Follow Through…

Hello again! My last entry was sharing a bit about our recent shoot experience in LA. It’s been a crazy couple of months since then and I am happy to say the new DVDs are in duplication and will soon be available. We have been working hard creating a new website KariAndersonFitness.com that should be up and running by the end of this week if all goes as planned. It will be an easy way to access these new projects, view promotional clips, purchase “older” videos now on DVD, and much more. We are excited to finally have this in place!

I hope that you enjoy these new workouts. My ultimate goal is to broaden my home workout audience, to reach more people in their efforts to get fit and improve the quality of their life through fitness. I know how vital exercise has been to me for my mental and physical health and I am always distressed to see the small percentage of the population who workout on a regular, long-term basis. Making time for this in our week seems as important as eating and sleeping. I encourage all of you to spread the message of what it does for you. If we could all just reach one person to get on this road what an amazing effect we could have. These new DVDs are aimed for all fitness levels and since my personal club classes (cardio specifically) are more advanced, faster and more complicated this will be a great gift to give family/friends who are reluctant to try ProRobics, or any, group classes. The whole point is to move, to have fun and see how great it feels to workout.

Following up from my last blog I wanted to share a bit of what happens post-shoot because I think you will probably be able to relate in some way. As I mentioned preparing for and filming a workout is definitely a challenge. It is mentally, physically and emotionally draining. As the instructor you know you have that one chance to get all you want on tape and there are so many aspects and small details to a production. Often things are out of your direct control so there is a confidence and trust issue. The editing process is in many ways the hardest from an artistic standpoint. While filming you know that this is something that will be watched over and over, it is daunting. During editing you examine it so repetitively, always focusing on the negative, and then worry about how the exerciser at home will react, especially over time. Looking at yourself this closely, seeing your quirks, your physical “imperfections”, listening to your voice, hearing the unfortunate things that come out of your mouth, noticing all the important things you didn’t say…judging…it takes it’s toll on your confidence. Now that I am finished I have to step away and realize I can never make it as perfect as I want. Hindsight is a beautiful advantage that we can’t use in the moment. I can only look to the future and hope I do this again, make the changes I wish I had foreseen. In the long run I love reaching people outside of the gym environment. I only wish I had the opportunity to say to you all the things I would say in person; to encourage you, in your uniqueness, to have the confidence and strength to keep getting better. That is life at it’s best and I am right there with you!

Go for it! No looking back!

~ Kari

A Leap of Faith….

Hi Everyone,

Happy 2011 and so sorry for the lapse in my blog!!

It’s been a crazy 3 months but I’m happy to say we completed the filming of 2 new workout DVDs! For me this past holiday season was a maze of pre-production details, concept and choreography development, non-stop rehearsing either alone or with cast day and night, and then finally filming in LA. It made sense to me to do two very different projects in order to make this trip worthwhile and be able to share what I am feeling in fitness right now. We are now in post-production which includes box design, editing, marketing plans and hope to have these released by the end of March or early April. One of the projects is a follow-up to Reach (ballet-based fitness infused workout) but quite different. The other is a cardio/dance workout that I’m hoping will appeal to a wide range of home exercisers. The music in both is fantastic. I will share more details as I get closer to the finish line.

Our “shoot” trip to LA was a highly charged event shared with a few special people (Danielle, Stacy and Vicki) who were with me through the journey of the last months. We were surprised to find out the neighborhood of our shoot was well known for a different kind of filming. That explained the interesting looks we got from a few curious people. We had many laughs, especially after the fact, reliving the tense moments of mental/physical overload, tripping over equipment during filming, missed cues, forgotten moves, sequence problems, music madness, wardrobe malfunctions…possible food poisoning. Believe me the stress in a 12hr shoot day, which included filming the two workouts, multiple takes, and a photo shoot for cover/box leads to potential for many problems. That mental toughness I talked about in my last entry was definitely put to the test. At times I failed miserably, but I have learned the value of quick recovery and moving on. I know my faults all too well and with every new pursuit I discover more new “issues” to work on.

