February Newsletter 2014

 

Dear Members,

It is now mid February and most of us are 6 weeks into our New Year’s resolutions. How are you all doing with your health related commitments? I am guessing you are making some progress but struggling to stay committed to your workout regime because you have not felt or seen any changes yet. It is important to realize that the first 6 to 8 weeks are the most critical weeks in your new exercise routine. Your energy level has not increased yet. It might even have dropped a little because your body has not adjusted to the exercise program. Your muscles are sore and you are not seeing any physical changes yet. You are not sleeping any better. With all that has or has not happened you are wondering, “What the heck am I doing this for? I am not getting any positive results so I am going to stop exercising.”

Well hang in there because the changes are coming! After 8 to 10 weeks on a new exercise regime you will start to see and feel the results. The energy level picks up. You are sleeping more soundly. Your mood has improved. The clothes are beginning to get a little loose and you are beginning to like what you see in the mirror. Once all of these changes begin to happen you really start you begin to look forward to exercising. You will get to the point where you actually feel guilty when you miss a workout! Hang in there for another 4 weeks and you’ll reach the point where your body craves exercise.

The attendance for the Wednesday night and Saturday morning Liveball has reached a level where we have decided to add another Liveball clinic on Monday nights at 6pm. The clinic will be open for men and women who are intermediate level players. Our newest addition to the tennis staff, Matt Drummond, will be organizing the clinic. Matt attended the University of Alabama where he played on their NCAA Division 1 tennis team. After graduating from Alabama, Matt went on to Pepperdine University where he graduated with a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Communications. Matt teaches both private and semi-private lessons and is a popular instructor in our junior tennis program. Matt is looking forward to helping you take your game to a higher level.

I had hoped that by this time I would letting you know when we would be starting construction on the new clubhouse. While we are in the advanced stages of the permitting process we cannot announce when we will begin construction until the permits have been issued. Unfortunately the permits have yet to be issued and we are not certain when the county will be signing off on them. We have made all of the revisions that have been requested and it is now up to the county to complete the process. We will alert everyone via e-mail once the permits have been issued.
Have a Healthy Day,

John Sutcliffe
General Manager

 

 

Member of the Month

We have selected Aiden Whitehouse as our member of the month!

Aiden, 9, son of Lorene Whitehouse, one of our tennis professionals, is quite the athlete. He began playing tennis at the age of two hitting against his parents garage. Aiden started playing USTA sanctioned tournaments last Summer and has risen quickly in the ranking system. In October he reached the quarter finals of the Yamasaki Junior open, a level 4 national event. On February 17th, 2014 he reached the finals of the Cerritos Junior open. He is now ranked 29th in the 10 and under age division in Southern California. Aiden is a natural lefty but plays righty. It seems to give him a real advantage as his backhand is just as good as his forehand.

Aiden also plays on the Westlake Stars travel baseball team. He plays center, first and pitcher. In past years he has enjoyed playing basketball, flag football and soccer.

Aiden is always full of energy and a common sight at the junior clinics led by Chris Dudeck and Calle Hansen. Chris recently said of Aiden, "Aiden is a tough competitor and finds a way to hang in there and win." During the Cerritos open Aiden found himself down in two of his three wins. But he never gave up and kept on fighting. Calle added, "Aiden has that special combination of determination and focus that is rare for kids his age."

Aiden is playing in the upcoming Woody Hunt Open a level 2 event.

We all wish Aiden good luck!

Super Bowl Tournament 2014

Westlake Athletic Club hosted yet another successful and fun Super Bowl tennis tournament February 2nd. It was a great start to Super Bowl Sunday with 22 of our members fighting for our very own Super Bowl Tennis tournament. The weather was great with BBQ and beers during half time. The Super Bowl tournament is fun because scoring is similar to regular football with each team serving with a chance for either touchdowns or field goals.

Players wore WAC t-shirts designed with the colors of the Seahawks and Broncos. Even if Broncos won pretty convincingly in our match, I still believe our match was more interesting than the actual Super Bowl game later on in the afternoon.
Thanks everyone for coming out and thanks to the staff that helped organize the event with delicious food and fun decorations.

See you soon!
Calle

Glen and Dave

Andy, Cary, Jen and Susi

Team Picture

Traffic ticket warning

Be aware that the Highway Patrol have been issuing tickets to drivers that are rolling through the stop sign at the corner of Lindero & Triunfo Canyon Road. Please come to a complete stop before making the right hand turn onto Triunfo Canyon Road.

Fitness Stuff

Meet your Trainers

Jared’s Tip of the month

The humble squat might just be the most effective exercise you can do. It engages the entire lower half of the body, including the hips, gluts, quads, hamstrings and calves while also hitting the core, shoulders and back. A perfect squat calls for muscular coordination throughout the entire body.

But how low should you squat? Deep squats might actually create more knee stability and increase mobility or range of motion to prevent injury. The squat is a basic human position mainly used as REST. I recommend going slow in the beginning by trying to accumulate 10 minutes per day in a deep squat. Start with a couple minutes per day and build from there. Spend a few minutes each time you are on the phone or watching TV so that by the end of the day you have accumulated 10 minutes in the squat position (butt to the floor). This is one of the easiest ways increase mobility, range of motion and strength in your hips. Give it a try. Your hips will appreciate it!

