AT YOUR SIDE...private exerciseAT YOUR SIDE...private exercise

EZ Jump Rope_®








                 Okay, I know what you are probably thinking.
How silly to use a jump rope without the middle.  But that's my 77 year old client jumping and she's been going 60 secs!   Do you know how hard it would be for her to jump rope continuously for a minute with a regular jump rope?
Jumping rope is a hard sell for my women over 40.  "It's embarrassing", "It hurts  my knees",  "I'm not wearing the right bra"and not to  forget the old  "I don't want to jump rope because I have bladder issues!"  But, with these EZ jump ropes, I get them on board no problem.  Their feet don't even have to leave the ground to be effective.  Bouncing on a trampoline while coordinating arm spinning takes the heart rate up for  interval training and it is FUN!  No tripping over the middle and therefore, NO excuse for STOPPING!
And that's what it's all about.  Making clients feel good, successful and sessions that get your sweat on.


Lesley Goldberg
At Your Side Private Exercise
223 S. Robertson Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 275-5635
Www.AtYourSidePrivateExercise.com

Why not blog?  Everyone else is doing it.  But why would anyone bother reading mine?

For one, I don't make fitness videos or lend my image for fitness books. I have never been a reality T.V. star nor have I trained a celebrity on set for their big movie for that matter. My journey has been a simple one; an under the radar, consistent, predictable "journey".  Okay,  so I love to watch reality T.V. and I am using the word "journey".  Shoot me.

I have, however, been a card holding fitness professional for over 25 years, have trained hundreds of clients through thousands of workouts and for the last 23 years, my studio -At Your Side- has been a revolving door for dozens of personal trainers, some good, some terrible, all who start under my roof, build up their clientele and then move on to do any and or all combination of the above mentioned.

For those who don’t know me personally, you should know that although I am a personal trainer, I don’t let my bodyfat percentage run my life.  I exercise for about 30 minutes a couple times a week and the main reason that I do it is because after a few days of not exercising, I become grouchy, unfocused and feel like I can’t get anything else done.  But that’s just me.

I have a passion for my studio and want each client and trainer that enters leave with a better sense of well being than when they walked in. 

And to keep things fun and lite, I seek out and try new fitness products hence my studio has a lot of "toys".

Certainly all that must lend itself to earning me at least some "cred" in the business.  This blog is going to be my outlet, giving you the skinny on the fitness stuff I run across.  Will it be Cool? or Crap?  Who will get the final rose?  There I go again.

Stay tuned

Lesley Goldberg- Owner At Your Side Private Exercise

223 S. Robertson Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90211

       

I must be the only trainer who has never used a kettlebell.  I'll admit that I have not taken time to learn kettlebell moves or watched any of the many cranked out kettlebell DVDs.  I just can't get past thinking about how much it would hurt to get hit by one.  I know people who say they use them for their in home workouts however, with a ten year old kid who likes to play with my toys, all I can visualize if I had kettlebells at my house is having to replace mirrors.  But my clients get bored and I'm always on the look out for new creative ways to change up workout routines. So, with a moratorium on kettlebells, I had to search beyond.  Alas, for adding some fun, resistance, variety and something that won't dent the floor when you drop them.. look no further! 

In a word, Sandbells^®

   You can toss them in the air, or throw them on the ground! 

They are great looking and colorful too.  In my opinion, a much friendlier choice all around.
Here are some fun, functional exercises that you can do with weighted Sandbells^_®. 
Balance one on your head!   

  Rest them on your shoulders.     

  Toss 'em.           

  Oh, and pass them under your legs! 

Stack them, slide them, your kids can even play with them.

I love my SandBells_^®

                          

So my friend Tracy Metro, did this infomercial for the Teeter Hang Ups^_®. She believes in this piece so wholeheartedly that she sold her leg press to make room in her home gym for one!  Unfortunately, Tracy knows a lot about back injuries because currently, both her husband and her dad are suffering with terrible back pain.  P.S. I don't think Tracy will be upset with me for mentioning that because "Tracy" could be code for "insert your name here".  Right?  Anyway, back to the Teeter Hang Ups^_®.  Some of the Trainers and clients at my gym have been requesting an inversion table so today Tracy said I could come over and check it out and decide for myself what all the buzz was about.     Wheee!        I want one of these for my house!
 
