Prevent Knee Injury in Repetitive Motion Sports-Rolling/Stretching/Training

 We need to train specifically for strength and power in our legs. We can prevent injury by cross training which is working your opposing muscles we work all the time. For example, strengthen  your lower back as well as your abdominal muscles. Twisting and leaning are integral movements in roller derby. Incorporate side lunges and curtsy lunges to strengthen the areas needed.  

Repetitive motion puts high stress on one area and can cause imbalance in your muscular structure as well as your skeletal structure. Tight muscles can pull bones and ligaments in one direction and loosen muscles not being used as frequently. We need to lengthen specific muscles and strengthen others. 

Lengthening your IT band and strengthening your Vastus Medialis and inner thighs are key to knee injury prevention.

First, rolling or lengthening your IT (iliotibial) Band  is key. Here is a great stretch for your IT band as well as how to roll it.

Roll Slow. Make sure to hold it in the areas that you feel pain till the pain lessens. You then move on as you roll the entire side. You should not be rolling consistently up and down your leg.

With your legs crossed and folding forward, lean slightly to the outside of the base foot to create a better stretch on the outside of your hip and down to the back of the knee. 

If your IT band is tight which is caused by repetitive forward motion, there is tension on your knee. The IT Band connects from the hip to the knee, therefore pulling your knee outward and putting unwanted and uneven pressure on your knees and lower extremities.

With a tighter IT Band comes pulling of the inner thighs; primarily your Vastus medialus muscles (inner muscle of your quadriceps) and Gracilis muscles (inner thigh). 

We need to make sure to strengthen all areas of our quadriceps but this muscles is not only neglected but really hard to trigger on its own. 

To strengthen the Vastus medialus and gracilis muscles, here are a few exercises.

Perform a wall squat with or without a ball on your back making sure your legs are at a 90 degree angle. Then take another small ball and place it between your legs and squeeze it slowly. Repeat multiple times till you feel a strong burn. Stand, recover, then repeat set 2 to 3 more times.

Curtsy Lunges. Alternate curtsy lunges from leg to leg. If you can push off with inside of your front foot you will feel more work being done to your medialis. Repeat 10 to 15 repetitions on each side. Rest and repeat 2 to 3 sets.

Side Lunges. Make sure your knees are over your heals when stepping out. When pushing back to center, it is imperative that you place most of your weight on the inside of your power foot in order to get the proper stengthening in your vastus medialus. This will also fire up your glutes, hamstrings and obliques. 

Tradition is to train as we play, but it is important in order to keep balance in our bodies to work out bodies at least once a week in the opposite manner. For example in roller derby, we need to make sure to work our right side as much as our left side. Skate non-derby direction when possible. If  you are a cyclist, make sure to do lateral movements such as skaters and back lunges for your hamstrings. 

Make sure to work at your own pace, but you will see your performance increase in your specific sport or just in your daily lives by making sure your body is aligned properly. 

You may even notice your lower back or neck have less stress as you become more balanced. Your whole body will become more balanced and will reflect on other areas of your body and life. 

Written by: 

Michelle "Michbehavin" Rotell

Owner Sweat Cardio and Yoga

www.sweatcardio.com 

Sweat Cardio & Yoga - 2015 Promo

Plyometrics Leg Workout Athletics Cardio

Ab Core Workout Fitness

You Get What You Work For- Motivation

You want results?? You want to be lean and strong?  You want to be successful? You want a great job? You want to be the top of your class?

 

                                                           You have to work for it!!

We all have dreams, goals, aspirations. But are you willing to work for it? You can already be smart, or strong, or have talent, but if you do not use it to your full potential and work for what you want, you will only go as far as you put toward it.
Make small goals and take baby steps to your overall goals. It will help you see the light at the tunnel. One grand move is much harder to see the achievements, but for every A or every pound, celebrate!!
Give it your all. Give it your passion. Give it your full heart. Give it your 100% and it will pay off.
You can do this!!!

