Archive for BORP Fitness

BORP Fitness Studio Teacher Spotlight: Leia Cash

By Betsy Dorsett on October 23, 2018 1 Comments
Leia Cash

Leia Cash

Leia Cash teaches World Dance For All! every Thursday from 1-2pm. The styles she draws from include but are not limited to: salsa, cha cha, merengue, swing, African, Brazilian samba, “old school” funk, disco and more. “I’m so excited to be teaching at BORP because it reaches out to MY community here in the East Bay and welcomes everybody regardless of what kind of body and abilities they have. The opportunity to dance and move with you is so close to my heart.”

More about Leia:
  • I am a bay area native, and have had the good fortune to live outside the U.S. for a number of years. There are so many things I love about the bay area, including all the wonders of nature right on our doorstep.
  • I first learned about BORP 3 years ago when I took an excellent yoga class taught by Eric Irvin. I took a look at the BORP Fitness Center class schedule and decided to offer a dance class at BORP.
  • You may not know this about me:  I speak Swedish and Italian fluently. My French needs practice!

Sign up for classes at the BORP Fitness Studio

Categories : BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest, fitness

May/June News and events from the BORP Fitness Studio

By Stacy Rohrs on May 11, 2018 No Comments

News and events from the fitness studio covering May/mid June

New Instructor ​&​ Summer yoga classes

Hatha Foundations for Teachers​ w/ Kelly Noah​

This class will be offered in the BORP fitness studio Thursdays and Fridays 9-10 am from June 14th until the end of July.

Kelly Noah received her 200 and 300-hour yoga teacher training from Piedmont Yoga Studio from 2016-2018. She teaches and practices Hatha yoga with an emphasis on easeful movement, strengthening postures, and meditation. Kelly believes that yoga offers a unique opportunity to increase easeful body movement and deeply connect with oneself at the same time. In addition to Piedmont Yoga’s Deep Healing, Spiritual Justice, and Nature as Teacher training, Kelly has also taken the Prison Yoga Project training, The Art of Yoga Project training, and Leslie Howard’s Pelvic Floor training. Kelly is also an avid swimmer and swim coach, and when she is not at the pool or on the mat, she enjoys dancing and cooking.

Class description: Exploring the basic postures and breathing techniques used in Hatha Yoga, this class encourages gentle opening of the body and increased mind-body awareness. Using a combination of easeful movement, strengthening postures, and meditation, this class moves at a slow pace and is well-suited for beginners as well as seasoned practitioners looking to slow down.

​-Women’s Self Defense workshop is being offered on Saturday, June 9th in the fitness center studio from 11-5 pm. This class is being offered by BORP fitness studio Tai Chi instructor, Hursey Baker. (Fees apply) For more info, contact fitness@borp.org ​

Body Positie Yoga FlowN​ew class:​

Body Positive Yoga Flow w/ Julia Fogelson

This class will be offered in the BORP fitness studio Wednesdays​, 7​- 8 pm​

​​Class description: Body Positive Yoga Flow is a Vinyasa style yoga class suitable for all levels. Class will focus on linking conscious breath with a mindful flow. Class will begin slow, build up to a vigorous standing sequence, and cool down with relaxing floor movements. Students can expect to build strength, flexibility and concentration while heating the body and calming the mind. Modifications will be provided to make poses accessible for all levels.

​​Upcoming workshop

​​Nothing To Lose But Aches & The Blues w/ Nancy Yates 

Next session is June 16th 3:30-5:30 pm in the fitness studio

This workshop is for everyone including blind, low-vision, disabled, and veteran participants. All are invited. We will do gentle stretching, breath instruction, easeful movements, restoration & meditation. The workshop is offered every 3rd Saturday of the month, Donation/ Fee $20. Delicious healthy snacks provided.​

Questions? call Nancy at 415-346-8119.

 

 

Categories : BORP Fitness

A Perfect Partnership – BORP Cycling and The Centre for Neuro Skills

By Greg Milano on April 19, 2018 No Comments

Over the last three years, BORP Cycling and the Centre for Neuro Skills in Emeryville (CNS) have developed a great partnership serving both our missions. CNS is a residential rehabilitation program for people with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and strokes.  Every Tuesday, a group of CNS clients and their therapists visit the BORP Cycling Center for a group ride.  Most riders come for several months while they are enrolled in CNS programs and some continue to come independently afterward.