See you in the gym,
Jared

Patti Markowitz
Patti has been helping people stay healthy and fit for over 20 years. Patti feels that fitness is the cornerstone to overall health and wellness and that getting fit is the first step to gaining a new and healthy lifestyle. As a certified personal trainer Patti specializes in custom training routines and likes to challenge and encourage her clients to surpass their physical and mental boundaries. As your trainer she will take your health and wellness personally, working alongside you to help achieve all of your fitness goals. With your determination and her dedication you can make anything happen.

Fitness Tip

Helpful hints for using the Treadmill
Running is one of the most effective exercises for burning calories but some exercisers are intimated to use a treadmill for their jogging. They are actually very user friendly and more forgiving on your body because of the cushioned decks which absorb much of the impact. Here are a few tips to make your treadmill running more effective, enjoyable and safe.

1. Always attach the emergency shut off strap to your waist strap.
2. Make sure you warm up. Run or walk at a slow, easy pace for 5 to 10 minutes. Start at a slow pace and gradually increase your speed until you reach a comfortable pace.
3. Don’t hold onto the handrail or console. Some people assume they need to hold onto the handrails when walking or running on the treadmill. The handrails are only there to help you safely get on and off the treadmill. When running on the treadmill, practice proper upper body form by keeping your arms at a 90 degree angle, just as you would if you were running outside.
4. Don’t lean forward. Make sure you keep your body upright. It is not necessary to lean forward because the treadmill pulls your feet backward.
5. Utilize the incline function on the treadmill. In order to change the intensity of the workout you can either increase your speed or incline the treadmill. Inclining the treadmill raises your heart rate but minimizes the pressure on your joints by reducing the impact at contact.
6. Pay attention to your stride. Keep your stride quick and short to help minimize the impact transferred to your legs. Try to maintain a mid-foot strike to make sure you’re not heel striking and sending shock to your ankles, knees and back.
7. Work on increasing your stride count. The more steps you take per minute, the more efficiently you’ll run. Elite runners run about 180 steps per minute. Try to improve your stride count during your run by focusing on taking shorter, quicker strides and keeping you foot close to the belt.
8. Don’t forget your cool down. Spend 5 minutes doing a slow jog or walk at the end of your run and allow your heart rate drop below 100 beats per minute. Cooling down will help minimize the feeling that your are still moving when you step off the treadmill.

 

Swimming Tip

Breathing Tips
When swimmers can breathe as easily in the water as on land, they can cover long distances faster and with less effort. When the body is relaxed, the breathing rhythm can be controlled throughout the changing phases of the stroke, making it easier to swim at higher speeds and stay relaxed. Here are a few tips to help:

1. Relax. Relaxation of the muscles in the face, mouth, and neck is an important skill for proper breathing while swimming. Swimmers who tense their faces in the water are most likely holding their breath underwater, which forces them to both exhale and inhale when they are above water. This inefficient air exchange creates anxiety and inevitably leads to exhaustion.
2. Exhale. As your face enters the water, your mouth should be open slightly with a trickle of air going out between your lips. Some swimmers exhale through the mouth and nose, while others exhale gently through the mouth only. Select the method that is most comfortable for you. It is important to exhale slowly. Exhale to quickly will cause you to gasp in your next inhalation, which can make you hyperventilate. As your face begins to leave the water, increase your rate of exhalation by expelling the remaining air with a forceful puff.
3. Inhale. Inhaling is a natural reflex that should be quick but not forceful. A quick breathe will allow you to finish the breath and then rotate your face back into the water before your hand enters the water for your nest stroke. Keep one eye in the water to prevent youeself from over rotating your head out of the water.
4. Long Exhalation. Your exhalation should be twice as long as your inhalation. A longer exhalation leads to a more relaxed air exchange.
5. Don’t Panic. If you gulp in water, shape your tongue as if you are pronouncing the letter k. This tongue position keeps the water from going down your throat. Even the best swimmers breathe in water once in a while.
   
   

Group Exercise Schedule

Class	Day(s)	Time	Teacher	Description
Yoga	Tue/Thurs	9am	Zabrina	Beginner/Intermediate
Yoga	Mon/Wed	6pm	Beth	Beginner/Intermediate
Fusion	Tue/Thurs	6pm	Katie	Pilates/Yoga
Yoga	Sat	8:30am	Katie	Beginner/Intermediate
Yoga	Sun	9am	Zabrina	Beginner/Intermediate

 
Tennis Stuff 

Video clip from Chris Dudeck, Co-Director at WAC

Video clip from Calle Hansen, Co-Director at WAC

Tennis Clinics

CLINIC	DAY AND TIME	PRO
Ladies Inter.	Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m.	Lorene
Ladies Begin.	Mondays 10:30-11:30 a.m.	Lorene
Intermediate Live Ball	Mondays 6:00 -7:00pm	Matt
Serious Tennis.	Tuesdays6:00-7:30 p.m.	Chris
Men’s Live Ball	Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 p.m.	Calle
Ladies Inter.	Thursdays 10:30-12:00 a.m.	Chris
Live Ball	Saturdays 10:30-11:30 a.m.	Calle, Larry

Match Finder

Ed Kronstadt is looking for 4.0-5.0 players for singles and doubles. The group will play week days 9 to 11am. Ed will maintain an e-mail listing and help coordinate the matches. If interested please e-mail Ed at [email protected].

Evelyn Muller & Peggy Lorbach are 3.5 players looking for subs. Can play 8am Mon, Tues, Fri and Sat. Please contact them if you are interested.
Evelyn @ 805-496-1205 / [email protected]
Peggy @ 818-991-0975