Living

Linnea Kristiansson • April 23, 2015

Sometimes, sessions in the gym seem long and dull. Going out for a run can be impossible on days when the weather isn’t the best and the couch temps. These newly opened fitness studios in D.C. will motivate and give you that extra push you need to shape up for summer.

If bicycling outside seems too dangerous to you, try out indoor cycling. Or why not tone your body with high intensity interval training (HIIT) and — or bodyweight exercises? No matter your skill level, there’s something for everyone in D.C. But remember to find an exercise that you enjoy and make sure you’re having fun. The most important thing is that you get active; the best exercise is the one that actually happens.

Off Road DC:

The local cycling studio Off Road DC provides a great fitness experience with a diversity of classes to make sure clients get a full body workout. Tali Wenger and Tammar Bergen opened the studio in October 2012, wanting to bring something new to D.C.
Tali Wenger, main instructor and co-owner of the fitness center explains that Off Road strives to maintain a welcoming environment for their clients. ”Off Road DC provides something for everybody, with any background and every fitness level. We want to make sure our clients are safe, especially when attending our cycling classes,” she says.

In addition, the Off Road DC team makes sure that beginners and veteran athletes both feel comfortable, welcome and fulfilled by HIIT (high intensity interval training), mixed cycling and running classes. ”We want clients to feel they can take any class and at their own pace.” Wenger explains.

Every class is different and instructors are given the freedom to express themselves in both music and teaching style. Off Road DC also has a wide range of offerings tailored to every person’s fitness goals. At the studio you can train indoor cycling, TRX, boxing, bootcamp and mixed classes. The mixed classes combine both cycling, running and core.

The first Thursday of every month, Off Road DC partner up with the 9:30 Club for a special spinning class. Tali Wenger encourage beginners to join the free intro class on Saturdays at 11:15 a.m. to walk through the bikes and get a 30-minute workout. ”The first step for anyone is coming in the door,” Wenger says.

Off Road DC is located on 905 U St. NW Washington, D.C.

[Solidcore]

Fitness fanatics, listen up. The innovative Solidcore workout is a 50-minute, full body tune-up in a class-based fitness studio with no more than 13 clients in class at a time. It is basically a hardcore pilates class where you use slow and controlled full-body movements with tension to work the muscle fibers to failure. This low-impact process forces your muscles to rebuild a stronger, more toned and sculpted you.

Since every workout experience is different, the body doesn’t stop responding to the exercise. With small class sizes at Solidcore, you can get a personalized experience. The certified Solidcore instructors motivate you to push yourself further than you would on your own.

Solidcore is one of the hardest and most intense workouts you will ever do, and is like nothing else you’ve ever done. As written on their website, ”This is the athlete’s workout, not your grandmother’s pilates class. Prepare to sweat, be pushed to your edge, and for the most intense workout of your life”. The Solidcore team encourages you to have fun while building the best version of yourself. You will be amazed by this workout and its results — guaranteed.

Solidcore has three D.C. locations; in Shaw, Mt. Vernon triangle and Cathedral Commons at 3308 Wisconsin Ave NW.

Flywheel Sports:

The popular indoor cycling studio Flywheel Sports recently opened a new studio in Dupont. ”Flywheel is the ultimate, revolutionary cycling experience”, says Danielle Devine-Baum, master instructor and creative director for the northeast region.

Flywheel is a full body training combined with an arm sequence at the end of every class. The Torqboards on the bikes allow riders to view and keep track of their rate per minute (RPM), power and torque. The results are uploaded to patrons’ accounts online and on the Flywheel app after every class. In addition, you can see calories burned and how mileage biked in the app and online.

If you’re not into indoor cycling, you can try out FlyBarre classes. FlyBarre helps tone and work up long, lean muscles. The classes focus on lightweight leg, arm and abdominal exercises with many reps. ”Flywheel Sports is a perfect fit for all fitness levels and our instructors are trained to help set up beginners so the intimidation factor disappears,” Devine-Baum says.

”The Dupont location is Flywheel’s thirty-third studio and with more than 60 bikes, the location is the largest studio today, which is very exciting for us,” Devine-Baum continues. The studio has showers, lockers, changing rooms in addition to a blow dry bar with spa equipment. Seat cushions and shoes are complimentary at every Flywheel Sports studio.

