Stay Winter Fit with Nike Training Club

Baby, it's cold outside. And, if you're like me, winter can sometimes make working out seem less than desirable. After all, who likes to dress like a mummy to go for a run, or risk slipping on ice when out for a walk? 

Although you may want to stay snuggled up in your warm bed, winter shouldn't be a time that your fitness plans hibernate, especially with all of those holiday parties and baked goodies around. With the right attitude and mix of workouts, exercise can help you beat those winter blues.   Nike Training Club has made it easy to do just that with a mix of strength training, cardio, your choice of yoga,pilates/barre and rest days.

Simply download the NTC app and like the Nike Training Club facebook page for weekly schedules to help you stay winter fit. Here are the weekly schedules posted thus far:

Of course if you want to take it outdoors you can  go out and play! The best part about playing is that it doesn't feel like working out - though you can still get your heart rate up and have an excellent cardio session. Have a blast in the winter wonderland outside by making snow angels, having a snowball fight or even building a snowman  No snow in your area? Try ice skating - you can do indoors or outdoors.

Be sure you always stay safe no matter what you do, especially if you decide to enjoy the winter weather outdoors. But most of all, have fun out there. It's a wonderful time of year...enjoy it!

Toronto's Nike Training Club

NTC @ the Academy of Lions

Most of you know I am an avid fit nut and my go-to fitness app since 2009 has been the Nike Training Club   Well wasn't I over the moon when Nike Women announced that classes were FINALLY coming to Toronto.  I've attended 4 classes already and let me tell you it  will have your body in pain for days (in a good way) The NTC classes offer a wide variety of FREE group fitness classes. Yes, you read that correctly.  It is such a nice space with a great vibe. If you live in the area I highly recommend checking it out.  Follow them on social media for more info about classes and events! 

@nikewomen

@NikeToronto

Nike Training Club Canada FB

ABOUT

Nike Training Club Toronto is a new club to inspire both women and men live healthier lives while providing a fun atmosphere in which to work out by offering complimentary workout classes

Mission

If you have a body, you are an athlete.

 WHERE

ACADEMY OF LIONS
64 Ossington Ave  Toronto,

Saturdays at 12:00pm

Mondays at 6:00pm

Wednesdays at 9:00am

(416) 538-4967

WORK OUT EXPERIENCES 

Toronto trainers lead group classes and work outs, which are available at no cost to those that RSVP through the Nike Training Club - Canada facebook page.   

NTC Classes: Live instructor-led experience modeled after the popular smart phone Nike Training Club (NTC) full-body training app that caters to every level of fitness. Bring your friends and get ready for some intense plyometrics! You will run, jump squat, burpee and lunge and you won't stop until your legs feel like J-E-L-L-O! The workouts are fun and the trainers are always extremely motivating.

You will sweat.. and sweat, ladies and gentlemen, is fat CRYING.  

Back and forth handshake planks 2min
lead by Paluna Santamaria
*side note the men where whining in pain :P

Dashing through the snow

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! I hope you all had a wonderful time w/family & friends over the holidays and also managed to keep active.

I did a few 5K's, NTC workouts and worked on my yoga.  I found this really helpful site Yoga Journal  that has videos from beginner to advanced to help me master some moves.

Here are some pics of workouts I got in over the holidays:

My first day off I enjoyed a 5K run w/my little sister.

Christmas Eve another 5K, with some upper body workout  & ended w/some much needed yoga.
hehe like my harem pants?

Dec 29 - 5K in 8cm of snow WHAT!

Yup I ran in the snow and it was exhilarating!  There is no better feeling than hearing the ice and snow crack beneath your feet as you motor along.  So I thought I'd share some tips on running in the snow.

• Running during snow season is very different from other times of the year. Your body will become exhausted far more quickly and will use up its energy reserves very quickly. Drink a lot of water to keep hydrated and carry some snack bars or nuts to keep you sustained

• Let people know where you're going, and how long you're going for. If you get stuck somewhere or fall, it will be nice to know that people will be looking for you or simply run with your phone.

• Snow is great for resistance training, try finding some deep snow on a level surface and sprinting through it.

•  Ensure that you wear appropriate shoes, try a good pair of trail shoes with added traction. I used my Nike ACG's

• Dress in layers, start with a sweat wicking base layer, DO NOT wear Cotton as this will soak up moisture and keep you wet=cold! Then on top of the base layer go for a Gore-Tex material jacket or windbreaker. If really cold get a fleece type middle layer on.

• Get some lip balm on!

• Finally, you cant beat that feeling of being out there when everyone else is curled up in front of the TV, that’s one of the best things about running through winter, the feeling that your doing something not many people would like to. 

