[28-Sep-2026 04:06:31 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'mp_timetable\plugin_core\classes\Model' not found in /home/capitalac/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mp-timetable/classes/models/class-column.php:10 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/capitalac/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mp-timetable/classes/models/class-column.php on line 10 [28-Sep-2026 04:06:32 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'mp_timetable\plugin_core\classes\Model' not found in /home/capitalac/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mp-timetable/classes/models/class-events.php:12 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/capitalac/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mp-timetable/classes/models/class-events.php on line 12 [28-Sep-2026 04:06:33 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'mp_timetable\plugin_core\classes\Model' not found in /home/capitalac/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mp-timetable/classes/models/class-export.php:10 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in 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/home/capitalac/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mp-timetable/classes/modules/class-taxonomy.php on line 8 The Capital Athletic Club | The Capital Athletic Club is Downtown Sacramento, California's Premier Full-Service Athletic Club that provides a variety of amenities including cardio and weight equipment, fitness classes, training, swimming pools, basketball courts, and services to help you be fit, healthy, and happy. https://capitalac.com The Capital Athletic Club | The Capital Athletic Club is Downtown Sacramento, California's Premier Full-Service Athletic Club that provides a variety of amenities including cardio and weight equipment, fitness classes, training, swimming pools, basketball courts, and services to help you be fit, healthy, and happy. Tue, 24 May 2022 22:09:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.2 https://capitalac.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/The-Capital-Athletic-Club-Site-Icon-150x150.png The Capital Athletic Club | The Capital Athletic Club is Downtown Sacramento, California's Premier Full-Service Athletic Club that provides a variety of amenities including cardio and weight equipment, fitness classes, training, swimming pools, basketball courts, and services to help you be fit, healthy, and happy. https://capitalac.com 32 32 Treating Muscle Soreness After Exercise https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/treating-muscle-soreness-after-exercise/ Tue, 24 May 2022 20:46:27 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=3408  

Medical and fitness professionals call sore muscles after exercise delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. It’s a common complaint of many athletes, but also of anyone who puts their muscles to greater use than is typical for them. The condition stems from exercise-induced muscle damage, or inflammation of the muscle as a result of microtears of muscle fibers. Many treatment options exist for muscle pain relief.

DOMS sets in the day after hard exercise, typically after a night’s sleep, and peaks from 24 to 72 hours after activity before subsiding. Symptoms can include muscle aches, as well as swelling and stiffness. Severity can range from annoying to painful.

Treatment focuses on reducing inflammation and allowing the sore muscle to heal properly. Some treatments recommended for muscle soreness have a scientific basis, others do not. Even those commonly used by athletes may not have been well studied, though some may swear by them.1

 

Here are some common treatments and the rationale for their effectiveness.

Rest

The simplest and most reliable treatment for sore muscles is rest. This allows microtears in the muscle fibers to heal, which makes the muscle stronger. Most people with muscle soreness improve with no specific treatment within five to seven days.

Active Recovery

Many active people, particularly competitive athletes, don’t like to rest as long as recommended, however. In such cases, active recovery may be an option.

Active recovery means performing less-intense exercise while recovering from an aggressive workout. It’s helpful to do a different activity than what you did to get sore.

Active recovery stimulates blood flow to the muscles and may help reduce muscle pain while maintaining an athlete’s conditioning. The key is “light” so as to not do further damage to damaged muscles.1

Ice

Treating inflammation with ice application is common and most effective when initiated in the first 48 hours of exercise-induced muscle soreness, and probably less effective thereafter.

Cold water immersion (ice bath) has also become a common recovery method for athletes, with some research showing it to be effective against DOMS.

Massage

Massage is thought to stimulate blood flow to sore areas and diminish swelling within the muscle.

One technique that many athletes enjoy is ​foam rolling, a type of self-massage where you use a high-density styrofoam roll to place body weight pressure on the muscles for a type of myofascial release. Many find this relaxes and stretches affected muscle groups.

Gentle Stretching

Studies have shown that stretching probably does not make a difference in preventing or reducing muscle soreness. That said, many athletes find a stretching routine to be their key to quick recovery, and there is no evidence that stretching is harmful or contributes to muscle soreness.

If you want to try some gentle stretching, it may help and probably won’t hurt.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications

Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can help relieve some of the discomforts of muscle soreness, but will not affect the length of time needed for muscle recovery. Early administration of anti-inflammatory medications may bring the best results.

Heat

Heat application can help relax a tense, stiff muscle. When participating in active recovery, heat application before exercise can also help ensure the muscle is warm and loose.

Topical Creams

Topical analgesic heat rubs include Aspercreme, BenGay, and IcyHot. These medications are called counterirritants and do not actually warm the muscle, but rather cause the sensation of warmth and/or cooling of the skin.

These rubs have no effect on the muscle and do not change the temperature of the skin. Rather, they can encourage the perception of pain relief by essentially distracting from the underlying issue.

