by guest blogger, Michael Antonucci, author of www.RunningIsFunny.com

My next stop for Canyon Ranch’s peak performance program was to the dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan machine. As I understood it, the machine would pepper me with gamma rays and turn me into a superhero.

Dr. Brewer punctured my balloon by explaining the machine would simply measure my bone density and, as a side benefit, my body fat. Oh joy.

“This generally doesn’t hurt,” said Dr. Brewer, which of course is the money quote they’ll print in the newspaper story describing my grisly death and charred corpse. Fortunately my fears were groundless and the scan only took a few minutes. Soon we were looking at the enchanting picture you see here. Control yourselves, ladies, but that’s me with nothing on—not even skin, fat, muscles or internal organs.

The readout showed I had 20,945 grams of fat on me—about the same amount as a porterhouse at your local Sizzler. My body was 30.7 percent fat.

I was freaking out for the better part of the day until exercise physiologist Mike Siemens explained that the DEXA scan measures all the fat in my body, including the thin threads throughout the lean, or, as I unappetizingly called it, my marbling.

To demonstrate the difference from a normal body composition test, he used the calipers on me and measured out 23 percent fat. Still not good, but at least I had a better reference.

Mike explained that even though I’m a thin guy (5′11″, 154 lbs.), I’m lacking in lean mass, or, in layman’s terms, muscle. Mike had to throw a net over me as I tried to lam out of there. I knew where this was heading: the weight room.

But I got a short reprieve. I had to take one final test before the remedies began: an aerobic capacity test, better known by runners the world over as a VO2 max test.

The Peak Performance Program is also available for cycling, golf, swimming, tennis and triathalon training. This specialized health and fitness package can be added onto any group date.

For a complete list of upcoming 2010 retreats, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

by guest blogger, Michael Antonucci, author of www.RunningIsFunny.com

I can’t say my second day in Canyon Ranch’s peak performance program started the way I like. After a 12-hour fast I had a 7:30 a.m. appointment for a blood draw.

Dr. Stephen Brewer, Canyon Ranch’s medical director, kindly invited me to attend the peak performance staff meeting at 8 a.m. I readily agreed, but wondered whether I would be tested while in a state of keen hunger.

I was introduced around, but names and faces began to blur as I spied the bagels and cream cheese (obviously contraband) on the conference room table. No doubt fearing the ravenous look in my eyes, I was told to help myself. I’m not proud to confess the meeting commenced amidst a blizzard of bagel crumbs.

The topic of discussion was shin splints, in honor of my presence and my recent bout with same. Dr. Richard Gerhauser, like most of the peak performance staff, is an impressive athlete in his own right, and explained the fundamentals of medial tibial stress syndrome.

I explained how I had treated my shins with ice and ibuprofen when Dr. Gerhauser suggested that reducing inflammation was not always the best approach to take.

Heresy! I thought. Thou shalt treat shin splints with rest, ice and Advil, sayeth the Mayo Clinic and every other shin splint advice column on the Internet.

But Dr. Gerhauser explained the role of inflammation in healing. Reducing inflammation brings relief, but it can also extend recovery time. Assuming you have no immune system complications, this makes some sense and may help explain the findings of the British Journal of Sports Medicine about ice baths. Participants who soaked in ice baths after activity reported more pain than those who did not.

I can’t say I’m entirely convinced, but a little research did determine that inflammation is a lot more complicated medical topic than I had imagined. My brilliant plan is to simply avoid it whenever possible.

Next up was my dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan. Find out next week how much I charge to haunt a house!

The Peak Performance Program is also available for cycling, golf, swimming, tennis and triathalon training. This specialized health and fitness package can be added onto any group date.

For a complete list of upcoming 2010 retreats, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

by guest blogger, Michael Antonucci, author of www.RunningIsFunny.com

My peak performance package at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, began almost immediately after arrival with a trip to the nurse to check my blood pressure (116/64) and resting pulse rate (64). Then a program specialist went through my action-packed schedule with me.

My first stop was a small room where exercise physiologist Mike Siemens greeted me. After providing him with my vital statistics, I boarded a leg press machine that was hooked up to a computer and monitor.

Normally you wouldn’t need a computer to see how well you can lift, but it would be difficult if your physiologist were directing you to lift 63 percent of the way, then down to 30 percent, then back up to 85 percent, and so on. So the computer converts the exercise into a series of video games for your legs.

For someone like me who never lifts weights, this was good news. The games kept me entertained so I didn’t notice that I was absolutely torturing my quads, glutes and other muscles I didn’t know I had.

One of the first games resembled Breakout!, a Pong-like game that involves keeping three balls in play by moving a paddle back and forth across the bottom of the screen. The twist is that you don’t move the paddle by turning a knob with your wrists, but by pushing the weight up and down with one leg.

I was pretty good at this but Mike wouldn’t let me go for the high score.

The next one was like Frogger, requiring sharp movements to keep from smashing into the obstacles. I was mostly roadkill.

