson in your home every day with his fitness DVD’s. There is a 9-week box set you can order from www.jaysbootcampstore.com. Enter in the promo code JJBCXMAS10 and save 10% during the month of January. (I just have to tell you the bargains – I am notorious for keeping my eyes peeled for them.)

Speaking of Jay Johnson, you may recognize him from CMT’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team. He is notorious for putting the training camp candidates through grueling workouts in hopes that they will receive a Power Squad shirt. I asked Johnson how I could attain one of those tops and he informed me I had to complete a 300 on the military performance test. No cutting corners with this guy!

Good luck making 2010 your year to take it to the next level in your fitness journey. We all are looking for that next challenge, whether it is to start walking three times a week or to run a marathon. The hardest part is getting your bum off the couch and getting into a routine.

And regardless of what workout routine you choose, make sure that you do something that’s fun, that makes you happy, and that re-charges you!

Boot Camp Fitness Video Giveaway

Now, here comes the really exciting part: MSF and Jay Johnson’s Boot Camp Fitness are teaming up to give you an opportunity to participate in a Boot Camp Fitness Video Giveaway.

By entering, you will be eligible to receive free Jay Johnson Boot Camp Fitness DVDs, or possibly even the first fitness Blu-Ray Discs ever!

Here is all you need to do and know:

• Email your name, address, and phone number to freedvd@9weeks2anewyou.com.
• A winner will be chosen every day to receive on one of the follow Jay Johnson Boot Camp Fitness videos while supplies last through the end of January: Ultimate Abs; Ultimate Cardio; Ultimate 3X30; Ultimate Body Vol. 1.
• The four videos available for daily winners are also available on Blu-Ray Disc. Once a winner is selected they will be given their choice of either Blu Ray or DVD and title.
• Prizes will be sent out once a week to all the winners for that week.
• The daily winners are still eligible to win the weekly grand prize, which is the complete 9-week Jay Johnson Boot Camp Fitness system! (Note: since there are four different single DVDs available, the daily winners can win more than once, but there will only be one weekly grand prize per winner.)
• Please email questions to: freedvd@9weeks2anewyou.com

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About Jay Johnson - Fitness Trainer of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

After serving his country in the United States Army for over two decades, Jay Johnson emerged a man of intense focus, desire, drive and energy. He has combined these qualities to develop one of the nation’s most effective and talked about boot camp fitness programs. His boot camp fitness program takes a streamlined, common sense approach to health and fitness. He uses his unique motivational techniques to help individuals attain their highest level of fitness. He does this the old fashioned way, by pushing boot campers — hard!

Over the years, he has helped thousands of individuals to sculpt their bodies, minds and spirits into top condition.

Boot Camp Fitness, Inc. was founded in 2001 by Johnson on the same principles of faith and character that he lives by. His commitment to excellence has garnered him a fiercely loyal following comprised of both elite athletic individuals and fitness novices working to better their overall physical strength and endurance. His experience as a combat infantryman, where he received and imparted rigorous physical training, uniquely qualifies him to know exactly how the human body will respond to military style techniques.

Johnson’s reputation as one of the country’s premiere experts in health and fitness has been highlighted by a number of print and television outlets including: Muscle and Fitness magazine, Bloomberg News and ABC’s Evening News. He has also been featured on several prime-time programs including: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Wife Swap, Judge Hachett, HBO’s Hard Knocks, CMT’s Making of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and many others. He is also a featured monthly fitness contributor to WFAA-TV 8′s (Dallas ABC Affiliate) Good Morning Texas. Johnson is also the official trainer of the world famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. In March of 2007, he and wife Lin were invited to speak at the After-School All-Stars Annual Fundraiser in Columbus, Ohio, with featured guests Jack LaLanne, bodybuilding star Ronnie Coleman and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In June, Boot Camp Fitness was selected as the official fitness sponsor for the Mrs. Texas Pageant. Johnson was also elected to serve on the first US Army DFW Advisory Board along with other leaders such Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, Hillwood Chief of Staff Marc Hildenbrand, LULAC District III Director Coty Rodriguez-Anderson and former DISD Superintendent Dr. Mike Moses. Johnson and Lin also look forward to the launch of their new clothing line, Eternal Bling, and workout programs called Sweat Tunes. They will also star in their own CMT reality television program, I Want to Look Like a Cheerleader, in the fall of 2007.

Most importantly, Jay Johnson and his family are followers of Christ. He is a dedicated husband, soldier, entrepreneur and father to the couple’s 13-year-old daughter, Sydney.

*- Jay Johnson photo credit: CMTPress.com

About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly made her MSF debut in 2009 discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, which she discusses in her first Blogging Fitness post today.

