Mt Airy Exercise

Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk

Published by on July 14, 2020 | Leave a response

I started drinking coffee during my senior year of college. You might be thinking – “Well, that makes sense. She’s staying up late applying to grad schools, on top of studying for her classes. No wonder she started to drink coffee – most people do.”

I started to drink coffee, because my social circles at the time revolved around coffee shops. Coffee became something social to me, as it is for a lot of people.

I don’t know if having my friends there made the coffee taste better, but I was hooked – hook, line, and coffee bean.

It is also important for me to note that these coffee shops were exactly that – coffee shops – not your typical chains. These were the places where even locals said, “You go where?”.

But these were places (I should clarify and say place and not places. I only went to one place. Every day.) where I felt good going and felt even better bringing my friends, new and old.

When the pandemic became a reality, this is something I stumbled over.

I am blessed that the coffee shop, that I frequent in our area, has a drive-thru. This checks one of the two boxes when you say “coffee talk.”

I had the coffee, but I didn’t have the talk. I mean, I talked to the Barista, but you understand…

Coffee is great, but can you go along with me here and say that people are better?

My friends and I solved this dilemma by coordinating when we were going through the drive-thru (say that 10x fast), so that we could meet-up at a walking trail about five minutes down the road.

Coffee – check. Friends – check. Exercise – a beautiful bonus.

Urban Athlete solves this dilemma by holding Coffee Talk after our 9AM virtual workout every Saturday. 

This is a place where people can come as they are – sweaty (if they just worked out) or freshly showered (if…you know… they happened to sleep in).

I mean it is a Saturday!

Cheers to you and coffee. Cheers to you drinking your coffee.

We’re always happy to hear from you. Please send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com to get more information or to stay in touch.

 

 

 

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Patience is Key

Published by on July 2, 2020 | Leave a response

Like anything we talk about at UA – we always talk about lifestyle patterns as they relate to the whole person. By whole person, I mean physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Today, I am going to talk about patience, and I hope to discuss it holistically as I just mentioned.

First, let me ask: Do you have a positive or negative connotation with the word patience?

This might very well influence your perception of this blog post, but I am entrusting you to keep reading!

Second question: Can you think of a specific instance of patience or lack thereof?

I am going to share a personal example of patience that is both physical and mental. We’ll get to emotional patience in a bit…

My dad, like most dads, started as my sport’s coach and quickly became my life coach. For better or worse (mostly better), my dad was the head coach of my travel softball team, during my senior year of high school.

He should write a book on his opinions concerning mental toughness. However…I was a terrible hitter (but an amazing catcher…), and he needed to use every coaching phrase in the book to help me get a hit.

Wait for your pitch.

To which every player in a slump responds, “What do you meeaaan wait for my pitch!? I’ll be waiting forever!”

Waiting for your pitch is an example of being mentally patient – taking conscious control of your thoughts, telling yourself that you don’t need to act now.

This leads me to the part of my patience example that is physical. Something physical happens when you are mentally waiting for your pitch – as a hitter, your hands subconsciously stay back. There are physical consequences to your mental decisions. Seems simple enough!

But does it work in reverse? Can your hands stay back without first deciding that you are going to wait?

We can all relate differently to this, which is why I don’t want to give you any specific examples outside of my personal story.

But lastly, we also have the power to be patient with our emotions. To stay with my softball team example, you can imagine the frustrations that might occur within any team dynamic. If everyone acted on their very first emotion to surface, it would create a rather tumultuous experience…

That first emotion is incredibly valid, however other emotions often arise when you give yourself the time.

This week, be patient with yourself, as you try to be patient – in all areas of your life!

Cheers to you.

Growing impatient to get working out? Give us a call at 215-248-2130, or send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com ! 

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An Ode to Planks

Published by on June 25, 2020 | Leave a response

How many plank exercises can you name in 30 seconds?

Star, Front, Forearm, Side, Tripod, Plank Reaches, Plank Jacks, Single-Leg, Elevated.

That was my list! What’s yours? Set a timer on your phone, and let us know. Or maybe I just gave you nine plank exercises that now you can’t get out of your head…(Plus two already had plank in the name!)

Planks are great, because they are universal. They can be done anytime and anyplace.

