EXERCISE ARTICLES
How and Why to Incorporate HIIT Into Your Workout
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a powerful and efficient way to elevate your fitness routine. It involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief recovery periods. For example, on a stationary bike, you might pedal hard for 30 seconds at medium to high resistance, then recover with 60 seconds of light pedaling—repeating this for eight rounds.
You can apply HIIT to almost any type of workout: running up stairs, jumping jacks, squats, or even brisk walking intervals. The beauty of HIIT is its flexibility—you can adjust the intensity, duration, rest time, and number of intervals to suit your fitness level and goals.
Guidelines for HIIT (variable based on current fitness level):
Limit sessions to 2–3 times per week
Each workout can last from 10 to 45 minutes (including rest periods)
Always warm up and cool down properly to prevent injury
Why try HIIT?
Burn more calories in less time
Improve cardiovascular health and circulation
Boost mood and energy levels
Build strength, endurance, and stamina
HIIT is perfect for those looking to maximize results in a shorter amount of time. Give it a try and let us know how it goes—we’d love to hear your experience or answer any fitness-related questions!
📩 Email us at: fitness@irvingtonclub.com
Tips on Staying Safe While Exercising In Hot Weather
Excessive heat, humidity, and some medications such as antidepressants and antihistamines make it harder to cool the body down, especially while exercising in the summer. Keep these tips in mind to avoid heat-related illnesses:
Exercise in the cooler parts of the day such as morning or evening.
Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise. Drink 16–20 ounces of water or a diluted sports drink two to three hours before exercise and 7–10 ounces every 10–20 minutes during activity. Following exercise, drink 16–24 ounces for every pound lost due to sweat.
Dress appropriately with lightweight, breathable, and light-colored clothing. Expose the skin for maximal sweat evaporation, apply sunscreen to protect from UV rays, and wear a breathable hat and sunglasses.
Avoid exercising in extremely hot and humid conditions. Portland humidity levels stay fairly low in the summer, averaging between 60% and 70%. However, if you travel to hotter and more humid climates, note that it takes 10 to 14 days for your body to acclimate.
Be alert to early warning signs such as fatigue and cramping to avoid serious heat-related incidents.
Heat Exhaustion symptoms: elevated core body temperature 103 degrees or below, weak and rapid pulse, low blood pressure, headache, dizziness, fatigue, general weakness, paleness, cold, clammy skin, profuse sweating.
Heat Stroke symptoms: elevated core body temperature above 103 degrees, hot dry skin, bright red skin color, rapid and strong pulse, change in mental status (anxious, irritated, aggressive), labored breathing.
Both heat exhaustion and stroke are serious conditions - Stop exercising immediately and give fluids. With heat exhaustion, move to a cool area, lay down and elevate feet, and monitor temperature. With Heat Stroke, transport to the ER immediately. Remove as much clothing as possible and cool the body immediately in any way.
If you have any Fitness thoughts or suggestions for the Club, please email your input to: fitness@irvingtonclub.com. Thank you and stay safe! -The Fitness Committee.
Tips On Improving Your Balance and Why It Matters
Every motion you make requires balance, such as getting up from a chair, walking, going up stairs, and skiing. Being in balance is having the ability to control one’s body during movements and activities and keeping one’s body in position.
Balance training isn’t just for older populations to reduce the risk of injuries and falls. Think of movement demonstrated by pro tennis players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, and Iga Swiatek. These incredible athletes demonstrate amazing dynamic balance, or the ability to play with control and hit shots with power and accuracy while on the run. The key for we mortal tennis players is to control our center of gravity when playing. Proper posture when hitting the ball such as bending from the knees and not the waist helps. Minimal head movement also allows for better balance. Lastly, the split step is the preparatory movement which allows our center of gravity to remain stable before changing direction.
Balance training can also yield quick results and improve other aspects of athleticism. Here are three balance training ideas you might try!
Static balance exercise- Standing on One Leg. This can be a good place to start if you are concerned about your lack of balance. Stand near a wall or counter so you can hold on or lightly touch for stability. Bring one foot slightly off the ground and hold in position for 10 seconds with your standing leg slightly bent. Once you can do this 5 times in a row, progress to 30 to 60 seconds. Lastly try the exercise without touching and be sure and alternate feet.
