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Bridge – One of Fluid’s August Five

How lucky are we to have such lovely summer weather? I have been taking my Pilates and yoga classes outdoors this month.

Here Kate demonstrates Bridge – one of our August Five.

Start with knees and feet hip distance apart. Relax your back.

 

Kate Bridge 8.13

Press into your feet to lift your spine one vertebra at a time. Think of stretching the whole front side of your body.

Kate Bridge 2 8.13

In the Pilates variation you continue rolling up and down, breathing and relaxing your back. The yoga version you hold for five breaths then slowly come down. Take your pick and see if you can do this move once a day for one minute.

Pilates Helps Golfer Develop Muscular Strength And Power

This week in Pilates class one of my ladies mentioned how Pilates has helped improve her golf swing.

standing-twist-peach (2)

She has been doing Pilates and strength training with me for five years and has noticed improved core strength as a result. A competitive athlete, she plays soccer here in Portland. Her recent vacations have included hiking and camping in a remote Hawaiian jungle and ascending a snowy mountaintop.

This month her vacation included daily rounds of golf, in fact she often played 36 holes each day. She felt strong and relaxed while playing throughout the week and attributed her new found strength to the Pilates core exercises. Her internal dialogue used to be “ground your feet to the earth”. Now she has added “pull your belly button in” to activate her core while playing. I have noticed that she has developed a new awareness of her breath and greater muscular control.

Would you like to be a Pilates success story? Contact Anne to set up your initial consultation and see if a class, duo, or private session is the best place for you to start. (503) 705-4762

 

Anne McCranie is a Portland, Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers Pilates, Yoga and Taijifit classes, and private training sessions at her studio in Sellwood. To view Fluid’s current class schedule click here.

Healthier Pulled Pork Recipe

Man I love pulled pork.

Unfortunately the traditional recipe that I grew up eating is flavored with store bought BBQ sauce, which typically includes highly processed white sugar (or even worse – corn syrup!). I have come up with a healthier option along with a recipe for homemade BBQ sauce.

Never fear – it’s easier than you think.

This is what I will be serving at this Saturday’s party. Hope you can make it!

Cap’n Jack’s Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 lb pork shoulder – Carlton farms raises happy pigs and you can find them at Zupans, Otto’s and Fubonn among other places.
  • 1-2 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 small knuckle of fresh ginger, minced
  • 3 – 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

I chop my onion, garlic and ginger in the food processor so it is minced really fine.

Place meat in a crock pot with all of the above ingredients and cook for 10 – 12 hours. After the meat is cooked carefully pull it out of the crock – it will be falling apart in chunks – and place in a large pan. Reserve the cooking liquid.

Shred the pork with two forks and place it back in the crock. Add back in enough of the cooking liquid to moisten the pork – at least a cup. Add one cup (or to taste) of this delicious homemade BBQ sauce and cook for one hour more.

Mary Read’s Cutthroat BBQ Sauce

(pirate reference anyone? See the party on Saturday is nautical themed…oh never mind :))

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 16 oz cans of chopped tomatoes (or 3 cups fresh when in season)
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Put all above ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low/medium heat for about a half hour. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

 

Anne McCranie is a Licensed Massage Therapist and personal trainer in Sellwood (Portland) Oregon. She loves to eat and share good food. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice. Click here to see why Anne includes meat in her healthy diet.

Jackson’s Ride The Gorge Sports Massage This Saturday July 27th, 2013

Are you a cyclist or lover of the Columbia Gorge (or both)?

Come out to the Gorge this Saturday July 27th, 2013 for Jackson’s Ride The Gorge.

Anne will be there along with a team of massage therapists at the finish line. Jackson’s Ride the Gorge is a fundraising bike ride for the Jackson Hill Foundation. The support on this ride is amazing including breakfast, dinner, and food and water rest stops in between. Also included, mechanics, vehicles (in case you need a ride), and a clearly marked course with volunteers along the way, and of course post ride massage!

Online registration is open only until midnight on Thursday July 25th.

The Jackson Hill Foundation honors the legacy of Jackson Hill by supporting efforts to ease the suffering of families who have a child in the hospital. In February 2012 the foundation opened the Jackson Hill Wellness center at Legacy Emanuel in Portland. The center is open 24 hours a day, offering a break from the hospital and stress relief for families of patients in the hospital. 

Click one of the above links and sign up today! Hope to see you there.

Anne