Gourmet Health & Hiking Poles Weekend Retreat at Point Reyes

The Point Reyes website is limited in space so I’m posting info here for anyone who is interested in this weekend event, which is only offered once per year.

Location:  Clem Miller Environmental Education Center – we are SO lucky to have access to this amazing facility.  If you read the description of our location, you know we are OFF the grid at CMEE.  There is ZERO cell reception.  There is no electricity in the cabins.  There are 5 cabins on the property and one large bathhouse.  Each cabin sleeps about 20 and we will be 3 to 5 per cabin, depending on your selection.  Point Reyes provides 2 excellent/experienced facilitators for our weekend and s/he can assist with cabin selection.

Retreat Description:  Are you getting older? We hope so. But how to age as gracefully as possible?  You love the outdoors!

If you’ve ever considered consulting with a fitness coach or personal trainer, this is an excellent way to get started in understanding how to weave fitness into your life so that you can continue to enjoy your outdoor activities.  This retreat is designed so that each participant can connect with nature, rejuvenate and experience a variety of classes and activities specifically designed to help you maintain your ability to enjoy the outdoors.

Together we’ll enjoy Point Reyes and learn transformative skills focused on improving and maintaining your skeletal structure and quality of life.

The weekend will include structured classes, group movement and exercise sessions as well as a variety of health and wellness discussions. Participants may enjoy all or some of the activities.
Learn and practice skills and progressive routines to enhance your health as well as optimize, personalize and PROGRAM your fitness.

Expert instruction will help you improve your ability to hike efficiently and comfortably using poles. A variety of top quality poles will be provided – learn which model fits you best and will enable you to achieve your hiking goals.

Weekend rate includes two nights’ accommodations and most (healthy and delicious) meals.

Hikes: Saturday’s short hike is part of the hiking poles training. Sunday’s hikes: 2 levels will be offered (easy/gentle and stronger/exercise) so you can practice skills and experience the magic of Point Reyes.

From prior participants:
“I went from never having used poles to feeling confident. The food was amazing as were so many other aspects of the weekend.” Jaime
“Activities from day one that provide guidance on how to get the most out of the weekend. Jayah puts a lot of thought into her teaching methods to achieve individualized goals.” Julie
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your 1000% effort to teach us, care for us and inspire us to be fitter and healthier. I know you made each of our lives better in so many ways.” Clarice
“Exceptional training in a natural environment.” Carol

10:30 a.m. Friday, August 23, 2019 to about 4 pm on Sunday, August 25, 2019

Most retreats at Point Reyes run well over $400 and do not include the food.  This one is $315 (members) or $345 (non-members) and includes most of the food – see note at end of this post to see how you can experience a truly magical culinary experience as well as the training and camaraderie of this retreat.

Schedule:

Activities and times are approximate and subject to change due to weather or whim.

Friday:
• 10:30 to 11 Arrive at the Clem Miller Educational Center at Point Reyes National Seashore
• 11 to 12:30 Unload car, sign in with facilitator, get parking pass and repark car in nearby lot. Select cabin, arrange bedding. Settle in, lunch on your own.
• 1:00 Fitness for the Trail class
Six key elements determine your ability to maintain physical fitness. This interactive session progressively helps you create a more structurally-solid foundation. Individualized movements focus on improving joint health, balance, posture, endurance, flexibility and strength.
This is a combination lecture and participation which will give us a common language for the weekend and give you tools for establishing a healthy exercise routine. Participants will be able to assess their level in each category and learn movements and exercises in each that will help facilitate optimal physical health. Extremely easy, low to medium level of exertion.
• 4:45 Dinner Prep
• 5:30 Dinner (Discussion: individuals’ intros, issues, interests and goals)
• 7:00 Hiking Poles lecture, anatomy discussion and pole fitting (gearing up – variety of quality poles provided). Learn which poles fit you best and will help you achieve your goals.
• 8:15 Qi Gong guided meditation for organ health and relaxation with Master May Chen

