There are some amazing fitness instructors in the Greater New Orleans area and I have said – “if you are looking for it; it’s probably available in New Orleans”…well, today I have quite the treat for everyone!

We interviewed one of the most fascinating fitness instructors in the city: Lorelei Ashe MacDonald. It’s not just her background as a retired trapeze artist after a career  as both a dancer and an aerialist that makes her unique…or that she performed with the Bay Area troupes Circus Finelli and Velocity Circus, and went on to teach at the San Francisco Circus Center, home to a professional aerial program and a clown conservatory. It’s a combination of all that and what she has brought to New Orleans – a one of kind way to get into shape: Gravity Defying Fitness

Interview with Lorelei Ashe MacDonald of Gravity Defying Fitness

Q: Where do I even begin? Can you tell us a little bit more about your background? How did you end up becoming a trapeze artist? I think as kids going to the circus – it’s something most of us only dreamt of becoming because our parents quickly shattered any hopes of that happening.

Lorelei:

I started as a dancer. I took my first creative movement class at about 4 years old and I haven’t stopped moving since.  I never took to gymnastics, but embraced dance and was performing professionally by the time I was 13 in New York City.  An injury side lined that career but I continued to explore movement possibilities. I did a bit of aerobic competition choreography, some modern dance choreography, and a bit of aerial dance.  Finally, I found circus – and I never looked back! I loved the height, and the combination of strength and grace that the static trapeze requires. And while I worked with rings and corde lisse and lyra, static trapeze was always closest to my heart. I have to admit that I had to let my mom know I was down safe at the end of each show, even into my 40s! Thank goodness for texting. And I think I gave my husband a few grey hairs as well.

Q: What inspired you to create the Gravity Defying Fitness program?

Lorelei:

Of course, I knew I couldn’t perform forever and when I started to think about a post-performance career I knew I wanted to share the excitement of trapeze.  But, I also wanted to make the trapeze accessible. My dilemma was that I don’t believe in teaching technique if you aren’t strong enough to execute it safely.  I realized that even the basic exercises are fun, and are the perfect way to get started!  After retiring at 42 I moved to NY to open a facility for Radu Physical Culture (of Cindy Crawford Workout fame) at the Plaza hotel.  Sadly, financing and construction issues scuttled that project, so I branched out on my own.   Aside from my background as a dancer and an aerialist, I was trained by Radu to teach his methods, am a certified NASM personal trainer, and have been trained to teach kettlebells by KettleBell Concepts. In fact, besides teaching GDF aerial conditioning classes at Next Evolution Gym here, I teach group kettlebell classes at Romney Pilates!

Q: Please tell us a little more. What can someone expect, look forward to…from taking the Gravity Defying Fitness Program?

Lorelei:

I tailor the sessions to each client’s fitness goals and experience, so the first session really varies based on what you are already doing. Everyone gets on the trapeze or the rope the first day, regardless of their fitness level. You learn how to hold your body to be able to move explosively in the air, you learn how to climb the rope, and in short order my clients are hanging upside down.  We do specific exercises that create the long straight leg lines required to look good in the air as well. I constantly hear from people that the workout is “so much harder than it looks” but also that it is crazy fun. My goal is that you should be a bit sore after each workout, but not so sore that you don’t want to do it again right away! That said, I suggest aerial training to be just a part of your program – two or three times a week.

You should also come in expecting to challenge your fears!

Q: What are the main benefits of aerial fitness compared to other fitness programs?

Lorelei:

I strongly believe that you should never restrict yourself to a single type of training. I myself swim, take bootcamp, bosu, dance, and yoga, as well as train in the air. The thing about aerial conditioning is that it is amazingly effective for your core – and while everyone focuses on the upper body strength it requires (and it certainly develops upper body strength) it works your whole body. It is functional training at its best.  We work strength, but also endurance, flexibility, balance and agility. Even better, it requires focus and you’re learning something new, so the time goes fast and you don’t even realize that you are training hard!  Looking good with sleek strong muscles – well that’s pretty great too.

However the biggest benefit is the feeling of accomplishment. I had a client in NY heading off to a meeting with a really well known and intimidating figure in her field. But, as she left she said that if she could learn how to climb the rope, the meeting would be a snap. Building self esteem and confidence is even better than good looking abs!

Q: This is an excellent program for us to have in New Orleans. What brought you to New Orleans?

Lorelei:

This is a subject really dear to me! I have been visiting New Orleans for the last 10 years.  My husband and I moved to NY two years ago from San Francisco, as I mentioned. My business was going gangbusters but I never adjusted to life in NYC (even though I am from there originally). My life in NY really lacked balance – too much work, too little play, and don’t get me started about winter.  While in NYC we started coming to New Orleans every few months and every time we would get on the plane to go back, my heart would sink. I have been talking about New Orleans as a place to live for years, and on a trip back last spring, I turned to my husband and said “let’s go!”  I couldn’t be happier, and I feel like I have come home. And what an amazing time to have moved here!

