RFC Newsletter Archives - Rocky's Rehab, Fitness, and Conditioning in Santa Cruz, CA

Hearty Lentil Stew — Featured Recipe January 2021

Written by Rocky Snyder on January 19, 2021. Posted in RFC Newsletter.

Adapted from The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to finish
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup chopped parsley
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 cup diced celery root
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup black lentils, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup red lentils, soaked overnight and drained
Aromatics, tied into a bouquet garni: 2 bay leaves, 8 parsley sprigs, 6 thyme sprigs, 4 oregano sprigs, 1 rosemary sprig
9 cups vegetable broth or stock, store bought or homemade
Freshly milled pepper
1 bunch greens — mustard, broccoli rabe, chard, or spinach
½ cup pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, toasted & lightly salted

Method:

In a medium saucepan or rice cooker, add the black lentils and 3 cups water. Cook for about 40 minutes in the rice cooker, or 30 minutes on the stove. Add the red lentils, and set aside. They will continue to cook and break down in the residual heat.
Heat the oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion, and saute, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, parsley, garlic, carrots, celery root, and salt, and stir to combine. Saute until the vegetables become fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Drain the lentils, and add to the pot. Add aromatics and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
Taste for salt and season with pepper. Remove the aromatics.
Boil the greens in salted water until tender and bright green, then chop coarsely. Just before serving, add the greens to the soup and heat through. Serve with olive oil drizzled into each bowl, a generous grind of pepper, and pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, to taste.

Dana’s Den January 2021

Written by Dana Snyder on January 19, 2021. Posted in RFC Newsletter.

VITALITY: “the state of being strong and active; energy”

As I say good-bye to 2020 and look towards 2021, I reflect on the past and think ahead, with vitality and eagerness for the new year. I am grateful for my family, clients, staff and health.

As a business, RFC is fortunate to be open and running smoothly, welcoming new clients and celebrating those who have hung in there with us during the crazy year of 2020. We have kept our staff fully employed, said goodbye to some and hello to others, and now start the new year with a great team and new location! RFC is oozing vitality and man, am I proud!

We moved to Capitola into a beautiful studio, with the perfect amount of space, and ability train our clients outdoors safely in a large, secured parking lot. We continue to adhere to all COVID guidelines and standards to keep our clients and staff healthy, while offering a variety of workouts for our group clients and personalized fitness and rehab programs for our personal training and private coaching clients. Movement is vital to mental and physical health.

Be sure and check out the trainer tips featured in this month’s newsletter, which focus on vitality and ways to stay happy and healthy in this new year. Also, the featured recipe is perfect for the winter months full of protein (lentils) and veggies. And, don’t forget to drink your water, our challenge for this month. Can you up your water intake by a glass or two each day?

I am excited about RFC offering kids PE classes through PEP, as a way to bring fitness and movement to our kids in the community who are sitting way too much these days. We have step by step instructions on how to register for a PEP classes so if you have kiddos at home, or know other kiddos who need to move, our PEP classes could be a good option.

Finally, for those of you I haven’t seen for months or even a year or more, I have lost over 70 lbs and feel so good. I had no idea how much effort it took to move my body with 70 extra pounds on my 5”2’ frame. If you want to hear more about my weight loss, and my health and vitality gain, be sure and read about my transition in this newsletter.

Until next time, stay healthy and safe, keep moving your body, and know you are vital to the success of RFC and our community.

With gratitude,

Dana

Rocky’s Corner January 2021

Written by Rocky Snyder on January 18, 2021. Posted in RFC Newsletter.

Bodies & Businesses Adapt to Their Environment

I often speak at length about how amazing the human body is at adapting to any environment. Man can live at the deepest reaches of the oceans and spend months in microgravity on the International Space Station. Businesses must adapt as well or face extinction.

March 18th will mark 25 years in business and, in that time, RFC has also had to adapt to a changing environment. Since we opened our doors in 1996 as “The Training Center”, we have walked through the fallout of September 11, the housing market crash, the burst of the Silicon Valley bubble, earthquakes, tsunamis, and a global-wide pandemic with a nationwide shutdown.

Our training facility has changed its name more times than I can recall. From “The Training Center”, to “Pleasure Point Athletic & Wellness Center” (a mouthful back in the days of 411 and before internet), “Pleasure Point Fitness”, “Rocky’s”, and now “RFC”. There must be another name somewhere on that list. We have moved our facility five times and with each move we have made a step up.

