MidWeek » On the Move

Luke and Logan Henderson (sitting at left) watch as participants perform tricks at their recent kendama tournament | Nathalie Walker photo

Kendamas continue to be a popular activity in Hawaii, with events happening regularly throughout the island. So when 11-year-old Luke Henderson and his 9-year-old brother Logan were brainstorming ideas for their annual fundraiser for Kapiolani Children’s Miracle Network, they decided to organize a kendama tournament.

Through fliers, word of mouth, social media and email blasts, more than 100 people showed up at Paradise Soccer Club in Kailua where the tournament took place, and more than 60 people entered.

They also received numerous donations and support from friends and local businesses, which they say is really what made it all possible.

“It started pretty small until we went to Paradise Soccer Club and asked the owner, Max Anton, for kendama donations, and he said sure and that it also would be OK for us to do the tournament at his shop,” explains Logan.

The brothers, who are both homeschooled and live with parents Jenelle and Darrin in Kailua, also received pizza from Whole Foods, breadsticks from Papa John’s, gift cards from Zippy’s, a handmade pill kendama from a friend, two Sweets kendamas from Paradise Soccer Club and gift certificates from d.k. Steak House and Sansei.

“It was a lot of work, but we learned that people are willing to help us,” adds Logan. “We exceeded our expectations. We only thought we were going to raise $500, but we raised $720.”

This was the fourth fundraiser Luke and Logan organized. The first one was a lemonade stand in a neighbor’s yard where they sold the drink for just 25 cents per cup and raised $125.

The next year, they decided to take their stand to one of their Kailua Little League baseball games, adding refreshments such as Spam musubi and Rice Krispie treats. They raised more than $200, and decided to do it again the next year, raising $400.

This year, they took a break from baseball, which is why they wanted to try something different. And while it can be tempting to keep the money for themselves, they help remind each other of the reason they’re doing this to begin with.

“My mom read us this book about a lady who had cancer, and her students had a lemonade stand to raise money for her cancer treatments,” recalls Logan. “So we thought it would be good for us to do that too. At first we weren’t going to donate the money. We were going to keep it and buy Legos or do something else with it. But my mom said, do you really need all this stuff or can you donate it?

“We decided to donate it to Kapiolani Children’s Miracle Network because we were both born (at Kapiolani), and we thought it would be good to give back to the community and keep it in Hawaii.”

“Also, our friend (who has been sick) goes to Kapiolani Medical Center, and last year we donated the money in his name, and we did it again this year,” adds Luke. “Some people donate to other charities, but we donate it to charities that help sick people.”

yting@midweek.com

Marissa Maaske, a physical therapist at Jaco Rehab, analyzes Jonathan Lyau’s running using the Dartfish computer program | Anthony Consillio photo

While at the gym recently, MidWeek editor Don Chapman noticed some people on the treadmills displaying all different forms of running – from how their arms were moving to their overall posture. So he wanted to know: What is the correct way to run?

According to Jonathan Lyau, who has been the top local-born finisher of the Honolulu Marathon from 1993 to 2004 and again from 2006 to 2009 and in 2012, good form includes keeping your shoulders square and relaxed, arms at a 90-degree angle (try running with a walnut in the crook of your elbow), and keeping your hands relaxed.

“Also, look ahead, don’t look down,” he adds. “And your foot landing should be at a mid-foot strike versus a heel-strike.”

Another tip is to keep a stride rate (or cadence) of at least 90 strikes (per foot) per minute. “It can be higher, but not lower,” says Marissa Maaske, a physical therapist at Jaco Rehab. “The less time your foot is hitting the ground, the less chance for injury. Injury occurs in impact.”

Other things to avoid: running a tightrope (when your foot goes in front of the other) and overstriding (your foot is landing well before your center of gravity).

At Jaco Rehab, Maaske has been working with Lyau on his running form with the help of a computer program called Dartfish. “It lets us analyze movement, so we can take a video of someone and then slow it down to see what’s happening,” explains Maaske. “And it’s not just for running. We’ve used it for tennis programs, golf, baseball players on their pitching form. It’s for anyone who wants to look to improve their efficiency and prevent injury.”

Lyau, who also is an assistant cross country coach at Iolani School and offers personalized training through his Personal Best Training program, tried the Dartfish test three years ago and again recently. He has a history of knee problems, specifically with his right knee, and the test helped him see what was possibly causing it.

“The video showed that his right foot was whipping inward when it goes back, compared to his left foot, which was relatively straight,” explains Maaske. “This is called a medial heel whip, and it’s actually coming from his hips, where his hip rotators are weak on that right side. And that may be what’s contributing to his medial knee problem. It causes his knee to constantly turn, and causes extra tension on the knee.”

Jaco Rehab offers the Dartfish test for $179. It’s a two-hour session and includes a link to your video, snapshots of problem areas, personalized exercises, and a PDF file on exercises to work on. For details, visit jacorehab.com.

UPCOMING FITNESS CALENDAR:

* FREEDOM RUN (July 4 at Kailua High School)

* COCONUT CHASE 8K (July 13 at Magic Island)

* ALOHA CROSS COUNTRY CAMP for eighth- to 12th-graders July 23 to 27 at Camp Erdman. For more details, visit alohacrosscountrycamp.com.

* MANGO DAYS 5K (Aug. 3 at Magic Island)

* MARATHON READINESS SERIES (Aug. 10 to Nov. 16)

Got a sports event coming up?

Email me.

When it comes to doing push-ups, remember the three H’s — head, hips and heels. “These should all stay aligned throughout the movement (see photo 1A and 1B),” explains personal trainer Brad Krzykowski, owner of Beyond Fitness Hawaii. “When people get tired, their head tends to drop, and their hips also drop down (see photo 2). They’re no longer keeping their core in tight, and it puts pressure on the spine.”

According to Krzykowski, push-ups are a great exercise that can be done anywhere.

