Back again this week is “Buns of Steel with Adam Steel.” After showing us a leg exercise on the Smith Machines, he’s here with a chest/shoulder exercise: the Bench Press. Using the Smith Machine again, he’ll show you the technique on how to do these popular exercises without a spotter.
For additional information about the Bench Press with Smith Machine, click here.
One of my favorite exercises to do is a push up; it’s simple and quick, you can do it anywhere, and it works your chest, shoulders, triceps, and midsection. I recently stumbled across a workout routine that guarantees you will be doing 50 consecutive push ups in just 2 weeks.
On Odd Days
Do 200 pushups in as few sets as you can at one point during the day. So you can do 8 sets of 25 repetitions, 10 sets of 20, whatever works best for you. And you can still do upper body lifting on these days if you’d like, however, it might make this program a little more difficult.
On Even Days
Do 200 pushups throughout the day. I like to wake up and do 2 sets of 25 in the morning, 2 sets of 25 in the afternoon and then 2 sets of 25 before I go to bed.
Repeat the ODD/EVEN routine for a total of 10 days. Then take three days off and do NO upper body exercises that work your chest, triceps, and shoulders. Then on the 14th day, see how many push ups you can do consecutively.
NOTE: Always remember to do a little warm up of your upper body before you perform any push ups. I like to do several arm circles and a few shoulder stretches beforehand. Also note that this workout should only be done once every few months because you can overexert your muscles if you are doing 2000 push ups every 10 days.
If you’d like to see proper push up technique, check out this video.
Now go get huge!
We’re so excited to introduce to you a new weekly feature at VC, “Buns of Steel” hosted by one of Vassar’s resident hard-bodies, sophomore and rugby player Adam Steel. Each week, Adam will demonstrate a different weight-lifting move in Vassar’s Athletics and Fitness Center gym, showing you the proper weight-lifting technique and the way to use the equipment.
In this first episode, Adam talks a little bit about how he came to weight lift, nutrition, and general fitness.
Being a guy and taking Pilates through inthepink is, apparently, a pretty big deal. I used to play baseball here at Vassar, but due to injury, I had to cut my career short; looking for a way to stay in shape, I decided to try a Pilates class since I heard about the core strength and flexibility benefits of the exercise.
When I tell most of my friend’s that I’m taking a 7:30 a.m. Pilates class, I normally get the following responses: “Why are you awake at 7:30?”; “Are you the only guy in that class?”; “Dude! Pilates is easy; my mom does it.”
I love sleeping in, so waking up at 7 is not my favorite thing in the world to do. I’ll admit that being the only male in a class that is predominantly populated by older woman is a little embarrassing; even so, I give these ladies credit, since Pilates is far from easy. As someone who considers himself to be a pretty good athlete, I was amazed with the quality of workout you can get from just an hour a day.
In my first class, I was a little skeptical because I wasn’t finding the first few moves to be that challenging; but by the time it was 8 o’clock, I was pouring in sweat and my heart was pumping like crazy. The greatest thing about Pilates though, is the last 5-10 minutes; you stretch and lie on your back with your eyes shut and you simply let your throbbing muscles and mind leave your body for a few minutes. It is honestly one of the best parts of my day.
The class is also great because Theresa, the instructor, really knows Pilates well and she allows everyone to go at their own pace. The class consists of people who, like me, have never done Pilates before, as well as people who’ve been doing it for years; and everyone gets something out of it. If there’s a movement you can’t do, Theresa will demonstrate at least one modified version so you can still get a good workout.
So if you’re looking for something new, or you want to improve your core strength and flexibility, or if you don’t believe me about how great of a workout Pilates is, try it yourself. Contact Roman Czula for schedules and costs of classes (Classes are at most about $30 for the whole semester so it won’t bust your wallet).
The AFC and Walker aren’t the only places on campus to exercise…there are lots of other places available to you, including some you may have never heard of!
Prentiss Running Track
For those of you who hate running on treadmills, there is a beautiful 1/4 mile, 8-lane track located at the Prentiss Sports Complex next to the Town Houses. It’s available for use by any Vassar student from 6am to 3pm Monday thru Friday. Barely two years old, the surface is nice and soft, so it’s very easy on your joints. The turf field inside of it is not open for use, though, so stay on the track. Also, to keep the track looking nice, you can wear only running sneakers; cleats are not allowed. The athletics department would also like me to emphasize that you should not spit gum or saliva on the turf field because it can ruin the playing surface (plus, that’s just gross.)
