February Newsletter 2015
Tennis Survey
Calling all USTA players Tell us what leagues you want to play in 2015. This is vital so we can see what is most popular and how many teams are needed.Click here to take survey
Set realistic Fitness Goals this year for only $20!
This 30 minute meeting includes a Bio Electrical Impedance test with results for Body Fat % and BMI, and a consultation with one of our personal trainers to discuss the best way for you to reach your goals this year.Schedule an appointment at the Clubhouse today!
(831) 438-1072
Tennis Announcements
Drop-In on Valentine's Day! This Saturday, Feb 14, come to the tennis drop-in at 9:00- 11:00 to play for chocolate hearts and tennis balls! Just bring your racquet and a smile! :)The USTA Adult 18-over League is gathering players and captains to form teams soon. Mark your calendars for team registration, due March 2nd and the season, March 30-June 21. This league is for all levels, all adult ages in singles and doubles. We anticipate La Madrona teams in the categories of men's 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5+; women's 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and possibly 4.5...wow! Please let our Tennis Director, Judy know if you are interested in captaining a team. Non-captaining players, please stay tuned for team registration after March 2.
Junior Tennis Highlight: Congratulations to our club member, Cody Rakela, who has earned the #3 singles spot for UCSB. Cody, son of Tennis Director Judy Newman, grew up playing tennis at La Madrona and Courtside. He graduated from Scotts Valley High last June and signed on with U. C. Santa Barbara. For those of you interested in watching Cody in action, along with his team, the Gauchos will play against UCSF and Cal Berkeley on Feb. 21 and 22, respectively.
New Court Reservation System! Soon, you will be able to reserve a court on-line, foregoing the hassle of pencil-and-paper and voice mail. We anticipate the new system will be in place within a few months. Look for changes such as prime time hours, a court cancellation policy with a $10 penalty for no-shows (funds to build a state-of-the-art backboard between courts 2 and 3), and a 1-reservation per day limit. In the mean time, all court reservations will be made through the front desk clerk, who will keep the reservation book. Valuable member-feedback has contrubuted to these much-needed changes to our reservation system. Thank you!
Why Your Body is the Best Equipment
Jessica GoodwinNASM Certified Personal Trainer
Women’s Fitness Specialist
Corrective Exercise
[email protected]
Many of us face obstacles when it comes to training. Most of the times we have wonderful reasons why we were unable to fit a workout in, but did you know your single most important and best equipment is what you carry with you on a daily basis? Yes, your own body. Learning to control, stabilize, push and pull your own body weight is the single best way to gauge your strength, building cardiovascular fitness and burning unwanted weight. Some of the most challenging exercises are with just your own body weight. Bodyweight movements do offer a lot of benefits that other forms of resistance training can't match, such as: - Efficiency - Research suggests high-output, bodyweight-based exercises such as plyometrics yield awesome fitness gains in very short workout durations. Because there is no equipment required transition time are minimized.
- Strength and Cardio Combo - Performing quick bodyweight cardio sessions (such as one minute of burpees or a set of jumping jacks/squats) in between strength exercises will keep the heart pumping while still encouraging muscle and strength development.
- Convenient - Yep, no equipment required and wherever you go, your body goes. "No time" really becomes no excuse.
- Result Driven - The results from bodyweight training are amplified even more because of the core strength they develop and require. Research shows improved core strength gained through bodyweight training translates into improved strength gains throughout the entire body.
These are just a few reasons why I love showing my clients how working with your own bodyweight can be the best training you can do. Best of all, most exercises can be worked into a High Intensity Interval Training program for maximum results.
Here is an excellent Body Weight workout to try at home:
3-4 sets of 20 reps each or 1 minute of each with no more then 15-30 second rest in between each exercise.
Plank
Push Ups
Tricep Dip
Prone Row
Squats
Jump Squats (squat with a small double leg hop)
Have Fun!!
For more information about this and other exercise programs please contact our personal training staff,
Nicki Hurford, Jessica Goodwin or Tobin Shaeffer.
Group Fitness Class Survey
Group Fitness Building Update
The addition of group classes will be included in your membership. We want to make sure that the classes we offer are the ones you will value most. Please take a moment to tell us what classes and times you would most like to have available as part of your membership.
Click here to complete survey
Eat Right in 2015: Keeping Your Resolution to Eat Healthy and Lose Weight!
