NIFS Healthy Living Blog

Fit & Forty+ (Fabulous) Series—Foam Rolling and Increasing Your Range of Motion

by NIFS Personal Trainer Kris Simpson

As you reach your 40s, your body becomes less flexible, from sitting too much. Your body gets softer, from loss of muscle mass. Your weight creeps up, and your bone density drops. YIKES. Getting old stinks. But hold on, ladies: We can fight back!

Our video today shows you how to increase your range of motion (ROM) and move better. We introduce you to the foam roller, which is becoming a popular way for people to break down adhesions and sore muscles to get the muscles to fully function. The roller is a great way to start your workout.

If you can move better, the next part—adding strength—will be more effective. Here at NIFS, we can do a Functional Movement Screening (FMS) to determine your imbalances and give you exercises to help you move better.

If you want to schedule an FMS screening click here to contacted by a NIFS staff member.

In the next segment, we look into your diet with help from Angie Scheetz, our staff dietitian. We will give you challenges to improve your diet—plus a circuit to burn some serious calories!

If you missed the first blog in this series go back and read and watch our video on Getting Started.

This blog series was written by Kris Simpson BS, ACSM-PT, HFS, personal trainer at NIFS. If you have questions about something in this series or would like to schedule an appointment with Kris please contact her at 317-274-3432 or email. To read more about Kris and NIFS bloggers click here.

So I have a question for you: How is your “balance”? I’m not referring to your single-leg stand on the BOSU. I’m referring to the balance in your life. The juggling act of all the responsibilities and the people we are responsible for and to can be as if we upgraded from simple juggling balls to flaming knives.

Sometimes I think of that line in the movie Fight Club, when Brad Pitt’s character says to Ed Norton, “Things you own, end up owning you.” For me, it is my career that at times owns me, and tends to monopolize my focus and energy. The balance among work, rest, play, and spiritual wellness is a crucial one, and it does take some juggling at times to ensure that proper balance.

Legendary coach Dan John puts it best that if you have to work more (say, your busy time of the year), you must plan to rest more, play more, and spend more time developing spiritually (this could be religion, alone time, meditation, etc.). As you expand each facet of your life to ensure the proper balance, you too should expand. It just makes sense, doesn’t it? If you work more to complete an important project at work and increase your rest time revolving around solid sleep patterns, you will increase the benefits of great sleep. Expanding work and rest will then lead to more play time, resulting in better moods and perception.

Lastly, expanding the preceding three facets of your life will result in you spending more time expanding your spirituality. Now this is different for everybody. For me, it is alone time where I develop both personally and professionally. Or it is a long walk with my wife, Teri, and our Snorkie dog named Traveler. What is it for you? I feel to be the best “YOU” that you can be, all other facets of your life must lead you to a strong and centered spiritual sense that must involve a close relationship with the ones you love the most.

I came across a survey years ago, and if it has stuck with me for this long it is probably worth repeating. The survey polled 100 senior citizens about what they would do differently if they could do it all over again. Here were their top 3 answers:

1. Laugh more
2. Spend more time with loved ones
3. Take more risks

As you look at your current balancing act, would those three be on your list later in life? Sometimes you need reminding of what is truly important in your lives. THIS IS YOUR REMINDER! Spend time with the people you love and who love you, find a way to laugh out loud every day, and have the courage to take that risk you have been fearful to take. Create the true balance in your life. You won’t regret it.

Tony Maloney is the Fitness Center Manager and leads Group Training Sunday through Thursday. Follow Tony on Facebook at ELITE. Meet our NIFS bloggers.

In the past decade, the half-marathon distance has grown at an extraordinary rate, almost tripling in the number of participants across the country. Although in the past few years the growth has began to slow some from the preceding rapid rate, it is the most popular road race distance for runners and walkers to complete, with 43 half-marathon distance races consuming the top 100 largest races in the country in 2012. Included in that list as the highest attended half-marathon for 2012, the Indianapolis OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon continues to be a go-to event for runners and walkers of all abilities.

A few reasons that I believe so many people set a goal of training and completing a half-marathon is that the idea of running a half-marathon is a manageable health and fitness goal from a time commitment and physical capability standpoint. Along with this, it is an excellent challenge for those looking to improve fitness, manage weight, or just accomplish something out of their ordinary routine.

Tips for Running Your First Half-Marathon

Here are a few tips that I suggest for first-time half-marathon participants:

• Find a beginner's training plan! Starting with no base can still result in success when you follow a plan. First-time half-marathon runners should be sure to start out with lower mileage and gradually work into longer runs. This will help with confidence level initially and help prevent injuries that can occur if you start running too much too soon.
• Visit a store that can fit you for the proper pair of shoes to run in before you begin the training program. Figuring out the right pair of shoes is very important and should be done before you start a training program.
• Eat and hydrate appropriately prior to and following each training session. This will have a great impact on how you feel during all of your runs throughout the week.
• Finally, have fun with training for the race! If you are motivated and feed off of others, find a group of people you enjoy being around to train with.

