fithiphealthy

LITHE GOAL OF THE WEEK! 24 Sep 2012

Now that you've spent a week concentrating on keeping your abdominals tight during class,  it's time to slide those shoulders down. Sometimes the stress of our work week has them creeping up to our ears, and we don't even notice it! Take a moment right now to be mindful of your shoulders. Where are they? Probably hunched over, or in a permanent shrug. Slide them down and feel the immediate releasing sensation throughout your body. Do the same in class. Whether you're at the bands, barre or mat, take moments to be mindful of where your shoulders are.

That simple adjustment is the key to unlocking your core.  Shoulder and scapular stabilization/placement is so important.  It's one of the major form issues that we see on most Lithers. Not only is it crucial for a healthy back, but it stabilizes our shoulder girdle while it strengthens our abs, lower back, along with the hip, and lateral trunk muscles while decompressing and stretching the spine. 

Strengthening these muscles helps our entire lower half function more efficiently, gives you the results that you're working so hard for, and it greatly reduces your risk of lower-back injury.  Remember to use your lats to slide your shoulders down and into a "V!" 

Image of Lither, Jaclyn Kunkel wearing Lithe's Ultra Support Performance Bra via Dom

LITHE LEERY? 16 Sep 2012

It's no secret that Lithe Method has a reputation. Ask women who Lithe regulary to describe that reputation, and the descriptions often include words like: fun, community, support, challenging, rewarding, and sometimes even addiction. But for some who've never actually taken a class, Lithe invokes something totally different. Peering into a studio with all of its mirrors and barres and various bands hanging from the ceiling and props leaning against the walls, and words like intimidating, insane, torture and impossible all come to their minds. 

Of course, I don't blame them. Starting any new workout regimen is a big step! And while I don't mind that Lithe has a reputation for being tough--because changing your body takes work--I do mind when women think they won't be able to do it. Some women see the flow of fit bodies that come and go from the various studios in town, and they think: I couldn't keep up. Or, I will be the only person in the room that's not in fantastic shape. And while I understand their fears, it's important to know that any able-bodied woman, regardless of fitness level or age, can Lithe!

Nobody who comes to Lithe starts with a Lithe body! There is such a diverse range of women that attend classes--from competitive athletes to women who are brand new to exercise. The best way to start out if you have no background is to do our Immersion program (a 3 week course of 2 classes per week) which builds you up gradually to the level of "regular" classes and teaches you our basic principles & form step-by-step).

Once you are "mainstreamed" into non-immersion classes, instructors always make sure to let you know how to modify certain sequences (do lunges with a flat foot, march in place) until your fitness level increases. And anytime you think you need a litle extra help, or want to take things a little slowly for a day, there's always our Lithe 101 classes. 

It's important to us that you feel supported through every step of your workout. We are here as you take it at a pace that works for you. Most women who begin Lithe are always surprised how quickly they catch on and how well their bodies take to the challenge! Still leery? Check out these additional tips!

Image of Lithers stretching before Weightless at Old City via Lauren Boggi Goldenberg

 

LITHE GOAL OF THE WEEK! 10 Sep 2012

Your goal this week is to try and work through all of your transitions during the full 60 minutes you're in the studio. Aside from the designated times that we rest (shell, stretching after a long series), I have designed each Lithe class so that you are working various muscle groups even when you are transitioning between exercises--to maximize every single minute you are in the studio. So, try to be mindful to only take little breaks when you need them, instead of taking them just because you are switching to a new series.

For example, between lunges and sumos and curtsies...you may hear your instructor say...now hold your leg up there before they switch to the next set. Give it a shot instead of coming back to standing. During your push up series, your instructor may ask you to hold it in full plank before you transition to your see-saw or sideplank. Try it instead of going to your knees then back up into your next move. It's a small adjustment, but it makes a HUGE difference. You will squeeze out every possible calorie if you really listen to your cues and work as much as you can through your transitions!

Image of Lithe instructor, Krista Denofa, via Dom

LITHE GOAL OF THE WEEK! 3 Sep 2012

It's that time of year again!  For many of the young people in our lives, this week marks the beginning of back to school. New beginnings and most importantly new teachers! And while it's a little scary to meet someone new (will they be nice? will she understand my needs?), it's important for students to keep challenging themselves by being open to different teaching styles. That's how they grow. Lithe is no different. I know it's totally natural to have your favorite instructors. Everyone does! But, it's equally important to branch out and try different ones too.

Perhaps you associate a particular teacher with your favorite class, but did you know that I tailor classes for each specific instructor? So Skinny Jeans with Brooke is different than Skinny Jeans with me. Stepping out of your comfort zone will keep things interesting--not only for you, but for your body too. Mixing things up is the key to keep from plateauing.

So this week, take at least 1 class from an instructor you've never taken before. You'll find that you're more alert and mindful of your workout instead of going through some motions you may have memorized. Good luck!