There are also the Josselyn Tennis Courts located behind Joss dorm. It has a total of 13 courts, 7 of which are open to Vassar students at all hours of the day; the remaining six are exclusive to the tennis teams.
I’m sure many of you have had a class in Kenyon Hall, but lo and behold…the majority of Kenyon is devoted to space for physical activity! Not surprising, considering Kenyon was originally built to replace Ely Hall as the college’s gymnasium! Though the pool, clay courts, and bowling alley are gone, there’s still lots of different athletic options in Kenyon.
There are the 9 squash courts located in the North Wing of the building that are available to all students. There’s also a varsity weight room located in the basement of Kenyon, which features more Olympic weight lifting equipment and fewer cardio and weight machines; however, it is only open to varsity athletes.
Kenyon Squash Courts
There are also three dance studios (1 on the first floor, 2 on the second floor) located in the South Wing of the building. Time in the dance studio can be reserved by students but only for the purpose of a dance event, however, tap dancing is not permitted. Beat feet and ballet slippers are allowed. Reservations can be made by contacting the Dance Department here.
Vassar also has its very own golf course! Located right next to the AFC, its home to a driving range, a 9-hole course, and a putting green. Vassar students can play just $2 a round and faculty and staff can play for $5.50. For the details, click here.
DISCLAIMER: As with the AFC and Walker, varsity sports teams, fitness classes, physical education courses, and other planned events take precedence over many of the following fitness spaces, so make sure you check the schedule for Kenyon, the Joss tennis courts, and the outdoor track located here. The schedule breaks down each day of every month so you can see what events will be going on throughout the course of the day.
Inspired by the plans developed by the Cool Running gurus, someone has created podcasts for the Couch-2-5k program!
Created especially for the “couch potato,” the Couch-2-5k podcasts are a free, downloadable podcast; each segment contains a full half-hour workout. The podcast blasts “pump-up” music and prompts the listener what to type of movement to do, and when to do it (for example, walk for one minute, jog for one minute, stretch, etc.). All the listener needs to provide is a track (oh how lucky, Vassar has two…).
This program is perfect for the novice athlete, or someone looking to get in shape, without a clue how to. Who doesn’t love having their own personal trainer on their iPod?
One of my favorite fall indulgences when I’m back at Vassar is the Farmer’s Market from 3-7 p.m. Thursdays on Raymond Ave. by the Alumni House. Its features not only great seasonal produce, but also local baked goods and the best offerings from some nearby restaurants. Farmers markets are also pretty darn cheap; because the food is locally produced, there aren’t the same kind of built in transportation costs (which also makes it green!) Plus, if there’s a bounty of a particular crop for any given vendor, it will be cheaper than usual….gotta love supply and demand.
A lot of students I’ve talked to about the farmer’s market say its not that fun to go at school, because they can’t cook with the produce they buy at school the way they can at home. I agree it’s hard to cook here, but farmer’s markets still have some amazing fruits and veggies that you can snack on raw, and baked goods and meals are, of course, ready to eat.
A Few Farmer’s Market Recommendations:
September is a fun time to go, since it’s the end of the summer harvest and the beginning of the fall, allowing for some fantastic variety. For information on what’s in season now (and what will be in season soon), you can check out the New York Farmer’s Market Harvest Calendar for Fruits and Vegetables.
Epicurious (one of the best online cooking sites) has a really cool interactive map that links you to recipes for the produce in season, too.
In our last post in the Retreat series, we’re taking you to the Retreat windows– deli, pizza, and grille– to debunk myths about one of Vassar’s favorite eateries.
The Grille
Like breakfast, lunch and dinner at the grille is a mixed bag. Skip the burgers, the grilled cheese, the wraps; not to say that these don’t have any nutritional value, but there are better options. We really like the black bean burger on a wheat bun (especially with a little hot sauce, which you can find at the salad bar), because its high protein and high in fiber, while low in calories and fat. We’re also fans of the grilled chicken sandwich on a wheat bun.
