Fitter, Faster, Stronger

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PUSHING FOR 10

If your goals are more modest than training for triathlons, marathons or bouts in the ring, San Diegan Jorge Cruise’s latest workout may be just the program for you. This month, the trainer to TV personalities and stars releases his latest book and DVD, Body at Home: A Simple Plan to Drop 10 Pounds. Jorge is a big (although slender and toned) proponent of working out at home.

“The myth that you can’t get a good workout at home is a mindset we need to let go of. It’s not that hard!” he insists. To that end, Body at Home is a distillation of the best of his 10 years of books and fitness programs. All you need is an exercise ball, dumbbells (and a barbell for the guys), a resistance band and a medicine ball. And for the cost of a month of gym dues—never mind the initiation fees—you can lose weight and gain lean muscle in only 20 minutes, two days a week.

Sure, it sounds a bit too good to be true. But try Jorge’s exercises and you’ll quickly understand why the plan works. There’re no gains without pain in exercise, and his use of controlled tension, which he calls “The 12-Second Method,” proves that. Four normal pushups isn’t much challenge for most people, but four pushups alongside Jorge, in which I lowered for 10 seconds, held, quivering, for 2, and raised back up for 10 more seconds each time, is a workout in itself, leaving me shaking and sweating copiously even after such a short time of exertion. Add to this other male- and female-specific exercises—such as incline dumbbell presses, leg lifts, bicycle crunches, lunges and more—and you’ll understand his massive popularity within the image-conscious entertainment industry as you see the results. jorgecruise.com — A.E.

HAUTE AND HOTTER

One hundred and four degrees? A humidity level in the high 30s? In Solana Beach? You betcha. At Haute Yoga, a hot breeze is pumped into the studio while yogis perform a set routine, or flow, in the hatha style. The heat confers a number of benefits on one’s yoga practice, says instructor Roxanne DePalma. The most obvious is the deep, sopping sweat. “It is incredibly purifying,” she says.

The heat allows the connective tissue—which encases muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and organs—to loosen up, creating added mobility and ease in the body, says Roxanne. The result is a stronger, better-toned, leaner and more flexible body. “Practicing yoga in a heated environment is a very safe, fast and effective way to shed some unwanted pounds,” she says.

The moment I step through the studio door, I’m met by a wall of heat. Beads of sweat instantly form on my upper lip, and I have to concentrate on drawing in the first few breaths of thick air. Finding a spot to lay out my mat, I notice everyone else has a large beach towel draped over the mat. I’m clearly unprepared for the sweat session in store.

Roxanne leads us into the series of poses, offering precise instructions, gentle encouragement and slight adjustments. The hour-long class, Hot 60, is a strengthening flow for the seasoned practitioner, yet safe enough for beginners, she says. Anyone remotely familiar with hatha yoga will recognize certain poses—Downward Dog, Warrior, Tree, Eagle. The class concludes with pranayama, or breathing exercises.

By the end, my clothes are heavy with sweat, but I feel a mental buoyancy that wasn’t there before. Think of it as a quick detox for body and mind. 858-345-1810; hauteyoga.com —J.B.P.

KICK IT UP A NOTCH

Gladiators in the square ring boast exceptional strength and endurance; after a few sessions of power kickboxing at Lava Fitness, you too will feel either chiseled and fit enough to compete or as tired and beaten as a real kickboxer following a tough bout. While I got the opportunity to cathartically punch, knee and kick until my arms and legs resembled cookie dough, it’s the combination of conditioning that really sculpts the physique of a fighter. To achieve this, trainers subjected my classmates and me to constant jump-roping, push-ups, squats, more ab exercises than an underwear model, crab walks and light running, with no rest between activities, save for a short water break halfway through.

Trainer and former competitive kickboxer Jason Stockdale eases our pain with energetic, enthusiastic, helpful—but firm—encouragement. Even with calves still burning from their reintroduction in adult life to jump ropes, it’s all worth it for the thrill of delivering satisfying punch-feint-block-kick-knee combinations on the helpless punching bags—and later, Jason, all padded up.

If you’re thirsting for more, hit the new, sophisticated weight machines, run it off on the treadmills, or feel the glide in Lava’s gravity class. Gravity machines employ a sliding, inclined seat that pits the user against his or her body weight—a personalized yet totally adjustable workout. Boxing, Pilates and cycling are offered too. If jujitsu is your thing, Lava’s list of personal trainers has more Brazilians than a Vegas pool party. The gym also hosts fights every several months. 800-269-4642; lavafitness.com — A.E.

WALK IT OUT

“Are you sweating yet?” Elle sings out to the 10 of us toiling up the slope in Old Town. The few who say no are quickly shushed by the rest, who know that if we don’t answer in the affirmative, our leader will pick up the pace till we are all damp of brow.

How on Earth did I get here, being prodded up a hill and pushed into perspiring? Well, I walked. First my fingers did the walking, finding a Meetup.com group that fit my requirements: I wanted to walk someplace with sidewalks, for an hour or more at least once a week after work. Elle’s Urban Walkers Adventure was just the ticket, and I soon embarked on my first expedition. In the six months since, I’ve ambled and rambled around the county, from Coronado to Kensington to Del Mar, with anywhere from two to 16 others sharing the journey. And I always sweat at some point—and no, I’m not just saying that, Elle—though as I build endurance, that time comes ever later.

At the outset I knew this would be good for me physically. I looked forward to seeing San Diego from a walker’s vantage. And I thought I might make friends along the way, as indeed has happened. But I never expected the simple act of walking to be such fun. We laugh, we chat, we groan up the hills, and we part a bit tired, yet happy. Is it the endorphins? The fresh air? The fellowship? Doesn’t matter. Especially in times of stress, these walks have become the dessert to my day. And they’re not only free, they’re free of calories. meetup.com —PHYLLIS DEBLANCHE

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