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STRONGCAMP Lynbrook Style

www.strongfitnessmag.com

I heard about STRONGCAMP events through Dacia Lucas, Ambassador & coordinator for STRONG camps. The events are backed by Strong Fitness Magazine , a ladies fitness magazine. The staff at the magazine is nothing but a ”positive vibe”. Circulated globally, the magazine has a strong presence in the US & Canada. I’ve been a subscriber for years.

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m always looking for a laugh. A dose of laughs while getting the endorphins rolling is my kind of event. There were lotsa laughs to be had at the Lynbrook camp. I’m glad I was welcomed at the inaugural event. I invited girls from my work, but everyone had plans & could not attend.

The 2 day camp was led by Ambassador Esmin Feliciano, & started with a ”meet & greet” on Friday night at the Rockville Center Hotel. I’ve frequented the hotel when in town for my job, & the service is top notch. Georgetta, the hotel manager, really took care to see that campers & other hotel guests had everything they needed (there were also bar mitzvah & wedding guests at the hotel the same weekend). Van service is reliable exclusively to the JFK airport, too.

A fabulous spread of food was setup for the Friday night meet & greet. Esmin was there to greet, along with Dacia Lucas. I saw lotsa familiar faces from the Suffield camp last September, too. Chief photographer, Paul Buceta www.PaulBuceta.com, was there as well. He’s a pro in his field, with a no-nonsense approach to business. I always learn something about the business from Paul, even if the “chatski” is only 5 minutes.

The first girls I met on Friday night were Sarah & Georgia, ’The Alchemy Fitness Girls”. They’re New Yorkers from Staten Island, & they were excited to tell me about their concept in fitness. Georgia, mother of 2 & fluent in Greek, & Sarah is a WBFF Pro former fitness competitor & occupational therapist. They both enjoy motivating ladies to be the best they can be at whatever they’re doing.

Blessed with 2 days of sunny skies, it just couldn’t have been better weather for the weekend set of events. We all met the first day at Greis Park, & set up to do the Zumba class with Lynn.

Lynn set the tone for the weekend, & “flipped the switch” with a fun class. Her tunes were upbeat, & she was an excellent teacher. I hadn’t done a Zumba class before, & definitely needed the instructions. It was a blast!

Paul was on the sidelines at the 50 yard line of the football field, to snap a few pictures. We weren’t paid to be there. We were there to get out of the house & mingle with like-minded ladies with a passion for fitness. As one instructor, Maria Gonzalez, mentioned later, ”if you live alone & don’t have work or family obligations, why not come out for the camaraderie?” She had a great point, as when you live alone, the countertops aren’t going to care if they get cleaned again, (haha).

photo by Paul Buceta copyrighted

Georgia & Sarah, the Alchemy Fitness girls, led the second class on day one. Their workouts are revved, with upbeat music, & I loved the way they taught, by alternating counts with each other on what we would do next. You could go at your own pace, & they had class details written on a board they displayed for everyone to see. (A syllabus of your ”butt kick”, so-to-speak.). Check them out on Instagram at @Alchemy_Fitness.

After lunch, we headed over to do a kickboxing class with Maria. She’s a great instructor, with lots of energy.

Later, Nicole would teach a class on stretching, & also gave tips to us on how to avoid incontinence when aging. Nicole was very down-to-earth, & could easily relate to any issue with positive advice.

Day 1 was capped off with a yoga class taught by Jaclyn, a recent covergirl on Strong Fitness Magazine. She would also give nutrition tips on day 2.

The whole class on day 1, Greis Park.

Maureen, ”mid-move” in Zumba

Brooks Adrenalines shoes

On Sunday, we would all meet over at Proficient Sports Training (www.ProficientSportsTraining.com) gym. The gym is owned by retired NFL defensive back, Donny Brady. I took a Lyft ride over to his gym a scoche early to get a few pics, as i knew I was going to do a blog. I was greeted by Donny, & his wife (who had an angelic face & was just as sweet). They were glad to show me around, & i loved the positive quotes on his gym walls.

Donny mentioned his goal now is to train kids, & be a positive influence with his ”Body by Brady Bootcamp” concept. He is from Bellmore, Long Island, NY & went into the NFL at a young age. While we were there, 2 kids were training in the other area doing intervals.

Donny taught us a few drills, and brought back high school memories for me with the “six inch killers” (raising your legs six inches off the ground & holding the feet there a few minutes). We would do leg raises, scissor kicks, deadlifts & plank holds, too. I pretended I was in the NFL draft, & had a good time laughing.

After Donny & his wife left, we spent another hour or 2 doing some more drill work led by Dacia. I enjoyed the class, & went down to train next to Betty. She was an animal. At over 70+, she was doing full pushups on a ladder sequence, mixed in with running back & forth to a cone, & 2 lunges each trip. I loved the energy, & came up ”a tad weak” on upper body strength. I decided I’m going to work on upper arm strength for the next camp in doing some pushups.

After the final workout, we chatted with Jaclyn on nutrition. She gave advice to get plenty of protein a day, as well as answered various questions.

We capped the day off with lunch at Valley Stream Park. Esmin thanked us all for attending her camp & passed out gifts to the Ambassadors who taught, & drew names for some other prizes.

Special thanks to OutworkNutrition.com, a camp sponsor. They have a fabulous whey protein supplement, ”Build”, which has 120 calories per scoop, & 25 grams of protein. Thanks too, to Proficient Sports Training, for lending their gym a few hours, & sponsor Grounds and Hounds Coffee, (www.groundsandhoundscoffee.com), who sends a percentage of their profits to rescue pets.

I hope you find my blog inspirational, & remember, YOU are FABULOUS. 😀

#STRONGCAMPLynbrookNY #FitnessNewYork #FitnessCampLongIsland #WorkoutsForLadies #LadiesFitnessClasses #YogaStretchingBootCamp #ZumbaClassesNewYork #ProficientSportsTrainingGym #BrooksAdrenalinesRunningShoes #BrooksRunningFitnessShoes #CaliaPurpleFitnessTights #UnderArmourTurquoiseTights #OutworkNutrition #StrongFitnessMagazine #LadiesFitnessMagazine #GroundsAndHoundsCoffee #FitnessOver50 #FitnessAllAges #FitnessOver20 #FitnessOver30 #FitnessOver40 #FitnessOver60 #FitnessOver70 #GreisParkNewYork #ValleyStreamParkNY

STRONGCAMP Suffield Style

www.StrongFitnessMagazine.com

Any fitness enthusiast would understand you might want to go check out a fitness camp on your vacation or off day. I’ve met so many enthusiastic people over the years, & I’m always up for a norepinephrine surge.