CNS  Therapist Albert Santa Cruz has this to say about our programs:

“BORP provides additional recreation therapy for our patients and provides a physical activity in community-based areas. There are plenty of articles and studies showing the benefits of outdoor activities including motivation to exercise, enhancing a positive attitude and emotion, and reducing mental fatigue. BORP allows a break for patients who undergo intense therapy in a clinical setting for hours a day while still getting a different type of rehabilitation. Bicycling outdoors allows patients to feel a sense of community involvement through social reintegration and inducing a mindset of belonging and being able to see their progress in a practical setting. Another aspect of bicycling outdoors is the exposure to sensory experiences by seeing the bright grassy areas, the sunny skies, and vast bay area water. Participation has given our patients a sense of a “reset” that allows them to continue their formal therapies refreshed.

The staff and volunteers have been phenomenal and accommodate for our sometimes large groups. They assist with all fitting for all of our patients and make sure our patients are safe with appropriate equipment. They adapt their equipment for our varying impairments and body types. We appreciate the open dialogue that is available at BORP and hope to keep the BORP and CNS relationship for a very long time.”

CNS Rider Spotlight:

CNS “graduate” Ray Ydoyaga on a recumbent trike near the BORP Cycling Center

Ray Ydoyaga

We interviewed CNS “graduate” Ray Ydoyaga about his personal experiences at BORP.  Ray started out riding recumbent cycles with the CNS group, has become a regular independent rider, and just this month successfully got back on a two-wheel cycle.

BORP: What do you enjoy about BORP?

Ray Ydoyaga: It’s great to be able to have a regular and fun outdoor athletic workout after a major physical injury.  This wouldn’t be possible for me without BORP’s special adaptive bikes.  BORP is also ideally located at the juncture of multiple bike trails ranging from the very easy loop around Aquatic Park Lake, to hidden paths around Berkeley marina, and to challenging and serious rides up to either the Bay Bridge bike path or, going the other direction, Richmond, and all offering stupendous views.   Pre-accident, I was a daily cyclist, so now post-accident, being able to do something physical again that i love has given me a lot of hope and improved my mental well-being.

BORP: Have you noticed a specific impact on your physical rehabilitation?

Ray: The repetitive cycling motions have definitely increased my strength, endurance, balance  and overall mobility.  My right side is still substantially weaker than left, but the regular cycling has given the right side a big boost.

BORP: What brought you to BORP?

Ray: In July 2016, I had a high-speed bicycle wipeout that caused a concussion and a spinal cord injury at neck level (C3).  That level of injury almost always means being (required to use a wheelchair), but through luck, years-long rehab work and the care AND INGENUITY of a great physical therapist, SEAN REYNOLDS OF CNS, I am able to walk — with a pronounced limp and sometimes looks a bit like a drunken sailor, but still, it’s a self-propelled walk nonetheless.  I have improved to the point where I will be taking my first solo ride on a regular two-wheeled bike very soon, and perhaps graduating from BORP’s fast three-wheeled trikes.

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest
Tags : , , ,

New evening, donation-based yoga class

By Stacy Rohrs on April 16, 2018 No Comments
Jess Schlesinger headshot

Jess Schlesinger

Long-time ​BORP​ fitness studio​ instructor, Jess Schlesinger will be offering her class two nights per week. Starting May 1st, Access Centered Yoga for Trauma and Pain will be offered Tuesday nights at 7:30-8:30 ​pm in addition to Thursdays​. This is ​a ​ donation based class, so students can attend for free and donate what they can​,​ when they can.

Class description:  

​Access-Centered Yoga is a trauma-informed class demonstrating that yoga can be accessible for all bodies and minds. The class incorporates awareness of breath with movement and dynamic poses adapted and modified for various abilities and access needs. Each class will emphasize strength, balance, and flexibility as well as infusing mindful awareness of our “felt-sense” throughout a sequence. Many of us become disconnected from our bodies as a result of trauma, pain, and shame. By taking a moment to notice how we feel while we move and breathe we begin to reconnect to our bodies and become more present in our day to day lives
Categories : BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest
Tags : , ,

BORP Featured Fitness: Two New Evening Classes + BORP Welcomes Instructor Julia Folgelson

By Stacy Rohrs on March 20, 2018 No Comments

Chair Yoga is back!

