Author Archives: Grandnat

Desert horseback rides – the best way to see such stunning scenery

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Her name was Kate. She had very strong but slender legs. And she loved it when I jumped on top of her and rode her hard for nearly three hours.

desert horseback rides

Before you get too excited I need to tell you that Kate was a horse. The part about the legs is true but for hard riding think more like gentle cantering with the occasional acceleration into a half hearted trot. In fact Kate was my patient steed on a lovely ride through the sun soaked Sonoran desert slightly north of Phoenix Arizona.

Todd Masden has been running Cave Creek Outfitters since 1993. He picked us up from the hotel and whisked us from the Four Seasons Hotel’s fake western surroundings into the reality of an authentic cowboy ranch. They won’t take your money until after the ride, “Only survivors pay,” Todd announced. You might have a moment of doubt when you sign the disclaimer, but Jed’s collection of ranch bred and rescue horses are very used to the unsure holiday rider.

Kate was a beautiful choice for my desert horseback ride

Once in the saddle, hands on the reigns and feet in the stirrups we ambled out into the desert stirring up a little dust in our wake. It was only 9am but the February sun, still winter even in the desert, was already a pleasantly hot 78 degrees.  Jack rabbits with ears longer than their bodies dashed excitedly across our path, and white cotton tailed bunnies sprinted from rock to rock. All around us the giant, majestic, statuesque Saguaro cactuses pointed their many spined arms up towards the cloudless blue sky. Incredible to think that some of these are over a thousand years old – having existed for twice as long as the whole history of the USA.

desert horseback rides

Kate was easy to control.  A little tug on the reigns would change her direction. She knew where she was going anyway.  Occasionally a little nudge with my heels would encourage a trot. But I am inexperienced in horseback riding and I often mistimed my bounce mid-trot. It can be painful. I should have worn thicker pants.

We ascended hills, ambled through rocky outcrops, and skirted around even more vicious looking cactuses. An occasional owl soared overhead, chipmunks darted for cover, and hawks circled looking for prey. We missed seeing the deer and bobcats which our guide assured us had been sighted by earlier riders.

desert horseback rides

Two hours in and my legs were screaming and my lower back beginning to ache. Nothing a little Yoga stretching wouldn’t cure though. Kate returned me safely to the ranch where Todd waited with water and transport home. “You’ve seen the desert the way it’s meant to me seen. From the back of a good horse,” he said as we left cowboy country behind knowing that one day we wanted to return for more.

desert horseback rides

Over to you: Please add a comment and tell me about your own experiences on horseback. Where do you go riding? Where is your favourite location to get into the saddle?

Yoga is good for you despite what the newspapers seem to think.

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The New York Times published an article with the sensational headline, “How Yoga Can Wreck your Body” at the beginning of January. Great timing when many people are looking to start a New Year with a determination to get fit. What a great way to put off anyone considering Yoga as their resolution. The article naturally caused outrage amongst Yoga teachers and many rebuttals have appeared since.

Yoga is good for you

On 29 Jan The Sunday Times published their own version. Since then I have seen Internet forums flooded with questions like, “Is yoga really safe?” or,  “Is Yoga dangerous?” People have even stayed behind after class to voice their concerns and seek advice.

Should they be worried? No – yoga is good for you but let’s be clear. Newspapers love sensational headlines. They also love to scare us. The Daily Mail is always running stories that one day claim something causes cancer and then next day that the same thing prevents cancer.

When you see a headline claiming that eating a certain type of food increases the chance of cancer by, say, 78% naturally you think that is a worrying figure. But they never publish the base statistic. If the incidence of that form of cancer is one in a million. Then a 78% increase means the incidence is still pretty close to one in a million. But it scares you none the less.

The Yoga article quotes 46 people who have suffered back problems, spinal issues and joint pain. Oh my God so every one should stop practicing Yoga immediately then, just in case. At the same time we should stop eating, drinking, going to the cinema, riding bikes, flying kites, taking dogs for walks, stroking cats, playing football and having sex. In fact curl up in a dark room and shut out the world.

There is risk associated with everything we do in life. And I mean everything. You may sprain your ankle running for the bus. You may trip and fall down the stairs and break your arm. It’s possible you might burn your hand severely whilst cooking your dinner.

Now consider what that 46 injuries really means in context. In the UK in 2010 nearly 2000 people died in car accidents. 22,600 were seriously injured. 184,000 were slightly injured. But newspapers don’t recommend you stop driving even though the fact remains that you are many more times more likely to be hurt driving to a Yoga class than you are to be hurt in one.

“Yoga is good for you.”

As long as you have a qualified teacher who gives you clear instructions, doesn’t over exert, extend or stretch you, then yoga will be of amazing benefit to your body’s strength and flexibility. Like any form of exercise take it at your own pace, grow in confidence, and enjoy it.