It’s a complex movement that uses your body weight for resistance, and works your tricep, shoulder, chest and abdominal muscles.

You also can modify your push-ups to make them easier or harder. For example, beginners can do an incline push-up by placing your hands on a bench or countertop to elevate your body. For the more advanced, try using a medicine ball to push up from (see photo 3).

“I always make sure people can do at least 10 push-ups without breaking form,” says Krzykowski. “If they’re unable to do those 10, they can do a modified version.”

“Also, keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle to the side of the body, and your hands should be just a couple of inches from your shoulder width. Your head should be facing down, and your body about 2 to 3 inches from the ground. Also, allow your shoulder blades to come together as you descend, and exhale when you press away from ground.”

yting@midweek.com

Moms will do anything for their children, and for 31-year-old Lori Butierries, that included losing weight.

A dedicated stay-at-home mom, Butierries has a six-year-old son Jacob with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a degenerative and terminal diagnosis. With no family here on the island to help, her schedule is filled with doctor appointments, visits to the hospital, and providing around-the-clock care for her son. She also has a daughter Abigail, who turns 9 on Monday and has an autism spectrum disorder.

“Living with the threat of death hanging over our heads has taken its toll on every member in my family,” Butierries confesses. “I personally used food to help me cope with the stress. Since the stress in my life never alleviated the urge to eat never subsided either. But that created other problems for me. I became obese and because of the extra weight that I had gained it became physically difficult for me to care for my son and/or play with him.”

Butierries and husband Dennis live in Makakilo. She previously worked as a hospital corpsman for the U.S. Navy, and he is in the Coast Guard. She says she knew she was gaining weight, but between caring for her special needs children, cooking, cleaning and “a million other excuses,” it just felt impossible to find time to exercise.

Then, last year in March, she made the decision to do something about her weight, which was at 255 pounds. The motivation: a simple request from Jacob to go on a walk.

“Finally a moment of clarity arrived when my son asked me to take him for a walk, and I couldn’t because I was too tired and more than likely unable to walk the hill that we lived on because of how out of shape I was,” she recalls. “It was his response of, ‘That’s OK, Mom, I can’t walk anyway,’ that opened my eyes and made me realize that I needed to do something about my weight because it was negatively impacting my family. Seeing the disappointment on his face, that was heartbreaking.”

So Butierries took action and showed up at the gym at Kroc Center in Kapolei, where she already had a membership for their family to go swimming on the weekends. She went there every day for six months, and then at the suggestion of a personal trainer, cut back to six days a week.

She spent an hour-and-a-half to two hours working out, doing cardio, strength-training exercises, using TRX bands, and taking a variety of classes, such as Zumba. She also started using a calorie counter to track her food intake. After one year, she dropped 70 pounds to a weight of 184 pounds.

“It wasn’t easy and I often wanted to quit, but I didn’t give myself that option because I didn’t want ‘quitting’ to ever be an option that my children embraced,” says Butierries. “Life is hard and it isn’t fair, but we have to make the best out of the hand that we have been dealt.

“If my son can be happy despite the many limitations and hardships that he has to endure daily, then I can find reasons to be happy and thankful too.”

yting@midweek.com

Whether or not you’re a golf fan, you probably have seen pictures of Michelle Wie winning the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament last weekend in Pinehurst, N.C.

There she was, showing good form with her long, toned legs partially covered with brightly colored kinesiology tape (also commonly called kinesio tape or KT tape). It’s not the first time we’ve seen a top athlete sporting kinesio tape, but it’s a trend that seems to be spreading with athletes of all levels.

You may remember Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh giving kinesio tape a lot of exposure at the Summer Olympics in 2004. “It really caught fire in the U.S. back then,” recalls UH assistant athletic trainer Jayson Goo. “But earlier than that, when David Beckham was with Real Madrid, he took his shirt off and had some kinesio tape on his ribs in Europe, and that’s when it got real popular. And before that, the first time it was really seen was in 1988, when the Japanese national volleyball team wore it in Korea.”

Goo, who has been at UH for 30 years and a certified kinesio tape instructor for 17 years, cautions that while there’s a growing interest in kinesio tape by the general public, it is best to find someone who’s trained in the application of the tape. He usually holds a seminar once a year for therapists (such as physical, massage, occupational and movement therapists, etc.), as well as athletic trainers, doctors and nurses.

“If you look at Michelle Wie’s taping, her tape was put on a very particular way to help with the problems she was having,” he explains. “There are different brands that you can buy at various sports stores — it’s kind of everywhere now — and they come with instructions. But, if you have somebody who applies it who knows the proper way to tape and what you’re trying to accomplish with the tape, the results are going to be a lot better. If not, you may not perform as well as you would if you put it on correctly.”

The kinesio taping method Goo uses is of Kinesio Tex Tape inventor Dr. Kenzo Kase, a Japanese chiropractor who created the tape in 1973 as a way to prolong the effects of physiologic work done. It’s used by not just athletes, but also nonathletes, including neurological and post-stroke patients.

“How it works is the kinesio tape creates some space between the skin and muscles, which helps with lymphatic flow, lymphatic drainage and increases circulation to that area,” explains Goo. “People most commonly use it for muscle soreness. It helps them recover faster because you have better circulation in that area.

“Also, it can influence the neural or fascial system to stay in the proper position. There are several different things you can accomplish, depending on how the tape is applied.”

Kinesio Tex Tape is made of elastic cotton fibers, contains no medication, and is latex-free and hypoallergenic. It has an acrylic heat-activated backing, and is designed to stretch 40 to 60 percent of its resting length.

At UH, Goo says they’ve been using kinesio tape for 17 years, such as on basketball player Carl English, when he was coming back from a sprained ankle. “At first, we put it on to help with the recovery from surgery and the swelling of the ankle,” he says. “Next, we put it on to help establish his muscle control and for posture.

