This month, we are focused on spinal mobility. The spine is the center of your body and the center of your movement. If it doesn’t move well, neither will you. Try the exercises and stretches below to help get that spine moving.
Do you want to lift more without putting more stress on your joints? Join Gerry Halverson for 4 weeks of BFR training. This very small group (limited to only 4 people) will train with the BFR system with the goal of improving strength while limiting strain on the joints.
BFR or Blood Flow Restriction training is one of the simplest, most effective tools to enter the strength training world. It has been proven to be an amazing tool to build more strength, in less time, with less wear and tear on the joints. (Learn More)
What’s a Goal Group? A small group of people (4) working with a trainer towards a common goal.
How long is the series? Depends on the goal. For the BFR Goal Group, it is 4 weeks.
Here are the details for the BFR Goal Group:
This class will give you the experience of working with the BFR system guided and supervised by trainer, Gerry Halverson. Class will meet for 1 hour.
What are the benefits of using BFR?
1) BFR mimics heavy weight training without the risks. BFR is a safer way to do resistance training because you can use lighter loads to achieve the same strength gains as using heavy weights.
2) BFR workouts increase Human Growth Hormone (HGH) in the body. HGH helps to build new muscle, reduce inflammation, and improve mental clarity.
3) Shorter sets. When you use BFR, muscle fatigue comes much faster. No need for longer workouts.
Wednesdays at 6pm Starting 2/16/22
Sessions: 2/16, 2/23, 3/2, and 3/9
Only 4 spots available.
Mask Mandate Policy (Updated 1/31/22)
COVID cases in Boulder County have been trending down at a significant rate since mid-January. We will be returning to a mask-optional policy at the studio with a few added guidelines. Please see below for details.
Koa Fit Trainers and Staff - Koa Fit Trainers will reflect the client’s choice. If a client wears a mask, so will the trainer. In addition, the client can also request the trainer to wear a mask even if the client does not wear one during the session. The additional guidelines below will also be followed.
Clients - Clients can be mask-optional. However, the additional guidelines below need to be followed.
Additional COVID Guidelines:
A mask must be worn for at least 5 days (after last exposure) if you have been exposed to someone with COVID or who has had symptoms of COVID.
A mask must be worn if you are waiting for results of a COVID test.
If you have any symptoms of COVID or are not feeling well in general, please do not come to the studio.
If you have been in large group settings, such as travel, concerts, etc, we ask that you wear a mask for at least 5 days after the last exposure.
Please be considerate of the other sessions in the studio. If a client is wearing a mask, please keep at least 6 feet of distance between you and them or wear a mask when you are in close contact (such as entering of leaving the studio).
Be kind and courteous to people.
Please Note - Proof of Vaccination is still required for entry to the studio. For more information, please visit our Vaccine Verification Page.
Post-holiday and after the weather gets colder, we see a lot of people with stiff necks and shoulders. To help keep these tense necks away, we will be bringing you stretches and exercises each week to help. Check out the links below.
All month long, we will be keeping your joints happy and health (and hopefully, creak-free). Each week we will be tackling a different joint. Follow along to get the whole body moving smoothly.
I Wanna Lift!
Do you want to start using and lifting weights, but aren't sure how to get started? Do you do some strength-training, but don't really have a plan or program? Do you go to the gym to lift only to "tweak" something and have to take time off? Well, I Wanna Lift! Goal Group is for you.
What’s a Goal Group? A small group of people (4-6) working with a trainer towards a common goal.
How long is the series? Depends on the goal. For the I Wanna Lift Group, it is 6 weeks.
Here are the details for the I Wanna Lift Goal Group:
This class will focus on weight-lifting form and programming. Learn how to keep your body safe and see results by training with a plan. Jumpstart your workout plan in the New Year. Be smart, learn the process, and feel confident during your next workout.
This goal group is limited to 4-6 people. It will meet for 6 weeks (see dates below). Please plan to attend all 6 sessions. Members will receive a workout plan at the end of the 6 weeks so they can continue their training on their own.
2 Options (Please select either Tuesdays or Saturdays when you sign up. You cannot combo days. Thank you.)
Tuesdays at 6pm - 1/4, 1/11, 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8 Full
Saturdays at 9am - 1/8, 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12
We have a few weeks of limited or no Strong Balance Classes (see below). We apologize for any inconvenience. Due to these cancellations, we are giving you free access to this new, on-demand Strong Balance Class. This recording includes the new segment in class and you can do it anytime, anywhere. This recording will be available for free until the end of the year to help you stay consistent over the busy holiday season. Try it out, practice, and we will see you in the studio soon!
