Roller Derby … For Women Who Want To Feel Powerful

September 14, 2009 | 4 Comments

Official poster for Whip It
The main reason why I choose extreme kickboxing as my main form of exercise is because it makes me feel powerful and strong. But I don’t think there are too many sports for women that will make one experience more power than what is experienced with roller derby.

Roller Derby is a “going for the gold” type sport. In this sport, the skater is moving at amazing speed putting up a fight to get through the Pack which may result in anything from bruises to pain and broken bones to the feeling of strong inner strength.

An American-invented contact sport, according to the Derby Dolls website (a roller derby league in L.A.), roller derby was created in 1935 by Leo Seltzer. A match is composed of two teams with five players each … four Blockers and one Jammer … which face off against each other. The Blockers skate together to form a Pack. A Jammer from the opposing team fights her way through the Pack scoring points if she succeeds plus earning more points when she laps the team.

In the 70’s, roller derby was played to sold-out crowds across the U.S., and it has made a comeback in recent years. But with the movie Whip It coming to theaters on October 2 with Ellen Page (Juno) playing the leading part, I expect the sport will take off even more so. Director Drew Barrymore … yes, besides playing a role in the movie, she was also the director … has shared these motivational thoughts about the leading role in Whip It:

“I believe that girls can do it all. . . . finding your inner strength, believing you can do what boys do, and figuring who you are along the way.”

In case you think this is the sport for you (remember it is extreme), Derby Dolls has provided on their site a list of roller derby leagues. Hopefully, you can find one in your area.

I think it would be a blast to watch the Derby Dolls live in real action, but for the time being I’ll have to settle on YouTube.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Sports, Strength Training

Kelly Clarkson Works Out With Crossfit

August 17, 2009 | 1 Comment

What do pop singer Kelly Clarkson and I have in common?

No, I don’t have a beautiful voice from which I can establish a huge following of fans. And I have never met Simon Cowell. But rather Kelly and I both do an intense boot camp-type workout regimen.

Yes, Kelly Clarkson recently told Self Magazine (September 2009 issue) that she attends Crossfit, a strength training and cardio program used by police academies and military special operations. Clarkson tells Self about her workout that increases her energy:

“I love it. It’s like boot camp. You never work out more than 35 minutes, but it’s so intense. It makes me feel like G.I. Jane. It’s very empowering. I feel like I can whup ass!” “I do it totally for my psyche,” she told Self. “I’m much better when those endorphins are going. It’s a release. And I also love food, so there’s a payoff!”

And don’t forget about the health benefits, Kelly!

With Kelly Clarkson doing Crossfit, she just might be a great example for any skeptics out there who think that women cannot do a serious strength training workout and still retain a feminine look.

While Crossfit trains elite athletes worldwide, people who train with Crossfit range anywhere from housewives to Olympic athletes. You set your goals. Click here to find a Crossfit affiliate in your state or workout on your own by watching Crossfit’s videos or by following their Workout of the Day (WOD).

On a side note, there is a lot of controversy about Self retouching the cover photo to enhance Kelly Clarkson’s looks. But while Kelly’s weight has fluctuated up and down in the past, there is no doubt that she always looks fabulous! Take a look at the above recent video of Kelly Clarkson’s performance on Oprah.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Strength Training

Joining In The Fun At The Ultimate Blog Party 2009

March 20, 2009 | 24 Comments

Photo by stilinberlin.de
Are you here for the party?

Last year I missed out on The Ultimate Blog Party, a virtual party hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom specifically for women bloggers, who can participate by throwing their own blog party. But this year, 2009, I am sure to participate. Afterall, there are prizes to be won at this party!

If you are new here and/or have arrived through Janice and Susan’s Ultimate Blog Party 2009 … Welcome to my little corner of the party! I am grateful you are here. I am Julie, the owner of The Health & Wellness Post. And this is a strength training blog to help women (and men!) improve their health and lose weight. Besides being a health blogger, I am also an independent distributor for the superjuice Vemma.

Here at The H&W Post, I rarely take time away from exercise to have a party, but I’m never above putting a little party into my exercise. So before you move along with your blog party hopping, let’s join Chalene Johnson in a little hip hop dance. But first, as requested by twins Janice and Susan, here are my top 3 party prize picks:

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer provided by Moms Who Think (#58). (Can you believe I’m 44 and have never had a mixer!)
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook (#49) provided by Pudget: Losing Weight On A Budget. I’m a big fan of Jillian’s!
Simply Precious Photo Tile Necklace (#41) provided by Elemental Memories. This is so precious!