“We also use it on a lot of soccer players (including Natasha Kai), basketball players and women’s volleyball players. For volleyball and baseball, it’s mostly for rotator cuffs. And a lot of shin splints for the track team. It’s a pretty common usage here.”

There’s a wide variety of elastic therapeutic tape available, costing an average of $15 to $20 for a small roll. Goo says the tape typically lasts three to five days, and can be worn in the shower.

For the best result, seek help from a trained professional. “People have to realize that when they’re seeing it on TV, the people applying it on the athletes are skilled professionals,” advises Goo. “The athletes like Michelle Wie are not putting the tape on herself.”

For more information on Goo’s Kinesio Tape seminars, visit pacrimseminar.com.

FITNESS CALENDAR:

July 5 and 6 XTERRA FreedomFest at Kualoa Ranch in Kaaawa Valley. Events July 5 include a triathlon (1K swim, 20K bike and 10K run), 1K swim race, 20K and 40K mountain bike race and a kids fun run. Events for July 6 include a 5K trail run and adventure walk, 10K trail run and a kids fun run. There also will be barbecue and live music on both days. A kids zone will be free and open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. For more information, visit xterrafreedomfest.com or call 478-3694.

July 6 Lanikai 8K in memory of Daniel Levey at 7 a.m. For more information, visit mprrc.com or 295-6777.

July 12 Hawaii Triple Crown of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Kaiser High School from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

July 13 Kailua Beach 4.4-mile Run at 7 a.m. Shoes are optional. For more information, visit mprrc.com or call 295-6777.

July 18 (6 p.m.) and July 19 (1:30 p.m.) Aloha State Games Track & Field Championships at University of Hawaii TC Ching Field. Open to all running, jumping, throwing and fitness enthusiasts. Entry fee is $25 per person, $20 for children 14 and under. To register, go to AlohaStateGames.org.

July 27 Molokai2Oahu Paddleboard Race. There will be a race day expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Maunalua Bay Beach Park in Hawaii Kai. Top finishers are expected at the finish line around 11:30 a.m.

Got a sports event coming up? Email me at yting@midweek.com

Last Wednesday, I took part in a free weekly yoga class on the lawn at Waikiki Beach Walk on Lewers Street and experienced the best stretches my body has felt in years.

Led by Dennis Miller, a yoga instructor, massage therapist and owner of The Shiatsu & Massage Center at Waikiki Beach Walk, the class is open to the public and runs about 45 minutes.

“It’s a very beginner-friendly, slightly challenging fundamental mix of hatha yoga with dance conditioning and sports stretching,” says Miller on what people can expect.

Somehow, even sitting in the middle of Waikiki, where the sidewalks are typically crowded and roads are busy with cars and tour buses, you are able to tune everything out and focus on your body’s movements.

Miller, who has a bachelor’s degree in dance from University of Hawaii and performed with Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre, has been doing yoga for about 15 years.

“I started taking Iyengar yoga at Silent Dance Center and instantly fell in love with it,” he recalls. “Yoga has made me stronger and more flexible. It also has made me able to take stress in strides — for example: traffic jams, lines at the bank, or I don’t have enough money to pay rent. There’s a serious problem and it causes stress, but now I can step aside and be more objective. It’s helped me to find the confidence to wait and allow some natural process to happen.”

Miller also leads Beach Yoga, Park Yoga and Sunset Yoga classes, meeting at the standing surfer boy statue at the entrance to Kapiolani Park. Classes last 90 minutes and cost is $20 per class. Beach Yoga starts at 7 a.m. daily, Park Yoga at 9:30 a.m. every day except for Tuesday and Friday, and Sunset Yoga at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.

He also offers indoor Circus Yoga at The Shiatsu & Massage Center.

To sign up for the free weekly Yoga on the Lawn class, stop in at Shiatsu & Massage Center on the second floor (suite 209) at Waikiki Beach Walk. Participants should bring a towel. For more information, call 922-0171.

ANTHONY CONSILLIO PHOTOS

I joined MidWeek in February 2001. At that time, I was a recent journalism graduate from UH, single, working multiple jobs in retail, volunteering with various organizations, all while contemplating whether to pursue a career in journalism. I interned at the news station, and got my foot in the door as a camera operator for KHNL’s Chopper8 helicopter, but it was a call from my former journalism professor Tom Brislin about an opening at MidWeek that led me to what has truly turned out to be my dream career.

While at MidWeek, I was able to keep my part-time job at Niketown, where I was one of the group leaders of the store’s popular Running Club until it sadly ended when the store closed in 2009. I’ve always been active, but it was during my time at Niketown that my love for sports and fitness really grew. I became a regular at local races (sometimes placing in my age group), did a few triathlons, was a coach with Team Jet and finished 14 marathons. I also loved going to the gym, surfing and playing basketball.

So when MidWeek started a fitness column (first in our Metro paper) in 2005, I was so happy editor Don Chapman asked me to write it.

Throughout the years, I’ve shared tips from some of the Island’s top trainers, interviewed countless fitness enthusiasts, heard a lot of amazing weightloss stories, joined bootcamps, tested out various fitness products and met a lot of wonderful people who inspire others to be fit and healthy.

Well, a lot has changed since I joined MidWeek. These days, I’m the one in need of motivation. As a sleep-deprived mom of two young children and working a full-time job, all I want to do with my free time is to stay in bed.

I’m not in the gym anymore, or running regularly, but I do feel like I’m still very much “On The Move.” It’s just these days, it’s about keeping active with the kids.

My 6-year-old Koen wants to do everything (wonder where he gets that from?). He’s tried volleyball at Tava Tots, played soccer with AYSO, plays flag football and basketball, and takes jiu-jitsu at Relson Gracie Waterfront. My 4-year-old Masen loves to run, swim and can’t wait to play soccer too.

It can be difficult to balance work, family and exercise, but it’s definitely possible. Many gyms now offer babysitting services on-site. And there are many ways to be active with your child, such as playing catch with them at the park.

