When she took her first Jitterblast class, she instantly knew she wanted to be a part of it. It is a great work out that does not feel like you are working out, because you are having so much fun.

Instructing JitterBlast brings her great joy and is a source of inspiration.  She’s able to put a smile on people’s faces while pushing them to work harder than they thought they could.  There’s nothing better than a room full of fun, hard work, and high energy.

She is excited to be a part of the team, and looks forward to having you in class!

For every ONE new friend you bring to JitterBlast for the month of July you earn a FREE class! Remember: Their first class is free too.

Bring FIVE or more new attendees and you earn an entire month FREE!!!

Mondays and Wednesdays at 7pm.

Keep in mind this is the absolute minimum recommended to retain some form of health to battle against chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.  If you want to see results in weight loss or muscle tone it’s going to take more than that.

For the best results, a recommended 4-6 days a week ranging anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half.  The duration of the workout should depend on they type of exercise and the desired results.  A mixture of cardio, weight/resistance and flexibility training is recommended for a well rounded routine.

If you are using focused area weight or resistance training, give yourself 48-72 hours before working the same body part again.  This is to ensure muscle recovery and avoid muscle fatigue.  It is also recommended that you take at least 1 day off a week from any exercise unless you want to do some form of stretching or myofascial release (foam rolling) on those days.

Lastly, keep in mind the more you put into something the more you will get out of it.  If you’re sitting around the gym for several minutes in between sets, you won’t get desired results.  With more intensity comes better results.  Reminder: Form is everything so don’t neglect form during intense training.

Only you can choose to get in better shape.  Choose wisely.

What is Muscle Balance?

Muscle balance is when normal amounts of opposing force and length between muscles keep the bones centered in the joint during motion.

For example:  When you flex your biceps, the biceps contract while the triceps extend.

What is Muscle Imbalance?

Muscle Imbalance occurs when tightness and/or weakness causes opposing muscles to  create different directions of tensions.  This can put undue stress on the joint, causing a cascade of symptoms.

What Causes Muscle Imbalance?

There are 2 main types of causes:

1 – Repetitive movements in one direction and sustained postures.

2 – Neuromuscular imbalance due to the predisposition of muscle groups to either be tight or weak.

Let’s focus on the first reason.

-An example of repetitive motions:
A tennis player that constantly swings a racket.  This is what causes “tennis elbow” or shoulder joint issues.

-An example of sustained posture:
For those that sit at a desk all day, the hip flexor complex tends to be tight, causing weak glutes, shoulders hunched over and head protruding forward.

Effects on Partner Dancing

Dancing is an active and physical hobby, and for some a lifestyle, but we don’t often think of it causing muscle imbalance.  Some may even think of it as helping balance other aspects of their lives, like those that sit in front of a computer all day.  This may be true, but partner dancing is still an imbalanced repetitive motion.  Think of how each dance is designed:  How the points of connection with your partner work, the mechanics behind those motions, what muscles constantly extent/catch/activate, which direction the joints are moving, which leg is favored for weight placement, etc.  For those that dance with frequency, this can cause imbalance.  Imbalances with opposing muscles and even imbalances with the left and right side of the body.

Should I Be Concerned?

This article is meant to bring awareness and not to scare you.  Those that use partner dancing as an occasional hobby will probably never have issues due to the lack of frequency.  Dancing is still a great physical activity that can enhance your life.  It can improve cardiovascular health as well as social skills.

What Can I Do?

If you already have symptoms, consult a professional (doctor, physical therapist, chiropractor), especially those that have experience with sports or dance injuries.

Preventative care is your best defense against these problems.  Often it can be as simple as improving the flexibility of the tight muscles (stretching/massage) and strengthening the weak muscles.  A quality fitness trainer can help improve this balance.   Yoga and Pilates are great and are a common choice for female dance professionals.  Gyms and fitness centers are also a great choice (caution: without proper exercise form or instruction, other problems may arise).

Bottom line:  Take care of yourself.  Many people approach life like they are invincible at a young age, but as time passes, the body starts to break down.  Body maintenance becomes vital for good health.  What you do now will carry with you throughout your life.    Don’t make the excuse that it takes too much time.  This is your body…it’s kind of important.  Make good choices!

These are the simple steps to help you make the mental changes to living a better, healthier life.

Commitment
The scariest word in most peoples vocabulary.  The concept behind this is to set a goal and commit to it.  Everyone has something they’d like to achieve.  Whether it be to get in the best shape of their lives and lose 25 pounds, or merely just to stay healthy and stave off chronic health problems.  Make sure your goals are realistic.  Wanting to look like a fitness model by next month will be the first step to failure.  To make any sort of progress, I recommend being active at least 3 times per week.

Change
“I’m just too busy”.  Lies!  All lies!

