This month we will be focusing on our balance. While some of the moves (such as the standing quad stretch in week one) will also have added benefits, all of the moves will help improve your balance. Each week, we will progress our good ol’ fashion balancing on one leg. So, work on your balance daily and follow along each week to get a new challenge.
This month, we will be focusing on the knees. As we increase or change up our activity, sometimes the knees take a beating. Come back each week to get two new exercises and movements to help keep your knees stay healthy and pain-free.
All class are online. Please go to our classes page to reserve your spot and for streaming instructions.
Tuesday, December 22nd at 12pm - Strong Balance
Thursday, December 24th - Strong Balance Canceled
Free, On-Demand Class (password: SBClassFree)
Sunday, December 27th at 10:30am - Urban Zen Yoga
Tuesday, December 29th at 12pm - Strong Balance Class
Thursday, December 31st at 12pm - Strong Balance Class
Friday, January 1st at 10am - Urban Zen Yoga
Sunday, January 3rd at 10:30am - Urban Zen Yoga
For the month of December, we will be focusing on shoulder health. Follow along each week to get new exercises and strength moves to help make your shoulders mobile and strong.
Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 is Colorado Gives Day. If you are wanting to give this year, here are a few of the organizations we are giving to. Please consider donating.
American Red Cross of the Rockies - Our state was devastated by fires this year. Please consider giving to the Red Cross of the Rockies to help rehab our state.
Boulder SPAN - Help survivors of domestic violence in the Boulder area.
Danse Etoile and/or 3rd Law Dance Company - The arts have taken a hard hit during the pandemic. Consider donating to help them survive so we can enjoy them for years to come.
Boulder Humane Society - All donations are doubled on Colorado Gives Day up to $100,000.
Boulder Bridge House - Help end homelessness in Boulder.
Come back to this page each week for links to our hip exercises.
We are offering 2 classes this year on Thanksgiving! Come to one or both!
9am - Turkey Day Workout
Join us for our annual Thanksgiving Day Workout. We will be online this year, but we will still have a blast. Prepare yourself for a full-body workout full of games and challenges certain to get you sweaty and ready for the rest of the day. Sign up at least 30 minutes prior to get the link.
10:15am - Strong Balance Class
Our signature class will be offered at 10:15 so you can get your Strong On before jumping into Thanksgiving preparations. Join us for an hour of core and balance work.
2020 is full of change and the same has been true for Koa Fit. So, we just wanted to give you a complete list of the services Koa Fit has to offer.
In-person One-on-One Training - Brian Carver and Brenna Backe are offering in-person training at our new studio on 30th street. Currently, we book 1 person at a time in our private facility.
Online One-on-One Training - Rebecca South and Brenna Backe are happy to offer virtual sessions. We use Zoom to perform our online sessions. Please choose “online training session” when booking.
Strong Balance Class (Live Stream) - Our signature class is available via Live Stream every Tuesday and Thursday at noon. Please register at least 30 minutes prior to class and you will receive a link for the class.
Urban Zen Yoga (Live Stream) - Rebecca teaches Urban Zen every Sunday at 10:30am via Live Stream. Please register at least 30 minutes before class to receive a link.
Community Events - We will still continue to offer community events in the safest way possible. Stay tuned to our social media pages, newsletter, and website for updates about out monthly community events.
We will be posting all the news and updates about Koa Fit on this page. Including our move, updates about the trainers, and more information about our new online programming. As always, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
The Space
Koa Fit will be moving out of it’s current location in late October 2020. We will be moving our training into a private 600 square foot studio within Upward Fitness Movement which is located on 30th street between Walnut and Arapahoe. The space is bright and beautiful and will only be used by Koa Fit clients.
The Trainers and Therapists
Brenna Backe - Will continue to see one-on-one Koa Fit clients both online and at the new space. She will also continue to teach Strong Balance Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays via live stream.
Brian Carver - Will continue to see one-on-one Koa Fit clients both online and at the new space.
Rebecca South - Will continue to see Koa Fit clients online. She will also continue to teach Urban Zen Yoga on Sundays via live stream.
