Oblique Jan Feb 2010

January February 2010

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January/February 2010

Staff info

14 Are You Wearing The Right Sports Bra? by Angela Klick

19 Pink in the Rink by Katie Ginther

22 You’re Winning The Battle, But Are You Losing The War? by Michael Fickling

27 The Carolina Stepper by Caroline Kluttz

Features

Departments

Demi Bean has lived in Charleston for 6 years, and is happily married with 2 children. She is also a former Marine, and is now a Beachbody Coach for in-home fitness programs, such as, P90X, TurboJam, Slim in 6, and Insanity. She has recently appeared on live national television on the QVC network, marketing P90X, with the program’s creator, Tony Horton. She plans to continue her career in Beachbody Coaching, as well as fitness modeling. She can be reached at www.beachbodycoach.com/demibean for in-home health and fitness needs.

7 Fitness8 Featured Trainer10 Body Parts12 Yoga Pose of the Month16 Interview21 Black and White Photo

John Di Giovanni | Editor/Publisher Lilla Folsom | Managing EditorMelissa Weir | ProofreaderCaroline Kluttz | Intern Caitlin Grant | Intern

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Oblique Magazine is a bi-monthly publication distributed throughout the Charleston area. All content of this magazine is copyrighted and may not be copied or reprinted without consent of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts and photos are welcome, but Oblique does not assume responsibility of their protection. All materials can be mailed to PO Box 22843 Charleston, SC 29413 or emailed to [email protected]

Editor’s Office and Advertising 843-478-4537

Contributors

From the Editor

Damon R.Smith

KendallHicks

LillaFolsom

BenWilliams

AngelaAdams

JenniferWetzel

MaryFord

Kendall HicksCertified Personal Trainer

Fitness [email protected]

Damon R. SmithLocal Professional Photographer

www.dsmithphoto.com

Lilla Folsom Freelance Writer/Realtor

www.lilla.net

Angela Adams BellinChildren’s Fitness Instructor/ESAC

[email protected]

Ben Williams Professional Photographer

[email protected]

Mary Ford CPT, PTAEast Shore Athletic Club

[email protected]

Jennifer Wetzel PT, CPTRehabilitation Centers of Charleston

www.rcctherapy.com

Michael FicklingC.H.E.K. Exercise and Holistic

Lifestlye CoachCo-Owner Progressive Fitness

www.progressivefitnesscharleston.com

Angela Klick Store Manager

TrySports, Mt. Pleasantwww.trysports.com

Katie Ginther Community Relations Manager

South Carolina Stingrays Hockeywww.stingrayshockey.com

Caitlin GrantOblique Magazine Intern

[email protected]

Caroline KluttzOblique Magazine Intern

[email protected]

It is the start of a new year, and you probably have new goals to be fit and healthy. Before you commit yourself, you may want to read Mike Fickling’s article “You’re winnining the battle, but are you losing the war?” After reading this article, you may find yourself revamping your goals.

Additionally, Katie Ginther, of the South Carolina Stingrays, informs us how our local hockey team is doing their part to help raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer. Learn more about this event and come out for“Pink in the Rink” on February 20th.

After the birth of her second child, Demi Bean decided that she wanted to get back into the shape she was in prior to her pregnancy.. Well, she not only succeded, but got herself into the best shape of her life. This provided us with a perfect opportunity to get her back on the cover of Oblique. Demi was recently seen on the QVC Network as part of a P90X home training promo. It is always nice to see another Oblique model get noticed!

KatieGinther

MichaelFickling

AngelaKlick

CarolineKluttz

CaitlinGrant

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t’s a new year, but unlike many of your neighbors, co-workers, and fellow Americans, you are not making a resolution to get in shape. The reason: you’re a gym rat who lives for the clanging of

iron in the weight room. Your gym bag is in your car, a health club fob dangles from your key chain, and you cannot remember the last time you missed a workout.

You really don’t like this time of year because for the next couple of months your gym will be crowded with overweight, under-fit soft bellies who have no idea what they’re doing, impede your training regimen, and will not stick with it long enough to make any viable difference. The only thing you gain from their presence is a sense of pride, because after all, they probably would love to look like you.

You feel good about yourself, as well you should. You are part of the strong minor-ity—the few citizens of this great country who have conquered the unhealthy temp-tations that plague the other 74% of our population.

