From The Gym Floor To The Digital Ether
Or how "The Rona" virus made as all look to the internet for freestyle options
Gymming and "The Rona" virus
We all know, and we all have been told at one time or another, “physical inactivity is among the risk factors for deadly health conditions globally”.
Regular exercise and physical activity build strong muscles, as well as bones. Our Freestyle Step workouts are a perfect physical fitness and helps and serves as a mental health cure. Doing a Step routine makes you feel fit (even if at times we thought we had 3 left feet!), more active and we know the more active the more we burn fat (… burn fat, burn to hell!!), and enthusiastic about our daily routines. Regular freestyle step exercise boosts our brainpower (….and again, even that some days feels like we have lost control of one or both of our legs while on that step!), improves self-confidence and sharpens our memory, and if you are from the same… “period” as me, then that is a good thing to happen!. Also, it strengthens our heart, thus minimising the chances of the respiratory health problems.
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| Online workouts popping all over the place |
Now lets talk about the elephant in the room, the Coronavirus…. Known by many as “The Rona”. “The Rona” or as it also known as COVID-19, has devastatingly impacted every aspect of normal life in the world. Shops, businesses, spiritual places, gyms, etc.. most these have had to close due to regulations. But closing their physical doors does not mean they are “out of reach” for you. The bans on gyms, groups, gatherings and social distancing practices have forced every sector to shift to online. And there is where you can find me from time to time. Sometimes more often than I care to acknowledge.
The majority of the population does own a mobile phone, or two, and it is easy for them to stream step sessions, boot camp lessons or other gym workouts at the privacy of your bedroom (… lounge room, garage, local park, drive way, etc…, just don’t say rooftop please!).
The shift to go online, however, is not only a response to “The Rona” situation but also a technological shift, that the world was slowly taking, however the world had to close its eyes, hold its breath and jump right in.
Aiding this jump into the digital ether, are all the gyms and instructors we love (…and sometimes fear!!). Freestyle step sessions and other fitness programs suddenly appeared online, creating convenience. Now you have all our local and remote freestyle step brothers and sisters having access to whole bunch of Australian freestyle step talent like Bettina Fiebig from Perth, Rebecca Small and Jorge Casanova from Sydney, Celeste Frost from Adelaide, Peta Clark and Andrew Marcus from Melbourne just to mention a few of our own brew. But you know how people say that in the digital world, there are no frontiers? Well, that being the case you also can find other great talent from around the world stepping their hearts content to everybody and anybody that may show some interest. You have the likes of Keith Coleman from Ireland, Peter Borsos from Hungary, Daniel Rojas from Peru, one of my all times idols on a step Lars Schuijling from the Netherlands, Lenka Matasova from Italy, my three musketeers from Spain, Carol Lopez Cesar, Arturo Javier Vargas Castillo and Joel Lee, and I could go for days dropping names, but this will do for now. You get the picture. There was so much honey that us, the bees, were running in all (digital) directions. We had and still have honey of all shades and flavours! Most of us went mad with delirium and choice.
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| "The Rona" workout suggestions for home |
You see, many of the instructors I have mentioned above, and many, many, many more, their only income was from their gym sessions. “The Rona” took all that away, and money stop flowing. So now you have all this instructors that want to offer you a magnific freestyle step session, but the pitch is, that the session is so good, you would want to pay a small amount to attend it.
The “pay-per-view/session” started. Some would just ask a small donation of your choice. Some would have a price per class, or a price per a set of classes, etc… This allowed the bees to get their workout, to sessions that are expected to be good, or exceptional. Instructors did and still do deliver. We have happy bees, and happy honey. For a small fee from many of us, our instructors can keep working and earning some money to keep pumping the sessions for us. Win Win situation.
You can debate whether to engage in one of the freestyle step sessions or not to, but as you know helping your health to stay…. Healthy, is not a choice for many of us, rather it is a necessity, some would say is a drug. It is essential that you have access to gym workouts, whether they be physical or virtual, since for us it is another principal nutrient to our health.
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| Streaming step and other workouts in the palm of your hand |
Other such groups include Freestyle Group Fitness from Perth in Australia that not only offer freestyle step sessions at different levels, but also offer other type of group workouts. Then across the world you have CREA+ Fitness Academy in Italy, and “FAB Fitness” which my buddy Alistair McMeechan runs, with a free group and a membership group. And there are many, many more.