Annette Bray - Will continue to see clients on her own both online and in-person. She will also continue to develop her company Moyo Movement. For more information, visit her website or reach out by email.
Siri Nicolella - Will continue to see clients on her own for both training and massage. She will also continue to develop her company Schubert Wellness. For more information, reach out to her by email.
Pamela Robichaud - Will be moving to Vermont to be closer to family.
April Ingham - Will continue to teach at The Pilates Center. If you are interested in classes or one-on-one Pilates sessions, reach out to her by email.
Ryan Tara - Will continue to work at The Academy.
Amy Briggs - Will continue to teach piano lessons virtually.
Joshua Lorenzen - Has taken private studio space at Indie Salons.
Audrey Hagar - Will continue to work at Koa Fit while she finishes her internship with Brenna.
The Services
Packages - If you have a current package with Koa Fit, you will be able to apply that packages towards your sessions. If a trainer or therapist is not moving to the new location, they are happy to honor the remaining balance of your package at their new location. If you have any questions, please email info@koafitusa.com.
Personal Training - In-person personal training will continue to be available at the new location with Brian Carver and Brenna Backe. Online training will continue to be available Brenna Backe and Rebecca South.
Classes - Online classes will continue as usual. Strong Balance Tuesdays and Thursdays and Urban Zen Yoga on Sundays. You can book here.
Massage Therapy - Siri Nicolella will continue massage therapy sessions on her own. You will be able to use any remaining sessions you may have in a package with Koa Fit.
Pilates - April Ingham will continue to offer Pilates sessions both online and at The Pilates Center. You will be able to use any remaining sessions you may have in a package with Koa Fit.
Physical Therapy - Pamela Robichaud will be moving out of state, but we have some great people we would refer for physical therapy. Please feel free to reach out if you are looking.
NEW Online Programming
Stay tuned for more information about our new online membership and education series.
Contact Us
Questions or concerns? Please reach out to us.
Movement matters and we are here with an alarming statistic that requires attention from all of us. Even if it doesn’t apply to you, it may apply to someone you know and they deserve a helping hand. Here it goes: 80% of Americans do not get the minimum requirement of weekly movement to maintain their health. EIGHTY! That means that only 20% of American adults are moving their bodies enough to maintain good health. This is a tough statistic to comprehend for those of us in the health + movement industry, but it’s the norm.
With four out of five Americans not moving enough, we want to provide some realistic guidelines in order for you to help yourself and others. This is a staggering statistic worth diving into for the following reasons:
1). Define movement and the intensity required to promote “good health”
2). Management of chronic pain (low back pain, etc)
Intensity Matters
Now you know you need to move 150 minutes a week, but what does that mean? Let’s break it down. The math works out to 30 minutes of medium to moderate activity 5 times per week. Sure there are other ways to divide 150 minutes by 7 days in the week but we prefer 30 min 5x week as a bite-sized goal. Medium to moderate intensity is defined as an activity that alters your breathing pattern and your heart rate, but during which you can still talk and maintain a conversation.
Examples:
brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour)
water aerobics
dancing (ballroom or social)
Yardwork (lighter like gardening or mowing)
tennis (doubles)
biking slower than 10 miles per hour
Strong Balance at Koa Fit
Alternatively, 75 minutes of vigorous activity can be preferred. Honestly, we, and the American Heart Association, prefer a combination of intensity and the inclusion of some strengthening (2x/wk) as well. Vigorous activities will get your heart rate up further, you will probably start to sweat and maintaining a conversation would likely be difficult.
Examples:
hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack
running
swimming laps
aerobic dancing
heavy yard work like continuous digging or hoeing
tennis (singles)
cycling 10 miles per hour or faster
jumping rope
But I’m not active
Fear not! This is not an “all or nothing” prescription. If you’re not a mover or know someone who seldom moves, just start with walking. 5 minutes, 3 days in a row. Or maybe it’s 5 min 2x day, 3 days/wk. Then 10, then 20. Write out a realistic plan and cross off each activity as it comes, rather than starting with the number 150 at the top of your list and count down.