Written by:
Michelle Rotell
Trainer, Instructor, Motivator, Owner
Sweat Cardio and Yoga
www.sweatcardio.com
follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/sweatcardio
and Instagram  @sweatcardio

Meet us at the Barre..Sculpting and Toning

Glutes, Core, Calves, Hamstrings and even arms. Great way to tone and strengthen at Barre Sculpt

 Barre Sculpt is a great way to sculpt your body in a non-impact smooth flow for the body kind of a way. Barre Sculpt is a combination of slow repetitive ballet moves, and yoga and pilates forms along with tucking your hips and tightening your core. Each class incorporates, a yoga flow at the beginning as a warmup along with some upper body strenthening using light weights or no weights with very small repetitive movements. This technique gets deep into the muscle tissue and helps strengthen as well as tone the muscles. Adding muscle tissue helps to lean out the muscle as well as burn fat during class and hours after as well.
After the warmup and upper body segment, the instructor will move into the Barre portion of class.  During this portion you will find plies, releves, leg lifts, pelvic tucks, squats, chair poses, bridges and much more. Here is where you will feel the wrath of the barre. Movements are very small and controlled with a lot of repetition.
After the multiple sequences of Barre movements, you will move into an abdominal section. During this time, you may still be using the barre, such as the picture above. Pilates based exercises may be incorporated as well to get all muscles surrounding the upper, middle and lower section of your abdominals and obliques. As well as your glutes, hips, and inner and  outer thighs.
This class is for all levels, but we won't lie and tell you that you won't be a little sore for a few days. When first starting out, please take your time and take breaks if needed. Do not compare yourself to the veterans of this class. They started out as a newbie at one time too. You too will be as strong as you see they are soon. Use their experience to motivate you and to watch their form. Let the instructor know you are a beginner, which they will always ask if there are new people in class, and they can also give you modifications if needed.
Results will start to show after just 2 weeks of this class if you are taking it at least 2-3 times per week. These results may vary depending on your nutritional intake, but you will start to see your strength increase as well as your buns and core get tighter. 

Flexibility and strength all in one class.

Sweat Cardio offers Barre Sculpt, Mondays 11a, Tuesdays 4:30p, Wednesdays 4:30p, and Saturdays 10:30a.
Check out our full class schedule for other classes we offer or to sign up for the next class at www.sweatcardio.com 
We offer drop in rates as well as memberships. We would love for you to come Sweat with us!!

Written by:
Michelle Rotell
owner Sweat Cardio and Yoga
951-302-0088

Sculpting Your Body to Burn Fat

Chisel Mondays 10a and Fridays 9a with Tristan Haller

       Muscle is a wonderful thing. We should cherish it, sculpt it and feed it. It helps us in so many ways. It supports our bones and makes them move in so many ways. It gives us shape and form. It gives us flexibility and means to change our range of motion and flow. It helps us burn calories and fat if fueled properly.
      We need our muscle to survive. The myth that lifting weights will make you "big and bulky", is just a myth. It is HOW you lift weights that will define your physique. Most women want to look lean and healthy. They workout to feel great mentally and physically. Some will "diet" or "cut calories" only to lose weight with out exercising. This is a big mistake. We need to maintain or increase our lean muscle mass to help us burn more calories, so we could consume more calories, and make sure we are not atrophying the muscle we already have.
       Lifting weights at a slower, more controlled pace with a medium sized weight and at about 15 repetitions per set would be the best way for a woman to build lean muscle mass. 2-3 sets should be good. If you can do more than 15 repetitions, the weights are too light. The other theory, which could be combined throughout the week, is to use light weights at a small range of motion for a large amount of repetitions, 25-30. This is to get into the deeper, more fast twitch muscles.
       Our goal is to increase our metabolism. In order to increase our metabolism, our bodies need something to burn. We want to burn calories and fat, not muscle tissue. Therefore, we need to continuously feed our bodies with fuel (clean proteins and carbohydrates) as well as work those muscles to burn calories. Starving your body only makes your metabolism slow down to help store fat for future starvation. It is very hard, but doable to speed up your metabolism once you have tricked it into starvation mode. The key is to eat small well balanced meals throughout the day, even if you do not like breakfast, you must eat it. Drink lots of water and pick up some weights.
Your body will appreciate it. You will see results within 3-4 weeks if you are lifting or sculpting at least 2-3 times per week. Try to work each muscle group and not just focus on the ones that you "think" need sculpting. Our bodies need to be balanced and in line. Pick a lower body day, an upper body day or you can do 3 total body days. Most classes focus on the total body to appeal to the masses as well as make sure that you are getting each muscle group involved and burning throughout your workout.
There are many options at Sweat Cardio that are focused on weights and sculpting. Chisel Mondays 10a and Fridays 9a is a slower, heavier weight type class. No cardio involved. Sweat and Sculpt Tuesdays 5:30p is a combination of sculpting and weights. Buns and Guns Thursdays 6:30p has a combination of sculpting and cardio as well. Plus PUMP on Tuesdays at 9a and Thursdays at 10a is another great way to get your sculpting in, doing a circuit format of various exercises.
If you are looking for a class with lighter weights and more repetition, Barre Sculpt and Cardio Sculpt are a great option for you.