Saturday:
• 7 to 8:30 Morning movements, Tai Chi & Breakfast (discussion: outline of the day)
• 8:45 Hiking pole training session and short hike (< 2 miles): Beginner to experienced hikers learn techniques which help improve performance on the trail. Optimal use of poles on uphill will improve your power, endurance and spine function; on the downhill, you’ll develop skills for improving confidence and saving your knees.
• 12:30 Lunch (Discussions: personal care tips, metabolism)
• 2:00 Strength & Balance session with bands (provided)
• 4:30 Dinner Prep
• 5:30 Dinner (Discussions: Gear, Trail Tips, what’s in your pack?)
• 7:00 “My Feet!” Session on feet including blister prevention followed by Qi Gong Meditation with Master May

Sunday:
• 7 to 8:30 Morning movements, Tai Chi & Breakfast
• 8:30 Practice Pole Hikes: Weather Permitting – Enjoy nature and experience the magic of Point Reyes. Two levels offered (Easy, gentle, nature hike or more energetic exercise training hike).
• 11:45 Stretches, Recovery strategies, including Foam Roller session
• 12:45 Lunch (Discussions: nutrition, wellness, fitting it all in)
• 2:15 Pack & Clean up
• 3:30 Farewell & Feedback gathering

Facility: – See description on the Point Reyes website   Scroll down to read about the Clem Miller Environmental Education Center.  There are 5 separate cabins, each of which sleeps over 20 and our retreat will be under 20 people total, so it’s 3 to 4 people per cabin.  We have LOTS of space!

Food

Our system is UNIQUE (and, if I do say so myself, brilliant) at Point Reyes, but it requires a little up-front coordination which, in the long run, will save you a BUNCH of time and trouble.

Meals are coordinated ahead of time via a website that makes the food for the weekend easy, creative and fun. Rather than having to prepare all your meals for the whole weekend, you will be able to bring 2 to 3 items plus a few staples. This easy and well-organized website will enable us to see what everyone is bringing as our culinary experience unfolds.

Our focus is on healthy, nutritious, yummy meals that connect us as we share stories and enjoy health-related discussions. You will be able to contribute in a way that you’re comfortable, whether it’s a main dish, side dishes, snacks or staples (which will be listed so all you have to do is sign up for that item).

A full-service, commercial kitchen is provided.

Participants will need to advise the instructor of any food allergies or limitations.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS: Instructor will want to reach out to you 2-3 weeks before the class so you can get the custom and updated list of what to bring as well as prepare your food contributions. WHEN YOU REGISTER, you will want to ask the field seminar office for the instructor’s email so that you can reach out and receive the info you will need in order to participate in this retreat. The sooner you reach out to the instructor, the easier it will be for you to prepare.

What to Bring:

Point Reyes Health & Hiking Poles Weekend Retreat  Instructor’s Custom List of What to Bring

This is significantly more comprehensive than the “standard” what to bring on the Point Reyes site.  I suggest you START A PILE.  In the past, participants were “sure it was there,” and left home without something really basic.  If you are lacking anything, let instructor know as Jayah has extra of almost everything. When in doubt, pack extra.

• Variable, layered clothing:
• Your food contributions (via the sign-up genius website)
• Your own cloth napkins (no paper please)
• Toiletries (including soap)
• Ear plugs (in case of snorers)
• Hat and sun protection.
• Good quality hiking shoes (with tread).
• Your favorite face and body lotion (for one of our health discussions)
• WARM sleeping bag or linens & pillows (linens not provided for bunkbeds, basic foam mattress only)
• Any other linens, air mattress, foam mattress pad, etc. for your comfort (this is “glamping”). Instructor is seriously “princess and the pea” and has multilayer air mattress, foam pads, comfy sheets, tons of pillows and a teddy bear
• Towels
• Shower shoes
• Flashlight, headlamp, lantern
• Your favorite mug for Golden Milk (morning drink which will be provided), tea & coffee
• Yoga mat
• Extra pad(s) for under the mat (something to protect your knees)
• A rag to wipe off your poles if they get dirty or wet
• Rain gear, if necessary.
• Fanny Pack OR Day pack with chest strap (or add bandana or something to TIE straps); water bottle(s) – note there is excellent filtered water at Clem Miller Environmental Education Center.

