Category Archives: stretching

#PROOF @the barre

Posted by Jess Sutera in strength, sweat, barre n9ne, barre, stretching, #PROOF

This is what a back-to-back sweat sesh @the barre looks like (plus a super sweatastic morning class I taught earlier that day…):

(granted, we look waayyy too chipper for just getting our asses handed to us, but still – work with me here, mmk?)

If that’s not #PROOF, I don’t know what is. ;-)

But seriously — what’s the point of my post today? It’s a really good reminder (and note to self!) that a killer workout comes in all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t have to be a ridiculous cardio-fest like running or spinning or something. A strength training session or strength-based studio class (or two of them, hell why not?) is just as much — if not more — of a sweatastically awesome workout.

Just because you didn’t sweat the same way you did after <insert cardio ‘poison’ of choice here> doesn’t mean that the workout wasn’t effective.  Last night’s workout was reminder #4,000 to me that strength training (of the barre variety or otherwise — I promise I’m not *that* biased towards the barre ok maybe I am) is incredibly important, needed, and ridiculously awesome (and sweaty too!).

And really? Strong is beautiful.
…and it’s pretty badass, not gonna lie.

This from the chick who pretty much rode a barre-high all day long. The class I taught in the morning was especially energetic and sweaty and FUN (and I got to meet Melissa finally — hooray!! And I do believe she’ll be back — yay for that, I didn’t scare her off!). That plus the barre-date with fit bestie Steph and my day ended on a wicked strong high note.

Strength training makes me feel strong and confident and fit — and it’s soooo important to fit it into your life, in some shape or form. Pretty please, if you don’t already – do it, and embrace every single strength-filled second.

<<steps off soap box>>

And as you’re reading this now, we should be off on our rundate to end the week on a high note. If you follow me on Instagram, you can expect to see another #PROOF pic of our rundate sweatiness — because who can get sick of seeing sweaty, glee-filled faces up in here. Am I right?? 

Happy #PROOF-tastic Friday, friends! <–make it a sweaty one  (TWSS??) ;-)

Getting (or trying to get) limber

Posted by Jess Sutera in fitness, running, barre n9ne, stretching

Not a shock Confession: I am not flexible.

Running basically undoes any effort I put into gaining flexibility. This much I know.

But until recently – I didn’t put much effort, if any, into stretching. At.All.

Bad, bad fitblogger. Bad.

I know better. That’s the thing.

However: I now consider myself a changed woman. In the last, say, 6-8 weeks, I’ve made a concerted effort to stretch. As part of or after every single workout. Even if that means getting up earlier to get my run done *and* my post-run stretching. I get a good amount of stretching from the bajillions of barre classes I do each week. And I’ve noticed a huge difference, especially in how much quicker I recover from my runs during the week. Far less sore and tight the next day, for example.

…but I need to do more on my own. As I said, running basically negates the stretching I’m doing now.

So – as they say, if you want to run faster, you have to run fast. And if you want to gain flexibility, you gotta stretch. Duh. So simple yet here I am being all “But I’m just not naturally flexible” — essentially using that as my excuse not to focus on stretching more.

But, I’m of the mindset that there are no good excuses. So I’m tossing the whole “but I’m not naturally flexible” whiny mentality out the window. And I’m gonna focus the sh*t out of my stretching from now on.

My plan? Simple really:
…Stretch after every single run. And foam roll.
…Take fifteen minutes during the day (now that I work from home most of the week) and do hip opening stretches (think the “runner’s stretch for the hip flexor or my new fave, “happy baby“). My hips are so tight (why does that sound like a TWSS phrase to me??)
…Stretch soon after every barre n9ne class. As I said, we do a good amount of stretching during class (given the strengthening/lengthening mantra that makes up the barre style). But, I need to do more to counterbalance all the running I do. So after class I’ll spend 10-15 minutes at home doing additional stretching (while I’m still warm from class).

There. Simple, right?

Now – who wants to volunteer to be my stretch accountability artist? Fancy title, right? But hell, I need the added accountability in this area or I know I’ll fall back into that “I’m not naturally flexible, it’ll never happen” mentality.

(and bonus points if you feel like sharing some of your favorite stretches with me in the comments section below!)