9LIST

Read Athleisure Mag’s July Issue #55 and see 9LIST in mag.

THE 5 FASHIONABLE BIKE RIDING ACCESSORIES YOU NEED

During the pandemic, some people have been unable to get back to the gym. Exercise facilities around the country remain closed, and you need to burn off some calories as you tone and tighten. That’s why many individuals have gotten into biking.

Maybe this is your first time since you were a kid, or perhaps you’ve been doing it for years. In either case, biking is great exercise, as it works several muscle groups.

When you’re out there, though, you want to have the latest and trendiest gear and accessories. You want to look chic, even during your workout.

Let’s go over some of the coolest bike riding accessories that are on the market today.

Lumos Bike Helmet

Poor visibility is a common cause of bike accidents. With that in mind, you want a helmet that not only protects your head but also makes you stand out.

Enter the Lumos bike helmet. This model:

• Has integrated turn signal and brake lights

• Has a wireless remote that mounts on your handlebars

• Comes with ten white LED lights on the front

It also has eleven orange LEDs for both turn signals and thirty-eight LEDs on the back. With this helmet, you are highly visible to any vehicles around you. You can also signal to traffic and other bikers when you’re about to turn in either direction.

Barrel Bag Bicycle Saddle Bag

The Barrel Bag-brand Bicycle Saddle Bag is a throwback to another time. It features:

• Modern functionality with classic leather styling

• American vegetable-tanned leather with a waterproof finish

This bike bag resembles the old brandy barrels that rescue dogs would carry in the Alps. The gorgeous walnut coloring makes it look like a surviving piece of a bygone era.

It also has a waterproof finish so your valuables can stay dry in the rain or snow. You can keep money in there, your phone, or anything else you think you might need on your trip.

Timbuk2’s Parker Commuter Backpack

This pack can go with you on your daily commute, but it works perfectly for travel as well. It has a modern roll-top design, and the manufacturer made it from 600D PVC.

This is a rugged material that can keep your belongings safe, even in the roughest weather. If you’re bringing something more substantial on your ride, that won’t fit in a smaller bike bag, this would be the choice for you.

For instance, if you’re biking to work these days, you can easily fit your laptop and lunch in there. It has adjustable straps with an air-mesh back panel. There are also several pockets if you want to store smaller items, like flash drives, a pocket knife, snacks, or anything else you fancy.

Levi’s Smart Jacket

As we get into the fall season and the weather starts turning cooler, you’ll also want to have a lightweight jacket to take with you on your early morning or evening bike rides. You won't find a better one than the Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket.

This model is a collaboration between Google and Levi’s. It is both garment and gadget. They made it from comfortable, sturdy denim, and it pairs with your smartphone.

It comes with a dedicated Jacquard app that you install on your phone. You tap or swipe on the left sleeve. When you do so, you can send and receive messages, get directions in the middle of your bike ride, control your music selection, and direct calls straight to voicemail.

You’ll feel like James Bond with this incredible tech at your fingertips.

TrolleyTote Folding Basket

This folding basket allows you to combine your bike ride with grocery shopping in the most practical way possible. Say you’re out on a ride, and you remember that you need to pick up a couple of items at the store.

Once you put your mask on and head inside, you’ll grab what you need and return to your bike. There, you can unfold the TrolleyTote.

When it’s collapsed, it takes up very little space. With a few adjustments, it’s ready to carry your groceries, which can fit snugly inside. The collapsible design lets you fold it neatly back up once you get home, and it’s there for you the next time you need to pick something up.

The fashion-conscious bike rider will find many ways to trick out their wheels while looking their best in some of the market’s best wearables. You can get your workout in this way and look fabulous doing it.  

SUNGLASSES FOR GOLFERS: WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT FROM A GOOD PAIR?

Golf may not be the most physically challenging sport out there, but it’s one that requires the perfect combination of skill, endurance, strategy, power regulation, and of course, golfing gear. Setting aside the irons and the woods for this discussion, today we are going to concentrate on an often overlooked, but extremely important golfer’s gear, which would be the sunglasses.

It’s an Amateur Mistake to Undermine the Importance of Golf Sunglasses

Your kit might have a solid set of drivers, putters, and wedges from Callaway or Ben Hogan, and you might have practiced on your backswing for hours before the match, but none of it matters if you cannot see. This is a firsthand lesson that even some pro golfers have had to learn during their early days, and this is one that is best learned secondhand.

When you are on a golf course on a sunny day with moderate wind, that is an ideal situation to play the sport in. Unfortunately, nature may end up becoming a bigger adversary than even your opponent, unless you are wearing a proper pair of golfer’s sunglasses.

In a game where even the slightest of distractions can cause someone to end up slicing or chunking the shot, it would be practically impossible to land a birdie when the sun is shining right into your eyes, and you can hardly see the golf ball, let alone the 18th Hole! Then of course, there’s always a looming possibility of the wind picking up and hitting your unprotected eyes with sand and dust. In the worst-case scenario, a tiny bug may decide to land on one of your eyes just before you bring down your iron for a drive.

As should be obvious by now, wearing eye protection in this game is not optional. However, the sunglasses need to be properly suited for golfing, or it won’t help much. With that perspective in mind, let us now take a brief look through the most important features that a good pair of golfer’s shades should have.

What Features Should You Expect in a Good Pair of Golf Sunglasses?

Golfer’s shades are not anything like regular shades, or even general athletic shades, because the technical nature of golf requires them to offer more than just sun/wind protection to the players. The color or tint of these shades must filter the lighting conditions at a golf course to allow for maximum visibility and focus. Different tints produce different results under varying lighting conditions and luminescence. To provide the reader with an overview of what to expect from which color, we will discuss the most beneficial combinations next.

Brown, Copper, Amber and Cinnamon Tints

When the sky above is beautifully blue, and the grass on a golf course is a lush green, it’s easy to lose sight of the tiny white ball. All of these slight variations in tint serve to increase contrast, which in turn, boosts visual focus. Color distortions are kept to a minimum to eliminate chances of any negative impact on the golfer’s perception while playing. They are the most common choice on golf courses in general.

Red and Pink

When you are on the putting green, red, or pink-tinted sunglasses will make it easier for your eyes to detect contouring edges of the lush surface by increasing the contrast to a much higher level than any of the other shades. What makes red and pink tints a bad choice for usage outside the putting green is the color distortion caused by the tinted effect. It’s far too distracting to be of use to most golfers outside the putting green.

Green-Gray

Sunglasses with a green-gray tint are neutral shades, used particularly when the sun is directly in the golfer’s eye. They add a bit of contrast for increased focus, but most importantly, the neutral combination is extremely effective in toning down bright sunlight (gray on the outside), without letting the loss of brightness affect visibility or color accuracy (green near the center). Green-gray tinted sunglasses are a must-have for most pros, and you should have some too.

Yellow and Orange

Ideal for low light conditions, they boost visual accuracy by increasing contrast when there’s fog or haze around. However, heavy color distortion caused by these makes them unsuitable for any other scenario.

Where Can You Find All the Shades and Tints?

In case you are looking for effective and professional golf sunglasses to buy online, have a browse through Goodr's golf sunglasses. Everything you see there is specialized, UV-protective, tinted golfer’s sunglasses, available in every color we just discussed, as well as a few extras. The choice of frame is a matter of personal taste of course, and Goodr has a wide selection of carbon-neutral frames for golfers to choose from.

Common Protection

Aside from the golf-specific functionalities offered by each colored lens, there is also general protection to be considered. Any good pair that’s made for golfing is going to have adequate UV-protection by default, but you should check for it all the same. Also, a bit of coverage around the lens is to be expected. It is necessary for keeping the dust, dirt, sand, and bugs out of your eyes. All these are standard design features on golf sunglasses, but you should make sure that they are indeed there before buying a pair.

A golf course is not a natural formation, but the game is so intricately connected with the various aspects of nature all the same. From light availability and tree cover to wind speed and natural water formations, they are all a part of the golf course. The players must be equipped to deal with these elements before the game even begins, so knowing a course and preparing adequately beforehand can make a huge difference in the outcome of a golf match.

The golfer’s trusty pack of tinted sunglasses on the other hand, must accompany them at all times during a match, irrespective of the course and its lighting conditions. When you have the whole bunch, you will not need to select options based on a specific course.

BOOSTING PERSONAL HYGIENE AND SAFETY IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE

The recent announcement that gyms and fitness studios may be able to open by the end of August (by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo) has made athletes and fitness buffs very excited. Other states, meanwhile, that aimed to open earlier in July were subsequently ordered to close by their respective governors, such as California. If you are in a state that is reopening its fitness centers, what steps can you take to keep it hygienic and safe while you are working out?

Ensuring Your Gym Meets Sanitary Requirements

It is, as yet, unclear what regulations will be put in place before gyms are allowed to open but, following examples from other industries, these will undoubtedly include a more limited capacity for gym goers, required distances between machines, and regular COVID-19 disinfection services by professionals. Cleaning during pandemic times requires strict measures to be followed — including a more frequent cleaning schedule, the use of antiviral products, and the use of PPEs by professionals during cleaning. To boost safety, bring antiviral wipes and carefully wipe down all surfaces and equipment before and after using them.

More Frequent Hand Washing

It is not enough to simply wash your hands when you get home from the gym. You will need to up the number of times you perform this task and make sure you take at least 20 seconds to thoroughly wash all areas of your hands, preferably up to your elbows. Once again, use antiviral wipes to clean the tap before you touch it and to close the tap. If you unwittingly touch anything on your way from the gym to the car, use hand sanitizer, ensuring it contains a high percentage of alcohol (between 60% and 95%). 

Washing Your Hair

When you get home, immediately throw your gym clothes into the washing machine and keep your gym bag in a box so it does not touch the floor or other pieces of furniture. Wash your bag in the washing machine as often as you can. Shower, ensuring you give your hair a good wash as well. Viral droplets can settle on your hair as much as they can on your skin, so use a good cleansing shampoo as well as conditioner to keep hair well hydrated despite your more frequent shampooing schedule.

Getting Tested

If you develop a cold or flu, seek medical advice and get tested for COVID-19, even if you don’t feel too bad. This is because symptoms are sometimes mild or hardly existent. Receiving a positive diagnosis will enable you to isolate early so as to prevent co-workers, family members, and friends from getting infected.

If you are in a state that permits gyms to open and you are excited about using all your favorite equipment, make sure to practice strict personal hygiene measures. These include wiping equipment down, washing hands frequently, and maintaining distance from other gym goers. You should also be vigilant for symptoms and get a COVID-19 test if you feel like you have come down with a cold or flu.

BING3WATCH | KILLING EVE

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag #55 and see BING3WATCH | Killing Eve in mag.

ABNORMAL MENSTRUATION SYMPTOMS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Often, menstruation is an awkward topic for many women. Some may feel their menstrual cycle is abnormal, while others may simply be embarrassed to talk about it especially when considering the social stigma that surrounds it. 

In addition, menstruation is just extremely painful for females. Some healthy women choose natural remedies such as opting to take CBD to manage period pain. 

