Relax and Enjoy!

We at Kamate Fitness hope you’re well into February-vacation mode by now! Please relax and enjoy your family, your friends, and your time “off”.

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Normally, we close up shop entirely this week, but because of your enthusiasm and commitment to BodyPump and BodyJam, we WILL be holding the following classes:

Feb. 23 (Thursday) 6:30 pm BODYPUMP

Feb. 25 (Saturday) 9:00 am  BODYPUMP (No 8 am option for this Saturday only)

Feb. 25 (Saturday) 10:15 am BODYJAM

All other classes during the week of February vacation (Feb. 20-25) will NOT run as per the Recreation Department Winter Brochure.

The “Phoebe” Run

So for those of you who feel a little self-conscious about that “running” move we do toward the end of the latest Jam routine, I thought this might help you a bit.

Check it out.

I think the moral of the story is: if you feel ridiculous, you’re doing it right!

Yahoooooooo!

A big and hearty congratulations to

Jen, Anne-Mari, Lisa, and Kim!

All four of these hard-workin’, feet-stompin’ gals have sent in their BodyJam instructor tapings to Les Mills, and all four were front-and-center with Nancy last night, leading the way and keeping us motivated through one tough {but oh-so-fun} workout!

It was like watching the coolest chick band ever. Except they didn’t sing.

But the moves: they got ’em!

Well done, girlies! Well done!

Nancy-isms

You’ve heard them, right?

Those sassy little things that Nancy says to keep you going, correct your form, or salvage your innocence {some of those lyrics can be a little … well, you know!}?

She’s got ’em, Carolyn’s got ’em, and Barb and Ayla have ’em, too!

What are YOUR favorite catch-phrases from this fabulous quartet?

Interview with a Jammer : Raelene Houck

Thanks to the wonderful Raelene for being Kamate Fitness’s second interviewee!

1. How long have you been taking Kamate Fitness classes?

I have been taking classes since Lisa Smith talked me into trying it last July.

2. Did you have reservations before signing up?

Yes, coordination isn’t my forte.  Nancy had done a class for my daughter’s Girl Scout troop a few years before and I had been terrible when I tried that with the girls.  Sure enough, I was terrible at the first class, as expected.  But there is such an air about Nancy and the class that it doesn’t matter if you are awful, as long as you have fun, so I tried it again.

Two Kamate lovelies: Raelene (l) and Lisa!

3. What is your favorite aspect of BodyJam?

The fun and the people.  I was able to come out of the closet and dance.  I’ve always been a fan of musical theatre and big dance numbers and after seeing a show, I always want to have been one of the ones up there dancing on stage.  I was the geek mom trying to learn the dance moves with my kids from the High School Musical DVDs.  I’m not saying that Nancy’s classes are like a musical, but it is everyone dancing together in coordinated dance moves and having fun.  The people are so encouraging too.  I know I am one of several people who have trouble with some of Nancy’s sexy hip moves and there is still a little part of me that worries that I look really lame trying to do them, but everyone is laughing and having so much fun trying to do these crazy moves that Nancy makes look so good that it doesn’t matter.   On the occasions that I am stuck in front of a mirror, I realize that I am not doing nearly as well as I feel like I am, but that is ok.  I have no Latin blood in me, no hip-hop blood in me, and not really any graceful aspects at all, but the more classes I do, I realize that is OK!  If you are having fun, it is OK, there is no one judging you.  Oh, and I am getting a workout!! 

4. What advice would you give to new Jammers?

Everyone tells you that when you start you need to do 3 classes before you really get it and it is soooooo true.  When Nancy teaches a new routine, I always leave feeling like I have 2 left feet and zero coordination – sometimes I am surprised I haven’t injured someone or myself.  But after the 3^rd time through, there are major parts where I think “I got this one down!”  Sometimes it takes a little longer.  The last class in December, one of the moves for the previous month or so had been a head wrap with one hand while your other hand moves the opposite direction in front of you.  Every time I had tried this move, it felt like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time, but finally the last class, I GOT IT RIGHT!!  I was so pleased with myself!  So, I guess my advice would be “don’t give up, you may surprise yourself.”

5. What do you like most about BodyPump and its instructors?

Body Pump is great!  I tried that once over the summer as a make-up class for a Jam class I missed.  OMG, I was sore for like 4 days – trying to sit down was awful.  After the next class it was better.  Over the course of the fall, I have added more weight and pushed it a little more.  Now, there is a part of me that is ok with being sore, especially in the places I want to improve because then I know it is working!  Jam feels like fun, Pump feels like a workout and I mean that in a good way.  Jam is going to get the cardio going for you, but if you want to really work specific muscles (legs, butt, stomach, arms), Pump is the way to go.  I am usually unable to go during the day during the week, so I have only been to Carolyn’s and Ayla's classes once – they were both great.  I usually go to Barbara’s class on Thursday nights and she is awesome!  She is a machine up there, but she is so encouraging that she makes you want to do well.  The class is hard, but totally worth it!  I feel great when I leave.