As far as fries, it you want to indulge, opt for sweet potato over regular fries. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of potassium and vitamin C, B6, riboflavin, copper, pantothetic acid and folic acid; regular potatoes are not. Still, they’re fried, so don’t go overboard.
The Pizza
There really isn’t much to say on this subject; pizza is pizza, which means lots of calories, and lots of fat. The Retreat does a relatively healthy version of pizza, using local Greenwave tomato sauce, local produce as topping when available and whole wheat crust. Still, there’s lots of oil and cheese, which is high in fat and cholesterol. Go ahead and indulge once in awhile, but this is definitely not the healthiest choice.
The Deli
You can, generally, make better choices at the Deli window than at the Pizza or Grill one. There’s a better variety of healthy choices, and tons of ways to build a healthy sandwich.
Starting with the bread, we recommend whole wheat bread or the multigrain hoagie; skip any of the white breads or rolls, since they lack nutritional values. Also, don’t get caught in the “warp trap;” wraps, even though they are “spinach” or “tomato and basil” flavored, they don’t have the nutritional benefits of the veggies that give them their name, its usually just dyed white bread. As such, skip those, too.
Next, meat. Conventional deli meats are often packed with nitrates, compounds used as preservatives that are high in sodium and may have poisonous effects on our bodies; chances are, many of the meats in the Retreat deli have nitrates in them. Luckily, Vassar roasts its own turkey breast, which means its nitrate-free; as such, we recommend this for your healthiest sandwich.
Hummus is offered as a vegetarian protein option, but VCFit is here to dispel this myth: Hummus is not that good for you. Per tablespoon, there’s only .7 grams of protein; as a hummus sandwich only has 2-3 tablespoons, that’s only 2-3 grams of protein, which is less protein than what is in your two slices of whole wheat bread. I know, its heartbreaking, and continue to eat it, but just know that its not packing the protein punch by any stretch of the imagination.
Cheese, as you may know, is high in fat, and low in nutrition. A lot of vegetarians (sorry again, guys) rely on it as a source of “protein” in a sandwich, but that is a common misconception; cheese really is just fat. We know most sandwiches don’t taste complete without it, but use it sparingly, if at all.
Veggies: load up. Get as many as you can into your sandwich; they provide flavor, vitamins, and minerals with minimal calories. As for dressings/spreads: a little oil and vinegar goes a long way, as does a touch of mustard (with 5 calories per tablespoon, add as much of that as you want). Always skip mayo; there’s an absurd amount of cholesterol in that. My favorite spread, which is sometimes (though not always) offered at the Retreat is avocado; it’s a little high in fat, but has the good kind of fat that helps with metabolism, lots of vitamins, and is really tasty (so a little goes a long way).
As for the menu offerings, like the Mediterranean Ciabatta (ciabatta bread with hummus and veggies), Matthew’s Medley (ham, turkey, swiss, and mayo on a hero roll), and Vassar Club (turkey, bacon, American cheese, and mayo on herb bread), you really should skip all of them, and build your own healthy sandwich. These sandwiches are nutritionally flawed in almost every aspect, from lacking veggies to white bread to no protein. Besides, its fun to be creative and experiment with new flavors—make your own!
Hi readers!
Just wanted to say a big “I’m Sorry” to all of the VC Fit readers for our almost two-week hiatus…getting things up and running have been difficult, but we’re back on schedule!
And now on to my main point for today: a behind-the-scenes tour of Vassar’s Athletic and Fitness Center
I think it’s safe to assume that almost everyone is familiar with the Athletics and Fitness Center (AFC) weight room which is outfitted with plenty of cardio equipment, fitness machines, and free weights. But, I’m also willing to bet that more than three quarters of this campus is unaware that there is a Multi-Purpose Room located on the second floor of the Walker Field House outfitted with lots of boxing equipment such as heavy bags, speed bag, pull up bars, and more. Well if that came as a surprise to you then I’m sure by the end of this post you’ll be fully aware of all the resources that are at available to us in AFC and Walker.
