At Powerflow Kids, we offer a wide variety of yoga classes for children ages 2-9 that include fitness, art, music and tumbling! The small & cozy space is perfect for a children’s studio!

For more information please visit our website at www.powerflowkidsyoga.com

Hope to see you all there for our opening week!

What is cross training

Why is cross training important? If you participate in only one or two different types of physical activities, there are a variety of problems that can occur. By participating in cross training, or taking part in a wider variety of sports and activities, your going to help to avoid these problems. Lets take a look at what cross training can do for you:

1) Help you avoid boredom! If you are doing the same exercise routine, or playing the same sport, or attending the same group exercise class repeatedly, your likely to become bored with your routine. We all know what can happen when you become bored … you start working out less and less until you abandon your workout completely because you have found something more exciting to do! Make cross training a priority in your workout and keep yourself on your toes! If your a swimmer, add a few days of yoga, strength training, maybe a dance class! You will not only find new ways to challenge your body, but you will challenge your mind as well, which is more likely to keep you entertained, and keep you working out!

2) Help you avoid overuse injuries! By partaking in the same type of physical activity all the time, you are using the same muscles and same joint movements repeatedly. This can lead to overuse injuries. Cross trainers are less likely to experience these types of injuries because they are adding in other sports & activities, therefore making use of different muscles and different joint movements. Help protect those muscles & joints … cross train!

3) Help you improve your level fitness! Have you ever noticed that although you may be able to make it through an hour long spin class with out a problem, but when you hop in a pool you cannot swim one lap without gasping for breath? Or can you run a marathon while having a conversation, but cant lift a 5lb dumbbell without feeling like your muscle is going to fail you? It is important to remember that your fitness level is specific to what you train for. Training in only one specific way, such as biking or running, will improve your cardiovascular and muscular fitness for that activity. But its a whole other story when you attempt another sport! Cross training will allow you to increase your overall fitness level which is a definite plus if you like to be active and try new things!

4) Helps balance your muscle groups! Certain sports & activities will help to develop some muscle groups, while leaving others un-worked. This can lead to a muscle imbalance. Runners, for example, get a great workout for their hamstrings, but not so much for their quadriceps.  By partaking in other types of activities such as biking, they can help to work those less used muscles, like the quads!

Not sure what other types of activities you can add to your routine? Take a look at the list below and see what jumps out at you! Pick a few and get started, cross trainer!

Yoga – Pilates – Strength Training – Running – Walking – Skiing – Swimming – Biking – Softball – Spin class – Zumba! – Soccer – Basketball – Volleyball – Baseball – Roller Skating – Ice Skating – Hiking – Rock Climbing – Body Sculpting Class – Stepping – Rowing – Elliptical Machine – Jump Roping – Tennis – Trail Running – Martial Arts – Tai Chi – Kayaking – AND MANY MORE!

http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/default.aspx

http://www.ideafit.com/exercise-library

I have a wonderful product to share with all of you- Its going to change the way you look at your next workout! Gliding Discs, designed by Mindy Mylrea are a great little tool to add to your fitness collection. Whether you have a complete in home gym or just a few rusty dumbbells lying around the house, this piece of equipment is a must have! These small discs have a number of uses, and can be used to enhance exercises you already know, or add a variety of new movements to your fitness routines! Whether its cardio or strength training your doing, you can add these discs in and suddenly your workout is a little more exciting, and a little more effective, too!

With the gliding discs the exercises you have been doing forever have a new twist to them! Lunges, Squats, Push Ups, Back Extensions . . slip these little suckers under your hands or feet and you have now added resistance, increased range of motion, and more excitement in your workout routine!

To use these discs for lower body exercises, you place the balls of your feet on the discs as you see Mindy doing here in the picture. Your back heel stays on the floor as your breaking mechanism. ((WARNING: do not put your whole foot on the disc and attempt to do any lower body moves this way, such as squats or lunges! You will find yourself slipping out of control and possibly pulling or tearing muscles or ligaments! KEEP YOUR HEALS ON THE GROUND!) You can then do lunges by sliding the front foot forward and then really stimulating your hamstrings by having to slide it back in! Great for front, back or side lunges! For upper body exercises, you place your hands on the discs, and you can now do a variety of movements such as push ups, sliding back extensions, or swimming movements! Mindy has made many gliding DVDs for upper body, lower body, cardio, full body strength training, and more.

At the ECA Fitness Convention I attended this weekend I had the oppertunity to take several workshops with Mindy and learned countless exercises that you can do with these small, easy to use, easy to carry and best of all, INEXPENSIVE little discs. Her classes were wonderful, full of energy, and great compound moves that worked my whole body and really had me feeling it the next day! (and the day after that, too!)

To learn more about Mindy Mylrea, visit her site at http://www.fitflixpro.com/mindy.php. If your interested in purchasing her DVDs or the gliding discs I suggest looking in your local library’s fitness DVD section or trying a site such as Amazon.com for a good deal. You can buy them in two styles: one made for hardwood floors and one made for carpeted floors or grass. *NOTE – these discs don’t slide very easily on rubberized flooring found in most gyms, so they are best used at home or outside! If your a fitness professional yourself and you ever have the opportunity to take one of Mindy Mylrea’s workshops, I strongly recommend doing so!!

