Napa is gradually becoming a fitness enthusiast’s oasis. Significant fitness trends may take a bit longer to reach Napa. Still, over the last five to 10 years, franchises like Orange Theory, Club Pilates, and Pure Barre have found a welcome home here.
Erin Porter, owner of the Napa BodyRok franchise. She described BodyRok as a “high intensity, low impact Pilates-inspired workout.”
Now, thanks to one Napa local, a new fitness franchise opened in June. Bodyrok is an instructor-led studio workout that offers 45-minute classes using a pilates-style reformer set to a background of energetic music and lighting. BodyRok is located at 3389 Solano Ave. in a space attached to what used to be a Vallerga’s Market but is now a Grocery Outlet.
Each class participant is on an assigned reformer, a proprietary machine designed for the Bodyrok workout style. The workout embraces Pilates while going a few steps further; the tagline for Bodyrok is “Pilates — redefined.”
Erin Porter, the owner of the Napa franchise, explained that it is a “high intensity, low impact Pilates-inspired workout. So it is not a traditional Pilates class.”
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(Pilates is an exercise method first developed by the German Joseph Pilates during his internment in a World War I prison camp. Since then, it has become a popular fitness movement that continues to grow in popularity.)
“It’s that high-intensity workout that many of us are looking for, but after our early 20s, our joints just don’t respond to running and high intensity as we would like them to.” According to Porter, the Bodyrok workout provides high intensity, “but it’s easier on your body.”
Bodyrok was founded in 2011 and has corporate studios in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. The company has rapidly expanded in recent years, opening franchises throughout the United States.
There are more than 40 studios in 10 states, with an aggressive strategy to open more. Porter explained that the workout routines are standardized across studios, and a new set of routines is distributed monthly.
Besides the proprietary machine, the amplified sound and lighting set Bodyrok apart from a traditional Pilates studio, creating a club-like experience that appeals to today’s demographic.
The music booms from the state-of-the-art sound system, and the instructor may employ the “three-stage lighting system” throughout the workout to cue the class in a movement.
Porter explains that “the class is almost like choreography, where we use our music to get you to hold a pose, or we will count with the music and cue you when the beat drops. Music isn’t just background; we work it into the routine, so it’s all-encompassing.”
Most movements occur on the reformer machine. Class members wear ‘grip socks’ for maximum stability and perform the movements using a slow and controlled four-count “to increase time under tension without momentum,” Porter explained.
The user can change the springs on the carriage (the sliding portion) for more or less intensity, and the adjustable handlebars, shoulder rests, and cables are available for additional resistance or stability.
“You walk out of a class having used your entire body; you will be shaking,” Porter said reassuringly.
Erin Porter was first introduced to Bodyrok eight years ago while working as a nurse in Petaluma.
She had tried a fair share of fitness trends until she found Bodyrok.
Staffers at the new Napa BodyRok franchise. It recently opened next to Grocery Outlet in the Redwood Plaza shopping center in north Napa.
“I did Crossfit type workouts, gym workouts, and traditional Pilates, and I was a runner when I was younger, but Bodyrok is the one workout that I really continued to love and didn’t get burnt out on.”
She was attracted to the combination of “strengthening, cardio, and stretching. You get this great environment and come out super energized.”
When her nursing job brought her to Napa in 2022 with her two young daughters, Paloma and Evangeline, she continued commuting to Petaluma for her Bodyrok fix.
“I fell in love with the workout, the music, and the feel of the classes,” she said.
After two years of making that drive to Petaluma several times a week, the idea of opening a Bodyrok studio in Napa began to take hold.
“I felt like we needed something like it here — there are great options for workouts in Napa, but we just don’t have anything like it. I felt like it was the right time, and I felt like it was the right place. So I took this crazy leap.”
Porter reached out to Bodyrok corporate, and six months later, she was working on leasing a space. She found the current location early on; it was an unconditioned narrow room next to the Solano Avenue Grocery Outlet that somebody told her was once used as storage by Vallerga’s Market.
She explained that her realtor was almost reluctant to show it to her due to its long and narrow shape. This narrow layout is perfect for a Bodyrok studio, where the reformers are in one line. Steps away is the front door of a busy Starbucks, and there is ample parking and foot traffic. Porter envisions members meeting for a coffee before or after a class.
Inside the Napa BodyRok studio at 3389 Solano Ave. It offers classes using a pilates-style reformer set to a background “of energetic music and lighting.”
Porter has been working on the space and concept for 18 months, and her attention to detail is now coming to fruition. She has hired and trained the instructors and studio advisers and hopes to train even more instructors in the coming weeks and months. Bodyrok corporate does the training, but locally.
Napa locals and transplants who are familiar with the franchise from other cities are already enthusiastic.
Porter said over 200 members have already signed up for the pre-opening membership deal.
Classes run from early morning to late in the day, and there is room in the studio to add four more machines to the current 12. Erin Porter is making a leap of faith that the fitness seekers of Napa are ready for this new workout style and that they will come to love it as much as she has.
Info: bodyrok.com/studio/napavalley, 3389 Solano Ave, Napa.
5 common nutritional deficiencies that could be affecting your day-to-day life
Getting the right nutrients
Although food is abundant in the United States, many people still don’t get enough of the right nutrients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 12.3% and 10% of adults met the recommended fruit and vegetable intake in 2019, leading to a lack of nutrients that can help boost their immunity and prevent severe illnesses.