The application of these topical creams is fine, but use caution as the medication can be absorbed into the body.

Smart Eating

Research continues to show that what you eat can have positive effects on muscle soreness. Examples:

  • Caffeine an hour before a workout and the day after may help reduce DOMS symptoms. Don’t overdo it, however. Eight ounces of coffee will suffice.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids (fish and fish oil supplements) have anti-inflammatory properties that could decrease DOMS.
  • Polyphenols, antioxidants found in fruits and veggies, can also deliver anti-inflammatory effects against DOMS.

 

Sources for this article

  1. Cheung K, Hume PA, Maxwell L. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Sports Medicine. 2003;33(2):145-164. doi:10.2165/00007256-200333020-00005
  2. Hohenauer E, Costello JT, Deliens T, Clarys P, Stoop R, Clijsen R. Partial-body cryotherapy (-135°C) and cold-water immersion (10°C) after muscle-damage in females. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2019; doi:10.1111/sms.13593
  3. Guo J, Li L, Gong Y. Massage Alleviates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2017;8:747. Published 2017 Sep 27. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00747
  4. Herbert RD, De noronha M, Kamper SJ. Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(7):CD004577. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004577.pub3
  5. Petrofsky J, Berk L, Bains G, Khowailed IA, Lee H, Laymon M. The Efficacy of Sustained Heat Treatment on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2017;27(4):329-337. doi:10.1097/jsm.0000000000000375
  6. Singla N, Desjardins PJ, Cosca EB. Delayed-onset muscle soreness: a pilot study to assess analgesic study design features. Pain. 2015;156(6):1036–1045. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000109
  7. Kim J, Lee J. A review of nutritional intervention on delayed onset muscle soreness. Part I. J Exerc Rehabil. 2014;10(6):349-56. doi:10.12965/jer.140179

 

 

 

]]> How often should I be working out? https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/how-often-should-i-be-working-out/ Thu, 12 May 2022 18:38:40 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=3388 There’s no magic number of times you should hit the gym every week. How often you go depends on your body, your fitness goals, and your schedule. Still, there are some general guidelines:

 

General fitness: 4 – 5 days per week

Weight loss: 5 – 6 days per week

Muscle building: 3 – 4 days per week

 

IF YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR GENERAL FITNESS AND KEEP IN SHAPE…

…GO TO THE GYM FOUR TO FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

 

If your goal is greater endurance or burning calories, try three days of cardio and two of strength training. If your goal is building strength and muscle tone, reverse that. You could also switch each week to keep things balanced.

Your two off days are “active rest.” It’s important to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day to maintain good health, even though you aren’t working out. This could include taking a walk around your neighborhood (or the gym track), playing ball with your kids, or even doing yard work or chores.

Benefits: A four to five-day-a-week gym schedule allows for a balanced workout routine. It keeps you active and in the habit of going to the gym, while still allowing your body time to recover between workouts. Many people find that they just feel better when they’ve been to the gym!

Potential Risks: If you’ve got a packed schedule, it may be difficult to work in four to five gym sessions. Once you start missing workouts, it’s easy to get frustrated and out of the habit. Cut back to three days instead and make the most of them. HIIT is a great way to make the most of limited gym time.

When you’re at the gym nearly every day, you may get bored with your routine if you’re doing the same things constantly. Your body will get bored, too, and you won’t be able to maintain a useful intensity. Mix things up! Venture out from the machines and try Small Group Training. Hit the pool. Try meeting up with some friends for a pickup basketball game. Check out barre or Pilates. You’re more likely to stay motivated if you have something new and exciting to look forward to.

 

IF YOUR GOAL IS TO LOSE WEIGHT (AND BY WEIGHT I MEAN BODY FAT)…

… GO TO THE GYM FIVE TO SIX DAYS PER WEEK.

 

To lose weight, most adults need 60 to 90 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per day while keeping caloric intake in check. This can vary according to your diet, age, weight, and gender, plus the types of workouts you do.

You don’t have to spend all your time on cardio machines or in an aerobics class to lose weight. Dedicating two or three days to resistance training will tone and strengthen your muscles while burning calories. Focus on aerobic exercise for the remaining three to four days.

Benefits: Going to the gym five times per week allows you to complete your daily workouts in one session and gives you access to many different ways to exercise. Exercising most days of the week is good not only for weight loss but for your overall health and well-being.

Possible risks: When weight loss is your goal, it’s easy to start out super-motivated about going to the gym and then start to burn out. This is especially true if you weren’t active before and are now hitting the gym five days a week. Rather than skipping workouts because you don’t feel motivated, try changing things up. Try swimming instead of running on the treadmill every time. Learn a new sport.

You might also try cutting back your gym time and instead ramp up the intensity with HIIT workouts if appropriate for your fitness level. If you’re burned out going nearly every day, you could try going three or four days a week and adjusting your workout intensity and/or caloric intake.