Combining balance and weight training- Alternating Reverse Lunge. Stand with arms to your sides holding a dumbbell in each hand. Inhale and step one leg back, lowering into a lunge by bending both knees 90 degrees or less. Keep good posture, your abs engaged, and your front knee slightly in front of ankle. Exhale and return to the starting position. Step back with the opposite leg and repeat 10 times. (You can also perform a bicep curl while stepping backwards.)
Combining balance and stretching- Standing Figure Four Stretch. Place your feet hip-width apart. Keep your core engaged and your shoulders back. Slowly lift your right foot off the ground and transfer your weight to your left foot. Place your right ankle just above your left knee to make a “4” shape. Slowly lower your hips down, aiming for a 90-degree bend in your left knee if flexibility allows it. If needed, hold onto a counter or table for balance.
These are just a few ideas for balance. Please let us know if you tried it or you have any questions or ideas. Thank you! The Fitness Committee fitness@irvingtonclub.com
Using the Strategy of Pairing to Improve Your Fitness
Is there a fitness activity that you know you should do but keep putting off? Gretchen Rubin, a best-selling author, podcaster, and expert in happiness and human nature recommends people try the “Strategy of Pairing”. This is where you combine a task that you don’t enjoy with a task that you want to do to make the former more palatable. When you link two activities, it can be an easy way to create a habit. The key is to consistently pair the two activities. Over time, you will associate the desired activity with the enjoyable one. Performing an activity a little each or most days can go a long way. Here are several examples:
While the coffee, tea, or espresso is brewing, hold the plank position on the counter or ground, perform squats, or stretch.
While brushing your teeth, carefully practice balancing on one leg. If that is too easy, perform a standing one-legged quad stretch or calf raises on one leg. If you perform a balance activity on one leg alternating after a minute, you would accumulate 4 minutes a day for 365 days or twenty-four hours of balance exercises in one year. Balance creates stability and stability helps with injury prevention, improved athletic performance, and increased confidence in movement.
While listening to your favorite podcast, walk up and down stairs, perform your physical therapy exercises, or try the Japanese Walking Technique. The method is simple- walk at a leisurely pace for 3 minutes then alternate at a brisk pace for another 3 minutes repeating 5 times for a 30-minute workout.
While watching TV or streaming, give yourself a mini massage by using a foam roller for myofascial release or by rolling a golf ball or tennis ball under the ball of your bare foot.
Before playing tennis, perform 10 minutes of dynamic stretching. If you play tennis 5 or 6 days a week, this equates to forty-eight hours of training a year. Dynamic stretching is an active form of stretching where your muscles and joints move through a full range of motion. Performing a dynamic warmup is a great way to curb or lessen injuries and improve your performance on the court. (More on this in future Fitness Friday articles!)
After playing tennis, perform 10 minutes of static stretching. For best results, perform static stretching after your muscles are warmed up. Gently move your muscles in a lengthened position and hold the position for about 30 to 60 seconds without bouncing or contracting. A calm, steady hold can help improve your body’s flexibility, release tension, and support better posture.
Do you have other tips to pass along using “The Strategy of Pairing” or have you tried it yourself? We’d love to hear from you! Please email fitness@irvingtonclub.com. The Fitness Committee
Why Your Warm-Up Might Need an Upgrade
The Purpose of a Warm-Up
Traditionally, we warm up to optimize performance and reduce the risk of injury during training or competition. This often includes low-intensity aerobic activity, static stretching, and general skill rehearsal.
But Is That Enough?
While light cardio and skill rehearsal can help raise body temperature and mentally prepare us, research shows static stretching has little to no effect on injury prevention. To truly improve performance and minimize injury risk, it's time to rethink the warm-up.
Enter: Movement Preparation
Movement Preparation (or "Movement Prep") is a modern, science-backed approach that goes beyond just warming up. It's a structured progression designed to prepare both the body and mind for the demands of sport or training.
What Does Movement Prep Include?