Throughout all of these events we gain knowledge and experience and reinforce our determination to serve our community any way we can.

This last relocation was no exception. The COVID-19 restrictions have encouraged us to take a good, hard, long look at what we really need moving forward into the next few years.

We needed a safe environment to train outside without traffic whizzing by.
We needed an easily accessible location from all directions with ample parking.
We needed a clean, professional space that emitted a feeling of safety, comfort, and focus.
We needed a dedicated group of members and clients who would follow us to a better place.

We could not have dreamed that we would find all of that, and just a mile down the road, just off the highway. Thank you for staying with us over the years (especially 2020!). We are feeling positive about what the future holds and we feel confident that we will continue to adapt, thrive and succeed in helping all of you do the same.

Dana’s Den | December, 2020

Written by Rocky Snyder on December 23, 2020. Posted in RFC Newsletter.

As 2020 comes to a close this month, I cannot help but reflect back on this year with puzzlement. This pandemic has changed my perspective of the world on so many levels, including the effect school on a screen has on the mental health of our children.

Before coming full time to RFC almost 9 years ago, I was a tenured school teacher in Scotts Valley. Advocating for children is something I take very seriously. As a teacher, way before I had my own two children, I advocated in and out of my classroom for my students. This year, more than ever, I feel it is vital for the adults in the world to try and understand and support what our children are managing right now. Here are three tips to help support your kids during the pandemic:

Reduce Screen Time

School is more than just learning in a classroom; socialization and play are just as crucial. And now school is on a screen. No friends to hang out with at recess, no field trips, not even an early morning car ride to get to school. Just screens! Be aware of the distractions screens cause our kids and adjust your exceptions for them. Remind them to take a break between classes and get up and move. Help them find other ways to spend their free time to reduce the screen time.

Get Active With Your Kids!

Movement supports mental health for all. Our kids are not getting enough movement throughout the day under normal circumstances, let alone during this pandemic where they are sitting hours a day. Take a walk or bike ride with your kids before their first class. Have a hard time getting them up in the morning? Walk to your neighborhood coffee shop and grab a special morning treat before school. Remember, treats don’t have to be full of sugar.

Hug your kids!

None of us are getting much physical touch since being on lock down. We all need a hug and to be told we are loved. Your kids will appreciate your actions and words even if they don’t say so.

Rocky’s Corner | December 2020

Written by Rocky Snyder on December 23, 2020. Posted in RFC Newsletter.

Whether you are planning on carving turns on the slopes or on the waves of northwest groundswells, getting ready for these winter activities is paramount for keeping the likelihood of injuries low. If you have not been conditioning during the “pre-season” you might not enjoy yourself as much as you potentially could.

I wrote Fit to Surf and Fit to Ski & Snowboard some years back to provide some basic guidance when developing a surf-specific or ski-specific conditioning program. While nothing beats holding a book in your hand, I thought I might give you a few movements you could try that might just be what your body needs to improve your chance of really tearing it up this winter.

This year has seen more sitting in front of webinars and zoom rooms than ever. That means we have a population of winter sports enthusiasts with extremely restricted hips. These restrictions will lead to compensations and increase your likelihood of injury. So here are four moves to try and help even things out:

Crossed Knee Lift

Purpose: To balance muscular tension surrounding the hips and pelvis to allow more freedom of movement and powerful turning potential.

Lie on your back with your arms out at right angles. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Lift the leg off the floor so the knee is directly above the hip joint from all perspectives. Hold for one minute before switching to the opposite side. Perform an additional set on the side that felt the most restricted. Here is a video instruction for additional guidance.

Crossover Twist

Purpose: Free up the ability for the ribs and pelvis to move in opposing directions. This will allow for more powerful bottom turns & cutbacks.

Lie on your back with your arms out at right angles. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Use the foot still on the floor as a hinge and pivot that leg and sole of opposite foot over to the side and down on the floor. Keep both shoulders on the floor and allow the knee that is above the body to move away from the chest and point to the ceiling. Hold this position for one minute before returning to the starting position. Perform the same movement on the other side. Perform an additional set on the side that felt more restricted. Here is a video instruction for additional guidance.

Shift

Purpose: Train the muscles to control when the body is off axis and almost off balance.