Or, as I’ve discovered, you can include yourself in their activities. For example, my son’s jiu-jitsu instructor lets me jump in on the kid’s class, which has been fun and really gets me sweating.

Exercise can be for the whole family. No excuses.

yting@midweek.com

One of my favorite summer activities is going to the beach with my kids, and digging a large kiddie-pool-size hole in the sand for them to play in. Well, as you can imagine, it can be a really good workout too.

In addition to digging holes in the sand, there are a lot of other fun ways for people of all fitness levels to get a burning workout at the beach. And many of these exercises can be done with the family, such as jogging on the sand, swimming in the ocean or stand-up paddleboarding.

This week, fitness trainer Matt Jones shares some other ideas to get your body moving at the beach.

* Walking Lunges (see photo 1A): Lunge one foot forward, making sure your ankle and knee are in a straight line, as well as your neckbone and tailbone. Your other knee should drop down under the hip. “This works your quadriceps and glutes,” notes Jones. “If you want to work the butt more, take a longer stride. And make sure your knee does not go over your toes (see photo 1B).”

* Mountain Climbers (see photos 2A and 2B): With your body in a push-up position, bring one knee up toward your chest and then alternate legs continuously for 30 seconds. Rest and repeat. “The sand is actually an advantage for this exercise because you’re going to lessen the impact,” adds Jones. “You can even do it where there’s no impact by sliding your legs up and down with your feet in the sand.”

You also can go running in the water, especially at beaches where there are no rocks, such as in Kailua. Or if there’s a wall nearby, such as at Ala Moana Beach, Jones suggests doing wall push-ups. “You really can get a full-body workout at the beach,” he says.

yting@midweek.com

I can still remember watching live on TV the March 11, 2011, tsunami in Japan. The endless wave of water swept across the land, lifting away cars and homes, as people ran for their lives.

I remember feeling so helpless as I sat safely with my family, witnessing this disaster.

In the aftermath, a reported 240 children lost both parents, and more than 1,300 lost one parent, according to Hiromi Okada, Hawaii Senior Life Enrichment Association Nadeshiko Club president.

In an effort to help these children, Nadeshiko Club created Rainbow for Japan Kids, a nonprofit program that enables children (primarily ages 12 to 15) from the Tohoku region of Japan to visit Hawaii for 10 days. Since 2011, more than 136 children from Tohoku have participated in Rainbow for Japan Kids, including 16 who arrive this week.

Konosuke Oda, general manager of travel company Hawaii H.I.S. Corp., also wanted to help, and created the Lea Lea Charity Run and Clean Up 5K which benefits Rainbow for Japan Kids.

Co-hosted by H.I.S. and Hawaii Senior Life Enrichment Association, the fourth annual Lea Lea Charity Run takes place Aug. 9 at 6 a.m. at Ala Moana Beach Park. After the run, participants are encouraged to join a beach cleanup from 8 to 9 a.m.

Entry fee for the Lea Lea 5K is $40 by Aug. 4; or $20 for children older than 5 years old, students with ID and seniors over 60 years old. Entry fee after Aug. 4 is $50.

To register, visit active.com or stop in at Hawaii H.I.S. (in Don Quijote Kaheka, Waikiki Shopping Plaza, 1046 Bishop St. Suite A in downtown Honolulu, or at the H.I.S. Lea Lea Lounge in Royal Hawaiian Center).

OAHU FITNESS CALENDAR

Aug. 3 Mango Days 5K at Ala Moana Beach Park, 6:30 a.m. This special race was created to honor the memory of Patty Smith, daughter of Kit and Margie Smith, who lost her battle with lymphoma at the age of 19. For details, visit tropicaltriplecrown.com

Aug. 10-Nov. 16 BioAstin Marathon Readiness Series. Five great races increasing in distance, starting with the Boca Hawaii Norman Tamanaha 15K Aug. 10 at 6 a.m. at Kapiolani Park. For details, visit 808racehawaii.com

Aug. 16-24 Duke’s OceanFest.

This nine-day event features a variety of ocean sports that were close to Duke Kahanamoku’s heart: longboard surfing, paddle-board racing, swimming, tandem surfing, surf polo, beach volleyball and more.

FESTIVITIES ON AUG. 16:

* Duke Kahanamoku Menehune Surf Fest by Na Kama Kai (6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) at Kuhio Beach/Queen’s Beach

* Sand Volleyball Keiki Doubles Championship (8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.) at Kapiolani/Queen’s Volleyball Court

* Duke’s OceanFest Expo (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at Kuhio Beach

* SUP Showdown autograph signing and dry land clinic (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at Kuhio Beach

* Wounded Warrior Canoe Regatta (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at Ft. DeRussy Beach

* Hawaii Paddleboard Championship Duke’s Race (10:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) in Hawaii Kai

* Opening Ceremonies (5 to 6 p.m.) at Duke’s Statue in Waikiki For full schedule of events and more details, visit dukesoceanfest.com

yting@midweek.com

A new-member study recently conducted by 24 Hour Fitness revealed that schedule changes or less time are the top overall reasons they drop their exercise routines in the summer. Well, I — and I’m guessing many others — can relate. My schedule changes daily, and I often feel like there are just not enough hours in the day to do all that I need to, including exercise.

But no matter how hectic your schedule is, it’s important to keep your body moving. Alana Ayat, master trainer at 24 Hour Fitness Kapiolani, shares how people with limited time can still get a great workout in the gym.

“People need to come in with a plan,” she says. “You can still get cardio, resistance training and some flexibility components in a workout within 30 minutes or less.

“The best way to optimize that time is to do some compound movements — working your upper body, lower body and core all in one movement. It doesn’t require a lot of exercises, maybe two to three, couple of sets each, and that can be done within five to 10 minutes. For a beginner, I have them do something as simple as a lunge with a bicep curl or a squat with a cable row.”