General movement to raise core temperature
Muscle activation to engage key muscle groups
Dynamic stretching to improve range of motion
Neural activation to sharpen coordination and reaction time
Tailoring the Prep to the Task
Effective movement prep should be aligned with the session’s goals and the athlete’s skill level. Whether it's sprinting, lifting, or agility work, your prep should target the dominant movement patterns of that session.
Why It Matters
Not only does movement prep enhance immediate performance, but it also contributes to long-term athletic development far more than traditional warm-ups.
We’d love to hear from you! Please email fitness@irvingtonclub.com
-The Fitness Committee
Why Multidirectional Speed Matters
Tennis isn’t played in straight lines. Every point demands quick changes of direction—side to side, forward and back, and often in unpredictable patterns. That’s where multidirectional speed becomes essential.
At Irvington, we're helping players develop the movement skills that translate directly to better performance on the court. Our training focuses on four key areas:
1. Core and Stability
Strong, stable hips and core muscles allow players to stay balanced while accelerating or changing direction. This is the foundation of efficient footwork.
2. Footwork Technique
Quick movement starts with proper mechanics. You should know how to move with control—using shuffles, crossover steps, and recovery footwork to cover the court more efficiently.
3. Lateral Strength and Power
Explosive first steps and the ability to push off quickly come from building strength in the lower body, especially through lateral movements.
4. Reactive Agility
Speed in tennis is reactive. Training players to respond quickly to cues—like ball direction or a coach’s signal—prepares them for real match scenarios.
What This Looks Like in Training
A session should include a mix of movement drills, court-based footwork, and strength exercises. These can be added to private strength training sessions or done in small group formats. Just 20–30 minutes a few times per week can lead to noticeable improvements in:
Court coverage
Recovery between shots
Balance and stability
Confidence under pressure
Work With Our Trainers
If you're looking to improve your speed, footwork, and overall athletic movement, let us know! We offer:
One-on-one movement training
Integrated speed work
Small group movement/strength sessions for juniors and adults
Train with purpose. Move with confidence. Compete with an edge.
Would you be interested in more information about upcoming workshops and classes? Please contact the fitness committee at fitness@irvingtonclub.com.
10 Common Myths About Strength Training
Studies have shown the many benefits that strength training can have to improve one’s health. Is something holding you back from strength training? Here are 10 common misconceptions and myths regarding resistance exercise.
You need to be fit to start strength training. Strength training is a great way TO get fit. It can be tailored to all fitness levels, even for those that haven’t exercised in years. Beginners can start with bodyweight exercises or light weights and gradually progress as they get stronger.
Strength training is bad for your joints. Strength training can actually strengthen muscles around the joints, improving stability and reducing the risk of injury and joint pain.
Strength training makes you less flexible. By using a full range of motion when performing strength training exercises, you can improve flexibility. For example, to perform a proper, full depth squat, you must have good hip, knee, and ankle flexibility.
You need to be sore after every workout. While some muscle soreness is normal after a workout, especially when starting, excessive soreness can be a sign of overexertion. Proper training, hydration, and recovery are key to avoid overexertion.
Women will build bulky muscles through strength training. Building significant muscle mass requires intense, consistent training, specific nutrition, and years of training. For most people, especially women, strength training helps create a lean, toned physique.
At some point, people get too old to lift weights. One of the most amazing aspects of resistance exercise is that it works about equally well for people of all ages. Older muscles are very responsive to progressive resistance exercise.
Children are too young to lift weights. Numerous studies have shown that children can significantly increase their muscular strength and physical abilities through properly designated programs. Strength training is the most effective means for young people to build bone density.
After a person stops resistance training, the muscle turns to fat. Muscle and fat are separate and unique tissues and one cannot transform into another. What often occurs is a gain in muscle and a reduction in fat during training. If discontinued for a significant amount of time, muscle mass decreases and fat stores increase because of lower energy expenditure.
Cardio is better for weight loss and toning than strength training. Both cardio and strength training are effective for weight loss and toning. Having more muscle mass from strength training can increase your metabolism helping you burn more calories when you are at rest.