What if you’re having the opposite problem and working out too much? Overtraining can cause a weight-loss plateau as your body’s protective mechanisms kick in, trying to hold on to weight. If you’ve hit a plateau, and/or you’re constantly sore and fatigued, it’s time to change up your routine and possibly cut back on the workouts. You may be able to ramp up again once your body has had time to rest and recover.

 

IF YOUR GOAL IS BUILD MUSCLE…

…LIFT WEIGHTS AT THE GYM THREE TO FOUR DAYS PER WEEK.

 

On a three to four day schedule, focus on two muscle groups per session. Do not work the same muscles on consecutive days—allow them time to recover. Some people do well on a five to six-day-a-week schedule, working only one muscle group each time.

If you want to go to the gym more often, you can…but don’t work overworked tired muscles. They need the rest. Instead, try a restorative yoga class. Take advantage of the sauna or whirlpool to ease soreness. Walk around the track.

 Benefits: A three to four-day schedule allows for adequate rest. Muscles don’t grow when you’re lifting weights. They grow as they recover and repair themselves between sessions. Your nervous system also needs to recover so you perform exercises correctly. Push your muscles too hard, too often, and you risk plateaus and overuse injuries.

Potential risks: Even when you’re allowing rest days, you need to listen to your body. Your body may need more time to repair itself than you’ve allowed, especially following a particularly intense workout. If a muscle is aching, pay attention. Don’t work it again until it stops.

 

WHEN GOING TO THE GYM, QUALITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN QUANTITY.

 

What you do at the gym is more important than how often you do it. If you go to the gym almost every day but don’t push yourself, use improper form, or wear down your body through overtraining, you’re going to less benefit than someone going three times a week and utilizing that time effectively. Consulting a personal trainer is a great way to formulate a fitness plan that works for your goals, body type, and schedule. He or she can help you get the most from your workouts.

Remember too that life is about balance. It’s better to commit to a moderate workout schedule that you can maintain than to go full-tilt and get burned out after a month. Going to the gym is about lifelong good health and feeling your best. Find the balance that works best for your life and your goals.

 

]]> Remember When Your Mom Nagged You to Clean Your Room? It Really Was For Your Health… https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/remember-when-your-mom-nagged-you-to-clean-your-room-it-really-was-for-your-health/ Thu, 04 Nov 2021 05:55:07 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=3133 Maybe your mom was right about keeping your room clean.  Being NEAT is part of the weight loss solution. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is everything we do outside of eating, sleeping, and exercising.  It’s the simple things like fidgeting, standing, tapping your foot, or just moving about.

Recent research has begun to focus on the 110-115 hours per week we are awake as part of the weight loss solution, rather than the few hours we spend exercising.

Results show, NEAT provides many opportunities to achieve, and sustain weight loss without totally disrupting our lives, and trying to carve time that is simply sometimes not available.

 Here’s an example:

A 145 lb. person burns 102 calories hour while seated at work, if it’s done standing, the burn is 174 calories.  The 72-calorie bump translates to 18,000 calories or 5 lbs. on a 50-work week year.

174-102=72 x (5×50) = 18000

If you want to achieve that bump with exercise, it would 60 workouts, where 300 calories were burned.  That would be in addition to the workouts you already have in your schedule.

NEAT is essentially another approach to weight loss. It’s a can be a compliment to what you already do or jump off pointed, if you haven’t started, or maybe have stalled for a while.

It allows you to focus your attention on the kind of exercises you want to do, avoid what doesn’t work for you and benefit from the calorie bump.

How to Incorporate NEAT

Become an observer of your daily life.  Over the course of a few days, note how many hours you were sitting vs standing activities (i.e., standing desk time, cooking, laundry, taking the garbage out, etc.).  What’s the ratio seated vs. standing?  Is it 50/50, 60/40, 75/25?  Whatever it is, over time strive to incrementally increase your standing activities.

Create a challenge for yourself, from your observations, are there activities you can do standing, if so, pick 2, and just once, do them standing.

But how?

  • Create a stand-up workstation
  • Do a few flights of stairs between calls or meetings
  • Get up and unload the dishwasher, change the laundry, empty the recycling, etc.
  • Walk and talk
  • Stand to text
  • Pace the sidelines at your children’s sporting events.

If you like how your chosen activity went, keep it, and commit to doing it every day for a week.  If you still like it at the end of the week, make it a permanent part of your repertoire.  If you don’t, move on to a new activity, keep exploring and challenging yourself.  At the very least, you’ll be moving more as you try to find your groove.

]]> Get to know your CAC Massage Therapist- Andrew Hardardt https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/know-your-cac-massage-therapist-andrew-hardardt/ Wed, 22 Sep 2021 01:46:06 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=3064 What made you want to become a Massage Therapist?

I wanted to move away from corporate and start working with my hands again after years of doing creative design work on a computer. After nearly 30 years of deadline-oriented work, I had enough. It was time to reset my life.