I had crossed paths with 2 ladies, Esmin Feliciano, & Dacia Lucas. I’d see occasional posts pop up on fitness or goals, and am always up for a good laugh. These two produce both a positive vibe and welcoming manner. When they invited me up to CT for the camp. I had to see if I could get my schedule to accommodate it. When I got my schedule swapped, I told some friends I was going, and invited a work friends, & a few others I’ve crossed paths with that I thought might like it.

Sometimes I feel I annoy people with my energy on fitness, so I didn’t ask every friend. (I just didn’t want to drive anyone up the wall). Unfortunately, everyone was tied up that weekend, & “the pack” in Suffield said they could come next year.

The camp itself was very well organized. The magazine that supports the project, Strong Fitness Magazine, is out of Canada. Ambassador for this project in CT is Dacia Lucas.

I was unsure if the issues around Covid were going to allow anyone from Canada (or the magazine) to be in Connecticut.

Gyms in Canada were shut down a whole year. Ireland was nailed to the wall, too, (with gym shutdowns and much more). If you’ve put your life savings into a gym, restaurant , bar or anything else, we all know that’s a “double heinous” storm to weather.. I am remaining hopeful the worst is behind us. I had already cut spending & was preparing for what could be darker times when Covid shutdowns hit.



The event in Suffield was nothing but “positive fabulous”. I walked into the lobby of the hotel right before the meet and greet. Dacia was there chatting with a few girls & such a scream that she thought I was going to be shorter in person ((I’m close to 5’7” without heels).

The meet and greet was great, with a spread of clean eats, eats to enjoy and hard & soft spirits to drink. I met so many fun ladies. A grandmother from Rhode Island, a border patrol officer from upstate NY, a CT police officer & grandmother (whose daughter runs a hair salon with friends), a yoga instructor & fitness trainer mom who runs her own studio in the Midwest ( & will be doing a upcoming Strong Camp ), a couple of nurses, a IBFF pro athlete & grandmother, and so many more. (I hope they’re all there next year).

Lunch for the entire group on day 1 was donated by retired USAF pilot, Chris Bigelow, widower to a STRONGCAMPER who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. We enjoyed having him there and were all very grateful for a nice lunch.

The camp on day 1 ran till 4:30, with breaks for water, lunch and the restroom. The gym, Suffield Fitness Factory, (@Suffieldfitnessfactory) was spotless. Not a speck of dirt on any mat, and restrooms were spotless, too. Hand sanitizers were all around each wall, I noticed fresh paint (or crisp appearance) on the walls, too. Digital clocks were around.

Sponsors included J Dog Junk Removal, Westfield, MA (@Jdogwestfield), Beth Reale Foundation, (@thebethrealefoundation), Popover Bakery & Bistro, Simsbury, CT (@popoversimabury), Good Wipes @goodwipes, American Dream Nut Butter, @americandreamnutbutter, Froning Farms @froningfarms, Curves & Combat Boots @crvs.apparel, Shrewd Food @shrewdfoodco

Dacia was very creative in things to do at the camp She had use blindfolds on one exercise for the length of time that NY & NJ firemen were going up the towers. This would a simulate the conditions that were dark, & it was to commemorate 9/11. (This Strong Camp event was being held on 9/11). While we were blindfolded, we held the plank and held a contest to see who could go the longest. I was a tad “weak in the abs” and shut it down after about 5 minutes. Several ladies held it for 10 minutes and there were 2 girls who went over 20 minutes with the plank. (There we’re roughly 40 ladies in attendance). I was amazed and excited they did it (as well as the rest of the crew).

The next class we did was “Pound”. I had never tried a pound class, and had a ball. Everyone grabbed drumsticks and we headed outside to get a mat, and while “jamming” to rock, pop and R&B songs, we beat the mat with drumsticks while doing lunges or kicks. I was a tad worried on my coordination as I wanted to stay in line with the gang. It was a fabulous rehash & memory of my aerobics days at Exercise Studio South (in my teens) in Jacksonville, FL, or Bally Health & Fitness, (n my college days), in Orlando. (I did high impact aerobics in the 80’s & 90’s )

I hadn’t ever done a kickboxing class, either, so that was another first at the camp, too. (With such an energetic instructor, & well organized music). I was going “broad range” and tried not to mess up kicks.

Other forms of fitness included flipping tractor tires, pushing vehicles in pairs of 2 or 3, and handstands up against trucks. I was cracking up at 2 ladies who kept it going. I passed on doing the handstands, and maybe I’ll do that next year.

Paul Buceta, chief photographer Strong Fitness Magazine was there. I had met Paul and his wife Kim up in Toronto back in 2019. His studio there in Canada is amazing, with natural and studio lighting & it all comes with a sense of humor to go along with getting pics done well. I didn’t know he was going to be “shooting film” specifically with the camp, but was so happy we had a sunny day. If it had been raining, the pound class wouldn’t have happened outside and that’s the picture the mag used of me. It’s so very special. I’m extremely grateful to be in the magazine. It’ll be framed when I have time, and hung on my office next to pictures of NYC Marathon Founder, George Hirsch, The Gronkowski’s, & ‘68 Boston Marathon winner Amby Burfoot, & #IronStrength founder, Jordan Metzl, MD.

I’m retired from most of my modeling ventures and used to hate it when people would ask me what I was paid (when I did work on any paid campaigns). My response was always “I don’t discuss rates”. The last paid campaign I worked was back in 2019, in my hometown in FL. My agent, Vicki Foley, got me the job. I was not paid for the Suffield event in CT. I was there at the STRONGCAMP primarily to mingle & workout. It’s my pleasure to promote anything for this camp, free on gratis.

I was happy to see Paul working in the United States again. I still do photo shoots now and then to stay motivated to train in the gym. Fitness brings work to the US. Most people want to work with people who have positive energy,. Paul is a positive vibe. He flies to many states for photo shoot jobs, marketing at expos , & continues the “octane overdrive” legacy that the late Robert Kennedy (founder of Oxygen Magazine), set rolling years ago. Robert worked on projects with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and knew Jack Lalanne, too. . Robert had hysterical editorials (and a clear cut description to his way of fitness and running his magazine). I never met Robert in person, but I used to always read his editorials and laugh. Paul knew Robert when Robert ran events in LA & Vegas & said he brought lotsa work to the US.. The stories are a scream. Paul & I didn’t have enough time to chat at the CT camp, but I hope to at the next round.


