Storming the Stadium: Nike Training Club Takes Chicago

We made it count at this Soldier Field workout. Time for No. 2!

Most people go to Soldier Field to yell "Bear Down" and shout a few obscenities at the opposing team. I go to Soldier Field to work out.

Not once. Not twice. Every time I go to the stadium, it's for exercise. The Soldier Field 10 Mile finished on the 50-yard line, the Nike Human Race ended with Fall Out Boy performing inside the arena (and us runners on the field), the Run to Remember and Run Home Chicago and Big 10K were staged outside, and a Make It Count workout sent us onto the field to drill, kick and catch for Fuel points. As for the football, I watch those games on TV, usually while working out.

That workout streak isn't about to end anytime soon: Nike is hosting a free football-inspired workout and fashion show at Soldier Field on Wednesday, November 14. And of course, like any good fitness addict (especially when the word free is attached), I'm going. It's tough to pass up a free workout, but it's even tougher to pass up an event that also includes a fitness fashion show--and one that I don't have to model in like I do tonight at Fleet Feet. Nike had me at first Twitter spotting (thanks I-don't-want-to-do-anything-on-a-cold-day weekend).

For starters, the workout is modeled after the Nike Training Club app and will be led Nike Master Trainers Marie Purvis and Alex Molden. Marie already kicked my butt once this year--I nearly collapsed during a squat-jump-leap combo featured in Shawn Johnson's Nike+ App workout--and she made others beg for recovery the next day at the Title IX celebration in Lincoln Park (I watched). But I'm ready for another beating--it's been nearly five months--and it has to be better doing a NTC workout in colder weather as opposed to the heat we had back in June.

Now Nike would have had me at the workout, but then there's the fashion show that follows--and the star power. Brittany Payton, daughter of NFL legend Walter Payton, will be hosting the workout. Chicago Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett will be making a special appearance. And Kristin Cavallari, who's engaged to quarterback Jay Cutler and known for starring on MTV's Laguna Beach and The Hills, will be emceeing the fashion show, which will showcase Nike's winter styles.

Exciting right? If you want to join the fun--there are roughly 400 spots available--sign up by visiting gonike.me/6013p3iS. Then plan to check in at Soldier Field beginning at 6:15 p.m. The 30-minute workout will start at 7 p.m. with the fashion show to follow.

After Wednesday, I've probably seen or met more Chicago Bears players than most--Shea McClellin, Robbie Gould, Israel Idonije and Bennett (and Charles Tillman had I been better about going to the Universal Sole runs)--and I haven't even gone to a single game. Working out does have its benefits...not just the fit physique kind.

Fit-Pic: Sunday Funday

From the looks of the above photo and the date that I'm posting it (it is March, after all), you'd think that I was reminiscing about summer, counting down the days until I could find beachcombers, volleyballers, cyclists and more scattered across the sand on any given Sunday.

But no, this was actually snapped earlier today. It's March 11. We just sacrificed an hour of sleep thanks to Daylight Savings Time. Except I think everyone in Chicago forgot about that lost hour with our weekend weather. No heavy layers. No umbrellas (though Mother Nature is supposed to bring rain on Monday, but do we really care since we'll be back in the office?). No crowding into the gym to fight over treadmills and spinning bikes. Instead, we got a taste of summer: the hot runs (accompanied by the wish to have water with), the crowded Lakefront Path, the shirtless beach volleyball players, the sun tinting our skin. Oh yes, my face is showing a much rosier shade than it's sported all winter--sans goggle tans--and I even forgot about skiing for a while.

The one downfall to all this outdoor activity on a 23-hour day? I'm exhausted, and it's barely dinner time.

How did you spend your Sunday? Outside, I hope.

Workouts Make Everything Better

I need an escape to the pain cave.

Tonight's workout will be my saving grace. I've had plenty of bad 24-hour periods where it feels like nothing is going right from the clock turning to quickly to emails going unanswered and my tiny computer-screened office world just felt a little smaller. You could even say that I had a bad week in July 2010 (how could I forget?) when I disappeared from Fit-Ink to tend to a broken air-conditioner during the hottest week of the summer, search for my wedding ring after it slipped off into Lake Michigan during an open water swim--learned my lesson to never wear it near the water ever again!--and thought I was going to severely hurt myself should I have opted into racing Ironman 70.3 Racine with a threat of thunderstorms and heat working against me.

Top 10 Workout Songs for February

Weather got you down? Tired of slogging away on the treadmill to the same old tunes? Opting out of bundling up for the outdoor runs (that would be me)? Maybe it's your workout playlist that needs a few trade outs to get you motivated. But if you're like me, remember I'm the one who keeps songs on her running playlist for years, you might not know where to start.

Run Hundred comes to the rescue again this month, releasing its list of top 10 workout songs for February. With the Grammy Awards arriving this weekend, and several artists performing at the music show, it seemed all too perfect to download a round now, watch the Grammys and download another round on Monday for a fully loaded playlist. That and I need to get reacquainted with some of the artists up for awards (like Adele).

Here's the full list, according to votes placed at Run Hundred, the web's most popular workout music site.

Weekend of Workouts?

Outdoor yoga, where more is merrier. Source: lululemon

Did the New Year's resolutions to exercise and be more fit in 2012 just kick in? Did people suddenly decide to get their sweat on this weekend after hibernating for most of January? What's with this weekend's workouts?