Strength training is working out with machines. While many gyms have a variety of machines to choose from, weight training comes in many forms. Bodyweight exercises, free weights, Pilates, TRX workouts, and resistance band exercises all fall under the strength training umbrella.
If you have questions for the Fitness Committee regarding strength training, please contact fitness@irvingtonclub.com or Jake, Joey, or Becky directly. We’d all be happy to help!
Strength Training for Aging Tennis Players: Train Smarter, Play Longer
As we age, staying competitive—and injury-free—on the tennis court requires more than just hitting balls.
Strength training becomes essential for maintaining performance, preventing injuries, and keeping your body resilient.
Why Strength Training Matters More with Age
Aging naturally brings:
Muscle loss (sarcopenia)
Reduced joint stability
Slower reaction times
Higher risk of overuse injuries
For tennis players, this can lead to decreased power, slower footwork, and nagging pain in shoulders, knees, or the lower back.
Smart Strength Training Can Help:
A well-designed training program focused on functional strength, movement quality, and recovery can:
Improve balance and agility for quicker reactions and better footwork
Build a strong core and lower body to generate power and reduce strain
Support joint health through controlled, low-impact movements
Enhance durability so you can play more consistently with less downtime
What to Focus On:
Mobility work for hips, shoulders, and spine
Stability exercises to protect joints and improve control
Strength training that mimics tennis-specific movement patterns
Recovery strategies like rest days, stretching, and hydration
Final Thought
You don’t need to train like a pro to feel and move like one. Strength training—when aligned with your body’s needs—can help you stay fast, powerful, and pain-free on the court for years to come.
Why Rest and Recovery Are essential for Athletes
Recovery and regeneration are essential for sustaining high performance in tennis and athletics. Following intense training or competition, the body undergoes significant physical and neurological stress. Effective recovery strategies are designed to restore movement quality, reduce muscle soreness, and rebalance the nervous system. These include soft tissue work (such as foam rolling or massage), dynamic mobility drills to maintain joint health, proper nutrition to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue (carbohydrates and protein), and consistent hydration to support cellular function. Just as important is sleep, which facilitates hormonal balance and cognitive recovery. Integrated recovery practices not only accelerate physical repair but also improve mental clarity, reduce injury risk, and build long-term durability for athletes.
Six Unexpected Benefits of Weight Training
Weight training two to three times a week offers a wide range of benefits beyond muscle gain. Here is a summary of other great benefits of weight or resistance training:
Improves Cognitive Function: Weight training increases blood flow and oxygen, which promotes the growth of new neural connections and enhances neuroplasticity. These four regions of the brain are especially positively affected:
· Hippocampus, which is crucial for memory and learning
· Prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for complex thinking, decision-making, and planning
· Precuneus, which is the region linked to Alzheimer’s disease
· White Matter, the brain’s “wiring” which is vital for efficient communication between the different parts of the brain.
Enhances Mental Well-Being: Resistance training boosts the release of “happy” hormones such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin which can reduce depression, stress, and anxiety. It can also improve sleep and foster self-confidence and resilience through achieving physical goals.
Increases Energy Levels: Weight training improves energy levels by increasing mitochondrial for more energy production, boosting blood circulation, and increasing a body’s metabolic rate.
Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases: Resistance training helps regulate blood sugar levels, improves insulin resistance, and lowers blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Improves Balance and Coordination: Weight training strengthens key stabilizing muscles in the legs, core, and ankles which provides better support for the body’s center of gravity. It also improves proprioception, or your body’s awareness of its position in movement. This greater stability reduces the risk of falls and injuries.
Improves Joint Function: By strengthening the surrounding muscles, resistance training helps build a natural support system to absorb stress and protect the joints. It also improves bone density, helping to prevent osteoporosis. This can decrease joint pain and stiffness while improving flexibility and range of motion.
Weight training offers a wealth of unexpected benefits promoting overall health and a higher quality of life.
Please contact The Fitness Committee at fitness@irvingtonclub.com if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future articles. Thank you!
Why Quality Sleep Is a Game-Changer for Athlete Recovery
For athletes, training hard is only half the equation—recovery is where the real progress happens. And at the heart of recovery? Quality sleep.