When she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for the 2010 Washington D.C. Marathon with her best friend Jackie.

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[Editor's note (updated): Originally when I published this post, I said that Kimberly received no compensation nor incentives for writing/posting it. That is not entirely true. The idea to write this article came from Kimberly herself in her endless quest to provide readers here at MSF with valuable health and fitness information, but she did receive free entry in the class that you see featured in the video above, as well as a free Jay Johnson Boot Camp Fitness workout DVD after the fact. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”]

I like to think of myself as an open-minded fitness enthusiast. If there is some kind of activity that will potentially tighten up those thighs and trim the tummy, I am game!

Moving past the fear of making a fool of myself (that ship sailed long ago) I decided to conquer a new fitness genre.

Now I must preface this with the fact that I am not the best bike rider, mostly because I am afraid I will crash. Also, I was a little late in the “riding a bike without training wheels” game. My parents had to bribe me to take off the training wheels with a gift in second grade.

Suffice it to say, I am not a huge pro at the ol’ bicycle. But, I am a pro at having an opened mind and trying new things when it comes to fitness.

Thus, I decided it was time to take a spinning class, although I am much better on two feet, punching, kicking, hooting and hollering.

From what I heard of these feared spinning classes is that you better not plan on breathing during class or being able to walk the next day. Some of my fitness instructors tried out some local spinning classes and affirmed this notion, claiming it was the most challenging workout they had ever attempted.

Pressure definitely on. No turning back now.

So I waltz into this spinning class with my regular kicks, capris, and an old tank top. I walk into a room packed with cycle enthusiasts, pumping their legs faster than a hamster wheel spins. Some of them have special cycling shoes that attach to the pedals, while I shove my tennis shoes into the slot. They have shiny spandex shorts, perfectly shaping their toned thighs.

Although a little intimidated, I think, “Whatever, this is going to be great!”

The instructor bops on in and is very bubbly. This is always a plus to me when it comes to group fitness classes. No one wants to be greeted by an instructor who appears to be melancholy and blasé – give me some flare, something I can work with! So this spunky little blonde floats up onto her bike and starts blaring this heavy metal music and cues us to kick our gears up a notch. Don’t judge a book by its cover. This girl can rock!

Personally I prefer to jam out to rap tunes when I am sweating it up but I was feeling her musical selection. Within minutes I began to sweat and my quads were burning. I kept looking at the clock and realized I had 50 more minutes of this beating of a workout. I thought to myself, “there’s no way I’m jumping off this bike.” So I hung on for dear life and climbed a hill as I shifted my gear up to the maximum. I could barely push the pedals, but the music pushed me to the top of that hill and then we were instructed to lower our gear as we “descended” down.

These spinning classes are seriously so much better than hopping on a bike and pedaling away for an hour in the gym. The combination of the music pumping and the instructor providing you visual images of your cycling journey offers the ultimate adrenaline rush.

Another positive thing about this class is that you can truly pick your own level of intensity to work out. All the bikes have various gears and you can switch it at any time in the class. If you feel that you have hit your limit and your heart rate is skyrocketing, then you can simply lower your gear.

I hid my gear under a towel! Nearly everyone in the class did the same. However, this could also be a bad thing because you could cheat and not work hard. But why the heck would you bother with that? If you are busy like me and sometimes only have an hour to crank out your workout, you’ve got to get the most bang for your buck!

As with any fitness routine, the more you practice the regime, the better you become. Your endurance increases and you are able to push yourself to the next level. I stuck with this class for two weeks, consistently going every other day. I tried going two days in a row but just starting out, my quads were on fire and needed a bit of a recovery so I stuck with a different workout on the alternate days.

As the two weeks progressed, my rear got more accustomed to the bike seat, my quads didn’t scream quite as loud after each class and I was able to get full breaths through out the whole class. I couldn’t get enough of the natural high. I would leave work on my lunch break to sneak in a class. I felt like I was going through withdrawal without it.

One thing that didn’t slow down was the sweating. If anything, I only sweated more with each progressive class. If you have read my posts before, you know that sweating is an absolute mandatory for my approval of a workout. This one passed the test with flying colors.

I am so grateful I opened my mind and tried this class. It is a new found favorite and definitely gets your rear in gear each time you attend. When you put on your “going out jeans,” you feel extra confident. Who wouldn’t want that feeling? Guys – I am not excluding you on this. You know what I’m talking about.

Your arms also get a great workout as you are holding onto the handles for the majority of the time. And you know I had to mention that core area. As you are leaning over, your abdominals are engaging to support that lower back. My core area felt that it was worked the next day- definitely a total body workout.

So next time you are wanting to spice up your fitness life, hit up a spinning class. There are countless cycling or spinning classes at almost every gym. Check out a schedule, grab a friend, a huge bottle of water and pedal it up!