Flywheel Sports studio is located on 1927 Florida Ave NW.

Linnea Kristiansson •

“We are very proud to be able to bring three-day eventing to Great Meadow. It is probably the most difficult of any of the equestrian sports, since it involves all three disciplines,” said Robert Banner, president of the Great Meadow Foundation, which operates the famous field events center and steeplechase course in The Plains, Virginia.

On April 3, Banner announced that, in connection with building a new arena, the foundation will bring back three-day eventing to Great Meadow.

Three-day eventing is the sport of horse trials. It presents the ultimate challenge of horsemanship because it requires horse and rider to perform three totally different activities within the same competition: dressage, cross country and show jumping.

Construction of the new arena will start July 1, so that it can be ready for Nations Cup 2016, should Great Meadow’s bid be selected. A new acquisition of land has provided 174 acres dedi-cated to this type of competition. The new, world-class arena will be 300 feet by 250 feet, with a warm-up arena 400 feet by 70 feet. It will have an all-weather surface or footing, which will pre-vent competitions from being canceled due to rain.

Great Meadow’s new international-level venue will host top horses and riders from around the world. At the Olympics in London, the U.S. team failed to medal at all, their worst performance since 1956. This venue will raise the bar by bringing the nations that won to the U.S., so that the team can train and face the competition at home. This is expected to help the U.S. reclaim its rightful position on the international medals podium.

The new competition will be called the Land Rover Great Meadow International and feature the Nation’s Cup format annually. There are plans to live-stream coverage on the internet this year. Next year, the plans are to broadcast the competition on NBC Sports.

A big spectator-based event, FEI Nations Cup is organized by Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body for all Olympic equestrian disciplines. It is the most prestigious competition series for national teams in the world.

”The Nations Cup has been going on for a long time for show jumping, but we have never had one for three-day eventing,” said Banner, former publisher of the Chronicle of the Horse.

Banner and the Great Meadow Foundation expect the new facility and level of competition will draw numbers similar to those for the Virginia Gold Cup races and other major events at Great Meadow.

Great Meadow will host a Concours International Combiné (CIC) 3 Event, which means the competitors do their dressage on Friday night. The show jumping takes place on Saturday night, and they run over a shortened version of the cross country course on Sunday morning. There are VIP dining and entertainment options throughout the weekend. CIC competitors are required to qualify for the same level of CCI competition, therefore the horse/rider combinations in the CIC tend to be slightly less experienced than in the CCI.

Course designer Mike Etherington-Smith, chief executive of British Eventing, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, has already completed renderings and layouts. The groundbreaking ceremonies and pep trials will be held June 19 to 21.

Linnea Kristiansson •

Each year, horses have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to run in the Kentucky Derby. To earn a spot at the starting gate, they must travel the “Road to the Kentucky Derby,” a 10-week series of 35 designated races at tracks across the country and around the world. A sliding scale of points is awarded to the top-four finishers in each of the 35 races, includes 16 significant events that make up the ”Kentucky Derby Championship Series.” The 20 horses with the most points will be at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

The horse to keep an eye on at this year’s Derby is named International Star, the fourth colt since 1992 to sweep the Fair Grounds series of races for three-year-olds on the 2015 Kentucky Derby trail. In capturing the Lecomte Stakes, the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby, International Star joins an elite group of colts to win two or more of these Derby preps without a loss.

Josef Brandenburg •

Thanks to warmer temperatures and the celebrity buzz, more and more people are thinking about losing weight and getting healthier with the help of cleanses. Most will be disappointed. The central idea behind all cleanses or detox diets is that we’re sick and fat because our bodies are saddled with excessive toxins. By adhering to these very low calorie, often liquid-only diets – goes the pitch – we can detox, become healthy and lose weight quickly.

Scientists, medical doctors and legitimate nutritionists disagree, and generally don’t even believe that “detoxing” exists. According to Professor Alan Boobis OBE, toxicologist at Imperial College London’s Division of Medicine:

The body’s own detoxification systems are remarkably sophisticated and versatile. They have to be, as the natural environment that we evolved in is hostile. It is remarkable that people are prepared to risk seriously disrupting these systems with unproven ‘detox’ diets, which could well do more harm than good.