Next years CT camp will be as much a blast as this years. I’m hoping a gym in FL will take interest in a STRONGCAMP.

May your skies be blue, your pastures stay green & your outlook stay positive. Come see a Strong Fitness camp someplace near you, or organize your own STRONGCAMP in your hometown with the magazine. (Contacts for this are listed in the magazine).

To buy a magazine at a retailer, check large chain grocery stores such as Publix (@Publix), Whole Foods, or Barnes & Noble bookstore. You can always check online, too.

#StrongCampSuffieldConnecticut #gymfitnesstraining #StrongFitnessMagazineCanada #workhardlaughharder #SuffieldFitnessFactory #JDogJunkRemoval #BethRealeFoundation #PopoverBakeryBistro #GoodWipesSuffieldConnecticut #AmericanDreamNutButter #FroningFarms #CurvesAndCombatBoots #ShrewdFood #kickboxingclasses #WeightAndFitnessTraining

Jumam

www.Jumam.NL

Motto: Natural Hair Solutions for a healthy life style

Shampoos and conditioners, there are so many. It’s something that we use everyday, and what makes this one so special? It’s a product that’s paraben-free, alcohol-free, PEG-free, sulfate-free & fragrance free.

Key ingredients in Jumam hair products are: Nettle, Basil, Rosemary, Watercress, Culantrillo, Avocado Oil, Macademia Oil & MACA. All of these organic extracts are harvested in the mountains of the South American Andes, (average altitude of 2,500 meters = 8,202 feet). Extracts are from the Andes, where climatological/weather conditions in the high Andes (and in the Amazon region) and offer a very fertile, & rich soil filled with minerals, (not available in other parts of the world). As a result, these selected plant extracts contain a high concentration of vitamins, nutrients, & antioxidants. The vitamins are : A, B, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, D, E, & K. The minerals in the product are: calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulphur, folic acid, protein, & phosphorus. Other trace natural elements include manganese, iron, zinc, copper & selenium.

All of the ingredients in all four formulations have been researched,, tested & designed in cooperation with the Laboratory JUMAM of Lima, Peru, & using the data base of the Environmental Work Group based in Seattle, WA. (www.ewg.org/skindeep). I have color treated hair, and have enjoyed having a product that is “putting oil back into my hair”. For long hair, you will need the size of a quarter for the shampoo & conditioner. For short hair, about the size of a dime for shampoo and a varied amount for conditioner.

I’ve been extremely happy with the products. I purchased all four products, with shampoo priced between euro 10,99- euro 14,99, and can be found online at Dutch website www.Jumam.NL or if you live in the Netherlands, on drugstore shelves at Da Drogist (@dadrogist on Instagram).

You’ll see a shine in your hair. You’ll love the product:-)

#HerbalHairCareProducts #DutchHerbalHairCare #ParabenFreeHairProducts #AlcoholFreeShampoo #fragranceFreeHairProduct #NettleBasilRosemaryShampoo #WatercressCulantrilloAvocadoOilHairCare #MacadamiaOilMACAHairCare #PeruvianHairProduct

Product Founder Gustavo (Gus) Seminario, find him on LinkedIn.

Iris Davis

It was a clear day with a full moon to follow in Orlando, Florida on Halloween. I took a drive down from Jacksonville to meet Iris Davis. Iris is a 76 year old bodybuilding competitor. The #MidFloridaClassic was being held at the Rosen Hotel & Conference center.


Iris & I crossed paths on social media sometime within the last few months.* I was inspired by her energy & enthusiasm. My Dad lives in South Carolina, as well as Iris, and I’m guessing that’s why the algorithms worked as they did when I was on social media during one visit there. During the onset of Covid, I was in SC every weekend from Florida seeing family.

Iris is a native of Dublin, Ireland. She was working at a young age of 14 there, in a sewing factory making 1.50 a week. She married at age 17, & later gave birth at age 18. Tragically, her 1st baby died at the age of 2 months of SIDS, (Sudden Infant death syndrome). Her husband was a Trinity college grad, & after the death of their child they moved to the U.K..

She started walking to combat depression & took up lifting weights at age 22. In the U.K. there were no gyms, & only men worked out with weights. Iris started mirroring their workout routines, & now jokes that back then no one (including the men) really knew what they were doing. Nothing was structured into reps or sets, you just showed up at a pit to train.


Her first husband passed away at a young age and Iris moved to the United States from the United Kingdom and became a nanny. It was a job she enjoyed & she moved to California. Most anyone will tell you California is one of the havens of fitness in the US.


Fast forward to age 39 where she would meet her husband Bob in California. He was 23 then. Iris moved back to the U.K. at age 40, and Bob couldn’t stand her absence & flew over to the U.K. to be near Iris. They would later marry and relocate back to California & have been married over 36 years. They now reside in South Carolina.

In California, Iris did a number of things in fitness from walking, lifting weights to running. At age 47, she was bedridden with encephalitis for 2 years. Can you imagine? She emerged stronger than ever, & hit the gym even harder. Why train so hard and stay so dedicated? Iris said she does this to combat depression & uses fitness as her medication. There’s no stigma with needing any medication or counseling, Iris just prefers to train & motivate clients & said that keeps depression away.

In 1994, at age 50, she entered her first bodybuilding competition & placed 2nd. Iris uses no supplements, takes no steroids or body enhancing substances & is all natural. She doesn’t count macros, calories, fat grams or protein grams. Her diet consists of a clean variety of mostly the following items : cabbage, broccoli, sweet potatoes & chicken. She said when she’s being strict, she’ll take all of those ingredients combined, make an enormous portion with a chicken, and eat it everyday. (This reminded me of the late Robert Kennedy, who was a Canadian fitness pioneer that once wrote an editorial on sticking to 7 essential foods when eating clean. Oh how I miss his funny editorials in Oxygen Magazine. Bob’s widow Tosca Reno is still a writer & puts out books on the subject, as well.

For contest prep, there are no cheat meals for Iris. She starts 9 weeks from contest date, eats a solely clean diet & consumes only water. For the #MidFloridaClassic, she started 9 weeks out at 109 pounds, lost a pound a week and weighed in on contest day at 100 lbs.. Iris is 5’1”.



Like many a retired pro athlete, Iris loves to train & does so to the tune of 3-4 hours a day. This includes weight training & cardio, and she runs a personal training studio out of her house & will train along with her clients. This isn’t uncommon, as many retired pro athletes or retirees at Lodgemember.com will train this hard as well. What is unique with Iris is at 76 she does it with a crystal clean diet. Iris mentioned she does high reps and lower weights to stay lean.



