Tracey Blog

Here is a rough draft of the Yoga Solutions cover.

Click here to view the clip.

  YOGA SOLUTIONS is a program for anyone who wants to gain more flexibility and feel more relaxed and rejuvenated.  This idea was presented to me by a good friend in India who is an avid yogi.  I had a lot of help from my friends in the East in bringing this program to you. Venkat (my friend from India) planned and choreographed the sequences on this DVD based on my concept to create a versatile Yoga Solution to complement traditional cardio and strength training. Venkat is a physiotherapist and Yogi based in Chennai, India. He applies knowledge of anatomy, physiology and ideas from exercise therapy and biomechanics to traditional Yoga practice. Apart from helping students explore Yoga for mind-body rejuvenation, he innovatively combines Yoga with physiotherapy. Venkat trained in Yoga since 1998 with Vivekananda Yoga Kendra. He has evolved and expanded his knowledge by imbibing the best from multiple schools of Yoga, through extensive reading, observation and practice. His students have included Yoga enthusiasts from India and around the world including USA, Europe and the Far East. With Venkat’s help, I have been able to create a program that combines traditional India influence and simplicity for everyone, no matter what shape you are in or what level you work at. The goal of this program was not to bring you a yoga workout that promises strength or power or mysticism.  I wanted to do a program that was more in line with the type of yoga I have been doing for 7  years, for flexibility and relaxation.  I wanted to make a DVD that anyone could do, even people who have never done yoga before, pregnant women, and anyone looking for something that will increase their flexibility and leave them feeling good all over.   I immediately thought of my sister Bobbi because she has been teaching and practicing yoga for over 15 years.  I love her approach to health and wellness and her personality is so non-threatening I knew you would enjoy her.  It is always a lot of fun working with her.  Adding Josef to the mix, was a no brainer, he is a Master Trainer for Les Mills Body Flow (TM) - a yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates workout that builds flexibility and strength.  Josef has been teaching Yoga for more than 10 years and his teaching style is inspiring and mesmerizing.  Having him as part of this project has been a real treat.   Being a first time mom is something completely new to me and although I am still doing my regular weight training and cardio workouts, I really wanted something else to help relax my body.  Just like I did with Walking Strong, I wanted to share with you all the little things I do to keep my sanity and this program fits the bill.  I know many of you have been asking for me to film outdoors and it has always been my intention, but you need the right location, the right crew and the right weather!  I’ve known of this location for a while and knew right away this was the perfect setting to film Yoga Solutions.    The running time of Yoga Soltions is approximately 60 - 75 minutes with at least 7 pre-mixes ranging from 8-2o minutes each.  (Running time is subject to change slightly after it is edited.)  The sequencing of Yoga Solutions is warm up, standing, balance, lunge, seated, supine, prone.  Then Bobbi takes you through Savasana.   This program begins with a gentle warm up led by Bobbi.  She does just enough moves to get you ready for some deeper stretches that target every muscle group you and I use during vigorous workouts ie: spinning, kickboxing, step or floor aerobics, running and weight training.   After the warm up the Standing Series is next. Josef teaches this, we do various moves for the legs and core and target specific muscles worked in different sports, ie; cycling.    Josef comes to the plate for the Balance Series!  Josef is such a great instructor he shows various modifications throughout his cuing while I just modify and try not to let the wind blow me over!  ;-0   Balance was included in the workout, because like flexibility, it represents another complement to conventional resistance and cardio work.   The Lunge Series is also led by Josef - he enjoys holding poses for a good amount of time, there will be a burn in your quads and glutes.    The Seated Series is next and I lead this one - we work on stretching the legs, hip flexors, IT band, hamstrings and do a few upper body twists.      I lead you through a variety of flexibility moves in the Supine Series.  These moves will help increase your flexibility and leave you feeling calm and relaxed.      The next section is the Prone Series and I believe I put my jacket on for this one (so did Josef) when the wind kicked up!  Bobbi leads us through a variety of poses that target specific muscles and allow you to work toward better flexibility.   To wrap it up, Bobbi takes us to a very relaxing (and well deserved) Savasana.      This is a program that offers you everything you need to relax and give your muscles the rejuvenation they deserve.  It’s like a Spa Service for your body. The pre-mixes have all been designed as a large part of this program to target every muscle used in the active lifestyle.  There are many (7 ) and they target specific workouts:Post run-Post Kickboxing-Post cycling-Post upper body weight training-Post lower body weight training-Post total body weight training–Post step/floor cardio.   I wanted to bring this to you before I got too large and the weather got too cold to film.  Yoga Solutions is the perfect gift to yourself for the holidays - a treat for both your mind and your body. Enjoy!     