Sweat and Sculpt Tuesdays 5:30p with Kacy Hill 

Strong is the new skinny.
Make your goal in 2015 to lift more weights. Take care of your body for you.
Stay fit, Be well,
Sweat Cardio and Yoga
Article written by: Michelle Rotell
Owner Sweat Cardio and Yoga
www.sweatcardio.com
www.facebook.com/sweatcardio
951-302-0088

Zumba Fitness at Sweat Cardio with Stephanie Behrends

2 Hour Barre Method Workshop at Sweat Cardio and Yoga

Join Yvonne Davis for a two hour special event Bar Method Workshop April 27th 12-2pm. This includes a 90 minute barre workout, 15 minute break, and plenty of gentle stretching and basic yoga throughout and opportunity for discussion of safety, modifications, and clarification of exactly what muscles we are targeting. T...his is your opportunity to fine tune your Bar Method practice with Yvonne, exploring beginner/intermediate and advanced option choreography. $15 for members and members guests/$20 for non/members. You can register online www.sweatcardio.com at class schedule page April 27th date. Members need to call or come in to register to receive discounts price. 951-302-0088.

2 Hour Barre Workshop

Planks Daily Fitness Motivation

Why Plank? It is quite simple really....to have strong abs, obliques, arms, shoulders, chest, back, glutes, hamstrings, shins, and more! Planks are considered one of the top ten exercises by the American Council of Exercise(ACE). When done correctly, planks are not easy. As you build your core muscles, you'll be able to hold a plank longer.
Written by: Summer Gamboa
www.sweatcardio.com

Appreciate Everyday-Daily Motivation

That proud feeling you get when you realize that you are getting stronger because of all the hard work you are putting in is the best feeling. Whether that means you can now run that whole mile or walk up 2 flights of stairs or do more weight on your dead lift! Work Hard and BE Proud of what you achieve! — at Sweat Cardio.
Written by Summer Gamboa