But in order to get better acquainted with this difficult time of month, it’s important to know about abnormal menstrual symptoms to watch out for to make sure your menstrual cycle is healthy. 

Is There Such Thing As Normal Period

Perhaps the best way to define a normal period is one that occurs regularly. Menstrual activity can vary significantly from one female to another, typically occurring every 21-35 days and lasting between four to seven days. Alterations in menstrual activity can result from hormonal changes brought on by birth control and other medications, stress, or aging. 

The following eight symptoms, however, typically signify an underlying issue that requires treatment. If you experience any of these symptoms or notice an extreme change in your menstrual cycle, it’s important to consult your doctor.

1. Excessive Bleeding

Bleeding is a natural part of menstruation, and naturally impacts your clothing choices when it’s that time of the month. While many women report heavy flows at some point in their lives, soaking through a tampon in under two hours is too much and could signify an issue. 

Similarly, bleeding should not continue for longer than seven days and can be particularly dangerous for women with anemia. Bleeding between periods can also be a sign of cervical or uterine cysts. Endometriosis, a condition in which uterine lining grows in other parts of the body, could be another cause.

2. Missed Periods 

A missed period is a well-known sign of pregnancy, as menstruation may not begin again until a woman finishes breastfeeding. But it can also be the result of intense stress or physical activity, birth control usage, or even changes in diet. 

Women entering menopause typically have infrequent periods before the menstrual cycle stops altogether. Women who miss more than three periods well before menopause, or who have not had a period by the age of 15, may have a condition called amenorrhea. 

3. Abdominal Pain Or Intense Cramps

While cramps are a normal part of women’s menstrual cycle, abnormally severe cramps could be a cause for concern. Extreme dysmenorrhea, or pain during periods, could be caused by fibroids, endometriosis, or other conditions. For normal cramps, natural solutions ranging from CBD oil to diet modification can help lessen pain.  

4. Breast Pain

Increased breast tenderness is commonplace during one’s period. It is caused by changes in hormone levels, but should only be a mild discomfort. If you experience intense breast pain, especially when you’re not on your period, then you should consult your doctor. 

5. Intense Nausea, Diarrhea, and Vomiting

During one’s period, the uterus releases chemicals called prostaglandins, which can cause nausea, light diarrhea, or light-headedness. Intense nausea leading to vomiting should be reported to your doctor, especially if they’re not normal for your cycle. Vomiting or extreme diarrhea can also result in dehydration. 

6. Abnormal Duration

As mentioned before, most women experience periods lasting between four and seven days. Some women, however, may have periods as short as two days. If short periods are the norm for you, or if you notice a change after starting hormonal birth control, this is usually not a cause for concern. Elongated periods, however, may signify an issue such as hormone imbalance or polyps, especially in combination with excessive blood flow. 

7. Significant Changes In Mood

Many women experience emotional changes along with the physical changes that accompany the menstrual cycle. These shifts are natural aspects of hormonal changes within the body following ovulation, which can exacerbate existing mental health conditions. Changes in mood that are noticeably more severe or interfere with daily activities could be a sign of premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

8. Migraines

Headaches frequently accompany periods, and may worsen for those who typically suffer from migraines. Migraines are relatively common, with 40% of women reporting them regularly, and have a wide range or causes. While there is no cure for migraines, it’s important to report them to your health care provider, who can help you treat symptoms.

Conclusion 

It’s important to keep an eye on your menstrual cycle to ensure that your body is healthy. Any abnormal symptoms, especially severe pain, could be a sign that something has gone wrong. Together with your doctor, you can keep track of what makes up a normal period for you and make that painful time of month just a bit easier. 

ALWAYS TOPPING WITH RYAN MURPHY

This month, we have the honor to have 3 X Team USA Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist, Ryan Murphy join us for the cover feature. Known as a decorated backstroke swimmer who also has a world record in the men's 100-meter backstroke, we talk with Ryan about how he got into the sport, transitioning from an activity to going pro, his experiences at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio as well as being a part of that riveting 4 x 100m medley. As he looks forward to the Olympics in Tokyo that's slated for next year, we talk about how he trains and modifies his routines as we all navigate COVID-19, the importance of mental health and how he is approaching his goals. He also shares how he is focused on impacting the sport of swimming whether as a competitor or simply enjoying water activities. He also talks about how he gives back to others and how this changemaker has been inspired by others.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We are so excited to have you as our 55th cover for the July issue as well as for an upcoming podcast episode of #TRIBEGOALS for our changemakers who are making an impact within and outside of their industry!

RYAN MURPHY: Thank you! I’m stoked to be a part of this awesome opportunity. Where are you guys at right now!

AM: We are based in NY.

RM: Oh wow so how has that been?

AM: Well, it’s funny. If someone said a few months ago that we would be indoors for a week – it would have been impossible! We had a number of plans that we were looking at regarding the Olympics and a number of activities that take place here across the industries that we cover and obviously some of those things are not happening this year. We did our cover shoot in mid March with Rachel Nichols host of ESPN’s The Jump. Literally, the NBA had just announced the day before that they were postponing the NBA season. We were still able to do our shoot which was great, and had a great afternoon with Rachel, and sheltered in place. Obviously, being in NY, it was just wow!

RM: Oh yeah, I mean it’s been going on for so long! I mean, I remember when we got our schedule in April, and it was like we were going to be out of the University of Caifornia, Berkeley pool through all of May. I got that schedule and I was like, what the heck and at the time, I was like “this seems pretty aggressive.” And here we are in July – still doing it!

AM: Exactly! It’s just amazing how things are being altered in so many ways so it’s very different. On the other side, the way we have been able to still enjoy, learn and connect with people such as yourself and still share your stories – but it’s strange times!

RM: Well it’s great that you guys are able to pivot – that’s a positive.

AM: Absolutely, it was about finding other ways to do it. But we thought that maybe this would be a couple of months or so honestly you just wake up and think, “this is like Groundhog Day, but there is no Bill Murray.”

RM: Haha exactly!

AM: I know that you grew up in an athletic family, how did you come to the sport of swimming? When did that transition from being an activity to one that you wanted to participate in in terms of competition?

RM: So I’m the youngest of 3. I’ve got an older brother, older sister and you nailed it. We were kind of just like that family in the neighborhood that was doing everything. So that’s how it started. We were all born in Chicago. We moved down to Florida literally when I was 6 months old and the summers in Florida are just so hot. We’d go down to our community pool and my older brother and sister were old enough to get onto the swim team and I was just that little kid running around the pool with floaties on.

So when I turned 4, I went on the Summer League team just following in their steps and it really progressed naturally. At first, I hated going to practice, I came up with an excuse every single day just to get out of practice! Until, we were at the end of summer and a week out from the big championship meet and they were like, “alright Ryan, we’re picking our 4 x 25 Free Relay and we’ve got 3 guys chosen and it’s down to you or Billy for the 4th spot. So, we’re going to do a 25 yard pre-swim off right now. If you want to be a part of it, you’re going to need to swim this right now!” So I get up out of my mom’s lap and walk up to the side of the pool, win the swim off and from there, I feel like I was just into it. That swim off taught me the love of competing and from that point on, I was into it.

So when I turned 7, I started swimming year around, when I was 12, I gave up other sports and really when I gave up other sports, that’s when it started to become a little bit more serious for me.

AM: Wow. Did you always dream of being an Olympian and at that time, what did that look like or mean to you?

RM: Yeah of course! I always dreamed of being an Olympian. I mean, I also dreamed of being an NFL player or an NBA player so I kind of dreamed of reaching the top in every sport. It just turned out that swimming and the Olympics was probably the most realistic of those goals. I do think that every swimmer grows up wanting to be an Olympian and I can remember watching the Sydney 2000 Olympics. I had just turned 5 when the 2000 Olympics were on and I have some memories of that that I can go back to right now. I remember watching the Womens 400 Free Relay and that was just the coolest thing ever. It continued to kind of grow from there. In Athens 2004, I remember watching Michael Phelps and him just absolutely crushing it! In Beijing 2008, I was 13 at that point so I was really enjoying the sport and I remember most of the races from 2008. For London 2012, I got 4th in 200 Backstroke for the 2012 Olympic Trials and 6th in 100 Backstroke and I was watching guys that I had interactions with them at that point. So that was really cool and so every Olympics was cool just to see how my perspective on the sport changed as I grew older.

AM: What is it about the backstroke that you enjoy and did you just naturally go to that part of swimming that you wanted to do?

RM: Yeah, I think inherently, you enjoy the things that you are good at. That’s probably why I enjoy backstroke more than breaststroke. Breaststroke is just not my natural stoke. I do train all of the strokes and I think that that is really good to keep it fresh. Backstroke is just different, it’s always been a little different. I remember growing up that my coaches would try to give me technique tips in every stroke and they would try to give me technique tips on backstroke and I’d be like, “mmm like you know the way I’m feeling it right now, this is better.” That was me as a 10 year old. As a 10 year old, I knew that the things that I was feeling were potentially a little different then the way that the coaches had taught technique in the past. It’s kind of weird looking back, because I have always been a very obedient and respectful kid. In my mind, I was like, ok I’ll act like I am taking this advice, but I wasn’t actually taking their advice for backstroke technique. I guess that now that you asked me that question, I never really thought about that before. But the backstroke has always felt natural and I have always felt that I have a really good feel for the stroke.

AM: Especially when you talk about a sport like that where there are different kinds of strokes, you can tell when you see someone that is hitting it and that they’re just on autopilot. It’s not about the 1, 2, 3, 4 – it’s just the natural and that’s why we wanted to know because we can tell that you really like that backstroke!

RM: It’s the same thing like when you watch a marathon. Those guys and those women that are winning the marathon, like Eliud Kipchoge is holding in like the 4 minute range for a marathon and it doesn’t even look like he’s trying! It’s like holy crap! That’s some serious talent right there.

AM: What was it like for you to be at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games from the opening/ closing ceremonies, competing, getting 3 gold medals and setting a new world record to boot for the 100m backstroke. What was that like for you especially since it was your first Summer Games that you went to?

RM: I mean, yeah it was an absolute whirlwind. I think that one of the things that I did a nice job of going into it as we talked about before was that it was always my dream. It was my dream to go to the Olympics and when you’re living your dream and when you are actually in that moment, that could be a very pressure packed situation. What I did well was to downplay the significance of the moment, a lot. That helped me a ton at the Olympics. In terms of the experience itself, it’s just absolutely unreal. When you’re there, it’s a swim meet and I have been to hundreds of swim meets in my life. So you don’t really realize it when you’re going to the ready room, you’re getting behind the blocks and you do your race. You only realize it when you get out of the pool and you’re kind of chauffeured immediately to NBC and you can literally, if you want to, talk to over 100 different outlets right after your race. That’s something that I have never had to experience and navigating that was very interesting. I think that and it's so cliché, but the thing that I appreciate most is the friendships and the memory of it. It’s really cool to think back to the conversations that you had with a guy like Phelps or Ryan Lochte – people that have been doing it for so long and are absolutely iconic in our sport and to be able to develop relationships with those guys that are lasting is really cool.