Click here to view the clip.

Click here to view a clip.
Pre-Sale For Yoga Solutions (YS) to begin, Friday, October 17 at 8 a.m EST. 

The approximate running time of the DVD will be announced Friday October 17th, but you can expect it to be over an hour.

Pre-Sale price $12.99 + Free Shipping for Friday, Oct 17, 18 & 19th, pre-sale ending Monday, Oct 20th and the price goes to $16.99 + shipping at the new lower flat rate (US customers set price of $4.95, overseas are set at 8.95).  After these ship out to you the price goes to $19.99 + s&h. 

Shipping Guarantee:  Something new at Fit by Tracey, with every pre-sale I will guarantee arrival of your DVDs to my office (here at Fit by Tracey) during a specific time i.e, for Yoga Solutions I will guarantee arrival of the DVDs during the week of December 15 (so they can come anytime between Dec 15 - 19th) - this I can prove by the UPS tracking information - or your money back!!!  If the DVDs do not arrive at my office during that week - I will refund your money!

 *I reserve the right to ship these earlier than Dec 15th! 

Video Clips of the workout will be available Friday, Oct 17th along with shoot pictures and detailed information about the workout.

This is not yoga for strength/endurance/fat loss/mysticism. This is yoga for flexibility & rejuvenation for the over-worked body. 

Yoga Solutions was created for the home exerciser who is serious about fitness. There are several advanced cardio and resistance training workouts being created and many are periodized programs that recommend “recovery weeks”. 

Yoga Solutions has two main uses. a. Those looking for a post workout stretch (they choose a premix) b. Those looking for a stretch based “light day” workout to throw in the mix with intense programs, or “recovery phase” workout (they do the DVD end to end) Apart from helping people maintain and improve flexibility,this DVD will also help people target muscles they just utilized in a strenuous workout for a stretch. So, not all poses will be very bendy. Some will work to feel like a “release” for targeted muscles (example: calf/Achilles stretches with foot position variations while in down dog) This is not yoga for strength/endurance/fat loss/mysticism. This is yoga for flexibility & rejuvenation for the over-worked body. 

Breakdown: 

Warm up

Supine series

Prone series

Standing series

Lunge series

Balance series

Seated series

Relaxation

Segment 1 & 2: Gentle dynamic stretching based yoga This segment is especially meant for those who are not “warm” from previous cardio/weight training. In some schools of yoga, the initial warm up of a session consists of gentle stretchy moves that are not “held”. Moves like standing twists and bends, loosening up the shoulders and the hips with rotations. Segment 3, 4 & 5: Yoga for getting the blood flowing and the muscles warm.   This segment is again for those who want to use this DVD as a standalone workout. Flexibility is higher when the body is warm from exertion. Before moving into deep stretches, this segment will build some heat in the body. Typically sun salutations fulfill this role. But my goal with Yoga Solutions was to bring you beautifully choreographed, moderately intense vinyasa sequence using standing poses (warriors, triangles, lunges - moves that recruit large leg muscles to work up a slight burn and a sweat) and a few plank variations (example - high plank to side planks and then low plank to up dog).Segment 6 onwards Poses will be held for a few seconds to really deepen the stretch. Not vinyasa based. Any flowing can be incidental, if it naturally helps to move from one pose to the next. All muscle groups from the Achilles all the way to the neck will be covered. Segments will include standing, twists, seated, prone, supine. YS was designed for the overworked, overstressed, underappreciated body!  This is your opportunity to give your body a relaxation reward - and to laugh a little too.  Something great for the holidays - we all know it’s a stressful time, something to reward yourself with for the new year!

