The Perfect Lifestyle: Food, Wine, Sex, & Chocolate

A Perfect Lifestyle: Food, Wine, Sex and Chocolate
An overview talk covering a wide range of lifestyle issues, including dietary patterns, obesity and its management, exercise, marriage, childbearing, pets, television, sleep, candy including chocolate, and success in life. The most extensive and important part of the talk deals with diets, ranging from veganism to ketogenic, and drink. All these areas are approached from a rigorous scientific viewpoint, with an emphasis on how each factor affects disease and longevity. The talk concludes with a table of exactly how much life is gained or lost by simple lifestyle choices we make every day.

Shopping for Food: Label Lies and Nutritional Information
It would be best if we bought only foods in their original form, but the time constraints of current life often force people to buy packaged foods. Unfortunately, packaged food labels frequently contain lies and misleading information. Even nutritional labels can be misleading. A can of spray cooking oil may say that it contains no fat, when in fact the product is 100% fat. This talk covers the most common labeling misinformation and teaches exactly how to pick healthy packaged foods using simple approaches to the interpretation of nutritional listings.

Exercise, How to Get the Most out of Your Work-out
After a healthy diet, physical activity is the easiest and least expensive way to increase longevity and prevent heart disease and dementia. Beneficial physical activity ranges from walking stairs to running marathons. This talk discusses the myriad physical and emotional benefits of all levels of physical activity, as well as the occasional adverse effects of excessive activities, such as marathon running. Our national guidelines on physical activity including aerobic, resistive, and balance exercises is discussed with an emphasis on just how to receive the greatest benefit.

Food for Thought: How to Stave Off Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases
Dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s Disease, affects one in 14 people over 65 years of age and one in six over 80. It is the most feared illness in older individuals. It is also at least partly preventable. The basic medical rule is that what is good for the heart is also good for the head. This talk describes the most frequent types of dementia and other neurocognitive diseases and discusses how they are likely to present. The value of a healthy diet and physical and cognitive exercise in preventing these diseases, amounting to at least a 50% reduction, is summarized in this talk.

Robert Vogel, M.D., is a preventive cardiologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver. He received his B.A. from Columbia University (physics) and M.D. from Yale University. He served on the faculties of the Universities of Colorado, Michigan, and Maryland, the latter as Director of Cardiology. Dr. Vogel has investigated how to prevent coronary heart disease for more than 40 years. He has authored two books and more than 250 scientific publications. Dr. Vogel lectures frequently to physicians on lifestyle and heart disease prevention. He has received a Good Housekeeping Magazine’s “Best Doctors in America” designation, a Federal Scientist of the Year Award, and has been President of the Association of University Cardiologists. Dr. Vogel currently serves on the NFL Medical Committee and as a consultant to the Pritikin Longevity Institute.

New Year’s with WindSync!

Versatile and vibrant, the musicians of WindSync “play many idioms authoritatively, elegantly, with adroit technique, and with great fun” (All About the Arts), showing off the uniquely wide-ranging sonorities of the wind quintet. The group’s personal performance style, combined with a three-pronged mission of artistry, education, and community-building, lends WindSync its reputation as ”a group of virtuosos who are also wonderful people, too” (Alison Young, Classical MPR).

WindSync launched an international touring career after winning the 2012 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. WindSync has appeared in concert at Ravinia, the Met Museum, Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, the Library of Congress, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Building a new repertoire driven by purpose and growing from close collaboration, WindSync’s recent premieres include works by Marc Mellits, Ivan Trevino, Mason Bynes, Nathalie Joachim, and Pulitzer finalist Michael Gilbertson.

In demand for their ability to embed in communities, WindSync has served in residencies with the Grand Teton Music Festival, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, and the Lied Center. Winner of the 2022 Fischoff Ann Divine Educator Award, the ensemble regularly coaches at training programs nationwide, collaborates with youth orchestras, and performs for thousands of young people each year.

On the heels of “All Worlds, All Times,” WindSync’s Billboard chart-topping 2022 release that “will make you want to get up and dance” (The Whole Note), the quintet’s second commercial album, recorded with composer Miguel del Aguila at Abbey Road Studios, releases in 2024.

