Relax, it's exercise

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August 15, 2005 latimes.com

Relax, it's exercise

A laid-back approach to fitness may actually get you closer to your

goals.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-

relax15aug15,1,1670738.story

By Rene Lynch, Times Staff Writer

COLIN KIM isn't the type of teacher who takes offense when students

fall asleep in his class. In fact, that's the effect he's after.

By the time Kim's aptly named " Naptime " class comes to a close at 10

on Thursday nights in Hollywood, the occasional snore rises from a

gym floor strewn with students all assuming the corpse pose — that's

yoga-speak for lying flat on your back, limbs comfortably extended.

Effective? No doubt. Afterward, with all the stretching, deep

breathing and relaxation exercises, it's hard not to feel like a wet

noodle, or a rug that's gotten a good shaking out. Most sleepy-eyed

students can be seen stifling yawns as they make a beeline for the

door — and their pillows at home.

But could this possibly count as a workout?

Absolutely, said Kim. " This isn't a typical workout, but it is a

workout. Sometimes you've gotta give your body a break. "

Move over Xtreme step, Xtreme spinning and Xtreme strength-training

classes — fitness clubs such as Crunch, where Kim teaches, are making

room in the lineup for classes that don't require at least two towels

to mop up all the sweat. The counterprogramming might seem

counterintuitive amid all the concern about obesity and sedentary

lifestyles.

But, fitness experts say, sometimes less is more.

Gyms have long served as an active person's sanctuary from a hectic,

fast-paced lifestyle. Yet working out can sometimes be a source of

stress itself. In a world that puts so much emphasis on picture-

perfect bodies, it's not a far-fetched notion. Even yoga classes can

take on their own brand of extreme competitiveness. (Power yoga,

anyone?)

When men and women feel anxious about not working out hard enough to

get the results they want, or just can't keep up with the new, high-

energy classes, it can lead to burnout and injury. It can also leave

gymgoers feeling overwhelmed, as if they just want to give up, said

Walter , a professor in the department of kinesiology and

health at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

" The extreme classes are great, but they are targeted to a specific

group, and not everyone can do that, " said. He pointed to

the highly structured workout routines of performance athletes:

Although most work out daily, they rely on easy and moderate workouts

to recuperate and prepare their body for more rigorous

workloads. " It's absolutely beneficial. "

What's more, he said, adopting a more laid-back approach to fitness

may get you closer to your goal by encouraging consistency. Some

people can't face the thought of a long, hard aerobics class after a

long, hard day at work, so they skip their workout entirely. A

kinder, gentler class can be an attractive lure. " And that is really

key, just sticking with it, " said . " The most important thing

is to keep people exercising regularly. "

That's a philosophy embraced by Lura Astor, who teaches a twice-

weekly class at Equinox Fitness club in Pasadena called " Simply

Stretch. " It draws on a mix of tai chi, yoga, core body work and what

she calls " body reeducation movements " designed to counteract hours

spent hunched over a keyboard or gripping a steering wheel.

" People think, 'If I'm going to go to the gym I need to be running,

running, running; lifting, lifting; and burning calories,' " said

Astor, who believes that attitude is misguided. Taking time out to

gently tend to a body that has been over- or underworked or is just

plain tired is time well spent, she said. " I tell them that you have

to create a balance. "

Students say they walk out of her class standing taller and feeling

relaxed. " I feel really great afterward, " said student Tania Nasir,

who has been taking Astor's class for about two months to help nurse

a back injury. " I sense a difference in my posture, and my abs really

feel it too. So you are working out. "

High-end clubs like Crunch and Equinox aren't the only ones catering

to this growing demand for alternative exercise options.

The Torrance-South Bay YMCA began offering a noontime stretch and

relaxation class recently, and the staff was surprised to find that

it was an immediate hit. The center will be expanding its offerings

to include a guided meditation and relaxation class next month.

" There's really a demand here, " said , the fitness

facility's director of membership and healthy lifestyles. " …

Sometimes people think, 'Working out is just one more stress in my

day. I don't have the time,' but they use these classes as a respite

from all of that. "

Leppanen of Hollywood has expanded her definition of a workout

since starting Kim's " Naptime " class earlier this year. A dedicated

gymgoer, she had a workout regimen made up of " a little bit of

everything — kickboxing, body sculpting, weights. "

She credits Kim's class with helping her to boost her fitness regimen

by forcing her to take a break. " Instead of going home hyped up after

a high-intensity workout, " she said, " I'd walk out relaxed, focused. "

No two sessions of Kim's class are quite the same. The instructor

brings a " bag of tricks " with him to each class and, after chatting

up students beforehand, intuits what the group can benefit from the

most. A typical session opens with traditional stretching, yoga

poses — and raucous deep breathing exercises intended to break the

ice and any inhibitions that students may bring to class.

What really distinguishes Kim's class from others is that students

spend about half the 60-minute class in that corpse pose. Kim drapes

a warm towel over the students' eyes and takes them through

relaxation exercises that start with the big toe and end at the crown

of the head — that is, if participants are still awake. And if

they're sleeping, they may not notice when Kim makes his way to each

student, offering head and neck massage.

The idea for the offbeat class came to Kim about a year ago, while he

was recuperating from an illness. He had collapsed after suffering a

severe reaction to an antibiotic he was taking for a chronic cough,

which he believes was caused by overtraining. He was then teaching

about 10 spinning classes a week, and his body had finally had

enough. Once on the mend, he said, his body began craving some gentle

exercise and relaxation, and the basic elements of the class started

coming together.

" We really do have that need to overachieve, especially if you're

into fitness, and it's easy to fall into that trap — 'I need to do

more, I need to go harder, I need to go 150%, I need to push

myself,' " Kim said. " But sometimes that desire to have a perfect

record of going to the gym, of working out, starts to subtract from

your goal. "

If that's the case, he said, maybe you just need to give yourself a

break.

Seven ways to unwind

If the thought of racing against the clock to make a spinning class

or panting your way through another run makes you want to crash on

the sofa instead, give yourself a permission slip to take it easy for

a day. It might just help you stay on track to achieve your fitness

goals. Here are seven guilt-free ways to tend to body and mind:

• Go for a brisk 30-minute walk.

• Put on your favorite upbeat music and dance around like a nut. You

might want to draw the curtains first.

• Go to the gym and do 30 minutes on the recumbent bike at an easy

pace. Bring your iPod or CD player, your favorite music or a mindless

magazine.

• Spend 20 to 30 minutes stretching. Just proceed gently, especially

if you're not accustomed to doing it. The goal is stress relief and

relaxation, not splits.

• Relax. Start with some deep breathing and meditation. (Don't be

scared — this doesn't need to be fancy.) Then try the time-tested

techniques that Colin Kim at Crunch also uses. Students lie on their

backs and, starting with their big toes, silently repeat the

phrase " My toe feels warm and heavy " as they try to quiet that

particular body part. Students proceed up the body, slowly or more

quickly, until they get to the crown of their head. ( " My heel feels

warm and heavy…. My knee feels warm and heavy. " )

• Get a therapeutic massage.

• Go for a swim. It doesn't matter whether it's playing in the waves

or an easy swim in the lap pool.

Sources: Colin Kim, Crunch gym; Walter , Georgia State

University, Atlanta.