DailyOM: Okay, Sadie, can four minutes really work to make body changes, or is this another fitness gimmick?
Sadie Nardini: Absolutely it can make changes! But I understand why people might wonder. When I first came across this science, I thought the exact same thing. I said, 'No way this can work!' I was used to slogging away for two hours a day on the yoga mat or in the gym to feel like I accomplished anything. However, I noticed that by doing only those long workouts, I was beginning to develop joint pain and fatigue, and my muscles weren't developing like I thought they should be considering the amount of work I was putting in.
As I trained in exercise science and body mechanics, it became clear that I was missing out on something that could ignite my muscles, cardio, and overall metabolism more efficiently: the fierce micro-workout. Science has shown without a doubt that just four minutes of movement done in a certain optimized way can trigger amazing changes in the body. Students can spark the 'afterburn effect,' or what nerds like me know as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This means that students will burn calories even after the workout is finished, something that doesn't happen well with moderate or slow sessions. The type of workouts I designed for this program work the whole body at once, and at the same time, they target a specific body area in each class, to build lean, dense muscle fibers and burn more calories all day (and night!) long. In addition, the micro-workout style I offer is shown to slow aging and activate DNA and cellular repair, to help students become healthier down to their deepest levels.
DailyOM: You say these sessions ask the student for intensity in lieu of length. Will it be too hard for the regular practitioner or those with limitations?
SN: Now, before anyone reading this thinks 'I can't do intense,' note that by 'intense,' I mean working at your personal edge, wherever you are starting today. For some this means less ferocious, and for some it means more, but we all have a place where we can build strength and stamina quickly. I have spinal trauma (neck and lower back) that I have to be mindful of. I understand the need to protect knees, sacrum, spine, shoulders, wrists, and more, even as we move strongly. It can be done! Look, it's only four minutes. Anyone can work for that short burst, respect their joint integrity, and work to their version of intense. You'll make huge changes in a tiny amount of time.
No student needs to do exactly what I'm doing. I usually show the main movement, done in medium to the highest intensity. But there are many variations for people who might want a hands-free or gentler version as they work up to greater stamina and ability. And to that point, I knew when making this course that there was no way I could ask new practitioners to jump into a four-minute workout where I ask them to really go for it from the first moment without confusing or losing people. For that reason, I decided to include 'Introduction and Modification' videos before each class that show all the movements thoroughly and offer the student a few options for each, to take the intensity and joint movement up, or down, depending on their unique needs. This way, when we hit the mat (or elevate onto the chair if needed), everyone is empowered with guidance and the tools they need to move confidently, in the way that works the very best for them.
DailyOM: We all know the term 'metabolism,' but I think fewer of us know the meaning. Exactly what is metabolism and how can we boost it?
SN: Metabolism is basically our inner battery. Clinically, metabolism describes all the chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the cells and the body as a whole. That's a whole bunch of stuff, from converting what you eat and drink to energy, to building and repairing your muscles, skin, and organs. As you sit here, there are thousands of chemical actions and reactions going on inside you that help keep you thriving, energized, and alive! When some of these processes aren't able to work as well, you'll feel sluggish, puffy, and exhausted and may even develop physical illness or sleep disorders.
When I hear people ask for a faster metabolism, I know what they really mean is they want a more efficient one, a metabolism that works for them instead of against them and is optimized for vitality instead of fatigue. Four great ways to boost your metabolism's efficiency are to hydrate well; eat fresh, healing foods; get good sleep; and exercise in ways that challenge your cardio and muscles properly. I've got the workout portion of this equation down pat. All a student has to do is clear a few minutes a day to dedicate to their best body, inside and out. I get that most people, like me, are too busy with life to get dressed, drive to a gym, work out, then come back home -- that's often two or three hours gone. With this program, they can jump onto the mat at a commercial break, between Zoom meetings, while the baby naps, or just before they get ready in the morning. These workouts are challenging but over before you know it.
DailyOM: You're in your 50s! How has your practice had to change as you get older?
SN: I hear a lot of people who would answer that question with their increased limitations of aging, but I'm actually stronger and more fit now than I've ever been. I have ongoing limitations from when I was a teen. I have to be careful of my neck and low back, and can't do a lot of crazy yoga postures or classic burpees, because those can really hurt me. As I learned through years of anatomy study, they can really hurt anyone! I stopped doing what every non-anatomy-trained yoga or fitness trainer told me to do and began listening to my body, studying the science, and innovating new joint-subtle ways to exercise. After all, high intensity does not have to mean high joint impact! These days, instead of long, brutal hours doing yoga or cardio for decreasing benefits, I've learned to work smarter, not longer. My body rewards me for this switch by gaining power, instead of pain.
I do notice that the areas around my old injuries need more TLC and aren't quite as happy in the morning as they used to be, but then when I get up and honor them with consistent movement, conscious alignment, and lots of guacamole for healthy fats, they don't bother me. (I firmly believe that tacos make everyone feel better -- even the joints!)
DailyOM: You're a yoga teacher first and foremost. Why and how did you come to teach fitness as well?
SN: Well, I did become known as a yoga teacher first, but yoga and fitness have always gone hand in hand with me. In fact, not many people know this, but I was a dancer with a promising future in ballet ahead of me when I got injured and could no longer head in that direction. I always loved to move my body, still do, and I experience and process life most fully through the physical form. From dance, hiking, elliptical machines, cardio step classes, African dance, yoga, and even truly embarrassing forays into tap dance and mime (yes, mime), I've tried it all.
With my physical limitations, I've leaned on the strength and freedom I am capable of, instead of all the things I can't do. I don't give those what-ifs the time of day. In this program, which I was so excited to film every day, I know I can pass the message along that all of us, wherever we are in our fitness and health journeys, can meet on this solid ground: that you are stronger than you think and more capable of movement than you know, when you move in a holistic way that works to support, not sabotage, your true potential. | | |
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