Anyone from novice to expert, as well as pregnant women (please consult with your physician before beginning this or any other exercise program) can do Yoga Solutions.  This DVD will help improve your flexibility. 

To reiterate:  This is not yoga for strength/endurance/fat loss/mysticism. This is yoga for flexibility & rejuvenation for the over-worked body.

Exact running time will be announced but expect this workout to be over an  hour with the following pre-mixes:

Pre-mixes:

- Post Run - Post Kick box - Post Cycling - Post upper body weight training - Post lower body weight training - Post total body weight training - Post step/floor cardio

Update:  Hi/Lo Med Ball was shipped on 10/14.  Steady State Step is shipping on 10/17.

Hi/Lo Med Ball will be shipping tomorrow, 10/14/08!  Tracey has the envelopes addressed and ready to go.

If you ordered only HLMB from the Fit by Tracey site, you will receive a shipping notice tomorrow.

Steady State Step has left the duplicators.  Tracey expects to receive it on 10/17/08.

If you ordered both HLMB and SSS or SSS only, you will receive a shipping notice on Friday.

We will post tracking information from the duplicator to Tracey later today and keep you updated every step of the way so you can watch and wait with us!

We are excited to finally be able to bring you these workouts and hope, as always, that they will  help make fitness fun!

***If you ordered both Hi/Lo Med Ball and Steady State Step and don’t wish to wait the extra three days for them to be shipped together, please email us at info@fitbytracey.com.***

Thanks again for your patience.  We appreciate you!

December 2008

Tracey will be on the Martha Stewart Living radio show today (9/8/08) at 3pm EST!  You can hear her on channel 112 or sign up for a free 3 day trial to hear the show on your computer.  Just go to www.sirius.com and click “listen online” to sign up.  They will email you your password.  No credit card required.

A picture of my girlfriend Carmen & I in Kansas City, MO last week.   My husband, dogs & I did a road trip to Kansas to break the baby news to his mom;-)Also, check out:   http://www.shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/tracy-staehles-walking-workout-with-weights-246656/;_ylt=AqX98kLXPobrhhZgl4Nnn3FdbqU5

My Cathe July 2008 Road Trip pictures - some of them…

This is my favorite picture, me, cathe & allie after the Friday night stretch class, in our jammies

Cathe & I all sweaty after her Friday morning step class - I can’t help but smile!

Cede, Cathe & Brenda - are they hot or what?!

Catching up with Cathe

After Cathe’s Friday morning step class - talking babies

Me & Ramita

Margarita & I

Me & Laura

Me & Cyndi during the Saturday evening dinner party

Laura & I - and no, I’m not that tall, I am wearing 3 inch flip flops!

Friday morning step class - before the RT!

This is one of my favorites - Deb, Cathe, Lorrayne & Kathy in their jammies

Carolyn, me & Carrie

Beth & I

Amy, Tanya, me, Laura & Allie

Amber & I

Allie, Me & Julie

Allie & Laura

after the Friday morning step class

Penny & Lori

Me & Ben at the shoot for the Daily Special

Yesterday I spent the day in NYC Walking Strong at New York Health & Raquet Club on 23rd & 6th.  It was a lot of fun!  The video footage will be posted next week on http://www.dailyspecialshow.com/

Sweating Strong!

Water break

Upper Body toning while walking strong

Tricep demo

Intro for Part II

Side stepping (trying not to trip!)

Promoting Walking Strong

Intro for Part I

Take 2

Showing the inclines & speeds used in the workout

Talking to the camera

Ben in action