Don’t worry about what you read in the papers. Yoga is definitely, really good for you. Come along to a class and feel the benefits.

Over to you: If you are a yoga teacher what do you do to make your clients feel good, safe and confident? Are you a participant? Do you ever feel that yoga is not doing you some good?

6 Ways to sculpt your core with CXWorx

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I finally got to try CXWorx, the 30 minute core work out class recently launched in the UK by Les Mills the creators of Body Pump.

CXWorx for your core

Many clubs run classes sporting titles such as “Ab Attack” or “Core Extreme”. These too run for 30 minutes and feature endless sit ups and oblique curls. On paper CXWorx promises a similar experience but with the added Les Mills standard accompaniment of the hottest musical sounds from charts around the planet.

It is not the same believe me. The creators of this class have crammed much variety of exercise into the allotted time to work your core from every angle. You start by realising your core is not just the abs. As the instructor said, “What is your core? Well chop of your head, your arms and your legs and what is left is your core.”

So it includes the shoulders, the glutes, the obliques, and the muscular slings that criss-cross the body creating the X-shape of muscles referred to in the class’s title.

I was already tired having just taught a very busy Body Combat class but I promised myself I would stay as the CXWorx instructor came in. She started by giving out resistance tubes. There are three levels and I inadvertently chose the hardest one. They have handles because you need to hold on tight. Another optional extra is a weight plate.

We got started lying down on mats on the floor as the music kicked in.

  1. Warm Up: A rapid combination of leg extensions, crunches and oblique crunches. Even as early as this you learn the importance of a flat back against the floor and a strong belly and how easy it is to lose technique and arch the back. Don’t. It stops the exercises or from working.
  2. Core strength 1: Here come the hovers. This is tough stuff. The instructor introduces arm and leg movements but you have to keep the hover strong and centred. It only takes a few minutes for this to start burning.
  3. Standing strength 1: A series of lunges, squats and stretches using the resistance tubes and weight plate to heavily work the glutes and top half of the legs. I had started to shake by now.
  4. Standing strength 2: The resistance tube becomes more of a focus in this one. Range of movement is small but the tubes make it hurt. By now, only 20 minutes in, I am starting to struggle.
  5. Core strength 2: More hovers, side planks, and leg raises test you almost to the limit.
  6. Core strength 3: Lying on the belly or up on hands and knees, we finish with diagonal pointers, leg extensions, shoulder and leg raises with moves that tighten the butt. A few quick stretches and your half hour is over. And you feel elated but broken.

The people in the class were of all ages and all shapes. Judging by the moans and groans and pools of sweat, everyone was happy with their performance and would be feeling the results the following day.

“A great work out for your core.”

I loved the class. Will it take off all over the UK? I imagine there might be resistance initially from clubs. They won’t want to pay another licence fee when they can convince themselves that their PTs can produce a similar experience for free. I think ultimately their attitude might change as people hear about CXWorx through word of mouth.

So CXWorx is a great express workout, not at all sure about the name though.

Over to you: Have you tried CXWorx yet? How did you feel afterwards? Have you seen results in your core? Please leave a comment and let me know.

Can you turn your NY fitness resolution into a habit you won’t break?

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As a fitness instructor I love the New Year. Loaded with resolutions to get fit and to eat more healthily, people flock to the gym and classes are jammed packed full of people desperate to burn calories.

Old hands stand alongside new members and all of them give it 100%. I love the sounds of exertion. The moans and groans brought on my a particularly tough abs routine, or the pained looks as the leg conditioning phase seems to last forever. Faces become beetroot red. Sweat pours down and off the end of noses. And most satisfying of all, everyone looks happy if a little dishevelled.

Body Combat as part of your fitness resolution

The problem with resolutions is that they don’t last. By February the frequency of attendance starts to dwindle. Eagerness is replaced by complacency. Which is a shame. If only that January buzz could become a year long habit rather than a resolution to be broken after a few weeks. I will certainly try and motivate my clients to stick to the January habit. In fact I like the word habit much more than the word resolution.

Calorie burn is the main focus for members during this time. The desire to shed Christmas pounds is strong. But I also encourage adding a holistic session to the cardio blitz. That’s why I love to teach the Body Combat and Body Balance double. One hour of high energy, fat burning martial arts mayhem, followed by one hour of deep Yoga based stretching and strengthening exercises. This is the perfect combination for it promotes weight loss and improves flexibility.

“Turn a fitness resolution into a habit.”

So let’s turn a fitness resolution into a habit. Stick with it all year long and combine your breathless cardio work with some Yoga based exercise as well. Just wait until you see the results and I guarantee the January excitement will continue throughout the whole of the year.

body balance as part of your fitness resolution

Over to you: What are you doing to keep your resolutions this year? How do you stick with it when the temptation to lapse begins? Please leave a comment.