Montage of current and retired Lithe Instructors via Dom

LITHE-AID 28 Aug 2012

Hi Lauren,

I was wondering if I could make a request that you write something on the blog about lithing through depression. I am clinically depressed and have my up and down days, and there are times I'm just not "feeling it" to lithe, so I cancel or late cancel and feel even worse for missing a workout. I'm not sure if other lithers have this issue, but any tips you could offer about breaking through the mental roadblocks would be great.

Thank you so much for your brave email. Other lithers do deal with this issue. I receive emails like yours all the time, as depression is an issue that most of us have dealt with in varying degrees at one time or another in our lives. I'm not a doctor, so I consulted someone uniquely positioned to give some advice about how to cope on those down days we've all encountered. 

Dr. Anna Cannold Weiser is a Clinical Psychologist and long time Lither. Here's her take:

The first and most important piece of advice is that if you are clinically depressed, please seek treatment with a counselor. There are plenty of low-cost options in Philly ranging from local community mental health centers to insurance-based in-network providers. That said, it is great that you want to exercise. Exercise is a top recommendation that I make to clients (outside of coming to therapy) to help them with their depression.

There are multiple psychological benefits to exercise. Data show that it can be as powerful as supplemental medication in helping to alleviate symptoms of clinical depression (particularly more vigorous exercise, and as we all know, Lithe certainly qualifies as vigorous). In addition, social support is another critical building block on the path towards healing depression and preventing subsequent physical illness and Lithe is, at its core, a socially supportive community of women.

The approach that I advocate for those dealing with depression is to try to accept it, love it, and welcome it - like a house guest or a friend knocking on the door. We wouldn't ignore the knocks of a friend; we would go see who was there and let them in. The problem is, we often view depression as so unsafe to let in that we do not go to the door at all, nor let it in. We worry that if we recognize it and allow it inside, it will swallow us whole. This only makes the knocks louder, making depression worse. When someone or something wants our attention, it persists. The same goes for clinical depression – when it is knocking at the door to deliver a message, it is something that begs to be seen, heard, and examined. My work with clients is always about trying to help them listen for the knocks and get to the door. Next, we work to carefully unpack whatever awaits on the other side while keeping oneself as healthy and stable as possible. Unfortunately, clinical depression can be one of the trickiest and most stubborn biologically-based mental processes, often leaving people feeling understandably desperate and frustrated.

Here are two approaches Lithers can use when we want to exercise yet depression makes it hard to get motivated and bring ourselves to the studio.

Approach 1 is gentle and the route of least resistance. Try to be kind and good to ourselves, and know that if we are too depressed to exercise, it is okay. There is always tomorrow (or next month) and when we are ready, we can get back into the studio. Sometimes the body and the mind need to heal, need quiet, and need to rest. It is a gift to peacefully allow ourselves that respite. In this case, the mandatory work is around trying to dialogue with our own nasty, frustrating, auto-pilot inner critic who tells us that without a workout, a certain pair of pants, or a number on the scale, we are no good. This kind of equanimity takes Buddhist monks a lifetime to work on, but we can try. And we can make progress! It can become our goal to fully examine whose voice that is (usually it is not ours but rather may be a highly critical former mentor, family member, or even society - talking to us and being quite mean with stale rotations of the same old critical jabs) and to re-focus that voice with our own true voice (the "it is okay to take this break, I will be gentle with myself, I will not fall apart if I miss this class and I am permitting myself with intention to cancel for today and just read a book" voice). It is important to talk to ourselves nicely like this even if it is a bit of a revolution. Remind yourself that you are taking time for you and that it is okay to be out of the studio or to cancel the class. This approach is about kindness, permission, and nurturing our own inner voice in lieu of the automatic (not always kind) one. I often ask my clients to imagine their own voice with a volume knob like on a stereo. Take hold and try to turn it up.

Approach 2 is about taking a deep breath and trudging through, under the assumption that the depressed self is often a bad fortune-teller and has faulty predictions about how we will feel and what we should do. Like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy treatments, it can take dozens of times of doing something to break old habits and emotional experiences and then create new ones that start to feel tolerable, good, and even better. Sometimes we need to continue to suffer through the unpleasant moments of convincing ourselves to push towards health. This approach is focused on trying to work with the critic within our minds. The depressed mind can be a saboteur telling you: “I'll feel worse (or no better) if I go to class” or “what's the point” or “I'm too tired” or “it has been such a terrible week.” We need to question the depressed self about how good he/she is at steering the ship, test the depressed mind’s hypotheses, and challenge the depressed mind's answers. Set REASONABLE goals for yourself, and commit to seeing them through (even if you have to grin and bear it for a short while). Often it is painful and hard at the beginning but rewarding by the end. Little by little, we can learn to take charge of our mind. We can learn to take ourselves off of emotional autopilot. 

A simple exercise that can help with shifting emotions and making decisions that I use with clients is called 10/10/10/10/10. We can use this for both approaches 1 and 2. 

Let's say we choose to push ourselves to go to a class despite our depressed mood. Right now you may feel exhausted, achy, sad and wanting to be alone. 

How about in:

10 minutes/10 hours/10 days/10 weeks/10 months

How do you imagine you'll feel at each interval?