Planks can also be done by anyone. Young, old, seasoned gym goers, newcomers, and everyone in between – everyone seems to know innately how to plank. (Also note how easily I just turned plank into a verb – another cool plank trick!)

Can you remember when you were specifically taught how to do a traditional front plank?

I don’t recall our middle school softball coach saying, “Okay y’all, we’re going to do this crazy exercise that works our core, glutes, quads, and shoulders all at the same time. I’m going to need you to put your hands under your shoulders and straighten you legs and keep your knees off the ground and hips low.”

She just told us to hold a plank, and we knew what to do!

Planks are also great, because they are scalable. They can be made more challenging or less challenging.

Is a two-arm high plank too easy? Switch to a tripod plank! Too hard – come down to your forearms.

*Disclaimer: The tricky part about planks is that you can put considerable stress on your wrists and shoulders, if you are recovering from an injury in one of those areas. No problem – maybe try a V-Sit hold to stick with an isometric movement. There are so many core exercises to be done that don’t involve being on your hands!

Finally, planks are great, because they provide instant feedback to the exerciser. Maybe you’ve tried to see how long you can hold a plank, or for a week you decided to increase how long you held a plank daily by 30 seconds.

In both scenarios, you can tell immediately if you’ve reached your goal of holding a plank for three minutes, for example. It gives you, the exerciser, something tangible to work towards, as well as to celebrate!

We love planks for all these reasons – and more!

Want to plank with us? Give us a call at 215-248-2130, or send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com ! 

 

 

 

 

 

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What Modifying a Workout Really Means

Published by on June 17, 2020 | Leave a response

You and I both have things that we just really love to do.

You and I also have things that we know are good for us to do, but they may not be what we necessarily love to do.

Everyone exercises for different reasons. For some of us, it may be because we love it. For others of us, it may be because we know exercising is good.

So what keeps us from doing something that we love to do or that we know is good for us?

With exercise, this can often mean previous or current injuries and pain.

Let me begin by saying that sometimes our bodies absolutely and 100% need rest – not only to just slow it down, but also to be given enough time and space to stop completely.

However, there is also a time and place in a group workout setting where the workout needs to be adjusted or modified to suit your body’s needs.

For the remainder of this post, I’m going to stand firmly behind the belief that to modify a workout does not mean to make the workout easier. To modify a workout simply means to change it.

Whether we are in the gym or online, the format of our workouts at UA are always the same. After we demo the exercises for the workout, there is always time allotted for people to voice what their bodies are telling them that day.

Did they sleep funny? Is this their first workout back from a vacation? Do they have an old knee injury that’s flared-up?

Coaches provide the clients with options for that exercise when they see it in a workout. As the rounds go on, the client feels equipped to make real time decisions. Maybe on one round they need to do Swings, instead of Vertical Jumps, but on the next round their knees feel okay to jump.

In a workout, each exercise targets a specific muscle group and joint. The amazing news (and why workouts can have so much variety) is that there are countless exercises that work your quads, some that put stress on the knees and others that do not. The same could be said for your hips, core, and shoulders.

There is always a work around, and work arounds aren’t always easy.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can work out with UA while at home, please follow this link: urbanathlete.wodify.com or send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com! 

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200 for T1D

Published by on June 10, 2020 | Leave a response

JDRF’s mission to support all those with T1D is near to the heart of Urban Athlete and its members. From a 5k Farmer’s Walk to our Annual Burpees and Burgers event each summer, Urban Athlete is always looking for ways to give back to JDRF.

Some quick facts:

T1D is an autoimmune disease and is not related to diet or lifestyle. 

T1D occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin.

Insulin is necessary for the body to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. 

The brain’s primary energy source is glucose! 

Although our circumstances have certainly changed this year, our heart for JDRF has not.

From June 19th through the 21st, Team Urban Athlete will be completing the 200 for T1D Virtual Ragnar Relay. Our team of runners will collectively run 200 miles together, over the course of those three days.

Yes, you heard that right! 200 miles!

We are thankful for our supporters, near and far, who will make this relay fun (and doable!).

There is no cost to join the Ragnar Relay, but JDRF will use every dollar raised through fundraising to continue its innovative research efforts, government advocacy programs, and arguably the most important – being a cornerstone in the community.

Urban Athlete and community are synonymous for many of our members. This sense of camaraderie is felt, because we realize that our gym is a small part of a much larger community.

