Looking for the best baby-bump classes at our studio???

REFORMER FLEX
A great prenatal class and favorite among our mamas-to-be. Full body strengthening with extra ab work in the plank position where intensity can be personalized. *Talk to us about recommendations for Reformer Flex CARDIO or Reformer Pilates.

TRIPLE SHOT
This is another great prenatal class! Lots of hip and outer thigh strengthening in a standing position. We use a bar for balance. Hardly any exercises laying on your back.

BANDIT
Also recommended for those expecting! This workout builds total body strength with extra core stabilization and upper back strengthening. Minimal exercise time on your back with easy-to-replace alternatives.

BACKSIDE
Good for first-second trimester. May not be ideal for third trimester due to intensity of leg work in a hinged or forward leaning position which may be uncomfortable. And a few back-laying exercises are often included.

ABSESSION
Not recommended due to the amount of forward flexion and time laying on your back.

REBOUNDING [TOP GUNS, HIGH FLYER, ALL STAR]
If you were jumping with us before your pregnancy, you could be okay continuing through your first-to-second trimester, lowering the intensity and range of motion as needed. Because we don't jump UP, the movement and pelvic floor impact is similar to jogging or floor aerobics. The difference is that you're landing on a softer surface. But you do also need to consider your balance! But if your doctor is okay with jogging/aerobic exercise for you (and you've jumped with us pre-pregnancy), talk with us to see how you feel. And out of our 3 rebounding classes, Top Guns is the best fit given the interval format and upper body strengthening!

Read more about our prenatal fitness recommendations

As always, if you have any questions please contact us! And you can reach me directly at dana@freehousefitness.com to ask any prenatal fitness questions.

See you at the studio!
​Dana

​When you're exercising for two (woo-hoo!), there are a few limitations and considerations that come into play. This can influence what workouts are most comfortable, safe, and beneficial for a mama-to-be! But talking to both your doctor and a well-credentialed fitness teacher, can help you make the best decisions for your workout regimen.

Here are a few general guidelines or considerations for what's to come throughout your pregnancy. ***But always talk to your doctor to get the most complete medical information and recommendations specific to your pregnancy.

​
[1] Don't be too adventurous. Starting a brand new kind of workout that you've never done before mid-pregnancy is not recommended. Stick to similar types of classes or workouts in the realm of what you have experience doing.

[2] Stay steady. Be careful with any workouts requiring extra balance (i.e. standing on a reformer) Your center of gravity and balance is affected by your growing little one! Keep something to assist like the wall or a barre within reach. Or ask your instructor to customize your equipment settings when applicable.

[3] Be ready to modify. You'll eventually not be able to lie on your back and should avoid weighted flexion like crunches (it will worsen the separation of your rectus abdominus) and rotation. Talk to an instructor educated on prenatal fitness about recommended alternatives. 

[4] Be careful with your new flexibility. You may experience hypermobility and joint instability from the pregnancy hormone relaxin, and this can especially affect the muscles around the pelvis. Avoid intense inner thigh exercises and incorporate outer thigh and hip strengthening workouts.

[5] Get ready for postnatal posture. After your little one arrives, taking care of them will put a strain on your alignment and posture. New moms can experience rounding shoulders and upper back (carrying, breastfeeding, etc.) and a lateral hip shift. During your pregnancy, focus on building strength in your upper back muscles in addition to abdominals. And when you're ready to workout post-pregnancy, start with a very alignment-focused pilates workout to keep balance and symmetry in your muscle development. This will keep you safe and give you a great foundation of strength before expanding your workout regimen.

[6] Stay moving and avoid specific expectations or goals. Who knows who you're going to feel from week to week?!? Do whatever you can, whether it's a challenging group class, a walk in the park, or a few leg lifts in your home office. Every little bit adds up! 

One more thing. Your freehouse team is THRILLED to have you in class at any stage of your pregnancy. Whether you need to rest, modify, step away or ask for help, we're always here for your and we're your biggest cheerleaders!

Please always tell your instructors that you are expecting. *Even if you think it is obvious! Whenever possible, call or email a studio ahead of time to let them know so your instructor can plan modifications ahead of time. And arrive early to discuss any customizations you might need to the workout.

Read about our class recommendations that are best for your baby bump!

Congratulations mama! See you at the studio!
​Dana

"Stabilize" is a word you're probably familiar with hearing in a fitness class. The instructor says you're stabilizing with your core or working stability in your leg. But what exactly does it mean?

To stabilize is to use muscles to minimize movement, and create stillness or control around a joint that could otherwise have a lot of movement in multiple directions. The most common places we do this is in our spine/trunk (where our vertebrae could otherwise bend) and out knees + hips. 

We need build and have stability for functional reasons. Sometimes forces (i.e. gravity, weight, momentum) pull on our bodies and we want our muscles to be able to react + contract to support and protect us.