But what did you really accomplish last year? Although you hit the weights, did your cardio duty, and put in your share of sweat equity; what do you have to show for all the time you put in over the last 365 days? Are you leaner? Are you stronger? Are you better? Or, did you just maintain? Odds are, if you’ve been part of the commit-ted for over two years, you are about where you were this time last year... and will be at this same spot when 2011 rolls around, un-less you make some renewed commitments of your own.

Instead of logging in another year’s worth of workouts, let me challenge you to set some

personal goals and spend this year conquer-ing them. Since you are one of the few who have been keepin’ the faith at your local club, set a F.A.I.T.H. goal to accomplish this year. Here are the five characteristics of a F.A.I.T.H. goal:

F – Focused. That means it is specific. In-stead of a vague, “I’m going to lose some weight this year”, a focused goal states, “I’m dropping my body fat from 15% to 10%.”

A – Accountable. The easy way out is to make a goal and keep it a secret so that if you don’t make it, nobody knows. The problem with this is the first person most of us will cheat on is ourselves. Share your goal with your spouse, your training part-ner, or your personal trainer.

I – Individual. A faith goal is personal. You cannot set your goals according to what

somewhat else wants you to do. You will not be motivated to attain someone else’s desire for you.

T – Trackable. Faith goals can be measured and verified. You set a goal and state that by March 30th I will have accomplished this and by June 30th I will have done this, and on and on and on.

H – Heartfelt. You’ve got to feel it. Noth-ing is accomplished without passion. If you don’t have a deep desire to reach it, don’t waste your time setting it.

Don’t spend another year going through the motions. Set at least one F.A.I.T.H. goal and make 2010 a breakthrough year!

Kendall would like to hear your F.A.I.T.H. goals. Feel free to contact him at fitsherpa-mail.com.

By Kendall Hicks

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Katie St. Clair has been training individuals, groups and athletes for over 12 years. She holds a degree in Nutrition and Exercise Science and is a Certified Strength and

Conditioning Coach as well as a Certified Personal Trainer through NSCA. As a

gymnast, Katie learned from an early age the importance of posture, muscular

balance, and correct movement patterns and teaches this as the foundation of every fitness program. As a sponsor

and trainer for the Healthy Charleston Challenge at MUSC, she has guided 3 teams to lose over 700 lbs in a little over a year. Katie takes a no excuses approach to help people redefine their

goals and pushes them to achieve more than they thought possible. She can be reached at 843-697-9402 or by email at

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50 ft Climbing WallJames Island County Park’s

While many people think ab exercises will lead to a flatter belly, the idea of spot reducing fat from the abs is a myth. You have to lose overall body fat to reduce fat over the abs. That doesn’t mean, though, that you should ignore the abs. Strong abs are important for keeping your back healthy and protecting your spine. And of course, they look incredible, as well!

1. Hanging leg raises: Grasp an overhead or chin- up bar with an overhand grip at arms length. Keep your legs straight. Now raise your legs as high as you can. Hold for 2 seconds and contract you abs hard at this position. Next lower your legs back to the starting position keeping your legs straight. If its too hard keep-ing the upper body in position You can lay down, using a vertical bench which is provides back support.

2. Long Arm Crunch: This move, ranked 6th in an ACE study, emphasizes the upper part of the abs. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears. Contract the abs, lift the shoulder blades off the floor. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck.

3. Ball Pikes: The key to making this move chal-lenging is to use the abs to draw the hips up, rolling the feet on top of the ball. Get into a push up position with the ball under the tops of the feet. Make sure the body is straight and back flat. Lift the hips up towards the ceiling, rolling the feet on top of the ball. Keep legs straight ending in a straight-leg pike with the toes on the ball

4. Medicine Ball Extensions: This very advanced exercise targets multiple muscles. It requires tremen-dous balance and strength. If you feel pain in your lower back, keep the arms over the chest or just slightly lowered. Position the ball under upper back to engage your abs and to stabilize the hips. Hold a light medi-cine ball or dumbbell straight up over chest and make sure knees are at 90 degrees. Lower arms behind you while simultaneously extending the right leg straight. Return to start, alternating legs for 10-16 reps.

