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We’ve all been there…that last 5-7 minutes of class...the day was long, the kids need to be picked up, what will you have for dinner, how much sooner do I get out of here if I beat my classmates to the showers?...RIGHT? So what’s wrong with skipping the cool down? Take the next five minutes to consider it and hopefully re-think the value of the last five minutes of your favorite class.
1. BLOOD POOLING: The arteries carry blood rich with oxygen from the heart to the muscles. During vigorous exercise (think RPM®, BODYATTACK®, BODYSTEP®, BODYCOMBAT®, or BODYJAM®) that blood enriches the muscles with oxygen and nutrients and is then returned to the heart by the veins….much more slowly. If such exercise ceases suddenly, the valve system within the veins lacks sufficient ability to “pump” blood back to the heart. This leaves volumes of blood in the extremities and deprives the brain of vital oxygen and blood flow. This can lead to passing out, head aches, dizziness, and other symptoms that in some individuals can become quite serious.
2. CRAMPING: Another semi-serious condition that can be prevented by indulging in the cool down is post-exercise cramping. Such discomfort can range from mild to intense and may be local to muscles in the extremities or in the stomach, side, and/or abdomen. While cramping is often resolved quickly with a rub, stretch, or even slap…the greater concern is how will the muscle recover post-cramping? Will the muscle be sore or injured? Typically, neither will occur, but the more often you fail to allow the muscle to recuperate, the more likely a serious consequence will occur.
3. FLEXIBILITY TRAINING: Even though it appears that the “cool down” portion of a class signals the end of training, it is an excellent time to return the muscle to an inactive state and stretch. Doing so while the muscle is warm facilitates flexibility maintenance and, with diligence, improvement. The ability to remain active as we age is directly linked to the degree to which we maintain our flexibility and joint range of motion. Neglecting this practice in a dynamic cool down is detrimental to longevity in exercise.
4. INJURY PREVENTION: Tight muscles are more easily injured. Stretching and cooling are repeatedly referenced by fitness and medical professionals as the best preventive measure against injury. Returning to a state of rest, recovering the blood flow to the heart, and relaxing the muscle to achieve a stretch are all part of an active cool down that can protect your future activity level.
 5. THERMO-REGULATION: Jumping directly into a hot shower or bath after working out does not allow sweat to do its job. Cooling the body after much energy is burned and dissipated via heat & sweat is necessary in order to return to a normal temperature. Showering or submerging the body in a warm stream or tub prevents the cooling effect. Therefore, you emerge from bathing with a body still profusely perspiring. Alternately, walk out into the night air while drenched with sweat and risk a chill that may lower your body temperature too much and result in a temporarily weakened immune system. Come into contact with the wrong virus during that state, and…
6. MENTAL REGENERATION: In mind/body disciplines like BODYFLOW®, the connection between the breath, body and mind are continually reinforced during class. All forms of exercise, however, yield better results when the mind is actively engaged in focusing the efforts of the body. Research also bears out that stress reduction from exercise is best accomplished when the mind is calmed as the body is cooled. Taking this 5-7 minutes to recharge and refocus is as crucial to your ultimate fitness as showing up in the first place.
No matter what your preferred form of exercise, carefully consider your cool down. Some classes, like RPM®, utilize a bit of a “warm down” or active recovery prior to the warm muscle stretches that have been proven to lengthen muscle, improve flexibility, and lessen occurrence of injury. BODYFLOW® participants who leave early do more than deny themselves, they may also interfere with the recovery of others. Know that each and every moment of class in the Les Mills system has been scrutinized and peer reviewed. It is imperative that you make every effort to participate for the duration in order to facilitate long term adherence to your exercise routine. Your challenge this month is to never skip a cool down…your muscles and joints will thank you!
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Like most Les Mills instructors, James Sampson likes to sing along to tracks during class, but in BODYPUMP® 71 he’s taken that to a whole new level – one of the songs is his!
James’ song "Magnetized" has been chosen as the Warm-up Track for the latest release of the program.
The Denmark-based singer and BODYPUMP® instructor of six years was in his kitchen listening to the song and thinking about BODYPUMP® moves when he realized the exercises worked well with his tune. “I thought, why don’t I send my song to Les Mills?” he says. It turned out to be a great idea.
Originally from California, James got his big break as a singer in 2001 when he won a singing contest on Danish television after his father-in-law encouraged him to enter.
“I have always loved singing, but I was a bit shy about my voice,” he says.
He started singing as a two-year-old and as a child he toured the globe with the choir Children of the World. But then the singing stopped. It wasn’t until he had met his Danish wife and moved to Denmark to be with her in 1999, that he sang in public again.
 Shortly after his relocation he was hired as a backup dancer for Cher, who was going on a tour in Scandinavia. When the crew caught the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki, James sang karaoke in the bar.
“That was the first time in a long time where anybody heard me sing” he says.