Q: We are working hard to promote health and fitness in New Orleans – what are your general thoughts on the health and fitness community here in New Orleans?

Lorelei:

I think we have a great fitness community here – there are some amazing classes and trainers. And, while everyone thinks of New Orleans as a hard partying town, and of course it is, it is also a hard training town. People here are very much committed to their fitness programs.  Of course, having just moved here, I love just about everything with the fervor of a recent covert (except the bugs).

When I first moved in to our new uptown apartment as a married couple, I didn’t have a sofa. My husband was happy to bring his from his old place; I was equally happy to leave it on the curb. We were young and just starting out with a strict budget for decorating. After going to a few affordable furniture stores, we settled on a sofa that lasted all of 6 months. It settled right in the center leaving whoever sat on it looking like an airplane with his wings tipped up. It was cheap and soft and we should’ve bought the more expensive one we really wanted but didn’t want to spring for at the time.

I use this analogy often when I get the initial response to the Pilates certification cost and time commitment I’m currently encouraging people to consider. This week, I’ve had to use it a little more often because I have a 3-weekend intensive certification program coming up.

“How many weekends for this? How many student teaching hours? Why this cost?”

My explanation is simple: you get what you pay for. There are Pilates certifications available that can have you taught, tested and certified to teach mat in one day. They will cost you a couple of dollars and may fulfill the CECs for another one of your certifications. But you will only get about 8 hours worth of knowledge and no opportunity to practice under the guidance of a trained instructor.

My first Pilates certification was a day long workshops and I remember leaving thinking, “There is no way I can teach this stuff. I don’t know the ‘why’ of what I’m doing and I really don’t want to hurt anyone.”

It was from that experience that I found my mentor, Cecile Bankston, Assistant Director of Kathy Corey Pilates. Kathy Corey Pilates is one of the original founding companies of the Pilates Method. Devoted to quality education and the highest standards, Kathy Corey Pilates is recognized internationally as a leader in the Pilates community.

Okay, so I’m a dork about it.

I wave that Dork Flag high because I know I am a contemporary Pilates instructor who is confident in her knowledge. The three weekends of workshop – in Mat Work, CORE Band and Magic Circle, specifically – were opportunities to work with a Master Trainer and the required student teaching hours allowed me to practice and gain the confidence necessary to work with any client. I made up the cost within three months of working part-time. When I was ready to become equipment certified, I felt prepared to take on another challenge. While I was technically “certified” to teach Pilates after that initial training, I was floundering. However, the full certification training gave me the time to practice, to ask questions, to research and to study.

I encourage anyone who is looking to become Pilates certified to look at the certifying body. Find out the lineage of the trainer; ask about the length of time for certification and what are the student teaching hours required. Find a program that is dedicated to teaching Pilates, not just certifying people to teach Pilates.

Are you absolutely infatuated with Pilates? Are you wondering if you should take the plunge? Have you been wondering about the benefits of being a Pilates instructor? Are you hoping to take your passion for fitness to a new level? Stay tuned – I’ll share my thoughts on all of that in my next post.

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Kerrie Ann Frey is the founder and owner of Fit Mom USA, a former stroller exercise-based program that has evolved in to an online presence with fitness, wellness, and nutrition information for all men and women. Her passion for fitness began with credentials including A.C.E. PT and LWMC and grew to include her true love – Pilates. She is West Coast Pilates certified and trains clients in several studios in the New Orleans area.

It seems as though most people have heard of P90X and seen the infomercials and ads. If you haven’t given it a go yet you might be wondering what the fuss is about.

After having two children and moving to a situation that had none of the sports that I had always done, like surfing and windsurfing, I knew I needed to do something intense to get in shape. I had never heard of Tony Horton or Beachbody because I had never had an interest in video workouts, especially being from Maui where you spend so much time outdoors.  I needed something more athletic and challenging. Then I saw one of those P90X commercials.

What’s P90X all about? Muscle Confusion. By providing tons of different moves  and exercises, your body is continually challenged. The more you confuse the muscle, the harder your body has to work to keep up; the more variety you put into your workout, the better and faster your results will be.

Here’s Beachbody’s description of each workout on each disc:

•01 Chest & Back. Targeted strength and definition workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises.

•02 Plyometrics. Explosive jumping cardio routine, proven to dramatically improve athletic performance.

•03  Shoulders & Arms. A potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements that will leave you stronger and more defined.

•04 Yoga X. Combines strength, balance, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind.

•05  Legs & Back. Squat, lunge, and pull in a total-body workout like no other.

•06  Kenpo X. Intense cardiovascular workout includes punching and kicking for endurance, balance, and coordination.

•07  X Stretch. Achieve a higher level of athleticism, prevent injuries, and avoid plateaus.

•08 Core Synergistics. Build and support the core while conditioning your body.

•09  Chest, Shoulders & Triceps. Targeted strength and definition workout emphasizing two classic upper-body exercises.

•10 Back & Biceps. Flex your powerful biceps, and focus on toning and tightening those showcase upper-body muscles.

