There are lots of fitness-friendly ways to celebrate Memorial Day in Washington, from standup paddleboarding to yoga and hiking in Rock Creek Park. Photograph via Shutterstock.
Each year on Memorial Day, through barbecues and picnics with family and friends, we remember those who lost their lives while serving in the US Armed Forces. But before lighting up the grill, why not celebrate by working out with a US Marine or going standup paddleboarding in Annapolis, home to the US Naval Academy? Check out these four unusual fitness-friendly ways to celebrate this weekend.
Military Workout on Theodore Roosevelt Island
Monday at 9 AM
US Marine and Iraq War veteran Chris Goehner will coach you through a boot camp Monday morning on Roosevelt Island. Expect to train like our military men and women and to test your physical and mental endurance. Register online.
Summer is still about a month away, but we’ve already busted out the sweat-wicking tanks and shorts for our all-too-humid workouts. Despite the sweat, we’re loving the opportunity wear some of the seriously cool—and budget-friendly—fitness gear that’s hit the stores this season. We’re especially big fans of the bright colors and punchy patterns that can be found on snazzy sneakers, sports bras, and tops. Here are 20 sweet pieces of fitness gear to rock this summer.
Running on the beach makes for great views, but can be hard on your leg muscles. Stretching before and after the run can help. Photograph via Shutterstock.
With gentle waves, cool ocean breezes, and straight views to the horizon, the Memorial Day weekend ahead offers a change of running scenery from the monument route to a new terrain that will test your muscles: sand.
But while running on the beach offers welcome views and shin relief from pavement pounding, it’s not without some aches and pains of its own. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about running on the beach.
I ran on the beach and woke up the next morning sore as ever. What’s the deal?
When you run on a new surface, your body is likely to retaliate. Because the surface of the sand offers varying levels of firmness, each stride will displace your weight randomly and keep those calf and foot muscles guessing. So unless you’ve been running on sand since the days of Baywatch, decrease the intensity of post-run soreness with a solid amount of dynamic stretching both before and after your run.
A yoga studio in Portland, Oregon caters to plus-size people, with hopes in busting the stereotype that only skinny people can do yoga. Would a similar program work in Washington? Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock.
Last year introduced us to the world of plus-size-only gyms, which ban slimmer folks from the premises. But this year, it’s all about “fat yoga.”
A new studio in Portland, Oregon, is raising eyebrows for its efforts to encourage overweight and obese people to do yoga at their studio. Fat Yoga’s mission is to bust the stereotype that yoga is only suited to Spandex-wearing skinny people.
In an article published on Yahoo, Fat Yoga studio owner Anna Ipox said that while people of every size are welcome to the studio, her instructors work especially with overweight students who cannot perform traditional moves like child’s pose due to their stature. According to Fat Yoga’s website, most of the instructors also “identify as fat.”
Pilates on the Patio returns to Poste this summer. All students receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. Photograph courtesy of Chauna Bryant.
While these humid DC days aren’t exactly ideal, getting out for a workout is an awesome way to feel better about all the long hours spent sitting in front of a computer. We’ve already shared five outdoor workouts you can do on your own, so read on for five local fitness classes—besides boot camp and fun runs—that take place outside. (Just don’t forget your sunblock!)
Rooftop Cycling at Vida Fitness
Schedule varies
Vida Fitness at U Street opts for sunny views of DC over dark, cramped studios with its rooftop cycling class. Led by instructor Alexx Zamudio, cyclists spin their wheels on the sundeck of the gym’s penthouse club. $25 for nonmembers; $20 for members.
Beginning May 25, yoga and brunch will be offered every Saturday at the Dunes in Columbia Heights. Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock.
If you’re staying put for Memorial Day weekend, head to the Dunes in Columbia Heights on Saturday for the launch of a yoga and brunch series.
The yoga class takes place every Saturday at noon through the summer and is led by yoga instructor Mallory Hemerlein and hostess Lisa Markuson. The class is for all levels, but beginners are especially encouraged to attend; the program aims to foster a community across all “shapes, sizes, colors, and creeds” and to provide a welcoming environment for those new to yoga.
You’re likely to find Ingrid Nelson in front of large crowds of sweaty people, who are huffing and puffing along to her indoor cycling classes at Biker Barre or boot-camp sessions at Nike Georgetown. The personal trainer teaches more than ten cycling classes per week, on top of personal training and fitting in her own workouts six days a week. “My workouts consist of running, high-intensity interval training, and strength training,” she says, but adds, “It’s always important to take one day off a week.” Still, on those off days you’ll find her keeping active through yoga, barre, or hiking and walking around Washington. So how does the busy bee keep up her energy? Read on for her one-day food diary.
Breakfast: “My day begins at 5 AM, always with a fresh juice and a large water. This particular day I was enjoying a Sweetpress juice from Sweetgreen and a large Smartwater. Then off to train some ‘Ing Bodies.’”
ZenGo Fitness owner Marc Caputo told Well+Being in an e-mail that the studio is located at 1508 14th Street, Northwest. The lease has been signed, and construction has started.
With its August opening, ZenGo will become the fourth indoor cycling in the District and the first for Logan Circle.That’s all of the details ZenGo will offer for now, but Caputo says even bigger news is on the horizon for the studio. We’ll continue to update with more information in the next few weeks.
Despite the rain, the Color Run drew 5,000 runners to National Harbor this past Sunday. Photograph by Melissa Romero.
Sunday morning brought drizzle, foggy skies, and a whole bunch of colorful runners to National Harbor for the Color Run, dubbed the happiest 5K on the planet. Approximately 5,000 runners and walkers braved the potential rain to be doused instead with a downpour of yellow, orange, pink, and blue powder for 3.1 miles.
Since being founded a little more than a year ago, in January 2012, the Color Run series has become the single largest running event in the country, involving more than 1 million participants and 100 events in 2013 alone. Participants, from toddlers to grandparents, are drawn to the Color Run’s untimed 5K, which has only two requirements: to wear white and finish splattered in color from head to toe. With even more color-blasting at the finish line, plus free Kind bars, Slurpees, Chipotle, water, and a dance pit, the Color Run feels more like one big party than an actual run.
Matchbox, with five locations in DC, offers plenty of healthy lunch options, including their fire and smoke pizza. Photograph courtesy of Matchbox Restaurant's Facebook page.
Matchbox, with five locations in Washington, is a tasty and reasonably priced lunch option when you need to satisfy your pizza craving. And while there are a few major pitfalls on the menu, registered dietitian Alice Bender says it’s pretty easy to eat on the healthier side here.
“Overall, you can find healthy choices in each category and make a meal that is mostly plant-based—although it’s tough to find any whole grains,” says Bender, the nutrition communications manager at the American Institute for Cancer Research. “With a little thought, you can have a healthy lunch at Matchbox.”
PIZZA
Healthiest: Fire & Smoke
For those who like their meals with some spice, you’re in luck. Bender’s top pizza pick is the “very spicy” Fire & Smoke, thanks to its piles of vegetables. “Cancer-fighting garlic, the nutrient-rich reds, fresh basil, and just one kind of cheese should keep the calories reasonable,” she says.
