Boogie With Booiaka

How do you stay in shape? Do you go for long walks with ankle weights? Sprint three miles in record time? Unfold on a floor mat with some light Pilates? Whatever your preferred workout may be, let’s be honest—we get tired of the same old routine, and our bodies do too.  Using the same work out routine prevents our body to continue the adaptation process to exercise and we reach a plateau. If we want to improve our physiques, we need continuous change up in our routine.

I’d like to introduce a wonderful dance class at Your Neighborhood Studio in Culver City, called Booiaka. Your Neighborhood studio features many dances, including yoga, ballet, hip hop, and zumba, but Booiaka is the one I attend the most often. It combines an eclectic rhythm of dance styles like Reggaeton, Latin, and Afro-Brazilian with a fun cardio workout that will make you sweat without even trying to.

The class is taught by Tatiana Tamai, the creator of the Booiaka dance movement with 10 years of experience as both a dancer and instructor in Italy. Even though the dance is demanding enough to work up a sweat, it was originally designed as a way of letting the beat of the music guide your moves, free your spirit, and build your confidence.

Fortunately, Tatiana’s classes are not relegated strictly to Culver City. The calendar on her website gives times and dates of her other locations, like South Bay and Canoga Park.

The best part about Booiaka is that it feels more like an outing with friends than an exhausting work out. It is also very community-friendly, and welcomes people of all shapes, ages, and sizes—no previous dance experience required!

Address:

Your Neighborhood Studio

3625 Hayden Avenue

Culver City, CA 90232

310-876-3498

References:

http://yourneighborhoodstudio.com/index.htm

http://www.booiakamovement.com/

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Burn Longer With Interval Training

Interval training is well known throughout the fitness industry, but what most people don’t realize is just how beneficial it really is. The training is different from spending hours at the gym, or running 5 miles a day, because of the sheer brevity of it.

Interval training is the process of altering bouts of exertion with periods of rest in under just half an hour. This does wonders for your heart and lungs, as noted by Dr. Al Sears, an M.D. who details his version of interval training in his book called P.A.C.E: Rediscover Your Native Fitness.

Dr. Sears’s P.A.C.E program caught on quick after he claimed 20 minutes of working out was better than hours at the gym. His theory is that in the long run, the longer your cardiovascular program is, the more likely your body will store fat.

“Burning fat while exercising signals to your body that it needed the fat. This trains your body to make more fat for the next time you exercise. Your body then replenishes your fat each time you eat and becomes efficient at building and preserving fat.”

I find that the most important part of interval training is the “after burn”. After a high and low intensity interval work out, your body requires more oxygen to burn calories long after the work out is over (up to 24 hours of increased metabolism), in order to replenish the body. This repair and recovery phase requires energy, which ultimately means we’re still burning calories even when we are lounging around afterwards. Who doesn’t love that?

While Dr. Sears’s P.A.C.E program includes 5 sets of decreasing levels of exertion, always with 90 seconds of rest, I recommend something a bit different if you have never trained in this manner. If you’re a beginner, I find that 30 seconds of all-out exertion, such as riding a stationary bike, climbing stairs, running, swimming (in a shallow pool so you can stand up if you need to), or climbing a steep hill, works better than 60 seconds, combined with a 90 second cool down. Ten sets of this keeps you within the 20 minute or so time frame Dr. Al Sears mentions.

As your body adapts to the intensity and length of time, my suggestion is to increase the time gradually to 60 seconds of all out exertion, and a two-minute cool down. You will find that all you need is 5 or 6 sets rather than ten.

Just PACE yourself!

PLEASE NOTE: Before implementing any type of exercise program, do get a full physical and approval by your general health care professional.

References:

http://www.heart-health-for-life.com/exercise-weight-loss.html

http://www.alsearsmd.com/

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WHAT’S SUP?

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By now many of us frequent “beachgoers” have all seen the guys and gals standing up on surf boards in the middle of the ocean saying to ourselves “Wow, that look like so much fun…man, I wish I could do that.” Well you can and you will! Not only is Standup Paddle Board surfing one of the fastest growing water sport activities, it’s easy to learn, provides a great core workout and a perfect vantage point for appreciating aquatic life. Check out this simple instructional video we found on the web for some of the basics and fundamentals on how to SUP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-7rDavdJGs

I am an avid SUP surfer and ocean advocate. I highly suggest it to all who can swim and are physically active. Next time you’re in Malibu, stop by the Mailbu Surf Shack and tell the boys that Dr. B sent you and you may receive a discount on your rental or purchase and maybe a few tips from the pro’s. Cowabunga!

Malibu Surf Shack
22935 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90265-4934
(310) 456-8508
http://www.malibusurfshack.com

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