• Oh and don't forget to make sure you've got some nice hot soup or hot chocolate to come home to for a quick recovery/warm up.

Stretch...ahhh that feels so good

After a run (short or long) nothing feels better than stretching out tired, overworked muscles. Here are some stretches I do from the Nike Training Club app that target lower back, quads, hip flexors, and hamstrings.

This really gets the inner thighs.

Hamstring, Inner Thigh and Quad Stretch

Pretzel Stretch

Pike Squat Stretch

Sit on your butt and bring one foot behind you to feel the stretch in the front of you thigh. 

Lean back as far as you can. Bend your straight leg towards your other leg to feel more of a stretch.

As your flexibility improves you will be able to go lower. 

Hold the pose for 1 min then switch sides. 

Lie on your back w/one leg straight and the other raised w/bent knee.

Bring the raised leg over to one side until it touches the floor, keeping shoulders on the ground (if you can) and look to the opposite side.

Stretching has a plethora of benefits and should be done on a daily basis (not only for workouts) esp as we get older.  Yep, I said it - those aches and pains that weren't there when we were young are slowly creeping up on us.  Here are other reasons you should be stretching:

• Stretching decreases muscle stiffness and helps improve your range of motion which may also slow the degeneration of the joints. 
• Improves posture. Stretching the muscles of the lower back, shoulders and chest will help keep your back in better alignment and improve your posture.
• Helps reduce/manage stress. Well stretched muscles hold less tension and therefore, leave you feeling less stressed.
• Promotes circulation. Increases blood supply to the muscles and joints which allow for greater nutrient transportation and improves the circulation of blood through the entire body.
• Decreases the risk of low-back pain. Flexibility in the hamstrings, hip flexors and muscles attached to the pelvis relieves stress on the lumbar spine which in turn reduces the risk of low-back pain.

**Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise or stretching program.  If exercises cause increased pain, discontinue immediately.  

week 6 and new gear!

Here I am at crunch time & feeling pumped, each run from here on forward I'm striving to do better.  This past Monday was Labor Day and I'll be honest I just wanted to relax and sleep in, but I got up at 5am, ate breakfast and made my way out the door for a 7mi run - it felt awesome and I was on a runner's high for most of the day until I crashed and needed a catnap to recharge.

Tuesday brought me NTC 45 min Intermediate Get Toned Competitor  workout loaded with pulse lunges and froggers - oi! Hamstrings and quads did not like me at all that day.

Wednesday was a 3 mile tempo run.  I didn't fair too well as I read the weather wrong and was not prepared for the sticky humidity in the morning. I finished the run and there was no runner's high - I was exhausted! 

 The one thing that kept me going was the reward of chocolate soy milk :P  

Yesterday also rewarded me with box 3 of goodies from Nike Women! 

NIKE LUNARGLIDE+ 4 (fuschia)  - I've yet to try them - Friday I have a 4mi run so I'll be sure to review.  I am hearing amazing things about this runner, so I'm excited to give them a spin!

NIKE LUNARFLY+ 3 (to replace the current ones I own)

NIKE SPEED LONG-SLEEVE  - loving the laser-cut thumbholes for additional coverage around the hands, this will be key depending on the weather in San Francisco 

NIKE PRO HYPERCOOL BRA - I now have a complete rainbow of bras - woot!

NIKE RELAY tank top

NIKE RELAY PRINT capris - the print is kinda funky, but I'm sure I won't mind when the cooler weather arrives

NIKE TECH capris

The new compression gear will definitely help me on my long runs and prevent chaffing. I was sweating like a beast those days and started chaffing on my underarms. I'm new to long distance running, so it's good I am going through the trial and error phase now instead of on the day of the marathon.

Today brings me another NTC workout -  Intermediate 30 min Get Strong Perfect Score. Squats, jumps squats and core are the main focus.  Wish me luck :)

Tomorrow is a 4 mile run, followed by a 9 mile on Saturday and Sunday REST...

Total miles this week = 23miles.

Lunges, you know you love 'em!

"It burns so good!" I keep telling myself as I do these on my cross training days with the NTC APP. I used to dread doing them, but incorporating them w/my marathon training as helped a lot.  Lunges are a great way to boost your muscle and your speed.  The faster you run, the greater the range of motion in your stride, and the more you’ll rely on your glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors.

Lunges are also practical because you can do them just about anywhere, and you can easily modify the lunge to suit your needs. You can add weights, perform more reps, increase the width of the lunge, or use a bench or declined surface to add variability to your practice.