In place of that typical hour cardio on the treadmill, Ayat suggests trying HIITs (high-intensity interval training) instead. For equipment, some of her favorites include the TRX suspension training system, Bosu ball and kettle bells. Also, seek help from a personal trainer. They can customize a workout to your fitness level and lifestyle needs, as well as show you how to use the equipment properly.

So stop making excuses. Any exercise, even for just 10 minutes, is better than sitting on the couch.

“Don’t let time deter you; it’s more so the quality of your workout versus quantity,” says Ayat. “Some people come into the gym for two hours and they’re talking on their phone, stretching for two hours. So I think if you’re organized and you’re motivated, you can make a great workout in 10 minutes. It all adds up. What we’re looking at doing is to create a habit and lifestyle change. It’s the consistency.”

yting@midweek.com

My family and friends are big fans of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, where competitors tackle a super-challenging obstacle course that requires an amazing amount of strength, balance, speed and courage.

These contestants include men and women from all walks of life — schoolteachers, firefighters, members of the military and even a weatherman. But one thing they all have in common is an active lifestyle, and it seems many of them are rock climbers.

So, it’s not surprising to find that the show has helped bring a boost in rock climbers at Volcanic Rock Gym in Kakaako. There are even a couple of members currently training with the specific goal to enter American Ninja Warrior (which, by the way, is now casting for its seventh season).

Volcanic Rock Gym has been in Kakaako (at 432 Keawe St.) for the past year-and-a-half, but will close in about a month and reopen at Kapaa Quarry Place in Kailua.

“The (rock climbing) walls from Kakaako will be transferred over to Kailua, and we’re making it about 20 feet taller,” says owner Justin Ridgely.

The new gym will have a 14-foot bouldering wall, a 14 to 16-foot top-out bouldering area (where you climb above a structure), a nearly 30-foot roped climbing wall, a kid’s area that will be designed like buildings (think SpiderMan) and more.

Ridgely, a professional climber sponsored by Five Ten shoes and Organic Climbing bouldering mats, discovered rock climbing while in college in Chattanooga, Tenn. He says he was instantly obsessed with the sport, working three to four days a week as a carpenter and traveling/climbing the rest of the time.

So when the Maryland native moved to Hawaii in 2009 and couldn’t find an indoor rock-climbing facility, he decided to open one himself.

“Rock climbing and bouldering, it’s a full-body work-out for sure,” says Ridgely.

“There’s a lot of finger grip, balance and core strength involved. It’s also a lot of mental and nerves. You’re in an environment where you’re off the ground, hanging from something, and just being comfortable in that setting, jumping from thing to thing, and not being afraid of falling.

“For me, physically, I was always really skinny. After I started rock climbing, I’ve put on a lot more muscle.”

For more information on Volcanic Rock Gym, visit volcanicrockgym.com or call 397-0095.

yting@midweek.com

Alana Ayat. ROBERT TOLENTINO PHOTO

As a master trainer at 24 Hour Fitness (Kapiolani branch), Alana Ayat helps people achieve their health and fitness goals. Since joining the company in 2006, she’s logged 8,000 training sessions and has worked with hundreds of clients, including herself. Looking at her now, it’s hard to believe she once weighed 208 pounds.

“That was in the summer of 2000, at my sister’s wedding,” she recalls. “But I was 200 pounds in seventh grade. I was a very picky eater — fast food, cereal, something kid-friendly, no vegetables. Luckily, my dad put me in sports in eighth grade and I lost a substantial amount of weight, I think 40 pounds.

But I stopped playing sports when I was 17 (even with colleges recruiting her for volleyball) and gained most of my weight back.

“The turning point was my sister’s wedding. She was in this amazing shape and there was me at my heaviest again. I saw a picture of me and it clicked. I compared myself to the rest of my family and realized, wow, I’m real big and I’m only 17. I was going to start at University of Hawaii, and said, ‘I need to change my life. I wanted to be married one day, and I wanted to look in really good shape.’ I didn’t want to be heavy and uncomfortable my whole life because that’s how I felt at her wedding.”

Born and raised in San Diego, Ayat moved to Hawaii for the surf. And while the waves were good, she found that she didn’t enjoy her time in the water because she didn’t feel comfortable in a bikini, which, she notes, is what most girls wear here versus boardshorts. Fortunately, through her studies at UH, she learned about nutrition and weight training.

“I would talk to some of my professors and fellow gym-goers, and that’s when I realized people really don’t know what they’re doing. It’s really confusing, and that’s when I knew I wanted to be a trainer,” says Ayat, who graduated with a degree in exercise science in 2005. “I was able to recognize science and fads, and I really wanted to educate myself. I slowly lost 35 pounds, and then when I became a trainer at 24 Hour Fitness, I lost another 15 pounds. I was my first client.

“Today, I feel probably the best I’ve felt in a long time. I look at the workouts I do, and I’m in better shape at 33 than when I was at 18. I want people to know that it’s never too late. You can do the things you’ve always dreamed of. You just have to start and not be afraid, and if you don’t have the education, get help from someone who is experienced and knowledgeable.”

So, how did she lose the weight? She changed her diet from fast, junk and processed foods to a more-balanced diet of whole foods, fruits, vegetables and protein. She also incorporated exercise into her morning routine, doing 20 to 30 minutes of interval training for cardio followed by another 30 minutes of weight training.

She also made sure to eat breakfast every morning, and paid attention to calories — not just the amount of calories, but the type of foods those calories were coming from. “There are calories that come from nutrient-rich foods, and calories from nutrient-empty or calorie-rich foods,” she explains. “There’s a big difference.”

In 2012, Ayat took her fitness training to another level and entered the Paradise Cup bikini competition. “I did it to feel comfortable in a bikini for the first time in my life,” she says. “I never wore one, or if I did, it was with family and I would be in a coverup the whole time. My family flew out, and they were all crying because I’ve never done anything like this. People who knew my story (including her husband, former UH football kicker Justin Ayat) were very supportive and proud. I was proud of myself.”

