Meet Nariman, the newest personal trainer at MINT Dupont!
Here’s a note from Nariman:
“Hi! My name is Nariman and I’m 26 years old. I’ve done everything from traditional bodybuilding, Crossfit, Olympic Weightlifting and what is now my passion, Calisthenics. I specialize in body movement, strength, mobility, and endurance. So basically everything that involves the most well rounded physique possible. I love meeting new people and sharing experiences along with helping others develops themselves on their own fitness journey. You can find me on my Instagram @Prince0fPersiaaa doing all sorts of things from motivational clips to tricks and stunts!”
He started at MINT Dupont this week, so when you see him around… say “hello!” and welcome him to the MINT community!
Join us at our newest community partner, Whiskey Ginger (located at 1603 U Street NW), on February 12 from 2-4pm for a shopping event with exclusive discounts for MINT members!
Whiskey Ginger is offering 10% regularly priced items for MINT members and up to 30% off selected fashions and accessories. MINT Ambassadors will also be there (from 2-4pm) raffling off a pair of personal training sessions to non-members who participate in this pre-Valentine’s Day event. Mark your calendars and get shopping!
(And follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!)
February is jam-packed with specials for MINT members (and their friends!) and community events. Get the full rundown here!Challenges/Promotions
February Cycle Challenge
Can you go the extra mile? Our challenge kicked off last week! Learn more about how to participate and what you can win HERE.Fabulous February Challenge
Workout with a buddy (member or not) this month and you could both get FREE personal training session to use in March! Get details here!Sweetheart Personal Training Special
Start any FLEX12 pack in the month of February and we’ll give you one personal training session to gift to anyone… even a non-member! *Note: all current FLEX12 holders will also be given a session to giveaway.Community Events
Happy Hour at Marvin
Date: Tuesday, February 7, 6-8pm Join the MINT Ambassadors for happy hour specials at Marvin, February 7. Event details here!Whiskey Ginger Shopping Event
Date: Sunday, February 12, 2-4pm Stop by our shopping event at Whiskey Ginger (on U Street NW) on Sunday, February 12. MINT members get specials discounts on merchandise!BierYoga Session at Sauf Haus
Date: Sunday, February 12, 10am MINT is partnering with Sauf Haus to host a yoga session on their rooftop biergarten on Feb. 12. Attendees get a free mimosa and drink specials! RSVP ASAP!Little Shop of Flowers Community Event
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2-4pm Support local businesses and prep for Valentine’s Day at our shopping events at Little Shop of Flowers on Saturday, February 11.Sauf Haus Happy Hour
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 7pm Hang out with our MINT Ambassadors and get happy hour specials at Sauf Haus on February 21st. At Glen’s Garden Market, there is plenty of amazing, unusual produce and unique, local products – and they want to teach you how to cook with them! Use the ‘Glen’s Recipe Series’ cards (or stop by their Dupont or Shaw locations to pick one up) to learn more about how to prepare their food and why it’s so special. Today’s featured recipe is: Sausage & Butternut Squash Breakfast Casserole!
Enjoy!
Get ahead of your Valentine’s Day shopping needs
and support local business!
Little Shop of Flowers (located on 18th Street in Adams Morgan) is offering 10% off pickup purchases to MINT members for Valentine’s Day floral arrangements. MINT Ambassadors will be at the shop on Saturday, February 11th from 2-4pm to raffle off a pair of personal training sessions at MINT.
REGISTER HERE
Here’s how it works:- As a member, register yourself with a buddy (your bestie, main squeeze, roommate, office buddy, landlord, guy you met at Pleasant Pops, you get the picture, anyone!) for the Fabulous February Challenge.
- Workout with that person 6+ times in February and you’ll each get a personal training session to use in March. Register ASAP so you have as much time as possible!
- “Working out together” is defined as checking into the club within 10 minutes of each other. You may workout together a maximum of once per day.
- You must pre-register with your buddy via this form.
- The registered member’s buddy will have class access for February, regardless of membership type
- Promotion period runs Feb 1 to Feb 28
- Non-members:
- Non-member has access to workout with the member during February, including classes
- Non-member does not have club or class access without being with the member
- Non-member must create a profile in MBO prior to entry
- Non-member gets the personal training session only if they join MINT by March 10
You can find some peace of mind.