5. Oblique knee drops: These are great to target the obliques as well as the rectus abdominis and the back. Lie on the floor, knees pulled in, and bent to about 90 degrees. Place a medicine ball between knees and stretch arms to the sides like an airplane, palms facing up. Contract the abs and lower the knees down towards the right. Lower the knees as low as you can without lifting the shoulders off the floor. Squeeze the abs, feeling your obliques contract and draw the knees back up Repeat to the other side.

Mary Ford, CPT, trains at various ESAC gyms. To see more information about ESAC and class schedule, go to www.eastshoreac.com. Mary can be reached at [email protected] or 843.729.9891.

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hen I was training for my first marathon a few years ago, I did all of my group runs downtown with Team

in Training. We were running downtown by the Citadel, and one of my teammates commented on the fact that he could see all of our “headlights”. I was horrified some-one would A) make a comment about my “girls” and B) I had “headlights”, aka, you could see my nipples. There I said it- and it was the middle of the summer. I knew I had to do something about the sports bra I was wearing and fast. It was my favorite, most comfortable bra that I had owned since high school. We all have that favorite bra in our drawer. You know it as the one you wear 3 times a week, and you’ve been known to put off a run to have enough time to wash it.

I decided it was time to make an investment in a good fitness bra. This is when I decided to do some research. I quickly found that there is much to know about fitness bras -- from finding a good fitting bra to why it’s important to have a bra that accom-modates my size; besides, what do I really consider when purchasing a bra? I found it astounding that 80% of the women are in the wrong size!

Why is a properly fitted bra so important?

The breast is not a muscle; it is delicate, glandular tissue. Whether large or small, it needs to be properly supported, especially as we age. A proper fitting bra can help for the large-breasted woman and can improve posture, overall appearance, and enhance natural beauty for all women. The right undergarment plays an important part in how your clothes fit and look on your body. Many women feel like they can’t partici-pate in fitness activities because they can’t find the right supportive fitness bra and wear multiple bras at once. That seems like a bit much! I never understood that, but why would I? I don’t have over a B cup. Newsflash! From my research, you should only have to wear ONE bra that fits. If there is damage to the ligaments and tis-sue of the breast, surgery is the only repair option; I would rather get a bra that accom-modates my needs. In the past, a fitness bra

didn’texist for someone beyond an A/B cup. With-

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didn’t exist for someone beyond an A/B cup. Without the right equipment, exercise is nearly impossible.

What is a Sports Bra?

A sports bra is a bra that provides the addi-tional support for the breasts that is required during physical exercise. It is intended for wear during vigorous exercise that might cause the breasts to move uncomfortably or excessively, preventing discomfort and potential embarrassment during exercise. Sports bras are sturdier than regular bras, and offer greater support for the chest dur-ing periods of exercise, thus increasing com-fort and reducing the chance of damage to the ligaments of the chest. Some women do not wear enough support and that’s just too noticeable for all of us. I am sure some men don’t mind, but it can be a painful situation for these ladies, and even stop them from exercising all together.

Things to consider when buying a Sports Bra:

Determine your physical activity level. Generally there are three defined impacts of activity: low impact (yoga), medium impact (tennis), and high impact (running). Most sports bra makers will indicate the activity level of which their bras are best suited.

Choose a sports bra style that suits your body type. The compressed style works by strapping the breast close to the body. This style is ideal for the A and B cup woman. You might know this type as the “uniboob” look.

Encapsulation is a bra engineered to sepa-rate and support each breast. Most times women C, D, DD, and up, prefer this type of bra. Women gain more of a natural shape with this style.

Some bras offer both compression and en-capsulation or separation. This style can be most comfortable for larger sized women. This bra can sometimes be known as the last resort bra, but still, the woman needing this type, only has to wear one bra.

Sports bras that are used 3-4 times a week, tend to wear out within 6 to 12 months.

Hand-washing will help extend the life of your bra. When your sport bra starts to lose its fit, throw it out. In short, no bra should ever celebrate a birthday.

I realized my “girls” were in trouble. My bra I had since high school wasn’t doing me any favors. I was guilty and in the 80% of women wearing the wrong size. I ended up getting a good fit and really like the “Mov-ing Comfort Cameo Bra” in the racer back. It has just enough coverage with a comfort-able shaping material in the front so I don’t have any more embarrassing “headlight” situations. With the mileage I put in run-

ning and biking, I don’t even notice I am wearing it. I don’t have any chafing prob-lems because it has a good moisture wicking material to pull the sweat off my body and the garment. I am good to go for any group workout!