She said she was entered in women aged over 40, 50 & 70 in bodybuilding, and only knew those poses. For categories in figure, bikini or wellness, she said she’s unfamiliar with most poses.


I did a quick video before the contest & took a few pictures. While in the lobby, we were greeted by radio personality Lisa Vasquez who came up from St. Petersburg, Florida to interview Iris.


Such an inspiration, & worth the drive to meet her. I laughed more than once at her antics, and look forward to reading about what Iris’ next adventure will be.

*All of my social media platforms were shutdown in 2022, after a bad hack. Some blogs were destroyed during the hack.

Your Health: Today and Every Day

guest article by: Jennifer McGregor

Summer is in full swing, and it’s the time of year when people suddenly begin to pay particular attention to their bodies. From heading to the tanning bed to crash dieting, we tend to get a little overzealous when it comes to our physical appearance come summer. The truth is, it is always in our best interest to stay on top of our health no matter the season. Doing so not only increases your lifespan but also ensures you look your best during the time of year when swimsuits are the outfit of choice.

Go to bed on time

It’s only natural to want to adjust your schedule to follow the sun. But you should still strive to get at least seven hours (minimum!) of sleep each night all year long. Many experts assert that sleep is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It is essentially your body’s time to reboot and repair all of the wear and tear you’ve experienced that day.

Don’t give up on vacation

If you don’t have a vacation planned, you should. Spending time with family is great for your mental health, and taking a break from work can actually help you return more prepared to tackle any issues that you’ve been struggling with. But, this is not the time to break the healthy habits you already have in place. 

One way to stay on track is to book a private vacation rental. This will give you a chance to cook your own meals and have better access to fitness and recreational opportunities (just be sure to book your stay accordingly).

Eat breakfast

According to Popular Science, the jury is out on when you should eat breakfast. However, the fact that you should eat a balanced meal to break your overnight fast is not up for debate. Pay close attention to your schedule and make a point to plan your dining habits in a way that best suit your personal needs and preferences. Keep in mind that if you are diabetic or need to manage your weight, breakfast should be your largest meal of the day.

Learn to relax

Summer tends to be all go and no slow, but being constantly on the move isn’t always in your best interest. Let yourself wind down every now and then. Spend a day each week lounging by the pool or, better yet, on the massage table. An hour of therapeutic massage can boost your mood, relieve muscle soreness, and even kick your immune system into high gear. A massage is the perfect gift for yourself. 

Move

While you do need to relax, you also need to move with purpose. But, you don’t have to hit the gym for hours each day to make physical activity a habit. Although your body expends energy even when you’re at rest, it’s much more efficient at burning calories when you are not. But even more important than burning calories, physical activity is good for your heart, lungs, and brain. When you move, you strengthen yourself from the inside out, which is important if you plan to live a long and healthy life. 

Plan to do something each day that gets your heart rate up. This could be dancing, playing with the kids, or even cleaning your house. If none of those activities pique your interests, NerdFitness.com has 40 more ideas that might. Even less strenuous activities, such as yoga, have many health benefits. As an added bonus, yoga can help you relax and destress, which will have an amazing effect on your overall mental wellness.

Protect Your Mental Health

Believe it or not, your mental health has a significant impact on your physical health. And for overall wellness, your mental health should also be a priority. This is where self-care comes in. While the points listed above all count as self-care methods, there are other ways to ensure you get the care you need inside and out. This can be in the form of meditating, journaling, practicing yoga or working on your spiritual health. From an external perspective, self-care can include removing negative energy from your home, keeping your living space clean and uncluttered, and surrounding yourself with decor and lighting that makes your home a serene environment. 

In general, the point is that a knee-jerk reaction to summer is not what you need. If you want to be truly healthy, you have to make yourself a priority the entire year, and recommit to yourself every morning. So get a good night’s sleep, eat well, exercise and practice self-care.

Hair and Makeup with Renee

by Beth Adair

A talented makeup artist can make all the difference in the world to your next head shot or photo shoot.  I wanted to get a few shots in fairly “natural looking” makeup, for a “business look”, & that would also show up in pictures.  In Jacksonville, Renee Parenteau is a fabulous contact.

I had first met Renee when working on a photo shoot with the late Paul Figura back in 2011.  Paul was locally known, well liked, & had worked with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Paul had accounts out-of-state with goals in commercial work. In 2011.   I was eagerly trying then to get the attention of a fitness magazine staff & wanted unedited shots to send to them.   (In hopes of getting picked up on a potential project, later on). Paul came highly recommended by Chris Condon, a friend from high school, & photographer for the PGA tour.

It was an incredible gift, as I worked with Paul free on spec.  Sometimes you won’t know where or why you’ll get such nice favors by photographers, but I am always grateful.  Paul talked about his 2 kids the whole shoot.

I didn’t even have to explain to Renee what I was looking for, a “sport” look as she already knew & had already done work out in Los Angeles.  I showed at her studio before the crack of dawn, so we could be Paul’s studio by 7 am.  I had always been trained in college to show with clean hair and no makeup on, so that’s how I arrived.

The look was perfect.  A natural “sporty look”, & using mostly muted shades, with lash extensions.  On any given day at the gym, you will find me with mascara or lipstick.  I’ve been known to show at marathons with a full face of makeup (something not always understood by other runners).

Years later, I’d cross paths with Renee again, and she was just as fun to work with.  Her studio had transitioned to both makeup and still shot photography.  I needed a few head shot looks for my professional profile.   I got some in a suit, and a “housewife look” in a denim shirt.

 

My agent and I met later that month and we reviewed pictures.  She commented that Renee did great work.   I hope if your travels bring you to Jacksonville, you’ll add Renee to your list of contacts for make up.

Renee works in the Jacksonville, Florida area.  Contact her at reneeparenteauphoto.com.   The headshot below was taken in 2017.  Renee did hair, makeup & photography that day.

 

#JacksonvilleFloridaSeniorModel #JacksonvilleMakeupArtist #ReneeParenteauphotoMakeup #JacksonvilleFloridaMakeupArtist #FloridaPhotographerMakeup #StJohnsRiverStillshot 

muycerdas milfster

 

Israel by the Seat of my Pants

I first got notice of the running conference in Israel, when I was looking on Dr. Metzl’s site for events in New York City. I sometimes try to get to his events, & if they fit my schedule, I sign up. I was looking into 2019, & he had planned a conference with Ron Golan, MD, and several other doctors in Israel.