Week of 11/14
No Strong Balance Classes
Week of 11/21 (Thanksgiving Week)
Strong Balance Class on Tuesday, 11/23 at Noon
No Strong Balance Class on Thanksgiving Day (Join us for our Turkey Day Workout)
Week of 11/28
Strong Balance Class on Tuesday, 11/30 at Noon
No Strong Balance Class on Thursday, 12/2
Week of 12/26
No Strong Balance Class on Tuesday, 12/27
Strong Balance Class on Tuesday, 12/30 at Noon
Gerry enjoying the powder in B.C.
Want to get the most out of your snow season? Be prepared. Join us for our first installation of our Goal Group Series as we focus on strength and conditioning for skiing and snowboarding.
What’s a Goal Group? A small group of people (4-6) working with a trainer towards a common goal.
How long is the series? Depends on the goal. For the Ski and Snowboard group, it is 4 weeks.
Here are the details for the Ski and Snowboard Goal Group:
Join Gerry Halverson for this 4 week training series designed to get you prepared for the slopes.
Gerry's workouts are geared towards increasing your power and strength while keeping you injury-free this ski and snowboard season.
This group meets for 4 weeks on Wednesdays at 6pm starting 12/1/21. In addition to the group workouts, each participant will receive a workout plan at the end of the 4 weeks.
Sessions are 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, and 12/22. Please plan to attend all 4 sessions.
Cost: $185
Sessions are limited to only 6 people, please register to hold your space.
Thanksgiving Day - Two Options!
9am and 10:30am
Our first class filled up so quick, we added a second option at 10:30am. Join us on Thanksgiving Day for a full-body workout. Get your strength-training, cardio, and stretching in before the big feast.
Classes are limited to 10 people, so you must sign up in advance.
Koa Fit is a Vaccine Verified Facility. You must show proof of vaccine to enter the studio.
This month, we are getting you ready to hit the slopes. Check back each week for exercises and stretches to help you stay safe and injury-free out on the slopes.
This whole month we are going to be playing with rotation. It sounds simple , and it is, but it is no easy. Most people who experience stiffness and lack of fluidity in their movements are lacking rotational mobility. Hang out with us all month long for new videos and for some movement motivation.
Koa Fit has been approved as a Vaccine Verified Facility through Boulder County. This allows our clients to be mask optional while working out in the studio. This program requires every person who enters the studio to show proof of vaccination.
Koa Fit's staff is 100% vaccinated. In order for us to be compliant, we will need every client to bring proof (see below) of vaccination or email it to admin@koafitusa.com. We will NOT be collecting copies of vaccination cards at this time and any emailed copies will be destroyed.
The following forms of proof will be accepted:
● COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card (issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control & Prevention or WHO Yellow Card) which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date last dose administered); OR
● A photo of a Vaccination Record Card as a separate document; OR
● A photo of the individual’s Vaccination Record Card stored on a phone or electronic device; OR
● Documentation of COVID-19 vaccination from a health care provider; OR
● Digital record accessed through the myColorado application.
For questions or concerns, please email info@koafitusa.com. See our full policy below.
Check out the recording of this event from 9/23/21.
Join Koa Fit trainer, Gerry Halverson, for an informative workshop about BFR. Learn what it is, if it is safe for you, why it works, and the added benefits of utilizing this simple tool.
BFR or Blood Flow Restriction training is one of the simplest, most effective tools to enter to the strength training world. About a decade ago, physical therapists started using BFR as a way to get patients stronger during rehabilitation. Recently, BFR has entered the strength and fitness world as an amazing tool to build more strength, in less time, with less wear and tear on the joints.
Interested in BFR results? Click here to read the review - Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy in Older Individuals.
This month, we are working on stretches and exercises that allow us to work with our posterior kinetic chain. We will be focusing on the lower portion of the chain - mainly the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and arches. Follow along all month long.
All month long, we will be going over moves and stretches to keep you healthy on and off your bicycle.
For this first week, we are opening up the chest and shoulders and then keeping them open by strengthening our mid back and shoulders.
This week, we are focusing on hip extension (when the leg extends behind the pelvis). We are starting with an anterior hip release so that we can open the front of the hips and then moving on to an exercise that allows us to strengthen in hip extension.
