Check out this client’s balance! Real change is marked by the small steps we take every day. It’s a privilege to walk alongside Kristy Hardcastle, whose hard work is definitely paying off. Our clients love us! 

In her words –

“Since joining YPB, I no longer wear ankle braces (after relying on braces for over a decade playing tennis; I had two bad sprains on both ankles at different times and was on crutches; ankles tend to roll out quickly). With all the balance exercises, my ankles have strengthened, and I’ve gained the confidence to let go of the braces.

I can feel my ankles working when doing specific exercises. I have since carried on balance exercises for the kids I teach at tennis as an essential part of our routine stretches and warm-up exercises.

Because of overuse of my wrists from playing and teaching tennis, there were times I couldn’t use my hand(s) because of pain after exercise. Thanks to YPB’s founder, Lisa Wright, I’ve learned to lessen the load and use different holds on dumbbells and straps. It’s a hook hold.

I know I’ve gained strength in my wrists from how my recovery is after workouts. Instead of 2-3 days of aching/pain, it’s down to the next day of regular soreness, just like other muscles react after a workout.

It’s been a long time getting to where I am, but I know I’m improving for the better, even with setbacks throughout the years.

~ Kristy Hardcastle

P.S. Have you had physical setbacks over the years, is your balance declining and pain increasing, and are you over 50 years old and interested in some help? Let YPB help improve your life’s quality by restoring your strength, improving your balance, & reducing your joint pain so you can enjoy your favorite activities. https://www.ypbstudio.com/21day 

Pickleball just keeps growing and growing – in popularity and in media attention.

It’s beyond trendy now, with some 5 million people playing, many of them active agers over 50 – and beyond.

So, it’s important to point out something that many folks might not realize:

Gym workouts make you a better pickleball player.

It’s true. If you want to have more endurance on the (smaller than tennis) court, more power in your swing, and more ability to make those shots – all the time smiling – then you need to come in here and join us for stretching, strength and endurance training.

Stretching to ‘feel wonderful’

Champ Barb Wintroub, 75, stays fit for the game and advocates for stretching.

“People are getting injured as they get older because they’re not stretching,” says Barb, a Pilates instructor in Southern California. “And they’re not standing up straight. I’m continuing to do that. And it makes a huge difference.”

She demonstrates in a YouTube video how to do squats for thighs and glutes, rotational twists for the obliques, and other stretches for arms and back. “All of these stretches are supposed to feel wonderful,” she says. If they hurt – stop.

Stretching is simple, and it’s easy to learn when we show you the right moves to help your game safely and effectively. So, come in and let’s show you how to warm up before playing and cool down after.

Tim Minnick, 79, of Austin, Texas, has been cited as the world’s oldest active personal trainer by Guinness.

Strong core and glutes are essential

“Core strength is critical in pickleball, especially rotational core strength,” like it is in tennis, golf, and other sports, Tim says. “That means the ability to rotate under control as well as stop rotation to be able to hit the ball and hit where you want to hit it.”

Tim suggests lunges with a pause for balance, and simple glute bridges, or hip raises, as demonstrated here.

Pickleball requires quick stops and starts, so it’s important to stay balanced. “That means leg strength is critical here, especially power from the largest muscle group in your body, the glute muscles, better known as the butt,” Tim says.

Working the glutes with us is important for any sports, including pickleball.

“They produce the power for successful athletic performance at any level,” Tim says.

To train for endurance? Tim recommends High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which has been proven in studies to be both effective and safe for mature athletes. HIIT means, as an example, that you run fast for a short time period – say 20 seconds – and then slow down for another time period, then repeat.

That’s how a game of pickleball goes, after all. And many games are played as part of tournaments.

“Cardiovascular fitness is critical to be able to play in tournaments,” Tim says. “It’s much more fun when you don’t have to stop and catch your breath all the time.”

>That’s true for everything in life, isn’t it? Come in to try our 21-day Strength and longevity program and keep having fun at any age!

Befitting for a theatrical performer, Dan Grady’s fitness journey can be told in three acts.