How would you describe your Massage work?

My work is an amalgam of physical massage and orthopaedic rehabilitative work. I don’t do a ton of “comfort” work even though it has its place; I believe my style is more effective for most patients. I use softer techniques to complement and complete, often closing with something to quiet your mind and ease you back to reality.

What is something that you would like the client to understand about the massage process?

If you are trying to be healthy, massage is part of your program. Ask any pro athlete, coach, or trainer, and they will agree. Your training and workouts will be better, more effective, and efficient when you utilize all the muscles available for a given movement. Without massage, you are playing half the game.

When you work out, your larger muscles almost always override the smaller ones that help control your movement [these are your ‘synergistic’ / supporting muscles]. When the smaller muscles are weak from being constantly overridden by your larger ones, you have less control over your body’s ability to stabilize. You fatigue more quickly and can lead to improper movement culminating in injury.

Oh, I can’t forget this: my work isn’t for the faint of heart. You will learn about yourself when I work with you. Sometimes, it seems easy and comfortable, sometimes it’s as hard as any workout and you may not feel great right off the table. But and this is the key, you will improve across the board: mentally and physically, coordination and balance, sleep, even eating. That’s what I do for you.

What are some interests that you have away from the massage world?

I have three cats and am still an active Art Director and Designer for a very select group of clients. I play guitar, bass, drums, percussion and still ride my bike and work out as much as possible. I’m restarting my stretching and yoga as well. Kind of a full plate but I like that.

Contact the front desk and schedule an appointment for yourself, you’ll be glad you did. Andrew is CAMTC, AMTA, and ABMP Certified.

 

More About Andrew

I was an Art Director [AD] for nearly 30 years. I worked with some amazing people with whom I formed lasting relationships, worked with some very large businesses as well as Mom and Pops. I still do a bit on the side as I enjoy working with great people who care about their clients and their products/services.

I started when the computer wasn’t considered a viable design tool. That changed with the advent of Desktop Publishing allowing two major shifts to occur: 1. Almost anyone could “design” brochures, business cards, and other marketing material, and 2. Clients became far more independent. The net effect of this was shrinkage of the work pool and a focus on not working with AD’s and designers who asked questions regarding the client’s approach to marketing. As an AD who studied my clients, I suddenly became persona non grata.]

The computer took away much of the hands-on creative work and I wasn’t working with my hands as I wished. [Much of what I did became digital-only, very little was put to paper before execution. The computer became a necessary crutch, and I changed as much as I could to keep my hands in it by moving deeper into packaging design and creation.]

I took a sabbatical in 2003-2007 and became a USA Cycling Expert Coach. I worked with a high school team, coached at three USA Cycling regional training camps, and taught racing and riding skills to over 500 new and returning cyclists. I got to ride alongside some of the sport’s best pros and amateurs. In addition, I took better care of myself and my cycling and running clients, practiced and taught yoga, rode 10,000 miles a year throughout Europe, and generally got my act together after nearly 30 years of fighting a system with which I had become disenchanted.

Then I moved to Europe to be with my wife, dove back into AD/design [the system wouldn’t allow me to coach for a living] work for five years, got laid off then sought a new path for way too long. I finally asked friends and family what I should do, and everyone said, “go into massage. You’re good at it”.

A whole pile of serendipity and training later, and here I am… Eclectic background and all.

 

]]> How to Diversify Your Weekly Workout Routine https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/how-to-diversify-your-weekly-workout-routine/ Tue, 04 May 2021 20:49:17 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=2831 Let’s ask ourselves some key questions about our fitness routine…

Are you constantly doing the same workouts over and over again?

Has your gym workout routine been the same for over 6 months?

Is your workout routine starting to feel like a chore?

Are you still seeing progressive results from your workout routine?

Are you even excited to get to the gym?

If your answers to these questions are coming to the conclusion that you’ve been doing the same exact workout routine for more than 6 months and you’re no longer seeing progressive results, let alone even enjoying your workouts anymore, than it’s time to change it up! Having diversity in your training ensures that you are challenging your body in different ways and generating new and positive results, physically & mentally. Our recommendation from our Training Department focuses on having a weekly split routine that consists of different training methods designated for specific days of the week! Each day should be specified for a different muscle group(s) and should practice progressive overload or progressive training trajectory that is appropriate for your fitness level and that should produce results that align with your personal goals. In some cases, you may want to go to the gym and train for body re-composition, which means you are losing body fat and building new lean muscle tissue for a toned and lean body physique. In other cases, you may have more performance-based goals for general functional fitness and/or performance in your weight lighting workouts/cardio workouts.