Very low calorie diets are also known as crash diets or semi-starvation diets in scientific literature. While these diets can help you lose weight very rapidly, they also fail 98 percent of the time. That is, 98 percent of the people on these diets regain everything they’ve lost, or everything plus interest.

These diets also become progressively less effective for the initial weight-loss boost because they negatively impact your metabolism, sex hormones, muscle mass and thyroid function.

Health and fitness expert Mark Fisher sums up cleanses nicely: “If eating food leaves you full of toxins. . .perhaps we should seriously consider the quality of the food you eat.” Losing weight is easy, but keeping it off is the hardest and most important part.

Your long-term success is mostly dependent on how you lose the weight in the first place. Quick weight-loss is sexy, and it sells $200 cleansing kits, but it almost always fails you. Instead, by focusing on small, manageable habit changes that you can stick to, you set yourself up for progressive success, building a lifestyle that will deliver the health and fitness you want for a lifetime – not just a weekend.

A best-selling author and fitness expert with 16 years of experience, Josef Brandenburg owns The Body You Want club in Georgetown. Information about his 14-Day Personal Training Experience may be found at TheBodyYouWant.com.

Georgetowner • April 22, 2015

Dear Stacy,

My husband cheated on me in the past. We have tried to do everything to get through it, including therapy. But it’s still hard for me not to question everything he does, even when we’ve worked so hard to get over it. We have kids, a mortgage, a good life, but on a regular basis I find myself thinking about whether I can trust him. I am wondering how other women get over this. Is it normal to just accept it because you have the kids and the marriage, or am I kidding myself that this can ever get better?

– Want to Forgive

Dear Forgive:

Your question goes to the heart of what forgiveness really is. It’s not about wiping the slate clean in a way that causes you to forget a betrayal. It’s something the betrayed person actually has to give the betrayer, sometimes every single minute. No, Husband doesn’t deserve to feel like a criminal every day, but he’s going to have to expect that you will be wary whenever he comes home late. That’s probably going to be part of the marriage for the rest of your lives, and it’s because of his choices, not yours.

But remember, it takes a progress-stalling toll when one person appears to forgive and then snaps right back to that place of anger and frustration. Therapy can help (and, yes, it can be irritatingly slow, but rewiring the brain to turn an unsafe person back into a safe person does take time), but sometimes forgiveness is a choice we have to make again and again. Which is why having the kids and mortgage can be helpful: They anchor you to the very hard work of renewing the marriage.

While we don’t talk enough publicly about sensitive issues – infidelity, infertility, disability, etc. – to truly normalize them, as someone who listens to people talk about them daily, I can say that all of us (repeat: all of us) have “something” to manage in our relationships. Commitment is both highly difficult and highly rewarding. This valuable coin comes with two sides.

Stacy Notaras Murphy (www.stacymurphyLPC.com) is a licensed professional counselor and certified Imago Relationship therapist practicing in Georgetown. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacymurphyLPC@gmail.com.

Caitlin Franz • April 14, 2015

?“We’re thrilled to open our largest studio yet in the heart of our nation’s capital,” announced Ruth Zukerman, co-founder of Flywheel Sports, known for its intense indoor cycling and barre classes. “Given that Washington, D.C., is one of America’s healthiest cities, we understand the need to provide the most effective, results-driven workout – a product that we consistently deliver every single day.”

The company’s Dupont Circle neighborhood location at 1927 Florida Ave. NW offers stadium-style seating, custom bikes, as well as complimentary towels, indoor cycling shoes and seat cushions for riders. It is Flywheel’s 33rd location in the U.S.

Since its founding in February 2010, Flywheel has combined technology with its work-outs to help participants track their results. The new D.C. studio also features the TorqBoard, which allows riders to view their resistance, speed and power. Riders may choose to have their names displayed on flat-screen at the front of every studio, which allows for friendly competition in the classes. After each ride, comprehensive data is stored and made available to riders on an individual Performance Page, which can be found at www.flywheelsports.com.

Additionally, the two-story facility offers FlyBarre, which features a series of small, intense interval exercises choreographed to contemporary music. These classes are designed to target the arm, abdominal and thigh muscles.

