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Fitness Communicator
March 3, 2024
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Notice of Closure: Texas Drive Ladies Locker Room and Men's Shower Area
The Texas Drive Ladies Locker Room will be closed for maintenance starting tomorrow, March 4 to Friday, March 8. During this time, the locker room will open each day after 3 p.m. for bathroom usage and dressing room use only. However, shower usage will be unavailable all week. If the project is completed before March 8, we will promptly update the signage in the Texas Drive building, the Fitness Center Facebook page and our information line at 512-948-7750.
We kindly ask that you use the family bathroom next door, or the bathrooms located by the aerobics pool during this period.
Following this closure, the men's shower area will undergo maintenance from Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15. During this time, the urinals and dressing area will remain open, but shower usage will not be available all week. Similarly, we will update the opening of the men's shower area using the same communication channels as before.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation during these maintenance periods. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Marty Van Blair at 512-948-7412.
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Communicator Chit Chat
News and views from our fitness center staff…
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TUNITY APP
Download the free app, Tunity that allows you to listen to the wall TVs on closed caption is working again. It is easy to set up for you to enjoy. If you have any questions, please see a fitness monitor or manager.
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March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Brain Injury Awareness Month has its roots in advocacy movements aiming to bring attention to the invisible injuries many endure. Over the years, with the combined efforts of survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocates, the event has expanded its reach, promoting a culture of understanding, empathy and advanced care for brain injury patients.
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Instructor of the Month - March
Beth White, Fitness Manager and Instructor
I have been working in the fitness industry for 34 years. I graduated from the University of Iowa with my degree in Exercise Science and Sports Studies with an emphasis in Fitness/Wellness. I love teaching fitness classes and seeing how much the participants enjoy the music, exercises, and friendships. I have taught a large variety of formats over the years including Strength, Hi/Lo aerobics, Body Pump, Body Combat, Parkinson’s Punch (yes, they loved to hit the bags and mitts), Stretching, Core, etc. I currently teach Kickboxing at Northpoint on Tuesday from 12:30 – 1 p.m., and a NEW class this month on Thursday from 12:30 – 1:15 p.m. Box Fit. We will shadow box for a warmup, then put the boxing gloves on to hit the heavy bag and focus mitts. I also teach the Aqua Fitness class at Cowan Creek on Wednesday from 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. Along with teaching fitness classes to the amazing Sun City residents, I love my job as a Fitness Manager. Working with a great team and enjoying the residents every day is a blessing.
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Mindful Moment
Today’s thought: Use resistance as an ally instead of a foe.
I recalled something a personal trainer said once at the end of an intense HIT session.
"Lean into the fire instead of pushing past it."
It is, in fact, what provides the most benefit, leaning into the resistance.
Later during a yoga class, we were holding a lower body twist. My hip flexors were screaming at me. That's when the instructor said in her soft Zen voice, "Allow your awareness to go to the place of resistance. Focus on softening the edges, the tissues around the resistance. Now, find the place in yourself where you can settle deeper into it."
It was a good reminder recently as I’ve been thinking about resistance, and how the broader force of Resistance exists in other areas of our lives.
Where does resistance show up in your life?
What I’m noticing is that as I’m moving up and forward with some projects, I’m meeting an internal resistance that feels like a gust of wind connected to an electric fence. It’s a powerful force that pushes and pulls at the same time.
“Where there is power, there is resistance.” - Michel Foucault
I was drawn again to Steven Pressfield’s book “The War of Art,” in which he calls resistance the “most toxic force on the planet.” In fact, he devotes an entire chapter to this beautiful, terrible monster.
He says: “Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands resistance.” Pressfield considers resistance as strong a force field as gravity or electromagnetic, in that it can’t be “seen, touched, heard or smelled. But it can be felt.”
It’s an internal force, is always there and its aim is to repel.
“The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”
However, as Pressfield also says, “Resistance has no strength of its own. Every ounce of juice it possesses comes from us. We feed it with power by our fear of it. Master that fear and we conquer resistance.”
What about, instead of conquering resistance, you embrace it— “lean into the fire” —as an ally rather a foe?
