CAMPer of the Month: Omar!

Omar is always at CAMP. During March Madness, we were beyond impressed to see him crank out three classes a day. And now, even though it's over, he's still coming to more classes than we thought possible. But how does he do it? And what inspired him to get into fitness in the first place? Read our interview with Omar below, because he's likely the most dedicated CAMPer of the Month we've had yet! 

1) Where are you originally from?
Puerto Rico. 

2) What inspired you to get into fitness?
Not a lot of people know that in November 2012 I had a stroke. After the recovery time, I started to gain weight, so I decided to start doing a series of events to get in shape. 

3) Do you remember your first class at CAMP? 
I was doing Turn Tampa Teal: A Week of Wellness to donate to cervical cancer awareness while at the same time trying different studios. That's when I met Paul and Jamie at Hip Hop Yoga.  

4) What do you love most about CAMP? 
Yoga, Cycle and Circuit all in one location, events, as well as awesome instructors and staff. 

5) You're known for taking tons of classes in one day. How do you do it??? 
Mind over body.  

6) What's your favorite class at CAMP? 
Yoga.

7) What's your favorite way to decompress/relax? 
Nap, rest, and chill. 

8) Proudest CAMP accomplishment? 
March Madness Challenge Finisher.

9) What gets you out of bed in the morning? 
Focus in, and tell myself to just get it done before my next event.  

10) How do you refuel after class? 
Eating organic food and protein shakes. 

DYLAN on Posture & How to Improve Yours!

This week, DYLAN from Circuit is guest blogging and teaching us how to improve our posture! Read on for some information about why posture is so important, as well as some tips and tricks for keeping our posture on the safe side. 

Here you are, sitting at your computer/sitting on your phone reading my first blog post. Without knowing it you are deconstructing one of the most important traits of healthy well-being: your posture. Outside of all the “CMONS” and lack of water breaks, you probably wonder why I am constantly using the same coaching cues for the entire 50 minutes.  It is because I am working to fix this simple, yet complex anatomical mess.

My goal isn’t to fix your posture through one post, or one training session.  I simply want to educate YOU on how you can start taking your fitness and well-being in YOUR own hands. This is a simple, free method of “training” that will singlehandedly make you feel and move better.  If you’re going to eat clean, train hard and have near death experiences inside CAMP, don’t you think you owe it to yourself to feel better?

Before we go any further with this post I have a few questions I would like you to ask yourself.

1.     How often are you in the seated position each day?

2.     When seated for an extended period of time does your lumbar and/or thoracic spine feel “tight and achy”?

3.     Are your hamstrings “tight”?

4.     Do you have neck pain and/or frequent headaches?

5.     Do you have shoulder pain?

Each question pertains to your poor posture.  Notice I did not relate any of these questions to your training session. My concern with your posture doesn’t necessarily pertain to your time training. It pertains to the other 160 hours of the week, when you are not training. Unless, of course, there is an underlying medical condition which I will not get into.

What is this poor posture I am talking about?  Envision a Hunchback of Notre Dame, or a cavemen sitting at a fire.  Their back is rounded, shoulders are rolled forward, and head is flexed forward as well. Likely, it is similar to how you are currently sitting.  The only difference is your technology is a little more up to date than their sticks and stones. 

In this position, a few key things are happening, all located at the most complex joint in the body: the hip joint.  In the body you can have “long and weak” muscles as well “short and weak” muscles. Poor posture results in

·      Short/tight Hip Flexors (particularly the Psoas)

·      Long and weak Glutes

These two bullet points cause the hip joint to “anteriorly tilt” or“tilt forward.” When your pelvis tilts forward for an extended period of time you are unable to contract your glutes.  When you are unable to contract your glutes, erector spinae (low back) and your hamstrings will overwork.  These two muscles are overactive to do the work the glutes should be doing, therefore causing you to have pain!

Tight Psoas --> Weak Glutes --> Overactive Hamstring & Erector Spinae --> Pain

From a Circuit standpoint, there are multiple things we do as instructors to address this issue.  We perform different activation patterns, as well as mobility exercises that target the issues I have stated in this post. The first photograph in this post shows an inverted row with SRT Bands- you're probably pretty familiar with this if you come to Circuit. Pinch your shoulder blades back and down when pulling yourself through the movement. Upon release of the movement, protract your shoulder blades as much as possible. Don't forget to squeeze your glutes! 