Jacky Ernst, Registered Dietitian NutritionistEach January, millions of Americans make resolutions to eat more healthfully and lose weight, but many lose steam along the way. If you have trouble keeping your resolutions or meeting your goals, make 2015 the year you create a solid plan that sets you up for success! Here is how:
Start by Assessing Your Food Choices and Lifestyle
Keep track of what you eat and drink and how much physical activity you get so you can identify behaviors you would like to change.
One Large Goal can Seem Overwhelming
Break big goals into smaller, more specific goals, and include a list of realistic changes in your daily routine to achieve these specific goals. For instance, divide big and vague goals like "I will eat better" into smaller, more specific goals like "I will eat one more piece of fruit per day."
Remember, while your goals should be challenging, they should also be reachable.
Make Sure the Goals You Set are Measurable
The goals must provide answers to “How much?” or “How many?” so you can easily review and track your progress. Evaluate your progress every week or two, and update your plan based upon your current progress or circumstances. Make sure you are giving yourself enough time to achieve each smaller goal so you are not discouraged if you haven’t met them.
Seek Help from a Qualified Health Professional
A registered dietitian (RD) is your best source of reliable and up‐to‐date food and nutrition
information. An RD can also help you determine measurable and achievable goals, as well as a
plan to help you achieve them and support along the way.
For more information on how to stick to a healthy weight‐loss plan this year, contact our La Madrona Athletic Club Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Jacqueline via phone: 831.278.1721 or via email: [email protected]!
Make a Splash With Water Fitness
Are you ready to take the plunge and try a new fitness activity? How about water exercise? Also known as aquatics, water exercise is one of the best non-impact fitness activities around and just about anybody can participate. Pregnant women, the elderly or overweight, individuals with arthritis or those recovering from an injury can all benefit from the wide variety of aquatics classes currently available.
Here are the facts: The buoyancy of water reduces the “weight” of a person by about 90%, which means that the stress on weight bearing joints, bones and muscles is similarly reduced. For this reason, it is unlikely that a water workout will result in injury or leave you with sore muscles. That’s why the pool is such a great place for people with arthritis or back problems to exercise. It is also great for those who are new to exercise.
But don’t get the idea that just because it doesn’t hurt, you can’t get a great workout in the pool. Water exercise can encompass all of the components of fitness: cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. And, when done regularly, water exercise can help reduce body fat.
Works Your HeartAerobic workouts in the pool are perfect for those who find certain movements on land—running, striding, kicking, leaping and even dancing—too jarring or painful.
Keep in mind that in the water, heart rate will be reduced by as much as 17 beats per minute when compared to land exercise. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to how you feel. Your heart rate might indicate that your intensity is too low when you are actually exercising quite strenuously.
Water Adds ResistanceThe resistance of water is perfect for a strength-training workout; instead of weights, the water itself provides the resistance. One of the easiest ways to create resistance in the water is to cup your hands and push or pull the water away from you.
Other devices, such as hand-held paddles and water chutes can increase the resistance to provide a more intense workout.
The Flexible Benefits of Water
One of the greatest benefits of water exercise is its effect on flexibility. Water is a welcome environment for performing stretches that might otherwise be difficult on land.
Because the effects of gravity are lessened, you can move your joints through a wider range of motion and achieve long-term flexibility.
Aquatics 101
Once you’ve decided to take the plunge, it’s simply a matter of finding the right class for you. Check with your health club or YMCA to see if they offer aquatics classes and drop in on one or two to see if they are right for your fitness level.
A good class should include a good warm-up, a period of cardiovascular and muscle conditioning that gradually increases and then decreases in intensity, and a cool-down. The cool-down should include plenty of flexibility exercises for the entire body.
If you have a preference for music, find a class that suits your taste. Don’t be afraid to ask about instructor qualifications and safety precautions. Your instructor should be certified and may also have special training in aquatic exercise.
The pool is a fun place to feel like a kid again and get a great workout. In fact, instead of feeling out of breath or exhausted, you may feel surprisingly calm, yet energetic, following an aquatic exercise class. So, even if you’re a dip-your-toe-in-the-water type of person, don’t be afraid to take the plunge into water fitness.
Reprinted from American Council on ExerciseFor more information on aquatics classes available at La Madrona, please visit or call our clubhouse today, (831) 438-1072