Stretching-Giving your body the attention it needs

Stretching is one of the most important components of your fitness regime. It is the attention your body needs. Everyone, no matter what your fitness routine is, Cardio, Weight training, Cycling, Running, MMA fighting, Walking, Rowing, you get the point, should incorporate a stretching phase.
Ideally everyone should stretch after your workouts, but even better would be to designate specific time to warm up and just stretch out all your muscles.
Stretching your muscles, even the ones that you may think are not sore or tight, need to be lengthened to help with recovery, prevent injury or increase range of motion to a muscle that is tight from a previous injury.
As we get older, and we all do, no matter how fit you may be, our muscles get tighter and tighter. With that happening we tend do compensate with other muscles, or our bodies reform due to over worked mucscle.
For example, you sit at a desk all day long. You arms are reached forward, your back is slightly slouched at your desk, your shoulders are rounded forward and your knees are bent in your chair. As your arms are reached forward,your chest in clinched in. You back muscles as they are slouched take all the pressure, but your chest muscles become very tight and shortened. As your shoulders are rounded forward it puts stress on our neck and trapezius muscles (very top of the back). As your knees are bent in your chair, your hamstrings (the back of the thigh) tighten and shorten.
This is why the number one reason for low back pain is sitting at a desk or being sedentary. Those muscles need to be lengthened and stress needs to be release from your body.
Stretching your chest, upper and lower back, shoulders, neck, hips, abdominals, hamstrings, quadriceps (front of the thigh), and calvesis crucial to a long healthy life.
The key to a good stretch is to make sure your muscles are warm. You do not want to stretch with cold muscles. Roll out your joints and do active stretches prior to holding a stretch.
Each stretch should be help for at least 10-20 seconds to reap the benefits. Taking deep breathes as you are stretching will help release any tension and allow your body to relax into your stretch a little deeper.
Never stretch to where it hurts. A stretch should feel tension and resistance but should not hurt.
Using tools such as bands, a towel, a strap or even blocks to help you get into a stretch without discomfort is a good way to ease into a stretch or help you get the proper positioning.
Listen to your body. Ease out of each stretch slowly.

Think of your muscles as rubber bands. If you stretch it too much it will snap. If you pull it too hard it will snap. If you slowly work at it daily the rubber band will become loser but won't break. You want to take care of your rubber bands. Treat them with love and attention and they will love you back.
Look for a Gentle Yoga class or  a Stretch class near you.
To check out our class schedule go to www.sweatcardio.com
or call 951-302-0088 for more information.
Stay fit, Be well,
Sweat Cardio and Yoga
 Michelle Rotell, owner

2 Hour Barre Sculpt Workshop-February 9th

Barre Sculpt is the latest fitness class to sweep the nation. It is a great way to tighten and tone your core, glutes, abs, legs, calves and arms. This is a total body workout. Barre Sculpt uses a combination of small isolated ballet moves, Yoga, sculpting and Pilates exercises to give you the best of the mind, body, spirit and soul workout.  Members have said that they have seen a difference in their bodies shape within a few weeks of taking this class. No dance background required. We supply all equipment such as the Ballet Bar, mats, small exercise balls, light weights. You bring the body. :)

 

Join Yvonne Davis for a two hour special event Bar Method Workshop Feb 9th 12-2pm. This includes a 90 minute barre workout, 15 minute break, and plenty of gentle stretching and basic yoga throughout and opportunity for discussion of safety, modifications, and clarification of exactly what muscles we are targeting. This is your opportunity to fine tune your Bar Method practice with Yvonne, exploring beginner/intermediate and advanced option choreography. $10 for members and members guests/ $15 for non/members. You can register online www.sweatcardio.com at the class schedule page Feb. 9th date. Members need to call or come in to register to receive discounts price. 951-302-0088.

We offer 1 hr Barre Sculpt classes Mondays 11a, Wednesdays 4;30p and Saturdays 10:30a. Drop in rates available as well as monthly memberships.
Sweat Cardio is located at 32839 Temecula Parkway  Suite A, Temecula, Ca 92592
We are here to motivate, inspire and spread health and fitness to be the best you you can be!

 

Candlelight Yoga at Sweat Cardio and Yoga

Candlelight Yoga is a Gentle Flow Yoga class in a dimmed room with tea lights set around the room. We use candles to help relax the mind and body. The ambiance is very welcoming and not intimidating. It is very relaxing and comforting and helps each individual get into their Zen. The slower paced, mind body experience is a great way to release stress, toxins, tight muscles, and give you a full body workout. Candlelight Yoga is for all yoga levels, first timers, pre or post injury (cleared by your doctor), beginners, advanced yogis, pre or post natal and any age. We welcome and encourage anyone age 12 years and up to join us for Candlelight Yoga.
Sweat Cardio offers Candlelight Yoga every Wednesday 7:30p with Cherry Santos, and every Friday at 6:30p with Joyce Bianchi. We offer a calming tea after the Friday evening class during the colder months to keep your body warm and clear after class.
Join us for a special Candlelight Yoga class this Halloween Thursday October 31, 2013 at 6:30p with Jean Oshima.