Apart from having a healthy diet of at least 1.5 cups of fruits and 2 cups of vegetables a day, as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, consumers also have access to an array of dietary options, supplements, and nutrient-rich drinks that can boost nutrient levels that could help them meet their daily nutritional goals. Even then, it’s difficult to know where the root of the problem begins and what to consume more of.
Live It Up dove into the science and research, primarily from the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, to find five common nutritional deficiencies and how to spot them.
One potential reason for present-day deficiencies is malabsorption, which happens when the body doesn’t properly process nutrients. Malabsorption issues could occur in any part of the digestion process, from the breaking down of food to elimination from the body. People with this issue often experience diarrhea.
Another culprit could also be too much sugar. In a study published by Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, researchers found that individuals with diets where 25% or more of calories come from added sugar experience deficiencies in vitamins A, C, and E, plus magnesium.
Even for those focused on eating healthy food and avoiding sugar, avoiding nutrient deficiencies can seem like a part-time job. Trusted doctors may not have enough training to give guidance. In a review of literature by medical schools in the U.S. and the U.K. from 2015 and 2020 published by the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics in 2022, researchers found that students only received an average of 11 hours of training in nutrition throughout the program compared with the 25 nutrition training hours recommended by the National Academy of Sciences in 1985.
For those who may want additional guidance, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has published a database to search for credentialed experts who can help develop a game plan for getting enough nutrients. In the meantime, here are five common nutritional deficiencies to watch out for and how to address them. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine noted the recommended dietary allowances.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that affects systems throughout the body. When the body isn’t getting enough of this nutrient, people experience such symptoms as fatigue, depression, anemia, pale skin, and tingling hands or feet.
Those at risk include older adults, especially those with gastritis; people who experience gastrointestinal disorders like celiac disease or Crohn’s disease; and infants born to vegans. Because animal products almost exclusively contain B12, vegans, and even omnivores choosing to consume more of their protein from plant sources, are also at risk for deficiency.
The good news is there are other ways to reach the recommended daily allowance of 2.4 micrograms per day for adults. Taking supplements is one option, but B12-fortified foods such as clams, tuna, and tempeh are another possibility: One of them, nutritional yeast, is the magic ingredient for vegan mac and “cheese.”
However, note that B12 interacts with some prescriptions, such as anti-inflammatory drugs or vitamin C supplements, so ask your doctor or pharmacist and read labels.
Vitamin D
One thing that sets vitamin D apart from other nutrients is one doesn’t need to rely solely on diet or supplements: Exposure to sunlight is one source. Fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified milk (both dairy and plant-based) are also good choices for boosting vitamin D levels, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium, promote bone health, avoid osteoporosis, and manage inflammation. Without enough vitamin D, you may experience muscle spasms, bone deformities, and muscle weakness. A target amount of vitamin D for optimal health is 15 to 20 micrograms daily. However, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine notes that guidelines vary for different countries, citing “an incomplete understanding of the biology and clinical implications of vitamin D.”
People who don’t get too much sun, those with darker skin, and those who have undergone gastric bypass surgery are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency.
Calcium
Calcium is a crucial mineral for many structures and processes throughout the body, including healthy bones and teeth, blood circulation, and clotting. Muscle spasms and bone diseases, including osteoporosis, often result without enough calcium.
Postmenopausal women also tend to lack calcium since menopause leads to bone loss due to decreased estrogen production. Because the nutrient is present in dairy, those with allergies or who choose to avoid that food group for other reasons also risk deficiency.
Getting enough calcium on a nondairy diet is doable but takes more work. Beans, seeds, nuts, and soy are good choices. Darky leafy greens, like kale, spinach, and arugula, contribute significant amounts of the nutrient.
Most adults need about 1,000 milligrams per day, though the ideal amount for adults over 70 is 1,200 milligrams.
One thing to remember is that calcium needs vitamin D for absorption. While consuming calcium-rich foods, one should also ensure enough vitamin D intake.
Magnesium
Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis are major health concerns today, and magnesium helps to avoid and combat those conditions. Consuming this mineral also helps optimize blood sugar and pressure, as well as make protein, bone, and DNA.
Some people who often exhibit magnesium deficiency include those with Type 2 diabetes, people with chronic alcoholism, or older adults. Those with deficiencies also often exhibit digestive and neuromuscular symptoms, including vomiting, loss of appetite, tremors, and more.
Fortunately, magnesium is readily accessible in foods available via most diets: beans, grains, nuts, and leafy greens. Most adults need between 310 and 400 milligrams daily, but pregnancy and breastfeeding can boost the required level.
Protein
Protein is necessary for muscle formation. It’s also an important nutrient for many other physiological processes, including repairing muscles and shortening recovery periods after exercise—but not all proteins are created equal.
Plant proteins also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, while consuming more red meat (another good source of protein) has the opposite effect, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Other sources of dietary protein include fish, poultry, and dairy products.
Different sources suggest recommended daily amounts of protein, but the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends 7 grams per 20 pounds of body weight daily. Deficiencies of this macronutrient can cause health problems, including stunted growth, loss of muscle, decreased immunity, and weakening of the heart.
Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
This story originally appeared on Live It Up and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