There’s a kind of comfort in that. If you welcome the resistance and recognize it as a part of the process, the decision, the journey, or the HIT set, then you make it your ally rather than a hindrance holding you back.
"Hey, Luke. May the Force be with you." — Hans Solo
Some tips to embrace resistance:
- Focus on it to soften its edges.
- Being in the now with the force restores inner strength and balance.
- Be courageous. Lean into the resistance and go forward.
- Get creative. Creativity and spontaneity are energizing positive forces that help counterbalance the negative force of resistance.
- And trust. Trust yourself in the process.
Interestingly, Pressfield also says that the resistance is only there when you’re faced with an up level. There’s no resistance going down, only up. Think about that for a moment. So, when resistance comes, welcome it because it means you're leveling up in that area of your life.
Something to think about.
Cindy Yantis – Fitness Monitor and Sun City Resident
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March Fitness Class Changes
Northpoint
Small Group Training Studio:
- Amy’s Wednesday 11:20 a.m. reformer class is changing from 1.0 Beginner Reformer to Advance Beginner 1.5
Large Studio:
- Tuesday from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., is Ringside Boxing with Kelly
- Thursday from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m., is Box Fit with Beth
Cowan Creek
- Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Aqua Fitness will be taught by Tammy
- Wednesday from 9 to 10 a.m., Power Cycle with Sally
- Wednesday from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., Mat Pilates with Sally
Texas Drive
- Tuesday & Thursday from 11:15 a.m., to noon Strength with Csilla
- Tuesday from 12:15 to 1 p.m., Sit & Fit with Kathy
- Thursday from 12:15 to 1 p.m., Sit & Fit with Heidi
- Saturday 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Aqua class will be shared by Maggie and Michelle Munk
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TRX and Pilates Reformers –
Online Registration now Available
Small Group Training Classes ONLY
Log onto www.sctexas.org. Go to the Fitness page, and on the left side there are the fitness menu options. Click on NP Small Group Training Register.
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A big welcome to our newest instructor Sally P.
Sally comes to us with Mat Pilates, Pilates Reformer, Cycle, Strength certifications. Sally has been a certified fitness instructor for many years. New to Sun City as a resident, and we are thrilled to have Sally as part of our fitness team!
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Featured Fitness
Class of the Week
Classic Mat Pilates with Sally
Wednesdays, 10:15-11:15 a.m.
Cowan Creek
Classic mat Pilates, based on the Joseph Pilates 8 Principles method. Core work that tightens and strengthens the abs and back and increases flexibility.
Level 2 -4
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Exercising for the Brain- Real Simple
It’s no surprise that exercise supports a healthy brain. Working out not only offers some incredible, immediate perks, like boosting your mood, clearing your head, and giving you that post-exercise high, it also causes some remarkable things to happen in your brain for long-term cognitive health and functioning.
There are positive links between physical exercise and brain health—mental health and mood management, memory and executive functioning, and degenerative brain disease prevention. Researchers and doctors are now diving deeper to figure out exactly how much exercise we need and what types of exercises are ideal for optimal brain health. Some exercise is certainly better than no exercise at all, but the best strategy to maximize exercise for brain health is a constantly evolving topic.
How long should you exercise for brain health?
The current general recommendation for exercise amount and duration, according to the World Health Organization, is 50 minutes of exercise, three times a week. An exact prescription for the ideal intensity and type of movement to do during those minutes is still being researched across the board.
A good duration of time is one where you end the exercise still feeling energized. Working out at about 60 to 70 percent of your maximum effort seems to do good things for your brain, especially the prefrontal cortex, in charge of cognition, short-term memory, and executive function. Exerting effort beyond that seems to show a decline in impact of exercise on the brain.
It’s important to note that everyone starts from a different place. Someone who’s previously led a sedentary lifestyle with little to no regular physical activity can start exercising for just 10 minutes each day and experience a similar perceived benefit—the experienced impact of certain activity/exertion on an individual—as someone more active who exercises regularly for 30 minutes. The point is to start where you are since the step from zero to 10 minutes can have a very positive impact on your brain. Once you reach the physical point where you can handle more, make things a little harder or workout for a little longer to make more progress and challenge your brain.