Rancho La Puerta Folk Festival

Folk Festival
June 15-22, 2024

Embrace the power of music in an unforgettable week featuring top folk artists from across the nation at The Ranch for our second annual Folk Fest! This week is curated for you to experience the healing power of music through daily concerts, artist talks and workshops, live recording sessions, and random acts of music. The serenity of The Ranch provides a perfect stage for some of today’s top folk touring artists to fully transform you. Join us and delight in a retreat for all the senses.

Featured Musicians:
Amber Rubarth (RLP Folk Festival Co-producer, Co-Host and Artist), Jaimee Harris, Kai Welch, Mary Gauthier, Steve Poltz, Valerie June, Devon Gilfillian, Fiona Prine, Jason Cupp (sound engineer), and Carissa Stolting (Co-Producer, Co-Host and Commentator)

Artists Bios and Events

7th Annual Chamber Music Festival

Our 7th Annual Chamber Music Festival features eight of the world’s finest musicians who will inspire you with extraordinary performances set in the relaxed atmosphere of The Ranch. In addition to daily concerts, you can enjoy talks by the musicians, watch rehearsals, and perhaps even encounter “random acts of music” in unexpected places throughout your day.

Learn More

Volleyball with Suzanne Hebert

Water Volleyball
New or seasoned, water volleyball offers an exciting opportunity to enjoy the sunshine while honing your skills. Join us to master setting, passing, and serving techniques and participate in fun games alongside other guests.

Sand Volleyball
Experience beach-style volleyball right here on the sand court at the Ranch. Improve your skills by practicing various moves, engaging in friendly competition with other guests, and enjoying a fantastic workout.

Suzanne Hebert fell head over heels for sports from the moment she got her hands on that first basketball in Bellingham, MA, at five years of age. While training and playing hard on the varsity volleyball team in high school in her small town, she caught the eye of Junior Olympics recruiters who couldn’t resist her incredible talent. They whisked her away to play on not one but two Junior Olympic teams!

When it came time for college, Division 1 teams lined up to recruit her, but Suzanne kept it close to home and joined the fierce University of Rhode Island team. There, she and her teammates pulled off some jaw-dropping victories, leaving USC, UCLA, and Pepperdine in the dust on their way to the Final Four. And as if that wasn’t enough, Suzanne dominated the court with her killer blocking skills, snagging first place in the entire country!

These days, you’ll find Suzanne juggling balls of a different kind as she passes a few with high school students between classes. Professionally, Suzanne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, lending her clinical expertise to schools throughout Los Angeles. She also has a thriving private therapy practice, both in-person and virtual, where she helps people conquer life’s challenges like a true champion.

Whether she’s teaching volleyball or guiding people through the ups and downs of life, Suzanne is all about helping others learn and grow. And fear not, volleyball newbies! Suzanne loves teaching the basics, and has endless patience and a sense of humor to make every step of the journey a blast. With Suzanne by your side, you’ll surely ace the game and have a few laughs along the way!

“One of our greatest assets is our ability to persevere, despite overwhelming evidence that we won’t find our way.”
– Suzanne Hebert

Volleyball with Suzanne Hebert

“One of our greatest assets is our ability to persevere, despite overwhelming evidence that we won’t find our way.”
– Suzanne Hebert

Yoga with Stacy McCarthy

Build a strong, safe and healthy yoga practice with detailed alignment, use of props and proper breathing. An important class for newcomers and experienced students who want to deepen their practice but may have injuries, muscular imbalances, or structural irregularities. You’ll create strength, flexibility, and balance by starting with a solid foundation.

Stacy McCarthy is an award-winning health & fitness leader, accomplished businesswomen, captivating speaker, and respected educator. Through decades of experience, she’s developed trainings that are physically balanced, energetically empowering, mentally focusing and spiritually up-lifting. They are designed to transform lives. Stacy is known for intelligent sequencing that meets her students where they are in their own practice in a system that inspires beginners and experienced students alike. Her teaching is holistic and embraces the fluctuations of life, including age, seasons, and transitions. She lives and teaches the keys to unlock a powerful body and peaceful mind without dieting or excessive exercise.

“Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.” Swedish Proverb

Yoga with Stacy McCarthy

“Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.” Swedish Proverb

Fitness for Bone Health

Introduction to Bone Health Week Lecture:
Achieving and maintaining healthy bones throughout one’s life is an important component to optimizing one’s health span. Osteoporosis is an all too common condition that both men and women face (especially in the post menopausal years). However, when it comes to addressing one’s bone health, the sooner really is the better.

In this lecture we will outline the differences between osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and osteopenia. Also to be discussed are current concepts around exercise for men and women with osteopenia, osteoporosis; do’s and don’ts; safety and empowerment. We will also introduce and explain our practical exercise offerings for the rest of the week at the lecture.

Posture and Balance Class:
Learn how to self assess your posture and balance and exercises to improve them.

Strength Training for Bone Health:
Learn the differences between strength training and weight bearing exercises and how to incorporate them into your exercise routine safely.

Pilates for Bone Health:
Pilates is excellent for strength, posture and balance, come learn modifications for the Pilates mat series.

Healthy Feet & Ankles:
A class focusing on foot and ankle mobility and stability: learn how to stretch and strengthen to provide a good base of support for life (A great class for the Ranch’s hiking and pickleball audience, too!)

Dance for Bone Health: Broadway Style!
Dance is one of the best things for balance as well as being an excellent weight bearing activity (not to mention very fun!).

With an extensive background in the health industry and over 30 years of physical therapy experience, Lizz Smith specializes in orthopedics, treating individuals with musculoskeletal pain, postural imbalances, post-surgical rehabilitation, and prevention needs. Prior to starting a private practice in 2004, Lizz held several positions over a decade at the renowned Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Lizz is certified in Active Release Technique, cupping and aromatherapy. She received a BS in Health Science and a MS in Physical Therapy from Simmons College. Lizz’s private practice is in Manhattan, living in Brooklyn with her husband and 2 teenage sons.

“I finally experienced the magic of The Ranch last year as a guest of Cynthia’s and am excited to be back to share my knowledge with you this week. I love the format of each day here as designed by the founders, to include all aspects of wellness.”

Cynthia Bahmani is a Certified Pilates Instructor with over twenty years of teaching and professional dance experience. After graduating Tisch Dance at NYU, she studied Pilates at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco, where she worked in the Sports Medicine Department from 2000-2002.

Cynthia worked as the Pilates Instructor for the Cirque du Soleil Bay Area cast of “AMALUNA” in 2019. She is a specialist on the CoreAlign, a physical therapy tool that helps people optimize their gait, posture and alignment. She developed a six hour course for teachers to learn to use this apparatus. She runs her own studio in San Anselmo, California. Cynthia grew up in San Diego, and is honored to be a frequent Guest Instructor at Rancho La Puerta.

“I’ve been coming with my family to The Ranch for years, and I love it here because it feels like home. Never have you met more interesting people than those who work and visit here at Rancho La Puerta!” – Cynthia Bahmani

Fitness for Bone Health

Introduction to Bone Health Week Lecture:
Achieving and maintaining healthy bones throughout one’s life is an important component to optimizing one’s health span. Osteoporosis is an all too common condition that both men and women face (especially in the post menopausal year). However, when it comes to addressing one’s bone health, the sooner really is the better.

Posture and Balance Class:
Learn how to self assess your posture and balance and exercises to improve them.

Strength Training for Bone Health:
Learn the differences between strength training and weight bearing exercises and how to incorporate them into your exercise routine safely.

Pilates for Bone Health:
Pilates is excellent for strength, posture and balance, come learn modifications for the Pilates mat series.

Dance for Bone Health: Broadway Style!
Dance is one of the best things for balance as well as being an excellent weight bearing activity (not to mention very fun!).

Myofascial Release, Centering Alignment & Corrective Exercise Connection

For decades there has been an epidemic rise in the number of people suffering from common musculoskeletal imbalances that are not caused by an injury. These imbalances are caused by other factors, such as movement dysfunction, activity choices, prolonged static postures, footwear choices, surgeries and sedentary lifestyles. Many with common musculoskeletal imbalances do not need physical therapy, whereby corrective exercise is evolving to fill the gap in care. The use of musculoskeletal assessments, self-myofascial release, restorative stretching, and corrective strengthening exercises in health and fitness settings is fast becoming commonplace to help remedy and relieve muscle & joint discomfort and pain.

