Griffen Fitness - Newsletter

March 2007 Newsletter

ARTICLE - How Different Walking Surfaces can Give You a Spring in Your Step

Hello healthy people,

Last weekend my husband Andy whisked me away to Aviemore for my birthday. It was blissful - no email, no mobile phone reception and miles of walks in the wilderness. It is embarrassing to admit that as we were walking through the middle of nowhere, I came up with lots of excellent ideas for this newsletter.
So here goes:

What's in Season
It's good to eat seasonal fruit and vegetables, so here's a list of what's in season locally:
Early rhubarb, spring onion, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, parsley, mint, beetroot, carrots, cauliflower, chicory and leeks.

Oatcake Topping of the Month
Halfway through our walk in the snowy Glenmore forest we got a bit peckish. All I had packed in the backpack was some dry oatcakes and a banana. But heck, banana mashed on oatcake made a very satisfying snack and gave us the energy we needed.

Easy Recipe
Energy-Giving Pasta Salad
Pasta salad makes a great lunch - it's easy to prepare, full of goodness and keeps well out of a fridge (it actually tastes better when not fridge cold). Great for picnics and the great outdoors…
For two people, cook ½ packet of pasta (penne or bows, a short variety that's easy to eat with a fork only). I usually cook a whole packet for dinner and keep half aside for making pasta salad for the following day. When you've cooked and drained the pasta, toss it in a large salad bowl with a drizzle of olive oil. This stops the pasta sticking together.
Now you can get inventive, add a selection of the following:
sun dried tomatoes
stoned olives
capers
finely chopped red onion
oven roast or fresh peppers
fresh herbs (i.e. ripped basil (best to put in on the day of eating as it goes limp), parsley, oregano, in fact anything you like)
rocket or shredded little gem lettuce (choose a lettuce with thicker leave that won't go soggy easily)
chilli peppers
chopped tomatoes
small bits of gorgonzola / blue cheese
chopped cucumber
garlic, grilled or fresh mushrooms
tinned sweetcorn
roasted pine nuts
drizzle balsamic vinegar
pesto
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

That's it! Easy hey?

A Social Bike Ride
I will be leading an informal bike ride for the Sunday Brunch Club on Sunday 25th March (rescheduled from January, when the weather was inclement to say the least). It's a social gathering of mixed abilities and we will stick to bike tracks. Our route is the rather scenic and flat round trip from The Shore at Leith to Cramond, where we can stop for a bite to eat at the Cramond Inn before returning back. We'll be leaving from outside Café Truva on The Shore at 11am returning by 4pm at the latest. You can telephone / text me on 07743 741 088 if the weather is squiffy to make sure it's definitely on.

Resisting Temptation Hint of the Month
Is Friday after work your undoing? Many of us live for the weekend, and when it arrives undo the healthy living that we have been enjoying all week. If you know your trouble spot is Friday evening, change your routine.
If you always go to the pub or open a celebratory bottle of wine when you get in the door, think about changing your habits. An after-work yoga class (Friday afternoon classes tend to be quiet), a swim, or a walk home from the office can diffuse the urge to over-indulge.

Exercise of the Month
Go natural! A highlight of my weekend away was the lovely walks on dirt tracks. After an hour or so I worked out why - it was a relief to walk on a non-concrete surface. If you usually pound the pavement, take the time this weekend or the next to go for a walk on grass or bare earth. You will feel well-grounded and it will give your knees, ankles and feet a break from unforgiving concrete.
Read the article below on trying different surfaces for running and walking.

Change in Rates
It's the end of the financial year so time for a rates review. These prices will come into effect from Friday 30th March and you can book and pay for as many future fitness sessions in advance as you like at the old price.

Off Peak (9.00am until 5.30pm)
£25 for one person

Peak (before 9.00am or 5.30pm onwards)
£30 per one hour session

Double Up and Save money! Two people:
£32 off peak, £35 peak

Existing clients: Don't forget that for every new client who you recommend and books in, you get £5 off your next fitness session

5 pounds off banner

Article - A Spring in Your Step

Newton's third law: "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". Bet you never think of physics when you are out and about, but perhaps you should.

I do a heck of a lot of running. I like it. I enjoy getting folk moving, however I feel that there is a factor that many of us never think of. Sure, we've got good trainers, but do you ever think of the surface beneath your feet?

Newton's third law basically says that the harder you step, the more the reverberation. Have you ever wondered why you have sore legs after a long run (or even a hard day's shopping)? It's partly the shockwaves sent back up your legs from pounding the pavement.

Glenmore Concrete is not a forgiving surface. Nor is tarmac, or most other hard-wearing traffic-bearing materials. They're made like that to last. Do you thin our forefathers and mothers would have sprinted across lengthy rock surfaces? In a word, no. Our bodies are designed to step on softer surfaces, which is why so many long-distance roadrunners end up with shot knees, shattered tibias and shin splints.

Grass and dirt tracks absorb the shock from your legs more, and are 'spongier' surfaces on which to run. Another interesting thing about off road running and walking is that the surface is likely to be more uneven, so you will need to concentrate more on where you put your feet. The advantage of this is that is will help strengthen your ankles and lower legs. However do be aware of twisted ankles, especially on pebbly or rocky tracks.

Running or walking in the sand is another idea. The deeper the sand, the more intense the workout. For a faster run or walk, stick close to the water on the hard sand. Masai Barefoot Technology shoes are a new invention which are replicate the uneven feeling of walking on sand (based on the Masai tribe, who run great distances in the African sand). They're about £140 and are shaped like platform shoes with a curved sole. MBT's are meant to get the core muscles working through being inherently unstable. However, why pay top dollar for some crazy looking shoes when you can walk on bare earth or sand yourself?

So consider changing your regular route to incorporate varying surfaces and feel the difference in your weary pegs. Viva la difference!

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Contents

March 2007 Newsletter

ARTICLE - How Different Walking Surfaces can Give You a Spring in Your Step