AM: We remember, watching and cheering the 4 x 100m with you guys – you, Michael Phelps, Cody Miller, Nathan Adrian – how do you from a training perspective prepare for this particular event since there are a number of people with you doing that? Is that difficult for you?

RM: I think that relays are the easiest part of the sport. I absolutely love the relays. It’s so fun to go behind the blocks with 3 other guys. You never feel more patriotic. I’m going behind the blocks and I’m wearing the USA cap. And Cody and Michael and Nathan are all wearing the same. They’re all super fired up. It’s the end of the meet, we’re super excited that we had all had great meets at that point and we’re all excited about that. We’re excited about the race and I think that the coolest part about that is that obviously you’re swimming with the most iconic Olympian of all time.

I think what’s really awesome to see is that you go and walk anywhere with Michael Phelps at the Olympics – it could be the warm up pool, the ready room, behind the blocks – every single person whether it’s a swimmer, coach, official, volunteer worker, wants to look at Michael Phelps. Everyone, for at least a split second is off their game because they’re observing Phelps. That just gave me so much confidence. It was like, “wow this guy is so iconic that everyone has to stop what they are doing and he’s on my team.” That was just a huge confidence boost behind the blocks and it totally added to the adrenaline of the moment. I was thinking, 1. I have to nail my leg, but 2. I really can’t screw this up for Michael. He’s won 23 gold medals – if he goes out on a silver medal, that’s just weird. We’ve gotta get him a gold here.

AM: We remember when we watched it live and booked our entire night around seeing that event to watch it in real time. In preparing for talking to you, we watched it again and that moment still gives you goosebumps watching it because all 4 of you are just killing it and it is one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history in our opinion. What lessons did you take away from those Summer Games in Rio?

RM: Ooo that’s a good one, I really like this question. I think that every swim meet is a really good learning opportunity. The biggest lesson that I probably learned from Rio is that when you’re in a situation like that where there is so much pressure and every emotion is going to be heightened, the highs are going to be really high and the excitement levels are going to be through the roof, but then the feelings following a bad performance are going to be really really low. I think the biggest thing is just recognizing that the entire scope of emotion is going to be felt by both yourself and your teammates and you have to be aware of that. I think that’s the biggest thing and then learning how to get in and get out. When I’m at the pool, be intense and when I’m not at the pool – let’s chill. Let’s enjoy this moment and enjoy the Olympics. You’ve gotta even during that 8 day meet, you still have to have balance. You can’t just be eyes wide open, super intense for 8 days and still be firing pretty well on day 8.

AM: Well, what’s an average training day like for you when it comes to gym time and pool time?

RM: So right now it’s a little different. When we’re in our “typical schedule,” we go 3 practices on Mon., Wed. and Fri. and then 1 practice on Tues., Thurs. and Sat. On Mon., Wed., Fri. we go from 6–7:45am in the morning, 1-2pm in the weight room and then 2:15–3:30pm in the pool. On Tues., Thurs., Sat. we just go from 8-11am in the morning as an absolute burner of a pool workout.

AM: How have you adjusted your workout because of COVID-19. We saw on Instagram that you were pushing an SUV up a hill in neutral!

RM: Yeah and I think that that particular video was in the lag time where I was training in Colorado at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center as the Corona Virus situation was really ramping up. The Olympic Training Center closed down and so we had to fly back to Cal and there was a 6 day period between the Olympic Training Center shutting down and the Olympics being postponed. We come back to Cal, we didn’t have access to the pool or weight room. I didn’t really have any weights at our house so, we’re trying to work out, we’re trying to figure out that if the Olympics are still on, we have to be prepared, we have to be safe, we have to support our communities and we have to prepare for our dreams essentially. We did a workout in the garage and we were like, alright we feel that we have hit arms pretty well. We didn’t feel like we had hit legs super well and I’m looking around to see how I can workout my legs without any weight. I’m looking around and I see my car and Josh Prenot, who is one of my roommates he’s still swimming and he won the silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics for Team USA for the 200m breaststroke. I said, “ok Josh, let’s try and push my car up a hill.” We live on the top of a big hill in Berkeley. I didn’t know if we could get it very far, but it could be a solid workout. We pushed the car and the street we live on is a little more steep then what we were hoping. We didn’t get it super far, but it was cool. It was cool to get creative in this time. I think that it's so easy as an athlete to fall into a routine and stop thinking of creative ways to get better, so that is something that I have really enjoyed at this time. Getting creative, finding new ways to improve and really just pushing the envelope on performance.

AM: We know that when you’re coming into an Olympic year, there are things that you typically do in one month versus another month. How do you mentally make the change over now knowing that it has been pushed back for an entire year, how does that work for you in terms of training, your goals and just being in that mindset that it is pushed back a little bit further?

RM: I think that from the mindset, when that Olympic decision came down, there were a couple of different ways that people approached it. The way that I approached it is, “ok, that’s the end of my season.” I took a couple of weeks off, I went home and stayed with my parents for a little bit which was great. I hadn’t been able to be home in about a year. So it was cool to be able to go back to Florida, hang out with them for a little bit and then when we started to get back into it, it was like the progress that we had made in the past year that progress was made. Just because we didn’t get to see a time on a scoreboard at the end of a year, doesn’t mean that we didn’t improve. So, I was able to accept that pretty easily and going into this season, it was like, “ok we’re going to start off slow, build the intensity both physically and mentally and then we’re circling June and July of 2021 and everything is going to build towards that. It’s a bummer that the plan changed and knock on wood, the Olympics are happening next summer. We shifted and we’re prepping for that and we’re hoping to put on a really really good performance there.

AM: What are your goals that you have going into the next Olympics? Do you have certain things that you want to tick off and to achieve there beyond what you did for the last Olympics?

RM: You always want to be topping yourself and everyone else. My goals going in, I’d love to be able to defend my titles in all 3 of those events 100m back, 200m back and the 4x100m relay. They added a new event this time around. It’s the 400m mixed medley relay where you take 2 guys and 2 females and you can put them on any strokes. I’m hoping to get on that relay and I’m hoping to get on that relay and I'm hoping that the US wins the inaugural 400m mixed medley relay as well! I’m someone that totally thrives on the competition. That’s a daily motivator for me and I think that the thing that I have to be super careful of is just making sure that throughout the season that I’m still just focused on self-improvement. The competition can be a motivator for those days when I really don’t want to get up at 5:20am and get in the water. The competition is going to push me to want to do that. It’s going to push me to wake up, to get out of bed, go to practice and work my butt off. At the end of the day, I’ve got to get up and push myself as far as possible and that’s my goal throughout the year and then the hope is that that culminates and being good enough to win at the biggest stage.

AM: You have amazing brands that you have partnered with from Bridgestone and Speedo as sponsors. How do you determine the brands that you align with based on your synergy and do you kind of have a bucket list of other people or brands that you want to partner with just to expand your portfolio?

RM: I think first and foremost, I want to be with world class brands. That was a motto of ours at Cal. We wanted our aquatics program at Cal to be world class and that’s something that really stuck with me. I want to be associated with people that do things the right way and that they do it really really well. That’s what I look for and Speedo, Bridgestone and Goldfish Swim School all have that in common. They all do things super well, first class – I think that they’re all very very competitive and they want to be the best. But they also do it with class.

The executive team at Bridgestone is incredibly impressive and they flip that switch by saying that they want to be the best tire company in the world. At the same time, they are the nicest people ever. Same thing with Goldfish, same thing with Speedo.

So, that’s the biggest thing that I do look for. It also has to make sense in my daily life. On a daily basis, I drive my car everyday and I drive my car on Bridgestone tires. I live at the top of a hill so if my tires weren’t good, I wouldn’t be able to get up the hill. I wear a Speedo everyday, so that makes sense and then Goldfish Swim School, they do a ton to teach kids the sport of swimming which is something that I am super passionate about. Both from a life saving perspective because if you get swim lessons, and I don’t want to mess up this stat, you are 90% less likely to drown if you had formalized swim lessons. That is incredibly powerful.

I want to grow the sport of swimming and I also think that even if you don’t choose swimming as your sport, water activities are incredibly fun. So many of my favorite memories have come in the water both in competition and in the ocean and the river. I love the water and I want everyone to experience the gifts of the water. All 3 of those brands have made a lot of sense for me.

In terms of bucket list brands, it’s just something that’s got to be a part of my daily life. I have things that I really enjoy whether it’s going golfing or following the stock market. I’m a little bit of a nerd and I love following the stock market! I will say that I don’t splurge on a ton – I think that I'm pretty frugal, one thing that I'm willing to splurge on is watches. I absolutely love watches as an accessory piece. Any of those things that fall within my interest would make sense for me.

AM: In terms of working out as we’re always looking to add to our fitness routines, what are 3 of your go to workouts that you tend to do in a session that we should consider putting into ours?

RM: I think that first and foremost in a sport like swimming, the most important thing is abs and your stabilization muscles. So abs and back, I hammer those on a daily basis. Exercises for that I do the pretty typical crunch, side crunch, V-ups, plank and side planks. Stuff like that, it’s all pretty simple. I also really like the Olympic lifts and I love doing clean. I guess if I’m talking to someone who is less of professional athlete, I’d say that an alternative to clean would be front squats. I’m not a huge fan of back squats, it’s easy to hurt the back and I’m much more of a bigger proponent of front squats where you really have to brace the abs and hold your body upright. You can’t do as much weight, but it’s really a whole body exercise.

For an upper body one, I love pullups. You can do so many different variations of over hand and just really isolate the lats. You can do under hand and get a little bit of biceps in there. You can go wide grip and get a little bit of chest so there’s just so many different kinds of variations of pull ups. I think that that’s really a great full upper body.

AM: From a dietary standpoint, what kinds of foods do you incorporate to your regimen that fuels your workout and optimizes the goals that you’re trying to do?

RM: I try to keep the diet pretty simple. At the simplest level, most of my meals I’m looking to try to get a really healthy grain/carb, a really solid vegetable, a pretty lean protein and then like anyone else, I love avocado – throw some sriracha on top – I’m all about the sauces. At its core, I keep it pretty simple.

I like oatmeal, then I make an omelet for breakfast. For lunch, a lot of time I will make a smoothie which is essentially a vegetable smoothie to kind of throw in potentially any kind of veggie that’s in my fridge. I’ll just throw it in there and throw in some cinnamon to kind of make it taste better! I’ll drink that down and for dinner, I’ll go to your quinoa or rice, potatoes, a pretty lean protein – salmon, turkey, chicken and a healthy veggie. I mix up the veggie a lot in that one as well.

AM: When you are splurging, what are your splurge foods that you treat yourself with?

RM: Well I mean, there’s a lot! I also mix up the splurge foods. I absolutely love steak. If I’m splurging, I’ll have a big fat piece of ribeye – that’s just fantastic! Or I’ll have a pizza, a burger – I love ice creams. I mean God, you’re making me hungry when you’re asking me this question!

AM: How important is mental health? In times like this as well as when you’re training, how do you check in with yourself to ensure that you’re in the right place to be the best you?