Between blogging, updating facebook, linking in, yelping, checking Google analytics, and now twittering, I am sitting in front of a screen a few hours a day.  I now know first hand why 80% of the adult population has back pain.  All this screen time has my shoulders, neck and back completely cramping up.  I just want to stay like this for hours. 



















Maybe this is why the footprint of gyms are changing.  The stereotypical gyms loaded with heavy weights and traditional equipment are fading out and closing while the functional, creative workouts are moving in.  People are looking to get away from equipment with chairs and benches and are craving for more creative ways to workout and feel good.  Finally, vibe and service is trumping bells and whistles. Case in point: The sale of The Sports Club LA to Equinox. But hey, that's a whole other Oprah. 
Most Trainers get it too. Why lay on a mat and do boring, old, ineffective crunches when you can be doing something challenging, fun and cool like this?

Call it tradition.  Call it fun.  My girlfriends and I have been getting together to catch up, gossip and laugh for...wait for it...

28 years!   

The common need for us to connect in person every so often, grounds us. I feel extremely lucky to have the support of my girls.  But that's not what this blog is about.  It's the subplot rather, which is always the same story.  Can you guess? Yes, it's all about the FOOD.  We all bring FOOD! And we bring a lot of it!  My friends Lisa and Debby, who teach cooking classes, always whip up dishes making the FOOD not only plentiful but amazing.  Why do we gather and eat?  Easy.  When guys get together they drink, when women get together we EAT!
We don't need an excuse either by the way.  But let's call this one "Labor Day", the end of Summer, the last weekend before our kids finally go back to school.  I just called it CARBAgeddon!!
Here's lies a big problem with a bunch of my female clients.  Some women actually gain weight over the summer; a time when it's actually "bathing suit season" How backwards is that?  For years I have been searching for a simple Cure for Beating CARBAgeddon.  FOUND ONE ON LINE!  It is called the 11 day Diet for Idiots.  I did not name it that by the way.  It happens to be a very easy way to get your nutritional plan back on track.  It even squashed me and my husband's three bag a week potato chip habit.

When a client tells me that he or she has gained a few extra pounds or is eating out of control, I recommend this plan.  It only requires a two week commitment, you can choose your foods from a list of healthy foods, there is no calorie counting, you are required to eat 4 times a day and drink lots of water, you can also drink coffee (I wouldn't bother if you couldn't), and on the 12th, 13th,and 14th day you can eat pasta, potatoes, rice and dessert!

The basic principles of this plan are metabolic confusion and food combining.  There are plenty of fruits and vegetables, protein, nuts and dairy if you choose plus, there is NO BOOK to read.

The website spits out an eleven day meal by meal program for you.  Check it out on line!  Don't let carbs bring you down.  Personally, I would never give them up either.

Five Fingers^_® -Cool or Fool?

Seems like the jury is still out on these.  However over this past year, as far as fitness trends go, this one has really taken off in the trainer world.

The first person I ever saw wearing a pair of these amphibian looking shoes was teaching the TRX^_® training course I did 8 years ago.  I remember thinking that they were the oddest looking things I'd ever seen. Then I forgot about them.  Cut to early 2010,  I spy a trainer walking thru Beverly Hills wearing a bright blue pair of them. Hard to miss!  I assumed he was a trainer working at the high end Sports Club LA because A- he was leaving the Starbucks on North Beverly Drive and B- he was wearing a shirt that said "TRAINER" on the back.  Just as I am getting tired of my clients questioning me about those funky Shape-Ups^_® that Brook Burke is pitching BOOM! barefoot technology pops up on the scene.  What the #%*?  As a fitness trainer should I be recommending heavy, unstable, ankle twisting platform shoes or waterproof, pinkie toe engaging, feel the pebbles beneath your feet, glove like slippers? They are completely opposite in theory.  More pressing.....Which one's should I try?

Unfortunately for me, the Five Fingers^® booth at the IDEA fitness expo completely sold out of my size so getting a pair half off was not an option. They both cost about $100 but being that I had just dropped $450 for new orthodics, I was not psyched about buying either one. Curiosity was starting to get the best of me thus I began my investigation.

