The latest episode of Movement is a Lifestyle on Peters Township Community Television features Mike Schultz of Highland Training. Thanks to the staff & students for making it happen and to our guest, Mike Schultz for taking time to talk about how to become a stronger, faster cyclist. Mike offered tips for cycling/training through the winter and guidance on whether hiring a coach is right for you. If improving your cycling is on your to do list, check out www.highlandtraining.net for endurance coaching!
Tag Archives: bikePGH
FitLabPGH Movement Tips & Lifestyle Hacks Week 15 of 2022
#movementisalifestyle
FitLabPGH is a Pittsburgh area podcast and promoter of the ethos movement is a lifestyle, not just an activity. Each week we bring you 3 movement tip & lifestyle hack videos because movement is part of what makes life complete.
Before the videos check out this week’s Lab Lessons- Set Your Boundaries – sometimes dogs give use great advice!!
The videos for week 15 of ’22 chose the trail less traveled, a spring trail tip- give yourself a way out & keep it simple #keepmoving
Snacks That Keep Us Moving – FitLabPGH Video Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:41 — 6.4MB)
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This week’s FitLabPGH Podcast release is a video podcast providing a look inside the FitLabPGH Snack Bin. This is what WE use to fuel our 60-90+ minute movement sessions…primarily hiking, biking, and running. If you are looking for individual advice on nutrition and food choices, we STRONGLY encourage you to consult a registered dietician.
Listen to the audio, or enjoy the Labradors and cats in the video podcast.
What is Ben looking for in a movement snack? It should be able to be stored in a pocket or pack; it is approximately 100 calories; and it doesn’t upset his stomach. For Ben, that means no stevia, monk fruit extract, or sugar alcohols. Everyone’s body is different. Experiment to find what works for you. When in doubt? Consult a registered dietician. The goal is to get outside, enjoy moving, and avoid the dreaded mid-workout bonk/crash/insert your favorite term here.
So here’s the current inventory of our Snack Bin:
- Baby food – pear, mango, spinach (Lisa has not endorsed this option)
- Mini Clif Bars – chocolate chip or crunchy peanut butter
- Whole Wheat Fig Bars from Nuts.com (individually wrapped for convenience)
- Trail Mix – make your own, or head to Trader Joe’s
- Sport Beans (Lisa’s favorite cycling snack). Want to save money? Buy Jelly Belly jelly beans
- Honey Stinger mini waffles (warning: they may crumble in a pocket or pack)
- Skratch Labs Energy Chews – Sour Cherry (2 “warnings” – they contain caffeine and they get sticky when temps get too warm)
- Papa Steve’s No Junk Raw Protein Bars – vegan and whey protein options, many flavors, all “real food” ingredients
- Infinit Nutrition Performance Coffee Cold Brew protein powder, a.k.a., protein for coffee lovers
Take home message: get outside, enjoy moving, and pack snacks to fuel your movement session. Even if you’re planning a fairly short session, be prepared…you never know when a hike or bike ride might become an outdoor adventure.
Contact Info for FitLabPGH:
Email: fitlabpgh@gmail.com
Twitter: @fitlabpgh
Instagram: @fitlabpgh
We update via Facebook too!!
Movement Tips and Lifestyle Hacks – YouTube channel (posted on Instagram too)
Check out our sister podcast Moving2Live concise but interesting podcasts for the movement and exercise professional and amateur aficionado.
Comfort Tips for Chilly Cycling – a Video Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:04 — 8.3MB)
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This week’s FitLabPGH Podcast release is a video podcast: Comfort Tips for Chilly Cycling.
Yes, Spring is coming, but in Western PA, there is still plenty of chilly weather ahead before we start talking about Summer Survival Tips. We encourage you to find movement activities you enjoy, then take steps so you can enjoy those activities year-round.
Listen to the audio, or watch the video below to check out Ben’s Tōwmak drop bar fat bike from Bearclaw Bicycle Co.
Our first tip for cold weather cycling: choose a route that’s out of the wind if possible. Our ideal cold-weather ride is in the woods…BUT if the trails are muddy, we stay clear to preserve future trail conditions.