• Act I: A talented youth trains for years among ballet’s elite, then begins a decade-long career dancing on Broadway.
• Act 2: After his dancing career ends, he grows frustrated with his body’s limitations and realizes change is essential in his attitude and action.
• Act 3: Now 60 and a successful psychotherapist, he has adapted to gym workouts to remain strong, limber, and with his competitive edge intact.

“It was my choice to stop performing, and that’s a luxury not everybody gets due to injuries,” Dan recalls. “Now, knowing that it’s my choice to continue working on my fitness is very empowering. It feels like a privilege.”

After reaching a certain age, we all wish our bodies could do what they used to. But, as Dan learned, it doesn’t work that way. His story offers three-pointers to keep in mind as we journey through life and aim to remain our best.

First, adjust expectations. In his early 40s, Dan remained active in dance classes – and frustrated when he couldn’t jump as high or turn as many rotations as he did in his 20s.

“Comparison wasn’t helpful. I realized I needed to adjust my expectations,” he says. “It was sobering.”

When he got into gym fitness, he found the changes were – surprise! — sometimes positive. “My abilities are ever-changing,” he says. “I can do some things today that I couldn’t do five years ago.”

Second, remain open to new activities. Dan kept finding new ways to challenge his body.

“When I started to feel I was getting a shoulder injury from lifting such heavy weight all the time, I realized: Do I really need to be doing Olympic-style weightlifting? The answer was no.”

He took up golf, tennis, and jogging during the pandemic shutdown.

Third, focus on the quality of movement. Dan’s success as a dancer was often measured quantifiably – and mercilessly. Later in the gym, it was the same approach. That had to change, too.

“I learned that progress is not always measured in many reps, the weight of dumbbells, the height of jumps…” he says. “It’s more satisfying to focus on the quality of the movement.”

Learning from the Best

Dan learned to be grateful and forward-thinking partly from the legendary Broadway star Chita Rivera when he danced with her in “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in the 1990s.

“She never gave up,” he recalls. “She might not have been able to do at age 65 what she could at 25, but she always worked with what she could do.

“That’s the discipline for me – not allowing my mind to go into comparison,” he says. “I get better results and am more motivated when I’m compassionate with myself.”

>What can YOU do today? What would you like to be able to do next? Let us show you the way to healthy, active aging with our 21-Day Strength and Longevity Program – Guaranteed Results! (more…)

In a year dominated by a pandemic that hits hardest against mature adults, many are overlooking an obvious way to do their best to stay healthy.

Senior Man Jogging In Park

By exercising, we gain spectacular health benefits, including a stronger immunity system.

These benefits have no age limit.

“Whether you’re in your 40s or your 80s, you will benefit in the same way,” says Dr. Wael Jaber.

Dr. Jaber is a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic and author of a study with encouraging news about exercise and aging. Separate from coronavirus studies.

Sedentary people are almost four times as likely to die early as those who exercise regularly, says the study. It looked at 122,000 people who were tested on treadmills over 13 years.

“There actually is no ceiling for the benefit of exercise,” he said. “There’s no age limit that doesn’t benefit from being physically fit.”

So, if you’re already exercising regularly, then keep it up.

But sadly, most people of all ages don’t get enough exercise. One bit of good news: People over age 70 are the fastest-growing segment of the population to use personal trainers, according to the Personal Training Development Center. And this year, countless older people have adapted quickly by using virtual training over the computer, which we are happy to help with.

We believe what this study and the trend show – that exercise is right for everyone, regardless of age. Come see us, and let us show you how comfortable, safe, and fun it is to stay healthy and live longer.

If you are looking for help in creating your own healthy habits, check out our 21-Day Longevity and Strength Program? We will help you extend the length and quality of your life by restoring your strength, improving your balance, and reducing your joint pain.

Join our 21-day longevity and strength program today! <<<

Are you a “Golden Girl” or a showgirl?

This meme of Rue McClanahan and Jennifer Lopez went viral, comparing the “Golden Girls” actress in 1985 to the unstoppable superstar during her Super Bowl halftime show this year.