Join the NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program

Now is the time to check the half-marathon off of your bucket list and join the hundreds of thousands of people who complete half-marathons every year! The NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program was created to offer NIFS members and local residents a training program geared toward completing the spring half-marathons. Program participants are given a training plan to follow, which prepares them to complete the Mini, the Geist Half Marathon, the Carmel Half Marathon, or a combination of the races for those looking to complete multiple races in the spring.

Each Wednesday night for the duration of the 14-week program, runners and walkers of all abilities meet with their designated pace group to complete their long run for the week. Volunteer group leaders ensure that the participants are staying on pace and are completing the designated distance for the night. The distance of the long run progresses as the weeks go on, capping out at a 12-mile long run two training sessions prior to the Mini, which leaves participants prepared to conquer the 13.1. Following each training session, recovery snacks are provided to the participants.

Click here to register for the 2014 NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program. Starting from scratch and not sure if you are ready to complete a half-marathon? Try our 4-week training program to build your base!

This blog was written by Stephanie Kaiser, NIFS Health Fitness Specialist and co-coordinator of the NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program. Meet our bloggers.

It is hard to believe that we are wrapping up another year at NIFS! As instructors looking back over the last year, we like to think that the variety of fitness opportunities that we have offered has provided individuals with the tools needed to move forward toward reaching and surpassing their health and fitness goals. Along with the variety of group fitness classes, personal training, group training opportunities, and fitness assessments and personalized exercise programs, we offer additional special programming throughout the year to keep our members on track and motivated!

Mini-Marathon Training Program

Every year, One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and other spring half-marathon participants look to NIFS for their training program. NIFS offers a unique program providing pace group leaders for each training group, ranging from a 7-minute run pace, to a run-walk group, to the 16-minute walk group. You will find a group of individuals ready to train for the same goal as you within your group each Wednesday night of the program when you meet for the long run. Participants also receive a snack after they finish their run. With nearly 325 participants and leaders last year, the program proved to be a success and resulted in many happy participants crossing the finish line reaching their goals in the 2013 spring half-marathons.

Slim-It-To-Win-It

Kicking off at the right time, just after the New Year’s resolution rush has worn off and the thick of winter has settled in, NIFS rolls out the Slim-It-To-Win-It 10-week fat-loss team training program, which has proved to be a great motivator for the members to stay on track with their weight-loss goals. This year proved to be a tight competition, with 11 different teams competing for the team title. The aBENger’s claimed the title, losing an average of 2.35% body fat!

Triathlon Training Program

As the only program in the city that has been training for the Go Girl Triathlon since the very first race, NIFS spent much of the summer training women of varying abilities to complete the sprint triathlon in August at Eagle Creek Park. Twenty-five very happy women completed the race that day! The program met at NIFS, the IU Natatorium, and Eagle Creek Park on Tuesday nights to complete a weekly group workout with coaches and concluded with a post-workout snack thanks to program sponsor First Watch Daytime Cafe.

Summer Showdown

Always promising to be an excellent fitness challenge, Summer Showdown never disappoints as a challenging test for those looking for an extra push to beat the heat in the height of summer. This past year, participants completed a partner 100 workout at the beginning of the program. After 6 weeks of training two days a week with a team and coach with workouts geared toward improving performance of the challenge, the partners completed the same workout to conclude the program.

Staff Rowing Challenge

A little friendly competition never hurts anyone; it also proves to be very motivating when looking at fitness! That is how we view the annual staff rowing challenge. From November 25 to December 24, members row as many meters as they can for their team. The team that rows the most meters and the team that rows the most meters per person gets bragging rights as team champions. We are currently wrapping up this program, but it has proven to be successful as a motivating fitness competition again this year.

Maintain Not Gain

Also currently occurring as a holiday incentive program, Maintain Not Gain proves to be a popular program year in and year out as it encourages fitness and weight maintenance throughout the holiday season. The program includes weekly motivational emails, group workouts, and incentive prizes for those who maintain or lose weight upon completion of the program. With 208 participants completing the 2012–2013 programs, the group lost a total of 208 pounds over the holidays!

Les Mills Launches

Over the past year, the Les Mills classes have become increasingly popular in the fitness center. In January, April, July, and October, Les Mills launches took place in the fitness center to introduce new releases with the goal of injecting energy in the facility and to pump up the members!

NIFS Barbell Club

New this year, Josh Jones headed up the NIFS barbell club in October. The program is great for anyone who is serious about wanting to improve their power-lifting abilities. This session focused on the clean and the snatch. Participants learned the correct way to complete the exercises and saw drastic improvements in their ability to lift like the pros!

