November Newsletter 2019

Dear Members,

We are thrilled to announce that WAC had an amazing showing in The Conejo Cup this year. WAC won the first round to move onto the final round against Sunset Hills where we came so very close to winning. It all came down to the final match with Sunset managing to squeak out the win. We are proud to have such an amazing group of tennis players representing WAC and thank you for participating. Congratulations on a great performance! A special thanks to Chris Dudeck, Steve Wilde and all of our captains who worked so hard to make it a successful day. It was a great day of tennis with great camaraderie and fun had by all. We'll be ready for 2020!!

We are excited to announce that our inaugural Pickleball league is off and running. We have 5 four person teams participating in the round robin format. Different level players from each team play 3 games and keep tally of their total points. With this format every point counts so all of the players contribute to their team standing. This makes for some very competitive games where no one let's their foot off of the gas!! We are looking for substitutes to fill in when needed. If you are interested in getting on the sub list plead e-mail Miguel at [email protected].

I want to remind our swimmers that for safety purposes lap swimming is not permitted on the water fitness side of the pool when classes are in session. Depending on the number of students in class either 2 or 3 lanes will be used for class. With five or less students 2 lanes will be needed and with 6 or more members 3 lanes will be used. If you wish to swim by yourself in a lane we do not recommend you swim when water fitness classes are being offered. Classes are offered Tuesday 4-5pm and Thursday and Saturday 10:30-11:30am. Please be considerate of you fellow members and do not swim in the water fitness area of the pool.

We wanted to give everyone a quick update from the Clear Water Charity event we held last year. The projects we are helping to fund are in Mali's Kolokani and Tominion districts. Mali is a land locked country with vast deserts and a long dry season where people lack access to an improved water source. The initiative we are funding is at the halfway point. So far, World Vision has rehabilitated 3 wells and constructed 14 new wells with hand pumps.

Water changes everything – access to education, improved nutrition, gender equality and so much more. Thank you for supporting such a great cause that is changing the lives of people in Mali!

Have a Healthy Day,
John Sutcliffe
General Manager

 

Car Break in Warning

 

Cars continue to be broken into in the Westlake area. They are smash and grab crimes of opportunity that only happen when the thieves see something they think is valuable. We do not recommend you leave anything visible, even if it is not valuable, in your car while you are in the club. We also suggest that you bring anything of value into the club with you and secure in a locker in the locker room.

Upcoming Events:

• Pickleball Open Play Weekly Schedule – Monday 5-8pm (no coach), Wed & Fri 5-8pm (coached),
• Family Doubles Tournament - November 29th
• Pickleball Holiday Tournament (7 minute round robin)

 

Member Highlight

 

Michael Wasserman's dream to race in KONA comes true!

Racing in the Ironman World Championship in Kona is like playing in the Super Bowl. Ever since I saw Julie Moss crawl across the finish line in 1982, this has been a dream of mine. It was everything I thought it would be, and more! Meeting Ironman legends, both professional and amateur, during the week prior to the race was just the beginning. Race day was an incredible experience. Since I started an hour after the pros, I actually had a front row seat to seeing the pros come out of the water! The water was a little choppier than normal, but the non-wetsuit swim in the clear waters of the Pacific Ocean was awesome! I actually found myself swimming with a pack of athletes for the first half of the swim. Coming out of the water was an awesome feeling by itself. The bike was hot and windy. I heard of at least a few people who were blown off the road. In the end, all I can say was, I was cycling in Kona!

The run was an awesome experience. The first several miles of the run are in town, with good spectator support. But Kona isn't about the spectators, it's about the iconic nature of the course and the experience. Once you get out on the Queen K, there really aren't many people around. It's hot, but it's Hawaii. I was incredibly neurotic all day to stay hydrated, and to be as cool as possible. From that perspective, this was one of my most successful races. I kept my nutrition and hydration despite the conditions. It was dark by the second half of my run, but I had enough in the tank to run the last mile. There's no finishing chute like Kona, and it was an awesome feeling to come to the finish line, knowing that I'd fulfilled a life long dream!

On a side note, my passion for Ironman is grounded in my desire to promote the importance of staying fit as we age. During the run, I was passed by three 75 year old men, and it was an honor to be out there with them. In fact, as I came to the finish line, there was a 75 year old just ahead of me. He told me to pass him, but that just didn't seem right. You can see him in front of me at the finish. Right after the finish, I made of point of patting him on the back. I think I was more proud of what he did, than what I did!

 

Welcome Aboard Mark Hontas

Mark grew up in Chesterland, Ohio, where he was a four-year high school All-American and senior co-captain at Hawken School. Mark's childhood 200-meter butterfly age group record from 1977 still stands! Mark went onto The Ohio State University on a full scholarship where he swam the 200 butterfly and 400 IM and was a Big 10 finalist in both events all four years that he competed. Mark went onto to compete internationally and competed in the Balkan Games in Rijeks, Yogodlavia where he placed second in the 400 IM. He was also the Greek National Champion in the 400 IM in 1983 and was part of the Greek National Championship team in the 400 IM.