Unlike yoga or bootcamp class, spinning can give you a great workout and boost your mood without requiring too much mental effort. You have your own space, your own bike, and you control the speed and resistance. You can be alone, but still together with a group of people all investing their time and energy. Sure it’s fun during a ride with some coordinated moves and routines. But if you need to clear your head, just get lost in the music, and absorb some positive energy from class, by all means – you do you.A chance to channel that frustration.
I recently had a student tell me, “You write great playlists when you’re angry!” It’s true. Negative emotions like anxiety, frustration, anger, and fear can start to build up and drag us down. Channeling all of that energy into a really tough work out can be a great way to work through those emotions in a safe, contained way. Sing along to the music, frown, clench your jaw, and ride through those emotions. A great work out can have you dripping with sweat but feeling refreshed and clean on the inside.Win MINT’s “Can You Go the Extra Mile?” challenge.
If beating the winter blues and burning major calories wasn’t enough reason to get to MINT for a spin class, consider the fame and fortune that could be yours if you win our February challenge. Track your miles in each spin class, and compete with fellow MINTers to go the extra mile and win fabulous prizes. It’s one way to beat the blues and win big! Come ride with us! You’re always just one spin class away from a better day.
Nikki Mueller is a cycling instructor at MINT.
- First, to get a sense of the constriction that must occur in the back of your throat to achieve the ocean-sounded breath, hold your hand up in front of your mouth and blow on your palm as if you’re trying to fog a mirror. Now try this concept, but with the mouth closed.
- The ujjayi breath uses the nostrils only; the mouth is not opened during ujjayi pranayama.
- The constriction that creates the ocean sound should be in place during the in-breath, and the out-breath.
- The flow of your breath should be even; the length of your inhale should, ideally, match your exhale.
- On your inhale, think of filling your lungs from the bottom to the top, and then emptying them fully on the exhale.
- Don’t strain! A loud-sounding breath is not necessarily a more successful ujjayi breath. There should still be ease behind your breathing. Particularly labored breathing is counter-productive.
Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.
Why do I keep getting the same injuries when I run? – Part 1
Are you frustrated with constantly dealing with same running injuries over and over again? Are you tired of thinking you have recovered only to have the same injury come back several months later? Read on to find out why you are dealing with repetitive injuries.
A wise man once said “running reveals weakness and if you run enough, injury is not too far away.” When you run, you experience 2-3 times the force of your own body-weight! .. with every step! Over the course of a run you experience an extreme amount of force through your joints which can lead to injury.
What if you could get to the underlying cause of your injuries that keep plaguing you and keep you from doing what you love? What if you knew exactly what to do to prepare for your upcoming 5K,10K, or even half marathon?
Research has shown that up to 80% of runners will experience some injury during their running lives.
The most common injury they will experience is knee pain. The knee is a simple hinge joint that is wedged between your hip and your foot, and the reality is that your knee is usually not to blame!!
Knee pain is usually either a result of poor hip control or over-pronation issues. Pronation is a natural motion of the foot that happens when your foot contacts the ground and your arch goes inward. Over-pronation is when your arch collapses too much, placing increased stress on all the joints above.
In Part 2 of this blog post (stay tuned next week – Feb 6, 2017) we will discuss about what to do about your over-pronation issues. The first joint above the foot/ankle just happens to be your knee, and often takes the brunt of any issues in the foot.
Poor hip control and hip muscle weakness is another common problem that leads to increased stress on your knee, and we will explain more about how to avoid this issue in Part 3 of this blog post (stay tuned week of Feb 13, 2017)
So to answer the question in the title of this blog post: if you continually get the same injury as you ramp up your mileage, then rest and/or whatever “treatment” you’ve had to solve the problem is not removing all the underlying causes of the injury.
In today’s unfortunate healthcare world, clinicians are often forced to see many more patients per day than they should. If a patient has knee pain, they only have time to look at the knee … but as you’ll see in the next two articles, this will often lead to missing the whole story, and therefore failing to address why you keep getting the same running injuries over and over again. If you need help, Call my office at once at (202) 670-8874 or visit me at the Mint Health Club to schedule your FREE 30 minute consultation to see how Physical Therapy can help. Don’t delay–schedule now so we can assess your specific issue and get you fit and injury-free for the Rock N Roll Marathon on March 11, 2017.
“Strawberry Martini,” Photo cred: daspunkt on Flickr
Melanie Rubin is a Physical Therapist in DC and a group fitness instructor at MINT.