She also hopes to continue to inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle, especially parents.

“I have a soft spot for overweight children,” she says.

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Personal trainer Li Si Yang is on a mission to help people stand up straighter, and ultimately live healthier lives.

“It’s important to have good posture because it affects your muscles, your joints, your ligaments, your tendons,” says Yang. “When you’re out of alignment, everything is being pulled in one direction, causing imbalance which can cause chronic pain.

“Also, when you’re exercising it causes the wrong muscle to activate.”

In an effort to educate the public on the importance of good posture, Yang is offering free one-hour basic posture workshops Sept. 10 at 8:15 p.m. and Sept. 11 at 6:45 p.m. at Honolulu Club; and Sept. 13 at 5:15 p.m. at the Still and Moving Center in Kakaako.

At these workshops, she’ll explain what good and bad posture looks like (see picture 1A and 1B), and show how you can correct your posture through simple stretches and exercises. She also wants to raise awareness of the harmful effects of daily prolonged sitting.

“These days, people are spending more and more time sitting in front of a computer — at work and at home,” says Yang. “I say sitting is the new smoking. You’re always in this position, and it can do harm to you.

“Your head is forward from staring at the screen all day long, and your shoulders are rounded from slouching. Also, one shoulder is lower from using the mouse.”

Carrying a heavy purse on one shoulder, or a baby on the same hip for a long period of time, also are common causes of misalignment, notes Yang.

“Some women have one shoulder that is lower from carrying a heavy purse,” she says. “Ideally, your purse should be under 3 pounds.”

A simple test to see if you have bad posture is to stand up against a wall. Yang says your ears should be aligned with your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.

“Bad posture affects the way you look and your overall health,” she says. “If you have bad posture, the biggest thing to do is figure out the misalignment, and then stretch and strengthen it back to proper alignment. It’s something you have to learn by doing.”

To sign up for Yang’s upcoming workshops, visit honoluluclub.com or stillandmovingcenter.com. For more information, visit journeytofitness.com.

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When personal trainer Brad Krzykowski became a dad to baby Emi earlier this year, he quickly realized he needed to make adjustments to his workout routine.

“Exercising is usually a solo thing, but sometimes you have the little one and the only way to get something in is to incorporate her into what you’re doing,” he says. “The challenge (of having a new baby) is the time involved. You want to spend time with them as much as possible, but yet to let yourself go too much, especially in the field of being a personal trainer, is not necessarily an option. So, you have to make it work, and in order to make it work, it’s, ‘OK, baby is coming and we’re going to make it work together.’”

Here, Krzykowski demonstrates some of the exercises he does with 8-month-old Emi:

* Baby-weighted seated dips (photo 1A and B) An easier version of regular dips, you can do this exercise at home using a chair or just about anywhere. With Emi in a harness, Krzykowski dips down until his elbows are about 90 degrees and pushes back up.

* Baby-weighted pull-ups (photo 2A, B and C) With Emi in a harness, Krzykowski pulls up his own body weight, plus an extra 20 pounds of resistance, working his lats, shoulders and biceps.

* Russian Twists (photo 3A, B, C and D) Sit down with your legs and torso in a V position, lean back about 30 degrees, and lift baby up from one side of your body and down to the other side. Keep your feet on the ground, or elevate your feet to make it harder. Keep your chin and chest up while you’re rotating, so you’re not hunched. This exercise works the core, including your obliques and rectus abdominis.

“(When exercising with your baby), do not put you or your baby’s health at risk by doing something so challenging that you might lose your balance or fall from it,” adds Krzykowski, owner of Beyond Fitness Hawaii. “So, definitely work within your comfort zone.”

Runners line up at last year’s NiteRun at Kualoa Ranch
PHOTO COURTESY NITERUN

Dinner at a nice restaurant, movies, a concert, maybe dancing at a nightclub — these are your typical activities for a fun night out with friends, family or a date. Well, these days you can add running to the list. Typically, organized fun runs take place in early morning on a weekend.

But it seems more and more fun runs are taking place at night.

Last weekend, hundreds gathered for Ward Village NiteRun, a 5K fun run/walk around Kewalo Basin, followed by a street party with entertainment, food and more. It served as a benefit for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Hawaii, while providing a fun venue that promotes health and fitness.

If you missed it, don’t worry. Kailua NiteRun is coming up Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., featuring a unique 3-mile out-and-back run along Kawainui Marsh.

“It begins just after dusk with a Hawaiian blessing or pule to venerate our sojourn,” notes run director Chris Gardner. “Then we will seek permission from the aumakua or ancestral god of Kawainui fishpond, the mo’o, to cross this sacred land.

“This is no race. We will not be timed and there will be no awards for the fastest finisher. The accolades will be given to the aina, to Kawainui Marsh for sustaining Kailua and the Windward communities, since the first Hawaiians came across its waters. Our goal is twofold: to educate and protect Kawainui Marsh and to raise funds for Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii.”

Participants meet in Whole Foods parking lot before the run, and then are escorted in groups across the street to the start, where there will be a stage with live music. The course will be lit by LED lights, glowsticks and headlamps. Along the course there will be local artists sitting on the wall playing acoustic music, and at the other end of the marsh will be another stage with a band.

After the run, participants are invited to a post-race celebration in conjunction with the Cool Kailua Nights block party and health awareness fair. There will be more entertainment, food from local vendors, a keiki area, games, prizes and more.

“We’re a night run that is local community-oriented,” explains NiteRun co-founder John Henderson. “We do it in local parks and in our major areas — the North Shore, town, Kailua, and we’re gonna do one on the Westside. And the biggest thing is for each one: 100 percent of the proceeds benefits a local nonprofit.”