RM: Mental health is huge. I think the biggest part of athletics and really life is being able to maintain your levels of motivation and being honest with yourself. The same way that I talked about that super scope of wide emotions at the Olympics, I feel that at a time like this, the scope of emotions has widened for a lot of people. The way I check in with myself, is that I feel that I am incredibly fortunate to have an incredible inner circle. I talk to my family all of the time, I talk to both of my parents, my brother and my sister, my inner circle of friends. We all stay in touch very frequently so, that’s what I really do. I do consider myself very fortunate and I don’t want to make myself sound like an expert on mental health. I honestly never struggled in that area, but I do consider myself very fortunate in that aspect. But I do think think that everyone could benefit having very open conversations with their inner circle which has helped me. I've never felt like very very low, but obviously, everyone has bad days and so on those days, I totally lean on my inner circle to help me out.

AM: When you’re not training, what can we find you doing when you’re just hanging out and taking time for yourself?

RM: In this time, it’s been a little tough. I’m a massive sport fan. I like watching football, basketball. I would literally set reminders on my phone when the Michael Jordan documentary came out because I was feening for sports so bad! I totally miss that aspect, but I have been into golf for a little while now, so I’m lucky that I live 5 mins away from a golf course in Berkeley. I go up there all the time and I’ve been playing probably at least 1 round a week, I go to the range probably 2 times a week. So that’s been so great.

I love following the stock market. As I mentioned earlier, I am a bit of a nerd and when I turned professional in swimming, the biggest thing I was nervous about was feeling like I was losing my mental sharpness. I wanted to make sure that I had something that was engaging my mind and the stock market is that. I find it absolutely fascinating in just looking at how everything mixes based on people’s investment horizon – how long they wanted to be in the market, whether they were looking purely at the financial statements or if they are going off of the news cycle. I absolutely love that and in this time, there has been so much volatility in the market that I think that there has been some really good opportunities to make money in these past couple of months.

I’ve been dabbling in that a lot and I know that was a little long winded but essentially, my hobbies are watching/ participating in sports with golf, hanging out with the guys and the stock market.

AM: Five of our covers at Athleisure Mag have been awesome CNBC hosts, we've spent some great times with them, so finance and lifestyle for us has been a pretty big pillar for us. Just like you said, it’s a measure of what’s going on in a given environment and what people are leaning towards and away from. We love the financial mix.

Earlier you were talking about how you help children how to swim. Are there ways that you give back to the community at large or even specifically in the swim community with kids coming up that want to be just like Ryan Murphy?

RM: I try to spread out my time pretty well in terms of the swimming community. Totally at the earliest stage at the grassroots level, I want to grow participation in the sport and that’s why I partnered with Goldfish Swim School and that’s why I am involved with USA Swimming Foundation. USA Swimming Foundation does a lot of really really good work to increase the reach of the sport. It’s no secret that minority participation in swimming is lower than white participation. So USA Swimming Foundation for the past couple of years has done a lot of work in that area to try to increase minority participation in the sport and minority ability to swim. So that is something that I am really really passionate about. As people move up in the sport, there’s a guy named Carson Foster. He’s going into his freshman year of college. He’s been someone who’s reached out and said, “hey, I’d love to pick your brain on some stuff.” I absolutely love doing that. It’s cool that now at the age of 25, I’m a veteran and that’s crazy but it’s also cool that people want to hear from my experiences and what has made a difference in my career. I’m always willing to pay that forward to the younger athletes.

Then completely outside of swimming, I have done some work with the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund. So getting back to being an avid sports fan, Tom Coughlin was the head coach of my hometown's football team. So he was the head of the Jacksonville Jaguars (he was also the head coach for the New York Giants) and an icon in Jacksonville. He has an incredible foundation that works with kids and the family of kids who have cancer. In this time, I have done a couple of Zoom calls with a couple of those kids because they’re going through cancer treatments and the visiting hours in hospitals are limited due to COVID-19. They’re really just looking for interaction and its absolutely incredible with these kids. Every single one of them is so optimistic, so fun, so outgoing, so mature while they are in the fight of their lives. Those conversations are incredibly powerful and they definitely impacted me more than I have impacted them. That’s been really cool to be involved with them for the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund as well.

AM: What is the legacy that you are looking to build whether it’s in the sport or outside of it that you want people to recognize you for?

RM: I think that the biggest thing is that it’s not about the accolades or the accomplishments. Records are going to be broken, there is always going to be someone younger – probably more talented at some point who is going to out do everything that you did at the pool. My biggest goal in terms of my legacy is that I want people to recognize that I have done and will continue to do everything in my power to reach my potential and to grow the sport of swimming. Those are my biggest goals. I want to be the absolute best athlete that I can be, but I also want to raise the profile of this sport. I view swimming as an incredible sport and I want people to be involved. Those are 2 goals of mine and I hope that people do recognize that I am doing absolutely everything in my power to reach both of those goals.

AM: As a changemaker, being someone who a lot of people look up to, who have been 3 people for you that have influenced your career or the way that you look at life?

RM: I’d say that number 1 would be my grandpa. My grandpa is an absolutely an incredible human and kind of a wizard! He has his PhD in math and so he has made his career off of writing math books. He has written over 100 math textbooks in his life and it’s absolutely insane. He’s so smart and probably one of the smartest people that I have ever met. He's an incredible mentor to me – he just has such a down to earth view on life. He has had an incredibly successful life. He didn’t come from much and he really valued his education and has now made a really solid living off of that. He is just someone that I respect so much and he has always been someone that I lean on for advice. Honestly that includes my parents as well so number 1 include my grandpa/my parents.

I guess #2 I will go more athletic. It would be Aaron Peirsol. As we have talked about it, I have always been a backstroker. When I was growing up, Aaron Peirsol absolutely dominated. He dominated from 2000 – 2010 in the backstroke events. He had a huge impact on my career. I would always be glued to my TV when he was swimming. Not because of how he swam, but his personality. He was so chill that he would be the guy that would walk out to his races with his cap and goggles in his hand. Everyone else would have their cap and goggles on and a lot of time, they were over their eyes already. He was just so chill that he would walk out as if he was going on a Sun. swim for a country club. Then he would go and dominate everyone and win gold records. I thought that that was just the coolest thing ever.

The 3rd one that I would go with is a coach. My current coach, Dave Durden, the head coach of Cal since 2007 and the head Olympic coach for the next Olympics. He’s 43, super young in the coaching world and he has such a quiet confidence about him that is just contagious. He's so calm and so measured. I've been swimming with him for 7 years and have only seen him lose his cool probably 1 time in the 7 years that I have swam with him. He’s dealing with 30+ college aged guys. We’re an all guys program and there is a lot of horseplay and personality going around and he just keeps his cool at all times. He’s another guy that I’m so impressed by his demeanor, his ability to plan and his ability to adjust. In this time through COVID-19, he has been an absolute maniac. He’s been jumping through hoops to figure out how we can train safely and just getting all of us on board for his plan. He’s an absolute incredible coach and incredible mentor. David is someone that is going to be a friend for life for me and I am super appreciative of the impact that he has had over my life and my current livelihood!

IG @Ryan_F_Murphy

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Front Cover, PG 16/17, 28, 32, 33, 34/35, Back Cover: Speedo USA/Photographer Richard Phibbs | PG18, 21, 31, 40-41: Photographer Jack Spitser | PG 24-25: Speedo International | PG 26-27: Speedo USA/Photographer Aaron Okayama | PG 42 -45: Xinhua/Imago/Icon Sportswire | PG 46: Photographer Sean Juo | Front Cover, 16-17, 22-25, 28, 32-35, Back Cover: Editorial Design by Athleisure Mag | PG 52- 53: Photos courtesy of Goldfish Swim School |

Read the July Issue #55 of Athleisure Mag and see Always Topping with Ryan Murphy in mag.

Hear 3 X Team USA Swimming Gold Medalist, Ryan Murphy on our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

GETTING-STARTED GUIDANCE IN PLAYING FREE ONLINE BINGO GAMES

Everyone looks for enjoyment when wanting to play bingo. The ancient game of changes is experiencing an interesting shift in the way that we play the game. Technological advancements prompt the evolution of the game and how players interact. There are now different online games to access in the dragonfish bingo sites. The dynamic features in this kind of gaming sites give a wide platform for gamers all over the world.

Where to Learn & Play a Game of Bingo

Previously, whenever a person wanted to learn the game of bingo he/she would have to visit a hall. The venues allow bingo lovers to come together for fun. With the digital era, more players can access the game on virtual platforms than in outlets. Sites offering the games are friendly for newbies and savvy bingo players. It is now possible for those interested to sign up and make money online at the comfort of their homes. The dragonfish bingo sites have amazing games. Newbies should get started with trial account in bingo games.

Types of Bingo

There are different kinds of bingo to choose from in any casino. The developers of each game have a unique way of playing but the idea and rules remain the same. Below are the types of bingo that come with a few variations to the game for you to choose from;

90- Ball; this is the most common and popular form of the game. The player has a chance of winning by getting one, two, or three straight lines. It makes use of 15 numbers for the bingo set with three rows and nine columns.

75- Ball; a popular game for lovers of bingo. A player wins by making a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line. Different online casino sites create a variety of winning patterns for the game. 

80- Ball; common in the online platforms, it a new addition to the game. The game is set with rows and columns just like the others. Winning is by marking off the right pattern of the game.

30- Ball; this is a faster variation of the online bingo games. Its other name is 'speed bingo'. The first player to get the combinations of numbers called out becomes the winner. In online casinos, the systems choose the winner via the electronic platform.

How to Play Bingo

It is easy to learn the rules and regulations of bingo games. This is what makes the dragonfish bingo sites popular with people of all ages and walks of life. The chances to play online or in the brick and mortar casino is the same. Both reveal numbers as you mark off what is on your ticket. Each variation of the game has a unique setup that you can choose to play. The ticket possesses different sets of numbers according to the bingo room. The first person to cross off his/her numbers in entirety before the rest wins the round.

Online bingo games use the classic rules of the game to make it fun for the players. It retains the word “ball” in the name as the game uses a ball to display the numbers. As a newbie, do not let the name discourage you from learning this game of chances and luck. Filling up one line on the board will let you win. Clearing the card will give you a full house win in the game.

The first step to playing bingo in a hall or online is purchasing a ticket. It costs as less as $1 to buy a ticket and you can make a higher stake to get the chance of winning more. A bingo card in the online bingo game contains rows and columns for the round. The game begins as soon as the system in online bingo starts revealing the winning numbers. Ticking off the numbers is fun as your adrenaline pumps with the calling out of numbers. The numbers will be called until one gets a line or full house.

In online bingo games, the system crosses off your ticket automatically. The autoplay options make the game easy for you by locating the numbers and controlling the gameplay. Keeping an eye on the cards is easy with the online bingo gamers. The features will arrange your cards according to the combination that is likely to win. When you are close to winning, the system can alert you by highlighting the cards. The design of dragonfish bingo sites is enjoyable for bingo gamers. it offers a variety of options and advancements to the ancient game of bingo.