Movement Options + Chronic Pain
The 150 minutes/week recommended by the American Heart Association is validated when it comes to persistent aches and pains. As we stated above, if you’re not someone who moves or is fearful of increasing pain, start with a short walk, increase your frequency and then your duration over time. Alter your intensity from medium to moderate to vigorous.
The moderate exercise we mentioned above helps with your heart health and your mental health as an elevated heart rate will release endorphins which are basically “happy vibes” in your body. This will help with pain management and the depression which is often associated with persistent pain.
Strengthening will help prepare your body for your everyday activities without fear of injury or an increase in your pain. You will slowly learn to activate the proper muscles against gravity and condition your body to accept a load without injury.
Stretching helps your mobility, joint movement, and pain.
Ok, but does it really help?
YES! There is a ton of research out there about the right amount and type (intensity and form) for movement will help lessen your pain. Our bodies truly can help heal ourselves. Here are a few ways that it works:
During exercise, your brain releases natural pain relievers (analgesics) in your spinal cord and brain to turn off pain signals. These analgesics have no risks or side effects. We want them floating around your body.
During exercise, your muscles release chemicals that block pain signals from being sent to your brain.
During exercise, your immune cells release natural chemicals that block pain signals and heal injured tissue.
Furthermore, when it comes to persistent pain, research also shows that exercise can improve:
Fatigue
Energy
Mental health - Depression, Anxiety
Sleep
Bodyweight
Blood pressure
Blood glucose levels
Quality of life - it can help you do activities you enjoy like spending time with family and friends, working in the garden or yard, or sports/hobbies.
So now you are fueled with information that is relevant and validated! You can help yourself heal, you can promote your own health or the health of someone around you. You have a body that can help heal itself, that’s amazing.
Fitness mogul Nike has the following mission statement: “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. *If you have a body, you are an athlete.” It seems fitting to feed off that, if you have a body, you can heal your aches and improve your health + well-being. Use that machine for good
References:
This July, we want to talk about Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. We want to know what these things mean to you? How do they flow in and out of your days, weeks, months? How do they affect your work, your relationships and your goals?
We thought this short film with John Lewis could help kick-start some thoughts.
We want to here your thoughts. Email us at info@koafitusa.com or share your thoughts on our group Facebook page.
We asked and they answered. The Readey’s have been busy these past few months.
In their own words…
Mary Beth: Last fall Mary Beth found a group of artists that would get together every week for a communal painting session. That now being challenging, she has continued to paint in her new art studio (meaning the living room). She is trying some new techniques that translate to beautiful paintings. And while she can’t meet with her artist friends in person, they continue to do weekly painting “challenges” which they share online, keeping them all creatively engaged!
Michael: With classes now over for the semester (Michael teaches at CU), Michael has a lot more time to focus on home projects. One that he loves is working in the garden. This year has brought a lot of experimentation on growing veggies from seeds and transplants. He also started a fiber and dye garden, growing flax, indigo and a variety of other natural dye plants. He’s not sure where that will all end up but so far it’s been a fun learning process!
Mary Beth & Michael: It seems like every year the flower gardens expand a bit more with some new plants and moving things around, and this Spring has been no exception. Mary Beth has made some visually exciting additions to the main garden in their courtyard, while Michael has tried to keep up with the endless weeding. So far so good as the new plants have established well and the next two months promise a lot of color and texture that are sure to go well with a glass or two of wine.
The other project that has kept both Mary Beth and Michael focused and occupied this Spring is the renovation of a 1969 Riviera Camper. It is a project that has required a lot of structural reconstruction up to this point. Yet the last few weeks have transitioned to finish work – with a hint of the final look now possible. With a vision of the final design and a project plan in place, they hope to take it on the road by early summer!
In her own words…
I am on day 70 of the pandemic quarantine. I returned from New York on Friday, March 13th. I was in CT helping my sister as she recovered from knee surgery. I returned from my trip early concerned I wouldn’t be able to return to CO safely. The flight was extremely stressful, but I was relieved to be back home in our state far away from the epicenter of COVID-19.
I self quarantined immediately for 14 days. During this time stay at home orders were implemented in CO. My marketing agency lost its main client so I suddenly had extra time on my hands. I recognized I needed some new activities to keep my mind and body healthy during this strange time.