 

I’m a flight attendant, and more than once I’ve joked, “I’m not flying solely for my health”.   I checked loads to see if there were standby seats available. It was a miracle, there were.  Tel Aviv goes out full, most of the time, and even to work the trip at my seniority of 27 years, it’s not a “cake walk” to get the trip.

For work into 2019, I wanted to bring all kinds of good luck. So, I picked up a work trip to Dublin, Ireland that would be flying back on New Year’s eve.  I planned to change after I landed & go straight to Israel from there, landing in Tel Aviv on the 1st.

The flight departed on time, and late in the evening.  It leaves nearly at midnight & was a long flight over 9 hours. I didn’t know it until I got there, but two of my friends were working as purser and B-coordinator. That’s flight attendant jargon for lead positions over both coach and business cabins. Both men work extremely hard.  Ruslan and Markus, and it’s always a pleasure to see them both.   I brought candy too, from Ireland, for the crew. I opted out of food on the flight, and just slept the whole way over.  I did wake up once, and had a cup of tea, and then back to the seat for the rest of the flight.

Pulling into Tel Aviv was a trip. I’d never been. I don’t know a lick of Hebrew.   I was a touch nervous,  at first, that I’d have a language barrier issue. When I got to the customs agent, he spoke perfect English. He wasn’t messing around though. He wanted to know details about where I was going in Israel, and who I’d be seeing. I even had to pull out race information on Tiberias, and the conference information on Jordan’s website for him to see.  I also had to explain that I’d be going to Jerusalem after the conference. Fortunately, he didn’t ask too many details about my time in Jerusalem, as I was “winging” most of my time there.   (I had planned to set up tours when I got to Tiberias).  I’m not generally a person for tours, as in most of my travels  I’ve seen “on my own”,  (so to speak). but for Israel, I knew I needed help.  There was going to be no way to cram in everything in two days without a tour, and I needed help getting into Palestine.  With a tour, it’s just easier.  

I found places to stay in Tiberias and in Jerusalem off of Airbnb.  The rental car I found off of rentalcars.com. I got the insurance in Israel for the car. ( I do the same thing when I go to Ireland).  

Landing there, it was 5:30 pm and we landed early. I got to the line for the rental car after customs clearance and just loved chatting with them. They did say point blank, not to take a car with Israeli car tags into Palestine, and don’t get lost, either. Thank God for Waze. I don’t know what I’d have done without the Waze app. Before leaving the US, Ron Golan, one of the doctors at the conference, said via email to be sure to have Waze, backups for it and etc.. With all of the bad press on TV and the issues with the Gaza strip, I figured the guys on the border wouldn’t have a sense of humor and a woman wouldn’t be welcomed at all in many of the places there. (I already knew you lost your rights as a woman if you step foot into Iran, and was not sure on the other parts of the Middle East). I had to take things a bit more seriously than my usual “fly by the seat of the pants”, even though in some fashion, I still was.

I withdrew 100.00 dollars worth of Shekels from the airport ATM to have local currency.    I’d use a credit card for other purchases.  The drive from the Tel Aviv airport to Tiberias was 2 hours. It was dark, and I had to make one stop at a convenience store after getting off of Yitzhak Rabin highway.  The guys there didn’t speak much English, and looked at me like I was from outer space, so I decided I was definitely “from outer space” and hurried with my drink purchase.

The condo I was going to for three nights was off of the Sea of Galilee and about a 15 minute drive from the hospital in Tiberias where the conference was located. The whole time I was driving, I was thinking, “this is a trip”.

I got into Tiberias and had issues with getting into the condo. I found it, but had to eventually call the owners, as it was impossible to communicate further through email.  I needed help retrieving the key.   They fortunately spoke enough English on the phone,  and a nice lady greeted me with a hug and a key to the condo.  She gave me the tour of the condo (in broken English) of where the hot water heater button was, how to turn on the heat and how to get the electonic blinds open. I had a radical view of the Sea of Galilee. Two mornings I had coffee in my room, with the blinds open to see the water.  It was too cold to sit outside, least for me this trip.    One night a storm blew in and it was a relaxing view to watch.

The first day of Jordan’s conference was my favorite.  Greeters were happy to help me.   I sat far off to the right of the auditorium, & was greeted by a few local runners and store owners that knew English as a second language. Seeing Jordan is always a pleasure. He and his travel companion showed about 20 minutes after me and then Ron, Jordan’s friend, was there a few minutes later.  It was fun to hear Jordan pick on Ron.  “There ‘s a picture of the very young Ronnie”.    Had I been “Ronnie”, I would’ve played along, with a poke or two on something.

The first half of the conference was in both Hebrew and English and they had headsets for translation. I appreciated this. A few students had shared their thesis information in their speeches proving the benefits of running.  Other information I tuned out as I had realized I needed to get tours booked.   Before cutting out at 2 pm, I passed along  to Jordan to share, about 8 Chocolate Whiskey candy bars from Ireland. It’s good luck and good fortune to have anything from Ireland.   I wanted to do this for good luck in the New Year.

The second half of the first day, I had to leave. I’d received an email from the owner of the condo in Jerusalem (where I’d be staying a couple of days later) and realized I needed to plan my tours in advance. He had great advice I was glad I took. He also said that when I left Tiberias on Friday, I’d need to be there before sundown and sabbath start, as he’d be entirely out of contact with me or anyone else.  I knew it was probably serious, being sabbath in Israel.  I got the tours booked after a couple of hours.  I did it all from my phone.  I made sure I got to town before sabbath start.

The second conference day was fun, too. It was only half a day and I chatted a bit more with peeps. I caught up with Jordan and Ron before leaving, and met a couple from a nearby town. I decided too, I’d check out the local gym, @Olympus_tiberias. on Thursday night. I had a photo shoot in Canada scheduled two weeks after the conference and needed a weight room. It was great to meet the gym peeps. The owner charged the US equiv to 13.00 per day for use of his gym.  He invited me to the fitness class they had upstairs. So sweet, but I had to opt out, as I just needed an hour of weights.

I left Tiberias the next morning at 11 and jammed to local radio all the way to Jerusalem.    On the drive over, I still saw race peeps though I didn’t do the race.  I stopped at a gas station between Tiberias and Jerusalem and there was a race participant in the gas station getting water.  Given I walked in the convenience store and had questions about the gas pump, and being as I wasn’t dressed in what I assume was normal (skinny jeans and ankle high boots with a sweater and a scarf), my welcome wasn’t very warm.  I didn’t chat up the racer, or anyone else in the store.   I paid and got out quickly.  There was also a line to the gas pumps and I didn’t want to miff anyone off making them wait.