You get the sense it’s supposed to be a dig at the more matronly, old-fashioned image.

But its message is far more potent for active agers over 50 who want to live life on their terms for as long as possible: It’s all up to you.

And, for the men out there, try imagining, say, John Forsythe, who was 63 when “Dynasty” premiered, next to Brad Pitt, 56.

All four of these celebs were healthy and attractive in their way. One isn’t better than the other.

Healthy living means freedom, and freedom means choice.

It’s up to all of us to decide how we want to present ourselves – how we want to look. It’s up to each of us to accept or reject society’s expectations about what’s “appropriate” at certain ages. Our options are endless – limited to neither McClanahan’s nor Lopez’s versions, Forsyth’s tuxedos, or Pitt’s shirtlessness.

When you have the strength, stamina, and stability to choose, then it’s all up to you.

 ‘The Happiest Demographic’

A common myth about aging says that after 50, people (especially women) face a dreary life of loneliness, physical difficulty, and despair. They’re also (supposedly) stuck in the past, and have no sexuality – according to more myths.

But the opposite is true for millions, who are finding that the “grandma years” turn out to be the best time of their lives.

Adults 65 to 79 say this is their happiest stage of life, according to a British study of 300,000 people. The study found that satisfaction with life peaked during this period. This jibes with other clinical and anecdotal research in the United States, which has more women over 50 than ever before, according to the US Census Bureau.

It isn’t hard to see why women at this stage of life report such levels of satisfaction.

They are often more able to focus on their wellbeing than during their child-raising years. They are trending toward retirement and less work-related stress. And many say they no longer feel the anxiety about money and keeping up with peers that drove them earlier in life.

The Role of Fitness

“Contrary to the cultural scripts that say women are old and useless and in the way — diminished versions of their former selves — in reality, older women are the happiest demographic in the country,” says Mary Pipher.  Mary is the author of “Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age.”

Fitness plays a huge role in helping people this age feel satisfied, healthy, and confident. That’s because fitness gives mature people the ability to continue living the way they want to live — to enjoy hobbies, travel, sports, grandchildren, and other things they value. It gives them the stamina and agility to avoid injury and hospitalization. It helps them present their sexuality; however, they choose.

Let’s face it: If you feel good physically, you’re going to be happier. And that will show at any point on the “Golden Girls”/J-Lo spectrum.

Want to get more physically fit and happier, check out our 21-Day Longevity and Strength Program? We will help you extend the length and quality of your life by restoring your strength, improving your balance, and reducing your joint pain.

Join our 21-day longevity and strength program today! <<<

Are you longing for some good news?

We all are.

2020 is one of the most trying years in recent memory, with the pandemic leading the way. It’s enough to make some of us want to hibernate until things get better.

But guess what? We’re not bears. And we don’t have to be.

We’re going to share some positive information right here about maturing, exercising, and taking care of yourself.

Some of it might not be “news,” but it’s all information we need to share and share again to keep us motivated and moving!

Headline No. 1: Eating Right Builds Immunity

While we’re waiting for a vaccine, put down the drive-through burgers and diet soda. If you want to stay strong against viruses, then you’ve got to eat well. You know that healthy protein, whole foods, grains, vegetables, and plenty of water are essential. Elderberries, button mushrooms, oysters, watermelon, spinach, green tea, broccoli, and garlic are full of disease-fighting nutrients.

Headline No. 2: So Does Exercise

Exercise improves health in general, so it’s also specifically suitable for a healthy immune system. It also promotes good circulation, which helps the cells and substances of the immune system move throughout the body and take care of business. Being sedentary is bad for everyone, but it’s downright dangerous for older people.

Headline No. 3: A Bath Might Do You Good

A nice, hot bath can be soothing, right? According to one study, it can also improve sleep and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Headline No. 4: What Makes a Community Healthy

Los Alamos County, New Mexico, has been ranked as America’s healthiest community of 2020 in the annual U.S. News Healthiest Communities rankings. The list evaluates communities based on environment, food and nutrition, population health, and other categories related to helping citizens lead healthy lives.