Below you can find two other exercises that focus on glute activation.  Glute activation will help stabilize the lumbar spine, relieving stress from the lower back and hamstring. AKA it will change the game for your posture. 

This being said, I am not the end all be all to getting this issue under control.  There are multiple forms of rehabilitation that will begin rewiring your movement patterns, mostly coming from you! 

Below are 3 things to incorporate day to day, to improve your posture: 

1. If seated at your office space for greater than 30 minutes do the following:
   -Sit all the way to the front of your chair. 
   -Place your arms down by your side, palms facing out. 
   -Pull your shoulder blades back and down. 
   -Feet hip width apart, toes out
   -Take 3 breaths, taking 10 seconds on the inhale, 10 seconds on the exhale.
    
2. When in doubt, stick your chest out.  Go ahead, try it now!
    
3. As strength training is super helpful, it happens to only be about one third of our solution.  We must stretch and maintain mobility of the antagonist muscles (pecs, shoulder internal rotators, hip flexors. If you are in the office perform this one stretch for the pecs.
   -Find a doorway, stand inside of it
   -Make a 90 degree angle, with your hands now on the door frame.  Lean into the stretch and push against the frame, hold for 10 seconds.
   -Lean into the stretch more.  Perform 3 sets of 10 second holds!

Stay tuned for more posts about how you can develop ways to move better, stay training and see results not only aesthetically but results in your every day activities!

CAMP's Charity of the Month: Autism Speaks

Throughout the month of March, we've dedicated our charitable efforts towards an organization that is near and dear to our hearts: Autism Speaks. Autism has touched many of our staffers' friends and family members, and we know that it has affected the lives of many of our CAMPers, as well. That's why we wanted to make this month, and our events, about raising money and awareness for Autism Speaks. 

Autism Speaks "enhances lives today and is accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow." Not only do they seek to raise awareness about autism, but they also work to help those affected by it, both in the present and through research for the future. It's a tremendous cause, and now is a great time to get involved, as April is World Autism Month. The Tampa Bay chapter of Autism Speaks is hosting an Autism Speaks Walk on April 22nd- click here to find out more information. 

CAMP hosted two events in March to raise money for Autism Speaks: Hip Hop Yoga at 81Bay Brewery and a Pedal with Purpose ride. We host Hip Hop Yoga at 81Bay frequently, and each time, it benefits a different charity. We open this event up to the community and make it donation-based, in the hopes that we can share yoga and our charity with a larger audience. This month, we raised just over $600 for Autism Speaks. We're so thankful to all of the new and existing CAMPers who came and supported us by flowing for a cause. 

Lauren B. also hosted a Pedal with Purpose ride at CAMP to support Autism Speaks. Charitable efforts are very important to her: "When you ride for something bigger than yourself, it becomes about more than calories- it becomes about who you want to be as a person. You build the strength up in this room that transfers to how you show up for people in the real world." She led an empowering ride that helped everyone in the room discover a newfound sense of inner strength. She can't wait to continue leading more rides, such as this one, that help support important causes. 

We wanted to share the letter we read at Hip Hop Yoga, written by a friend who has directly experienced the effects of autism. We hope it touches you as much as it touched us. 

"Autism. A word with so many different meanings. Autism. A very personal word. Autism. An empowering word. Autism. A word that enhanced our view of the world.

Our son was officially diagnosed with Autism around his fifth birthday, however he had been receiving various therapies since he was 18 months old. You see, we knew that in order for us to parent our son well, we had to learn how to parent him. The early interventions made a huge difference in how he saw his world, but I think the real “therapy” was my husband and I learning how to understand his world. It made us more in tuned to our environment. It made us listen with our whole hearts. It made us better parents to all of our children.

In our home, Autism means listening with the purpose of understanding; it means seeking harmony in our minds and hearts; it means loving unconditionally." 

Inside CAMP Cycle

CAMP Cycle is different, and here's why you should give it a try. Maybe you hate the monotony of your average spin class, which always leaves you bored and tired after the first 10 minutes. Or maybe you're just a dude who's been in a few too many female-only Cycle classes, and you'd much rather go to Circuit, because it's a better workout... right? 

CAMP Cycle is more than just 45 minutes on a stationary bike. It's a fast-paced full-body workout that's just as fun as it is difficult. We use hand weights and push-ups on the handle bars to target your upper body, as well as tapbacks and isolations to target your lower body. You'll even work your abs as you twist and crunch it out to the beat. Speaking of the beat, we do emphasize riding to the rhythm of the room, but we also don't expect you to be perfect. So if the beat is a little too fast, feel free to just do you. Your ride is your time, not anyone else's. 