Here are some lunge workouts that I do during my training.

Around The World Lunges

(love that it targets all key areas)

Alternating Forward Lunge to Shoulder Press

(def feel this one the next day ;) Gets quads toned and sculpts shoulders)

If you run, I highly encourage you to add lunges to your fitness routine. I would start with two sets of 10 lunges per leg. They are also a great conditioning exercise for downhill skiing, (ice/roller) skating and cross country. Yep, I think the everyone in the world could benefit from lunges!

First things first! It is always important to consult your physician before starting an exercise program. This is particularly true if any of the following apply to your current medical condition:

• chest pain or pain in the neck and/or arm
• shortness of breath
• a diagnosed heart condition
• joint and/or bone problems
• currently taking cardiac and/or blood pressure medications
• have not previously been physically active
• dizziness

If none of these apply to you, start gradually and sensibly. However, if you feel any of the physical symptoms listed above when you start your exercise program, contact your physician right away.

NTC:Nike Training Club

I've been receiving lots of questions on what exactly is NTC is and how it works.  First things first, you'll need to own an iPhone/iTouch to download this amazing app. Nike has offered up NTC (Nike Training Club) as a free, ad-free, no excuses solution for newbies and fitness addicts alike.

Background of how it was created:

Marie Purvis is the mastermind (and body) behind the awesome NTC . She is an international trainer-of-trainers who has custom-built all of NTC’s full-body and targeted workouts. She has a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology, with personal trainer certification, and a roster of clients that includes professional athletes and non-athletes of all ages.

It will be honour to run with and meet her at the NWM2012.

HOW IT WORKS: Select your goal and level, then choose from a list of workouts that meet your criteria.

 

 

Now it’s time for your workout! The exercises are listed out for you. If you don’t know what something is, you can click on it and it will take you through some photos or you can watch a video of how to perform the exercise.

This is a great feature. There’s basically no way you can not understand what an exercise is which is so helpful. 

The more workouts you do, the more rewards you get. Enough rewards unlock new workouts, or trainer advice, or smoothie recipes.  While you’re doing your workout, you can also pick music that you may have stored on your iPhone to be played while you’re exercising.

NTC is extremely intuitive, and I honestly still (after years of using) cannot believe this app cost me nothing. No workout video or application has ever held me so accountable for my own fitness level. NTC doesn’t let you make excuses. NTC doesn’t let you fudge your workout. It keeps your workouts, tracks  progress, and is your own personal cheerleader. I cannot say enough good things about this app.

If you have an iPhone or an iTouch and you’re wanting to get fitter without having to go to a gym, find and download the NTC app on iTunes and get exercising! 

Nike Free TR Fit 2 Women's Training Shoes

Short and sweet review of the Nike Free TR Fit 2 training shoes.
Pros: high performance, lightweight, good arch support, comfortable, good cushioning, breathable and most important ultimate FLEXIBILITY. 
These trainers are a MUST for any workout whether it be spinning, kickboxing, boot camp, to Pilates. I've done plenty of plyometrics and Nike Training Club workouts in them and I haven't had sore feet or ankles afterwards. As an added plus they look CUTE with jeans!

London meets Toronto

I had the privilege of meeting Danielle Linton from London, UK, while she visited family in Brampton & Scarborough.  Danielle and I first met on twitter from our common interest, Nike Training Club.  She gave me a s/o on one of my tweets motivating me to reach my goal at the time & from there we clicked.  We keep tabs on each others progress and offer support/motivation when needed.


Danielle has the ultimate dream job - teaching FREE Nike Training Club Classes at the London South Bank University Sports & Nike Store in Westfield London.  She is a firm believer that success comes from within and it shows through her willingness to achieve by being a enthusiastic learner, readiness to confront a range of challenges and maintain open-mindedness to new ideas.  So if you ever visit London, def check out one of her classes.  Nike Training Club UK - NTC Classes
She is definitely an inspiration to me and I'm so glad I had the chance to meet her in person!

Newbie here!

I became inspired to start a blog after reading Karen and Tiara's. Both women are fellow #SistersInNike who train hard and play hard using the NTC app and Nike+ .  I met them through @nikewomen on twitter and since then I've been motivated to workout more than ever.


Last month we were invited to the NWM2012 by Nike Women as a challenge after seeing our wicked stats using either the NTC app or Nike+ posts on twitter.  Now I've never had any intention of running a marathon EVER in my life, but if I hadn't been dared by @nikewomen I woudn't have had the honor of training hard w/the above ladies mentioned.
Our obsession with Nike brought us together and I look forward to finally meeting them in person in San Francisco, October 2012.