•11 Cardio X. Low-impact, fat-burning cardio routine.

•12 Ab Ripper X. Sculpt an incredible six-pack and improve your physical performance.

In the almost two years that I’ve been doing P90X, I have never felt that I had reached a point where the workouts were no longer a challenge. I’ve gotten better at the exercises, and increased the number of repetitions or weight, but as far I can see it would be almost impossible to reach a plateau because of the variety.

They were thinking ahead when they created the videos and knew over time a person can only listen to the same audio for so long. You have a choice to be able to pick silent mode, only music, and music and cues. At first you can’t get enough of all the tips and instructions Tony gives, but there are days I like to use my own music and that helps to keep it fresh for me.

I also take them on my travels. You can use bands if you choose instead of weights, which they demonstrate on the video. You really can use them anywhere. I love having them available at all times to be able to throw in a workout rain or shine.

I have permanently made P90X part of my lifestyle and now make hybrid workouts incorporating other forms of fitness when I don’t want to stick to the 90 day routine. The options with these DVD’s are endless.

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Joyce Cherrier has been involved in health, fitness and sports for over 25 years. A former professional Windsurfer from Maui and sports and fitness  model, she went on to co-own a thriving health food store.  Now a  mother of two daughters, she is an online coach and spends her time helping others reach their fitness goals and spreading healthy info using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

I wrote a blog post in mid-January called Exploring Beyond the Gym and ever since writing that post, I’ve been working on tracking down the best people in the New Orleans area to give more information about each different options.

I came across Kerrie Ann Frey on Twitter.  Kerrie Ann Frey is the founder and owner of Fit Mom USA, a former stroller exercise-based program that has evolved in to an online presence with fitness, wellness, and nutrition information for all men and women.

Kerrie Ann completed a full Pilates apparatus year-long program requiring 600 hours of study, training and apprenticeship in Louisiana. She is West Coast Pilates certified and trains clients in several studios in the New Orleans area. She loves to dispel the myth that Pilates is just for stretching.

Pilates Explained by Kerrie Ann Frey

Pilates simply is an innovative system of mind-body exercise evolved from the principles of Joseph Pilates.  Pilates is designed to dramatically transform the way your body looks, feels and performs. It is not a secret sequence of movements only dancers or the elite athletes can do.  It’s not only for “this” type of body or “that” type of person.  Simply, it is a way of executing exercises to build strength, good posture and body awareness with flexibility and agility as well.  Once the basic tenets of Pilates are practiced and ingrained, they then can be brought in to more “gym-style” workouts or even tennis games or even daily movements like carrying children.

Movements are completed with attention paid to the breath, the core and the body as a whole.  When you do Pilates exercises, you are conditioning your body to be strong and flexible as a whole unit, without stress on the joints.  Pilates can be done for core strength, injury prevention, enhanced sports performance, and general good health.  You’ll also be training your balance, coordination and control as lagniappe.  Safe, effective exercises are performed either on the mat or on Pilates equipment, or apparatus, such as the Reformer, Wunda Chair, Cadillac, Spine Corrector and others.

Pilates may be performed by nearly everyone with the help of an experience, qualified trainer.  A good trainer will be fully certified, be able to help you engage both your body and your mind during a session and to safely design a program best suited for your needs.  It is an exercise program that can last a lifetime.

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Core or “The Powerhouse”

What is the core?  The core, or powerhouse as some refer to it, is the body’s center.  It is the entire abdomen, the back, the glutes and inner and outer thighs.  Try thinking of the core as the body’s engine – once the core is strong and “turned on”, the rest of the body can move fluidly with ease.

There’s nothing like a “hard days labor”…say volunteering doing some restoration to the Louisiana Nature Center to make you feel good and burn some calories.  Exactly how many calories can you burn planting trees, digging and shoveling dirt, and gardening?!?! Checkout the awesome calorie calculator on FitDay.com to find out – as an example, I used my stats and found out I would burn 247 calories an hour clearing land and hauling trees.

Doing physical labor through volunteering is an amazing way to make a difference in your life and in the lives of others!!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Entergy Corporation invite you to participate in a forested wetland restoration project at Audubon Louisiana Nature Center. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center was named one of the top five urban nature centers in the United States. The Nature Center suffered considerable damage from Hurricane Katrina which devastated its interpretive center, exhibits and an estimated 75 percent of the forest was destroyed.

This project is being completed through a partnership with Entergy Corporation, Restore America’s Estuaries, Audubon Nature Institute, RPM Ecosystems, Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Volunteers will plant approximately 500 pots of various species of wetland trees, including bald cypress, red maple and pecan.

When: Saturday, January 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where: Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, 5600 Read Boulevard, New Orleans East (Behind Joe Brown Park)

All planting equipment (gloves, shovels, dibbles, etc.) will be provided. Lunch and drinks will be provided to all volunteers. You can volunteer for one or more days. Additional information will be provided to volunteers after registration.

You can register to participate online call the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana at (888)-LACOAST for more information. Additional information will be provided to volunteers after registration.