New year, new me, right? Fitness is always the top resolution of every new year.
But health and fitness are not only trudging for hours a week on a treadmill. In a creative and educated community like Boulder County, there are many different ways to connect with, heal and strengthen your body.
If you want to start 2020 on a healthy note, here are three new, unique fitness offerings to try.
1. Fitbak Systems
If you are injured or in pain, or if you are an athlete looking to enhance your performance, Fitbak Systems can help. This unique methodology, created right here in Boulder County, centers around strengthening the core and spine. You also sharpen mental focus and improve your balance by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Fitbak uses simple but effective exercises than anyone can do, no matter your age or fitness level, to reset your posture.
The premise: Posture is highly related to brain chemistry and pain responses. If you improve your spine and core strength intrinsically, you can find relief from pain and more optimally move your body.
Fitbak offers a variety of different classes to learn how to do it on your own, or you can sign up for a treatment with a practitioner. After your treatment, you will be given personally tailored exercises to address your body’s pains, weaknesses, imbalances and needs.
Classes include a Level 1 education program (the local dates have not yet been set for 2020), which includes a simple exercise routine for full spinal strength and stability; pain-relieving self-care tools; equipment; instructional videos; and a recorded, guided meditation. You’ll learn all about the spine, the science behind the “spinal reflex,” self-care tools to manage the chemistry within the central nervous system and more.
In addition to the Level 1 class, Fitbak offers various other specialty workshops and more advanced trainings.
Fitbak is based out of Front Range Spinal Health, 3434 47th St., Unit 107, in Boulder.
Warrior Playground
Longmont’s ninja warrior gym, the Warrior Playground, is not new. But with its recent relocation to 2415 Wedgewood Ave. in Longmont, it has rolled out some new offerings. You’ll find an expanded class selection, special events, member workshops and new class series.
For example, the Warrior Playground has a new class for kids called Lil Tumblers.
There are new programs for adults, too. It just released its newest OCR training program; that stands for obstacle course racing.
Warrior OCR is designed to build strength and stamina; help you get faster, stronger, leaner and more mobile; and have fun, even if you never want to compete in an obstacle course race. Participants get a functional fitness assessment, nutritional programming, one-on-one training and access to strength and conditioning classes, Ninja Warrior classes, group runs, open gym and more. You’ll end with a follow-up test to mark how you’ve progressed.
Telespine
Lower back pain can keep you from pursuing fitness goals, as well as dramatically affect your quality of life. Telespine, 2516 Broadway, Suite 100, in north Boulder, aims to relieve lower back pain — without surgery, a huge financial burden and tons of time committed in a gym or office.
Telespine offers treatments online; it’s called a “digital health program.”
The belief: most of the time, people don’t need to visit an office, get injections, surgeries and more to help their lower back.
Based on information from more than 100 clinical studies on low back pain, Telespine offers tools and resources via a web app. You log into your online portal from your computer, phone or tablet, and follow the guidelines, which have three phases: a recovery, corrective and dynamic phase.
In the first phase, you learn strategies to feel better right away. In the corrective phase, you learn how to fix structural imbalances and restore mobility. In the last phase, you build more strength and flexibility and you learn functional movements to improve coordination and strength.
According to Telespine, more than 96 percent of low back pain comes from issues related to posture, strength and awareness that leads to movement dysfunction and discomfort. It claims its eight-week program is proven effective and can provide lasting relief in just 10 minutes per day.