Strength. Power. Community. (Or so we were told during Trivia Night!)

If you’d like to learn more about how you can work out with UA while at home, please follow this link: urbanathlete.wodify.com or send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com! 

 

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Rooted

Published by on June 3, 2020 | Leave a response

There are so many wonderful metaphors to be made with trees, and I am sure you’ve already heard quite a few.

The first metaphor to trees I heard came when I was riding a horse. (Seems accurate enough…)

My trainer told me that my core was the trunk of the tree and my arms were the branches. With a wobbly trunk, I had a tendency to stiffen my branches. I looked forced and rigid, when I needed to be fluid and effortless for the horse.

I needed a stronger base, a stronger trunk – stronger roots.

Physically, I needed to strengthen my legs and core muscles, in order to take the load off of my arms, shoulders, and neck.

What are you rooted in, physically?

Trees are smart. When the temperatures start to drop in the Fall, trees send the chlorophyll from their leaves to their trunk. Here, the chlorophyll is stored so that it can later be used for energy.

The tree receives information (cold weather) and then takes action (stores chlorophyll). It understands that its leaves must fall, in order to preserve its trunk and branches.

It can be good practice to take note of how we respond to a change in events, change in people, or even a change in temperature. The lens that we use to process information is incredibly important, because it sets us up for how we will respond. Our lens is often what is most important to us.

What are you rooted in, mentally?

Am I being too forward, when I say that we’ve all picked bark off a tree? We might have done this absentmindedly or purposefully – admiring how easy it was to do.

The bark is the tree’s outermost protection, its first line of defense. As soon as we pick it off, all sorts of unwanted organisms are free to grow!

As humans, we might all have a different emotional protection, but we all know the feeling of when someone or something starts to pick at it. We can feel ourselves being tested and exposed, and it hurts.

However, we need this ability to feel, because it is at the root of our decision making.

What are you rooted in, emotionally?

Unlike trees, we can choose where we put our roots physically. mentally, and emotionally. We also have the freedom to decide just how strong they are.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can work out with UA while at home, please follow this link: urbanathlete.wodify.com or send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com! 

 

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In the Holiday Spirit

In the Holiday Spirit

Published by on May 27, 2020 | Leave a response

We know it’s been hard to keep track of what day it is…Can you believe it’s already the holiday season?

(My apologies if panic ensued…)

More like the season for holiday workouts!

This past Monday, we held our annual Memorial Day workout at 9AM with over 40 people in attendance. Some were near and others were far, but the tradition is to start all holidays with Urban Athlete.

This year was no different.

The surrounding circumstances – 100%, but the people (with a few faces added and others greatly missed) and the reason for gathering together over Zoom remained the same. We wanted a challenge and a sense of normalcy, but most importantly we wanted to be together.

The first holiday workout was Thanksgiving Day in 2006, and we’ve been holding holiday workouts ever since! Thanksgiving workouts are always at 8AM, so there is time to make turkey (or avoid it altogether…).

In addition to Memorial Day and Thanksgiving Day, we also hold 9AM workouts on New Year’s Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. The workouts are always a little tougher, a little longer, and usually outside!

A holiday workout is extra special, because it is the only workout of the day. This means that people, who normally go to different workouts, get to spend time together! The UA community comes together every day, but holiday workouts are special for this reason.

You can always catch our crew showing their holiday spirit by wearing crazy themed socks, sweet bandanas, and possibly a tutu…

Whether we’re coming together before our own holiday celebrations or dressing up in crazy (by crazy, I mean cool) outfits together, we’re always coming together. And working hard – always working hard.

 

If you’d like to learn more about how you can work out with UA while at home, please follow this link: urbanathlete.wodify.com or send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com! 

 

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From 0 to 60

Published by on May 21, 2020 | Leave a response

A Porsche goes from 0 mph to 60 mph rather quickly, whereas a Station Wagon goes from 0 mph to 60 mph rather slow…

While everyone may love a good Porsche, your body needs you to have a Station Wagon mindset when it comes to starting or returning to high-intensity exercise (i.e. 60 mph) when gyms reopen.

I don’t need to tell you that our current environment has given us serious cause to think about our health. Under that umbrella of health is exercise.