Some time later, when he sang at his in-laws’ wedding anniversary, and his wife’s uncle filmed the performance, he finally got the push that made him follow his lifelong dream of making it as a singer. His father-in-law sent the video to the TV talent show, and when James won he became famous in Denmark overnight.
But launching his singing career didn’t mean he left behind his other passions – training and inspiring others. James teaches two BODYPUMP® classes and one cardio/strength training class per week at Fitness DK in Copenhagen. He has also taught BODYBALANCE®/BODYFLOW® and BODYJAM®.
“I love to inspire people and to work together as a team, and I love the music in the classes,” he says. “I am very excited about having a song on the BODYPUMP® play-list, especially a warm-up song!”
The singer says he lost about 66lb (30kg) two years ago, partly thanks to BODYPUMP®.
“BODYPUMP® was incredibly helpful,” he says. “Giving the whole body a workout in one hour is really efficient. When I was heavier, I walked around almost ashamed of myself,” he says. “I felt like I didn’t have a neck – but I’ve got a neck now,” he laughs.
Becoming a father for the first time was what motivated him to change his lifestyle and eating habits. “I didn’t want to be an overweight dad,” he says.
James’ passion to inspire people has seen many club members from his classes move on to become Les Mills instructors themselves – one of them now teaches four different programs.
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FREAKS: Fierce Reliable Exciting Amazing Kickin Students
Do you LOVE the launch kits Les Mills Midwest offers free on the web? We hope so, and some enthusiastic users are quoted below. For the October launches, our theme is make more FREAKS! We took this idea from a contest Les Mills International promoted in which one of the Midwest’s own placed as runner up!
Tanya Heller told us all about her entry:
“The club within a club idea I had is something I've been doing for a while, we now call it Club Fed. I teach RPM® Monday night time slot at 5:15...15 bikes averaging 4-5 participants. I took the challenge took over the time slot and starting inviting everyone I knew to the class. Most of the invites were turned down for the usual variety of excuses, "I'm too tired after work to workout", “ It's too late after work to workout and then I have to  fix dinner". The people who were coming told me they weren't getting the results they wanted. I questioned their routine i.e. weekly workout habits, commitment, diet, sleep habits. The culprit, fast food stops on the way home from workout simply because they were hungry and in a hurry. Solution to all those excuses Club Fed. After the 1 hour RPM® class I bring a sample of a low carb high protein snack idea or meal. I include nutritional value, budget, and recipe. I started out with a demo but it evolved into everyone sharing recipes, asking health questions, discovering fruits and vegetables they hadn't tried before or hadn't thought to prepare the way I did. I have several nurse practitioners and doctors who love to do RPM® so I invited their advice on how nutrition affects our sleep, our workout and energy levels. We've discussed women not "bulking up", borderline diabetes, and "athletes and food". For some of the members it's changed the shape of their life,not to mention the shape of their butt. We don't stop there. When BODYCOMBAT® came to the club I encouraged Club Fed to try it with me, met them there and stumbled through it with them until we all got addicted. Some of the clubbers have developed my passion for running - we've done 5k's. We've stopped driving through fast -food because we've found a simpler, healthier, more enjoyable therefore more satisfying solution. We went from 4 riders to standing room only! I stated in my submission that I feel like Club Fed is one pedal stroke closer to fighting and ending Globesity. That is my goal and I feel like RPM® is a great tool to work with. RPM® is on fire at our club and we just can't get enough. Word's out we have the most committed, experienced, dedicated instructors in Peoria! I would love for Les MIlls to take on Club Fed.”
We are very pleased with this Fall’s launch kits. They are customizable to your facility and have unique posters for each and every program. Look at what others are saying about these kits!
"I like to use the Event Signs in the Launch Kit. They are different than the regular signs we have here at our club so they catch people’s eyes better, and the format is all there I just need to fill in the info. And the less work for me the better.
I also use the sign up sheet in the Launch Kit too. Again it’s all there, no work for me and it’s obvious for the front desk what the sign up is for.
The other thing I want to use, but just haven’t yet is the track assignment sheet. So far I’ve just done on my own through email, but I’d love to write it down and get it all organized onto the sheets Les Mills gives us.
I don’t use the comp passes for the launch kit because I still have some left over from my welcome packet that I use."
 Lindy Bison
Group Fitness Coordinator
The EMH Center for Health and Fitness
“LOVE them!!!!! Very useful and helpful!!!”
Patty Johnson
GFM - Gold's Gym Battle Creek, MI
“I use them and love them!!!”
Kortney Burgess
GFM – Endurance Fitness Holland, MI
www.burgessjuiceplus.com
“We mostly use the incredible posters. And I love to read the tips etc..”
Julie DiLorenzo
GFM – East Lake Athletic Club
“I used them every quarter and I love them. They save me a lot of time!”
Amy M. Petru
Group Fitness Supervisor
Gold's Gym - Howell, MI
Enjoy the posters and give us your feedback. We are happy to take your suggestions and offer you tools that make you better and help you MAKE MORE FREAKS! |
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