Other preferences: Nos. 15, 19, and 21. Now, let’s exercise … um, I mean party!

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Strength Training

Exercise Can Help Get You Through A Financial Crisis

February 1, 2009 | 4 Comments

Photo by Ernst Moeksis
What do you do when all hell breaks loose on your finances?

We all have times during our lives in which we experience a crisis. Whether it be a financial crisis, a divorce, or a health issue, we experience them. And with each crisis comes a fear of how we are going to get through it. The most recent crisis millions of people are dealing with is, of course, the economy. With thousands and thousands of Americans facing layoffs right now, the main question on every one’s mind is, “What if the bailout doesn’t work?” If the government doesn’t turn these tough times around soon, what will we do?

According to motivational speaker Anthony Robbins, we have to rescue ourselves. We have to find a way to empower ourselves so that we can take action in our own rescue. Now, this article isn’t to discuss all the steps you should take to rescue yourself from a crisis. Anthony can help you with that better than I can. This article is only to tell you the first, and probably most important, step. In order to start rescuing yourself from a financial crisis, or any crisis, you first have to get strong . . . mentally and physically. And the best way to do that is by starting each day with an intense workout. Whether it be running, weight lifting, or something else, hit the pavement and hit it hard. When you do a workout which pushes you past what you think are your limits, you get a sense of accomplishment, pride, and self-confidence. Then you can take these feelings and use them as ammunition to fight the storm that faces you and push yourself through what you think are your financial limits.

A good workout will:

Feed both your mind and your body.

Help you avoid falling into a depression.

Motivate you to do something to change your life.

Empower you to take the necessary action to turn things around.

Give you strength to follow through.

But don’t just concentrate on building strength during the time of a crisis. Do it continually so you will be up to the challenge of tackling a crisis head on as soon as it hits.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Strength Training

How Many Calories Does Weight Lifting Burn?

January 27, 2009 | 67 Comments

You can burn 8-10 calories per minute just by pumping iron.

Compare that to running or bicycling, where you burn 10-12 calories a minute, and that’s not too bad. But wait, it gets better. Lifting weights gives you a metabolic spike which lasts for approximately an hour after your workout. This is due to the fact that your body is trying to help your muscles recover from the workout. During this spike, your body will continue to burn calories even though you have finished your strength training session … and even while you are relaxing. And, because muscles use a lot of energy to sustain themselves, for every 3 pounds of muscle you build, your body will burn an additional 120 calories per day.

Knowing this makes it easy to understand why weight lifting should be included in a weight loss plan. And no matter what your weight lifting goals are, it is a good idea to keep a journal of your progress as you increase your weight load, otherwise you just may be working sporadically. To help you keep track of your progress and reach your weight lifting goals, I have created for you a printable Strength Training Journal. This journal includes a chart for 3 strength training sessions per week. More than that is not recommended as it could result in over training. Keep a log of how many reps you do and how much weight you are lifting for each move. Then, every 4 weeks, review your charts to see how well you have increased your workout.

Download Strength Training Journal.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Strength Training

3 Challenging Ab Exercises That Will Build The Core

January 23, 2009 | 1 Comment

In my last post, I talked about important facts you should know about abdominal training. And in that post, I mentioned why sit ups are not the best exercise for your abs. In this post, I want to share with you some excellent, albeit somewhat difficult, alternatives to sit ups.

Most people tend to believe that our abdominals are two separate muscles … the upper abs and the lower abs. The truth is, our abs are one long muscle. And while some exercises emphasize working a certain portion of the abs (for example, the crunch emphasizes the upper portion), any ab exercise, when done properly, will work the entire muscle. Below are three videos demonstrating challenging exercises that will work the entire abdominal muscle as well as the core. Remember to allow 48 hours between workouts to give your muscles a chance to rest and repair.

Let’s get started!

The Plank: The plank is superior to crunches as it is a basic core stabilization exercise. Besides the abs, it works the back, glutes, and shoulder stabilizer muscles. Go for a 30-second hold. If you want to take it up it a notch, lift up a leg during the hold.

Reverse Plank With Leg Lifts: A very challenging exercise and an all-around excellent core stabilizer, this exercise is also known as the Pilates leg pull back. It works your abs, arms, core, hip flexors, and legs. If you find this move too difficult, do it without the leg lifts and go for a 30-second hold.

The Pilates Teaser One: The Teaser One is a very challenging exercise that strengthens the inner thighs as well as the abdominals. It is an exercise for the more advanced and it is a wonderful core stabilizer. It is a great exercise for sculpting the midsection.