Blast Your Workout: Jump Roping

Do you remember jumping rope when you were a kid? You could jump rope by yourself or with others. There were plenty of rhymes and rope jumping songs you could sing or chant to keep you motivated on course for getting the most number of jumps in your jump roping routine. One of my favorites is one my daughter likes to chant now: Cinderella went upstairs to kiss her fella, she made a mistake and kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take: 1, 2, 3, 4 … The point was to jump with each syllable in the words … Continue reading →

Toughen Up P.E. Requirements

We’ve talked about the fact that just going to a physical education class in school isn’t enough as far as a child’s physical activity level is concerned. That they need more activity in their day from team sports to dancing to gymnastics and more. However, that does not mean P.E. classes need to be eliminated – instead the demands and rigors of the class need to be toughened. Why Do the P.E. Requirements need to be toughened? Just thinking back to my own days in a P.E. class, half the time was spent standing around and waiting for a turn … Continue reading →

The Ultimate Thighmaster: Horseback Riding

I remember the Suzanne Sommers commercials advertising the Thighmaster, the ultimate home workout for women to tighten up their thighs and buttocks. The Thighmaster was a focusing tool, designed to help you concentrate on isolating those muscles and using them against specific tension or resistance. The ultimate Thighmaster, however, is not a piece of equipment but rather an equine. I am an admitted equestrian with a particular fondness for horses in general and Saddlebreds in particular along with Mustangs and Tennessee Walkers. Anyway, the point is, humans have been riding horses since around 4000 B.C. that we know of. The … Continue reading →

Fitness Tips: Kids On the Move

Most of our kids are back in school and with only a week left to go before Labor Day and the launch of the Fall television season and hopefully, fingers crossed and a small prayer thrown in, cooler days will be coming again – here are some tips on helping your kids maintain their energy and activity levels amidst the stress of going back to school. And yes, that was a way long sentence. But the meaning behind it still stands. Tips for Your Kids: Getting Back Into the Rhythm of School Can Take a Few Weeks – Be sure … Continue reading →

Why Last Is Not Always Least

When you hear the words West Point, you likely conjure an image of a great military academy for higher learning – you see military cadets drilling and going to school and eventually entering the Army as an officer. You probably believe, like everyone else, that it’s not prestigious if a student graduates West Point at the bottom of his or her class and is labeled the goat. Don’t let the label deceive you. The Goats Of History The Goats of West Point are a prestigious group of well-known names in our history, including but not limited to General Custer, General … Continue reading →

10 Reasons to Take Your Kids Bowling

Let me preface this blog with the comment that I don’t need encouragement in this direction. I love bowling and I’m very fortunate that my daughter loves it as well. The only drawback we have is that we don’t have a bowling alley close by, so for us to go bowling, it’s a bit of a hike. Here are my top ten reasons why you should take your kids bowling: Bowling can be played year round and you don’t have to worry about extreme heat or extreme cold Bowling is a professional sport that encourages flexibility, strength and good hand-eye … Continue reading →

Attention Parents: Exercise Can Help Your Kids Get Better Grades

I thought that title might get your attention. As parents, we want to do everything we can to give our children the best opportunities for success. Among the opportunities we want to give our children include: Access to good teachers Access to positive experiences Access to quality time with us We measure their response and their success by not only their actions and behavior, but also by the grades they receive in school. Personally speaking, I do not think grades are a measure of intelligence, only of aptitude and actual grasping of skills and the application of them. So What … Continue reading →

Exercise With Caution: The Heat Can Kill

The last few weeks, the temperatures here have soared above the 100-degree mark. In fact, between the heat and the humidity, walking outside is like a one-two punch to the face. The scary part is, even at 6 in the morning, with temperatures exceeding 85 degrees and the rising humidity – normal activities like walking to school can leave you dripping sweat. Exercise + Extreme Heat = Tragedy Every year, you hear about it and you think why did they keep going? Football players collapsing from dehydration and heat stroke; athletes getting sick and the even sadder stories of the … Continue reading →

The Three Elements of Fitness

Do you know what the elements of fitness are? They include strength, flexibility and endurance. These three elements are combined in almost all fitness programs, especially those that are designed to offer a balanced and healthy active lifestyle. When it comes to the three elements of fitness, you don’t have to design an exercise program for your children to incorporate those as they do in their everyday activities. Check them out on the playground or at the park and pay attention. When they are playing tag, the person who is ‘it’ is often getting quite the endurance workout. When they … Continue reading →

Today in History: Owens Wins 4th Gold Medal

Jesse Owens is an amazing figure in sports history. Winning several gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin set back Adolf Hitler’s propaganda campaign for Aryan superiority. Who Was Jesse Owens? Born in 1913 to Alabama sharecroppers, Jesse Owens demonstrated his major track talent during high school in Cleveland, Ohio. When he went on to attend Ohio State University, he emerged as one of the greatest athletes in the world. On May 25, 1935, at the age of 20, Owen broke the world records for the 220-yard low hurdles, the running broad jump, and the 220-yard dash and tied … Continue reading →