Optional Items:

• Your favorite small piece of exercise equipment. Be creative, as we’ll be sharing our success stories.
• Yoga strap (or terrycloth bathrobe belt)

Instructor has extra and you may request one especially if you’re an early responder:

• Chair for outdoor seating (lawn or camp chair)
• Foam roller
• Fingerless bike gloves

** Hiking poles?  I have lots.  Bring your own or let me know if you’d like to borrow a pair/be fitted.  When you email me about this, please include your height.

To Register, click here

 

 

Annual Gift Guide for Health and Wellness in 2015

Top of the list again this year.  If you love the outdoors, Bay Nature Magazine is a gift that gives all year long.

If you have a skeleton, Dr. Lani’s Bone Health book is a must read.  I waited to read Susan Love’s Breast Book until AFTER I was fighting breast cancer.  Please DO NOT wait for a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis to read this book.

Click here to order Bay Nature

Eating on the Wild Side:  This life-changing (but badly named) book will help you make better, more nutritious choices.  Learn how to buy, store, prepare fruits and veggies in order to make more nutritious choices, save money and shop smarter.   More info and great pod cast – click here.

Once again this year – if you have feet – these massage balls will help them stay healthy.  If you have a HINT of Plantar Fasciitis (or know someone who does), get them – don’t wait!

With Dad dying this year and mother-in-law failing, I’m aware that many of us are helping or dealing with an older adult who is at fall risk.  This simple, high quality bed rail helps stabilize at one of the most risky times – getting out of bed.  This is the one you want!  Also, I carry a Handy Bar for helping clients get out of the car, it’s a great stabilizer as well as a seat belt cutter and window smasher.  I hope I never need to use it for that!

What gift guide would be complete without a plug for POLES?  Consider gifting a class (if you’re in Northern CA) or a video (for hiking or mobility) and or a new set of poles.   To learn which poles best fit a person (and will help him/her achieve her goals), just complete the consultation form on this web page.  I have some poles that are discontinued, so my stock of high quality poles is selectively available for special needs (like extra tall people, wrist or shoulder issues, etc).

For locals (Bay Area Residents), anytime tickets to the Mountain Play are a great gift.  We go every year and the anytime tickets enable us to go when the weather is what we want (not hot).  They are only on sale for a short time in December.

Happy & Safe Holidays! 

Want to Live Longer?

Excerpt from the Johns Hopkins Health After 50 Newsletter, July 2014:

~ Muscle your way to a longer life

Want to live longer? Build more muscle, says a new study. 

After analyzing data from the medical records of more than 3,50 Americans ages 55 and older, researchers concluded that the more muscle mass a person has, the less likely he or she will die prematurely, even after taking any cardiovascular and diabetic risk factors into account.  Specifically, people in the study who had the lowest muscle mass had a 30% higher chance of premature death than people who had the highest amounts.

Although the researchers couldn’t prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between muscle and survival, they suggest it may have something to do with the metab0loism that promotes muscle mass and its association with longer survival.  It’s also common for people with more muscle mass to have a more active than average lifestyle which can contribute to longevity, too.  But, whatever the reason, the researchers found that muscle mass relative to a person’s height is a better predictor of longevity for older adults than the widely used body mass index (BMI), which estimates body fat based on weight and height.

If you want to build muscle, you should do a variety of strengthening exercises with dumbbells or resistance bands two to three times each week for about 30 minutes each session.  You can do exercises like pushups and squats, too, which involves using your own body weight.  If you’re new to strength training, ask your doctor to suggest the best exercises for you and seek out a certified trainer to show you proper form.

Note:  I hope you enjoy the above article.  I took the liberty of formatting it and adding paragraphs to make it easier to read.  One of the skills I enjoy is programming.  This means determining which exercises will help an individual to achieve his/her goals.  Weight training is called Progressive Resistance Exercise – emphasis on the word progressive.  If you create a good foundation, you can build little victories on top of each other.  This is SO important for preventing injury. 

Jayah Faye Paley, ACE & AFAA Certified Personal Trainer

Back Health & Your Feet – IMPORTANT

These 2 segments might change your life or at least your perspective:

• Stand Up, Walk Around, Even Just For ’20 Minutes’   This 24 minute interview is fascinating and filled with great info on your back and general health.
• Happy Feet  This 17 minute interview is – well – do you love your feet?