Upon entering the AFC, one of the first fitness features you’ll encounter is the gymnasium which is open to anyone who’d like to play a pick up game of basketball, or for sprinting and agility drills (UCLAs/suicides, anyone?). There are also numerous tournaments and intramurals that you can play in throughout the year. The only real rule in the gym is that you have to wear white soled shoes, to make sure you don’t scuff up the floor in order to keep our gymnasium looking sharp.
AFC Indoor Track
During the winter months when it’s too cold to run outside, there is 1/12 mile, 4-lane indoor track located above the AFC gymnasium. It’s a sprung rubber surface, making it relatively easy on your joints. There are some stretching mats and free weights located around the edges of the track where you can stretch or do some core work, as well. The entrance to the track is on the second floor of the AFC (stairs are near the vending machines). It’s available from the opening of AFC until closing as long as there isn’t a varsity sporting event going on, like a basketball game or volleyball tournament.
AFC Multi-Purpose Room
Also located on the second floor of the AFC is the Multi-Purpose Room, home to many of the In-the-Pink classes. It is normally booked from 3pm until closing with fitness classes; however, there are some free hours in the morning. It has yoga mats, stability balls, free weights, and other accessories for doing core workouts. So if you need more room to stretch or work out your core, and don’t like the small space in the AFC weight room, then this is a great place to do it.
For those of you who have never crossed the long, glass corridor from the AFC to the Walker Field House, then you’re missing out on more than half the gym! Walker is home to men’s and women’s locker rooms, a six-lane pool, five tennis courts, as well as another Multi-Purpose Room.
The locker rooms are open to everyone. You choose any open locker for the day and store your things there while you work out. You can bring your own padlock as well if you’d like to keep your things safe, but you are not allowed to leave your things there overnight since there are not enough lockers for everyone to have. The locker rooms are complete with bathrooms and shower facilities.
Walker Pool
The pool is available for anyone who’d like to swim or do any sort of aquatic fitness exercise, as long as there is at least one lifeguard on duty. Right now the hours are varied because they have fewer lifeguards than in years past, so for anyone who has worked as a lifeguard before and is interested in getting a campus job for the semester, working at the pool is a great opportunity (I love using the pool, so please, help me out).
Then there are five tennis courts whose most obvious use are for playing tennis; however, there are many different ways you can utilize the space. You can set up a badminton court, volleyball nets, play ultimate Frisbee, basketball and fence in many of the bays. Once the weather gets cold, many varsity teams will move into the tennis bays for practice so the best time to use this area is now.
Walker MPR
In addition to the boxing equipment, the Walker Multi-Purpose Room has four ping pong tables that will be available for use during various times throughout the year. You can also reserve time to play on the tables by contacting either Roman Czula, Life Fitness Director or Bruce Gillman, Assistant Director of Athletics. Their contact information can be found here.
Also, be aware that the Multi-Purpose Room is normally locked so if you’d like to use the space, just contact Roman.
DISCLAIMER: Varsity sports teams, fitness classes, physical education courses, and other planned events have precedence over many of the following fitness spaces so make sure you check the schedule for AFC and Walker located here.
In addition there is a a full schedule of the availability of all the fitness facilities located here.
The schedule breaks down each day of every month so you can see what events will be going on throughout the course of the day.
If you have any more questions or if you want to reserve some time in the tennis bays or other fitness areas, please refer to Vassar’s athletic website on policies for reservations located here.
If you have any questions or would like to hear more about some of these fitness facilities, please let us know! You should also expect to learn more about the other resources here on campus for fitness in upcoming posts!
For my first two years at Vassar, I constantly found my self in a state of unquenchable thirst. I was always complaining that there was never any place to get a cold, refreshing glass of water; my urine had the same green shade as Shrek’s skin. This year, I’m a new man. I have a 1.3 gallon Brita water filter that converts unpalatable Hudson Valley tap water into clean and drinkable H2O, and a 32 ounce Nalgene bottle to transport my water anywhere; and my pee is crystal clear.
Here are some helpful tips that I’ve found very useful to stay hydrated throughout the day:
Its especially important to stay hydrated in the fall, as we’ll be experiencing days of scorching heat, but also early fall cold and dryness. Good luck with hydrating yourselves and remember that there is no substitute for good old-fashioned H2O.