Reasons to play Bingo

Bingo is an all-inclusive game for gamers to try their luck. This is an easy casino game for any person to learn and play. The interface is friendly and you can find it entertaining as you fancy your chances of winning. Let's look at reasons that dragonfish bingo sites are gaining popularity among adults; 

·       People use the platform to interact and socialize with other gamers. Whether it is online or in brick and motor casinos, the games bring similar people together. 

·       It is a traditional game that people can play as a family. Even the youngest of them all can learn a thing or two about the game. 

·       Many people like to be competitive and win against worthy opponents. It is enjoyable to try your luck and chances in the game.

·       There are amazing prizes to win in the game. The jackpot and bonuses in the game are an advantage for online casino players. Those playing at the hall can have giveaways for winners.

·       The game requires minimal movement to play and win. Nobody can be left out in this game.

Choosing the Best Bingo Site

Gaining experience is a critical factor to consider when choosing the best bingo site to play in. Sites offering free games are a good fit for the newbies who do not understand the game. It gives them a chance to learn and understand the game before they can challenge others for prizes. 

Subscription

The mode of payment when playing the online game is through the mobile money platforms. It helps to top up money on the account anywhere. 

Conclusion

There is an increased convenience in playing a game of bingo and gamble whether on the move or not. The free online bingo site design works well with all versions of the android and windows operating software. You can play a game on the go.

THE ART OF THE SNACK

This month's The Art of the Snack takes us to New Orleans to award winning James Beard Foundation, winner, Food & Wine winner and BRAVO's Top Chef Season 11 runner up and Fan Favorite, Chef Nina Compton. This restaurateur is the chef and founder of Bywater American Bistro and Compère Lapin. We caught up with her to talk about her culinary journey, both restaurants, signature dishes and cocktails and a meal that you can recreate at home. We also talk with her about the challenges that she has faced in running this restaurant while navigating COVID-19 that has effected the hospitality industry.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your culinary journey and how you came to creating Bywater American Bistro and Compère Lapin?

NINA COMPTON: I grew up in St Lucia and felt the warmth of people coming together over a meal and decided to study at The Culinary Institute of America. Determined to continue learning from the best, I went to work for Daniel Boulud at Restaurant Daniel in New York City. After too many cold winters I decided to move to Miami where I worked under Norman Van Aken and Scott Conant. With the influence of these gifted chefs, I learned technique and flavor combinations that I could use to cook the food I wanted. I participated in Season 11 of Top Chef and was runner up and Fan Favorite. After this experience I decided it was time to open my own restaurant. An opportunity became available in New Orleans and I decided to go for it! I opened Compère Lapin in 2015 and Bywater American Bistro in 2018, all while falling in love with New Orleans, the Caribbean’s “Northernmost City.”

AM: You have a number of accolades including being a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: South 2018 and Food & Wine Best New Chefs 2017 just to name a few. What does receiving these awards mean to you?

NC: These awards mean a lot to me as a reward for keeping my nose down and working hard through the years. It’s kind of surreal to have your name mentioned in the same categories of chefs I’ve respected all of my life as well.

AM: How do you define your style of cooking?

NC: My style of cooking is the result of taking a St. Lucian girl, training her in classical French and Italian cuisine and technique then plopping her in the middle of the farms and seafood and culinary history of New Orleans. It’s a complete mixtape.

AM: As a chef, how is New Orleans infuse your food?

NC: In so many ways: The history of the food and drinks. The camaraderie of the culinary community here. From the corner poboy shop to hundred year-old bastions of Creole fine dining to the great Vietnamese influence, all you have to do is keep your eyes and mouth open.

AM: We loved seeing you in Top Chef on their 11th season. How was it to compete in this show and what lessons did you learn from it?

NC: It was stressful, you could go home any day for a mistake! But it was a nice break from working every day and I enjoyed it very much. When others were high strung, I decided to relax and have fun with it.

AM: Describe a bit about what guests can expect in terms of the menu and the ambiance for Bywater American Bistro and Compère Lapin?

NC: Compère Lapin is a little more refined whereas BABs is more of a neighborhood bistro. Both however are made to make the guest feel comfortable. Our servers wear jeans and rolled up sleeves, but serve you with the tepernets of fine dining. Music and an active bar scene at both places add to the fun and casual yet serious about the food, drink, and service vibe.

AM: What are 3 signature dishes at each of these restaurants?

NC: Compère Lapin: Curried Goat with Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Cold Marinated Shrimp with Jalepeno Jus, and Roasted Banana Zeppole with Rum Caramel Sauce.

BABs: Spaghetti Pomodoro, Roasted Octopus with Smoked Potato Puree and Confit Tomatoes, Curried Rabbit with Coconut Rice and peas.

AM: What are 3 signature cocktails at each of these restaurants?

NC: Compère Lapin: The Copper Bunny: Absolut Elyx/ Tequila/ Ginger/ Pineapple/ Jalepeno/ Champagne. Ramos Gin Freeze: A frozen Ramos Gin Fizz.

Melonious Funk: Bolden Vodka/ Melon Shrub/ Citrus/ Spiced Salt.

BABs: Kentucky Mule: A Moscow Mule but with Pinhook Bourbon and house made Ginger Beer.

Any Punch that we come up with daily.

Unique selections of wine from not too heavily represented regions.

AM: During COVID-19, many restaurants have had to pivot on how they served their guests and neighborhoods with pickup and delivery, what did you do during the initial weeks of quarantine?

NC: Everything at least once. We shut down. We did drive thru pop ups with just my husband and me. We did to go and delivery. When we were able to rehire some staff, but still nervous about safety we opened up BABs for only one table per night. It was fun for the guests and us, but that’s not a great way to make money. In July we brought back a limited staff at BABs and are operating at 50% capacity. We're planning to open Compère Lapin in September.

AM: As BABs is open, can you share information regarding the capacity, rules and systems that you have created to ensure guest and employee safety?

NC: BABs is open at a city mandated 50% occupancy. All tables are spaced at least six feet apart. Guests need to make reservations so their info would be available for contact tracing. Everyone’s in masks, including guests unless they’re eating. All surfaces are sterilized repeatedly thoughout the shift. All of the staff are temperature checked daily and know that they can call out sick any time they don’t feel well.

AM: Looking forward and based on how you have had to navigate the past few months, what are your goals for the restaurant as they continue through the summer as well as the fall?

NC: I think the best I can hope for is to break even. The government has made adjustments to PPP that make it more suitable for restaurants, but we could really use more help as an industry or there will be a lot of hardship. We are watching every penny even closer than before, hoping for the RESTAURANTS Act to pass, and hoping for an effective, safe vaccine.

AM: Many people have been cooking a lot more due to COVID-19 and many restaurants have responded by creating meal kits of their favorite meals that people can make at home OR providing a recipe. I know that you recently partnered with Tabasco. Can you tell us about the dish that you created using their sauce and why using this was the perfect complement to this dish? In addition, what is your go to sauce perthe perfect complement to this dish? In addition, what is your go to sauce personally from the brand?

NC: I love adding spice to my dishes, and one of my recent favorite recipes is Hot Honey Butter Chicken which uses the Tabasco Original Red Sauce. I also make a hot honey butter which makes it extra juicy while adding a tangy, sweet, and buttery taste to the chicken. I serve it with a corn and tomato salad for a soulful, satisfying family meal. You can find the recipe here.

AM: What ‘family meal’ means to you and your community in New Orleans?

NC: Family meal is not only important to individual households but also in the restaurant industry, having people surrounded by each other brought together by food. New Orleans is known for its food and culture and the sense of pride, it is only natural to welcome, friends, family and strangers and break bread.

IG @NinaCompton

@BywaterAmericanBistro

@CompèreLapin

PHOTOS COURTESY | Nina Compton

Read the July Issue Aug Athleisure Mag #55 and see The Art of the Snack in mag.

BINGELY BOOKS

MANDY'S GOURMET SALADS: RECIPES FOR LETTUCE AND LIFE

Appetite by Random House

Meredith Erickson

We've been following @MandySalads on Instagram for as long as we can remember. This Canadian Gourmet Salad eatery knows a thing or two about making inviting greens that take this meal to another level! We've contemplated making a trip across the northern border just to snag them! While that's not realistic at the moment, we're clearing room on our shelf for Mandy's Gourmet Salads cookbook which gives us everything we need to know for lettuce and for life! The Wolfe sisters, Mandy (she's in charge of the menu) and Rebecca (she focuses on the design of all the locations) also take us behind launching their brand from a 3ft counter at the back of Mimi and Coco clothing store to its current 8 locations in Montreal.

The maximalists believe that more is more when it comes to color, texture and being vibrant in general. In addition, they break down how you can make their salads from home with prep, easy recipes, mixing the ingredients as well as the perfect companions to their meals including their grain bowls and smoothies for a nutritious alternative or Mandy's famous chocolate chip cookies!

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WILD INTERIORS: BEAUTIFUL PLANTS IN BEAUTIFUL SPACES

CICO Books

Hilton Carter

We've been following noted Baltimore based plant stylist @HiltonCarter for years! He is known for creating beautiful spaces through botany as well as teaching people how to bond with their plants. In the best selling author's second book, he walks us through his plant journey, his inspirations as well as his top 10 house plants. He also shares the homes of 12 inspiring plant parents across the globe via a Journey in Greenery to show their versatility. Through them, he illustrates how various sizes in homes as well as budgets can still create inspiration and well being. Finally, he maps out your home and showcases how the temperate environments allow specific plants to thrive as well as plant care.

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VEGETABLE KINGDOM

Ten Speed Press

Bryant Terry

Food justice activist and James Beard Award winning chef and author of Afro Vegan is back with a focus on breaking down the fundamentals of plant-based cooking. In this cookbook, he shows how you can create meals from vegetables, grains and legumes. Without the use of meat substitutes he includes fresh ingredients, vibrant spices an array of techniques in order to build flavor and texture for your next meal.

The layout of the book is by ingredient so that you can focus on how to implement simple dishes, selecting items that are in season and available at your grocery store of choice and are illustrated with beautiful imagery throughout his book. His approach also incorporates how you would assemble an array of dishes for the ultimate presentation.

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag #56 and see Bingely Books in mag.

RAISE THE BAR WITH ALYSHA NEWMAN

Across a number of sports, competitions are beginning to start again. We talked with Team Canada Olympic Track & Field Pole Vaulter, Alysha Newman on her sport, prepping for next year's Summer Games and Zenni Optical X ESPN's The World's Greatest USA Track & Field sanctioned event this month.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What brought you to being in Track & Field as an overall sport and specifically, the pole vault?

ALYSHA NEWMAN: Track was my second love and gymnastics was my first. I felt that gymnastics would take me to the Olympics. But when I turned 10 or 11 years old, I had a huge growth spurt and went from 5’4” to 5’8” in a couple of years! It just got hard and I fractured my L5 vertebrae and my body couldn’t keep up with it. I was forced into retirement at the age of 13. I mean, as a 13 year old, training 32 hours a week, in a gymnastics gym, going to school half days – I was having so much fun and it never felt like a job to me.