Here’s a general example of a weekly split routine incorporating multiple training methods with resistance & cardio programming:

  • Monday: Upper Body Resistance Training  (Back & Biceps) 50 minutes
  • Tuesday: Swim Laps for 45 minutes
  • Wednesday: Lower Body Resistance Training 60 minutes
  • Thursday: Active Recovery Day with Walking & Stretching
  • Friday: Full Body Resistance Training 45 minutes
  • Saturday: Yoga Class for 60 minutes
  • Sunday: Active Recovery Day with Walking & Stretching/Mobility
** The program listed above is a general weekly training protocol provided as an example for diverse programming, but is not generally intended for everyone reading this article. We strongly recommend that you consult with your Doctor and a Personal Training Professional to prescribe personalized training protocols for your needs. 

 

Having a diverse training routine allows your body optimal amounts of rest as well as optimal time to train for specific goals like lean muscle gain/development, strength & performance, stabilization, core strength, cardio-respiratory fitness, and overall functional movement patterns. To simplify different types of exercise, we recommend having the following general protocols present in your regular workout/exercise routine for optimal health & fitness:

  • Resistance/Strength Training

  • Cardio Training Ranging from Low Intensity to High Intensity

Low Intensity Cardio Examples: Walking, Light swimming, Walking in the Pool, Flat Surfaced Hiking, Slow Elliptical/Treadmill

Moderate Intensity Cardio Examples: Stairmaster Medium Speed, Jogging/Paced Running, Moderate Paced Rowing, Recreational Sports, Continuous Lap Swimming, Bicycling, Dancing, Water Aerobics

High Intensity Cardio Examples: Interval Training, Sprinting, Cycle Classes, Sports Conditioning, Fast Rowing, Assault Bike, Burpees, Jumping Jacks, Plyometrics, Speed & Quickness Drills

  • Flexibility & Mobility

  • Core Strength & Stabilization Training

By implementing and practicing recommended programming like flexibility work and core strength & stabilization we are only solidifying better performance during our training as well as preventing injury!

 

Here at The Capital Athletic Club, we have a full-service selection of different amenities that offer a wide variety of exercise outlets:

  • CAC Swimming Pool

    • Open all Club hours with lane reservations that can be made as early as the day before over the phone with active membership.

    • Aqua Fit Classes are also in session and included in membership!

CAC Pilates Reformer

  • The  Club offers several levels of Reformer classes as well as Tower/Circuit classes. Members may reserve a spot in class one day prior to or on the day of class. (Members are required to complete the Quick Start Program before attending classes in the Pilates studio.) Please see the information below.

CAC Cycle/Spinning

  • Our cycle instructors work participants in different energy zones focusing on cardiovascular conditioning and muscular endurance. Anyone can cycle because you control the resistance determining the intensity. Please note beginners should arrive 10 minutes prior to class time for bike set-up. Most classes are composed of a 45- 50 minute rides (unless otherwise stated) and take place morning, lunch hour and evening. We recommend a heart rate monitor for all participants.

CAC Small Group Training

  • The CAC Small Group Training (SGT) program provides our members with a unique, hybrid training experience.  Blending the camaraderie and energy of a group exercise class with the specific direction of CAC’s professionally-certified personal trainers, the classes within CAC SGT yield a focused session with a lower cost.  Held in our specially-designed Studio X, these classes (typically of four to seven people) offer you the challenge of formats unique to this training environment.  
]]> Old Bodies and Old Trucks Piece by Bruce Coolidge https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/old-bodies-and-old-trucks-piece-by-bruce-coolidge/ Tue, 20 Apr 2021 21:21:00 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=2815 Our Bodies and Old Trucks…

For the greater part of the last year, our road to fitness has been closed down by COVID-19.  While there may have been an alternative route or two, they usually didn’t go quite as smoothly as we’d hope.  Many of us, with the added responsibilities of working from home or acting as teachers, had to pull over to the side of the road.

Now that the road is slowly re-opening. There are still traffic back-ups and it becomes essential to be patient until we can all get back on the road and up to speed.  If we rush back into the fray, we might well end up on the side of the road with a flat tire, a blown engine or as the result of a crash.

I have an old truck, which like me, spent way too much time parked during COVID.  It’s got nicks and dings all over the place but has a heavy-duty engine that still runs well when treated with the requisite respect.  It needs to be warmed up slowly and driven gently the first few miles after which it is ready to do just about anything asked of it.  During the pandemic, it sat on the driveway because there wasn’t enough work (camping trips, heavy yard work, etc.) and the batteries (which were old enough to start with) got weaker and weaker.  Eventually, when I needed to use it, the old reliable wouldn’t start up.  Try as I may to make up for the neglect, it just wouldn’t hold a charge.  I finally had to break down, pay the price and buy new batteries.  Now, with my wallet lighter and my lessons learned, I’m vowing to not neglect the old truck’s needs.

If ever a metaphor was more to the times, Our Bodies and Old Trucks.  We need to take care in bringing our bodies back along after too much time on the driveway or the side of the road so our Old Reliables don’t get wrecked along the way. Let’s show the requisite respect and avoid paying the price with an injury or more down time.