Angela Klick is the Store Manager for Try Sports, Mt. Pleasant. If you have any questions in regards to this article, or you would like to learn more about TrySports bra fitting process, feel free to contact her at [email protected] or visit their website at www.trysports.com.

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For our readers that may not be familiar with the Charleston Metro Sports Council, please give us a little insight about the organization.

The Sports Council originated as a small club of sports and recreational professionals interested in developing a cohesive group to develop partnerships for their marketing ef-forts. Ten years later, it is now recognized among community leaders as the region’s unique sports development agency to assist with creating and bringing new sports events to the Charleston area. The Sports Coun-cil is one of 250+ other sports development

organizations in the country, all competing for additional sports events, within a $6.1 billion sports travel industry.

As the Executive Director of the Charleston Metro Sports Council, what does your job en-tail?

Day to day, I perform many roles represent-ing the organization as a destination mar-keting agency for the Charleston region -- all of which lead to one primary goal: “Recruiting and securing new sports travel

events for their economic, social and media value to the Charleston area tourism indus-try.”

Have you seen a growing interest in events considering our area as a destination for their event?

When you consider “sports travel” events, basically there are two types, spectator and participant sports; so yes and yes – both types have experienced an exponential growth in the last 10 years.

BY ANGELA ADAMS BELLIN

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CARTLANDKathleen

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Kathleen Cartland, Director of theCharleston Metro Sports Council, gives us a little information into theorganization, and what impact theCMSC has on our community.

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We have added a number of international professional sports to our event calendar in-cluding; tennis, volleyball, golf, rugby, soc-cer and sailing. All these competitions have an additional economic benefit, which is media exposure. This “free” marketing ac-tually produces a number of travelers to our area for future visits.

In regard to youth and adult participatory sports, our local municipalities are “bulging at the seams” within their own recreational facilities to accommodate more and more state / regional competitions. We have ex-perienced a huge growth with traditional sports such as baseball, tennis, soccer and softball. These events may not produce me-dia exposure but oftentimes produce more visitors for just one event than some of the media-producing spectator events.

What do you feel are the biggest advantages to Charleston, and the surrounding area, that stand out in comparison to other possible des-tinations?

First and foremost, Charleston is a premier travel destination. In fact, we continue to get high rankings from Conde Nast Trav-eler readers, who just voted Charleston as the #2 top US travel destination; therefore, we promote this unique aspect to prospec-tive event organizers. Modestly boasting, we state that for any sports competition, we provide a ‘backdrop” that is simply un-matched. In addition, since an athlete, on average, may only spend 4 hours on the playing field, they spend another 48 hours alongside, visiting family members and friends. Our unique attributes simply backs up our marketing message, and event orga-nizers truly recognize that a sports event is more about experiences off the field.

Do you have repeated concerns that arise that you feel inhibit the council from bringing more events here, and if so, are there things that can be done to help the situation?

Of course we do, and therefore we have a unique assessment procedure to truly be one of a match-making process. That is, we always consider four major issues with a prospective sports event. First we consider the time of year, and how it effects hotels, their occupancy rates along with the avail-ability of a venue or playing fields. We also consider the availability of a local sports ad-

vocacy group to provide volunteers and the necessary leadership to assist as an event liaison for all the sports event production needs. Local financial support is always an issue and the degree of funding necessary is measured regarding the business com-munity and local government grants. And finally, but certainly not the least of impor-tance, is whether or not the sports event is a “good fit’ for Charleston residents. Will the local community embrace and support this type of event or will it produce adversity?

Economically, The Charleston Metro Sports Council must have a big impact on our local economy?

Wow! I certainty wish we could take credit for all the hard work, in which hundreds of community leaders have given to this in-dustry with “creating” and “courting” new sports events to our local economy. The Sports Council is an organization that will never produce an event from start to fin-ish, but will always be available as a liaison or facilitator for a passionate sports event organizer. Our goal is to provide a viable role with any event, no matter if it is in the initial start-up stage or simply trying to be “out-bidded” by another competitive sports destination city. We do track the economic impact for all the sports travel events held in the region. It is estimated that each year, our Charleston area is home to at least 100 sports travel events, for an accumulative economic impact of $50 million+ annually.

What event(s) are you most proud of bringing here?