I took a year off from all athletics to heal myself, but my mom knew that I still wanted to be an athlete. She wanted to put me in diving and in swimming and in more track and field. I ended up dropping the water sports and focused on track and field. In elementary school in Canada, you do Pentathlons, so I did a number of different events. I ended up loving hurdles - the start, the finish and the training. But going from 32 hours to 8 hours a week, I was going crazy at home and wanted to be at the track more.

My manager at the London Legion club, said I should do 2 events which would give me 16 hours on the track. He felt that since I was a gymnast, pole vault would be a good idea. Within 6 months, I started competing. The very first competition that I did, I jumped 3.15m and it was the league record. From that day on, I fell in love with the sport, forgot about gymnastics and found my new passion. first competition that I did, I jumped 3.15m and it was the league record. From that day on, I fell in love with the sport, forgot about gymnastics and found my new passion.

AM: How does the sport of pole vault work in terms of the rules and how you know you have won?

AN: Every bar you get 3 attempts at each bar. Every athlete can pick at what height they want to go in. The meet usually schedules the height of the increments and after that, it’s whoever is jumping the longest. Once everyone is done, you can then pick heights that you are going for for a personal best or a national record. You can pick once everyone is done. You win by being the last man standing.

AM: How do you train for something like this? What workouts are you doing that optimize you to flow through this sport?

AN: You never want to do too much of one thing. With pole vault, it is fully head to toe – which means 90% mental, 10% physical. We’re definitely doing a lot of running, sprint workouts, plyometrics etc. Then we have the technical side which is 2-3 times a week and you are trying to get better, faster and stronger. One thing about pole vault is that it is a development. You’re not going to go in jumping on the highest pole and the stiffest pole right away! You've got to slowly get better, year after year. That’s why they say that it is important that you put in those 10,000 hours of pole vault training. This way, you’re body can get the experience and you learn mostly from your failures. If you talk to any pole vaulter, they will tell you that we end in failure every single time. That is what is so mental about it. You go to the track feeling like you can jump to the sky and because of “x” factors, it might not happen that day. It’s not because you were off your game that you couldn’t win, it could have been that your poles didn’t show up or anything. It’s one of those things that’s very mental. If you can be mentally tough in this event, you will do pole vault for a very long time.

AM: With the Summer Games in Tokyo being postponed to next summer, how are you focusing in terms of making sure that you are on track for your fitness goals and what you want to achieve to compete next year?

AN: Initially, I was really hurt. I mean every athlete waits 4 years to show the best of the best and be around the best of the best. I think what was really positive was that I had to switch it as fast as I could and to not take it as a negative. Usually, you don’t have time to work on anything you know? You put those 10,000 hours in, you go pro, and then you go to meet after meet. I competed 40 times last year and I only had 4 weeks off. You don’t have as much time to work on or change things which then may effect something else.

We have worked on my speed, listening and feeling the pole out. Doing those repetitions over and over makes me feel even better than I did 6 months ago. That’s at I'm bringing to the meet in Greenville, South Carolina.

AM: That meet is on July 15th, Zenni Optical and ESPN are presenting The World’s Greatest Live which is the first USA sanctioned Track & Field event this year with attendees that will be socially distanced, You can watch it on ESPN’s YouTube channel. Can you tell us more about the event hosted by Team USA Pole Vault Medalist, Sandi Morris who is hosting it on her custom built runway?

AN: It’s going to be a really awesome event. Zenni is providing all the athletes with eyewear. When all the girls are together with that positive adrenaline, that is when we're at our best for these meets.

Sandi has always been the leader in Women’s Pole Vaulting and has been someone that keeps pushing the bar very high. She’s a firecracker, she’s always on and always putting out high heights to keep us motivated.

AM: What’s your routine prior to a meet?

AN: I eat really healthy leading up to the meet. It’s something that I always do. The day before, I’m on the phone calling my coaches for an hour or two just to have a game plan. I will always have a glass of wine with my agent the night before I compete. I’m at my best when I’m having the most fun, relaxed and have a good sleep. In the morning, I call one of my coaches before I go out to let them know about the height increments and what we are going to do. I put my makeup and lipstick on which is like my war paint – when that goes on, there’s no looking back.

IG @AlyshaNewman

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Oscar Muñoz Badilla

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag #55 and see Raise the Bar with Alysha Newman in mag.

Hear Team Canada Pole Vaulter, Alysha Newman on our show, Bungalow SK - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

KEEP IT DELICIOUS WITH JESSICA TOMEI

With the summer of 2020 in full swing as we continue to navigate the past few months, we have all enjoyed a number of indulgences from taking up new projects, hobbies, self-care, cooking and creating an array of beverages. We took some time to chat with Cupcake Vineyard's Head Winemaker, Jessica Tomei to talk about their wines, their newest range within the Better For You Catgeory as well as insight into harvest season.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been a fan of Cupcake Wines since 2010, and around that time, our team was invited to a wine pairing dinner at a restaurant here in NYC. It was the first time that we were introduced to Angel Food and Red Velvet as well as additional wines that are in your portfolio along with 6-8 dishes for dinner. It really gave great insight into what the brand was about. Can you tell our readers about this wine label?

JESSICA TOMEI: Cupcake Vineyards launched in 2008. We are a brand that is all about finding the joyful moments in life. We’re a globally grown brand that is based in California. We travel the world to ensure that the most desirable grapes are being used in Cupcake Wine. We like to see the glass as full of possibilities, to strive to make wines that are worth celebrating and are delicious. As a winemaker, we work really hard to make wines that pair well with your friends, your family and delicious food. Some of the wines that we make are from California so we have our Monterey County Chardonnay, Central Coast Pinot Noir, we do a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand from the Marlborough region – we have so many varietals that we get to play with. We have a variety of reds, whites, rosé, our cans and now we have our Cupcake Light Hearted.

AM: Can you tell us about your background, how you came into the wine industry and what makes Cupcake Vineyards feel like the right place for your creations?

JT: I was born and raised in California. I’m a 3rd generation Californian. I grew up in a very close knit Italian and Greek family. Food and wine was always a part of our get togethers. When I attended UC Davis, I was actually premed. I was drawn to their Viticulture and Enology program. I took a class there in wine and I realized that this was really for me and I earned my Bachelor’s Degree there and since then, I’m going into my 25th harvest season as I do 2 harvests a year. I’ve worked in Italy and then in Chile and they have an opposite harvest than us. I have worked all over California including Sonoma, Napa and now the Central Coast. Working on Cupcake has been a culmination of my career because I’m able to make wines from California as well as all around the world which is a great fit.

AM: What does being a head winemaker entail and what are either your day to day tasks that you do or even season to season?

JT: What I love about it is that everyday is different. Especially during this time of year when you are in harvest. A week in the life of a winemaker, I’m checking the grapes on the vineyard and then I go to the winery and work with our team there finalizing blends from 2019 and getting those ready to bottle. We’re preparing the winery right now to receive the new harvest – including barrel orders and supplies for harvest.

During harvest which will start in about a month and a half, I’ll make pick decisions and monitor the fermentations and then we start to process all of our allocating and blending the lots that will be the next vintage of cupcake. Every day is different, but it’s all very joyful.

AM: What is your favorite time of year during the wine season?

JT: Harvest is my favorite time because it’s really the birth of a new vintage, but it’s also the culmination of a growing season. To me, it’s like we’re taking all of the hard work that our vineyard team has done from Dec – Sept and it’s our job to turn that into a delicious glass of wine for our customers. I love that in wine, we have the ability to encapsulate time basically and all the hard work that goes into that. We’ll be drinking vintage 2019 soon and we’ll be like, “remember life before COVID-19?”

AM: There are a number of playful elements about Cupcake Vineyards that allows people to enjoy wine at an approachable price point with a lot of flavor, why is that an essential element to this brand?

JT: It’s important that we are creating something that is accessible to everyone and still premium, fun and delicious. I think that we have this joyful philosophy that is at the core of this brand. The playful elements really brings this to life. Since I’ve worked with Cupcake, we have had a few different taglines like “Live Deliciously,” “Treat Today,” and now, “Choose Joy.” All of those are core to what we do as they’re all delightful and delicious. So, it’s the perfect wine to celebrate life’s joyful moments without having a huge price tag where you can celebrate daily.

AM: Cupcake Lighthearted launched in early July, what was the concept behind bringing this to market?

JT: I’m a super active mom with active kids and I hike, run, Peleton and love being outdoors and really healthy. I wanted to have something that was lower in calories and alcohol that still tasted delicious and there weren’t really any wines in the market that compared in that category. I love the fact that with Lighthearted, it’s super delicious, fruit forward and you can pour a glass on a weeknight and not feel like you’ve thrown yourself off of your routine where you can’t get up the next morning and get on your Peleton. It’s lower alcohol which makes it great also. It is vegan friendly, gluten free, 8% alcohol, less than 1g of sugar per serving and only 80 calories. This afternoon, I'm going to take my kids to the pool and it's a great drink for me to have on a fun afternoon.

AM: When you think about the Better For You category, as a winemaker, is it difficult or a different process when you have your regular wines and then you’re making this portion of the portfolio which have these elements for people with various dietary habits that are able to enjoy it?

JT: Just like with all of our Cupcake Wines, it starts in the vineyard. With Cupcake Lighthearted, we’re picking it earlier in the season than our fuller alcohol wines. So, when you pick earlier in the season, you have lower brix (editors note: a brix value, express as degrees °Bx, is the number of grams of sucrose present per 100 grams of liquid) level and when that lower brix level ferments, it’s a lower alcohol. The brix is basically the initial sugar in the wine and that ferments to alcohol. So if you have a lower sugar level to begin with, then you’ll have a lower alcohol.

AM: COVID-19 has obviously impacted a lot of things for people within travel and hospitality. Is there going to be an impact in general in terms of wine production?

JT: We are considered as essential as part of being in agriculture. We’ve always in terms of the production side and everything have prioritized safety and are taking the necessary precautions to ensure that our vineyards, cellar, wine making teams stay and safe and healthy as a priority. Yes, we will continue to produce those wines here.

JT: I wish I could! But I can’t divulge any details now, but I PROMISE that we have some fun things in the works.

AM: This past Spring, another one that we enjoyed is the Cava Sparkling which I think pairs so well with so many dishes, is fun to drink alone or even with a snack like gourmet popcorn. Are there additional wines that you are able to share that will be launching that we should keep an eye out for?

AM: Our 3 favorites are Angel Food, Moscato and Red Velvet. What are your 3 favorite wines from this brand?

JT: That’s so hard, it’s like choosing your favorite child but I can tell you one that’s my go to right now. I really love our Monterey County Chardonnay. I love that it really does speak to the region where it’s from. It has a higher acidity, really nice mouth feel, barrel fermented it goes through partial malolactic fermentation (editor’s note: a secondary fermentation known as MLF, is the process in which malic acid in wine is converted to lactic acid) and it’s really lemony and has hints of vanilla.

IG @CupcakeVineyards

PHOTOS COURTESY | Cupcake Vineyards

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag #55 and see Keep it Delicious with Jessica Tomei in mag.