All in all I am happy I took this leap after a 5-year hiatus from production. At that time I thought those might be my last. One of the reasons is that when I commit to big projects it tends to literally consume me. I wasn’t sure I still had the stamina, the memory, or the patience to take it on, especially while still teaching daily classes. The intense focus nearly pushes me to the edge because I know what my vision is. Completing that vision up to my highest standards is the hard part. As instructors we all know that feeling of “nailing it” where all your moves, your cues, the music, the energy, the class response all clicks. It is hard to recreate that when you only see cameras, the production crew, and people sitting, watching, texting in front of you (cast is behind me so I can’t see them to use their energy!) Every time I do this I realize how much I need my class!! I need to see your faces, hear your voice, see your struggles and see your joy when you “get it” or “feel it”. Teaching live is the ultimate in feedback, good or bad…. but we need it to do our best.

Here are a few behind the scene photos of our adventure. To D, S and V…I am so sorry for every ugly moment of frustration. I hope there weren’t too many. You are gold to me!!

Big, Big Thanks to Stockyard Films/Mike Leber and crew, David Heisler Photography, Ronni Winston Makeup/Hair, Brandon Neff Set Design, AFAA studio and Yes! Music for the inspiration!! You were all amazing to work with!

~ Kari

Mental Toughness

I think this is a great season to evaluate where we are in our lives, what we have accomplished, what we hope to accomplish, and what it takes to get it done. I am a firm believer in specific goal setting, personal accountability and follow-through. I am also mindfully aware of the inner dialogue that goes on in our heads that is often the catalyst for doing nothing. How many times have you talked yourself out of an idea because you fear failure? or negative response? or simply making yourself vulnerable? With all the changes/questions going on in the world, the economy, the job market, the future, it is no wonder many of us our questioning what lies ahead and whether we have what it takes to survive, progress and succeed. When you decide not to take a particular path or start a project you have to ask yourself what drives that decision? Is this because I fear “I can’t” or is it worry of how failure would be perceived by others? It is so easy to stay with the status quo because it is safe, it is what you know, you have done it before, it is you. But my challenge to you is to stimulate change within yourself. If you have an idea that drives something in you, excites you, quiet the negative voice within that beats you down and tells you “you can’t” and “it won’t work”. Listen instead to that excited, hopeful voice that says “but what if?” Most important during this process is to do your homework: Evaluate, Research, Prepare, Practice and Plunge. There is great personal reward in accomplishing a task that you feared. Your negative voice will lose its power and the paralyzing effect it has on your spirit, drive and creativity. Your positive voice will in turn gain in confidence, volume and wisdom.

On that note I nearly talked myself out of both tennis and Zumba®. My negative voice was loud and clear that it is much safer to stay with what I know and not look like a fool. Well happy to say I have been both the “fool” and the “winner” in both and I am having a ball. I want to thank all members who joined me for Zumba® Happy Hours. If you came to the first few and not again…(agghh!)…. I hope you will return. After 7 classes under by belt I have found myself, my groove and have evolved the workout in multiple ways. I am happy I listened to my positive voice on this one!

For the future: I am still debating if the Friday night time will work since many of you tell me you want to come but Friday nights are hard. Unfortunately, I am having trouble finding a better day/time since I already teach daily, unless I change one of my current classes into this format. Additionally I am not sure how to choose which gym…or if this alternating thing works. I would love your feedback on this!

I will bring Zumba® with Kari back in January and also plan on doing a Christmas Eve Zumba® workout…time and location to be determined!

Note to all members: Join ProRobics Conditioning Clubs Group on Facebook for gym updates, class changes, sub notices and announcements.

Have an amazing Thanksgiving and holiday season!!! ~Kari

My Zumba® Journey

Hi everyone! I had to take a bit of a break from writing, as my whole summer seemed to be spent on my feet enjoying all things physical. I hope your summer was amazing, refreshing and full of memorable events.

I want to write a bit about Zumba® and me. I recently went to the full day training to see if I had it in me to add this to my already packed teaching schedule. I have been interested in the concept, the worldwide rage for a long time, just never sure how I could fit it in to my life…but had a feeling I wanted to.

Those of you who know me know that dance is in my bones, my soul, and my spirit. I love to teach movement, love to see people begin tentatively, finally grasp a step and then embrace and perform it. Unfortunately, well actually fortunately, I have been teaching sooo long I have a developed a wide following of skilled exercisers and dancers. My classes have advanced in response to requests for more, which I love, but it also creates a wall between me and beginners, or those just wanting less intricate movement. It may often turn away those who are too nervous, too frustrated, and then too defeated to join in, or continue beyond one try. I do my best to break everything down, to be as inclusive as possible but the bottom line is it is “tough stuff”. Movements are introduced and embellished, combinations developed and linked together. It becomes a huge movement and memory challenge…. and better than any crossword puzzle at keeping the body and brain active in tandem. But I know it is not for everyone.