After about 30 minutes, I was ready to try Asteroids or Super Mario, but Mike decided to show me what it all meant instead.

Using a series of color-coded printouts, Mike first explained that my left leg was 11 percent stronger than my right leg. They should be within 3 to 10 percent of each other, so it confirmed my theory that I’m slightly unbalanced.

The coordination, endurance capacity and proprioceptive results all indicated that my eccentric contractions were much more efficient than my concentric contractions. OK, so I’m unbalanced and extra eccentric. Tell me something I don’t know.

Mike patiently explained that pushing the weight up was concentric and letting it down was eccentric. Translating this to running, it meant that my transition from footfall to push-off was not as efficient as it could be. In short, I’m not getting the maximum propulsion from each stride.

This information enabled Mike to develop a plan for our upcoming running session. I was pretty jazzed to begin, but I needed to rest my eccentric legs because the next day promised to be extremely taxing.

The Peak Performance Program is also available for cycling, golf, swimming, tennis and triathalon training. This specialized health and fitness package can be added onto any group date.

For a complete list of upcoming 2010 retreats, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

by guest blogger, Michael Antonucci, author of www.RunningIsFunny.com

Because of my amazing celebrity connections, I got an opportunity this week to try out the peak performance package at the Canyon Ranch health resort in Tucson, Arizona.

I will be spending four days being tested, poked, prodded, analyzed and examined like an alien abductee while expert exercise physiologists, sports physicians and nutritionists try to figure out why I’m so damned slow. Oh, and a behavioral specialist will determine if it’s because I am a generally warped human being.

I’m not the first person to go through this program. Kathryn Bertine tried it out for ESPN.com last year. This is especially daunting for me, because not only is Kathryn a former ice skater and professional triathlete, but she’s a helluva lot better writer than I am.

But while many elite athletes have completed this kind of program and gone on to do great things in the wide world of sports, I will be the first middle-aged, middle-of-the-pack distance runner to undergo the trials and tribulations of body scans and a VO2 max test in order to discover that I’m a middle-aged, middle-of-the-pack distance runner.

In the weeks to come, I’ll provide all the gory details, so stay tuned to this space to find out what happens when an average Joe gets the elite athlete treatment… if I live.

The Peak Performance Program is also available for cycling, golf, swimming, tennis and triathalon training. This specialized health and fitness package can be added onto any group date.

For a complete list of upcoming 2010 retreats, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

Serenity Meditation Pond

A retreat is an opportunity to withdraw from your regular routine and responsibilities. It can be used as a time for quiet contemplation and personal development. Canyon Ranch provides a nurturing, supportive environment where your daily needs are catered to while you pursue your individual interests.

For several years, I have partnered with experts in other fields to offer themed, special interest retreats. Theses are flexible groups that you can join as an individual or with a companion. You are welcome to attend group activities but not required to. The benefits go well beyond the group rates and amenities. Traveling and sharing experiences with like-minded people is just plain FUN.

Artist's Retreat Workshop

For example, you can start a healthy new year with Rose Zahnn, President of the Healthy Habits Fitness Studios on her annual Spa and Fitness Getaway each January. Decompress with her Gentle Yoga class in the Yoga Dome the first evening and then join her at other fitness activities throughout your stay. Or release your creative spirit in private daily painting workshops with award-winning artist Brenda Boles on her Artist’s Retreat. Join Ann DaPrato, owner of the Rise Yoga Studio, on her annual summer Yoga and Meditation Retreat and learn simple techniques to de-stress and re-energize. Of course, you are welcome to join me on my Gourmet Getaway in July and enjoy a week of culinary events.

Beginning tomorrow, we get an insider’s look at the Canyon Ranch Peak Performance Program from a participant’s view. This is a specialized health and fitness package that can be added onto any group date.

For a complete list of upcoming retreats, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

Healthy, delicious, gourmet spa cuisine DOES exist!

Gorgeous, fresh, whole, organic food is skillfully prepared and artfully presented to you three times a day. You will look forward to your meals with anticipation and learn exactly what an appropriate portion size is for full-size adults. Different daily lunch and dinner menus list the nutritional content of items in terms of calories, fat and fiber so you can make sensible, educated choices. 

If the words spa cuisine elicit an image of a pristine white salad plate decorated with two lettuce leaves and a cherry tomato crowned with a tuft of radish sprouts (I call that garnish), rest assured, you won’t starve at Canyon Ranch. There are no extreme 1,000 calorie a day restricted diets here. Eating well is a necessary plesure for optimal health.

Naturally, you are encouraged to eat nutrient-rich fruits & vegetables and whole grains as well as lean protein and healthy fats. Balance and moderation are the keys, even when it comes to dessert. And healthy snacks plus a wide variety of beverages are available throughout the day.

So many choices, so little time. My advice: try the chef’s suggested Balanced Selection of 3 courses.