This week, we are releasing the fascia in our quads to help prevent pain around our kneecap. We are also back on our bellies, strengthening that back line and preventing the shoulders from hunching forward.
This week, we are addressing the upper body. Mobilizing and strengthening our shoulders to help prevent any numbness or tingling while riding. This also has the added benefit of keeping our necks and low backs healthy too.
In the first exercise, this non-relaxing version of a pigeon pose not only gets your hips open, but also strengthens them in your new found mobility so that they stay open.
Then, move on to some bridging with a ball to help strengthen your hamstrings. Strong hamstrings help support your knees and your low back. This exercise is great because it works the hamstrings in both a concentric (muscle shortening) and eccentric (muscle lengthening) way.
This month, we are going to work on some mobility and exercises that everyone should be able to perform. These are the foundations of movement. This is a great place to start if you are just starting out with a movement program, but they are also great tests for those of you who have been moving for a while. You should be able to do all these movements before moving on to more complex movements such as deadlifts.
For this first week, we are mobilizing the thoracic spine and learning the basics of the hinge. Having a pliable and functional thoracic spine is important in all movement. If the spine does not move properly, you will never be able to generate your full potential over power and this improper function could eventually lead to more serious injury.
We are reviewing the hinge because it is the foundational movement in everything from a pick-up to a squat and is found in multiple movements of daily life (getting in and out of a car, out of a chair, picking up things off the floor, etc.).
For our 2nd week of Foundations Month we are moving from the spine to the feet and we are going to progress our hinge to the squat.
This week, we are using a squat to help us gain some motion in our ankles. Now that you learned the proper squat last week, you can use this version to help bring some mobility to your ankles and feet. We are also going to learn how to use the hinge for our lunge.
This week, we are going after the low squat. The low squat should not just be for the privileged few. It is one of the most useful and functional positions you can utilize. From picking up heavy things, to getting up and down from the floor, the low squat is a necessity in life.
We are finishing up Foundations Month with the staple exercise of the dipping bird. We have been working all month on our hinging and strengthening our posterior chain. Now, let’s challenge it with this single leg balance move.
We’ve Moved!
We have found our permanent home back on Pearl Street. Please join us at our new space at:
2100 Pearl Street, Suite C
Boulder, CO 80301
Koa Fit owner, Brenna Back was featured on June and July’s Be Well Saturdays organized by Boulder County Health. The first episode focused on trail safety and preparedness. In the 2nd, and most recent episode, Brenna talks about bringing your interval training to the outdoors. Check out the episodes below.
Episode 13
Episode 14
For the month of June, we will be working on getting ourselves trail ready. We will post a new stretch and a new strengthening exercise each week on this page and on our Facebook and Instagram platforms. Check out our stretches and moves all month and keep yourself safe out on your adventures.
For week one, we are stretching out our quads with a standing stretch that can be done anywhere. Then we are keeping our hips (and knees) happy with a lateral hip strengthener.
This week, we are stretching our hamstrings and again, this standing stretch can be done anywhere. We are also working on a variation of a squat that helps strengthen our legs in multiple planes.
Does your low back get cranky out on the trail? Try this hinge stretch to get some relief. Then strengthen the hips and core with this banded exercise to keep your back and knees healthy as you blaze the trail.
For our final week of Trail Month, we have one, final standing stretch. This one opens up your sides which can start to feel compressed after a long day out. We are also working on our cores with a banded exercise.
While practicing in Boulder, Dr. Kaufman became aware that patients needed and wanted more than what they were receiving from traditional Western Medical healthcare. She observed that while some patients felt better with certain medications including bio-identical hormones, a large percentage continued to not feel “well” or had even more symptoms because underlying issues were not addressed. Through these observations she became passionate about functional, integrative medical care and incorporating more holistic approaches with patients. As a result, she pursued a fellowship in Functional Medicine to develop a deeper understanding of the underlying triggers that keep patients from experiencing their optimal health.
In 2019 Dr. Karen Kaufman was invited to join the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine Advisory Board. She is the first member of the board with a background in functional, and integrative medicine, in addition to being a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist. The integrative, functional model has given Dr. Kaufman an entirely different perspective about how to approach a patient’s symptoms and complex medical issues.
Check out the short videos below to learn more about Dr. Kaufman’s practice or click HERE to go to her website for more information.