As a Corrective Exercise Specialist Laura’s skill set is focused on addressing the body as a whole and identifying underlying causes of chronic pain not just the symptoms and help prevent the body from breaking down in the future. A sequenced method of structural assessments, myofascial release techniques, stretching, body centering and corrective exercises are applied. The benefits of this training can result in not only the elimination of pain, but lead to a reduction in stress and improvement in active performance and functional daily living.

Beginning on Sunday and throughout the week each class will incorporate movement and usable information. We will focus on different zones of the body using several of the techniques mentioned above in order to give participants more structural awareness, pain alleviating “hacks”, and corrective exercises to be able to easily replicate at home. Friday’s class will wrap everything up, ending your week with an energized feeling, full of vitality – moving more functionally and feeling GREAT!

Laura Gideon June Handout

Laura Gideon M.S. CPT, CES is an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist, Pilates Practitioner, and Workshop Presenter. She has been involved in the fitness/wellness industry since 1981 and is a Two Time Corrective Exercise Specialist of the Year Top Finalist from The Biomechanics Method certifying organization. Her signature “Roll, Release & Mobilize classes” are geared toward “Hands-off self-treatment” helping clients eliminate pain, and discomfort, creating postural alignment awareness and body sense to help correct compensatory movement patterns. A great “adjunct” therapy to any exercise regime and functional daily movement activity. Laura enjoys educating her clients “beyond training” by teaching “self-care” methods to advance performance in an injury-free setting.

REACH Ballet Inspired! with Kari Anderson

REACH™
This flowing mix of ballet-inspired movement and fitness training is a deep-felt energetic method of improving balance, stability, total body strength, flexibility and posture. REACH™ combines a mix of training techniques for a unique challenge and an ultimate release of energy all it’s own.

REACH THE BARRE™
This is the popular REACH class utilizing the Barre for added support, ROM, confidence and use of small equipment. The secret to achieving a dancers strength is in how the exercise sequencing targets specific muscle groups, isometrically and dynamically, with a philosophy of learning paths to “pure technique”.

CARDIO DANCE
When exercise feels like a dance party. This all-cardio workout still lives on from the BOOM days of aerobics. Choreography builds throughout the workout with full body movement combined with the performance influences of dance. Bring your personal style to the floor!

Kari Anderson is the co-owner of The Seattle Gym (formerly Pro-Robics Conditoning Clubs) in Seattle, Washington for over 40 years. Kari has produced dozens of award-winning workout DVDs/videos. She is an internationally recognized conference presenter—leading fitness workshops for instructors worldwide and is an honored recipient of IDEA Business Person of the Year 1993, IDEA Instructor of the Year 1994 and ACE Fitness Director of the Year 2003.

Kari has lifetime experience in sports, dance and athletics including being a Jr.National Gold Medalist in Synchronized Swimming and a scholarship with the Joffrey Ballet in NY. Currently she competes on multiple USTA tennis teams. Her perspective and talent for fitness training and choreography development are highly acclaimed in the fitness industry.

“Stand with presence. Move with purpose. Dance for life” – Kari Anderson

REACH Ballet Inspired! with Kari Anderson

“Stand with presence. Move with purpose. Dance for life” – Kari Anderson

Fusion Workouts with Helen Vanderburg

Fusion A’Line
Fusion A’Line is a Pilates, fitness, and dance-based workout that focuses on body balance and alignment to lengthen and strengthen your body through dynamic movements. With deep muscle engagement and mindful training method, Fusion A’Line will increase balance, stability, and mobility for a stronger healthier you. This core-centric workout challenges the entire body like never before while releasing undue stress through a unique dynamic flexibility method.

Fusion Refine
A fusion of fitness, yoga, and Pilates, the Fusion Refine workout focuses on balancing high-energy exercises for strength and endurance with calming exercises to destress and unwind. This evolved workout takes the best of each training technique to truly give you a balanced workout. Experience unique standing and floor exercises based on the principles of dynamic integrated core conditioning and mobility to give you grace and power.