We welcome new clients, friends and family to try this very special class as it is like no other yoga class.
For more information please go to www.sweatcardio.com about our class schedule, pricing, classes and more.
Memberships and drop in rates available.
Please feel free to call us at 951-302-0088.
Michelle Rotell
Sweat Cardio and Yoga

Insanity Training on the Rise at Sweat Cardio and Yoga

Insanity Training is now at Sweat Cardio. If you aren't familiar with one of the hottest infomercials out there, it's Insanity Training. It is now at your local studio so you can train with friends and like minded people instead of in the privacy of your own home. Taking it to the gym gives you more motivation from others and the drive to push harder.
Insanity is a high intensity cardio workout using plyometrics, power, quick steps, body weight functional movements and abdominal exercises. The format is a combination of 4 minute high intensity bursts and 30 second short breaks till the next set. Repeat this format 3 times and you have an INSANE Insanity workout.  It is hard work but shows quick results.
Sweat Cardio combines 30 minutes of Insanity Training with 30 minutes of sculpting to get a full hour of total body training. We offer it Mondays at 10a and soon to be adding more classes.
For a full class schedule go to www.sweatcardio.com
Sweat Cardio and Yoga
951-302-0088

Barre Sculpt- Tightening Your Glutes

Barre Sculpt is one of the fastest growing fitness trends right now. Also known as Pure Barre, Ballet Barre, Ballet Fitness, Ballet Bar and other creative names. Essentially it is a class using the ballet bar and core strength to lengthen and strengthen your body. This class is firms your glutes and helps lift them back to your where they were in your teens. It can also increase your flexiblity by tightening the muscles then stretching it after. You do not need to be a ballerina or any type of dancer to take this class. Most exercises are designed to lengthen your muscles as well as tighten and tone. The exercises are performed with small movements or range of motion to feel a "burn" and are repeated multiple times. Many of the exercises are reflective of  a mat pilates class and keeping the core tight with short breathes to get the maximum amount of force to the muscle. Although you may feel your heart rate increase at times, this is not a cardio class. It is a sculpting class. We have heard members say that they can start seeing results of a tighter core; glutes, abs, thighs, lower back, and even calves and arms within a few weeks. Sweat Cardio offers Barre Sculpt Mondays 11a, Wednesdays 4:30p and Saturdays 11:30a. 

No shoes required. Some people will wear socks or toesox which are available to purchase at Sweat Cardio and Sweatcardio.com

For any further questions on Barre Sculpt please feel free to call 951-302-0088 or email us at info@sweatcardio.com

Michelle Rotell

Sweat Cardio and Yoga

www.sweatcardio.com 

Yoga Can Clear Your Mind

"Yoga is a way to clear your mind and soul" as many people may say. It is a way to release stress and tension from your daily lives. It is a way to stretch your muscles and your mind outside of its daily routine to help release toxins built up in your body and mind. This may all sound so unreal, that a few positions you put your body in can do so much for you, but it is a fact. Yoga is an age old remedy for healing your body and mind. 

A beginner or an advanced yoga person can feel the same or different affects of their experience. A beginner may feel the exterior affects of their movements. Meaning, they will feel the stretching, the relaxation or the invigoration of the practice.  As you become more advanced in your yoga practice, you may feel a more overwhelming power of healing as you become more in tune with your body. Your breath will become more heated as you learn to breath deeper and engage more internal organs and feelings. 

Yoga is a great way to clear your mind of all the daily hustle and bustle that is so saturated into our lives. Make your Yoga time, your time. Give that time to yourself and allow the experience of Yoga to heal you.