Valerie JewIn addition to her Monday Integrative Healing class, Valerie Jew is offering chair yoga once again Tuesdays at 1:00 PM. Chair Yoga Class adapts traditional yoga poses frequently practiced on a yoga mat to students using wheelchairs and walkers as well as those with other special needs. The chair replaces the yoga mat and becomes an extension of the body. Students participating in Chair Yoga explore asana and work on a range of motion and flexibility, strengthening muscles and joints, and reducing stress. These classes include yoga poses for the body, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques

Click here to pre-register online

Wednesdays at 6:00 PM: Chair Yoga
Wednesdays at 7:30 PM: Body Positive Yoga Flow
With New Instructor, Julia Fogelson

Julia FogelsonBORP welcomes Julia “Jules” Folgelson to our team of Fitness Studio instructors. Jules believes everybody can practice yoga, whether it be on a chair, cushion or mat. Jules came to teach at BORP years after completing her yoga teacher training in Los Angeles. She leads a yoga practice rooted deeply in the breath and the spiritual practice of movement meditation – a balance of strengthening and stretching to heat up the body and cool down the mind – while always embracing alignment and safety. With a joyful, light-hearted approach, Jules provides a safe and playful space to meld the physical asana practice of yoga with the breath to create love and compassion for ourselves and others. Jules has a nurturing and playful teaching style, offering music, guided relaxation, and optional gentle hands-on adjustments. When not teaching or practicing yoga, Jules works as a social worker and therapist, which has deeply informed the compassionate way she approaches teaching.

Body Positive Yoga Flow is a ‘come as you are’ yoga class suitable for all levels. She teaches this as a Vinyasa style flowing class that focuses on linking conscious breath with mindful transitions between poses. The class will begin slow, build up to a vigorous standing sequence, and cool down with relaxing floor movements. Students can expect to build strength, flexibility, and concentration while heating the body and calming the mind. Modifications will be provided to make poses accessible for all levels.

Click here to pre-register online

Yout First Class at the BORP Fitness Studio is Free

The studio is located at the Ed Roberts Campus on the first floor: Suite 150 at 3075 Adeline St. Berkeley, CA 94703
For questions or suggestions contact the Health & Wellness Program Coordinator at fitness@borp.org or 510-849-4663 ext. 1319

Click here to view the BORP Fitness Studio schedule and pre-register for classes online

Mobility Expo

As you may know, there is a Mobility and Transportation EXPO being held in the ERC on April 14th. Longtime BORP yoga instructor Valerie Jew and co-teacher JoAnn Lyons will be teaching a free a class in the lobby area from 11-12pm! Also, during this expo, BORP Tai Chi master Ralf Somack will be offering free demos in the fitness studio.

Categories : BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest, Uncategorized

Featured Fitness: Seated Tai Chi

By Betsy Dorsett on February 14, 2018 No Comments

Ralph Somach practicing Pa Kua On Tuesday mornings at the BORP Fitness Studio Ralph Somack teaches Seated Tai Chi. This new class is similar to Ralph’s popular Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention. Ralph leads the class through a practice of selected movements derived from the internal Chinese Martial Arts consisting mainly of Quang Ping Yang and Sun style Tai Chi and Ba Gua (Pa Kua). Tai Chi uses slow circular movements as a training aid to develop sensitivity and body alignment. Ba Gua emphases spiral movement energy likened to a “dragon soaring through the clouds.” Both disciplines use movements initiated by the core muscle groups to generate force. Tai Chi and Ba Gua are examples of moving meditation as well as sophisticated methods of building and applying refined power and integrating the mind, body, and spirit.

Click here to view the BORP Fitness Studio schedule online and sign up for Seated Tai Chi

About Instructor Ralph Somack

Ralph Somack is a Tai Chi and Pa Kua (Ba Gua) practitioner based in Oakland. He is a retired PhD chemist with 30 years of Tai Chi experience. Ralph is a former student of Tai Chi Grand Master Y-C Chiang and is Board Certified by the Tai Chi for Health Institute to teach Paul Lam’s Sun-style Tai Chi program for Arthritis and Fall Prevention. He is passionate about teaching Tai Chi to help people live healthier, less stressful lives by focusing on fundamental Tai Chi and Qi Gong principles of movement, body awareness, alignment and mental focus.  He also enjoys windsurfing.

