March 2010 monthly newsletter

"I didn't dream I could get these results."

"I have always struggled with being overweight. I was never happy with my appearance, but had resigned myself to it after being unsuccessful...." See Jana's full story.

See how YOUR story could win $100 & help your favorite charity.

Three of the most popular forum threads:

What is "functional strength" or "functional fitness"?

Best Purchase "so far" this year? (2010)

I am just getting started

Q. I do a lot of Pilates videos. Many of the instructors talk about how it "lengthens and strengthens at the same time." What exactly does that mean?

A. Pilates offers a huge variety of benefits -- total-body strength, muscle control, body awareness and improved balance. Pilates also promotes better posture and helps alleviate low back pain. It's an amazing workout technique.

Okay, but what's the deal with "lengthening and strengthening?"

When talking about traditional forms of strength training -- like free weights -- you're usually taught that the muscle shortens during a contraction to lift the resistance. But Pilates is different -- it really does simultaneously lengthen and strengthen the muscle.

Let's use a sit-up as an example. During a traditional sit-up, the abdominal muscles shorten and contract as you "crunch up" the upper body. But when you're performing a Pilates ab curl, the motions are not the same. The video instructor usually cues you to lengthen the spine from the neck down to the tailbone. Then you'll take a deep inhale which expands the rib cage up and out. This is your preparation phase. On the exhale, you'll contract the abdominals and lift your head and shoulders off the floor (which pulls the ribcage down and back in toward the center of the body). Your pelvis tilts upwards and your spine gets "imprinted" on the mat which further lengthens the body. On the downward phase, you'll roll down one vertebrae at a time in a slow and controlled fashion until you're back to your starting position.

As you can see, the Pilates' "curl" is much more comprehensive than a classic sit-up. By lengthening the ab muscles and the spine, you're limiting the contraction phase. As a result, you're preventing any bulk-up potential. Instead, you're training the muscle to contract during the lengthening phase of the opposing muscle (which ulitmately gives you the longer, leaner appearance).

So, yes, Pilates does help train the body in unique ways. There are lots of different variations and videos. Keep it up -- you may even feel a bit taller soon!

Final note: All this does not mean that traditional sculpting techniques lead to bulky muscles (a frequently mentioned concern for women). That's just not the case -- women don't produce enough testosterone for that to happen.

Look for your new print catalog arriving in your postal mailbox this week!

New videos by Jillian Michaels, Jari Love, Tracie Long, Mari Winsor, Cathe Friedrich and Reebok

Jillian Michaels' Yoga Meltdown is truly different. It's a unique mix of traditional power yoga and hardcore body-sculpting.

Jari Love's newest is Extremely Ripped Body Rock. The program has alternating segments of athletic and dance cardio, then it all ends with gym-style weight training.

Tracie Long, the veteran Firm master instructor, has four new workouts. Staying Power uses aero/tone intervals to burn fat and reshape your muscles. Back Up features a variety of techniques, from familiar aerobics and toning to newer functional training and core strengthening. Defining Shape combines classic Firm-style body-sculpting with Pilates and balance exercises. Step Forward is a no-nonsense step workout with easy-to-learn combos.

Mari Winsor just introduced two new videos. Cardio Pilates has two matwork programs plus a Pilates-style aerobic workout. Pilates Bootcamp Express combines light weight training with dance aerobics.

Cathe's newest includes her 3-DVD "MMA" series. Each program focuses on a different "Mixed Martial Arts" technique. Just choose the style you like best -- MMA Kickbox, MMA Boxing or MMA Fusion. Her fourth new video, Step Moves features lots of interesting and innovative step-aerobic combinations.

Reebok is releasing their first new programs in 14 years. Reebok Cardio Tone has three workouts: hi/lo cardio, blended aero/tone and abs-focused toning. Reebok Bootcamp stars Tanja Djelevic in three different aero/tone interval workouts.

Other new programs include Tracey Staehle's Cardio Kickbox Challenge, Richard Simmons' Boogie Down the Pounds, Paul Katami's Fit in 15 and Margaret Richard's Fight Age with Strength.

And there's more. See ALL our new videos.

Margaret Richard

Most people know Margaret Richard from her Body Electric series on PBS TV (26 years!), but her "acting career" began much earlier. "I made it to the Broadway stage when I was eight years old! I actually auditioned before Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. I got the part of Ngana, the plantation owner's child in South Pacific. That was a thrill I couldn't comprehend at the time."