I travel the world for a living, spending much of my life on airplanes, crazy schedules, limited food options, sleep deprivation, and constant jet lag.  What’s your excuse?  Shush!  I don’t want to hear it!

Lol, but seriously, you are full of it.  Everyone can find time to be active, even if it’s taking your kids in a stroller for a nice walk.  Or making healthier food choices.  Here’s the secret…build up to it.  You don’t have to make a major change right away.  Most people can’t handle it.  Make smaller, easier changes that, over time, will add up to better living.  Start by being active twice a week, and try to avoid fast food, soda, extra sugar and salt and desserts whenever possible.  Once you’ve adjusted to that in your lifestyle, expand the goals.  You’ll be surprised that once you’ve adjusted to the changes, it becomes just another part of your day.

Consistency
Here’s the most important step.  Without consistency, everything falls apart and nothing changes.  Even if you’re not feeling motivated, or are tired, just merely showing up is a step in the right direction.  After most physical activities, the endorphins kick in and you’ll be feeling better already.  That’s part of the problem with these 30-90 day programs sold online…it ends.  You can do the program again, but most don’t.  This isn’t a quick fix.  This is a change that should last for the rest of your life.

Here’s to you in the New Year!  To better choices and better living!

*written by Nick Williams
*edited by Chelsea Bromstad Lee

First, I was introduced to the Billy Blanks Boot Camp. What I thought would be easy soon showed me how out of shape I really was. Following that I discovered Tony Horton’s P90X, which really changed things for me, as some of you well know. After awhile Tony Horton introduced the graduate program, P90X Plus, and his One-on-One workouts. Finally, the same company that produces P90X, Beachbody, released the intense cardio program called Insanity.

After awhile, I decided to venture out and learn more. Trying different workouts, all different types of fitness, and finally becoming certified as a personal trainer. I not only wanted to know how to workout, but also the science and methodology behind it. When it comes to fitness, knowledge is power. Simply lifting heavy weights doesn’t work and will often times lead to injury. Proper form, designing well rounded workouts, and a balanced diet will give you the results you want and the health you need.

For those of you who are interested in getting into shape, whether at home or on the road, I’d like to give you some helpful tips. For those who do travel, I’ll give you some great tips to make it work.

Know Thyself: When it comes to working out, the most important thing is to know your own body. Know what you are capable of, your strengths and weaknesses, and what you’d like to achieve. From there you’ll be able to choose the program that is best suited to your needs and abilities.

Consistency: Nothing is going to change for you if you don’t work out regularly. I often hear the joke that someone did the “P14X” because they didn’t finish the program. You need to commit and follow through. That’s why these workout programs were great for me, because they gave me a schedule to follow. Also getting a program designed specifically to fit your needs by a quality personal trainer is optimal. Shameless plug: adding JitterBlast to your routine will help burn those unwanted calories. You won’t start seeing any good results until at least 2-3 weeks into each program and then again after 1 month into it. Stay with it and don’t give up. Don’t fall into the traps of making excuses, getting lazy, or feeling overwhelmed.

Helpful Hints

The hints below help make working out, especially working out on the road, a more achievable and healthy, pain-free experience. They’re areas that are not necessarily directly addressed in the workout programs but nevertheless will have a big impact on your long-term success if you incorporate them into your program.

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Stretching: This is the one area in which I fail miserably. Most programs simply do not have enough stretching in them, especially if you also dance a lot. How often have you heard or said “I should stretch,” briefly reflected on the idea, and then moved on, without stretching? Stretching can save your body from wear and tear as well as help to prevent injury. All the muscle pulls I have ever had were due to lack of stretching. Stretching is also especially important if you fly frequently like I do. Flying makes my body swell up like a balloon and tightens my muscles to the point that I feel like Gollum after a long trip. Doing stretches or yoga after flying can help your body recover as well as fight against jet lag. (Side note: warming up is very important to preventing injury as well as cooling down after a workout or dancing.)

Foam Rolling: Foam rolling can be your new best friend. Everyone hates this in the beginning because it can be a bit painful, but over time the pain goes away. Foam rolling is a way to get the kinks out of your muscles for proper muscle function and also acts as a nice little massage. It can help correct muscles imbalances and alleviate soreness. This is best to do before any physical activity and before stretching. It’s a great way to help your body recover afterwards as well. Every athlete and every dancer should put foam rolling into their schedules.

Lower Back Care: Most programs can really destroy your lower back if you’re not careful, or if you’re feeling too lazy or tired to do the exercise properly. When using weights or bands, never arch your back to try to lift the weights, because this puts too much strain on that area. If you find yourself doing so during a set, pick a lighter weight or stop. P90X has you do a lot of weight lifting while standing up, so make sure you have a wide stance with bent knees. Insanity has a lot of movements that reach for the floor. Do these with a straight back unless otherwise instructed. Rely on your legs and a tight core to complete the exercises.

