Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations-Part 4: Train Rides

If you are just joining us on this Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations series—welcome! If you are looking for family friendly travel tips—ways to take advantage of the spectacular autumn weather—then you’ve come to the right place. So far, we’ve covered corn mazes and haunted houses, and hiking trails, now grab your conductor’s hat, we’re getting ready to hop aboard the Autumn Express. I’m sure you have seen the incredible fall foliage from a car, or perhaps while you were walking down a park path, but have you ever viewed the season’s breathtaking natural color show from a train? I’ll … Continue reading →

Indoor Climbing Gym – How To Get Started

Are you interested in learning how to get started at an indoor rock climbing gym? Maybe you want to work on your skill level before you start outdoor rock climbing. Maybe you want to test your own limits. Or maybe you just want to test yourself against the idea of climbing a mountain. After all, why do you climb a mountain? Because it’s there. To get started at a climbing gym, you need to know that it’s a great workout and that you can enjoy a fun time in a social atmosphere. Most large cities have a climbing gym or … Continue reading →

Z if for zoo

Taking your kids to the zoo can be a delightful way to spend a day outdoors and amongst some of the most magnificent creatures in nature. Spring is an exceptionally popular time for schools and parents alike to take kids to the zoo. So it’s important to plan for your trip carefully, especially if you are heading out in springtime. Zoos often feature memberships that can greatly reduce your visitor costs if you plan to attend the zoo regularly. You can also pre-buy tickets to many zoos and that can save you money as well. Check their website or with … Continue reading →

From Stable to Trail: Staying Safe Around Horses

When it comes to riding lessons and trail riding, there are a lot of rules that can help you stay safe around horses. Horses are, after all, a lot bigger than we are. The following tips are designed to help you make the most out of your barn and trail time and most of all to help you not get hurt. Avoid Getting Stepped On While this tip may seem obvious, after all, you wouldn’t put your foot under your lawn mower, a lot of people forget how large a horse really is. If a horse steps on your foot, … Continue reading →

Saving Your Pride with Knee Pads

The warmer it gets outside, the more my daughter wants to get outside and play. I am all for that, in fact, I’d rather she played outside than sat inside watching television. One of her favorite things to do is ride her bike. The problem with riding her bike is that she can ride a lot faster than I can walk. So I got creative and decided to go for my husband’s roller blades. Roller blading is a great sport and it can be really invigorating. I thought it would be a great way to let her bike and allow … Continue reading →

Psyching Up for Summer

Summer time is rapidly approaching and for a lot of families that means road trips. Road trips are a time-honored tradition in my family. Every summer, my grandmother packed us into the car and we took off for parts known and unknown. Some of the best vacations were the ones that began with: “Where are we going?” “Wherever the road takes us.” So if you’re getting ready to head to the beach, to the mountains, to the National Forests or just to grandma’s house – here’s some road trip rules and tricks that worked when we were traveling. Make a … Continue reading →

Tips for Lower Body Strength when Climbing

The majority of strength training you will do for rock climbing is for the upper body. After all, you will be using your back, forearms, and hands the most. However, the lower body also plays an important role in this activity, therefore it needs strength training as well. To be a good and safe climber, you will need to learn good footwork and solid lower body techniques. You will discover as you get more and more involved with rock climbing that footwork becomes almost an art form. Some moves on the rock are extremely challenging, requiring you to reach or … Continue reading →

Strength Training for Rock Climbing

When learning to rock climb, you need to get into a regimen of working the very muscles you will need to climb. Keep in mind that to rock climb, your goal is not to build muscle and gain muscle mass. The goal with your workout is to gain strength and endurance through a number of specialized exercises. Therefore, developing cut muscles and great definition has nothing to do with the body you need to rock climb. To become a good rock climber, you need strength and balance. After all, you will be pulling yourself up in some challenging positions. Therefore, … Continue reading →

GETTING IN TOP PHYSICAL CONDITION FOR ROCK CLIMBING

For peak performance and the elimination of risk while rock climbing, you need to prepare the body If you have never rock climbed before but want to try, the first step is to get into shape. You will need strong hands and legs to maneuver the slabs, overhangs, and finger crevices. The last thing you want is to try your hand at rock climbing, only to walk away frustrated and disappointed with the experience, all because you were not prepared. When rock climbing, you will be called on to make crucial decisions that require tremendous strength. Unless your body is … Continue reading →

Getting in Shape to Scuba Dive

You do not have to be an Olympian to scuba dive but you do need to be in good, physical shape for the ultimate in safety and fun! Just as with any type of physical activity, one of the first and best things you can do for yourself when it comes to scuba diving is to get into shape. Although water takes weight off the joints and allows the body to move about freely, scuba diving still requires a strong body for swimming and even breathing. Remember, that does not mean that you have to be a bodybuilder or track … Continue reading →