I read signs in English, fortunately, and it was a sunny day. When I got to Jerusalem, it was easier getting into the condo there. I followed all of the codes and texted the owner that the blow dryer was missing. I had the keys to the condo and realized I needed to get to the grocery store, as stores were already closing down at 3:30 and I’d have no food.  I quickly googled grocery stores and the only one still opened until 4:30 was 15 minutes away.  When I got to the store, I had to do a power shop in 15 minutes.  They were already packing up early.  Oatmeal, omelet makings, peanut butter, salad materials and packaged turkey.   I was set.

My first day on the tour, I’d planned Masada and the Dead Sea. It was a sunny day and one of the only ones with a warmer forecast that week. I had planned to get in the water in the Dead Sea. The tour was well worth it. I was picked up at the Crowne Plaza lobby by the tour van that had my name. I parked the rental car along the street and walked over. The day was great. I met people from the US, Germany and Russia. There were some hysterical students from Rutgers on another van, too.  They were at the Dead Sea doing film retakes of themselves.  Just a riot.   I was the most entertained by this as they were laughing saying, “no, no, we have to film like this”.

The surface of the Dead Sea was concrete hard, and jagged. It hurt to walk along it in bare feet. I had walked to the receeding water line from the spa and got in the water. The van driver said only one bacteria could grow in the water, but nothing else survived the high salt content. The views of Masada, a camp which was a retreat and safe haven to about 1,000 Jews was high up and they had a nice set up. The views were incredible. I was with a tour group and we had to go by cable car, but had I’d been solo, I’d have done the hike up Masada by foot. You could see the Dead Sea in view from Masada and everywhere else was desert. My phone said “welcome to Jordan” when I pulled into the lot with the tour group. So many machine gun guarded checkpoints, it made my van tour plan even more worth the money.

The next day was tour of the holy lands.  I parked the rental car at the exact same place.  Because it was Sunday, and there a normal workday, I got back with a parking ticket to worry over later.  There were no signs, nothing to indicate I wasn’t allowed to park there.  From what I gathered, I had parked in front of a condo that had rights to the spots.  I could’ve as easily shown up to no car, and a towing bill and God knows what else, so I got over the parking ticket in about 10 minutes.  The drive from the Crowne plaza was around a traffic circle that went back to the expressway and each time I passed a bridge that so resembled a Santiago Calatrava bridge I’d seen in Ireland called the Samuel Beckett Bridge (or locally known there as the Harp bridge).  When I got back to the condo in Jerusalem, I googled the bridges in Israel.  Sure enough, the design was what I had recognized, a Calatrava creation and called “the Chords” Bridge.  I instantly thought I was cool.  I had recognized two bridges by the same guy in two different countries.

 

On the tour of the holy lands, the first stop was to see the view of the Mount of Olives.  We drove around the city a bit and went straight to a lot where we’d change vans to enter Bethlehem.  The drivers explained that it might’ve seemed crazy, but it would save hassles, as with an Israeli tag, we’d likely get stopped, everyone would be questioned and possibly even have to prove where we were from with our passports.  I was glad to change vans.  In my youth, I was a bit more fearless, but even at that age, I wouldn’t have fooled with crossing territories in a foreign country.  If you foul up in a foreign country, you’re at their mercy.

It was a very windy and sunny day.  We walked from a cobblestoned road into town to the small door where we’d enter to see where Jesus was born.  Once we got there, we waited a short time to descend down steep stairs.  All ages were there, including men and women much older than 80 and determined to get down the stairs with no rails.  I was glad the millennials showed respect.  It was a dark sort of tunnel, and a cave like existence.  On the right was the actual birthplace that had a star on it that you could touch and see for a few seconds and then you had to cut out for the next person.  Once you turned around, a few feet away and behind. was the area where the manger was located. We got upstairs and I got a pic in the area named the Greek Orthodox church, which sat right above Jesus’ actual birthplace.  I’m not vastly religious, but did appreciate seeing everything.

The next stop was one of the only Christian owned stores in town.  In Bethlehem, the percentage of Christians was less than 13%.  I chatted in the store with some US locals from WA state.  They were a married couple and knew a lot about religion.

From there, we stopped off to have lunch and would spend an hour there.  I love chicken, and fortunately, they had a version of chicken there.  The seating was hard pressed though as many vans stopped in.  I quickly ate and found a place to charge my phone.  I got harassed by a man selling trinkets on the way out.  He made any trip to Canal street in NYC look like a walk in the park.  I didn’t buy anything, and asked him to knock it off.  I probably would’ve bought something had he just quit insulting me.

The next stop would be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  This would be my least favorite as it was where Jesus was crucified.  We saw the areas where He was placed on the cross, where the cross was located, and where He was prepared for burial after the crucifixion.   The mood there wasn’t as somber as I expected, but grim enough.

We went to the Wailing Wall next, which would be my favorite for the day.  I had read on the wall before taking off from the US and knew I was going to write down some prayer requests.  The tour guides gave us a 20 minutes to write stuff down.  What I thought was a bit archaic was that the men and women were divided in two  and the area for the women was smaller.  I had to wait a bit to find an empty section of the wall to stuff the prayer in.  Requests included stuff for me, health for my family and specific requests for a few friends who were dealing with health and wellness struggles.  If you can’t make it to the actual wall yourself, you can go online and ask that your prayer or wish request be placed there.  I crammed the slip of paper into empty grout and was careful not to move anyone else’s request.

David’s Tomb was one of the last things I saw. Two rooms separated the tomb for prayer.  Men & women were in separate rooms.  Click onto the link if you’re interested in hearing live prayer at the Tomb.  The men were to the right on the other side of the wall.

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I got back to the condo that night and decided to chill.  It was great.  I did get online though with my credit union and noticed my credit card had been jacked to the tune of 200.00 so I had to call the US to shut it down.  It pisses me off when this happens.  I have to redo all of my bill setups when I get a new card and it’s quite inconvenient.  It also provided additional worry about my other card.  I decided to get to the airport and turn the car in and count my lucky stars I had no other issues.  I waited in the airport about 6 hours.  I just felt that with the trip going so smoothly, and ending with a credit card jack, that I needed to get out of dodge before anything else could happen.

It was a smooth flight back to the US, and a friendly crew.  I slept the whole way.  