Bruce Coolidge

Programming Director

The Capital Athletic Club

]]> Post-Quarantine Tips For Getting Back in The Gym https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/post-quarantine-tips-for-getting-back-in-the-gym/ Wed, 31 Mar 2021 19:51:17 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=2789 We’re back in the gym and we’re ready to get back into our pre-covid shape and fitness level! There’s no doubt that this past year and  series of COVID-related closures/delays has impacted our ability to produce and sustain physical & mental results from our training! As we make our return back into the iron paradise we need to be thoughtful as we increase our activity.

            Whether you’re getting winded climbing a flight off stairs, your arthritic joints are complaining or COVID-19 better describes your weight gain during this pandemic, we need to monitor ourselves closely for the first couple months (even longer if you are 50+).  Modest increases in intensities (cardio or strength), shorter bouts of exercise and more recovery are likely to be necessary.  Trying to jump in where you left off could well lead you to more time off, this time due to injury.

To help your return to The Club be successful, try to keep an eye on these factors:

  • Modest, well staggered changes in intensity in both cardio and strength work.

  • Build from the inside out (redeveloping your core and cardio should take precedence over strength and power development).

  • Increased attention to recovery (more stretching, more rest, greater intervals between workouts targeting similar muscle groups).

  • Stay hydrated and properly fueled (water allows for energy production and cushions joints, proper nutrition will assure that you have the energy to do more as you progress).

  • Listen to your body and respect what it has to say (if a muscle group you were going to train today is still sore from your last workout, select a different muscle group or just delay it and stretch/recover more)

  • Remember your goals (most of us just want more strength and cardio fitness to allow us to do things we enjoy outside of work; suit the program to your activities and your current conditioning level).

            If you have any questions on how to best re-build your conditioning, please take advantage of our excellent training staff and their many years of expertise.  They can help you plan a reasonable approach to getting you the desired results and overall lifestyle transformation that you want!

]]> 5 Ways To Boost Your Immune System https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/5-ways-to-boost-your-immune-system/ Sat, 07 Nov 2020 00:39:54 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=2713 Flu season is here, people!!!

Although this time of year is pretty typical for cold and flu symptoms, this year’s flu season is not a “typical” year! Now is a better time than ever to put yourself in a position to stay healthy and safe for yourself and your family by prioritizing your health and following 5 daily tasks that will ensure a healthier you!

There are many things that play a role in our immune system that is FREQUENTLY neglected by poor diets, lack of exercise, excessive stress levels, and poor sleep. NO FRETTING… We are here to share our health & fitness tips to help you build a strong immunity during the 2020 flu season, so you can continue to do things you enjoy like traveling, working out, spending time with friends & family, and extracurricular activities!

Foundational Nutrition

First and foremost, let’s talk about nutrition and gut health! Probably the most neglected aspect of your immune system starts by having a diet that is dense in essential nutrients, fruits & veggies, vitamins & minerals, and whole foods that are less processed and easier for your gut to break down and utilize as energy! Our health & immunity LITERALLY starts in our gut and digestive tract. Many people find themselves struggling with common issues like uncomfortable bloating, poor digestion, stomach pain after eating, and low energy/mid-day crashes. This is not a coincidence and by no means, definitely not normal or healthy. So, eat more fruits and veggies and focus on VARIETY!! We also recommend seeking out a multivitamin or a daily nutrient pack that can fill gaps in your foundational diet like probiotics for a healthy gut balance, antioxidants for cellular health and anti-aging properties, and essential fatty acids for cognitive & joint health!

Regular Exercise

Our favorite topic of conversation for boosting immune system has to be regular exercise and improving our overall fitness through cardiovascular health and resistance training benefits. Although we put our bodies through stress in our workouts, there is such a thing as “good” stress that promotes positive physical changes, but it also relieves negative mental & emotional stress that can be damaging to our immune system & response! The body creates free radicals during times of stress, whether it’s mental or physical, that stimulates growth and positive physical change in the body like increased lean muscle growth and overall weight and fat loss. Due to positive composition changes in the body, we can prevent chronic illnesses and infections that can compromise our immune system. Most importantly, regular exercise promotes production of more antibodies and white blood cells that fight off disease and infection! With a more consistent workout routine, we can continue to strengthen immune cells and allow them to perform more effectively YEAR ROUND!

Quality Sleep

Have you ever heard the phrase, ”Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.”? It couldn’t be more true. The body relies on sleep duration and more importantly, quality of sleep to repair, recover, and build immune strength to protect the body from disease and infection. Sleep is also crucial for those of us that have passionate goals for losing weight & fat and building lean muscle tissue throughout the body. Yes, we burn fat and workout our muscles during our workouts. but the reality is that we breakdown our muscle when we workout and our bodies need to recover properly in order to see the results we want and maintain our overall & immune health. The recommended sleep duration and quality for adults is between 7-8 hours of sleep and a full 4-6 cycles of REM sleep in order to properly fight off infection and diseases and maintain overall better health.