1) In the Water: Women have 8-10% more body fat than men. At first it may seem like men have the advantage here, but lets look at how this can work to our advantage ladies! When it comes to swimming, our body fat actually aids in buoyancy, and therefore we have less “drag” in the water. Because of this, we expend 20% less energy at the same pace and distance as our male counterparts. Bottom Line: our body fat keeps us from sinking, and allows us to expend less energy doing the same work load in the water as men. Score: Women 1 / Men 0

2) Fatigue Resistance: When it comes to a workout, cardio or strength training, muscular fatigue is the point at which your muscles can no longer support the load your putting on them. In simpler terms, they are dead tired! Women have a much higher fatigue resistance than men. We can go longer with shorter rest periods than men can. Why is this? Women have a lower absolute muscle mass. Again, this may seem like the man’s advantage. But lets look at this one more closely: because women have less muscle mass there is a lower demand from our body for oxygen (more muscle needs more oxygen). If we need less O2 during our workout, we are able to work longer before we max out our O2 consumption. Estrogen also plays a role here: Estrogen increases blood flow to our working muscles, delivering to them the O2 that they need, and also removing waste from our cells in an effective manor. Bottom line: we have less muscle mass than men so we need less O2 to keep working, the O2 we DO need is delivered to us with the help of good old estrogen, and we remove waste quicker from our muscle cells because of this speedy blood flow. Score: Women 2 / Men 0

3) Lets hear it for estrogen one more time! Here is another cool trick Estrogen has up its sleeve! Estrogen enhances the production of epinephrine, a hormone we produce in our bodies. That epinephrine stimulates the break down of fat. We like this! Estrogen also inhibits LPL, our bad cholesterol, and stimulates GH (growth hormones), which enhances fatty acid metabolism. Bottom Line: Estrogen helps the body to break up fat, lower bad cholesterol, and increase growth hormones which help break down fat some more! Yay Estrogen! Score: Women 3/ Men 0

So the next time you find yourself complaining about your body fat or your raging hormones and thinking that men have it better . . stop and think about the female training advantages! For more information on Dr. Len Kravitz or to read his articles, please visit http://www.drlenkravitz.com/

Check out this article I recieved via email today from my monthly American Council on Exercise news letter:

Q: I sweat profusely (literally dripping wet) during my aerobic workout. Is this an indication that I’m out of shape?

A: The reason for profuse sweating is that body core temperature becomes significantly elevated by the increase in metabolic heat production during exercise.

In response to an elevated body core temperature, the brain signals the body to dissipate the excess heat as rapidly as possible. Eccrine sweat glands are then activated, and fluid is transported to the skin so that it can evaporate and create a cooling effect.

Rather than indicating a lack of conditioning, sweat dripping off the body may be more indicative of the fact that the humidity of the environment is so high that sweat can’t evaporate. All factors considered, this is not an ideal situation, because it may mean that the body is not being effectively cooled via evaporation.

On the other hand, profuse sweating can also be a sign of being relatively fit, since one of the adaptations to consistent exercise training is that individuals will sweat more and sweat sooner so that their bodies don’t store extra heat.

Source: Bryant, Cedric X. 101 Frequently Asked Questions about “Health & Fitness” and “Nutrition & Weight Control”. Sagamore Publishing, 1999.

Why Women Need Weight Training

Again and again, research has shown that women who maintain a regular, moderate strength training program enjoy a long list of health advantages. Here are 10 important benefits for women who take strength training seriously:

1. You’ll lose more fat than you’ll gain muscle. The average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for eight weeks gains 1.75 pounds of lean muscle and loses 3.5 pounds of fat. Unlike men, women typically don’t gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause bulking up.
    
2. Your new muscle will help you lose weight. As you add muscle from strength training, your resting metabolism will increase, so you’ll burn more calories all day long. For each pound of muscle you gain, you’ll burn 35 to 50 more calories daily. So, for example, if you gain three pounds of muscle and burn 40 extra calories for each pound, you’ll burn 120 more calories per day, or approximately 3,600 more calories per month. That equates to a loss of 10 to 12 pounds in one year!
    
3. You’ll be a stronger woman. Moderate weight training increases a woman’s strength by 30 to 50 percent. Extra strength will make it easier to accomplish some daily activities, such as lifting children or groceries.
    
4. You bones will benefit. By the time you leave high school, you have established all the bone mineral density you’ll ever have—unless you strength train. Weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density by 13 percent in six months, so strength training is a powerful tool against osteoporosis.
    
5. You will reduce your risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for men and women. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.
    
6. You will fight heart disease. Strength training will improve your cholesterol profile and blood pressure, according to research. Of course, your exercise program should also include cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training.
    
7. You will be able to beat back pain and fight arthritis. A 12-year study showed that strengthening the low-back muscles had an 80 percent success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back pain. Other studies have indicated that weight training can ease arthritis pain and strengthen joints.
    