Hear Cupcake Vineyards Head Winemaker, Jessica Tomei on our show, Bungalow SK - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

ATHLEISURE LIST | STEEZY

STEEZY was founded in 2014 by Connor Lim & Evan Zhou initially as a blog. In 2015, STEEZY Studio launched as an online dance class subscription service offering on-demand digital dance tutorials for dancers of all skill levels, with the goal to make online dance classes accessible to anyone, anywhere while bringing the dance community together as a whole.

Rather than simply taking a physical dance class online, STEEZY develops technology to make learning to dance easier, so you can enjoy dancing faster. The platform utilizes custom features allowing users to see everything, review faster, and practice more efficiently. Users can easily switch views, view specific sections of a dance, loop moves, control speed, and even watch themselves dance with the “see yourself” mode. This feature allows users to see themselves on screen side by side with the instructor, by using the computer's webcam.

Each class and program is thoughtfully designed by the most sought after choreographers including CJ Salvador (credits include Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez), J Blaze (Justin Bieber, Usher, Chris Brown, Robin Thicke), Kiira Harper (Beyonce, Lizzo, Drake, Janelle Monae, Trey Songz), Lyle Beniga (Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Christina Aguilera), Nicole Kirkland (Prince, Iggy Azalea, Kehlani, Gwen Stefani), Ysabelle Capitule (Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Kehlani, Mya), and many more.

STEEZY currently offers 700+ classes with new dances added weekly in 9 different styles: Urban Dance, Breaking/ BBoy, Dancehall, Popping, Hip Hop, Whacking, House, Krump, and Heels/Jazz Funk. Upcoming new style launches include: Dance Fitness - 7/26, Intro to Heels - 8/23, LiteFeet - 9/6, K-pop Dances - 9/20 and Locking - 10/11.

Videos remain on the platform permanently unless noted otherwise. Each STEEZY user can save classes or programs within their account. iOS and Android users also have the ability to download for offline mode.

STEEZY is available for $20/month or $99.99/year. First-time users can enjoy this app with a free 7-day trial.

STEEZY

www.steezy.co

IG @steezystudio

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag #55 and see Athleisure List | STEEZY in mag.

WHY COLIN MORIKAWA'S US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP WIN MAY BE FIRST OF MANY MAJORS

Collin Morikawa won his first Major Championship during the 2020 US PGA Championship at TPC Hardin Park. The 23-year-old overcame some big names on the final day in San Francisco to lift the trophy.

Morikawa shot a faultless six-under 64 in his final round to finish two shots clear of the pack, with Paul Casey and Dustin Johnson finishing in a tie for second place.

The US PGA Championship was just the second Major of his career so far. He made his debut at the US Open last year, finishing in a tie for 35th place after the weekend. Morikawa will take a great deal of confidence out of how well he played in California. Former world number one Dustin Johnson led the way going into that final round so to beat some of the biggest names in the sport, in a huge event, is an impressive feat.

Morikawa's next opportunity to double his Major tally will come in the US Open where he is +2000 in the golf betting to prevail at Winged Foot Golf Club. When you break down the young American’s game, there are not many weaknesses. He is powerful off the tee, his short game is equally as good, while he has a temperament which ensures he stays calm and cool on the course. This could be his opportunity to take the US Open.

Consistency on The PGA Tour

Morikawa has been one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour over the last couple of years. He began his career with 22 consecutive made cuts on the tour. This has only been bettered by Tiger Woods who made the cut in his opening 25 tournaments.

As an amateur Morikawa was part of the United States’ victories in the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2017 and 2018, while he was also in the successful team which lifted the Walker Cup in 2017.

Those who followed Morikawa’s career as an amateur are not surprised, he has been able to continue his success as a professional.

Morikawa Not Afraid to Take Risks on The Course

In golf, players calculate the risk and reward with every shot they attempt to make on the course. This was the case on the 16th hole of that final round at TPC Harding Park. Rather than take a safe approach to his tee-shot, Morikawa was aggressive. He took a driver and hit the ball within seven feet of the hole before holing for an eagle.

Given what was at stake with three holes to play, Morikawa knew that an eagle would put him in the driving seat in the Major Championship so he did not hesitate to gamble.

The shot on the 16th was not the only risk Morikawa took all week. He attacked every pin on the course across the four days and he got his reward.

There will be some tournaments where such an approach will not work for Morikawa. Like many of the young players in the game today though, they play without fear.

It is going to be exciting to see how far Morikawa can go in the sport over the next few years. The early signs suggest it could be to the very top.

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW | HARLEY PASTERNAK

COVID-19 has effected every aspect of our lives from our routines, our work, how we interact with one another and more. When it comes to working out at your favorite studios, the impact is felt here as well. We took some time to catch up with one of our favorite Celebrity Fitness Trainers and Nutritionists, Harley Pasternak who has trained Kim Kardashian, Charlie Puth and Ariana Grande to name a few. He shares how we can build our home studios, advice he has given his clients as well as what to expect (as well as what to bring) when we return to gyms and studios.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Here in NY our team began staying at home March 13th and we quickly got our equipment as we had no idea how long we would be staying home due to COVID-19. What did you suggest for your clients in terms of equipment that they should have on hand?

HARLEY PASTERNAK: Home fitness equipment has become a real scarcity in our new normal. The first thing I tell people to do, especially since the weather is nice, is to walk. Walking does not require any equipment and will definitely help you keep track of how much and how intensely you move. Next, I would opt for TRX suspension straps because they are fantastic for training and the posterior chain. Dumbbells are also great, if you can get them, since they are so versatile and don’t take up too much room. A bench, preferably an adjustable bench, also allows for countless strength moves. Otherwise, some sliders, a hip band and a glute ham roller would be high on my list of things that would make working out at home even better and more efficient. On top of that, recovery tools like foam rollers would be great to implement.

AM: Although we were fortunate to get our dumbbells, weight plates and bands - many have not been able to get those items. What would be substitutes for these items to have a productive workout?

HP: Cans of soup and water bottles are great substitutes for dumbbells, and large jugs of water or laundry detergent could work for kettle bells.

AM: What are 3 workouts for abs, 3 for legs and 3 for butts, 3 for arms that we should include within our routine?

HP: Pike planks, bicycle crunches, and twist planks are great to work your abdominals and fire up your entire core. For legs, walk lunges, lateral lunges, and hamstring curls with either sliders or a TRX band are great to do on a consistent basis. To work your glutes, I recommend single leg bridges, hip thrusts, and lower body Supermans.

AM: For those with families, how important is it to incorporate movement with their children and what do you suggest to keep them engaged?

HP: Now more than ever, it is critical to keep kids moving as much as possible since we are spending so much time indoors. Kids are really a product of their environments and respond well to behavior modeled by their parents. If your kids see you working out, working out becomes natural to them. Incorporating them into your workouts is even better and it makes it a real family affair. My family and I go on walks together which is a great way to stay connected and get some moves into our day. My wife and I also do strength circuits together with our four and six year olds. We even let our kids earn credits through doing exercise that allow them to have screen time.

AM: We follow your IG and we like your series on the #2fer. Can you tell our readers about this and why you created these posts?

HP: I created these posts because when COVID-19 hit and people started to quarantine, a lot of people felt frustrated that they could not access a gym or their favorite fitness instructor. Therefore, many fitness professionals created overly complicated fitness programs online and some even charged for it. After seeing this, I thought it would be nice to create a program with just two simple moves every day that require no equipment and are completely free and accessible for everybody to do. The feedback was incredibly positive, and it felt good to help people during a very difficult time. I emphatically believe working out should be accessible for everyone.

AM: We also love your posts that show you and your kids trying different fast foods as a means to show balance. Why is this important and in your tastings, have you found brands in this category that are healthy?

HP: The idea for these posts started with a client of mine ordering fast food to our house. My kids have never tried McDonald’s before, and I wanted to capture it on film. It was a really funny experience and when I posted it, it very quickly got over 40,000 views. I thought it was important to show people that there’s many sides to somebody who lives and teaches a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to allow us adults, and especially kids, a chance to taste everything in this world as well as to practice both indulgence and balance. The problem arises when we indulge too often and it becomes part of routine. We do these fast food experiences once a week and have a lot of fun with them. By allowing my children to try everything, they no longer yearn for these “forbidden” foods because they realize they are not forbidden, and often, they are not that delicious, and often give them a tummy ache.

AM: What are 3 power foods or snacks that you suggest that we enjoy pre/post workout?

HP: I’m not really a fan of pre-or post-workout meals. That’s really more having to do with bodybuilder or high-level athletes dealing with performance. I mainly focus on health and physical transformation. Other than having some caffeine 60 to 90 minutes prior to a workout, I focus more on creating three meals and two snacks a day, and then decide where to fit in my workout rather than the other way around.

AM: What are 3 healthy indulgences that we can enjoy?

HP: I think healthy indulgence is often an oxymoron. Most of the things that I find indulgent are really not healthy. Chocolate chip cookies and french fries are indulgent, but not healthy. However, I do think it’s healthy to indulge sometimes and not think about having to be healthy. I try to live by the 85 to 15 method: 85% of the time I eat clean and 15% of the time I eat what I want.

AM: Across the US, cities/states are in various levels of reopening. Many gyms and studios are reopening and although many are excited to get back to their routines, there is some apprehension amongst those working out and even for gyms that are preparing to reopen. What are your thoughts on how we can return to gyms/studios safely, what should we be looking for when we enter these spaces and are there items that we should bring with us?

HP: That’s a good question and one that is constantly changing. To be honest with you, I think it’s a little too soon to go back into indoor fitness spaces with multiple people huffing and puffing. These last few months where people have not been able to use health clubs, they realize that they’re able to get most of what they need to get done without an elaborate gym or fancy equipment. That being said, a well-equipped fitness facility has a lot more tools for you to train your body in fun and creative ways. There’s also the element of socialization. People really miss being in a group with group energy and a sense of belonging. Unfortunately, this may have to wait a little bit longer. If you do choose to go back to the gym, try to go at non-peak hours. I would also suggest maintaining a safe distance from those around you and making sure to wipe down any equipment you touch before and after use. I also suggest bringing your own hydration so you don’t have to share the drinking fountain. Propel Powder Packs, for example, are packed with electrolytes and easy to throw in your workout bag to make sure you’re properly hydrated.

AM: Via IG, we saw that you and Ariana Grande were doing an in-person workout, what are you personally doing for you and your clients to ensure mutual safety?

HP: I see very few clients in person and do the majority of my training online. For a few clients, we work out together at my studio in my outdoor gym. When doing this, both of us wear masks and keep a proper social distance. We also wipe down all surfaces of equipment that are touched by the clients, have replaced our cable attachments with copper-coated antimicrobial attachments, and have the gym deep cleaned twice a day, which is the same amount of cleaning we utilized before COVID. So far, so good.

AM: You have always stated that we should consume no more than 30g of sugar a day as it can lead to diabetes; however, sugar also has an impact on our immunity. Can you tell us about that?

HP: There are great number of studies that have shown the impact of sugar on our immune system. When we consume a high amount of sugar in either a meal or beverage, it can cause a temporary suppression of our immune system. Chronic consumption of a high sugar diet can also contribute to insulin insensitivity, obesity, and possibly even type two diabetes. These are all three incredibly high-risk factors for COVID complications as well.