We see someone jogging down the street or leading an exercise class from their front porch (me…), and peer pressure starts to settle in. We skip the part of taking an inventory of our medical conditions, injuries, and goals. Instead, we jump head first into an exercise program that was never our own.

Exercise, at its finest, is a lifelong habit. Something that you always did, so you always will do – something that you’ll always find a way to do. It’s chronic.

There’s a phrase that gets thrown around in Kinesiology courses – “exercise adherence.” This phrase asks the question, “What keeps someone exercising?”

Let’s focus on one of the major factors of an exercise program that keeps you exercising, or keeps you adhering.

This factor is whether the program, routine, or goal is realistic. The exercise program you begin today, tomorrow, or at the end of the month needs to be realistic, in order for you to maintain it (i.e. to be that ever reliable Station Wagon). It is critical to your health that your exercise program is realistic for you and only you.

Begin by taking inventory of your body, like we mentioned earlier. What movements make your body hurt? Which movements do you do most often or the least? What type of exercise does your body love to do?

Making the decision to exercise? Please be like a Porsche, and make that decision pedal to the metal.

Deciding what type of exercise to partake in? Be like a Station Wagon, starting out slow and steady.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can work out with UA while at home, please follow this link: urbanathlete.wodify.com or send us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com! 

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Focusing on Fitness

Published by on May 9, 2020 | Leave a response

Feeling a little distracted these days? You’re not the only one! There is a lot going on around us:

Increased time with some family and less time with others

Uncertainties at your workplace

Concerns with personal and global health

Lack of or change in routine 

When we find ourselves distracted, what we think about next is incredibly important.

In these moments, when your head is spinning, we suggest that you focus on fitness.

Sometimes this appears challenging to do, because we can’t quite see how it relates or affects the previously mentioned distractions – your family, workplace, health, and routine. However, fitness has the power to transform each of these areas, which is why it deserves your attention.

Let’s discuss how focusing on fitness can enhance the time spent with your family. Have you ever tried to talk while working out? It’s incredibly challenging! We can reduce the time spent discussing unknowns in our environment, by getting to work on a variety of bodyweight workouts. This is a great way to spend time with our family, however, working out on your own will also allow you to approach family time with a clear, present mind.

To this point, focusing on fitness has profound mental benefits. The hormones released, while working out, provide a much needed boost in mood and allow us to come focused to work related tasks. When our head is clear, we have the ability to problem-solve and arrive at solutions confidently.

When we focus on fitness, we are also preparing our bodies for potential stressors, or in this case viruses. During a time when we are taking extra cleanliness precautions, be sure to also check-in with the system of muscles and bones that serve as your body’s armor. We want that to be as strong as possible.

Lastly, focusing on fitness can change or even create a daily routine. Commit to a scheduled workout time, and all of a sudden you have to plan the time before and after. What time will you wake-up and eat breakfast? What time will you answer emails and spend time with your kids?

Focusing on fitness can turn a spinning mind into a calm one.

~Jennifer

 

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Are you having fun, yet?

Published by on May 2, 2020 | Leave a response

“Are you having fun, yet?” My Dad would always (and still does) ask the cashier. The neighbor. The handyman. My old teachers. My friends. Me.

I ask this question to you, the same way my Dad asks it, with all the gentleness in the world and not an ounce of sarcasm.

Are you having fun, yet?

I’ve stood by my Dad when he’s asked this question, and it’s incredibly powerful the effect that it has on the recipient, who is 98% of the time a complete stranger.

He gets all sorts of answers:

“Always!”

“I’ll be having fun when I get done work.”

Sometimes they just laugh.

And my Mom just ignores him.

However, no one has ever responded to my Dad in anger or annoyance. This question has the power to change entire demeanors. Suddenly, the shift doesn’t seem quite as long or the day quite as dreary.

So, I ask again – Are you having fun, yet?

What!! Fun?! NOW?!

Fun doesn’t have to mean jumping up and down, and everyone certainly has their own definition. What’s your definition of fun? Is there something that you can change, think about, or make happen in your day to make it fun?

My Dad says that a lot too…”Make it fun.”

Cheers to having fun in the moment that you currently find yourself in and maybe asking someone if they’re having fun too.

Think fun sounds like tuning into a live workout with UA? Shoot us an email at urbanathletephiladelphia@gmail.com to get more information! 

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