Featured Instructor: Jeannie Baumann

January 12, 2017 by mint-sk

Dubbed “The Queen of Cardio” by one of our regular students, Jeannie is a master trainer for Doonya: The Bollywood Workout, which she has been teaching since 2010. As part of the Doonya team, Jeannie can be seen on The Today Show, Dr. Oz, WUSA9, The Washington Post. She also has performed at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Fiesta Asia, Arts on Foot, at the Indian Embassy as part of Passport DC. Jeannie is an AFAA-certified group exercise instructor.

Passion statement about Doonya:

Jeannie: a serious workout that’s seriously fun

Fun fact: something unique about you

Jeannie: I love my Michigan Wolverine. Go Blue!

Class day and times and formats that you lead at MINT:

Jeannie: Doonya: The Bollywood Workout at MINT Dupont on Wednesdays at 8pm. (She’s also a barre instructor! Her MINT Barre class is on Thursdays from 5:30-6:20pm at MINT Downtown.)

Keep up with Jeannie on her Doonya Facebook page and her Instagram!

Yoga Alignment Workshop Series: Head-to-Knee Forward Bend, Janusirsasana

January 11, 2017 by mint-sk

Disclaimers: Consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Never force a pose. Stop if you feel pain or intense discomfort. Yoga is meant to be yummy.

I love vinyasa yoga and I am obsessed with good alignment. This obsession doesn’t stem from a need for perfection, which would be very “un-yoga-like” of me, but from a passion for protecting the body from injury. Most bodies can safely practice yoga on a daily basis, but maintaining sound alignment is essential to your physical wellbeing. In this series, I will break down some common poses—explaining how to stay safe and fully enjoy each posture. Finally, remember to BREATHE consistently while practicing yoga to receive the full benefits of the practice … otherwise, you’re just stretching in Sanskrit. Today’s pose is Head-to-Knee Forward Bend, or Janusirsasana.

Head-to-Knee Forward Bend, Janusirsasana

Begin by sitting with both legs stretched out in front of you on your mat.

Bend the right leg, bringing the right foot in towards the groin.

Sit firmly in your seat, ensuring contact between your sits bones and the mat. It might help you use your hands to lift the buttocks.

Engage uddiyanabandha, bringing the belly button in and up towards the spine. This will help you fold more deeply. This is not an instruction to hold the breath. Continue to breathe fully.

Fold over the extended leg.

Hands can rest on the thigh or shin, or grip the feet. For a deeper stretch, you can hold a block behind your feet or use a strap.

Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

After you are done, try the pose on the other side to even out the body.

Practicing yoga on your own can be a ton of fun, but taking a class is a great way to explore new poses under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

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.

Full Body Workout You Can Do Just About Anywhere

January 11, 2017 by mint-sk

Build a full body workout you can do just about anywhere!

Looking for some full body, dynamic, heart-pumping exercises to add to your workout routine? We’ve got you covered!

One of our HIIT instructors, Brooke, shares her favorite total body moves in a YouTube video.

Master these exercises:

(Wo)man makers
Side lunges with bicep curls
Renegrade rows to standing rows
Everest Hops
Squats with tricep overheads
Tuck jumps
… and more!

Watch the video and master these total body exercises!

Tricks to Stick With It

January 10, 2017 by mint-sk

Like many of us, you probably set some ambitious goals a the start of the new year — namely to live a healthier life and perhaps to lose a few pounds. The easy part is setting your mind to do it, the hard part is to stick with it past the second week of January! Here are a few tips that may make it easier, keep you motivated, and help get you to where you want to be.

1. Visualize your goals

What is driving you to lose some weight (a big event, a healthier you, a dress or pants you don’t get in to anymore)? Write down what your motivation is and make it visible. Post it on your fridge, make a background image for your phone, post-its on your desk… what ever is best for you to remind yourself why you set these goals and why you want to stick with it!