Stand in a forward stride position with a slightly wider than normal stance. Bend into the forward knee and allow the hips to travel toward the front foot. Maintain a straight knee on the back leg at all times. The heel of the back foot may lift off the ground as the pressure is felt in the forefoot. Raise the same side arm of the forward leg overhead and feel your rib cage tilt sideways and away from the forward leg. Keep the head level and bring the other arm forward with the palm face up. Here is a video instruction for additional guidance.

Hamstring Matrix

Purpose: Reduce the likelihood of injury to the knees and lower back while increasing power production of the hips and legs.

Place the heel of one foot on a chair or bench. Keep the knee of that leg straight but not locked out. Reach forward with one arm and then the other for 5-6 repetitions. Next, reach one arm up and overhead to the opposite side before switching arms and traveling in the opposite direction. Allow the rib cage to follow and send the hips off in the opposite direction. Third, reach across the front of the body and feel the torso rotate along with the reach before returning to the starting position. Do the same action to the opposite side with the opposite arm. Perform 5-6 repetitions for these movements as well. Here is a video instruction for additional guidance.

You can practice these actions daily in addition to your current strength & conditioning program. If you would like more help, just simply give us a call and we can set up a training session to ensure you enjoy the surf & snow the most you can.

Trainer Tip | December 2020

Before my current migraine treatment, I spent about a year practically bedridden from the chronic pain. After months of extremely restricted movement, I found myself in an emotional rut. I’d been told many times that exercise would help get me out of the depression, but I could barely get to the kitchen to feed myself, let alone get to a gym to work out.

I started doing some physical therapy movements while in bed (or on the floor) to try to raise my heart rate and my mood, but I’m not a trainer and my imagination is limited when it comes to exercise. Recently, I asked the trainers if they had any tips for movements that can be done from the floor or in bed, and let me tell you, they provided!

Here are nine movements to stretch, release tension, engage muscles, and raise heart rate, all starting from either lying on your back or your stomach:

Cross Knee Drop

Purpose: Create space & release tension in lower back, stretch glutes and hamstrings

While lying on your back, bend your knees and put one ankle over your knee. Drop your foot to the ground, rotating your hips and pushing your knee in the air away from your hips.

Arm Cogs

Purpose: Improve mobility in shoulders

While lying on your back with arms outstretched, rotate one hand backward and the other forward as if you’re wringing out a washrag.

Glute Bridge

Purpose: Engage glutes

Lying on your back with your knees bent and your pelvis in a posterior tilt, bridge up so your pelvis is in line with your knees. Activate your glutes, pressing into the floor with your heels, keeping your shoulder blades in contact with the floor. Keep a straight back by engaging your abdominal muscles.

Arm Sweeps

Purpose: Open chest and shoulders

Lying on your side with your knees bent as if sitting in a chair, your arms out in front of you at shoulder height with both palms up, reach overhead, keeping your top hand in contact with the ground while you reach up. Sweep your arm in a half circle motion. Cross your body and sweep arms away.

Glute Bridge March

Purpose: Engage glutes

Glute bridge. With your arms straight out in the air at shoulder height (like Frankenstein), lift one knee at a time, touching the lifted knee with the opposite hand. Put your foot back on the floor in between.

Planks

Purpose: Engage abdominals, improve shoulder stability and overall balance

From a prone position, with your back flat, your hands shoulder width apart and your feet hip width apart, push up on your hands. Keep your hands, elbows, and shoulders in line, and keep your hips, pelvis, back, and head in line.

Controlled Mountain Climbers

Purpose: Engage core, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and balance. Depending on tempo, elevate heart rate.

Full plank with hands shoulder width apart and feet hip width apart. Move one foot at a time under your hip, keeping knee in line with elbow, tapping the ground with your foot, and move your foot back to parallel.

Plank High Low

Purpose: Engage arms and core, elevate heart rate

Full plank with hands shoulder width apart and feet hip width apart. Drop down onto forearms one arm at a time, keeping elbows in line with shoulders. Push back up into a full plank one arm at a time.

Plank Hip Drop

Purpose: Plank with rotational movement, engaging abdominals

Plank on your forearms with your elbows under your shoulders, hands in a relaxed position, and feet shoulder width apart. Rotate your pelvis to the right and to the left, toward the floor.

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