Next tip: Keep your hands and feet warm. Ben uses flat pedals and wears mountain bike shoes (these are from Ride Concepts) on his fat bike in the winter; if he gets TOO cold, he can jog and push the bike! He wears wool socks and toe caps from Aero Tech Designs. For hands, Ben wears 45nrth insulated gloves for colder conditions, and swaps them for lighter gloves from Handup or Aero Tech Designs when he warms up. Side note: If it’s below 40 degrees, Lisa wears the warmest gloves that 45nrth makes. When it drops below 30 degrees, we put pogies (bar mitts) on the bikes for extra hand comfort.
Final tip: LAYERS, ideally wool layers. On the day of the video, Ben wore Pearl Izumi soft shell tights over Pearl Izumi bib shorts. On top, Ben wore a wool baselayer from Rapha; a wool jersey from Pearl Izumi; a vest; and the 45nrth Naughtvind cycling jacket (check out our review of the jacket, released 2-23-22).
Bonus tip: Don’t forget the head and neck! Ben likes the neck gaiters from Buff, and a Smartwool 2-layer wool hat under his bike helmet. Take home message: if you adapt your route, and dress for conditions, you can enjoy moving outside in rain, snow, or summer sun.
So get outside…and move more. Then visit www.FitLabPGH.com for tips, hacks, and podcasts to help you keep moving throughout 2022.
Bearclaw Bicycle Co. Tōwmak Review – a Video Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:18 — 6.9MB)
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This week’s FitLabPGH Podcast release is a video podcast: Bearclaw Bicycle Co. Tōwmak Review
We encourage everyone to make movement a lifestyle…one of the ways we make movement a lifestyle is by obtaining the tools and toys to allow us to Move More year-round. Ben’s goal in purchasing the Tōwmak titanium drop-bar fat bike from Bearclaw Bicycle Co. was to get a bike that he could ride anywhere he’d ride a gravel bike…plus places he would be nervous to ride a gravel bike…also, he wanted a bike that would put a smile on his face. Specifically, he was looking for a bike to ride on farm roads, gravel roads, single-track trails, and horse trails (many of which have been torn up by the horses). We recorded this video after Ben spent 6 weeks with the Tōwmak; he likes it even more a month later.
Listen to the audio, or watch the video below to get a good look at the Tōwmak.
About the bike: The frame is the titanium Tōwmak frame from Bearclaw Bicycle Co. (www.BearclawBicycleCo.com). After speaking with Dustin at Bearclaw, Ben used www.BikeInsights.com to choose the correct frame size (55.5cm). For reference purposes: Ben’s Salsa Cycles bikes have 57cm frames. The drop-bar handlebars are the Redshift Kitchen Sink Handlebar. (www.RedShiftSports.com) and the bar-end shifter is the GX 1×12 shifter from Gevenalle (www.gevenalle.com) Ben contacted Mike Curiak of Lace Mine 29 (www.LaceMine29.com) to build the wheelset: Bontrager Jackalope 26” Fat Rims; DT Swiss Big Ride 6-bolt disc hubs; DT Swiss SuperComp triple butted spokes; and DT Swiss Prolock nips. Ben sourced the Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tires, which are set up as tubeless. The fork is a titanium form from Bearclaw Bicycle Co. The saddle is a Brooks C15, which Ben uses on all of his bikes…because it’s comfortable. The top cap cage mount and the bottle cages are from King Cage (www.kingcage.com) made in the USA in Durango, CO. The brakes are Yokozuna Ultimo cable-activated hydraulic brakes…in part because they were available…in part because cables are a lot easier to repair in the middle of a bikepacking trip than hydraulic. Last, but not least, the flat pedals are the Catalyst Pedal from Pedaling Innovations, and are ready for winter riding in mtb shoes or boots. Come summer, Ben will switch to clipless pedals and Lake Cycling shoes.
Bottom line: if you’re looking for a reliable bike that you can ride anywhere…with a smile on your face…the Tōwmak by Bearclaw Bicycle Co. may be the bike for you. It’s a gravel bike that you can ride like a mountain bike…and it’s forgiving if / when you pick a bad line. Most important: Ben loves to ride it.