I learned to play checkers. I find the game challenging and frustrating. Although I lose to my husband every single time, I have enjoyed learning the game. I also learned backgammon which is currently our go-to game these days. I enjoy the strategy and luck of the game. We reconnected our Wii Sports Resort video game. It is both active and fun. We enjoy wakeboarding, swordplay speed slice and the basketball free throw game. We typically play in the evenings giving us a break from tv.
I usually spend a chunk of my summer back East. I came to terms with the fact that I won’t be flying back to visit my family until next year most likely. With my annual summer travel I haven’t gardened much while living in Colorado. I decided to try a garden. I planted herbs I cook with and tried potting some zucchini plants. I also planted a variety of flowers including lavender, sunflowers, poppies, pansies and petunias. My new morning routine after coffee is watering and caring for my plants. This daily ritual and seeing them grow adds happiness to my days.
I enjoy photographing beautiful Colorado, but started to explore art over the last couple months. I started with an acrylic paint by numbers project of Vincent Van Gogh's famous Starry Night. I found my days painting completely relaxes me. I decided to pursue painting further by trying watercolors which is challenging but extremely enjoyable.
In May I started hiking consistently 3-4 times a week. I enjoy the trails around my house early mornings when there are less people around. I always wear a face covering. I am happiest during the pandemic when I am outdoors on the trails.
I personally know 5 people impacted by COVID-19. 4 of them lost a parent. The 5th person's dad recovered after being hospitalized for 8 weeks fighting for his life. I am mostly sheltering in place still. I am grateful to live in Colorado. The abundant sunshine, amazing weather, trail systems and natural beauty of our state has made daily life adjusting to the pandemic easier. I have enjoyed exploring new hobbies and activities. They allow me the needed break from pandemic news and offer a bright spot on the days I struggle with this new normal.
So the big gyms have been closed. Your spin classes are not happening. The pools won’t be open for quite some time. And now, you’re considering going for a run. But where do you start?
Sure, you could just throw on some random sneakers and go. Bang out a few miles. What could go wrong? Maybe nothing, but I’ll tell you that in my 15 years as a physical therapist, chances are something will go wrong. Prior to quarantine life, specifically in the last year, I had many of my friends asking for help after they went from not running to throwing in a 3-5 mile run. The overnight coach to 5K. The most common problem? Calf/Achilles issues and painful hips + knees. With my hands-on skills as a physical therapist, dry needling and knowledge of corrective exercises and mobility, I whipped them back into shape in no time. Some of them are even running on the regular these days and they are pain-free. YAY!
But in these uncertain times, access to hands-on skills and bodywork is not an option, sadly. Some physical therapy clinics are open (not all) so I’m here to share a few nuggets of wisdom to help you prepare for your future as a runner.
The goal here is to give you a few tips on how to prepare your body to absorb the impact of running and help you recover. Running is good for your mind, body, and soul. However, if you are not used to a high impact activity, a little prep goes a long way.
All you need is a foam roller (or a one little Nalgene bottle) and a band (and old bike inner tube can work in a pinch)… Click on each movement for a video.
Ankle Mobility:
Calf Release - 2 min each leg
Shin Release - 2 min each leg
Kneeling Ankle Stretch 30 sec x 3 each leg
Calf Stretch (on ½ foam roller, rolled-up yoga mat, towel...anything) 30 sec x 3 each leg
Ankle Strength:
Calf Raise + Eccentric Calf Strength - these can + should be done off a step for the full
range of motion. 10-20x based on fatigue.
Hip Mobility :
Hip Openers 3-5x each side
Pelvis + Glute Stability:
Cross Body Core 10-20x each side
Side Plank - can also be done on knees - 30 sec x 3 each side
Single-Leg Bridge 10-20x
Monster Walk - 3-5 min
Lunge with Overhead Reach and Calf Stretch + Activation 3x each side
Banded Jumps - 15x
Now that you have got your body mobilized and stabilized, it’s time to figure out exactly how much you should run. Great (+ necessary) question. Whether you’re new to the sport or recovery from an injury, there is a pretty good formula to follow:
30 sec on, 1 min off x 5 and work up to x 10. Sure, that’s not a very long amount of time, but maybe you start off a 2-3 mile walk that way as a way to get some time on your feet with light, but not high impact. Exposing your body to light weight-bearing activities, like walking or hiking, is a great buffer for running.