Wigs And Wishes

Attending the “Wigs & Wishes” event in Berlin, NJ  was just plain fabulous. The event, put on by salon owner & hair product @HSN marketer, Martino Cartier, was packed with laughs & a positive vibe.

I first became acquainted with Martino’s salon through a guy I used to date. I fly standby and was unable to make a flight 1 year to get home in FL (due to weather). My hair appointment was scheduled in FL and I had “serious root issues”. No woman, including myself, wants to have hair or  roots resembling a raccoon’s.  That week, I just wasn’t interested in that look.   I would’ve waited for my own hairdresser, but she was booked solid for two weeks at Zimmiz in FL.  I had to be at work in less than 3 days.

At the salon, the stylist explained they put on an event every year and to keep it in mind. Her boss, Martino, wasn’t in, but to put it in the back of my mind & made a note of the date.  I later researched it online.

Fast forward 10 months or so, and I’m pulling into Lucien’s manor in a rented Toyota ready to mingle.  I noticed a Lamborghini parked outside, so I got a picture on the way out.

The last charity event I had attended prior to this one was a March, The Jay Fund Event put on by Tom Coughlin, in my hometown of Jacksonville, FL.  (I wrote a blog on that one too,  bethadair.com/The-Jay-Fund-Event/).

Martino’s event started with a fab pack of ladies that assigned me a table number and sent me to coat check. From there, I entered an amazing room with chandelier’s, live band & tons of hors douvres. There was also a fun camera screen with several hats, glasses and wigs to take pictures in. I went ahead and gave it a whirl and asked the girls if they’d use my phone too, so I could post it to my social pages. They were glad to help.

I walked up to a table and started chatting with a sweet couple from Delaware. Gina, and her husband had come over to the event and she was proud to tell me she had on a wig designed by Martino.  She said she had been fighting an uphill battle with lymphoma & that she was almost done with her treatmemts.  She had three kids at home and she & her husband were a scream.   We tooled the rooms set up for auction.

While we were trekking around, Miss New Jersey, Jaime Gialloreto, introduced herself and modeled necklaces she was asking for bids on. The monies would benefit the event. We snapped pictures.

From there, we met Martino’s son, Brigade, and I got a pic and later with Martino. I could see the resemblance . Both men were full of energy and friendly in approaching everyone in attendance.

Sponsors of the event included Lancôme cosmetics, HSN, Brazilian Blowout, Viviscal, Abbott Florist, Mike’s Hardscapes, Platinum House Streets.  I noticed too, items for auction included a donated @cj_wentz helmet who plays QB for the @Eagles.  The event had lots of local support.  I had flown into Philadelphia, as it was a closer drive than flying into Newark.

After some bids were put in for auction, we went to a separate room for dinner.  Everything was first class, from the venue, to the staff working the event, to the food.  A three course meal offering  fish & steak as the main entree.  Coffee & cake were offered afterwards.   A cash bar was available .

Celebrities included NJ local Danielle Staub , of the New Jersey Housewives, & celebrity stylist @CarsonKressley .  Carson was also on one of the boards in Philadelphia (unfortunately, I cannot recall which).    They were both a scream.  Both Danielle, (who at mid-50’s looks at least 10 years younger), & Carson, (who was equally as youthful in appearance), kept the crowd laughing.  Later, Martino would introduce cancer patients who would receive Wigs & wishes.

Back in 1997, i raised a few thousand dollars for a child with Leukemia w/the GA chapter of Leukemia team & training.  I ran my 1st NYC marathon for him at the same time.   I found it very emotionally taxing to be around a child who knew how sick he was, and hearing the expense of  treatments was equally as tough.   It was easier to run a marathon.   With this event, the amount of money raised brought a lot of smiles.  The terminally ill child receiving a dog from Martino, smiled too.

I had to leave around 9:30-10 pm as I had to make a 6 AM departure from Philadelphia the next morning. My table mates, (Mark Margu & his Dad both ran Henry Margu Wigs), had just gotten word of a gas explosion near their homes & wanted to get back to check on their house.

With rental car return the next morning, the drive and etc., I knew I’d be lucky to get 4 hours of sleep. I had been in NYC two days prior to this event working on volunteering with the NYC marathon (which was a total blast),  Beth Adair.com/NYC-Style-Volunteering/.  I took a day off travel in between & my vacation has been just the kickstart I wanted to get back in work mode.

I’m a flight attendant and work international trips, but like to work fun projects on the side.  I was grateful for a week of positive vibe with the peeps at the NYC marathon & at the gala in NJ with Wigs & Wishes.  I hope next years event is equally as fun.  If you would like to support this event, contact WigsandWishes.org online.

NYC Style Volunteering

Most anyone that knows me, knows I love to be around anything with positive energy. I enjoy motivating others to their goals, & I enjoy laughing. Of course,  like anyone else, I’m occasionally faced with challenges, but who isn’t.

Earlier in 2018, I was trying to think of fun ways to get motivated to work a little harder on some personal projects in fitness. Nothing spells serious motivation & a positive vibe better than being around a pack of runners who have voluntarily opted to take on a marathon, and travel to get there.

I registered to volunteer with the TCS New York City marathon & requested to work at race number pickup. I was assigned two days from 9-2pm, & told I could stay longer,  if I wanted.

Fast forward to the first day of the expo & I was greeted by so many people who were happy to see me and one man, Glenn, wanted me to tell my coworkers about the app to find anyone in the race. After all, the CEO of my employer, Ed Bastian, was running the race.   One of my managers from the New York City base, Edwin Avelar, volunteered at the expo too.  He was a complete scream in stopping by between greeter jobs.  I hope everyone running the marathon had a blast.

After checking in, I was given a volunteer t-shirt & told which room to report to. I was about the 3rd person to arrive there.   The lady running orientation, Barbara Alpert, was a complete scream & very “no nonsense”. She told us with a lot of humor that she’d been volunteering with the race (on her vacation time from her job) for the last 30 years. She loved the energy of the runners & found it rewarding.  She gave solid direction, and summed up customer service in a matter of minutes.  It went like this, “Greet everyone with a smile, welcome them to our city, and stay off of your phones & devices when runners are around”.  I thoroughly enjoyed her cut and dry approach to the rules of the marathon.

I knew right off the bat, I was in the right room. I was looking for a “restart button” to my own work energy level & fitness training that had been stuck in “stagnant mode”. A mode similar to driving a manual transmission with a four cylinder engine (when you’re used to an 8 cylinder).

