How Robin Arzon Used Fitness to Recover From a Violent Crime
http://ift.tt/2nnNOeQ
JA Tecson
In 2002, Robin Arzon was enjoying a night out, catching up with friends after a long day at her job as a legal assistant in New York City. As she and her friends enjoyed their drinks, a heavily armed gunman burst through the entrance of the bar, shooting someone at the front of the crowd. He grabbed Arzon by her hair and dragged her into the restaurant’s kitchen, where she was soon joined by 19 other hostages. He doused the then 21-year-old with gasoline and held a gun to her head. Arzon was used as a negotiator between her assaulter and the police. After about three hours, a fellow hostage tackled the gunman and Arzon was able to get free.
The night was traumatizing, but Arzon found that lacing up a pair of running shoes was an important step in helping her deal with her emotions. “I was compelled to run out the trauma that happened to me,” she recalls. “There’s something very raw and empowering about just pushing your body to an uncomfortable place.” A few years later, Arzon found that training for her first marathon also helped her get through a breakup. “Running is cathartic. There’s a lot we can experience in life that can be purchased, but this is one that has to be earned.” In 2012, Arzon left her job as a corporate litigator to dedicate more of her time to health and fitness. She got certified as a running coach and became a Peloton group cycling instructor. “Fitness has been a tool to write my own story,” she says. “I’ve discovered much more about myself than I could have ever imagined.” Arzon has now completed 22 marathons and currently teaches eight to 10 cycling classes a week; last year, she published her first book, Shut Up and Run, to make running less intimidating for newcomers. “Whether you’re just starting your running journey or have done dozens of races, you can miss how simple running really is,” she says. She advises those going through struggles of their own to try to recognize a situation for what it is and use it as a way to get stronger. “Challenges sometimes force us to reassess where we’re going versus where we really want to go,” Arzon says. “I found fitness helped me dig into my intuition and take a closer look into what I wanted out of life.” [RELATED1] Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
0 Comments
Marinated Chicken Skewers
http://ift.tt/2BDTg1N
Moya McAllister
A tangy oil-and-vinegar marinade keeps these chicken kabobs moist while grilling. Feel free to mix the vegetables in any order, or sub in yellow or orange peppers for red and green. [RELATED1]
Directions:
Mix all ingredients for marinade.
Add chicken to the marinade and let sit in fridge for a minimum of 2 hours (preferably overnight).
Preheat grill. Slide chicken cubes and vegetables onto skewers and place on grill. Cook approximately 3-4 minutes per side; turn only once.
Remove from grill and serve on skewers.
Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
Lime-Dill Salmon
http://ift.tt/2nnn3HL
Moya McAllister
Directions:
Preheat grill. Place salmon on a sheet of aluminum foil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper; top with sprigs of fresh dill.
Spread garlic on top of each fillet, and top with sliced limes.
Place fillets on grill, and sprinkle with paprika.
Cover grill to cook salmon throughout, about 7-9 minutes.
Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
Balsamic Beef Tenderloin
http://ift.tt/2BEB6g1
Moya McAllister
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except filet mignon in a bowl and mix well.
Place steaks in bowl and place in fridge. Allow to marinate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat grill. When ready, place steaks on grill and cook to desired doneness.
Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
5 Essential Tips for Ankle Care and Injury Prevention
http://ift.tt/2nqjBMz Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
The Top 5 Moments from the 2018 'Royal Rumble'
http://ift.tt/2BDXZjK Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
How Powerlifter Karen Cassette Recovered From Near-Paralysis Stronger Than Ever
http://ift.tt/2nlASq2
Chad Doyon Photography
Most nights, you’re likely to find Karen Cassette hoisting weights at the CrossFit Casco Bay in Portland, ME, with Team Panora. The 47-year-old powerlifter heads to the gym after her day working as a client manager for an insurance company. But 11 years ago, her life looked very different. Coming down the stairs at her home in February 2006, her cat darted beneath her feet; she stumbled and plummeted backward down the entire flight, banging her head and neck on the wooden treads as she went. Surprisingly, Cassette was able to stand back up and walk around, feeling minimal pain. Over the next few months, however, she began to have difficulty walking and experienced vertigo, muscle spasms, facial tics, and nausea. Her right leg was partially paralyzed. After six months, her doctors delivered the bad news: As a result of the fall, her spinal cord was severely—and irreversibly—damaged. Road to RecoveryWhen her neurosurgeon recommended cervical fusion, Cassette initially resisted. But the surgeon explained that without this corrective surgery, she was on the way to being fully paralyzed within the next six months. Cassette—who was very active pre-accident, running and even playing semipro football on a women’s team—was crushed. “I couldn’t get beyond my diagnosis,” she says. She underwent two surgeries, where doctors fused three vertebrae in her neck together. Over the next several months, Cassette began pushing boundaries in physical therapy sessions. Her doctors told her she couldn’t maintain her high fitness levels, and during physical therapy, she started to believe them. But deep down, Cassette says, “I was determined that I could be all that I wanted.” [RELATED1] It took four hard years of work before Cassette was able to walk back into a gym, and along the way she battled depression and what she calls an “emotional paralysis.” She ended a failing marriage and began to shift to a more positive focus. “I wanted to reclaim myself. Life was calling me.” Gaining StrengthFinally, in 2011, Cassette found herself back at the gym, carrying an extra 50 pounds on her body after five years of inactivity. She was no stranger to strength training, having lifted weights as part of her training for football. She started off with light weights and walking on the treadmill. But she began to increase the weights and eventually started running. “I kept my focus on each and every workout, one day at a time,” she recalls. Cassette kept building on her training, and completed her first figure competition in 2012. She was inspired to set her next goal of training for a powerlifting competition, hiring a trainer who could help with modifications for exercises that would not further damage her neck or spinal cord. Last March, she entered the Maine Women’s Powerlifting Championship Meet, her first competition, where she benched 143.6 pounds. Her new goal is to bench 185 pounds and deadlift 250 pounds. [RELATED2] Cassette now trains five days a week for an hour and a half each session, adding extra time pre-competition. She follows a clean diet, changing around her macros and calories every eight weeks and eating five times a day, drinking a gallon of water daily. “My current doctor thinks it’s a complete miracle that I’m lifting weights,” she says. On his advice, however, she is not allowed to perform back squats, which would exert too much pressure and compression on her spine. She also competes in 30 to 40 5K races a year. “My right leg still isn’t 100%. It drags when I’m tired or do too much lifting, or when it’s damp and cold. Sometimes it just buckles. I still get tingling sensations down my right arm and nausea.” Because of her near-crippling experience, Cassette is empathetic to those unable to run at all. She volunteers with an organization called IR4, a nonprofit that links athletes of all levels with kids and adults with physical or mental disabilities. Cassette is matched with a 10-year-old wheelchair-bound boy named Carter from Ontario, Canada, and hopes to soon run a race with him, pushing his wheelchair. “My hope is that my passion and energy somehow pour out of me in a way that will inspire others to follow their hearts, dreams, and passions as well,” Cassette says. “After all is said and done, we’re really all in this same race together!” [RELATED3] Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
Ronda Rousey Debuts in the WWE During the 'Royal Rumble'
http://ift.tt/2nlT2Ih After nearly a year of rumors, speculation, and vague statements from Triple H, it's finally happened: Ronda Rousey is officially a WWE superstar. During the first-ever women's Royal Rumble last night, many viewers thought that Rousey would be a surprise entrant in the event. When the 30th entrant (Hall of Famer Trish Stratus) entered the ring, it appeared the rumors were false. [RELATED1] Of course, that turned out to be a swerve. While Asuka (the women's Royal Rumble winner) was staring down current WWE women's champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair in the ring, Rousey made a surprise entrance to raucous applause. Rousey emerged wearing a jacket and shirt styled after legendary WWE superstar "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. While Rousey was silent, she made sure to point at the WrestleMania sign in the arena—making her intentions clear: She's ready for the big leagues. Who will be Rousey's first opponent? Time will tell. For now, stay tuned to Raw and Smackdown this week to see where Rousey ends up. [RELATED2] Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
3 Keys to Looking and Being Strong
http://ift.tt/2BCIitr Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM
Watch: HBO Drops Another Trailer for 'Andre the Giant'
http://ift.tt/2nm4Lq2
Courtesy of WWE
Colossal wrestling great Andre the Giant was a phenomenon throughout his career in the ring. And now he's the subject of a new HBO documentary produced by Bill Simmons. The documentary, simply titled Andre the Giant, is set to drop on April 10, and HBO is already garnering hype for the film—which looks to be a fascinatingly in-depth look at one of wrestling's most storied figures. [RELATED1] The project has been on the docket for years now—ever since Simmons joined HBO in 2015. His passion project is finally coming to fruition; and if the ESPN 30 for 30s that Simmons pioneered are any indication, this new Andre documentary won't disappoint. Take a look at the new trailer below: [RELATED2] Fitness via Muscle & Fitness http://ift.tt/2zjtGBz January 30, 2018 at 04:57AM |
CategoriesArchives
November 2020
|