About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is the author of Blogging Fitness and a regular contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. She is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly recently made her MSF debut discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, which she discusses in her first Blogging Fitness post today.

When she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for the 2010 Washington D.C. Marathon with her best friend Jackie.

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* – Spinning fitness class photo credit: CrossroadsMag.eu

A once scandalous hobby is now perceived as a challenging form of fitness.

Could pole dancing be the next Olympic sport? That’s a question you don’t hear raised every day. This may sound absurd and far-fetched but it’s a possibility.

Pole sports are being rallied to serve as an addition to the 2026 Olympics. So there’s your cue to hit up the dance studio and swing your way around the pole.

Now if only it were that simple.

Pole Dancing Exercise and Fitness Classes: Background

I must preface this with a confession. I initially turned my nose up to the idea of pole dancing classes. I have been hearing about them again and again, whether they are being showcased on television sitcoms or I am listening to friends rave about the workout. Up until a couple weeks ago however, I was having nothing to do with the idea.

I soon realized I needed to open my mind and not be a judgmental shrew. There is a lot of hype about this relatively new fitness craze and it is up to me to see what the fuss is about.

My mom’s friends have even rambled on about these classes. Women my age have also been swearing up and down about the fitness results they are enjoying. In fact, a girl I work with talked about her experience with such enthusiasm, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands and give it a whirl. Literally.

I started by contacting Clarissa Pierro, who is the owner of Zensual Dance™ in Dallas, TX. Through Zensual Dance™ classes and program designs, women have the opportunity to attain confidence while toning up and trimming down.

From the get-go, Clarissa was warm and encouraging. I could tell I was in for a real treat when she invited me to her pole fitness class. I was nervous as I have never encountered a pole before. She promised it would be fun and I would get a challenging workout.

That’s all I needed to hear to get me in the door.

Pole Dancing Exercise and Fitness Classes: Clarissa Pierro, Zensual Dance in Dallas

Reading up on Clarissa, I discovered that she has a sports and fitness background and has a Personal Trainer Certification from the Cooper Institute. I figured this lady was the real deal.

“Pole sports and fitness exercises are body weight or calisthenics performed with the use of the pole,” Clarissa said. “Results can be quick and when combined with a cardio program, weight loss is imminent.”

So I walked into the class, which was located at Chi, a swanky art museum off Haskell. The environment was very tranquil and the walls of intimidation began tumbling down. I sat down and interviewed Clarissa for an hour and the minutes rolled by fast as I became fascinated with her craft. I could barely let her finish a sentence as I became incredibly curious.

The first question I asked was “how the heck did you get involved with pole dancing?” It’s safe to say this is not an occupation that is considered traditional.

“I got involved by taking a motivational exotic dance workshop in 2003,” Clarissa said. “I was completely judgmental and my perspective changed after the class. The women who were in class with me were so diverse in background and appearance, yet we were all connected by the challenges with our sensuality. I knew I had to be involved somehow and offered my marketing services and they suggested I teach; and very soon, I was a master instructor and trainer.”

Pole Dancing Exercise and Fitness Classes: The Experience and Benefits

Okay, well now I was in the door. There was no turning back from here. My mind was becoming more open, yet as I looked at the pole, I started to get a little nervous. The class participants started rolling in and I soon faced the realization that other people would see me making a fool out of myself. I decided to hang low for the first few minutes of class and get a grip on the task at hand.

Clarissa started the class with a series of Pilates stretches and core stabilization. I am all about the core strength training so from the get-go, I loved the class. Soon enough though, the Pilates bit was over and the tough stuff was in front of me.

As I was looking around the room, I realized that these ladies were wearing very little clothing. In my mind I thought, who are they trying to impress? It’s not like they are pole dancing for cold hard cash. I was wearing yoga pants, being a little bit of the prude I am.

I soon realized that these ladies were not trying to flaunt anything. They needed as much skin exposed as possible so they could stick to the pole. Otherwise, they will slip and slide and never be able to execute the exercises.

“The need for exposed skin to stick to the pole might give the impression of a seedy underground pastime,” Clarissa said. “This perspective is getting debunked every day. Women across the globe are pole dancing, associations are being formed, competitions are held, sponsorships are on the rise, and fitness facilities are requesting qualified teachers and programs in record number.”

We have established that pole fitness is not as scandalous as it is perceived to be. Clarissa effectively communicates her instructions in a classy, methodical manner. There is no winding and grinding up on that pole. There is an incredible amount of focus on strengthening the upper body and keeping the core tight.