It is with this type of precise attention (rather than negative and automatic assumptions) that we can begin to heal our erroneous perceptions that often cause us to stay stagnant in our depression and avoid the very things we know will help us to heal. Perhaps we need a gentle break by staying at home or perhaps we need a nudge to get our butts into a class. Letting ourselves think and feel in such an expansive way can often help us to come to a nurturing decision. 

You might be surprised where your thoughts and feelings will take you. And it might just be to a Lithe class...

Image of Lauren Boggi Goldenberg for Everlast, 2007 via Dom

LITHE GOAL OF THE WEEK! 27 Aug 2012

Now that hopefully most of you are doing 10 push ups in the full plank position, I hope you'll keep it going and eventually move on to the next 10 (even if you have to drop down half way through until you get there). This week, I want to challenge you to take at least 1 class that uses the Lithe Method Higher Power band system. I know many of you ONLY take band classes because you love them (and the results!) so much, but I also know a large majority of you avoid them like the plague! The blue bands can be tough on your hands for the first one-eight classes, but like all other parts of your body that we target in Lithe, the more you work them, the stronger they will become. 

The bands take our Cardio-Cheer Sculpting work to the next level, and truly change your body. They target armpit fat (the stuff that bubbles over your strapless dresses that drives us all nuts) like nothing else. They increase cardiovascular output and isometrically and dynamically work your abs, arms, back, and sculpt you all the way down to your waist AND into your hips! How's that for motivation? 

Try Step Rally, Higher Power, Split, Spirit or Waspie which are all on the schedule this week. Here are some tips on how to hold the bands to get the most out of your 60 minutes. Remember, bring your gloves! It's not only more sanitary, but it prevents slippage and makes gripping the bands much more comfortable. 

Images of Lauren Boggi Goldenberg using the Lithe Higher Power band system via Dom

 

LITHE GOAL OF THE WEEK! 20 Aug 2012

We all know the importance of having goals in life. Our fitness goals usually center around how many times a week we'd like to get to the studio. But what about once you're already there? It's equally important to have small goals you're striving for during class. This will help you to get the most out of your workout instead of just getting through it.

This week, I want to challenge you to do at least 10 push ups in the full plank position. A large majority of Lithe classes have a push up sequence, and when I look around the room most of you go directly to your knees. If you've been Lithing for a little while, have good flexion in your elbows and can remain in the tuck position, it's time to try and pop it up! Remember, though, don't sacrifice your form as you push up to the next level.

• your hands should be directly under your shoulders
  
• your weight should be pushed back into your heels
• your hips should remain tucked

Already doing 10 push ups in full plank? Then go straight through to the next ten! Already doing them all in plank? Then really concentrate on your form and challenge yourself by going a little lower and starting your exhale slightly before you push up. 

Image of Lithe Instructor, Krista DeNofa via Dom

NEWBIE WORDS OF WISDOM. 2 Aug 2012

Image of Lauren Boggi Goldenberg for Everlast via Dom

BUT I THOUGHT I WAS TAKING HIGH MINI? 3 Feb 2012

We now have over 40 different Lithe classes (and new ones are unveiled all the time). Our variety is what makes Lithe unique and special, and is the key in challenging your bodies and new and different ways…but it is also what requires us to change classes from time to time.

Lithe classes are always subject to change, but we thought we’d give you a little information about why they change…and how to roll with it.

Why do classes change? Usually a class changes because an instructor is, on short notice, unable to teach their normal class. As committed as our instructors are to Lithe, sickness, car break-downs, family emergencies, and unexpected work or school issues are all guaranteed to come up from time to time. When an instructor has to miss their class, we do everything we can to avoid cancelling classes, and seek out another instructor to jump in as a substitute. That’s where the variety of classes becomes a challenge: it is impossible for all 20+ Lithe instructors (except Lauren) to know all 40+ classes. While our first choice is always to sub in an instructor who knows the regularly scheduled class, that isn’t always an option.

Why that class…? Once we have determined that we need to change a class, we take a look at our options and try to come as close to the original class as possible. There aren’t any exact duplicates, but we do our best to keep the class similar in emphasis and cardio level.

Making the best out of it… We know it’s disappointing to discover that the Armistice class you look forward to all week is now Wings. But as long as you go into the class prepared to give it your best, you’re still going to get a true Lithe workout. Just think of it as a little enforced variety: those muscles that are adapting to your workout are going to be surprised into working harder (and garnering more results).Beyond that, sometimes you’ll find yourself forced into a class you’ve been intimidated by, only to discover you actually like it.

Image of Lithe Instructor, Cheri Tolin via Dom

 

GETTING COMFORTABLE? 6 Dec 2011

Are you stuck on a particular workout that you love - maybe you're jamming out in Sleeveless or Skinny Mini on a bi-weekly basis - STOP!  Instead, change up you schedule for the next two weeks and amp up your intensity.  Your muscles will think, 'What the heck just happened? You're body, mind and soul will be challenged and changed for the better! 

Image of Lithe Instructor, Cori Tilman via Dom