Take your time with these progressions and make the time to do your recovery mobility + strength.
Progression:
1 min on, 1 min off x 5 and work up to x 10
2 min on, 1 min off x 5 and work up to x 10
3 min on, 1 min off x 5 and work up to x 10
4 min on, 1 min off x 5 and work up to x 10
5 min on, 1 min off x 5 and work up to x 10
…. Continue until you are up to 10 min x 5
…. And then you are free to fly, er, run!
Start with a few miles and see how it goes.
Good luck out there. Be safe, wear a mask, keep your distance and wash your hands!
This page will be updated regularly with any information about re-opening.
Date of Re-Opening: 5/11/2020
Services Available: One-on-One Personal Training and Massage Therapy. Classes will remain live-streaming online at this time.
How can you schedule: Currently, we have 4 trainers/therapists in the studio (Brenna Backe, Brian Carver, Annette Bray, Siri Nicollela). Rebecca South is available for online appointments at this time. You can book in-person or online appointments from our Schedule page. All services are by appointment only. No walk-ins are available.
Face Masks: All trainers/therapists and clients must wear masks at all times (indoor sessions). No exceptions - this is a mandatory order from the Boulder County Health Department.
Social Distancing: All training sessions will be performed at a social distance of 6 feet apart when possible. We will do our best to maintain a “gap time” of 10 minutes or more to avoid clients overlapping. You may be asked to wait outside till your session time. Please avoid coming early to your session at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Symptom Checks: All trainers will perform a symptom check before coming to the studio. All clients are required to get a temperature check (performed by the trainer/therapist with a no-touch thermometer) prior to starting the session. Everyone (trainer and clients) must have a reading of 100.4 or below and no additional symptoms. No exceptions - this is a mandatory order from the Boulder County Health Department.
Equipment: All equipment will be wiped down after each use.
Hand Sanitizer: Hand sanitizer will be available at the front door. Please use it as you enter and exit the gym.
Common Areas: Bathrooms, cubbies, the front door, and other common areas will be wiped down between sessions.
Changing: Please come dressed to workout when possible and take everything with you when you leave. We are not able to store personal items at this time.
Contactless Payment: Please purchase sessions via our website or by calling 720-428-8863. We want to limit the exchange of credit cards, etc at the studio.
"Nothing will ever befall me that I will receive with gloom or a bad disposition. I will pay my taxes gladly. Now, all the things which cause complaint or dread are like the taxes of life - things from which you should never hope for exemption or seek escape." - Seneca
Dear Koa Fit Family,
I found the above quote to be appropriate and consoling for the current situation given that our usual tax day was postponed due to this time of paying our "taxes of life". The idea that balance will always come into life - you have to have bad days so you can recognize good days, you will always have joy and grief and the high to know the lows (we have seen this in our current weather situation as well as metaphorically) - has always played a big part in my life.
In the body we see this with homeostasis, the chemistry of the body always regulating itself to bring it back to harmony. In biomechanics, the agonist and antagonist muscles simultaneously acting and letting-go to produce fluid movement. With muscle building, we see micro-tears in our muscles that temporarily weaken us so we can gain strength. Of course the body is the subject I spend the most time studying, but I know all of you have found this undertone of balance in other parts of life. It is a constant in the chaos of life.
It has been exactly 1 month since we temporarily closed our doors at the studio. A month filled of readjusted deadlines and details. A month of isolation and limitation. A month of unknown and grief. A month of paying taxes and finding balance.
I am happy to pay those taxes for the bounty I have received. You are all amazing and I can not thank you enough for all your support, not just now, but since the first day you walked into Koa Fit. During this time, I received messages from the members of our community checking in on me and the team, you have shown your support to us on social media, some of you have purchased extra packages, people are joining our online classes from NJ, CA, OR, WA, NY and IA, and our training schedule has grown every week! I can not express how thankful I am, not just for your patronage, but to see your lovely faces on my screen every week. I truly feel blessed.