Stress Management

Too much mental and physical stress in the body (without proper recovery) can greatly affect your immune system due to 3 major systems in the body being affected by heightened stress levels:

  • Cardiovascular Health: Increased heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Hormonal & Immune Processes: Heightened stress hormones (cortisol & corticosteroids) suppress the immune system response and produces breakdown of healthy cells and tissues due to lack of production of healthy hormones & enzymes that repair the body for optimal functionality.
  • Digestive System: Health starts in the gut and when there is increased inflammation due to heightened stress in the body, the digestive system is unable to function effectively in balancing out good and bad gut bacteria as well as flushing out toxins found in the food and drink that we consume.

Hydration

Our immunes system relies heavily on circulation and blood flow to deliver essential nutrients to our many tissues that regulate normal bodily functions. Since the circulatory system in the body is made up mostly water, it is essential that we prioritize regular hydration in order to deliver nutrients to each organ system, like the heart, kidneys, liver, digestive system, and brain for cognitive function! Staying properly hydrated regularly also ensures that our body is flushing out harmful toxins and bad bacteria that inhibit the natural immunity and response to viruses, diseases, and infection.

 

Now that you have the tools and knowledge that promotes a healthier immune system, its time to put these daily habits to work and become a healthier, better version of you!!

]]> Five Principles to Follow On Your Fit Journey https://capitalac.com/the-capital-athletic-club-blog/five-principles-to-follow-on-your-fit-journey/ Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:58:01 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=2496 This is the time of year that divides those who are fully committed to a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle and those who have given up on their fit journey due to a lack of success until next year when “motivation” strikes again at the New Year.

Which side of the coin do you want to be on?

An even more important concept to reflect on is, which path are you currently pursuing?

If you have committed to living a healthier lifestyle by trusting the process, we applaud you! It is not an easy journey, but it is WELL WORTH IT! These principles will be pillars to remind you of the big picture and why you are working for a healthier you!

If you find yourself falling off the health wagon because your methods to losing weight and feeling better are failing you, then we have five principles for you to follow to keep your eye on the “big picture” on your fit journey.

Before we start listing fitness advice tips, we must address that a health and fitness journey should consist of sustainable healthy habits. Unfortunately, with all the information we have access to, we find a lot of false information preying on those who don’t have the knowledge to cipher true and false information at the click of a button. It is crucial to seek a credible health coach or health facility that can properly educate you on the steps that are required when transforming your body and lifestyle. We are also prepared to address that the process of sustainable transformation is not always glamorous. It is hard work and requires consistency with a realistic strategy that consists of SMART goals.

THERE IS NO QUICK FIX
Let’s get started on Five Principles that you can follow and find SUCCESS:

Don’t Try to Out-train a Bad Diet

Although each individual is different and their dietary needs are unique to them, it is crucial that you understand what your body needs to ingest to perform optimally, as well as digest optimally and absorb nutrients to repair and recover efficiently. Too many of us focus on intensity of our workouts to burn as many calories as we can, so we don’t feel guilty when we get home and eat whatever and how much we want. This strategy does not work and will not dramatically change your body in any way. If anything, this strategy increases greater inflammation in the body and overwhelms your digestion system when it’s trying to breakdown fattier foods that don’t provide many macro/micronutrients to aid your body in recovery and preparation for your next workout.

A solid strategy in transforming your diet and eating for your fitness goals is to track your food! There are many free resources through apps that can provide you with customized Macro plans (protein, carbohydrate, fats) that also include a daily calorie goal to help you better understand how much fuel your body needs to accomplish your fitness and aesthetic goals. Some great examples of fitness and nutrition tracking apps include My Transphormation Starts Today and MyFitnessPal. Both of these apps allow you to enter and scan your food that you eat daily and break down exactly what each food provides your nutrition goal and how beneficial that food is. These apps base you custom macro plan and daily calorie goal on your daily activity level (sedentary, light, or very active), your current weight, your goal weight (weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain), and  your age, your height, etc.

Follow SMART Goals

We definitely recommend partnering with a Fitness and Nutrition Professional when determining your goals and plans to achieve said goals. Let’s breakdown what a SMART goal needs….