There is no doubt, this wave of everything in a mobile-app to which our loved millennials have jumped in and embraced, and most of us are tumbling to keep up with, is a way of life that is most likely to stay in a way or another. Currently almost every gym currently has a digital version of this encrypted in a mobile app for maximum reach out. Don’t thank me, thank “The Rona”.
Us bees are focused on accessing knowledge and understanding of our health through technology. Well, not all of us, but a great majority. This knowledge could range from weight loss, relaxing your body and mind, getting that toned figure, and the most important of all…. overall health improvement. Step Instructors have always provided us with a tailored plan to suit your condition and to help us in reaching our fitness goals. Sometimes we think they hate us, as they do makes us turn and twist that should be outlawed! But at the end of such sessions we either have a great smile on our faces, or we just think the class was hard, and we will be better next time. The beauty of running an online step session is that ensures privacy and comfort without judgment nor prejudice by anyone that normally would be there in a gym studio trying the same class workout. It builds our confidence, and self-esteem providing a relaxed schedule of our choice where you move at your own pace with the chance to rewind and fast-forward if you are running a posted video.
I guess one of the downers of online step aerobics is that of the show ponies that lives within many of us. No, do not shake your head, you have one too. It just might not be as big as my pony, … yet.
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| Streaming from the comfort of your lounge room |
Once “The Rona” thingy is more manageable (word has it will be this month!!) you will be able to choose to take the group session at the gym or train online at home or the office, or at the beach, you can focus on yoga or pilates in a local park, but I better see you with a step under your arm in the direction of that park!!. Whichever way, you will not be limited to do that class at that odd time of the morning/afternoon/night with that instructor that has it in for you. Now you will have more choices to achieve your fitness goals, just focus on them either by group fitness, online fitness, or both.
Gym floor exercises have always been the way get enthusiastic about sweating and getting you to do stuff you sometimes might think “what in the hell for??” due to the nature of togetherness among participants, which steers motivation during the step class. In the wake of technology and uncertain times of “The Rona”, there is a need to consider workout exercises from other points of view such as online fitness. There are sites that are free of charge, and whether they offer basics or advanced step sessions, they are significantly important and worth your time. Other sites have gone online for donations, where they give and take voluntarily from users of their workout sessions and exercises. Finally, some groups and companies are premium and have a more structured payment policy to access their instructors on various categories and levels of workout. Whichever choice you make, consider your goals for efficiency. Digital workouts are great; but so are the group exercises. Either way, the trick is a balanced mix of both, and a balanced number of different classes and programs to give your body the best you can. Go life, go online, and don’t be left out of the digital ether!
"The information provided herein is strictly for educational purposes. Always consult your qualified Group Fitness Instructor before implementing any suggestions above."
Disclaimer
You must get your physician's approval before beginning any exercise suggested in this blog or any of its articles. Any recommendations found within these articles are not medical guidelines but are for educational purposes only. You must consult your physician prior to starting any suggestions in this blog, or if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity. The suggestions in this blog article are designed for individuals 18 years and older that have been approved by their physician to take any of the suggestions above.The information in this blog article is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training. All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. As such we advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the exercises in this blog article, be sure that your equipment is well-maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training and fitness. The exercises and dietary programs in this article are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or treatment or dietary regime that may have been prescribed by your physician.
Do not lift heavy weights if you are alone, inexperienced, injured, or fatigued. Do not perform any exercises unless you have been shown the proper technique by a certified personal trainer or certified strength and conditioning specialist. Always ask for instruction and assistance when lifting. Do not perform any exercise without proper instruction. Always do a warm-up prior to resistance training and interval training.
See your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. If you are taking any medications, you must talk to your physician before starting any exercise program, including Freestyle Step Aerobics. If you experience any light-headedness, dizziness, or shortness of breath while exercising, stop the movement and consult a physician.
You must have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 30 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician. If your physician recommends that you do not do Freestyle Step Aerobics, please follow your Doctor's orders.
That was our June 2020. Remember to feel free to comment, or contact me via email to FreestyleStepXTRVGNZ@gmail.com, and comment on what you think of this article, or any article you have read, or just any improvements you may want to see happening.
Bruno Jimenez
June 2020
June 2020
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