Different types of exercise impact different brain functions. Mostly all exercise provides some benefit—even just helping to decrease stress, which has a negative impact on the brain when chronic. Consistency and regularity are also major factors when it comes to exercise for a sharp, healthy brain.
Although it’s hard to prescribe a one-size-fits-all fitness strategy for everyone, these are a few things to keep in mind. There have been more studies to show that aerobic exercise may be better than stretching, toning, or even strength training (again, just within the context of working out for your brain).
Exercise that has a greater demand on your attention has more of a demand on the brain. This could be in the form of an exercise that requires multiple steps (like tai chi or dance) or a type of exercise that holds your attention enough to not bore you or send you into autopilot mode.
Variety and novelty in general are important for brain fitness too, so diversifying exercise types, mixing up your workouts, and challenging yourself to learn a new activity can help keep the mind sharp and the neurons firing afresh.
Here are some types of exercise that fuel your brain with healthy benefits.
Dance
Don’t skip that Zumba or line dance class! Dancing is not only fun, freeing, and physically strenuous—but it’s also great for your brain.
Dancing is a good pick-me-up for the brain, since it can be highly novel, very complex, social, and intellectually involved—all things the brain appreciates.
Cycling
Outdoor and indoor cycling seems to show cognitive benefits in those 50 and over.
Interval Training
Interval training—a workout where you alternate between two activities or two levels of intensity—has shown some increase in BDNF (that key protein for neuron functioning), which helps with learning and memory.
Brisk Walking
Walking has a slew of fantastic health benefits, but fast walking does even further wonders for the brain. A recent study showed that walking more than 4,000 steps a day had positive effects on memory in older adults. Walking is also simple and free.
Tai Chi
Combining balance and control, breath and body coordination, and variety of movements, tai chi is another valuable form of exercise for the brain. Studies have shown that this ancient, meditative practice can promote cognitive growth and memory, as well as mood regulation and stress reduction. Tai chi is low-impact and easy on the joints, so it’s great for older adults and exercise beginners. It’s also equipment-free, guided by an instructor, and can be done outside.
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SCTX Personal Training staff: John Rutan, Allison Worley, Michelle Dwyer, Brendi Middleton, Mike Stuchl, Byron Goff, Bill Norton, Lenny Jones, Bobbie Kelm, Tim Fisette, Jill Grierson, Janis Arteaga and TR Odermatt.
Questions about personal training? Visit our website or email John Rutan at [email protected]
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New Resident Fitness Orientation
If you are new to Sun City and need to complete your fitness center orientation, email Leslie McCoy at [email protected] to schedule your appointment.
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As with all exercise programs, when using our exercise videos or other fitness information from our website, Facebook page or other SCTXCA social media source, please use common sense. To reduce and avoid injury, please check with your doctor before beginning any fitness program or performing any fitness activity. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk. Do not start any fitness program without consulting your physician or health care provider. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or shortness of breath at any time while exercising you should stop immediately. SCTXCA and its agents will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm sustained as a result of any fitness program, online fitness videos or information shared on our website or other social media. This includes emails, videos and text. Thank you for understanding and stay safe!
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SUN CITY FITNESS Facebook Page
Videos and More!
Check us out and "Like" us on the Sun City Fitness Facebook page for exercise, videos and nutrition tips.
Click here for more info>>
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Contact Us
Michelle Mason
Fitness Director
512-948-7752
[email protected]
Beth White
Fitness Manager
512-948-7753
[email protected]
Kathy Carver
Fitness Manager
512-948-7767
[email protected]
John Rutan
Personal Training Coordinator
512-948-7757
[email protected]
Randy Perez
Fitness Operations Supervisor
512-948-7754
[email protected]
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Fitness Centers
Weekly Attendance
Your attendance record is important in planning for space, budgeting, equipment and programming. Below are the numbers of residents who logged in Feb. 17-23, 2024.
Texas Drive - 3,662
Cowan Creek - 2,194
The Retreat - 657
Northpoint - 1,962
Visit the Fitness website>>
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Call our Fitness Information Lines:
Texas Drive 512-948-7750 • Cowan Creek 512-948-7780
• The Retreat 512-948-7763 • Northpoint 512-948-7765
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