6. Have any fun “get-fit” tips you’d be willing to share?

Taking these classes makes me want to eat better and take better care of myself.  I try to drink lots of water and eat lots of fruit & vegetables, but the food we eat at home is very much kid friendly-fare (lots of pasta at my house), so I try to keep my portion size down and eat out of smaller bowls.

7. What part of your fitness journey are you most proud of?

I am proud that I usually get out to exercise 3 times a week.  Honestly, I’ve only lost a few pounds, but I have dropped a size in my pants which makes me very happy.  Since I had kids, I haven’t been very comfortable wearing tight clothes.  A couple of months ago, I wore a shirt tucked in with a belt!  It may not sound like much, but it was a big deal to me since it was the first time in 13 years.  Funny thing was that women’s pants have changed in the last 13 years and the belt goes a lot lower than it used to, so none of the ones I dusted off fit and I had to wear one of my husband’s on the smallest notch.  I have bought a couple of new belts, but now I need some new sweaters.  Everything I have is big and baggy, and Nancy and her classes make me more comfortable about my body and more willing to show a little more of it.  I have 2 New Year’s Resolutions (fitness-wise): 1) I don’t think I’ll ever want to wear a bikini again, but my goal is to be comfortable wearing a cool new tankini this summer and 2) my husband and I take a trip in May with our college friends and I want to show up and have someone say “ooooooh, you look GOOOOOD!!!”  Resolutions don’t always pan out, but with Nancy, Barbara and their classes, I have high hopes that I’ll be able to check these 2 off my list!

Come hang out with Raelene at the next Kamate Fitness class. If you ask very nicely, I bet she’d show you that “head wrap” she’s now mastered!

Dedication To …

… last night’s Jammers! For bringing all that fantastic energy to class. This should inspire you for your next BodyJam workout.

Warning: while I LOVE this tune and its old-school vibe, the video and some of the lyrics are not family-friendly, so go make the kiddos take out the recycling before clicking “play.”

A free latte goes out to the gal who

a. shows up to the next class in that crazy shorts outfit the “Ex” is prancing around in {go on, I dare ya} or

b. can repeat the “cat” solo verbatim.

Really, my treat!

Finally, a special

yeehaw!

to the lovely Kim, who was front and center for the first time co-teaching with Nancy last night.

Kim, you made it look SO easy! Hats off to you, girl.

Battle In The Bronx, Baby!

It’s here!

The latest BodyJam release—Battle in The Bronx—debuts at Kamate Fitness at the first class of the new session:

Tuesday night, 7 pm, at the High School Gym.

We’ll all be seeing these moves for the first time so if you haven’t already, now’s your chance to enroll. Come join us for a class that’s so much fun—with a group so welcoming you’ll quickly call them friends—it hardly feels like a workout.

Personally, I’ve got a Gingerbread Trifle, Toffee-Mocha mousse, and a box of Goobers that I need to work off, so I’m counting down the hours.

Want a little sneak peak at the moves? Here you go!

Psyched yet?!

If you’re a little nervous, I invite you to come and stand by me Tuesday night {Michelle = short chick, brown hair, blue eyes, rad purple shoelaces}.

I’ll be your workout buddy for the evening

and you’ll quickly see that it’s all about the enjoyment you get from getting your body moving, not necessarily immediate dance-accuracy, ladies. And you’ll laugh, trust me.

If you embrace only one other resolution in 2012—beyond finally putting yourself and your health as a top priority—let it be the belief that the journey itself is part of the reward … not just the finish line.

Start your journey now.

A Story About A Skirt

See this skirt? Isn’t it pretty?

Look at that detailing. The lace at the top and the itty-bitty hint of a pocket?

It’s those sweet little details that made me grab this baby off the rack from who-knows-where back in … 2005.

Yes, you read that correctly. I’ve had this skirt for 6 years, which isn’t extraordinary, but what is is the fact that

I’ve never worn it.

I hate to try things on at the store, so I paid for it and left the store and hung it in my closet. It wasn’t until a few weeks later when I had an occasion to wear it that I realized it didn’t fit me.

A few years of hoping for a child and undergoing IVF and getting pregnant and losing the babies and eating just about every comfort food out there had taken their toll, and the size I once was was no longer relevant.

So in the closet it stayed, shifting every so often from my bedroom to the cedar closet for storage, then back to the bedroom in the hopes that the makers of Double Stuf Oreos had slimmed down their recipe without telling us, and my backside had benefitted from the new formula. It never seemed to happen. Blasted Nabisco.

Fast-forward to this past Sunday morning. I needed something to go with my festive red sweater to wear to my son’s Christmas Pageant performance, and my mind drifted off to that skirt. Did I still have it, or in a fit of purging “wishful-thinking” clothes, had I donated it? I ran to the cedar closet, and there she was.

What the heck, I thought. Give it a go.