For Henderson, who works in medical device distributor-ship and construction development, putting on NiteRun is not only a way to give back, but also a way for him to stay involved with the local running community. In 2009, Henderson was hit by a tour bus while on a four-hour training ride on the North Shore. A champion 24-hour mountain biker who has completed three full Ironman distance triathlons, four half-Ironman distance triathlons, and held a world ranking of 18th for the Xterra Off Road Triathlon World Championships, he now sits in a wheelchair.

“I can’t run in all these races, but I thought how can I still be a part of it?,” he says. “The creation of NiteRun came from the thought of, if you take a runner and stick him on a dirt road and have him run three miles at 9 a.m., it is what it is. But if you take that same runner and you do it at 9 p.m. in the pitch black, it turns into an adventure.”

Kailua NiteRun is open to runners and walkers age 12 and up. Cost is $45 and includes a headlamp and shirt. Late registration is $55 after Sept. 26. A $10 discount is available to HGEA members, students and military. To register or for more information, visit niterun.com.

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Bryanna Fissori makes her MMA pro debut Oct. 25 <br /><p class=

LAWRENCE TABUDLO PHOTO” width=”300″ height=”450″ class=”size-medium wp-image-43790″ /> Bryanna Fissori makes her MMA pro debut Oct. 25
LAWRENCE TABUDLO PHOTO

When Bryanna Fissori moved to Hawaii in 2009, she started taking classes at South Shore MMA for cardio exercise. But now, the 29-year-old is training for her pro debut Oct. 25 in San Diego. “I’m really excited,” she says about her contract with Gladiator Challenge. “This is completely different from anything I saw myself growing up to do.”

Fissori, a 135-pound fighter, has an amateur record of 6-0 and holds two amateur titles in her weight class with Destiny MMA and Fight Girls Hawaii.

She trains at UFC Gym and Relson Gracie Waterfront under coaches Guy Orogo and Rich de los Reyes. She also is part of MMA team LVL1.

“The thing about MMA is there’s no time for hesitation,” says Fissori, who works as a veterinarian technician and content writer. “People are happiest when they are living in the moment, and when you’re training and competing in MMA, there’s nowhere else you can possibly be if you’re going to succeed. You have to be in the moment, and that’s something I really fell in love with and I feel every time I go into the cage, whether it’s practice or competition.

“Also, along with that, there’s a bonding element between sparring partners and coaches that’s hard to find anywhere else because the sport is so intimate and aggressive, and you have to trust one another.”

Although she’s always been an active athlete, playing various sports throughout high school and college, Fissori says MMA has helped her to understand the science of an athlete’s training and diet, as well as taking care of her body and any injuries, including bruises and bumps, she may get. MMA also has made her physically stronger and more confident in her athletic abilities.

“(The confidence) comes from having such a supportive group of people surround me throughout this journey,” she says. ” Also, there’s the aspect of being able to walk around and know that I’m able to defend myself — that’s something very empowering, not just as a woman or an athlete, but as a person in general.”

In response to recent stories of domestic violence in the news, Fissori will host a women’s self-defense and fight foundations seminar Oct. 4 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Relson Gracie Waterfront (16 Merchant St.).

“There are three portions of the seminar,” she explains. “The first is self-defense — how to get out of vulnerable positions using traditional methods you would learn in any other type of self-defense class, and some fight styles.

“Then we’ll move on to fight foundation — learning the basics of punching, fight techniques and a little bit of ground work. And the last portion is anger management. The women will be on offense, and the men on defense. This is when we would love for men to come in, and all they have to do is block. The women will take those new skills they just learned and try them out.”

The seminar is free and open to the public, but donations in any amount are welcome, with proceeds going to The Hawaii Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Bry’s Fight Camp. For details or to sign-up, visit gofundme.com/pinkranger mmapro or contact Fissori on Facebook. You also can just show up.

yting@midweek.com

Lee Bailey
PHOTO COURTESY CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY

Nothing thrills an old basketball player like the opportunity to toss in a few buckets with a much younger (and much better) hoops star. That was the case earlier this month, when I teamed up with Chaminade point guard Lee Bailey at Boys & Girls Club in Honolulu for an impromptu game against the after-school kids. We had a fabulous time.

It was all part of our annual PacWest SAAC Retreat, where student-athlete leaders from all over the conference come together to work with youngsters from elementary school through junior high. Bailey is president of Chaminade Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and has been involved with projects at the local Boys & Girls Club a number of times.

“Seeing the kids and working with them is a tremendous experience,” he says. “For many of them, we can be a really positive role model.”

Bailey is a communications and marketing major at Chaminade who has earned all-academic honors in each of his three years at the school. He hopes to have a career in sports advertising or sports management some day, but he also may have a chance to coach or play basketball professionally overseas once his collegiate days are over.

Bailey enters his senior basketball season for Silverswords as one of the top guards in the country when practice officially begins Oct. 15. He’s scored 30 or more points several times in his career and leads the team in minutes played. This past year, he led Chaminade to the PacWest Tournament championship, a spot in the NCAA Division II West Regionals and was named All-Conference and All-Region.

“Winning the PacWest tourney this past season was No. 1 on my list,” he recalls. “Being there (in San Diego) and cutting down the nets after we fought through so much adversity during the year was the best experience ever.”

No. 2, he says, involves the tournament that “the Giant-Killers” from Chaminade are known for each November — Maui Invitational. “Beating (nationally ranked) Texas the way we did — that was crazy,” he says. “It was also the first time my mom and sister got a chance to see me play in Hawaii.”

Next month, they open up on Maui against powerful Pittsburgh (and former Hawaii assistant coach Jamie Dixon).

Bailey grew up in Detroit, where he is part of a very athletic family. His mom and dad were track and field stars at Michigan and Central Michigan, and his sister is an outstanding volleyball player. Bailey was a tremendous high school football and basketball player, and appeared headed to Dayton University to play defensive back.