So this month I will be presenting some special Zumba® classes, alternating between the gyms. This has been a physical journey for me. I wish you could all be a fly on the wall watching me practice, following a DVD, and wondering why my hips aren’t going the right way on the right beat. Once again, I have made so many discoveries about muscle memory and learning patterns and am humbly reminded that what is easy to some is a mountain to others. I will be bringing to the table my own Scandinavian version of Latin moves with an uptight “ballet-trained” bent but I will say I am loving every minute of it. I am having to relearn body weight placement over the foot…it is totally different from my normal “aerobics” method of weight transfer. The good news is I have had to break this down to a science for me to relearn. When learning new skills my m.o. has always been to examine where individual body parts are relative to each other on any given beat. That’s all good until I try to look like I was born doing this. I am driving myself nuts. Well more nuts than usual.

So my challenge to you is to join in my madness. This workout is for all members, all levels. It is not complicated at all! We will have fantastic music, easy to learn moves, typically just 3 moves to each song, and each song stands alone…so that you can focus on your STYLE and dance away your stresses. It has only been a challenge for me because I want to be a great dancer and the fact that I have to lead all of you. The pressure only comes from myself. You won’t believe the mix of workout and fun!! You don’t need to be a dancer or “coordinated” to take this class. Your “inner dance” will develop over time and I promise a good laugh or two. Hope to see you there!! Kari

Zumba® with Kari
October 8th 5:30pm Queen Anne
October 15th 5:00pm Laurelhurst
October 22nd 5:30pm Queen Anne
October 29th 5:00pm Laurelhurst

(Further schedule will be determined based on response from members and my confidence in myself ☺)

Note:
Also be sure to check out Nathalye’s stellar Zumba® classes which have been packing in members for the past year.
She is from Columbia and has everything I don’t…she is an inspiration to me!
Queen Anne Saturdays at 11:30am and Tuesdays at 5:30pm
Laurelhurst Mondays at 5pm and Wednesdays at 6:15pm

Solid Gold

Some of our members have been weight training for years and others are just now considering whether it is a good addition to their fitness program. Either way
there are all sorts of misunderstandings surrounding the subject of strength training that may keep you from setting realistic goals or achieving the gains you desire. Here are just a few tips to consider.

One very important concept to understand is that it is easier for some people to build muscle than it is for others. There is a genetic component to developing strength and muscle. Even two people of the same gender, age and similar body types can show quite different results while doing the exact same training. Scientists call this “individual response” and to many it just seems unfair. There is no one machine or piece of equipment that will develop “long lean” muscles. There is also no easy, one size fits all, formula for “bulking up”. Genetics (and gender) play a huge role in determining your ultimate progress towards your goals. The areas you can manipulate are the types of exercises you select, type of resistance you use, number of reps, how much resistance you work with and how often you train.

Strength training to spot reduce is also impossible. Using machines, free weights or hundreds of exercises focusing on one problem area will not get rid of “targeted” extra fat. To achieve fat loss you must burn more calories than you take in. The unfortunate fact is that we can’t dictate where the fat burning takes place in our body. The good news is that you can spot-tone. Resistance training can do more to reshape your body than any other type of training. By building up underlying muscles you will find that your problem areas can take on a totally new look and feel. You can achieve more solid, less jiggle. By incorporating both strength training and cardio into your weekly program you are maximizing your potential for positive change. On top of this you need to recognize that good nutrition and conscious diet control help the new contours come to the surface.

So much of the decline of our health and wellness is a result of muscle loss. This becomes more and more evident as we age. It is very important to recognize that strong muscles help us maintain balanced and erect posture, helps to minimize many orthopedic problems due to weakness or imbalance and generally just keeps us “greased up” as my physical therapist likes to say. Most problems seem to multiply or magnify when we stop moving. It’s a challenge sometimes finding the ultimate in smart, safe training especially when you are trying to push yourself. Incorrect technique, too much too soon, or simply over-doing things without the “armor” of bone, joint, and tissue strength and resiliency can lead you to the conclusion that getting fit leads to injury. It all comes down to smart, balanced and progressive training.

There is always so much to learn in the area of fitness and training. The best thing you can do is get started! Once that happens, be patient and persistent, focus on your own progress, acknowledge your successes, and always take note of where you started to see how far you’ve come.

