Results tagged “exercise”

Tucked onto a side street in the Playhouse District of Pasadena, Zoe - A Pilates Studio, is so inconspicuous that I drove by twice before noticing it. Marked only by a small sign, the unassuming exterior belies a light, airy space with state-of-the-art equipment and a focused, intense tenor. And the atmosphere is no accident; when it comes to Pilates studios, this, says owner Zoe Marcus, is "the real deal."

       

There is something so completely odd, yet refreshing, about running up and down the stairs at the Hollywood Bowl during daytime hours. In a place you're used to sharing with 17,000 other people, being there completely alone--not even a security guard in sight--made us realize that this is one of Hollywood's biggest secrets (Read Part 1 of this series, The Hidden Staircases of Hollywood Heights, which are right next door).

              

In the early days of Hollywood, one of the spoils of the wealthy who built their homes tucked into the area's plentiful hills was the option for seclusion. Many of the homes were built into the hills and accessible by staircases and pathways. In the era of the automobile, anyone navigating the hills behind the wheel knows how steep and precarious the ascents and descents can be--not to mention the fine art of parking. But take away the heavy machinery and strap on a good pair of shoes and you can slide into what feels like another world (and get in a workout!) when you explore the hidden staircases of Hollywood Heights.

       

Coachella-schmoachella*. Not everyone fled the City of Angels in favor of the music in the desert. Record-breaking temps made this one very hot and sunny spring weekend, and that sent folks out in droves to cool off by the shore, and kept the sun shining intensely over all sorts of events taking advantage of the great outdoors we enjoy here in Los Angeles. In the mix: Earth Day weekend events hopefully had lots of people thinking about this big blue marble we call home. Here are a sampling of shots from our LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr showcasing what some Angelenos did this weekend. So what did you do?

California's Department of Public Health and the California Conference of Local Health Officers released their annual report on the state of our health late this week, and it looks like "Los Angeles County residents are less likely to die of lung cancer, suicide or car crashes than residents of most other California counties - but more likely to die from heart disease and diabetes, according to the Daily News. In fact, our county "ranked 48 out of 58 in deaths from heart disease and 46 in diabetes."

                     

Who wants to spend hundreds of dollars a year on a gym membership when Mother Nature gave us California's glorious and varied landscape to explore for free, right? Some of the spots get talked about more than others, while others just sit quietly, doing their thing, and possibly remain unexplored. Up above Burbank are some lovely hills--you may have driven up there to have a meal with a view at Castaways, or you may have stuck to the lowlands--and they boast Wildwood Canyon park. There are a couple of miles worth of trails (described as "moderately strenuous") open inside the park, so grab your shoes and some water, and head on over.

Many a woman has relied, at one point in her life, on the big blue P's: Planned Parenthood. That's why we turned to their Medical Director in Los Angeles, Dr. Mary Gatter, for tips on how to stay healthy in the New Year. We approached her wondering exclusively about our nether regions (and yours), but she was quick to remind us that our bodies work as a whole. "One cannot divorce reproductive health from regular health," she said.

With gas prices dropping, it seems likely that people will ramp up their holiday travel plans in an effort to reconnect with far-away family and friends (or a tropical island and a Mai Tai). While we are disappointed to see more cars on the road as we move farther and farther away from $4/gallon, December will surely be about planes, trains, and automobiles, hotels and relative's homes, airports and truck stops.

Remember that article about Santa Monica police ticketing exercise enthusiasts on Santa Monica medians? The New York Times has caught on with this classic quote: "In the last six months, park rangers, dispatched by the Santa Monica Police Department in response to complaining neighbors, have stationed themselves on the corner of Fourth Street and Adelaide Drive during much of the day, at the ready to break up any unauthorized kickboxing"

You can start running, hiking and illegally working out on Santa Monica medians again. The Air Quality Management District and the LA County Department of Public Health say that most of LA County air has improved since the wildfires. Areas still of concern are Santa Clarita Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains where visible smoke, soot, ash or an odor of smoke are still present.

If assigning large numbers of officers to patrol bicycle rides wasn't enough, the Santa Monica Police Department is now making sure people don't exercise in the wrong spot. If you do, you could end up with a $158 citation and possibly be put in the back of a squad car as online music company exec James Birch was.

Undoubtedly, some of the best things about living in Los Angeles are our varied terrain, eclectic architecture, landmarks, and fascinating history. That's why when you've hit treadmill and Stairmaster burnout and can't take another day of watching Montel on closed captioning in your gym, taking things outside and into the city's beautiful hills can be a welcome respite from workout drudgery. One great workout walk combines the best of the city with some kick-ass cardio--and some stunning views to boot; it's a walk through Upper Beachwood Canyon and it includes all 6 of the neighborhood's 85-year-old staircases.

The marathon may be #27 on the list of Stuff White People Like, but it is by no means their exclusive domain. There are many specialized running groups out there that point out the growing diversity of running enthusiasts. One such group is the Los Angeles Frontrunners, which will be hosting its 27th annual Pride Run on Sunday, June 8 in West Hollywood as part of Pride Weekend. The Pride Run this year benefits the Gay and Lesbian Elder Housing. Do the run and stay for the parade!

Today's edition of LAist's Workout Wednesday series was submitted to us by Lori Allen.

One of the most difficult things about running--or any exercise regimen for that matter--is simply getting started. Joining a running group or club is a great way to ease into it, and so today and in future installments of Workout Wednesday, we will explore the many running groups in the area you can choose from. We'll start with Team in Training.

Holidays have you indulging a little more than usual? Just in time for those New Year resolutions and post-holiday diets, the Wii Fit is expected to be released in North America in January. Released earlier this month in Japan, Wii Fit sold over a quarter million units in the first week. The game was designed for families to exercise with activities like stretching, yoga, step aerobics, push ups, jogging and much more. The additional system to the Wii console uses a pressure-sensitive platform called the Balance Board which players stand on, hop or press against. The platform can measure an individual's weight, body mass index and tracks the information to show your results over time. The Nintendo site states that activities focus more towards working out the "core," emphasizing slower, controlled motions.

"Welcome to My Home." Written, directed, produced, and starring Brenda Dickson. Part I... ...and Part II. Last Autumn I ate so much Halloween candy, Thanksgiving Tofurkey, and Happy Birthday Jesus grocery store sheet cake that I gained five pounds in two months. This year I'm determined not to let that happen again, so I have decided to start a preemptive diet and exercise plan right now before the holiday fattening season is in full...

A few months ago, after reading an LAist writer's experience about CrossFit in Santa Monica, I knew I had to give it a try. Knowing it would be extremely intense, I kept on saying to myself, "I'll go in when I'm a little more in shape." But for me, my desired workout routine only comes into play when I am preparing for a race and I accidentally missed the deadline for next week's Mud Run...

I went to my introductory session with Andy Petranek one morning while taking a "sick day" at work. I had been searching for a gym that taught Crossfit, a special brand of fitness recommended to me by a friend. I e-mailed Andy to ask about the class schedule, and next thing I knew I was in my workout clothes and standing in the alley between 14th and 15th Streets in Santa Monica wondering what...