Top Benefits of Quality Sleep for Athletes:
Sharper Focus & Reaction Time - Sleep enhances cognitive function, decision-making, and coordination—critical for peak performance.
Muscle Repair & Growth - Deep sleep triggers the release of growth hormones, helping repair muscle tissue and build strength.
Reduced Inflammation & Injury Risk - Consistent, restful sleep lowers inflammation and gives your body time to heal, lowering injury risk.
Improved Mood & Resilience - Better sleep helps manage stress, improve motivation, and boost overall mental health.
Quick Tips to Sleep Like a Pro
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on rest days.
Create a dark, cool, quiet sleep environment.
Avoid screens and caffeine in the hours before bed.
Add a wind-down routine—stretch, meditate, or take a warm shower.
Bottom line: Train hard, but recover harder. Prioritize sleep, and your body will thank you.
Please contact The Fitness Committee at fitness@irvingtonclub.com if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future articles. Thank you!
An Introduction to the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
When it comes to fitness and injury prevention, understanding how your body moves is just as important as how much weight you can lift or how fast you can run. That’s where the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) comes in.
What Is the FMS?
The Functional Movement Screen is a screening tool used by fitness professionals, physical therapists, and coaches to evaluate movement patterns. Developed by Gray Cook and Lee Burton, the FMS helps identify imbalances, weaknesses, and limitations that could lead to injury or hinder performance.
How Does It Work?
The FMS consists of seven fundamental movement tests, including:
Deep Squat
Hurdle Step
Inline Lunge
Shoulder Mobility
Active Straight-Leg Raise
Trunk Stability Push-Up
Rotary Stability
Each movement is scored from 0 to 3, with 3 being optimal. The total score gives insight into a person's movement quality, guiding corrective strategies if needed.
Why It Matters
Even if you’re not an athlete, poor movement patterns can affect your everyday life — from walking up stairs to lifting groceries. The FMS provides a baseline to help you move better, reduce injury risk, and improve performance, whether in the gym or in daily life.
Final Thoughts
The FMS isn’t about diagnosing injuries. It’s about catching red flags before they become problems. Whether you're new to fitness or a seasoned athlete, incorporating a Functional Movement Screen into your routine can be a smart first step toward moving better and feeling stronger.
We will be doing a seminar in the coming months around the FMS and hope to make this a staple in our offerings at Irvington! Be on the lookout for more!
Tennis Injury Prevention Tip - Evaluating Strokes and Equipment
The best thing you can do to prevent tennis injuries is to condition and prepare your body for the stressors incurred while on the court. In addition to conditioning, proper stroke techniques, and equipment can play an important role in preventing or recovering from tennis injuries.
Performing tennis strokes with the proper biomechanics can not only improve your game but keep you on the courts longer. For example, one of the most common injuries in tennis is tennis elbow, affecting 50% of players. Tennis elbow is an overuse injury that results from repetitive trauma to the tendons that move the wrist and forearm. If a player uses their elbow, wrist, and hand to produce power instead of their legs, trunk, and upper arm, they are at risk of developing this injury. Our tennis pros at ITC can help! Book a lesson with Walter and Cris to get their valuable input on stroke biomechanics to help prevent or recover from this type of injury and others.
If a player has a continuing injury, another area for improvement may be having Cris or Walter evaluate their equipment. Here are some common problems with rackets:
Stiffness - If a racket is too stiff or too flexible, it may negatively affect a player’s arm.
Weight - a racket should be heavy enough to absorb the stress of ball impact, but not too heavy making it difficult to maneuver.
Grip - a grip too small may overwork the forearm muscles and a grip too large may make the racket hard to hold onto.
String Tension - it is counterintuitive, but a tighter string tension produces more control and a looser string tension creates more power. Playing with very high string tension can create stress on the wrist, elbow, and shoulder and lead to injury.
There are lots of factors that can lead to tennis injuries. Keep in mind that our ITC pros are a great resource if you have questions. If Coco Gauff can change her serve and forehand after winning Roland Garros, we mortals can make a change too!
If you have any questions, comments, or requests for future articles, please contact the Fitness Committee at fitness@irvingtonclub.com.