I am also so PROUD of this community for stepping up and continuing to take care of yourselves during this time. All of our routines have been thrown out. This is usually the number one thing that knocks people off track, but not you. You have set quarantine goals for yourself! It is truly inspiring to watch. Some of you are taking advantage of the outdoors and finding activities that bring you joy that maybe you had lost over the years. Some of you I see in our classes EVERY SINGLE WEEK! Others are training online AND asking for more home programming so you can move everyday. This group has not used this time as an excuse to jump off a fitness program and that is amazing and commendable.
This community fills my heart and fuels my work. Thank you all for being part of it in your own, unique way. As we head into the future of the unknown, I am happy to have all of you on our team. We support each other, we take care of one another, and together we are stronger.
Sincerely,
Brenna and the Koa Fit Crew
Thursday, April 9th at 6pm
Just because our doors are closed, doesn’t mean our community events will stop. Join us Thursday, April 9th at 6pm for a discussion with Pamela Robichaud, DPT and Koa Fit owner, Brenna Backe about preventing and addressing knee pain during activity.
We know a lot of you are taking advantage of the great outdoors during this lockdown period. We also know this may lead to a few”tweaks”, “jabs”, and other uncomfortable feelings in the knees. Bring your experiences and questions to this open discussion. Pamela and Brenna will answer your questions, provide advice on prevention and pain management, and also give you some targeted movements you can do so you can play outside pain-free.
Sign up at least 30 minutes prior to the meet-up and we will send you a Zoom link via email. You can sign up HERE or by calling/texting 720-428-8863 or email us at admin@koafitusa.com.
During this time, when our studio doors are closed, we are happy to offer online training sessions. Workout in your PJs in your home! These sessions require little to no equipment.
During this unique time in our lives, we are offering some specialty training sessions to address specific needs (see below).
If you are a current client, you can use your current session package. New clients, please check out our Pricing page for packages.
One-on-One Training - Don’t miss a beat. Continue your training while staying at home. Little to no equipment needed.
Movement Assessment and Programming - Have a reoccurring pain or injury? Do you want to work on your posture and alignment? Do you just want to move better? Take the time now to get a program you can start today to help you reach your goals.
Stress Reduction Session - This is a guided hour of mobilization, yoga, and meditation with Annette Bray or Rebecca South. Take care of yourself during this stressful time.
Work Station Analysis - Working from home and not quite sure the best way to set yourself up? Let our Physical Therapist, Pamela Robichaud, DPT get you set up correctly with an online assessment.
To schedule any of these sessions, please go to our schedule page and select “Online Training” and then select your trainer. If you need help, please feel free to call/text us anytime at 720-428-8863 or email us at admin@koafitusa.com.
Unfortunately, Koa Fit had to close it’s doors temporarily due to the recent COVID-19 spread. But that doesn't mean you get to just sit around and do nothing! We are bringing you live classes right to your living room!
Here is how you do it:
Sign up via our “Class Schedule” page (you will have to create an account if you do not already have one) at least 30 minutes prior to the class start time. Make sure you create your account with the email address you want to use to receive the class link.
If you don’t want to sign up online, please email us at info@koafitusa.com at least 30 minutes prior to the class start time. Please let us know the email you would like to use to receive the class link.
You can use your current class package (or buy a new one if needed) for all classes. Click here to see pricing.
Download the Zoom App here: https://zoom.us/download
You will receive a Zoom link via email 15 minutes prior to class starting. Click the link and follow along!
March 5th at 6pm
We’ll get this out of the way first, this is a workshop for people who do not have a handstand, not for people who are looking to perfect their handstand. This is a workshop for people who want a different perspective, a unique challenge, and are excited about the joy and possibilities that come out of trying something new.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY, 100%, WITHOUT A DOUBT AN ALL-LEVELS WORKSHOP
Join Brenna Backe for an hour journey towards a handstand. Get a great workout while challenging your mind and your limitations. This event is free, but space will be limited. Please sign up below to reserve your spot.