Ninja Skills: Be one with your surroundings. When you travel you find yourself in different living conditions constantly. Sometimes you can move furniture around in your room to create the space you need (note: chairs and beds can be very useful for different exercises – get creative). Other times, you’ll have to find a hallway, spare room or lobby in which you have enough room to exercise. Get over the idea of being embarrassed if people see you working out – most of those people are thinking that they should work out too. If you’re staying in a hotel, call ahead and see if they have a gym (workout room) with free weights. Lastly, if you’re going to use bands for doing pull-up type exercises, be careful with what you attach them to. Most things break easily. I made the mistake once of attaching them to a locked door – it sounds like a good idea, but what I failed to do was to check to make sure it stayed shut. Needless to say, the band came crashing down on my head, and I nearly passed out from the pain. Lesson learned.

Hydrate: They always say this in the programs, but seriously, drink more water. Even when you are not working out you should drink more water than you are. If you feel thirsty, then you are already dehydrated. Start carrying around a water bottle that will be a reminder to keep hydrated. Drinks with electrolytes are also very helpful. Lately, I’ve been pounding back coconut water and Vitamin Water Zero (both of which I’ve noticed are more widely available at airports now). Hydrate even more when you fly. I find that drinking a lot of water the day before I fly helps on the travel day.

Supplements: For someone who is very active, or travels a lot, and/or as you get older, daily vitamins become very useful in alleviating pain and promoting general health. Also calcium/magnesium, fiber, and joint vitamins can help. If you’re not getting enough of these vitamins and minerals in your regular diet, the store bought pills are a way to create a balance. I also use whey protein mix as a dietary supplement as well as a post workout drink. Protein mixes help your body replenish what energy you spend in the workout, as well as help build and tone muscles. I always travel with protein mix, and I sometimes use a pre-workout drink to energize myself if I’m tired. They give you a better workout, but never use them more than 2-3 months at a time without taking a month off. It’s not good for your body to constantly take them. I recommend consulting a professional for the right mix of supplements for what your body needs.

Diet: This is the other major fail to my health. I just love food too much. I find eating well to be much easier when I am consistently at home, because I can buy the right foods and plan a balanced meal. However, on the road this issue becomes near impossible to solve. Here are some helpful hints for eating while traveling: When you are at an airport, it’s easy to stop at the McDonald’s and order a number 4 but remember that pretty much anything that you order by number is going to be bad for you. Look at the airport map and choose the least egregious option. Also, avoid soda whenever possible. I’m a big soda addict, especially since I often run on little sleep and am jet lagged, but seriously, soda is bad for you. My most recent effort has been to limit soda and find other caffeine options like tea when I need it. Another useful tool in keeping a steady, healthy diet is to try to be good all week and then reward yourself with a “cheat” day or meal to pig out a bit. If you do some activity like squats for a minute and a half within an hour after the meal, it will help your body process the food better. Be careful of the mindset of “well, I’ll just work it off later”. That never ever works…ever.

Nap time: When you’re on the road all the time, naps and resting times become rare commodities. It’s also possible to use these times to get in a workout. Working out can give you energy and is sometimes more beneficial than a nap. Again, listen to your body. If you’re running on exhaustion, or you know you’re going to get very little sleep that night, by all means take a nap. Your body needs sleep to recover.

Final thought:
Whether or not you decide to try the workout DVDs, start working out on your own, or join me with JitterBlast, I implore you to take care of your body. Just dancing isn’t enough. I have female friends who join Pilates and/or yoga classes to stay fit. Some enjoy getting outside for running, swimming, hiking or climbing. Whatever it is that will motivate you, I encourage you to be active. It’s never too late to start.

See you on the dance floor…or on the airplane.

In college I had a steady diet of fast food. But what they say is true…once you pass 25 years of age, metabolism slows down and you gradually become more susceptible to obesity, disease and various other health risks. Diet and nutrition becomes a necessity to live a long, happy, fruitful life. To a dancer like myself, being healthy is even more important and will allow me to continue to do what I love to do for many years to come.

Nobody I know wants to be unhealthy or become overweight. Most people would love to be in peak physical condition, but diets and nutrition are just so overwhelming. Diets for most people are temporary fixes. People try to make too many changes too fast and they are unable to maintain the new patterns over time. Instead of crash dieting to improve your overall health, make small changes to your diet and nutrition until they become lasting habits. Over time these changes can lead to you feeling better and the oh-so-appealing weight loss.

Here’s what I did to make simple changes to my everyday diet for better health.