But is it actually that intense of a workout? Cycle is often marketed as a cardio dance party, and in some ways, that's true- you can always expect to hear some sick beats while in class. However, if you're looking for a serious cardio workout, this is the class for you. One of our regular CAMPers wore a heart rate monitor during his last Cycle-Yoga blend, and he burned more calories in those 60 minutes than he did in Circuit. No offense to Circuit, because we love all of our offerings. But Cycle is a kick-ass workout! 

We also understand that Cycle can be polarizing. It's typically seen as a female-only workout, but we don't see any reason why it needs to be gender-biased. If you're a dude, and you're really not into the idea of doing tapbacks, skip them. Nothing is mandatory, and our instructors won't make you feel bad for doing your own thing. 

We often get asked about our themed rides, from TRL to the Rock vs. Hip Hop ride Danielle taught this past week. Basically, we want Cycle to be as fun as it can possibly be. We think adding themes to our rides encourages a more exciting, upbeat atmosphere, and it gives our instructors the chance to get creative with their music. So try to go into themed rides with an open mind, because they're always a blast! 

Overall, CAMP Cycle is always a good time. All of our instructors bring different energies, so make sure to try all of them before picking a favorite. Just know that you can't go wrong- your instructor will be your coach, your DJ, and your inspiration, and we promise you'll leave feeling way better than you did before. 

CAMP Art

Bianca Burrow and the Vitale Brothers turned CAMP's vision into a reality. The Vitale Brothers are responsible for the external artwork, AKA the murals and landscape art that make CAMP the visual landmark it is today. Meanwhile, Bianca is the one behind all the Instagram-friendly details and murals, as well as the CAMP swag you see people rocking all over Tampa. Because let's face it- CAMP wouldn't be CAMP without the totem poles or the t-shirts. But what was the inspiration for CAMP's artwork? And since you all are obviously fans by now, where else can you find their work? We interviewed Johnny and Bianca for these answers and more. 

How long have you been an artist? 

Johnny Vitale: I got started the first couple years out of high school. I was a waiter for a while, and I always did signs for the places I worked for. Somebody suggested that I start my own business- that was about 26 years ago. 

Bianca Burrows: I went to UT and did a lot of paintings on canvas while majoring in Art & Design. I also used to work at Pizza Fusion, and when they asked if I did murals, I said "sure," and it kind of grew from there. Soon after, I started working at a printing and sign shop, where I learned how to use vinyl- this is where mixed media came into play for me. I started doing more murals, then CRG hired me as their art director, where I learned the importance of branding, especially for all the restaurant concepts. Now, I've learned how to tell a story about a brand through art.  

Johnny, what made you want to get into business with your family? 

JV: I'm the oldest brother. As I started along this path, I reached out to my brother, Paul, who wasn't doing great in high school at the time. We were all trying to go somewhere with our lives, so we decided to team up. 

Where does your aesthetic come from? 

JV: Years and years of doing commercial art. At this point, we have every style under our belt. Basically, our style is all styles. When we do things for ourselves, we lean towards pop art or highly detailed illustrative art. Joey is an amazing portrait artist. Paul can paint anything. I tend to lean towards pop art. I like things that make people happy. 

BB: I really get involved with each concept- for CAMP, I made a lot of signs out of wood. I pretended that I would be walking into a summer camp and asked myself- what would you see? I live the brand, so my aesthetic changes. 

What made you want to get involved with CAMP? 

JV: I've done work for the Lanzas for a long time- we did Green Lemon. Since the beginning of our work at CAMP, I had a real appreciation for Jamie's vision. It was very direct, and she didn't just leave it in our court. She was inspired a lot by Wes Anderson, which was cool. 

BB: I actually started off as a server in Ciccio's. I always got involved- at one point, I saw a poster, and since I went to school for Art & Design, I told the owners that it didn't look good. I found myself getting emails from CRG, asking me for my opinion on things. Then, they hired me as a part of their marketing team, which hardly existed at the time. I also had a healthy baking baking company, and I started selling my cookies at Daily Eats. Eventually, when FK became a concept, I started selling my cookies there, and I became more heavily involved in CRG, especially with the executives, at that time. A couple years ago, Matt introduced me to Jamie, and when Matt and Jamie got engaged, I did a creative Save the Date mural on Howard. That's how Jamie and I got super close, and it's only evolved from there.