Pole Walking Classes all over the Bay Area

Determining which poles best suit a person’s issues and goals is an important part of the learning process.  We use all 3 types of poles, helping participants figure out what works best for their structure (fit), their issues and their goals.

Take a look at this Article in the Pacifica Tribune this morning.  We offer 3 levels of classes so anyone can learn great skills to more fully enjoy the outdoors.

• How to use POLES for Hiking & Outdoor Exercise
• How to use POLES for Balance, Mobility and Basic (Functional) Walking
• Walking Workout:  Urban PoleWalking for Health & Fitness (Nordic Walking)

Regardless of your activity level, you can achieve many benefits from learning these skills.  Your back and knees will thank you and you’ll feel taller.

Increased circulation to the brain is a good thing!  Being outside, with your buddies, enjoying a full body experience is the triple win of poles!

Check our calendar for all class listings, including Rocky Mountain National Park!

Learning How to use Trekking Poles for Hiking, Walking and Mobility

People are like containers.  Fill them up to capacity and then either they overflow or something has to come out to make room for more info.

Learning a new skill takes PRACTICE.  In a field seminar, we fit people to determine which poles best fit their structure and will help them achieve their hiking or walking goals.  Then we discuss how to properly use straps, how to optimally set pole length and then how to OPTIMALLY use poles on a variety of terrain.

We make a clear distinction between correct use and optimal use.  Since everyone is different, with individual goals and issues, we encourage people to FEEL what works best for them.   For instance, just because everyone on the planet says to set poles at 90 degrees at the elbow does not make it right for everyone (or practically anyone).  What if you have lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) or a past bout of rotator cuff syndrome or tired wrists from using a computer?  The key is to provide  the many benefits of poles WITHOUT inviting strain elsewhere.

So how does someone learn to use poles in the best way for their individual needs and goals?

Here in the Bay Area of Northern CA, we offer a variety of classes and field seminars  (calendar).  If you have the opportunity to take a class, great!

If you’re not local to AdventureBuddies, watch the DVD that best addresses your abilities.   Then read the DVD updates on this blog.   It’s wildly expensive to update a DVD, but we use this blog to update and enhance the training.  If you’re in doubt about which DVD will best help you achieve your goals, start with the Mobility DVD and progress to the Hiking DVD.

Enjoy your poles, your body, your buddies and the outdoors!

ACE Trainers: POLES Seminar & Waterfall Hike, Rocky Mountain National Park

On June 11, 2011, I’ll be teaching a POLES for Hiking Field Seminar at Rocky Mountain National Park.  We’ll explore roaring waterfalls as we hike, learn and explore.  This is a magical trail and a wonderful place to learn skills that enable people to achieve the many benefits of hiking with poles.

This class is offered thru the Rocky Mountain Nature Association for anyone who loves to hike.  In addition, ACE-certified personal trainers can get .8 credits for this class by contacting me thru this blog for more info.

Outdoors vs. the Gym

If you’ve landed on this blog, you’re probably a fan of the outdoors.  This blog is for you.

I teach classes in a health club and often ask how many hikers are in the class.  It stuns me that, in a room with 40-50 healthy active people, there are no hikers.   I believe health clubs  serve a purpose.  Group classes are fun.  Weight training is important for healthy muscles and bones.

I’m an instructor for a large chain.  They recently put up gorgeous motivational posters about health and wellness.  Most of them show buff bodies OUTDOORS.    Ironic!

In school we learned about civics, English, math, etc.  We took gym and learned to run and compete.  No one taught us about shoulder joint stabilization or how to build healthy and supportive knees and hips.  And NO ONE talked about spinal elongation.   There are movements which are key to maintaining a healthy and sustainable foundation.

I live in Northern California which is one of the most stunning places on the planet.  To live here, to pay these crazy prices,  and not enjoy the outdoors seems silly to me and my hiking buddies.

I have to wonder if those gym goers who never step onto a trail would change their opinion if only they could enjoy a nice hike.  What do you think?

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