At the start of the new year the gym regulars are always warned to watch out for the crowds creeping in on our territory. You know, those first two to three weeks of January where the skeletons come out of the closet, sweat it out on the treadmill or in a group fitness class, then disappear for the next 11 or so months. But unless it's because I changed my schedule to try to accommodate the crowds (swimming an hour before closing, running when I want to watch TV, which is never immediately after work), I haven't encountered as much of this New Year Traffic as I have in the past. Practically none compared to the year where I had to arrive at least 10 minutes early to score a Spinning bike on a Monday night--for three weeks straight I missed out--or fight over ellipticals, treadmills and bikes on the main floor. Until this weekend...

Top 10 Workout Songs for January

Need new songs to update or add to your workout playlist? I know I am. Give or take a few songs I've swapped out because my iPod ran out of space, I've had the same core playlist for years and it's the shuffle option that saves me from hearing the same selection every time. I can't help it, I'm a creature of habit. But even the best lists need a little refreshing; it's just tough when you're blindly deciding which songs will be the most motivational for a run or a workout. I've made the mistake of adding a song, only to find that I skip over it every single time it hits my ears when I'm running. What I needed was Run Hundred, the internet's most heavily trafficked site for workout music, to help guide me.

The site polled its readers to find out their favorite, current workout songs to compile a top 10 list to keep people motivated during the time of the year when it's hardest to get up and exercise. And what's even better is that they've broken down the tunes to their beats per minute. You know, in case you need faster beats to add a spring to your step--something this runner has yet to experiment with. As for the list, Chris Lawhorn, who operates RunHundred.com, says that the top 10 contains a mixture of songs you'd expect and some surprises.

Chicago Gets Moving

Need an excuse to get the weekend started early? Seeking some motivation for a lackluster Chicago day? Venture over to Daley Plaza in the loop between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the celebration going down for Chicago Moves Day. The Plaza is filled with activities to get the body and mind moving on the healthy front. You can browse the tents filled with information on good eating, health club deals, giveaways and more. Or stand by for the programs on the main stage that will encourage all in attendance to get moving--think calisthenics warm-up, yoga, dance, even adapted aerobics for those with limited mobility.

My favorite session? There are two: the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department workouts. OK so I haven't been at the event in a few years--blame that on a poor memory and not getting a press release about it--but the firefighters stick out in my mind. More because they were working their arms and legs hoisting fire hoses, squatting and performing perfect push-ups. While I'd love to watch them again--maybe even pick up a few moves to incorporate into my own workout, sans hose, of course--I'm also curious about how the police get and stay fit. And not just those who cruise the streets by bike.

Here's a sample of the workout schedule from the Chicago Park District:
11:10 a.m. Marine Martial Arts / U.S. Marine Corps
11:20 a.m. Cardio Dance / Bally Total Fitness
11:30 a.m. Firefighter Fitness / Chicago Fire Department
11:40 a.m. Teen Time / Girls in the Game
11:50 a.m. Lunchtime Yoga / Fleet Feet Sports
12 p.m. CPD Workout / Chicago Police Department
12:10 p.m. Cardio Latin Dance / Chicago Park District
12:20 p.m. Army Boot Camp / U.S. Army
12:30 p.m. Fit Kid Fun / Namaste Charter School
12:40 p.m. Bhangra / Bally Total Fitness
12:50 p.m. Adapted Seated Aerobics / Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago/National Center on Physical Activity and Disability

And if you pick up a passport at the event and acquire five stamps by making the rounds at various activities, you can score an event goodie bag. I don't know about you, but I'm all about freebies and an excuse to get moving during the day (especially since I hit snooze at 5 a.m. instead of attending a make-up bike class). And a note to remember for next year: Check out the Chicago Moves Day 5K. If the event is still around next year, I'm totally signing up. The 5K kicked off this morning at 6:45 a.m. and free for 200 interested runners. I wish I had checked the calendar earlier because that's just the type of running I needed this morning, and a great wake-me-up. I'll just have to stay on top of the news at chicagoworksout.com in the future. Photo grabbed from the City of Chicago. Posted by Kate

May the Force Be With You

Consider trading yoga for Yoda during your next workout. Pick up your lightsaber, tie your hair in Princess Leia-style buns, don a brown cloak and get ready to learn the teachings of Yoda and the way of the Jedi. Not to prep you for an audition to be an extra in the final three Star Wars episodes should George Lucas decide to finish out the series, but so you can apply that fanaticism to fitness.

The Jedi workout is the latest craze hitting the fitness floor, calling out to Star Wars fans, gym-shy peeps and anyone who's dreamt of playing with a lightsaber (haven't we all at one point or another?). Developed in 2005 by a Star Wars enthusiast who goes by Master Flynn, the workout consists of moves you'd see one of the episodes' fight scenes--the Rebound, Follow-through and the Lock.

The kicker? Flynn says that he never intended for it to be a workout. "The class was originally about appreciating swordsmanship and performance," he says. But those who visited his classes found the moves appealing and in practice, managed to shed some pounds. Swinging around a lightsaber in a combination of martial arts moves and stage combat know-how harnesses an upper and lower body workout plus cardio. And for classes that run two hours a pop, that beats any strength session in the gym.

Flynn orginally started a forum on his website NewYorkJedi.com that had people worldwide sharing saber moves and skills. By 2006, he was teaching a class in lightsaber battling in New York City. It has become so popular that he has partners teaching in Los Angeles and running a site LAJedi.com.

Even if you're not living in the Big Apple or the City of Angels, you can practice and learn at home by checking out SaberWars.com. You don't even need a lightsaber--a broomstick, a massage stick or even a stickball bat would do the trick.

Just think of how pleased Yoda and the Jedi Force would be. Photo grabbed from xddorox at flickr. Posted by Kate