What was your inspiration for CAMP's artwork? What all have you done for CAMP? 

JV: I saw her direction, and when I saw that big canvas, I saw it as a big backdrop, like a camp itself. I knew that I had to do something that made it into a campground, with everything cool about camp in the middle of Tampa. I took it from just being signage on the front of the buildings to wraparound murals. It was a simple concept, but it does a lot for the eye. 

BB: I've done everything from the t-shirt designs, to the indoor murals, to the window decor- those binoculars that allow you to peek into the Circuit and Cycle rooms. That particular design was based on Moonrise Kingdom, the Wes Anderson film. We took a boring regulation, where there had to be a peephole in the windows, and tried to fit it more within the brand. 

Did you go to summer camp when you were little? 

JV: I never went but I watched a lot of summer camp movies. I was actually a Cub Scout but I got kicked out because my parents wouldn't buy me the right shorts. 

BB: I never did. My mom loved me too much. 

What's your favorite part of CAMP's artwork? 

JV: I like the totem poles the best. But it all works together- without the setting they would make no sense.  

PS- In case you're wondering, we've named the animals on the totem poles. Mr. Gainz is the bear, Duke Ellington is the elephant, and Mr. Bigglesworth is the cat. 

BB: I love the signs over the water fountains. They're so playful, and they turned into a cool way of saying that CAMP offers filtered water. 

What's your inspiration for your art? 

JV: Before we get started, we like to ask ourselves if this is something we want to paint. If we don't like it, we'll heavily offer other suggestions until we sway our client. We know what looks good and what doesn't. That's our inspiration- if we like it, then they'll like it. 

BB: I use Google a lot. For CAMP, I watched Moonrise Kingdom 2 or 3 times. But whenever I start a new project, I'll rely heavily on the brand book, and do a lot of extra research as well. I'll also look at other artists for inspiration. I'll find 5 murals in the area, and pick one aspect from each mural that I like and might want to incorporate into my work. 

What's been your favorite piece of art to date? 

JV: We just finished something for ourselves, which was a mashup of Disney meets Spongebob in St Pete. My kind inspired me to do it- it's pure eye candy. It's a nod to the 80's, as well, with the checkerboard print, lightning bolts, and bubblegum design. It's super pop art, which I love. 

BB: I love the murals that I've done, especially the one in Hyde Park for Surf Outfitters. I also love the bathroom art that I did for Better Byrd in St. Pete.  

What do you hope to achieve through your art?

JV: Now, where I'm at in my life, I like art and our company for what we do. We provide a service for people. The artwork  has become such a part of us, and where it advances, only time will tell. At the end of this month, a sunglass company, Born in Brooklyn, is having us do mural work for their convention. We're going to do portraits of people born in Brooklyn, which I'm excited about. Projects tend to come our way, so we just keep the momentum going. Honestly, my art right now is really this movie I'm working on. But we are working with Matt and Bianca on a new design for Green Lemon, which will start to come about in the next couple of days, and that type of rockstar work is what really keeps me going. 

BB: I hope that people who see my art are able to learn all the great things about the brand, as well as the brand's love for their customers. I want people to get all of that information in a fun, creative way. People don't want to read 10 sentences when they could see it manifested artistically on a wall. 

Johnny, tell me more about this movie. 

JV:  It's about an urban legend that everyone knows in St. Pete called the Mini Lights. Basically, there are these clown midgets from the Ringling Bros circus back in the 40's, and they lived with this lady named Mini Lightning. She was a voodoo priestess. Now, if you're little and you don't get back before sunset, the clowns turn into mini beams of light and they chase you home. Everybody knows about it in St. Pete, on the South side and the North side. So we decided to make a horror film about it. I'm really excited about it- this is what really gets my creative side going these days. 

And Bianca, I know you're on our website as a yoga instructor at CAMP. Tell me a little more about that. 

BB: Yes! I got certified at Y7 with Jamie this past summer. I didn't initially get certified to be an instructor- I just wanted to deepen my practice. But when I was there, it was all I was doing, so I started really wanting to teach. I still want to teach, but I'm so packed with art, and I'm traveling all the time. Eventually though, I do want to teach yoga, especially Hip Hop Yoga at CAMP. 

You can find the Vitale Bros' work on their website, here. You can find Bianca's website here. Make sure to follow the Vitale Brothers on Instagram at @vitalebros and Bianca at @badonkzart.