Changing the way I get my caffeine rush: For those long days, cut out the soda. The regular versions are filled with sugar and chemicals, and even the diet versions, though lacking in calories, still have high amounts of sodium and phosphoric acid in them. Instead, turn to tea and coffee for that rush. Although in this coffee house generation, the tendency is to order coffee and lattes filled with crap, it’s better to just avoid all that much milk and sugar. (Shush, you’ll get used to it.) Green tea has the most healthy benefits because it is both minimally processed and filled with antioxidants.

Snacking right: As you’ve probably heard before, eating many smalls meals throughout the day is better for you than eating a few big meals. The benefits are a higher metabolism and lowers the risk of stuffing your face. The trick to eating smaller meals is to set up the right in-between-meal snacks. Fruit is one of the great choices, as is a protein bar. Bananas, apples and bars are easy to carry around everywhere you go.

Trying a glass of water first: Remember that dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. Before you eat something, drink a glass of water first. It’s especially important to up your water intake when you are at dance weekends. You are sweating a lot more than you are probably used to at home, and you are also eating out a lot with all the temptations that that brings. This is especially important for you weekend alcoholics (you know who you are). If you don’t drink enough water you can end up both dehydrated and overfed…and hungover.

Letting my taste buds breathe: Avoid adding extras like salt, sugar and condiments to your meals and drinks. You taste buds will adapt. You don’t actually need the extra salt…and you know it.

Choosing the right sides: Do you want fries with that? Just say no. When you are out to eat, choose a salad, vegetables or fruit as a side instead of french fries.

Rewarding myself: Here’s the best part: Once a week, completely throw your dietary rules out the window and indulge in a meal that satisfies your food cravings. Note: I said one meal, not an entire day. Saying that you’ll “burn it off” with a workout or dancing never works. In fact, you’re more likely to eat more calories than the calories you burn making your “burn it off” premise faulty. Having a cheat meal gives you something to look forward to. Who doesn’t like to earn their gold stars?

The great news is that by making these changes, your food cravings will also change. Eventually, things like soda will loose its appeal and will taste different. Greasy foods and acidic drinks will make you feel worse. You may even end up craving healthy stuff. Ok, so I’ll never crave wheat grass, but fruit is now my favorite snack.

As the title says, this is baby steps to nutrition. Which means that if the list I gave you seems overwhelming, simply choose one or two of the small changes to start. Every choice you make will be an important step toward being more healthy.

Something for Everyone

Whether you’re young or old, male or female, Fred Astaire or have two-left feet, the JitterBlast program is for you. You don’t have to be of a certain fitness level. You don’t have to be a champion dancer. And you don’t have to dance sexy. All that’s required is a willingness to have fun.

It’s true that most fitness classes around the world are comprised primarily of female attendees, but the movements in JitterBlast are not gender or age specific. No matter what generation you come from or type of music you prefer, the driving beat and artistry of swing music inspires the Jitterbug spirit. You’ll be having so much fun that you’ll forget you’re working out.

Why JitterBlast?

JitterBlast combines the two activities I love (to the point of obsession): Swing dancing and fitness. Swing dancing, also known as Jitterbug or Lindy Hop, has been described as “a joyful celebration of life”. What better way to get fit than thru an art form which embodies fun and athleticism?

SWING dancing can make me fit?? Really?!?

Swing dancing is often distorted by ballroom standardization and media coverage. Much of the public thinks of swing dancing as a cheesy vintage dance in which we jump around like happy idiots wearing zoot suits. If this were the case, I would have run away long ago.

In reality, Lindy Hop is one of the most dynamic, athletic, and fun partner dances I have ever experienced. It combines all of the necessary ingredients to create a dance fitness program. Combine Lindy Hop with Charleston, Jazz and aerial training and voila…a well rounded fitness routine!

I have designed JitterBlast to burn a lot of unwanted calories and improve coordination, as well as improve the public perception of swing dancing (because it’s awesome).

If you already dance, or are interested in learning, JitterBlast will give you great technique and vocabulary that will prepare you for the social dance floor.

If you’re still not convinced about swing dancing being a fitness program, check out this performance from 1941:

Not only are these dancers having fun, but they are utilizing every part of their body to jump, hop, and fly in rhythm! JitterBlast utilizes these movements and more in a solo format so that no partner is required.

We’re Not Just Another Dance-Fitness Program

With all the other dance fitness programs out there, I wanted something different. Don’t get me wrong, I support anything that will encourage people to get moving and stay healthy, but JitterBlast stands apart from other programs thanks to my training and experience with fitness and performance.

This methodically designed program uses tools such as:

• Interval Training
• Muscle Confusion
• Maximizing many muscle groups
• Moving in different planes of motion
• Speed and Agility
• Plyometric movements
• Flexibility training

JitterBlast is not just dance choreography, it maximizing fitness thru a joyous dance. And as you become more experienced with the technique and routines in our program, the moves will become harder and more intense to maximize your improved strength.

So come join the JitterBlast movement today!