Fusion D’Fine
This bodyweight workout combines core conditioning and muscle defining exercises from Pilates, flexibility, and mobility from yoga, the fluidity of movement from fitness, and Barre techniques to define, align, and sculpt the body. Choreographed to inspiring music, experience a new, innovative, and challenging bodyweight group class.

Founder of Fusion Fitness Training, Helen Vanderburg is co-owner of The ACADEMY fitness, yoga, spin studio and author of Fusion Workouts. With over 35 years of experience in club ownership, consulting and program development, Helen is one of the most celebrated fitness personalities in the global fitness community today. She has been recognized numerous times as Canada’s top fitness professional by CanFitPro, the largest Canadian fitness association and is the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. She has been awarded the IDEA Program Director, Fitness Presenter of the Year and the 2018 Global Top Industry Contributor. Helen is the Commercial Fitness Education Manager for Balanced Body and has consulted for international fitness companies such as NIKE, Total Gym, BOSU, Hedstrom Fitness, Schwinn Cycling and Core Health and Fitness, to name a few. She has educated fitness leaders globally for the past 25 years in over 25 countries.

Fusion Workouts with Helen Vanderburg

Trail Running with Donnie and Tom Flahavan

Sunday: 6:10 am Morning trail run
10:00 am Running form clinic

Monday: 6:10 am Morning trail run

Tuesday: 6:10 am Morning trail run
10:00 am Uphill and Downhill skills

Wednesday: 6:30 am Morning trail run to organic breakfast (sign up)

Thursday: 6:10 am Morning trail run
10:00 am Uphill and Downhill transitions Alex Oak

Donnie and Tom Flahavan have been running, competing, and coaching for over 35 years. They have introduced hundreds of people of various levels to running at the ranch. Their coaching style is fun and educational.

This week you will learn basic running form, uphill and downhill skills, and hiking transitions along with tips on safety, gear, and how to take it all home to enhance your workout routine. The classes are designed for all levels whether you are a beginner or an advanced runner. There is a morning run option that will precede the same hike routes. We will be hiking most of the uphill as we do not run the entire mountain. If you want to learn how to become a better power hiker this could be a great opportunity on the trails. Demo trail running shoes will be available in various sizes prior to each class.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done”. – Donnie Flahavan
“If you say to yourself ‘I am a runner” you become one”. – Nelson Mandela

Workout Express! with Norma Shechtman

Workout Express: Join us for mindful, meaningful and manageable workouts that are short, simple and get right to the point. Learn 10 short workouts that stand alone or mix and match. Simple equipment that does not require much space and easy to remember. Enjoy these workouts at the Ranch and take them home with you.

All classes will be in Olmeca and times will be:

Stability Balls, Lots of core and core stabilization

Bands, Spri balls, light and heavy weights. Full body workout.

Rollers, magic circles and bands, Stability, balance, core and back.

Body Bars, Flex Bars, spri balls. Upper body/Lower body workouts with balance.

Wall workout with BOSU and bands. Integrative core and stretch.

Tubing and gliders. Travel exercises with small equipment. Full body workout.

Norma Shechtman teaches Pilates and a full array of classes in Orange County. She has been involved in fitness and education for over 35 years and is well respected in the fitness industry.

Norma holds a double Masters Degree in Kinesiology and Education. In addition to being a regional Master Trainer for BOSU, she is ACE, NASM, AEA, NESTA CPT, USWFA, Pilates, Schwinn and Yoga Certified.

Script writer, TV personality and correspondence course reviewer, Norma maintains a multitude of avenues to increase awareness of health and fitness.

March 1st 2003, Norma was named Group Fitness Professional of the Year through the American Council on Exercise. There were thousands of very qualified nominees and Norma was selected as number 1 from entries all over the world.

In 2013, Norma was a finalist for IDEA Group Fitness Instructor of the Year. In 2014, Norma was named Alumnus of the Year by CSULB Graduate Department of Kinesiology.

Norma is an international presenter/author and well known for her “down to earth, fun, caring and unassuming presentations”.

“The Ranch will bring you peace, joy, excitement and a week you’ll forever cherish”. – Norma