Find tools (and toys) that allow you to just move…and to move more…year-round. Then visit www.FitLabPGH.com for tips, hacks, and podcasts to help you keep moving throughout 2022.
Do’s and Don’ts for Moving in 2022 – a Video Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:22 — 4.5MB)
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This week’s FitLabPGH Podcast release is a video podcast: Do’s and Don’ts for Moving in 2022. We encourage everyone to make movement a lifestyle…this year and every year! Whether you’re just starting a movement routine or you’re already a lifetime mover, here are 5 tips for an enjoyable, and SAFE, movement practice (for you…and for those around you).
Listen to the audio or watch the video below to enjoy the Labradors making movement part of their lifestyle.
- DO: Just Move. Your movement practice doesn’t need to be complicated, scheduled, or trending on social media. Take a walk. Ride your bike. Dance in your living room. Just Move.
- DON’T Put Yourself in Dangerous Situations. Just because you CAN try an extreme sport or ride your bike on a busy road, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Stay safe today, so that you can keep moving tomorrow.
- DO: Make Movement a Priority. Life is busy. Schedule time for regular movement.
- DON’T Be a Jerk. Translation: It’s not ALL about you. Share the trail (or gym equipment). Leash your dog in public spaces. Do your best to allow other movers to enjoy their movement experience.
- DO: Be adaptable. You may not have time to do your fantasy workout. Your fitness class may have been canceled. Adapt. Find something you CAN do to keep moving.
Take home message: find ways to include safe and fun movement in your lifestyle today, and you will look forward to making movement part of your lifestyle in the future. So just move…be safe…and move more.
Check out the FitLabPGH Movement Tips and Lifestyle Hacks videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for tips and hacks to help you, and your dog(s) move more…move better…and stay safe…throughout 2022.
Contact Info for FitLabPGH:
Email: fitlabpgh@gmail.com
Twitter: @fitlabpgh
Instagram: @fitlabpgh
We update via Facebook too!!
Movement Tips and Lifestyle Hacks – YouTube channel (posted on Instagram too)
Check out our sister podcast Moving2Live concise but interesting podcasts for the movement and exercise professional and amateur aficionado.
FitLabPGH Movement Tips & Lifestyle Hacks Week 48 of 2021
#movementisalifestyle
FitLabPGH is a Pittsburgh area podcast and promoter of the ethos movement is a lifestyle, not just an activity. Each week we bring you 3 movement tip & lifestyle hack videos because movement is part of what makes life complete.
Week 48 of 2021 videos: layering lessons to #staywarm make time to #move during the #holidayseason & don’t be afraid to #justmove
FitLabPGH Movement Tips & Lifestyle Hacks Week 37 of 2021
Movement is the normal not the abnormal because #movementisalifestyle
FitLabPGH is a Pittsburgh area podcast and promoter of the ethos movement is a lifestyle, not just an activity. Each week we bring you 3 movement tip & lifestyle hack videos to help you treat movement as normal, not abnormal.
Week 37 of 2021 w 3 videos about movement – be proactive to preserve the outdoors- pick up trash, embrace the opportunity to move & any season is a good season to get moving.
Want to tell your movement story, or the movement story of your 4 legged friend our FitLabPGH Feature and Movement is a Lifestyle Features gives you that opportunity.
This week FitLabGH Features featured a repost of Marissa Venanzi
Learn more about our FitLabPGH Features and submit a questionnaire to be highlighted. If you are from outside the Pittsburgh area or want to get your 4 legged friend featured then go here: Movement is a Lifestyle Features.
FitLabPGH Features 33:21 Marissa Venanzi (Repost)
FitLabPGH is a podcast about movement and movement opportunities in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Once a week we also highlight a FitLabPGH mover…someone who understands that movement is a lifestyle…not just an activity. The questions are lightly edited to allow for easy readability. Click FitLabPGH Features for more info if you want to be featured/know someone who should be featured.
This Week: Marissa Venanzi
Are you a Pittsburgh native? If not, what brought you to the Pittsburgh area? If so, why are you still here? I’m from Monongahela, so about an hour south of the Burgh! I’m currently living in the city for school at Chatham University. I fell in love with the campus, my program, the people, and the neighborhood and I know that this is where I am meant to be right now!