Mark is a Level 2 US Masters Swimming Coach and has coached locally for nearly 10 years. Mark and his wife Laura run a corporate meeting and event planning business out of Agoura Hills, CA. Their son Cole is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin and their daughter Elise is a senior at Agoura High.

 

Healthy Living

Health Tips for Surviving the Holidays

The holidays are right around the corner, marking the beginning of the 5-week holiday celebration that often spells the doom for your health and fitness plan. The holiday season does not need to spell the doom of your fitness plan but only if you make the right choices even when those around you are not! Here are a few tips to help you change your thinking this time of year.

1. Just say No – Think twice before you take that food or drink and decide if you really want it!
2. Hydrate – Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Aim for eight 8oz glasses of water each day.
3. Forget your workout routine – You may not have time for your full routine, so don't do it! Exert yourself for 10 minutes if that is all the time you have. Toss the "all or nothing" mindset!
4. Let go of perfect – You will miss a workout! It's not the end of the world! Just make sure you get the next one done.
5. Indulge for a night, not a season – It is easy to overindulge when the season of parties and leftovers is upon us. Avoid allowing "treats" to become staples by not letting them linger in the house after the celebration has ended. When the party is over, dump the junk!
6. Bounce Back – Okay, you missed your workout or overindulged. Bounce back the next day with a more intense or longer exercise session. You'll feel better burning off the additional calories!

 

Did You Know?

• WAC is hosting its 1st Pickleball Tournament? – December 7th

 

Fitness Corner

 

Are Kettlebell Workout Good for Weight Loss?
By Greg Brookes

The simple answer is YES! Here are 5 reasons why kettlebell workouts are effective for weight loss:

1. Each kettlebell exercise uses up tp 600 muscles. When you use more muscles with each exercise you use more energy which in turn burns more calories.
2. Utilizing kettlebells for exercise develops more muscle which increases you metabolism. The quicker and more demanding your metabolic rate the more calories you burn in your daily life, even while sleeping. Kettlebells, being a weight, strengthen and tone muscles which enable them to perform better in the next workout.
3. Kettlebell training increases cardio as well as muscle mass. Many kettlebell exercises are dynamic and require swings, pulls, pushes using explosive movements. These types of movements build strength but also work the cardiovascular system because the heart rate remains high while you are working out.
4. Kettlebell exercises are put together in flowing circuits which also helps to keep the heart up which in turn burns even more calories per workout. Once the workout is over the body needs to work hard in order to restore balance which in turn uses more energy and calories.
5. Kettlebell workouts are fun, convenient and addictive! When performing kettlebell exercises you flow from one movement to the next which takes practice and skill taking the emphasis away from the workout and more on mastering the movements.

 

Tennis Corner

 

Conejo Cup 2019

click here for photo gallery

What a great event the Conejo Cup was this year! WAC had an amazing showing, playing some phenomenal tennis and taking home second place! Throughout the day Westlake showed why we are the best club as we were able to win almost every division. At the end of the Round Robin competitions WAC was in first place and into the finals! Unfortunately, in the finals Westlake narrowly lost to Sunset Hills 6-8. There were some great performances that day, and if the ball bounced just a little bit differently WAC could have taking home the cup. As great as we played, we learned a lot and will be ready to take home the Cup next year. Congrats to everyone on the team for a great tournament!! Awesome job!

 

Pickleball

Top 3 Tips to Avoid Pickleball Injuries

With pickleball activity continuing to grow at the club we thought we would take a moment and talk about injury prevention. Here are 3 tips that will help you avoid injury.

1. Know your limits – So many sports injuries are a result of either playing beyond our limit (it's the nature of addiction) or playing beyond our fitness level. Know (listen to) your body and protect it! This is particularly true for those that are not regularly doing other forms of exercise such as strength training, cardiovascular exercise or flexibility exercises. Remember to pace yourself and avoid the temptation to over reach or exert just to win the point!
2. Work on your Balance – Try standing on one leg for 30 seconds. If this is challenging for you then you are at a considerably higher risk of falling, especially when you are playing sports. You can incorporate balance exercises into your warm up or fitness routine. It could be as simple as standing on one leg while you are brushing your teeth or more structured as hiring a trainer to help you develop a routine that is heavily focused on balance and core strength. Off court balance work will keep you primed for when you need it on the court!
3. WARM UP – When warming up you should consider your whole body. Start your warm with a few minutes of cardiovascular exercise to increase your body temperature. Aim to break a quick sweat. This can be done in the fitness center on any of the cardio pieces or on the court with a light jog. Once you have raised your body temperature do some dynamic stretches which are active movements where joints and muscles go through a full range of motions. These might include: walking lunges, walking lunges with a twist, walking high kicks or arm swings. Finally hit with a partner for a few minute and then you'll be ready to go.