There are so many forms of yoga that one should be able to enjoy it. If you want a more relaxing, gentle yoga class try a Yin or Stretch Yoga. If you want a more invigorating and harder class, try a Power Yoga or Flow Yoga class. Hot Yoga or Bikram Yoga is another way to release more toxins and get deeper into the muscle. Hot Yoga comes in many forms as well. It is usually done in a room that is from 90 -105 degrees. Read the class descriptions before taking class. A good yoga instructor will teach at all levels so a beginner and an advanced Yogi could take the same class and still feel successful and come out feeling wonderful. 

Check out our website for all the Yoga classes offered at Sweat Cardio and Yoga.

www.sweatcardio.com

951-302-0088

Ballet Barre Sculpt is the Hottest Fitness Trend

     Ballet Barre Sculpt also known as Barre Fitness, Barre Sculpt, Barre Method, Pure Barre or Ballet Fitness is the hottest new trend in fitness.
     Barre Sculpt is a total body workout that lifts your seat, tones your thighs and burns fat in record-breaking time!  Utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to fantastic music!  Barre is on of the fastest, most effective, yet safest way to change your body.  We have heard students say they see results in less than 10 classes!
      Barre is a combination of ballet isolated moves in a repetitive series. It gets into the deep muscle tissue to firm and tone. Most exercises focus on the core, which include the abdominals, glutes, hips, thighs (inner and outer) and lower back. There are classes that use small equipment as well such as mini balls seen in this picture, light weights and of course the ballet bar. Pilates based moves are used as well to isolate the abdominals and core. Yoga may also be incorporated into a Barre class for stretching, posture, and to lengthen the muscles. 
Barre sculpt is for all fitness levels. There are modifications for each exercise. 
It is done barefoot or with either ballet shoes or Toesox. 
     Toesox are a grippy sock that you can find at Sweat Cardio or online. 
     Mats and other equipment is provided for you, but you can bring your own if you prefer. 
     Barre Sculpt is a fun way to change up your workouts and get a great bum while you are at it!
     Sweat Cardio offers Barre Sculpt Mondays at 11a with Kacy Hill, Wed. 4:30p with Yvonne Davis and Saturdays 11:30a with Yvonne Davis. For our full class schedule or to purchase toesox go to www.sweatcardio.com


Michelle Rotell
Sweat Cardio and Yoga
For more information about Sweat Cardio, please call 951-302-0088 or check out our website www.sweatcardio.com

Calories-Your best Friend or your worst enemy

Calories can be your best friend or your worst enemy. It is all in how you use them.
I'll first start off by telling you that 3500 calories =one pound of fat gained or lost depending on whether it is consumed or burned.  So if you burn 3500 calories, either by exercise or cutting calories and burning calories you will lose 1 pound. If you were to cut 200 calories from your diet and burn 300 calories a day exercising you will lose about 1 pound per week.  On the other side, if you were to eat an extra 500 calories a day, you would gain a pound a week.
This should make sense. But it also matters how, when and what calories you are eating.
All so confusing??
Your body is a machine. It runs off calories like a car runs off gasoline. What you feed it and when matters too.
Feed it healthy nutritious energizing fuel and it will perform better. Feed it empty waistful non-nutritious calories and it will run slow and sluggish and other reprocussions may occur to your body, like putting the wrong fuel into your car.
Don't be afraid of calories. If you eat the right foods, such as fruits, vegetables, low glycemic carbohydrates, meats, nuts and legumes you will probably be eating the proper amount of calories. These foods eaten in moderation will be low calorie, fill you up properly and feed your brain so that you won't need the unnessasary calories that jack up your calorie count and make you feel unsatisfied and hungry.
Eat small meals throughout the day, preferably about 5-6x per day and your body will be a machine. Burning fat instead of muscle and you will have the energy to not just exercise more efficiently but you will be able to take on your daily tasks more efficiently. You will probably have more energy and get more done.
So in conclusion, your calories are important. Do NOT cut too many out, but Do NOT eat too many either. Get your calories from the right kind of foods and you will be a fat burning, energy driven machine. 
If you have further questions about this matter please feel free to comment or send me an email at michelle@sweatcardio.com
Stay fit, Be well
Michelle Rotell
www.sweatcardio.com