Without a doubt, the Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Champion-ships. This event was really the impetus for the Sports Council to grow from a small group of sports marketing professionals to a sports development agency. In 1999, we were awarded this first-time event for March 2002 and then continued to host it for another five years. The four-day long weekend event produced over $3 million to the Charleston area, each of the six years. According to SoCon officials, this event must be ‘moved around” to other cities. For instance, it will be held in Charlotte NC in March 2010; however, officials indicate that the Charleston area is recognized as one of the premier host sites and we will be work-ing diligently to coordinate a Host Com-mittee to bring it back for years to come.

What do our readers have to look forward to this year ?

We will continue to have our annual stead-fast events, such as the 33rd Annual Cooper River Bridge Run. This “home-grown” event is now ranked 3rd in the US for 10K races and 5th in the world by Running USA. In addition to the already packed sports cal-endar, we will be adding some new endur-ance competitions. On the horizon, you can take part in a new open-water swim across the harbor or perhaps a 200-mile relay run from Columbia to Charleston, ...just to name a few. In addition, we will be the host site for some non-traditional competitions, for the first time.

Fortunately, the national sports and rec-reation industry is now being recognized as “recession-proof” within the US travel industry. Just this past year, many event organizers have positioned Charleston, as a premier family “sportcation” and promoted their event to include a complete ‘travel package” to all its participants.

In summary,... living in Charleston, we know we are in a great place; but working in the sports travel industry in Charleston,.. this great place just keeps getting better!

You can checkout the Charleston Metro Sports Council at www.sportscouncil.org.

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ow many of us have trained for the short term – a race, a lift, a slimmer fit in that wedding dress?

What happened after the big event – even if we performed at peak? We may have paid with pain or an injury; weight loss was re-markably temporary after tying the knot – and motivation came to a screeching halt. Why?

If, overall, we don’t feel better or happier, we may have met those short-term, superficial goals, without making underlying change in certain critical areas of our lives.

Fast-track fitness does not result in lasting health, happiness and equilibrium.

So, how can we achieve functional change along with health and happiness? Being “healthy” entails far more than running a good race or striking a trim pose. Accord-ingly, we miss the mark by turning to fad diets and mindless exercising.

A better definition of health is taking re-sponsibility for all areas of one’s life, with workouts playing only a small part. Many of us avoid true growth, because it usually requires something we tend to back away from – awareness of our core values and how to meet our fundamental needs.

Such awareness leads to better health and happiness through a daily practice of re-ducing, rather than adding roadblocks like more exercise (often the wrong kind), sports drinks, stimulants, drugs and other quick fixes. By focusing instead on sound nutri-tion and lifestyle, we un-complicate things, allowing health, vitality and happiness to prevail.

The following steps can help. Implementa-tion will vary for each individual because core values and needs vary. Remember that this is a daily practice: It never ends. And there is no finish line because this is not a race: It is your life.

It all begins with your thoughts. Are you controlling your thoughts or do your thoughts control you? Where are your thoughts, or more importantly, when? Try listening to what is going on in your head.

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Do you often think about, and therefore, live in the past? Do you constantly worry about what you should have or should not have done? Are most of your thoughts neg-ative? Free yourself by first acknowledging that the past no longer exists; then forgive yourself and others for past mistakes.

Are your thoughts in the future? While planning is appropriate, do you constantly worry about what is to come? Remember, the future doesn’t yet exist either. Control what you can control – your thoughts in this moment. You are bound to create a bet-ter tomorrow by thinking and living right now.

Chances are you are reading this while at rest. How are you breathing? Is your breath diaphragmatic (breathing into your belly)? If not, are you breathing up into your shoul-ders and chest? Why? Are you under attack or in a stressful situation? Breathing as if you are stressed will make your body think that you are stressed and it will act accord-ingly, suppressing your immune system, and your digestive assimilation, elimination and recovery. Fat storage, including cholesterol, will rise, as will blood pressure.

Sad to say, our breathing patterns reflect the fact that we often perceive stress as on-going; but, you can easily change this by breathing as if you are relaxed -- and your body will respond. Take time everyday, sev-eral times a day, to practice diaphragmatic (belly) breathing to lower your overall stress response. Instruction in controlling breath-ing can be found around town in group meditation classes, yin yoga, tai chi, chi kung and more.