The results that the Shape Ups promise are compelling. Let's see, I want toned thighs and a shapely butt but I also have bi-lateral bunions and a fair amount of callus build up on my feet either from my maternal genetic gene pool or from years of gymnastics. Doesn't matter they are ugly and can be painful so if I can prevent my toes from developing further joint damage with a side of smoother, softer feet by going with barefoot technology, that definitely trumps my ass.

It wasn't until  I was two days into my vacation back East, when my sister-in-law mentioned to me that her trainer swears by the Five Fingers^®.  I made her take me to this store on route 17 to finally try a pair on. Now, I have been warned that  these shoes are hard to put on and take some getting used to but for me, trying them on actually triggered a hot flash!  After many tries, manipulation and frustration I finally got a pair on long enough to take a picture.  I just couldn't get past how uncomfortable they were and how weird they looked on my feet. Needless to say, I didn't buy them. Later that day, I was on my iPad, searching the internet for reviews and blogs about the Five Fingers^® when my daughter points out a pair and says, "Hey, Mr. Pratt wears lemur shoes!"  Hmm, he's the first "non trainer" person I've come across who wears them every day to teach his fourth grade class.  He claims that although he is not a runner, they have saved his knees and he loves wearing them. I'm thinking maybe I should give them another try.

Cut to a week into my vacation, I am back on Long Island relaxing when we got the news that Hurricane Irene was headed straight for... yup, you guessed it, Atlantic Beach!  So I did what any normal person would do; helped my cousins battened down the beach house and then went out shopping! Picked myself up a pair of Five Fingers.

"I wish I had pot them on today! Did I mention they are waterproof....!"

Have you ever said to yourself, "God, I wish I had thought of that."?  That's exactly what went through my mind 6 years ago when I took one of the first TRX_® certification courses.  The TRX_® straps are a brilliant execution of an old concept...the mens' rings.  Being a certified gym rat, I love the idea of merging fitness training and gymnastics.  The problem is that although most people cannot perform gymnastics moves, they will confess to aspire to having the agility and strength to move their body the way gymnasts can.  So, enter.. the TRX_® straps.  I use them for everyones' workout.  Even Irene who just turned 87 this year!  Whether I have a client do a stretch or a series of exercises, no one ever leaves my gym without doing something on the TRX station.  The straps are portable and truly live up to their tag line Fitness Anywhere^_®.  

I travel everywhere with my extra pair of TRX straps. They are light and fit into a groovy mesh bag.  Each summer, when in New York I'll show them off to any volunteer.  I can hook em up anywhere!  Here is a picture of me training my cousin on Atlantic Beach.  My cousin begged me to leave them at the beach house so I'll have to get myself another spare pair of straps.  Darn, wish I had developed this product because it is definetly COOL.

       

       

        

         

        

        

You've seen them.  I bet you either have one or you've at least tried one on and done the test.  I bought into this gimmick big time.  An expensive novelty item but, do they work? Who cares?  I bought 30 of them to hand out for the holidays last year. I got one for every trainer, client, immediate family member but no worries, I know a "dealer" so, it didn't cost me $29.99 each.  Ouch!

Oh, all the colors & sizes- I can completely relate to my daughter's silly band obsession!  I wanted every last one for my self.  I had to collect them all..

What is it about this jock jewelry that took the nation by storm?  There are even little kiosks at the malls still selling them.  We are not kids collecting silly bands.  We are educated adults.  Everyone knows that the bands have more superstitious power than actual scientific power.  Take my husband for instance.  Just recently, he asked me if I had any leftover bands stashed away at the gym.  The silver tag on his had started to peal back and silicone was leaking from it.   I actually didn't know that there was anything behind the stickers but apparently there is.  He doesn't need balance; he doesn't workout or play a sport.  But he does claim that since he put his on last Winter he has been working non stop and for the self -employed out there, you know that's something to be grateful for.  So, get this,  the day after he took it off he sat across the table from me and said in a sullen voice "I am done with all of my projects.  I have no work lined up for the foreseeable future."   Fortunately, I had two size small bands left- one black and one white!  Two days later, I hadn't even taken it out of my purse to give to him when wouldn't you believe?  He got a call for a big gig.  See how amazing the force and power of the band is?  Unfortunately, the bands are both small sizes.  Any takers?  I want to sell them and use the money to go buy him a size medium because $29.99 is a small price to pay for a working husband.