~ Kari

Beauty or Not?

I was flipping through a fashion magazine recently and was happy to hear that there is finally a real effort on the part of designers, modeling agents and editors to change the model hiring ideal size from a 0 to a 4. Small step but a start. Many of us have adolescent, teenage or young adult females in our lives and this is a quietly growing problem that now goes way beyond a size and is a huge influence in their lives. Through TV, movies, print, and the internet girls are bombarded with what is “perfect” in the eyes of society. It is not an easy task to pass through puberty and ever be a size 0 not to mention the pressure to fill a bra, have the perfect body, perfect teeth, a flawless face, spotless skin and luxurious hair. What ever happened to embracing the genetics within a family and the uniqueness that makes us all a bit different? This quest for universal beauty isn’t a new thing but it is so “in your face” now that it can take over a personality, it can takeover a life. It is way too much for a young girl (or boy!) to put into perspective. The more we let our children, or ourselves, dwell on the physical exterior we are losing the chance to become a better person on the inside. For those that don’t see the beauty in themselves it is a dangerous road that leads to self-doubt, alienation, depression and worse. And the hard reality is it doesn’t get any easier as you age. Life is so much more than studying oneself in a mirror looking for flaws, shop ‘til you drop and finding the newest “fix” treatments. Don’t get me wrong I believe in self- improvement on all levels or I wouldn’t be in this business. I simply feel that the focus on betterment and change should go way beyond the physical and material. And as adults we also need to look closely at the messages we send to the children around us by how we view and speak about ourselves.

Haven’t you noticed that living with imperfection, whether real or perceived, often makes a person try harder and excel in other areas? This opens the door wide for developing a compelling personality, amazing people and/or work skills, broad intelligence, a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at oneself before others. And most important, in my opinion, it allows you to become a person rich with understanding, acceptance and compassion for the feelings of others. Beauty is a gift, not something an individual somehow earned at birth. If you have been lucky in this area, be thankful and humble and notice how doors may open easier for you. And never, ever be judgmental of others who may not be so lucky. I have always felt “be careful what you wish for.” Sometimes the road you think you want forks the wrong way.

In the meantime, get fit, get strong and maximize the gifts you have right in front of you.
Share the message of how commitment, work and accomplishment enhances living and self-worth. Celebrate an efficient heartbeat and the ability to move. There is no better feeling than making the most of what is the real, healthy YOU!

~ Kari

Changing Behavior

This is the perfect time of year to revaluate how you are managing your life. The winters are always challenging for many reasons and spring, along with the hints of summer, give us some relief, some hope.
If you are at all like me you may have somewhat of an “addictive” personality. I easily develop patterns of behavior (typically in response to circumstances) that tend to gain momentum as time goes by. The patterns then become reinforced as I find they are successful, comfortable or highly enjoyable. The bad news is sometimes the evolving change is not in my best interest. Feel free to plug any of your own in here! This could be diet/nutrition, excessive or non-existent exercise, smoking, drinking, drugs, negativity, risk-taking, apathy…withdrawal from friends or family…or any number of things.
I have been through this before and at one time had to address a problem that I feared I would never overcome. From that experience that spanned several years I now know it is possible to attack and conquer the perceived impossible.
The most important thing is to acknowledge that something is affecting the quality of your life negatively and then look at the ways to begin a process of change. The biggest obstacle in my opinion is thinking too large, rather than looking at the option of mini-steps of behavior change. Rather than using the words “I will start now and never again…” consider beginning with a smaller commitment. Why not just start with TODAY and see how it goes? By knowing that your immediate commitment is short there is peace in the process. By experience I know that that one day often becomes another day, then a week, then a month, then years and before you know it what was a pattern is now only an option that you can choose to ignore. New behaviors breed new reinforcements and change can happen.
When a pattern is truly an addiction or illness… or is life-threatening and more than you can handle on your own it is critical to seek help. There is no shame in being in need, it is human and we all go through it to some degree at one or many points in a lifetime. The shame is when a life is wasted because you feel alone in your struggles. Look around yourself at the gym. You are surrounded by people who have both struggles and triumphs. We are lucky to be in a physical environment that is all about change and empowerment. Spend a moment today thinking about what you want for yourself and how today can be a new beginning. That first step is the best… and who knows you may affect many other people you care about in the process.

~ Kari