Headline No. 5: Healthy Living Means Longer and Happier Living

When you exercise regularly and eat well, you’re happier, and you live longer, period. It’s that simple. Your body and your brain work better for more years. You have less stress, sleep better, and your sex life is better. And on and on.

Headline No. 6: Pick Up the Pace or Mix It Up

OK, that headline comes directly from The New York Times article about a new study on older people and walking. If gentle strolling is your primary exercise, the research suggests, then you’ll do better if you also jog, cycle, or add hills sometimes. That gibes with the current thinking that is merely walking isn’t good enough.

Headline No. 7 Strength Training Is Crucial

Strength training is optional for the young, but it is imperative for older people. It slows age-related muscle loss and strengthens bones, thereby helping to prevent falls and fractures. If that’s not enough to get you to call us, then consider this: Resistance training is safe, effective, and doesn’t even require a bunch of equipment. Let us tell you more.

Despite the current challenges, we’re still helping mature members of our community stay healthy, have endurance, and gain flexibility. We’re here to help you, too, and can provide information on eating right, improving your mood, and lots more.

That’s our good news to share every day. Call us now.

PS: Have you heard about our 21-Day Longevity and Strength Program? We will help you extend the length and quality of your life by restoring your strength, improving your balance, and reducing your joint pain.

Join our 21-day longevity and strength program today! <<<

Quick question: What’s the biggest muscle in your body?

Chest? Biceps? Brain?

Nope. It’s the gluteus maximum, also known as the glutes, also known as Your Butt.

If you think you’re stuck with the tush you have, then you’re not only mistaken – you’re also asking for all kinds of mobility issues. Exercising the glutes is essential to more than just looking good as you walk away. You can’t be in good shape if you ignore the derriere.

This muscle is your body’s hub of movement, the workhorse. Problems arise when your glutes get lazy or dormant because other muscles must kick in to perform jobs that aren’t theirs to do. And that starts a domino effect of compensations that will, over time, wreak havoc on your body.

With every step you take, your glutes should absorb much of the impact and propel you into the next step. If your glutes can’t do that, your foot, knee, hip, back – maybe even your neck – are going to take the brunt of those forces.

Because your glutes are at the center of your body, they’re crucial to function for both the lower and upper body.

Ignoring your butt leads to back pain, knee trouble, and a higher risk of falling.

Talk to us here about squats, deadlifts, and other exercises to strengthen your glutes, including bridges, plank variations, and banded hip abductions.

Respect your butt. It’s so much more than meets the eye.

PS: Have you heard about our 21-Day Longevity and Strength Program? We will help you extend the length and quality of your life by restoring your strength, improving your balance, and reducing your joint pain.

Join our 21-day longevity and strength program today! <<<

Huge congratulations to our client Jackie Ray, who has made incredible progress towards her goals! Not only is she making a physical transformation, but she is helping inspire so many others during this global disruption.

Check out her story.

Jackie Ray is a 62 years old sales manager for Omni Corpus Christ Hotel and has been working out with us off and on since 2017. After dropping out for a while, we invited her back for a 28 Day Transformation Challenge that she took us upon.

Like many, Jackie has a grandchild that she cares for while still working full time. Full-time work sometimes makes dinner hard to do healthily. Her work includes travel that also makes it more challenging to maintain good habits.

“Getting in and out of the car hurts my knees at the end of the day, so I’m in a catch 22, although better when I exercise them, sometimes they hurt too badly.  Oh, and did I mention I am allergic to anti-inflammatories?”

Allergies to anti-inflammatories mean her arthritis pain is real

“It’s in my back, knees, hands, and I have bumps on my feet from it.  I did not sleep well, never more than 3 hours at a time and woke up many times during the night.  With my grandson being young, I need to be able to enjoy special times with him and not hold him back from experiences.

My goal was to take him to Disney World and be able to walk all day every day.  At the time I started, walking around SAMS Club killed my knees, and it was all I could do to get back to the car, much less drive home and put things away.”