Water is essential and has no substitute. In fact, you will see lasting improvement in your health if you drink enough clean wa-ter. While the importance of water to all body systems is too broad a subject to cover here, chronic dehydration is widespread. Heartburn, constipation and joint pain, for instance, are common problems that can be related to dehydration. (The most common-ly purchased over-the-counter drugs today are antacids, laxatives and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.)

You can save your money and drink the cleanest water you can find – filtered, re-verse-osmosis, or high-quality bottled (glass

over plastic). Water needs vary, but a good rule of thumb is to drink a half ounce per pound of body weight. And drink through-out the day, especially before meals to aid in digestion.

Nutrition is a key fundamental need. Re-gardless of the diets you have tried, there is a good chance that you are eating the Stan-dard American Diet or SAD. The SAD diet consists primarily of C.R.A.P., which stands for Caffeine, Refined/Processed “Food”, Alcohol/Aspartame, and Pasteurized Dairy. Most CRAP food is full of the “white dev-ils” – white flour, white sugar and pasteur-ized milk – all of which are a problem for most humans. Clearly, eating a SAD diet made up of CRAP is a bad idea. After all, you really are what you eat.

Here again, improvement comes from re-ducing not adding. Five easy ways to clean up your diet are:

1. Avoid food made up of the “white dev-ils”;

2. If you cannot pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat them;

3. If it wasn’t here 10,000 years ago, don’t eat it;

4. The longer the shelf life, the more harm-ful it is – don’t touch;

5. If it is sweet but not fresh-squeezed juice, it is sugar water – don’t drink it.

Once you eliminate the obvious offenders, no one but you can determine your optimal nutrition; you can learn to listen to what your body needs. If you are confused by all the diets today, try contacting a Metabolic Typing Advisor or CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach, or look up Metabolic Typing online for more information. Learn about your own nutritional needs and eat accordingly.

If you are reading this, you are either active or thinking about becoming active. Good for you! Exercise and play are key to a healthier, happier you. Like nutrition, exer-cise varies for everyone, as we all have differ-ent fundamental needs, goals, dysfunctions and imbalances.

Are you exercising appropriately? Do you do a lot of cardiovascular or aerobic train-ing,

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ing, even though you are not an endur-ance athlete? Do you train on machines and isolate muscles, even though you are not a body builder? Are you working with a trainer? Did you have an initial assess-ment to devise a program for your specific goals, needs, work and sport? How is your posture? Are you in pain? Is your program causing you more stress? Finally, is it func-tional? If not, why do it?

A generic program may work for a while and you may see some superficial improve-ment (win that battle) but without assess-ing and addressing your body’s imbalances, dysfunction will eventually follow. Ask the hard questions of your exercise profession-als. Challenge them to help you, and not just for the short-term. Dysfunctional ex-ercises are found not just in the gym, but in advertising for trainers! If what you do in the gym does isn’t helping, chances are it is hurting.

The final, vital factor is proper rest and re-covery. How do you end your day? Do you

work on the computer, play video games or watch TV every night? What time does this put you in bed? Perhaps you watch TV in bed. When do you actually fall asleep and how is the quality of that sleep?

We are earthly beings; as such we are bio-logically designed to fall asleep at dark and wake at light, in tune with the rhythm of the planet. Unfortunately, we have deviat-ed from this rhythm with artificially bright lights, computers, television and other machines. In addition, caffeine and sugar (CRAP) can push us into unnatural sleep/wake cycles. Sleep disruption makes us tired and overweight and, in the long run, un-happy and unwell. By eliminating stressors that prevent a good night’s sleep, you will benefit far more from lifestyle and exercise improvements. Ignore your sleep and your potential wellbeing will elude you.

Do you relate to the topics covered in this article? Is your life aligned with the sug-gested lifestyle? If not, try to identify what needs to improve and begin with small,

lasting changes. If you don’t know where to start get help from a qualified practitio-ner. Daily practice of fueling yourself with the thoughts, breathing, water, food, exer-cise and rest you need requires “Functional Selfishness”. This is not our normal under-standing of the word which is usually born of fear, but rather a selfishness born of love. Loving yourself means meeting your inner-most fundamental needs - your core values - without compromise. Once your core val-ues are identified and met, you’ll naturally begin to realign your relationships - not only to yourself, but to everything in your life. At that point you will be well along the path to lasting health and happiness.