So I did. And you know what happened? She sailed right past those “speed bumps” she’d been held up at in previous journeys toward my waistline. RIGHT PAST THEM, babe, and I zippered, hooked and set her into place without even breaking a sweat.

So THANK YOU, Kamate Fitness! Thank you, most wonderful, energizing, encouraging, tellin’-me-how-to-get-my-groove-on Nancy! Thank you, BodyJam, Rihanna, DJ Jazzy Jeff, LMFAO, George Michael and Ludacris. Thank you all for getting me to move and allowing me to enjoy every single minute of it!

And thank you for getting me into that doggone skirt.

How She Rolls

Our fab instructor, Nancy, and some of our favorite Jammers {Anne-Mari!} attended the Les Mills Quarterly workshop this past weekend.

Want to see how she rolls? I thought you would. Check out the moves:

For those new to Kamate Fitness, Nancy is on the left of your screen, rockin’ the black/white cropped shirt. And this is the fun and energetic workout you can expect with BodyJam!

Join us Tuesday night at the High School Dance Studio! 6:30 pm…don’t miss it!

Turkey and Stuffing and Gravy, Oh My!

Thanksgiving got you nervous?

Yup, I get it: you’ve been working hard, taking your BodyPump and BodyJam classes, and you don’t want to blow all that sculpting and toning on turkey and gravy and stuffing. Not to mention the pies … oh, the pies. 

Well don’t worry, peeps. Kamate Fitness has got you covered.

Go ahead and indulge on Thanksgiving Day,

but only after you’ve made note on your calendar that the Kamate Fitness Gravy Buster will be held on 

Saturday, November 26, starting at 8:30 am.

Join our rockin’ instructors as they help you burn away those Thanksgiving calories while having a great time!

Here’s the line-up to date:

8:30 am - 9:15 am BODYPUMP (Barb, Carolyn, Nancy)

9:15 am - 10:00 am BODYJAM (Nancy & the BODYJAM Team)

10:00 am - 10:45 am Freestyle YOGA Flow (Carolyn & Barb)

Try one, two, or—if you really indulged—all three classes, and you’ll have worked off every last ounce of your holiday dinner (and any related guilt)!

Hope to see you there!

Coffee and fruit will be served.

Third Time’s A Charm

So last week we started a whole new Jam routine, and as usual, I had nothing but

two left feet.

Happens every time, because I follow what I like to call “The Rule of 3” when it comes to my beloved BodyJam class. It goes a little something like this {please visualize along with me as I give you the play-by-play}:

• Class No. 1 of New Routine: Nancy carefully describes and shows how to execute upcoming steps. In response, Michelle’s brain shuts off. Her feet, therefore, have little-to-no clue as to what they should be doing, and in a panic, start making all the wrong decisions: like going left when the rest of the class has seemingly decided to go right.

• Class No. 2 of New Routine: Light starts to dawn. Oh, yes, NOW she gets it! Moves become less intimidating and her feet—under much less pressure—decide to cooperate {for the most part}.

Practice really does make perfect!

• Class No. 3 of New Routine: Yah, NOW we’re talking. Most of the moves are second nature at this point, and for the few she can’t execute without bringing down the family name or injuring someone, she substitutes the “Davy Jones,” just to keep time {for more on the Davy Jones, see Michelle before or after class}.

The moral of the story is this:

don’t be intimidated

by the moves! The more you do them, the easier they become. And don’t compare yourself to other Jammers … some have been Jammin’ for years now and they could do the moves in their sleep.

If there’s some combo you feel you just can’t get, don’t hesitate to ask Nancy after class and she’ll walk you through it personally.

And don’t underestimate the power of the Davy Jones: when in doubt, it works, baby.

{Don’t miss one BodyPump or BodyJam update, recipe, or dance move tutorial! Subscribe to KFit: The Blog by clicking here!}

It’s Not Just A Rumor

Word on the street is that at some point over the next week, Nancy might be shakin’ things up and switching the latest BodyJam routine. Could it be?! No more Turbulence or Paris Hands {awww, I was getting into that!} or Running Man … we’ve mastered it, and we’re lookin’ way too good, I guess.

So you know what that means?

It means that if you’ve been thinking of signing up for BodyJam, NOW is the time to start. And for those loyal Jammers who’ve been at it a while, now’s the time to share the Jam fun with your friends by bringing them to a class!

Everyone will be new to the steps.

Everyone will think “Oh, dear Lord, my body just doesn’t do that!”

And everyone will curse Nancy for lookin’ so darn good through it all. {Where did she get those boots?}

It goes back to what I like to call “The Rule of 3”: three classes in, everyone’s looking like they’ve Jammed all their life, but Class No. 1: well, let’s just say we laugh a lot.

So join up now and start groovin’ with us. We’ll all be looking good—in and out of class—in no time.

{Don’t miss one BodyPump or BodyJam update, recipe, or dance move tutorial! Subscribe to KFit: The Blog by clicking here!}