Categories : BORP Fitness

New Seated Tai Chi Class beginning in January

By Betsy Dorsett on December 14, 2017 No Comments
Ralph Somack practicing Pa KuaNew Seated Tai Chi Class Beginning January 3rd with Ralph Somack at the BORP Fitness Studio
Wednesdays 10:45-11:45 am
 Instructor: Ralph Somack
In this class, we will practice selected movements derived from the internal Chinese Martial Arts consisting mainly of Quang Ping Yang and Sun style Tai Chi and Ba Gua (Pa Kua). Tai Chi uses slow circular movements as a training aid to develop sensitivity and body alignment. Ba Gua emphases spiral movement energy likened to a “dragon soaring through the clouds”. Both disciplines use movements initiated by the “core” muscle groups to generate force. Tai Chi and Ba Gua are examples of moving meditation as well as sophisticated methods of building and applying refined power and integrating the mind, body, and spirit
Your first class is always free! Click here to register.

*PacWest Performance Cycling Program in partnership with BORP inside the Fitness Studio located at Ed Roberts Campus building directly across from the Ashby BART Station.

This training program features Wahoo Fitness’ industry-leading KICKR smart trainers and their innovative KICKR Studio wireless multi-rider system. All riders will train using their FTP (functional threshold power) as well as track heart rate, cadence and calories burned. Individual results are emailed immediately following the conclusion of each workout.

Current Class Schedule
Days: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Time: 6:00-7:15 am
No classes during the week of December 25-29.

Your First Drop-In Class is FREE — Then if you like the program, PacWest is offering a special $99 introductory package for six (6) classes.

Package additionally includes group test to determine your FTP number#, free bike fit and equipment assessment.

Click here to register with PacWest.

If you are in need of a proper bike fit, or have additional questions, click here to contact PacWest.

A portion of your registration dollars goes directly to our charity and facility partner BORP (Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program) to help fund their amazing adaptive sports and recreation programs for Bay Area residents with physical disabilities.

Categories : BORP Fitness

How to Raise Over $700 for Your Revolution Ride in a Day

By Betsy Dorsett on August 23, 2017 No Comments

You can win this hate: picture of black and blue baseball cap with BORP logo embroidered on frontWe’ve been happily giving away these nifty BORP hats every Tuesday to the Revolution rider who raises the most money that week, but recently something unexpected happened.

Annie Kaferle registered for the Revolution on Monday afternoon. And by the time we were calculating the winner of the week’s hat giveaway, she was squarely in the lead. When the contest officially ended at noon on Tuesday, Annie had raised over $700. In less than 24 hours.

 

Here’s Annie’s secret to raising over $700 in under 24 hours

“I sent an e-mail to my friends and family with the link in it – riffing on what BORP provided with a little personal blurb about why I chose to support BORP and then I also posted a similar link on Facebook for people to donate directly. I have to say, I think the more you facilitate donating (i.e. adding a hyperlink) the easier it is for people to donate – and quickly! I’m pretty lucky to have such generous friends and family that are willing to donate to a cause that I am interested in!”

Give it a try. (You, too, could win a hat and help support BORP at the same time!)

If you haven’t registered for the 15th Annual BORP Revolution Ride & Festival yet or haven’t started fundraising, don’t worry. There’s still time to meet and exceed the $400 minimum fundraising requirement.

Try personalizing the templates we provide, like Annie did, with your own reasons for supporting BORP and sending it to your friends, family, and coworkers. Be sure to include the link to your personal or team page.

You can also post something similar, including the link to your fundraising page and your reasons for getting involved with BORP and riding in the Revolution, to your Facebook page.

Give it a try! You may be surprised by how much your friends and family want to support you and care about the causes that you’re committed to! Plus, we’re giving a BORP hat to this week’s top TWO fundraisers, and you could win! (All donations made between Tuesday, August 22 and Tuesday, August 29 at noon will count toward the contest. Winners will be notified on Tuesday, August 29.)