Canyon Ranch Cookbook

Attend the daily interactive Lunch & Learn in the intimate 36 -seat Demonstration Kitchen and watch Canyon Ranch chefs as they cook a variety of daily entrees. Ask questions while you enjoy your 3 course lunch and come away with the recipes to take home. Meanwhile, the small Hands on Cooking classes provide an opportunity for active participation and firsthand learning.

If you are a serious foodie, consider the week-long Canyon Ranch Cooks culinary program. This Gourmet Getaway features daily cooking classes, lively demonstrations, chef-hosted dinners, cooking tips, nutrition discussions and more. Learn practical skills and professional techniques from award-winning chefs as they share their “divine cuisine and nutritional wisdom”.

For more information, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

 If you are seeking relaxation and pampering, Canyon Ranch has a menu of over 200 services available to soothe, relax and revitalize your body, mind and spirit.  Your all-inclusive stay includes a generous individual allowance for professional consults and spa treatments. You can choose to be massaged, wrapped, manicured and pedicured to a state of bliss. Or you could meet with an exercise physiologist to design a fitness program to take home, consult with  a nutritionist to develop a practical, customized meal plan or receive a heart-centered Healing Touch session with a certified therapist.

So many choices, so little time. My advice: explore services NOT available in your home city.

Watsu Pool

For example, I tell everyone about the Aquatic Center at Canyon Ranch in Tucson. It is  a sacred space that contains 3 indoor Watsu pools where you can enjoy aquatic massage. There is an entire team of very experienced Watsu therapists here. You may request  either a male or female therapist who will float you in warm water in swirling dance-like movements while he/she stretches and massages your entire body. 

During the day, you can gaze up at Native American symbols painted on the dome overhead or close your eyes and just go with the flow. In the evening, soft lighting and soft music create a different atmosphere and mood.

Watsu draws on water’s rejuvenating power. Of course, it also appeals to me as a part-time mermaid. If you prefer dry land, the 100 minute Stone Massage with hot and cool stones and aromatic essential oils is a close second. For more exotic therapies, consider the selection of Asian or Ayurvedic body treatments.

I schedule my Watsu appointments in the evening after dinner. Afterwards, I can slip my spa robe over my swimsuit, slide into those spa slippers, waddle back to my room, sink into that comfy big bed and sleep like a baby until it’s time for breakfast.

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

For more information, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

As we drove through the main gate and up the driveway, my first view was of the Spanish colonial-style Clubhouse, at the very the heart of The Ranch, as it is affectionately called. (See photo Day 1) After checking in at Registration, I took a guided tour of the property with a staff member from Guest Services, the concierge desk.

I had half expected dry desert with cactus, tumbleweeds and sun-bleached bones.  Instead, I found Southwestern-style buildings set within grounds landscaped with gardens, ponds, streams, and  fountains.  Accommodations are spread throughout in single-story builings each consisting of a few well-appointed single or double rooms. In one secluded section, the casitas offer 1, 2 and 3 bedroom houses for family or friends traveling together.

 
Welcome to the 80, 000 square foot Spa Complex featuring extensive spa and fitness facilities with cutting-edge programs and state of the art equipment. Here, you will find the separate men’s and women’s spa areas and treatment rooms as well as the gymnasiums, training rooms, racquetball courts,  a Pilates studio,  a Yoga Dome and the Hiking & Biking Departments. There are also walking and jogging trails, lighted tennis courts and outdoor swimming pools.

Canyon Ranch has been described as the ultimate adult summer camp. Canyon Ranch offers approximately 50 different classes and activities to choose from each day. It is a veritable smorgasbord of fitness where you are encouraged to participate in classes from A to Z: aerobics, aqua classes, boxing, Burdenko, dance classes, gyrotonic/gyrokinesis, meditation, Pilates, Yamuna, yoga, zumba and much more.

So many choices, so little time. My advice: pace yourself.
You can’t physically do it all in one stay so don’t hurt yourself trying.
Balance is the key here and at home.

Next, the most relaxing spa treatment I have ever had.

For more information, go to
http://www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com/Wellness%20Retreats.htm

Thirty years ago (1979), owners Mel and Enid Zukerman founded Canyon Ranch and developed their concept of a health resort dedicated to life enhancement. Set in the foothills of Tucson’s Santa Catalina Mountains in Arizona’s lush Sonoran Desert, it has long since become a world-renowned center for wellness. They have indeed created  a unique haven for relaxation, recreation and optimal health.

Canyon Ranch Clubhouse

Canyon Ranch is an amazing place that almost defies description.  I first went there almost 10 years ago thinking I knew what to expect. Of course, I was aware of its reputation for being an award-winning  spa.  I had read that it was a luxurious, ultra-all-inclusive, popular with celebrities (including Oprah!). In fact, it has received the Best Destination Spa Award from Conde Nast Traveler magazine 11 times. But I was about to learn that there is a lot more to their  immersion resort experience. I would come away delightfully surprized and completely overwhelmed and continue to go back for more.

Find out WHY as we begin making use of their abundant resources in the next post.