How did it all lead to the "Body Electric" program? "I had studied ballet since age three and was quite familiar with artistic discipline. I took an aerobic dance class in 1978 and the instructor also exercised with weights to music. However, the body sculpture technique -- using light weights to shape and tone the muscles -- was dynamically different. It was aesthetic and athletic. I couldn't move the next day, but loved the experience. Upon returning to Tallahassee, I asked both of my classically-trained ballet instructors to consider offering workouts which required discipline without classical technique. But neither was interested.

"So I introduced the Body Electric program to a group of friends in 1979. We were women and men of all shapes and sizes. We met in a ballet studio on a balmy North Florida evening. We emerged an hour later having shared an experience that would ultimately have an immense impact on our lives. Incidentally, the program's name comes from the 'I Sing the Body Electric' song in the 'Fame' movie soundtrack."

When you first began your television show, fitness was primarily aerobics. Why did you decide to do a 'toning-based' program? "Early on, I recognized that it was more desirable to have a body shaped by muscle rather than fat. I was fortunate to enter the fitness arena in 1978. That gave me the opportunity to establish a unique style, offering muscle-strengthening with graceful transitions, set to popular music."

You're now sixty-three years old. That used to be considered "old." How do you feel about that age? "I am forthright about being 63 and ask others to define me by my strengths, rather than my age. My potential is unlimited as long as I remain physically and mentally vital (and, if anyone has a problem with that, we'll settle it in the parking lot -- just kidding!)."

Can a 60-year-old really be more fit than someone much younger? "Exercise intensity points to one's level of fitness, rather than age. However, now that we baby boomers are turning sixty, we need to adjust our workouts to fit the demands of our maturing bodies with exercises that are tough on muscles and gentle on joints. We want to feel good and look good!"

Okay, so how should we maximize the benefits and protect against injury during exercise? "Know thy body! Each of us brings a unique set of circumstances to the exercise experience. It is your job to understand your strengths and weaknesses."

See both of Margaret's videos.

Yoga vs. Pilates?

These two workout techniques have become very popular. They're both low-impact, mind-body exercises that integrate breath with movement. But, in reality, yoga and Pilates are completely distinctive forms of exercise.

The practice of yoga is believed to be over 5,000 years old. Although yoga will enhance flexibility, it's generally more focused on stretching. Yoga promotes strength and stress release as well. The original Sanskrit meaning of the word yoga is "unite." This implies joining or integrating all aspects of the individual -- body with mind and mind with soul. This deep mind-body relationship is practiced through a series of various poses and postures that provide their own unique benefits.

Yoga teaches you to build upon your natural breathing process – making it bigger and stronger. During yoga breathing, you'll inhale -- first, filling up the abdomen and then continuing as you fill up the chest. You'll reverse on the exhale -- exhaling from the chest and continuing from the abdomen, drawing it inward. Yoga breaths release muscular tension, reduce anxiety, and help integrate mental and physical balance. It's not easy; a beginner may only be able to hold a pose for three full breaths.

Each yoga session ends with Savansana or relaxation. This is the time to absorb what you have practiced and rejuvenate the mind, body and spirit before continuing your day.

Pilates is different. There is nothing relaxing about Pilates. Pilates is adopted from the rehabilitation methods that Joseph Pilates developed in the 1930s. It's a system of total-body lengthening and strengthening. They progress through a series of exercises that increasingly become more challenging throughout the workout. Pilates does enhance mind-body connection through breathing. But it has a much stronger emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment. Quality is always more important than quantity.

Proper breathing is important in Pilates too. It helps you accomplish the exercises with maximum control and efficiency. You'll start by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. As you inhale, you'll expand the ribcage up and out to achieve maximum expansion. On the exhale, the ribcage comes back down. Each inhale and exhale is coordinated with a movement. A Pilates video will usually end with a few stretches and deep breaths.

In summary, both yoga and Pilates have specific benefits. But please don't expect to be an expert immediately; these exercises can take months, or even years, to truly master. As always, it's best to start with a beginner video and work your way up to the more advanced techniques.

Fitness and Prevention magazines pick favorites

The February issue of both magazines featured "best" workout video articles (e.g. "best for calorie burning"). Click the title to see what they liked about each video.

Fitness: "Top New Workout DVDs." Their selection criteria ranged from "best bootcamp" to "best boredom-busting."

Prevention: "Five Reasons to Get Off the Couch." Their selection criteria ranged from "best belly flattening" to "best metabolism booster."