Jackie makes a studio comback

Coming back to YPB Training Studio and staying true to a meal plan for 28 days, Jackie has now lost 14 lbs

“I can tell you that I am now wearing a couple of capris that were too tight to be comfortable before.  I am sleeping so much better and have more energy during the day.  For the first time in my life, I must eat something in the AM, so that I don’t fade during the day.  I haven’t been back to the Dr., but I am hoping my ‘borderline’ diabetes is now under control.”

“I am proud of myself, really pleased because the decisions I make daily are MINE, and I am making good ones.  If I choose to eat a roll, that’s ok, and I just don’t eat another one for the rest of the week.  Even my grandson has noticed that I am making the right choices and has asked me why I choose some things which tell me that I am a better example for him daily.”

“YPB has made me comfortable in my skin.  Still too fat, and I even still move slowly and can’t do stairs without peg-legging due to my knees, BUT I am willing to try active things again, and if I fall short, it’s ok.  I have never felt uncomfortable walking into the studio and working out with other clients near my age. I know they are in full support of me, even as I have to have exercises modified most times.  BUT I WILL GET THERE!

Jackie’s best advice for starting out

“For anyone considering YPB, please know that they are a fantastic community of people who support each other.  If you decide to eat an ice cream cone, it’s ok.  Forgive yourself and move on.  The whole process is to feel better and move better, and they know we all need different things at different times.”

A few of Jackie’s favorite things 

• Quotes: “With God, all things are possible” – The book of Matthew, and “All you need is faith, trust, and a little pixie dust” – Tinkerbell
• Book – To Kill a Mockingbird
• Workout song – Justin Timberlake Can’t Stop the Feeling

Amazing work! Who’s next? We’re always here to help and would love to be part of your wellness journey.

Join Jackie in our 21-Day Online Program for our renowned workouts with the over 50-year-old crowd streamed LIVE anywhere you are. Email lisa@ypbtrainingstudio.com for more information

Stroke is common and serious. But we can learn how to prevent strokes by lowering our risk through exercise and other lifestyle habits. And spotting the symptoms early can greatly lower the odds of permanent damage, according to the American Heart Association.

Doctors recommend exercise and healthy eating to improve overall heart health. They also suggest maintaining a healthy weight, drinking only in moderation, and not smoking.

Stroke is an interruption of blood flow to the brain. It can be fatal. Some 800,000 strokes occur annually in the US alone.

And the AHA has a handy way to educate us about spotting a stroke early enough to get help that could save a life or greatly mitigate permanent damage.

1. Face. One side of the face is drooping.
2. Arms. Arm or leg weakness.
3. Speech. Speech difficulty.
4. Time. Time to call for an ambulance immediately.

With February cited as American Heart Month, the AHA also points out:

• Stroke risk increases with age.
• African-Americans are twice as likely for a first-time stroke as white people.
• High blood pressure contributes to 75 percent of first strokes.
• Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
• More exercise brings more benefits.
• Keep exercising and eating right even if you’re on medicine for high blood pressure and cholesterol.

It’s all just more encouragement to live a healthy life and to encourage loved ones to exercise, eat right, and practice other positive daily choices. Visit the heart association or talk to your doctor to learn more.

Tons of fresh basil brightens this easy vinaigrette. Make extra and drizzle it over grilled chicken, shrimp, and more.

INGREDIENTS

• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 12 oz. green beans, trimmed and halved
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 1 c. lightly packed basil leaves
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 4 c. oak leaf lettuce or butter lettuce
• 1 15-oz. can small white beans, rinsed
• 2 5-oz. cans solid white tuna in water, drained
• 4 soft- or hard-boiled eggs, halved

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt, then green beans, and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, puree shallot, basil, oil, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper until smooth. Transfer half of dressing to a large bowl and toss with green beans. Fold in lettuce, white beans, and tuna and serve with remaining dressing and eggs.

NUTRITIONAL INFO
Per serving: 340 calories, 16.5g fat (3g saturated), 31g protein, 770mg sodium, 24g carbs, 8g fiber

From Woman’s Day