Below is a list of the primary fitness benefits of pole exercises:

• Increased upper body strength
• Increased lower body strength
• Increased core strength
• Overall muscle toning
• Increased flexibility
• Increased confidence
• Increase level of body awareness
• Increased self esteem

I can attest to many of the benefits listed above. I was terribly sore the next day after my pole fitness class. My triceps were throbbing; I could barely lift my arms to wash my hair. That is always a goal of mine when engaging the triceps – well done Clarissa!

As far as the confidence goes, I don’t think it naturally comes with one class. I felt like Carrie on the King of Queens episode when Doug begs her to take a pole fitness class and she is absolutely horrified. Actually, Carrie might have been a little bit better than me. But I am proud to say that I improved from the beginning of the class until the end.

I quickly learned the enormous amount of strength required to heave yourself up and properly accomplish the movement. This class had been going on for eight weeks and the participants were incredibly confident, and it was apparent they had developed technique. It was interesting to observe what their strong suits were. You could tell they had confidence written all over their face and they were bursting with pride that they had mastered the moves.

“Clarissa made everyone feel comfortable with themselves and made sure you weren’t self-conscious, regardless of your level,” a new student, Lauren said. “The class environment was much more laid back than I’d anticipated. I think pole fitness takes a lot more strength and endurance than girls are given credit for, as it really focuses on core muscles like abs, obliques and lower back.”

Regardless of her students’ fitness level, Clarissa wants her students to be comfortable and push themselves beyond their comfort zone.

“Growth occurs when we push past our self-imposed limits and compassionate guidance is necessary,” Clarissa said. “As an instructor, I’m a peer, life coach and athletic coach. Different scenarios call for different approaches. Always act with class and tact.”

Whenever I interview people for this column, I always ask them what advice do they have for someone who wants to take that leap and begin their fitness journey, but they don’t quite know how to get there. Clarissa encourages everyone to practice the buddy system. Sharing the same fitness goals with someone else will keep you on track, and they better not let you off the hook!

Clarissa also offers some more specific words of wisdom, encouraging us to get involved with pole fitness or exotic dance:

“Sensual dancing requires the free expression of our emotions through dance,” Clarissa said. “To get to a place of freedom, insecurities must be tackled. With a teacher who addresses and guides women through roadblocks, sensual dance can be the key that unlocks the confident and sexy woman who attracts others by how she shines from within.”

Now that your curiosity is spiked, check out Zensual Dance™ yourself. A myriad of classes are offered, including Zensual Dancing, Exotic Dance Boot Camp, Pole Fitness (the class that I attended), Lap Dancing, and Chair Dancing. Specialty workshops are offered such as Sexy Stretching and Pole Conditioning.

“I keep coming back for more because of the positive feedback that I graciously receive,” Clarissa said. “I am touched on a weekly basis by kind words of thanks or how someone’s life has changed. To know that I had a part in helping improve how someone is experiencing life is truly priceless.”

* – All photos taken by Kimberly Westphall, and we thank Clarissa Pierra, Zensual Dance, and its students for the access they provided.

About Clarissa Pierro, founder of Zensual Dance

Clarissa’s love of movement and authentic self-expression has led her to dedicate herself to bringing unique dance-inspired fitness and personal growth programs to as many women as possible. After a successful career in the corporate world, she embarked upon an entrepreneurial venture as a businesswoman, speaker, and dance instructor.

During her six year dedicated career, she has taught classes across the country and has worked with many notable groups including Women’s Health Magazine, Southlake Chamber of Commerce, Jr. League, Mocha Moms, and Dallas-based Kidd Kraddick Morning Show. Under Clarissa’s direction, her class and event offerings garnered attention from D Magazine, Modern Luxury Magazine, Dallas Observer’s Best of 2004, Houston Chronicle, and many others. She was also honored to be featured in The Art of Exotic Dancing instructional videos.

She has used her teachings towards Zensual Dance™, a dance company she formed in 2009 teaching the Zensual Dancing™ technique. Through the class and program designs, women attain the self-love and body-confidence that radiates and influences others. With a substantial sports and fitness background, including a Personal Trainer Certification from The Cooper Institute, her expertise has broadened from physical fitness to overall health and well-being for women in all areas of their lives.

* – Clarissa Pierro photo credit: MoveStudio.com

About the Author

Kimberly Westphall is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism. She recently participated in a podcast with Jerod, which will help you get to know her even better.

While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly recently made her MSF debut discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams and also had her column about the Dallas Stars Ice Girls featured at Dallas Sports Fans.

She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, which she discusses in her first Blogging Fitness post today.

When she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for the 2010 Washington D.C. Marathon with her best friend Jackie.

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[Editor's note: Midwest Sports Fans was not paid and received no compensation to publish this article. I feel it is important to state this, especially in light of the new regulations by the FCC regarding blogger disclosure.]