What are your three favorite movement activities in the Pittsburgh area? 1. I am a spin instructor, so teaching classes is definitely my favorite movement activity in the area! I teach at Spin City Oakmont and Triangle Foundry, and I love both studios and communities so much! 2. Outdoor yoga or walking… Pittsburgh has so many AMAZING parks and there is nothing better than rolling out a mat or walking and enjoying some movement and beautiful weather in a beautiful space (and then walking to the nearest coffee shop afterwards, of course). 3. This is very general, but I LOVE trying out different studios of different fitness disciplines in the area. The Pittsburgh area is full of a variety of studios and tons of incredible instructors, and it is so much fun to challenge myself with new workouts and meet new people by trying different studios!
Describe the best vacation you’ve ever taken? Where did you go? What movement activities did you include? I haven’t travelled a ton yet due to a super busy school schedule, but it is definitely a goal of mine! The best vacation I’ve ever taken was probably going to Ocean City, MD with a group of my lifelong best friends! The destination was not the most exciting, but the trip was filled with so many laughs, long beach walks, and quality time with some of the most quality people in my life.
What is your favorite pre- or post-workout snack? My favorite pre-workout snack has to be a banana with peanut butter! It gives me the energy I need to crush a workout without making me feel weighed down or sick from eating!
What is your favorite thing to eat in Pittsburgh? Note: it does not need to be healthy. This is the toughest question EVER. I love Shady Grove’s cobb salad… bonus points when I ask for the chicken tossed in buffalo. I love everything at Friendship Perk and Brew and Square Cafe. Both places have the BEST brunch and coffee in the city! I’m also in love with Millie’s vegan dark chocolate ice cream. I’ll stop the list there or else I will literally go on all day!
Do you have a movement activity on your “bucket list”? If not, what’s a movement activity/event you’re looking forward to in the next year? Yes! I really want to try acro yoga and paddleboard yoga! I also am thinking of setting a goal to try one fitness studio every time I travel!
What do you think is the biggest obstacle to getting people to move more? I think confidence is the biggest obstacle, mainly for people who haven’t tried certain workouts before. It can be really intimidating to enter a space where people may have more experience than you, and getting over that hill is the toughest part in my opinion. A lot of workouts can also be very daunting and challenging at first, which can lead to a bit of doubt, but the more you do them, the better and more confident you will feel in your abilities and entire self!
What do you feel is the most adventurous movement activity you’ve ever done? I’ve been ziplining a few times! Hocking Hills in Ohio is the best place to zipline! I have a fear of heights, so this is definitely the most adventurous activity I’ve done. Honorable mentions are kayaking and paddleboarding, and Stonewall Jackson Resort in WV is the best for those!
What is your favorite recovery or self-care practice? Yoga is my favorite recovery/self care practice, but that isn’t always entirely a recovery practice depending on the flow. The highest form of self care for me is to walk to a coffee shop or a park with my friends and enjoy the company and atmosphere.
What is your favorite spot in Pittsburgh? (Bonus points if it is a “hidden gem”) Mellon Park and the Chatham University Mellon Building Solarium!!!
Contact info for Marissa Venanzi:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissavenanzi/
FitLabPGH Movement Tips & Lifestyle Hacks Week 36 of 2021
Movement is the normal not the abnormal because #movementisalifestyle
FitLabPGH is a Pittsburgh area podcast and promoter of the ethos movement is a lifestyle, not just an activity. Each week we bring you 3 movement tip & lifestyle hack videos to help you treat movement as normal, not abnormal.
Week 36 of 2021 w 3 videos about movement all about movement, moving on your day(s) off and beating bicycling boredom #lifehacks #movementtips #qualityoflife #wellness
Want to tell your movement story, or the movement story of your 4 legged friend our FitLabPGH Feature and Movement is a Lifestyle Features gives you that opportunity.
This week FitLabGH Features featured a repost of Gabrielle Monaco
Learn more about our FitLabPGH Features and submit a questionnaire to be highlighted. If you are from outside the Pittsburgh area or want to get your 4 legged friend featured then go here: Movement is a Lifestyle Features.