2. Keep track

There is no secret that writing things down helps you be aware of what you are doing (ie. eating). relay foods post

Some studies show that those who keep track of their dietary intake actually loose 20-30% more than those who don’t. You can go as simple as just keeping a daily log/diary to using the plethora of apps out there to help you along. If you have a Fitbit, their apps has a great food tracker.
Lose It is another great app and it syncs with Apple Health and other programs such as iCardio. It’s also fun to get badges for the progress you are making along the way. Calorie Count is another one I have used in the past and would recommend.

In the spirit of keeping track, if you don’t have a food scale, get one! For $15 or less, you will be able to get a much better sense of portion sizes, and be less tempted to guesstimate how much you are eating.

3. See short and long term

Don’t beat yourself up if come mid January you have a dinner and end up eating/drinking way more than your new year’s resolution plan allows. That doesn’t mean you should just give up. Everyone has set backs and these should empower you to get back on track and move forward, not throw up your hands in defeat. I find that setting some short term goals as well as a longer term one, helps me feel that I am moving along even if a week here or here may not have been that great.

It’s only January and you have a full year of possibilities in front you —make the most of them.

New Year, New You

January 9, 2017 by mint-sk

With the start of 2017, I’ve been talking to a lot of people who want to kick off the year right, by beginning to meet their fitness goals. Whether it is running the Rock and Roll Marathon this March without fear of hurting their hip again, or getting their back fixed so that they can FINALLY begin to lift weights like they did last Spring before their injury or achieving that optimal work out program that they just can’t seem to build-up to because of work stress/ holiday stress/ procrastination/ being plagued with minor injuries – you name it.

As a physical therapist, my advice often is set 3 simple sub-goals to achieve your main goal and set a time frame within which to achieve them. Then for each goal, make a to-do-list. It may be – join a diet program, or sign up with a personal trainer, or contact a physical therapist and fix that injury to move forward with your fitness goals.

One of the hardest things that I find people have difficulty maintaining is “consistency” and the second is “patience”. If you are working towards your fitness goals consistently then rest assured, you WILL be patient with yourself and you WILL GET THERE.

If you are suffering from an injury or have minor knee or back or neck/shoulder pain and are unsure if you can move forward with your goals, then I strongly recommend you consult with a physical therapist to perform an injury and/or pre-injury screen. The screen called a FMS (Functional M

ovement Screen) is used these days with high-level athletes and recreational athletes to address mobility, stability, strength and overall movement. It enables the physical therapist to identify areas of weakness and dysfunction (e.g. your hip muscles or core stability or lack of agility and ability to produce optimum power and speed). The FMS enables the physical therapist and you to devise a quick routine and plan to get and stay fit and prevent recurring injuries that stall you from building and maintaining an OPTIMALLY FIT AND ACTIVE LIFETSYLE THROUGH OUT THE YEAR.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and set those goals! Hit the ground running! Before you know it, Spring will be here and you will be so happy to have gotten as far as you anticipated, because you were patient enough to maintain CONSISTENCY! ☺

Trupti Mehta, PT, MS, OCS

Manual Medicine, Spine & Sports Physical Therapy

Email: mmssphysicaltherapy@gmail.com

P: 202 670 8874

(Located Inside Mint Health Club)

New Community Partnership: White Cloud Gallery

January 9, 2017 by mint-sk

Meet our newest community partner, White Cloud Gallery!

White Cloud Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery showcasing emerging and established artists. The intimate gallery space gives national and international artists alike a platform to display art inspired by their diverse cultures and experiences. The gallery also serves as a unique space for pop-up art exhibits and private events, conveniently located in the heart of the U Street corridor, amidst some of DC’s most popular restaurants and nightlife, only 2 blocks from the U Street metro.

MINT members get a 10% discount when purchasing current artwork that is in the exhibition.

Check out this awesome gallery, say “hello!” to our community partners and get some art for your home or office!