Start 2014 off right by getting involved in one of NIFS specialized programs! Mini Marathon training starts Jan 22nd! Get Registered today!

This blog was written by Stephanie Kaiser, Health Fitness Specialist at NIFS. Meet our other NIFS bloggers.

Charter member Dean Behrmann talks about why he started coming to NIFS and what has kept him
coming back for 25 years. Watch his video.

Dean was also featured in a NIFS video back in 2009. Click here to watch.

Charter member Candy Lander talks about her favorite things about NIFS. Watch Video.

Get ready for the 2013 Annual Staff Rowing Challenge here at NIFS! If you are looking for a little bit of friendly competition as the winter rolls in, be sure to sign up with a team this year! The competition is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is sign up for a team; row, row, row; record your meters; and watch the boats on the string-line in front of the rower to see if your team is winning the race!

WARNING: This competition can be pretty intense (all in fun), so bring your “A” game!

For those of you who participated last year, you probably remember how it all turned out in the end. For those of you who didn’t, here are the results from last year:

2012 Team Total Meters Rowed

1. Tony: 730,336
2. Rick: 483,377
3. Adam: 413,370
4. Ben: 325,370
5. Mike: 242,032
6. Cara: 213,230
7. Tasha: 206,304
8. Brad: 199,438
9. Josh: 90,726
10. Alex: 84,505
11. Christy: 83,793
12. Steph: 77,543
13. Thomas: 59,297

             Do you know the right way to row?
             Watch our video with Tony and Alex!
             They will show you the proper form before
             you get started!

2012 Team Average Meters Rowed

1. Ben: 46,481
2. Adam: 45, 930
3. Rick: 30,212
4. Tony: 26,083
5. Cara: 21,323
6. Brad: 16,620
7. Tasha: 12,894
8. Alex: 12,072
9. Thomas: 11,859
10. Christy: 9,310
11. Mike: 9,309
12. Steph: 7,754
13. Josh: 7,560

• Choose your team and sign up with a Health Fitness
  Specialist at the track desk for your team starting November 18.
• Between November 25 at 6am and December 24 at 2pm, row!
• There are two ways to utilize your meters rowed this year. In the tracking binder located at the track desk, record your meters rowed immediately following your rowing session, either for your team or against another team. Your meters rowed can only count for one or the other.
• All rowing must take place at NIFS to count toward your team total.
• Your HFS will move your team boat along the line to show how well your team is doing against the others.
• There will be two winning teams that will have bragging rights as champions for the year: the team with the most total meters rowed and the team with the highest individual average.

Sign up before Monday 11/25! We are looking forward to another exciting race this year! If you have any questions about the program, contact Stephanie Kaiser at sgreer@nifs.org or 274-2432, ext. 226.

This blog was written by Stephanie Kaiser. Click here to learn more about the NIFS bloggers.

Charter member Rick Hurst talks about his favorite activities at NIFS and what has kept him coming back for 25 years. Click here to watch his video.

Jeff Powers has been a NIFS member for 25 years. What keeps him coming back to NIFS and motivated to keep working out?  Click here to watch his video.

Ready to give NIFS a try? We offer a 14-day free trial membership. No commitment and no strings attached. Click here to get started today!

NIFS Indianapolis is celebrating our 25^th anniversary throughout the month of November by highlighting some of our Charter Members that have been around since the beginning. These members have participated in countless group fitness classes, training programs, have lifted more weight over the years than we can keep track of and have logged many miles on our cardio equipment. 

We want to give a HUGE thanks to these members who have really been with us through it all. To do that, we are highlighting these charter members by learning more about their stories and what keeps them coming back to NIFS.

First up, we have Pat Marshall, who became a loyal NIFS member on November 14, 1988.  Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication Pat!

What keeps you motivated to have a healthy lifestyle?

• I have a history of diabetes on my mother’s side and a history of heart disease on my father’s side. I also think weight control is extremely important.

What is your favorite program/favorite instructor/favorite piece of equipment?

• I love Body Pump and Cycle
• The Ellipticals
• The Spin bikes
• The indoor track

How has your fitness routine changed throughout the years?

When I first joined NIFS I did so because of the indoor track. I liked to use that for my walking.  Then NIFS got the new Elliptical machines and stair master so I started using those more.  Then the group fitness was added in so I started attending classes.  Now I seem to be going back more to the cycle.

Anything else you would like to add?

NIFS is a top notch facility! It’s very clean—the locker rooms and fitness center offer a lot of variety of classes.

The timing of the classes is really good because people can do it before work or after work.

The location is great as well.

Basically the keep up over the years has been great, as well as addition of new equipment.

I also love the hours that you open early and stay open late.

This blog was written by Tara Rochford, NIFS Membership Manager, Group Fitness Instructor and author of Treble in the Kitchen. Meet all of our NIFS Bloggers.