More Fundraising Resources:

 

SaveSave

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, adult-wheelchair-basketball, BORP Adult Sports, BORP Cycling, BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest, BORP Youth Sports, power-soccer, revolution
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best BORP Basketball Camp Ever

By Trooper Johnson on August 15, 2017 No Comments

Group picture of the youth at basketball campWe held the BORP Basketball Camp July 17-23 at James Kenney. During the week we had 10 kids attend the camp with seven of the kids staying overnight. The camp includes a combination of morning conditioning, afternoon basketball, and evening social time for the kids.

During the week the kids pushed 18 miles during their conditioning workouts, including their push across the Bay Bridge.  They played basketball for 24 hours on the court which included a mix of sport specific skills instruction and scrimmages. On the final day of the camp, they visited the Cycle center for a seven-mile ride before heading to the gym for four hours of basketball, followed by an hour on the ice for a skating session.
In addition to the kids attending the camp, Christie Levine and James Bohnett dropped in to talk to the kids and run some of their favorite college drills.
It was the best camp ever.
Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Cycling, BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest, BORP Transportation, BORP Youth Sports, sled-hockey, youth-wheelchair-basketball

Two New Classes Come to BORP’s Fitness Studio

By Betsy Dorsett on August 14, 2017 3 Comments

Ralph Somack Tai ChiRalph Somack is a Tai Chi and Pa Kua (Ba Gua) practitioner based in Oakland. He is a retired PhD chemist with 30 years of Tai Chi experience. Ralph teaches Tai Chi and Pa Kua at 3 Satellite Affordable Housing Associates Senior living centers and has taught at the South Berkeley Senior Center, Piedmont Gardens assisted living center, St. Joseph’s retirement residence and Brookdale in Naples, Florida. Ralph is a former student of Tai Chi Grand Master Y-C Chiang and is Board Certified by the Tai Chi for Health Institute to teach Paul Lam’s Sun style Tai Chi program for Arthritis and Fall Prevention. This is an evidence-based method approved by the US and Australian Arthritis Foundations and the CDC. He is passionate about teaching Tai Chi to help people live healthier, less stressful lives by focusing on fundamental Tai Chi and Qi Gong principles of movement, body awareness, alignment and mental focus. He also enjoys windsurfing.

Tai Chi for Arthritis & Fall Prevention
9 -10AM Tuesdays

This is an evidence-based method approved by the US and Australian Arthritis Foundations and the CDC. Participants will learn and practice the Tai Chi program developed by Dr. Paul Lam of the Tai Chi Institute and sanctioned by the Arthritis Foundation, the National Council for Aging and the CDC to benefit people with arthritis and balance issues and shown to: 1. Improve physical condition, muscle strength, coordination and flexibility 2. Improve balance and decrease the risk of falls 3. Ease pain and stiffness, for example, from osteoarthritis 4. Improve sleep and enhance overall wellness, 5. Reduce stress and develop tranquility, inner balance and empowerment. This program consists of a set of gentle QiGong warm up exercises combined with the first 12 movements of the powerful Sun style Tai Chi system. No previous Tai Chi experience is required and the course is open to all ages and varying abilities, and is wheelchair friendly.

Ralph Somack Tai ChiDragon Heart Style Pa Kua
10:15AM-11:15AM Tuesdays

Pa Kua is an internal Chinese martial art based on the Daoist principles of the I Ching, combining Tai Chi with the ancient spiritual practice of circle walking. Circle walking develops body posture and structure, teaches us to focus the mind, body and spirit and is a relaxing, excellent form of meditation. Pa Kua (or Ba Gua) is characterized by changing directions while holding various static postures with the upper body and executing various “palm changes” done in a smooth and flowing manner likened to a “Dragon soaring in the clouds”. Each part of the body coordinates with every other, generating the maximum amount of power available relative to the individual’s size and weight. Participants will learn the basics of Pa Kua, including a set of Qi Gong warm up exercises, the Chinese Tea Cup exercise, the “Mud-Walking” technique, the 8 animal form Circle Walking Exercises and the first four of the eight “Mother” Palm Changes. The focus is not on the martial arts applications but on exercise, health, mindfulness and of course, having fun! The course is open to all ages and varying abilities.

Classes start in September. Click here to sign up.

Categories : BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest
Tags : , , , ,
Next Page »

Donate Now


or Text
“BORP”
to 243-725
to make a donation

Get the BORP E-News

Sign up to receive the quartely BORP E-newsletter and occasional program and event announcements.
Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP)

Facebook

Twitter