Both Flywheel and FlyBarre individual classes start at $28. Flywheel spinning shoes are included in that price. For class times and more information, you can visit www.flywheelsports.com or call 202-830-0755.

Stacy Notaras Murphy • April 13, 2015

Dear Stacy,

My wife is not interested in sex. She never really has been, but ever since we’ve had kids, she’s just unavailable for me. We have a great partnership otherwise, and have no real interest in divorce. I really love her and the family we’ve built. But I’m completely unfulfilled physically. I don’t want an open relationship. I know that I could not handle the jealousy of that, but I am thinking about allowing myself the pleasure of female companionship when and if it is offered to me. I do not travel often for work, but could increase that, and I think that would allow me the freedom I need to remain in my marriage. My question to you is this: do you have any other ideas before I give this one a try?
– Frequent Traveler

Dear Traveler:

Do I have any ideas before you cheat on your wife? Seriously? You are leaving this up to me?

Okay, if I get to be in charge, my answer is an emphatic “NO.”

No, you do not get to allow yourself the “pleasure” of extramarital companionship. No, you do not get to change your work schedule to allow you more time to roam the hotel bars and airport concourses, hoping that something is “offered” to you. No, you do not get to rationalize that this is the only way to maintain your marriage and that “otherwise” great partnership.

I’m saying no to all of those things because it’s a delusion to think that stepping outside your marriage for physical pleasure will do anything but harm your relationship with your wife. It will. The fantasy of it already has harmed your marriage, I would bet. So let’s stop playing pretend.

You have at least a tiny sense of self-awareness that helps you see that you, yourself, could not handle an open relationship. That’s good news, because open relationships take a lot of work and self-examination, and you don’t sound up to that challenge. Let’s be clear: the female companionship of your dreams is one-sided. It’s easy. It has no strings. Of course it sounds amazing, but even if you find it, when that fantasy is over – SCENE: when you come home from the fake business trip and are met at the door by a screaming kid – you will put Wife in the position of being a disappointment or, worse, the object keeping you from returning to that fantasy space. And then you have resentment, a toxic chemical that you ought to be familiar with already, since that’s what has fueled this storyline about being able to find physical fulfillment outside your marriage without an impact on that partnership.

So let’s look at dealing with the existing resentment before you add more to the mix. Take your Great Partnership to a sex therapist. You need an impartial, skilled guide to help you with this conversation. Honestly, the conclusion could be that you actually do get what you’re dreaming of whenever you are on a “business trip.” But you don’t get to skip the hard work to negotiate that agreement without deeply damaging the family you say you value so much.

Stacy Notaras Murphy (www.stacymurphyLPC.com) is a licensed professional counselor and certified Imago Relationship therapist practicing in Georgetown. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacymurphyLPC@gmail.com.

Linnea Kristiansson •

With summer on its way, so is the equestrian season. Perhaps you want to buy a dramatic hat for the Derby or the Oaks, the Royal Ascot or the races in Middleburg.

Of course, every woman needs a casual hat for everyday shopping, travel, the garden, the beach, “bad-hair days” or to stay cool and out of the sun. Wear a hat and be treated like the lady you are.

Remember to buy a hat that’s comfortable and has a wide brim. Choose the color carefully since dark colors tend to get warmer. The most easily worn hat is the one with a light pastel color – mint green or apricot pink, for example. Combine the outfit with a light-colored skirt and a top in the same color as the hat. Or simply wear a summer dress that matches your hat. [gallery ids="102040,134726" nav="thumbs"]

Linnea Kristiansson •

As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, we are all looking to get out and about. It’s time to start planning for your kids’ summer. Make sure to check out The Georgetowner’s summer camp guide to take your mind off the snow days.

Adventure Theatre MTC Camp

Adventure Theatre’s summer camps is a full-day musical theater program. Campers work with D.C. theater professionals and finish up their summer by performing in a main stage show. The adventure also offers a three week program for teenagers. Ages 5 to 18. $800-$1,200. June 15 – Aug 21. Adventure Theatre, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. (301) 634-2270, adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

Beauvoir Summer Camp

Beauvoir Summer Camp is a day camp for elementary school students that mixes outdoor exploration with science, sports and art. Ages 3 to 10. $285-$875. June 22 – Aug 7. Beauvoir School, 3500 Woodley Road NW. (703) 945-0408, summer.beauvoirschool.org.