I’ve learned over the last few months that I’m not ready to retire anytime soon, with any work projects.  No sense either in taking on anything without my usual style of “Gung Ho”. I’m grateful I was permitted to work at the expo.

After orientation, I followed behind other volunteers and everyone settled in a number bracket, two by two. On day one, my coworker was Kevin Vargas, who worked for Adidas, lived in Brooklyn & was planning to run on Sunday. He was equally as motivated to check in runners & we were both waiting with bells on.  We decided we’d wish everyone a personal best.  I was especially glad he was fluent in Spanish as we had runners from Spain & Mexico.

One thing I’ve learned in my own experience as a runner (going either abroad, or within the US), is to thank runners for making the trip to the race.  They worked the trip and race into their budgets.  I asked 95% of everyone I helped if it was their first race, or first  TCS NYC Marathon.

Language barriers were seldom a problem. Kevin was fluent in Spanish & on my other side (in the next booth). a man & his son were from Poland, & spoke Polish fluently. This was a blast with all three runners I checked in from Poland.  I turned them right over to my Polish friends so they could have a “homeland chatski”. It brought a lot of laughs.

Day one of my volunteer efforts included helping Ultramarathoner Mariano Ontanon get film (along with Kevin) for ESPN Run TV.  We did 4 takes and Mariano’s photographer, Alvaro Stocker,  was a scream.  I got a lot of laughs with this.  We had time to do different angles between other runners who were checking in.  Kevin knew Mariano’s  race experience & clued ne in.  Mariano won an Ultramarathon, (totally out of my comprehension),  and a gift also possessed by Brian Ankers,’15 Connemara 100 winner .  (I met Brian and his family several years ago in Ireland, great people).  

Between runners, there were gaps and time to talk, and on day two my coworker was Celebrity  Fitness trainer Amber Rees, who helped co-found Bravo Body Scape fitness.  I told her about Jordan Metzl, my friend who she didn’t know.   I had no idea how many different concepts there were in fitness before I met Amber.  NYC is packed with them and it sounded so fun.  I shared my latest project with her on a photo shoot  & Amber was nothing but positive in encouraging anything.

I left on day one and chatted with runners in the expo on the Gate River Run (mostly with people in the United States), and on day two, I chatted with some workers of some of the booths.

The most common question I got was if I had done a TCS NYC marathon.  I was glad I could say “Yes, 3, but I’m not running this year”.  The energy was so positive and I left motivated to work harder in my job & with goals.

I encourage anyone to either run the marathon or volunteer to work the expo.  You’ll meet energetic people and get new ideas.

Strong Butt

If you’ve never heard the phrase “a strong butt is key to a happy running life”, let me be the first to introduce you to it. An entertaining phrase first coined by Dr. Jordan Metzl, MD, an orthopedic MD in New York City.

I first crossed paths with Jordan at a conference he held a few years back called “Running Strong”.  It was held along with a panel of other athletes.  I had heard him say the phrase before (on TV),  but never in person, and never with additional advice on how to train to make you a better runner.  I was intrigued. 

One weekend a few years back,  I was up in Bethlehem, PA  for an annual 10K race.   After the 10k in ‘18, Jordan held a seminar  (in the auditorium of the Arts Quests center) to share his knowledge on running, and injury prevention.  

I’ve attended a few of Jordan’s #IronStrength classes in New York City.  They are free o’charge to the public, and you can find the dates and how to register by clicking on drjordanmetzl.com.   He’s even been known to do a “fitness throw down” with teaching classes inside the United Nations or on top of the Intrepid museum.

Proper form was the key message I got from the seminar in ‘18.  Keeping the strain off of your back & knees with proper foot strike, running form, core work & with weight training would make you a better runner.  It also would  help keep you off of the injured list.  

Dr. Metzl explained he’d seen patients anywhere from ages 8-80+ who wanted to continue to run or stay fit.  Staying healthy and keeping up with moving through fitness was something he supports.  Jordan is originally from Kansas City, MO & runs a practice in CT & NY.

I belong to a gym in FL frequented by many retired professional athletes.  I’ve crossed paths with many who haven’t retired, & are still at it.  Three of the most amazing examples I can think of are Hal Higdon, George Hirsch & Amby Burfoot.  They are all over 70 & have never stopped.

Hal regularly  goes to the gym with his wife Rose.  In FL you will find him circulating the weight room,  or beach at a speed similar to someone half his age.  His wife likes water aerobics.  

Amby ran the 2018 Boston Marathon  (in nasty weather conditions). I don’t need to say anything else about how amazing that is.  If you’ve never met Amby, he enjoys motivating runners, and is nothing but a positive vibe.   Check his website ambyburfoot.com to get signed up for his blogs.   He’s the ‘68 winner of the Boston Marathon.

George was at the start of the ‘16 & ‘17 Onward Shay marathon ready to run, & mingling with locals.   He founded  Onward Shay which was created in memory of his deceased wife Shay.  I’ve heard nothing but good about Shay..  The entire community supported this race.  George  had enormous support.   Joan Benoit Samuelson, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, & several other elite athletes were all in attendance for the inaugural race in 2016.  It’s now called the Boise Marathon.   Also, George would later set a race PR in his 80’s.  Can you imagine?  A PR in your 80’s?   I don’t know anyone else who has done that.

 If want to market your business in Boise, with the Boise Marathon, your best contact is Keith Hughes with Vertical Endurance (Find him on LinkedIn).  

Getting back to the seminar in PA, (and pardon my rabbit hole), one exercise Dr. Metzl recommended is the Plie Squat.  (To keep the strain off of your back & stay strong).  Maintaining a healthy core is key, too.   The proper form with the plié exercise is having your feet in the second “ballet position” (feet turned slightly out), which will open the hip flexors.  Bending  your knees and holding the weight with both hands in plié fashion will work the glutes.   Down & up once, and there you have a rep. 

Other forms of weight training to keep your “butt in check” would include straight leg deadlifts, regular squats and also lunges.  Consult your doctor before beginning any weight training or exercise routine (and/or contact Jordan on his website at DrJordan Metzl.com ).  I also recommend meeting with a trainer who can look at your form. If you’re new to weight training, it’s best to start with the correct form.

If your goal is to keep fit forever, and you think you’re injured, by all means, consult a doctor and take time off.  Take care of your injury.   If it means pulling out of a race or contest, so be it.  Races and body building or bikini/figure/fitness contests will still be there later.  If you need time off, it’s better  to show up at your best.  Sometimes this can be a hard decision, but don’t jeopardize your fitness future by not allowing an injury to heal. 

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