“I loved both sports, but had decided to play football. When the (scholarship) money eventually didn’t work out, I thought I would check out basketball opportunities again,” he recalls. Late that spring in his high school senior year, Eric Bovaird was named the new head coach at Chaminade. The first player he recruited was Bailey.

“I had never been to Hawaii, but after hearing his enthusiasm, I decided to take a chance,” he says. “It was the best decision ever. I’ve had so many opportunities here, and I’ve learned so much about the different cultures and the different places we play. I took a leap of faith and it worked out really well.”

Bailey not only loves Hawaii, but also the freedom he enjoys in Bovaird’s high-scoring offensive system.

“He’s always so positive and he gives us confidence in ourselves. I started here as the youngest guy, and now I’m one of the older guys. It’s my job to make the younger guys comfortable, encourage them, build their confidence and lead by example. I can hardly wait,” he says.

Lee Bailey is ready. Hoop fans, young and old, take notice.

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For the past 12 years, Kathy Foley, internal communications specialist at Outrigger Enterprises Group, has been helping her co-workers be fit and healthy. Every Tuesday and Thursday, she gives up her lunch break to lead a Core! fitness class, which is open to any Outrigger employee who wants to attend (as long as it doesn’t conflict with their normal work schedule). The one-hour, core-focused class uses a stability ball, Pilates ball and hand weights.

“We’re all so busy, and I find that people don’t have time once they leave work to do any exercises,” says Foley, who is an ACE-certified group exercise instructor and also volunteers at YMCA. “So, it’s my way to help them get a good workout that’s convenient.”

In the afternoons, she also meets co-workers in the hallway to lead a quick 20-minute stretch session. “We give each other neck massages at the end, which is everyone’s favorite,” she adds. “It just helps undo all of the tightness from working on our computers all day.”

Foley has been with Outrigger for 29 years, starting as an assistant for Dr. Richard Kelley. Here, she shows us some simple stretches and exercises that you can do at your desk.

yushing@midweek.com

At my middle school, there was a teacher whom the kids would tease because of her flabby arms. I remember so clearly the wrinkly skin sagging from her arm, swinging back and forth as she wrote on the chalkboard with her back to the class.

Of course, I didn’t make fun of her. But I admit to laughing when the other kids did.

“When it comes to arm exercises, a lot of people think about biceps and shoulders, and tend to forget about the tricep,” says Heather Wong, trainer/manager at Egan’s Fitness Center.

Here, Wong shows us some simple tricep exercises you can do at home. She also suggests doing push-ups with your elbows close to your body, which work your tricep and lats.

Before becoming a trainer, Wong joined Egan Inoue’s Fit Body Bootcamp in 2010 to get fit as a new mom. Now 44, Wong says she’s in the best shape of her life. She teaches bootcamp at Egan’s Waipio location, and works out herself at least five times a week.

simplicityHR director of operations Debbie Padello, simplicityHR president Kerry Kopp and ALTRES Staffing industrial staffing manager Shani Silva NATHALIE WALKER PHOTO

Like many working mothers, Shani Silva wanted to squeeze more fitness into her busy schedule. So she talked to her boss, ALTRES president Kerry Kopp, about starting an exercise program at their office. He liked the idea, and with the help of Debbie Padello, director of operations of simplicityHR, they created an extensive corporate wellness program that has resulted in a company-wide total loss of more than 500 pounds and 90 inches off waistlines in about a year at ALTRES and simplictyHR.

“Our conversation quickly went from simply hiring an on-site personal trainer to taking a much more holistic approach to good health, focusing not just on fitness, but overall health and well-being,” explains Silva, industrial staffing manager at ALTRES Staffing. “We wanted our program to be about the whole person — mind, body and spirit.”

The program includes monthly lunch and learn classes, aimed at helping employees make better health choices. Topics include stress relief, signs of sleep apnea, financial wellness, caring for aging parents and more.

The company also built a state-of-the-art fitness center at its Honolulu headquarters (where there are about 160 employees) that is open from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, allowing employees to get in a workout before, during and/or after work. Equipped with cardio machines and weights, dual showers and complimentary grooming amenities, there also is a personal trainer available, as well as boot-camp and fitness classes throughout the week. ALTRES also pays for the first three months of personal training for each employee.

Lunchrooms have been converted to house-healthy food programs, including displayed refrigeration stocked with healthy snack choices and premade healthy meals that can be purchased (on an honor system). These meals can range from grilled chicken breast with sweet potatoes and vegetables, to flank steak with quinoa and grilled vegetables or stuffed meatloaf with spinach and onions, along with potatoes and vegetables.

“The meals are basically 350 calories or less, and have the right protein, fat and carb ratio,” explains Silva.

As part of the Spirit component, the company finds opportunities for its employees to give back to the community, such as participating in a mobile blood bank drive, selling newspapers on PACT’s Keiki Day, adopting rubber ducks for United Cerebral Palsy’s Rubber Duckie Race, signing up for a charity run/walk and more.

“As managers, one of the big discussions we have is productivity,” adds Kopp. “Most people think giving people some flexibility to participate in a workout or bootcamp during the day is that nobody is going to get any work done. But we’ve had a really phenomenal opposite effect, in that people became more energized. It created this huge energy in the middle of the day because now they got an opportunity to do this. They feel good about themselves. Their endorphins were increased.

“Also, the group workouts broke down the siloing (between departments) and allowed people to get to know one another, which improved internal relationships and increased working together and productivity. Actually I think productivity has gone up.”

In addition to noticeable weight loss among co-workers, Kopp notes that at least four or five employees have shared that their improved health has allowed them to stop taking certain medications. He also notes that employee participation in the corporate wellness program is well above 90 percent.

“What’s really interesting is, when you surround yourself with people who are looking at eating a little healthier or participating in a Lunch and Learn or bootcamp, people start adopting it and it kind of filters and has this ripple effect,” says Kopp.

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