Mike Fickling is a C.H.E.C.K. Exercise and Holistic Lifestyle Coach and co-owner of Progressive Fitness in West Ashley. If you have any questions in regards to this article, you can email Mike at [email protected], or check out their website at www.progressivefitnesscharleston.com.

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The

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Carolina Stepper is taking the gym outdoors with a new and growing fitness experience, the stepper bike. Set on a roller system, the stepper bike is effectively an elliptical machine on wheels.

“The big thing is that it’s low impact and you get to be outside,” says Claire Hart, the only stepper bike retailer in the Carolinas.

Providing a full body workout, the stepper bike is all about resistance, with eight challenging gears to choose from. The bike offers a great lower body workout, toning the calves, thighs and glute muscles as you ride. By adjusting the handle bars and leaning forward, you can work your shoulders, triceps and upper body muscles as well.

And not to fear, the stepper bike can easily keep up to speed with a normal bike, with average speeds ranging from 10 to 25 mph.

Because of its low impact, the stepper bike is a great option for people recovering from injuries. It’s easy on the joints and is known to provide relief for those suffering from knee, foot, back, or hip problems. In fact,Hart was first introduced to the stepper bike during her rehabiltation from a car accident. She was amazed not only by her ability to keep weight off, but also the lack of back pain involved when using the bike.

The Carolina Stepper is an easy ride. “They’re great leisure bikes; you can take your time and use it as a mode of transportation,” Hart said. There’s no tread on the tires in order to enjoy a smoother ride. The stepper bike is ideal for the lowcountry terrain and rides along the beach, through county parks, the local West Ashley Greenway, or over the Ravenel Cooper River Bridge.

Stepper bikes provide a unique fitness experience, meeting the needs of both fitness connoisseurs and those just out for a leisurely ride.

If you would like to sample one of these bikes, please contact Carolina Stepper located in South Windermere Shopping Center, West Ashley, 843.637.9099.

By Caroline Kluttz

Photo by Caitlin Grant 27

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People are living longer than they ever have. We no longer reach the age of 65 and ‘re-tire’. We continue to work either out of fi-nancial or social need, or fill that time with another activity. As we age, we are acutely aware of our body not keeping up with our mind. We complain of aches and pains and a decreased ability to complete the tasks we used to do without a thought. What kind of quality of life are you going to experience over the course of your life? Are you pre-pared to stop golfing, playing tennis, travel-ing, or walking on the beach?

It is often while functioning in our daily activities that we become increasingly aware of sore arms, legs, neck and back. The occasional soreness after leisure activi-ties and recreational sports can progress to pain that prevents us from walking the dog. This pain is often ignored due to time constraints and the belief that the pain will just go away on its own. Citing the US De-partment of Health and Human Services Document Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (available at www.health.gov/PA Guidelines), one of the most effective ways to treat joint pain is through exercise and weight loss. But, where does one begin and to whom does one seek for advice? A licensed physical therapist (PT) is a quali-fied health care professional who is available to treat and provide you with research-sup-ported data to help you decrease your pain through exercise and weight loss. A PT can address those concerns related to pain quickly, get you started on a specific pro-gram and potentially avoid a break in your exercise regime. If exercise is not helping to improve the problem, we will have already gathered critical information that can then be provided to your physician. We work closely with your physicians to provide rel-evant and important written information about your progress in a timely manner. This contributes to an effective patient-doc-tor visit with time well spent on the primary problem.

If you have been receiving physical therapy treatment, upon completion of your treat-ment, we can show you how to incorporate additional exercises into your routine to start you on a total body program.

Achieving and maintaining good physical health is a balancing act. A well-rounded fitness routine incorporates aerobic and muscular fitness, flexibility, balance and good nutrition that may assist in decreas-ing pain as you age. Improving strength and endurance can enhance function in your daily lives; thus, allowing engagement in all your leisure activities for as long as possible throughout the life span. Physical Therapists can assist you in improving your

performance whether it is on the playing field or at home. Whatever your reason for wanting to take that next step to a healthier you, we know regular exercise and good nu-trition are instrumental in decreasing the incidence of disease and decreasing pain, all resulting in improved function. What have you got to lose?

Jennifer Wetzel is with Rehabilitation Cen-ters of Charleston. If you have any questions regarding this article, you can reach Jen-nifer at [email protected]. You can also visit RCC’s website at www.rcctherapy.com.

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Oblique Jan Feb 2010