  • Specifics: What exactly is your fitness goal? How much weight do you want to lose? What is your goal weight? Are you focusing on performance in the gym and how so? Is your performance goal Max Strength or balance/stabilization? Your goals must be specific to what you want to accomplish, so your plan can be specific on how to execute your goal strategy and understand what the outcome will be.
  • Measurable: Measuring your goals is a blend of specifying that your specific goal is and how long it will take to achieve that goal (short or long-term). If the goal cannot be measured, there is no way to create a plan strategy to take necessary steps in achieving your specific goal. We recommend you stay away from generic goal statements like, “I want to lose weight.” Thinking about how much weight you want to lose and when you want to accomplish that specific goal.
  • Attainability: A really good question for goal setting is, “is this goal possible through my abilities and my lifestyle habits?” You don’t want to set a extreme goal that is not specifically attainable based on your current diet, daily habits, and physical conditioning level. Striving to reach an attainable goal provide you with challenge, but is sustainable and realistic to follow if you are following your plan that you and your health professional have created together.
  • Realistic: Are you willing to work for your goal? Being realistic about your fitness/nutrition goals requires an evaluation of your past, present, and future. Have you achieved a goal similar to your current goal before? If you have, there is a better chance that you will be more successful with your past accomplishments already being familiar. Do you TRULY believe that you can accomplish your goal? If you do, then you are far more likely to accomplish it. We’re not saying that you won’t experience any doubt, but with you are emotionally connected to your goal and truly intend on accomplishing it with safe and realistic expectations, then you have that momentum to go out and do it! If you are thinking about your future and intend on being realistic with your goals, a safe, but challenging plan with realistic expectations will be key. Working with a Personal Trainer or Nutrition Coach/Dietitian will provide you with the knowledge of what it takes to achieve your goal. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds in 3 months, a fitness/health professional will tell you that your goal is unrealistic and your expectations are not healthy or sustainable in losing the intended weight and keeping it off.
  • Timely: Based on your short-term and long-term goals, what is the time and date you would like to have these goals achieved? Think back and go through the steps. Is this time period realistic? Is it attainable based on your habits and lifestyle? Most people set a date to achieve their ultimate goal and a lot of times it is not realistic, especially when it comes to weight-loss. That’s why it’s so important to consult with a health professional to come up with sustainable plan that checks all the necessary aspects for a SMART goal.

Train For Your Fitness Goals

This is where the fun part comes in… Everyone is so unique and different in their own way, so when it comes to proper training technique and fitness programming, your training style should specifically reflect your physique and performance goals. Although, most of us feel comfortable programming our own workouts, meeting with a fitness professional or personal trainer can hep you develop your SMART goals and strategize for your short-term and long-term goals. Meeting with a fitness professional, even for an assessment session, will identify any improper form during your lifts/exercises and address any minor and major imbalances that affect your movement patterns. When you assess your movement and focus on corrective exercise (which everyone NEEDS), you progress past any plateaus, build lean muscle mass more efficiently, and most importantly; accomplish better results FASTER.

Focus On The Big Picture

It’s easy to get excited about your fitness journey when you first start out, but over time you start to lose sight of the possibilities if you’re not seeing results right away. With home-life, work-life, kids, pets, travel, and everything else life throws at you, it takes patience in seeing subtle results in your body composition change.  It is important to visualize what you want to be and how you want to feel. While visualizing, it is also important to recognize that results take time and body composition changes don’t happen over night. Typically, the scale won’t even change in the beginning stages of regular exercise and healthy diet. There are many reasons for this and a major reason could be that your body is converting fat to lean muscle mass. What most people don’t know is that lean muscle mass (muscle) is denser and heavier than fat, however it takes up less area in the body and actually burns more calories while at rest. When you start to see changes in your body composition, it’s typically the fit and feel of your clothing before your see a change in the number on the scale.

Pro-tip: Don’t obsess over the scale. Weighing yourself should be a priority in your process of pursuing your health goals and tracking your weight on a weekly basis, as well as body measurements, can keep you in control of your body’s response to your diet and exercise plan. Obsessing over the scale ca have a negative effect o the body through your brain’s response to whether or not your expectation was met.

NEVER Say You Can’t Do Something

Mindset is everything. If your mind isn’t right, you can’t successfully practice things like discipline, integrity, and trust. On your fit journey, you build trust with yourself when you accomplish small daily tasks like completing your workout or sticking to your meal plan without cheat foods. When you start to get in the routine of turning down temptation, your discipline grows and your body starts to change. That’s when you start seeing results; when you are consistent with your SMART goals and follow your plan. Don’t forget, you will only be more successful with guidance of a health professional.

When you tell yourself or state to someone else that you simply “CAN’T” do something, it is extremely likely that you will never do it when in reality you could work to accomplish that goal with work put in over time. A better approach or question could be, “to what extent can I do this?” ENOUGH NEGATIVE TALK. When you tell yourself you can’t do one thing, what is your limit to can’t-ing with every other goal or possibility to challenge yourself on your fit journey?

 

We hope these five principles resonated with your personal fit journey and will help you combat any negative thoughts and bad habits! Keep working hard and always remember to focus on the big picture!

 

]]> Capital Athletic Club March 2020 Newsletter https://capitalac.com/cac-newsletter-library/capital-athletic-club-march-2020-newsletter/ Mon, 02 Mar 2020 19:02:54 +0000 https://capitalac.com/?p=2514 Capital Athletic Club March 2020 Newsletter
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