​So are there specific stabilizing muscles? Kind of. Some muscles get called upon mainly to stabilize while other muscles are used a lot to both stabilize and cause movement. And stabilizing muscles come in all sizes...they aren't necessarily 'smaller' muscles like I often hear fitness people way ("you're working the smaller, stabilizing muscles!")

Here's an example of where working stability as a function can trigger specific muscles to activate.
​
A study was done in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science testing the use of our quad muscles when doing squats on different surfaces. The healthy subjects performed squats on hard plates, foam, and rubber air discs and the muscle work was measured using electrodes. The results were that the muscle activity of the vastus medialis oblique (the inner portion of your quadriceps muscle on the inner thigh side of your knee) was statistically significantly higher on rubber air discs. 

So when placed on an unstable surface that wobbles side to side, the VMO activated significantly more than a stable surface and created stability in the knee. And in doing this, the person performing squats is strengthening the VMO. And a strong VMO prevents instability, dislocation and degeneration in your knee. Whoa. A strong VMO will also appear sculpted and toned and give definition to the front of the thigh.

So there's your anatomy and biomechanics lesson! And an explanation for why the disc in Triple Shot was introduced to our studio 18 months ago! So the next time you are in class wobbling on the disc, you can remember how much it is benefiting your body and know that your hard work is not in vain!

See you at the studio!
​Dana

​Successfully completing a fitness challenge is a feat to be proud of! It took sacrifice and hard work, which should absolutely be rewarded. But what's a good reward?!

Every studio or gym may have parameters that define what they can give, or think is best! Here are the 3 principles behind our freehouse rewards.

[1]  Everyone who completes a challenge should be rewarded! Our challenges are not really contests or giveaways where only the top-dog is rewarded or someone is chosen at random. If you do the work, you should be rewarded!

[2]  Gifts make for better rewards than discounts. I know...we all love saving money! But a discount requires you to spend more money to get your reward which isn't easy for everyone. A discount also has no psychological attachment to the accomplishment and is gone in an instant. So the pride and positive feeling from completing a challenge will disappear. But a tangible gift that can be reused indefinitely will always remind you of how awesome you are every time you see it! I think it's a great self-esteem boost that goes a long way.

[3]  Rewards are exclusive for challengers - whenever possible. For similar reasons as #2, having your reward be something not everyone can get, and having it uniquely marked with the challenge you completed, is a direct reminder of how strong you are and what you're capable of!

We hope you enjoy our challenge rewards, and more importantly, always take the time to personally tell yourself how fabulous you are! Sacrificing time, money and energy to get your workouts in whenever possible is no easy feat. So be sure to recognize your own hard work and believe you are always capable of accomplishing your goals.

See you at the studio!
​Dana

Exercising is (ideally) an every day occurrence that requires a lot of energy and discipline! But keeping up with such a disciplined practice long-term can be tough. So fitness studios and gyms everywhere started offering regular challenges throughout the year as a motivational tool to help their community stay consistent with their workouts. And these challenges can be fun! They give us a mini-adventure to embark upon, a community of support, and the opportunity to feel proud of how hard we work every day. 

​What a challenge consists of though, can depend on the capabilities of the gym or studio, and what benefits they want to see for their clients... or their business. So here's a peak at what influences our challenges here at freehouse!

When it comes to creating a challenge for my clients and community, besides using them for general motivation and community building, I'm super-focused on always tying them back to the fundamental fitness practices that are integral to getting results.

There's something called the FITT principle. It's an acronym for the fitness components that bring about results, improvements and changes in your body.

[F] FREQUENCY. I.e. working out every day, every other day
[I] INTENSITY I.e. how fast/heavy; the energy you expend.
[T] TIME I.e. 20 minutes, 50 minutes
[T} TYPE I.e. rebound, sculpt, pilates, yoga, cycle

Increasing any/all of these components within healthy reason, will yield results and push your abilities! So across our calendar of freehouse challenges, I try to hit these components as much as possible. For example:

DOUBLE CLASS CHALLENGE. Taking a double dose of classes increases the amount of TIME your muscles are working out.

SWEAT EVERY DAY CHALLENGE. Taking class 8 days in a row pushes your workout FREQUENCY to the max. *And the variety of our classes allows you to do this as we don't want to repeat the same workout 8 days in a row!

FIT WEEK CHALLENGE. Taking 4 different types of classes in 6 days increases the different TYPES of workouts you do.

...and so on! My objective in our studio, is to help my clients and community build long-term, healthy, and sustainable fitness practices that yield results. Results that are not only related to calories-burned or muscles-defined, but results like having endurance and stamina, coordination, adaptability and discipline. Whenever I can utilize our challenges to achieve these goals, that's a double win!! And beyond the challenges, keep this FITT Principle in mind when trying to hit personal goals with your workout routine.

See you at the studio!
​Dana