8. You’ll be a better athlete. Strength training improves athletic ability. Golfers, for example, significantly increase their driving power. Whatever your sport of choice, strength training may not only improve your proficiency, but also decrease your risk of injury.
    
9. It will work no matter how old you are. Studies show that strength improvements are possible at any age. Note, however, that a strength training professional should always supervise older participants.
    
10. You’ll strengthen your mental health. A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did. Women who strength train commonly report feeling more confident and capable as a result of their program.

If your resolution was to work out more . . but your barely averaging one day a week at the gym this month, try making things a little bit easier for yourself. Just because you cant get to the gym doesn’t mean that you should give up your goal and not work out at all! Hit the pavement! Go for a jog or walk outside. Lift some free weights in your home…or water/soda/milk bottles if you have nothing else! Turn on some music and dance. Rent a fitness video you can do in your living room or basement. If you cant make it to the gym, bring the workout out to your home!

If your resolution was to eat healthier . . . but your sitting in front of the computer reading this with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s chocolate fudge brownie in your hands (yum yum!) don’t despair! Put the ice cream back  in the fridge then read on! If you have a sweet tooth like me, giving up the sugary snacks you love isn’t an easy task. But who says you need to give up sweets all together? Why not just cut out the horrible ones, limit the not so bad ones, and look for some healthy options that you can  grab whenever you feel that craving coming on! I have recently discovered that vanilla yogurt with crumbled up graham crackers makes for a great desert. Add some slices of kiwi for some all natural sugary sweetness and you have yourself a sweet snack quencher that is sure to do the trick! Instead of a fat filled ice cream, why not try an all natural sorbet with some NATURALLY sweet fruits on top- fresh berries work the best! Check out this website for some more tasty and healthy dessert ideas! http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/quick_healthy_dessert_recipes.html

If your resolution was to lose 25 pounds by summer time.. . but your not shedding the pounds as quickly as you’d like, don’t give up!  When it comes to goals like losing weight/body fat, toning up, & gaining muscle, you need to remember that you aren’t going to see results over night. You need to work hard and be patient. Progress may be slow, but giving up on your goals isnt going to get you there any faster! Hang in there & stick to your goals. If you feel like your weight loss/body fat loss isnt reflecting all the hard work your putting in at the gym, then take a good look at your diet. Are you doing cardio 5x per week, strength training 3x per week, but eating donuts for breakfast, burger king for lunch and frozen pizza for dinner 7x per week? Exercise and diet go together – you may be slowing down your progress by not speeding up your change in diet! Remember to make healthy decisions when it comes to meal time. Try to get in as many servings of fruits and veggies as you can. (See my post on simple ways to get more veggies for some helpful tips!). Choose whole grains. Cut out the pepsi or coke. Think beans & legumes. And stay away from Burger King!

And Finally – if you find that the resolutions you made just arent realistic and you cannot keep up with them, MODIFY, MODIFY, MODIFY. Its better to change them to something more attainable then to ditch them altogether! Figure out what it is about the resolution that isnt working, make some changes, and try again!!

1) Stop using the elevator and start taking the stairs! Steps are a great way to get your heart rate up a little and work those lower body muscles! Next time you find yourself headed for the elevator, find the stairs instead and see how your Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Glutes and Calves feel afterwards. You’ll know you worked them! As an added challenge, why not take advantage of the available stairs in your office building, department store, or gym. If your there anyway and you have a few minutes to spare, why not hit the steps for a mini-workout?

2) If you don’t need your car, leave it at home!! If you live within walking distance of a grocery store, drug store, library, or your place of work, leave the car at home and make use of those legs! Take advantage of your close proximity to these places and enjoy some fresh air. Walk at a brisk pace and feel your heart working! If you don’t live within walking distance of the places on your errands list, take care of what needs to be done by car, then hit the streets for a little foot action!

3) Chose a spot at the end of the lot!  As long as its daylight hours and your in a safe location, why not chose a parking spot that is farther than usual? Think about the extra steps you will be taking if you park three or four rows farther than you usually do. If the weather is nice and you have the propper walking shoes, try parking a few lots over and really get that heart rate up!

4) Stop making things so convenient! Don’t bring the TV remote to the couch with you, dont carry a portable or cell phone around the house. When you need these items, make yourself walk back to the other room or up that flight of stairs to retrieve them! Every step adds up, so make yourself take more!

5)Walk your dogs! Throw in an extra walk for your pups today – they will love the fresh air and exercise . . and so will you! Whether its around the block or all the way down town, every extra step is a step in the right direction!

6) Dance! Next time your doing dishes, folding clothes, or vacuuming the living room, put on one of your favorite Cd’s and groove to the beat! Get your body moving and burn some extra calories. The chores need to be done anyway, why not make them a little more exciting? You will be getting an extra workout and helping to pass the time quickly!

TIP: If you have a pedometor, strap it on in the morning and then try incorporating these tips into your every day routine. Check the pedometer at the end of the day to see how many steps you have racked up! Set a goal for yourself and try to reach it every day!