AM: What foods can assist in raising our immunity?

HP: Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Zinc are all great to help support a healthy immune system. I like to incorporate Propel Vitamin Boost into my hydration routine because it has 100% of the daily recommended value of Vitamins B, C, and E. It is great to drink to during my workouts to stay hydrated as well as make sure that I get my vitamins in.

AM: As we continue to stay healthy from home, what should we be doing to optimize ourselves?

HP: Managing stress is important. Try not to have too much screen time, especially before bed, and make sure you are getting enough quality and quantity sleep. This will help keep Cortisol levels in check and ensure they don’t get out of whack and suppress your immune system. Staying physically active and hydrated is also very important. And most importantly, please wear a mask.

AM: As someone who is working with his clients whether in person or virtually, spending time with your family and working on a number of projects – how are you taking time for yourself in your downtime?

HP: Good question. I make sure I have breakfast and dinner with my family every day and weekends are all about my kids. As I’ve gotten older, I have realized how important prioritizing family and personal time is. I like to golf every Sunday morning, and make sure I have a date night at least once a week with my wife.

IG @HarleyPasternak

PHOTOS COURTESY | Propel

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag #55 and see Something You Should Know | Harley Pasternak in mag.

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

Read the July Issue #55 of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure Beauty in mag.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST WORKOUT EQUIPMENT TO GET FIT AT HOME

You’re tired of having to go to the gym every day, but you aren’t ready to give up your dream of having the perfect body. The truth is, you should never give up that dream, no matter how bored you might get with exercising from time to time. This is not only because you will look great if you continue with your routine, but also because you will feel great and be perfectly healthy. Nobody should ever give up on being healthy. Read this to understand the importance of regular physical activity.

Here’s another truth for you. There’s no need to take that boring trips to the gym and you don’t have to stop working out altogether just because you don’t want to renew your membership this month. If you have been a gym junkie for a long time, I suppose that you have by now picked up a few workout routines that you are able to do all on your own, without anyone’s help. On the other hand, if you have never worked out in your entire life, it doesn’t mean that you need professional help either.

Thera are so many online programs nowadays that provide you with the perfect opportunity to exercise right there in the comfort of your own home. People are increasingly turning towards this option, because it is much easier and just as effective. Plus, it can be much more fun. All you need to do is find the program that works for you.

There’s another catch, though. You’ll need some equipment. Sure, you might not want to get all the tools and gadgets that you can find in your local gym, but you’ll definitely need some equipment to begin with. The only thing is, you will need to make sure that you are getting the right equipment, which can be a bit tricky if you’re only getting started. There are just so many things to choose from and you might not know what you need.

If you think about it closely, you’ll realize that, while all the pieces of equipment might have their purpose, you don’t need to have all of them in order to stay in perfect shape. This depends on a lot of different factors, starting with what it is that you actually want to gain from your workout sessions. With that in mind, let me share a few useful tips on how to choose the best workout equipment so that you can get fit right at home.

Decide What You Want

Unsurprisingly, the first thing you should do is decide what it is you want to get from your workouts. Do you want to do cardio and cardio only, do you plan on lifting and pumping your muscles, or do you want to engage in yoga? Perhaps you would like to do a combination of these things, which is perfectly okay. Keep in mind, though, that you will require different things for different types of workouts. As you can see at bodyscienceusa.com, a weightlifter and a crossfit maniac don’t exactly use the same pieces of equipment.

This means that your individual needs and requirements will dictate your shopping decisions. You wouldn’t want to buy some heavy weights if you don’t plan on building huge and strong muscles, would you? Getting fit can mean a lot of different things and what it means to you depends on how you feel and look right now, as well as on how you would like to feel and look in the future. Make sure to know what your specific goal is before buying any pieces of equipment.

Get Expert Advice

Even after precisely figuring out what you want and perhaps finding the fitness program you want to follow, you might still be a bit confused about the equipment you should get. This means that it is time to bring in the experts. Who can be better at telling you what you need than an expert who has been in this business for a while? I suppose you didn’t let your years at the gym make you think that you have become an expert yourself.

Of course, you might have picked up quite a lot of tips and tricks, but the truth is that you can never know as much as an actual trainer. If you have been going to the gym for a while, you have probably met a professional who can help you with your equipment buying decisions. That is, naturally, if they are willing to help. If they, however, aren’t willing to help, you should look for assistance elsewhere.

What does “elsewhere” mean? Should you just ask your friend who looks gorgeous about which tools they are using to get fit? That can be of some help, but it still isn’t the perfect way to get things done. Instead, you should search for some online tips from professionals. In other words, if the experts from your gym aren’t willing to help, a lot of online professionals sure will be.

Read Equipment Reviews

The above shouldn’t be your last step, though. You can get a lot of useful pieces of advice from these experts, but there is still the question of which particular equipment from which particular supplier you should actually buy. This can also be quite a daunting decision for all those who have no experience with working out at home. There is something that can be of huge help. It’s called, unsurprisingly, the Internet.

Open up your browser and start searching for all the pieces of equipment you have gotten recommendations on. Start reading as much as you can about those tools and gadgets, with the aim of learning how those work and what they are good for. After a while, you’ll become acquainted with some of the things you need to buy, but since you probably won’t be able to buy everything at once, you’ll still be left with the question of what the best tools and gadgets are for you at a particular moment. Not to mention the question of quality.

You can find all these things out in one simple step. That step consists of you searching for product equipment reviews. These reviews will definitely come in handy in order to determine the quality of certain pieces of equipment and help you spend your money on some great products. When you start searching, you’ll see that there are a lot of reviews like these and they will all help you significantly. Those are, however, not the only reviews you should read.

Read Supplier Reviews

Here it is. This is your last step towards finding perfect equipment for getting fit at home. Once you have checked out a lot of different tools and gadgets and decided on the ones that you believe would work best for your particular training sessions, you should resort to finding the perfect supplier to buy those tools from. Once again, this is done with the help of a little useful thing called the Internet. It seems that the Internet can solve it all, huh?

Just like in the step above, you should search for online reviews. Only this time, you’re looking for reviews written about specific suppliers and manufacturers, instead of about their products. This will help you determine which suppliers are worth your time and which ones you should completely avoid. Consequently, you won’t be spending your hard earned money on low-quality products and services.

Instead, you will be completely sure that the products you buy are of great quality and that they will work towards helping you achieve your specific fitness goal. All that’s left from this point on is to wait for your products to arrive and start getting fit. I’m pretty sure you will have a great time in your very own home gym.

STYLE FILES | SS20

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag #55 and see Style Files in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | COURT 16

Court 16 is a contemporary tennis company remixing the sport. Its flagship opened in 2014 in Gowanus, Brooklyn and provides programs across all age groups that are designed to focus on strong integrated teaching methodology and commitment towards fostering teamwork, community and empowerment for adults and chidren.

Its second location in Long Island City, Queens opened in 2018 as the first tennis facility in the world to feature customized LED tennis courts on the most advanced flooring system in the world. Both facilities are a premier lifestyle tennis destinations for passionate players, esteemed business and organizations across several brand categories.

Court 16's name comes from the court number 16 at the Royal Leopard Club, a tennis club in Brussels, Belgium where the founder Anthony Evrard, learned to play the game with his grandfather.

His love for the sport, playing for the National Belgian Circuit in his youth, being the captain for Layola Marymount, a Division I team as well as his time as Senior Global Lifestyle Manager at Puma created the foundation for Court 16.

Their longterm partnerships with LACOSTE and Babolat (exclusive tennis equipment that is available for complimentary use at the club) have allowed them to collaborate with product launches, exclusive invite only events, off-site programming and ATP player appearances.

The club has a long standing partnership with the USTA for impact programming as well as receiving a grant during the coronavirus pandemic for each club to upgrade their safety protocols. In addition, the USTA has supported their Sound of Tennis program for blind and visually impaired players. These are just a few of ways that they work with Court 16.

Members have access to private and semi-private lessons. They also have pickleball lessons and court rentals that can be booked.

During the pandemic of COVID-19, they have focused on their innovative platform Court 16 @ Home which is aimed at providing continuity and an ongoing connection to the members of the tennis club. They have access to to adaptations of existing plans, enriching immersive content that is consistent with Court 16 experience.

COURT 16 BK

526 Baltic St.

Brooklyn, NY 11217

718.875.5550

COURT 16 LIC

13-06 Queens Plaza S

NY, NY 11101

718.875.5550

www.court16.com

IG @court16tennis

Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | Court 16 in mag.

4 TIPS ON NURTURING YOUR SKIN AFTER SHAVING

Lots of men might grow their beards not so much for fashion or want, but to avoid all the skin irritations of shaving. Itchiness, redness, stinging, flaky skin, and dryness are common problems that men face because the skin is so sensitive after a shave. So, it’s time you take much better care of your skin after a shave.

Have a look at these four tips that help keep your skin nurtured post-shave.

1.   Shaving Balm

Instead of reaching for an aftershave cologne, try using a shaving balm. Though it’s common to use a shaving balm after shaving, using it before you shave creates an easier glide of the razor on your skin. These balms contain no alcohol and have little fragrance which means no sting.

For best results, use a balm that contains aloe vera or camelina oil. The time your skin dries out the most is right after a shave, so a balm that suits your skin type will rehydrate the skin. If you still want to use an aftershave cologne, choose one that is alcohol-free.

2.   The Right Razor

As in almost everything else, prevention is easier than cure. Stubbles, bumps, cuts, and rough skin can be prevented when you use the right razor. The reviews at Theguysshavingclub.com prove that there are differences between razors and that you need to pay attention to details to pick the right one for you. Safety razors in particular last for longer and give you a closer shave, which means your skin will be in better shape.

It’s sort of like taking a few test rides before you find the one that suits you the best and you’re comfortable with. There have been a lot of advances in shaving technology, so if the razor you’re used to simply isn’t doing its job, it’s probably time to ditch it and find one that does.

PHOTO CREDIT | Pixaby

3.   Moisturizer or Scrub

Anytime you shave, add moisturizer afterward. Many of you might not realize that after a shave it’s also a good time to use a men’s facial scrub. Scrubs help prevent ingrown hair. Also, because men tend to have large pores, a scrub helps remove bacteria that may settle into the pores. It might sound strange to use a scrub after a shave, but there’s a lot of things you don’t know about shaving that might surprise you. There is also a right and wrong way to shave that could be causing you skin problems.

4.   Night Time Shave

The norm is to get up and shave in the morning. There’s nothing wrong with that, but a night time shave has its perks. After sleeping for several hours, blood and fluid begin to accumulate around the head and give you a puffy face. The puffiness of the skin makes whiskers more difficult to protrude, causing a very uncomfortable shave.

Conversely, after you’ve been up and around for hours, the blood begins to make its way back into the body. At night so puffy skin is at a minimum, plus it gives time for your face to heal from the shave.

Just because a man’s skin is tougher than a woman’s, it doesn’t mean to treat it roughly. The process of shaving, especially if you shave daily, is already rough on the skin. Take your time when shaving and always make sure to use quality products for a quality shave.