Camp Arena Stage

Camp Arena Stage is a D.C. day camp dedicated to theatre, music, visual arts and dance. Campers choose their own activities, as well as attend a daily show featuring the work of faculty, guest artists and fellow campers. Ages 8 to 15. $950-$2,500. June 22 – July 31. Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 1524 34th St. NW. (202) 554-9066, arenastage.org.

Camp Imagination Stage

Camp Imagination offers a range of day camp programs in drama, musical theatre, dance and filmmaking. Ages 1 to 18. $249-$1,195. June 8 – Aug 28. Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda. (301) 280-1660, imaginationstage.org.

Passport to summer

Washington International School’s Passport to Summer is a co-ed multicultural day camp. The camp offers language immersion; art, science and music workshops; and counselor-in-training program. Ages 3 to 15. $165-$890. June 22 – Aug 7. Washington International School, 1690 36th St. NW. (202) 243-1727, wis.edu.

Strathmore Fine Arts Camp

The Strathmore will offer two separate fine arts day camps for kids and teens this summer. Older campers will improve their technique in a program focused on form and color. Ages 6 to 17. $382,50-$425. July 27 – Aug 14. Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville. (301) 581-5100, strathmore.org.

Writopia Lab

Writopia Lab offers full-day and half-day summer camps for budding writers. Campers will participate in workshops with published authors and have an opportunity to read and publish their original work at the end of the program. Ages 8 to 18. $180-$560. July 6 – July 31. Writopia Lab, 4000 Albermarle St. NW, Suite 308. (202) 629-9510, writopia.org. [gallery ids="101994,135313" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • April 8, 2015

Dear Stacy:

My boyfriend and I have been living together for three years. We are both in our early 30s, and get along great. We have talked about marriage since we first started dating (five years ago), but so far, no proposal. I know he wants to have a family in the long-term, and I know he loves me, so I don’t know why we aren’t moving forward. When I bring it up, he tells me he will know when it’s right, but that’s the end of the discussion. I don’t like how much power this seems to give him in our relationship, but I know I want to marry him and it seems like he’s less sure about me. I am wondering how much longer I should wait. I set a mental deadline of the end of this year, but I wonder if I should tell him that if we aren’t engaged by then, I’m leaving?
–Ready to Marry

Dear Ready:

Let’s start by saying, congratulations on knowing what you want. That’s honestly a big step – as many people find themselves in your situation and assume that marriage is what they should want, but don’t give the deeper questions much thought (fast forward a few years, find themselves in a counselor’s office, and realize they never really wanted to build a marriage together in the first place). You know what you want. Boyfriend knows what you want. The rest is a little murky. Let’s look at why that is.

Scenario #1: Boyfriend is unsure. Truly. He needs “more time.” That is understandable, but the question that needs to be asked is not “Why do you need more time?” Rather, “What are you doing with that time?” Is he soul searching? Is he talking to you about his concerns? Is he in therapy? If “No” or “Not yet” is the answer to these questions, then you need to pay attention to how that feels.

Scenario #2: Boyfriend is sure. He has a ring. He’s got a plan in motion. You are going to be swept off your feet – lucky you.

Scenario #3: Boyfriend is sure. He does not want to marry you. He doesn’t know how to tell you. He is waiting it out so that you get so irritated, you give him an ultimatum and force yourself into a corner.

Your mental deadline is an ultimatum of sorts. I’m not against setting a boundary like this, I just want to make sure you are comfortable with the outcome, either way. I understand that you are thinking about marrying this person, so the dissolution of this relationship may never feel “comfortable,” but that’s the only way an ultimatum works – you have to be willing to accept the consequences (NOTE: have your support network queued up and ready). If you are not ready to walk away, then don’t tell him about your deadline, instead, ask the questions from scenario #1 and see where that takes you. If you are comfortable with the possible results – pro and con – then I think waiting and seeing may be an excuse to put off the inevitable. This all starts with you, have the conversation with yourself before you bring Boyfriend into it. Good luck.

Stacy Notaras Murphy (www.stacymurphyLPC.com) is a licensed professional counselor and certified Imago Relationship therapist practicing in Georgetown. This column is meant for entertainment only, and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacymurphyLPC@gmail.com.