I’m very sore lately…everywhere. Why is this surprising? Because I’ve increased my stretching in a huge way over the last few months. But in that time I have also suffered from back pain that, although its finally waning, is still persistent, and new hip soreness. I’m not necessarily suggesting that the soreness and back pain are a result of more stretching…but I am wondering why I am not feeling much better and loose since beginning to stretch more! I have been looking into this and have found some interesting information that I want to share with you. [Read more...]
Ouch…Why the Recent Soreness after Adding more Stretching?
February 23, 2012 By 1 Comment
Looking Back on 9 Kid Fitness in 2011
December 31, 2011 By 2 Comments
Finishing up our first year at 9 Kid Fitness, I want to thank all of you who have visited our site, contributed with comments, and just checked in with us via Facebook and Twitter. Launching last March, my hope was to engage with others who are trying to make fitness a priority in their very busy lives. Thank you for being a part of the 9 Kid Fitness community, and I hope that we will continue to find support and encouragement from each other in 2012! Today I would like to look back over the last year and highlight nine of the most visited posts at 9 Kid Fitness:
1. Me vs. Victoria’s Secret I take on the image of women that Vicoria’s Secret portrays in their holiday commercials (among other things).
2. When I Run I Feel His Pleasure Many of us Feel God’s presence when we run, and in this post I talk about how it felt for me. [Read more...]
Nine Ways to a Leaner You
October 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I was looking at a magazine lately and I had to put it down after a while because of the totally unrealistic figures of most of the women in it. I kept imagining my daughters flipping through it, and I was increasingly discouraged at the image it portrayed of skinny frail women “looking good”. Instead of thin or skinny, I think “lean” is a better ideal for women. This is because it can pertain to all body types; it simply means strong; but carrying less fat. Whether we are built “bigger” or “smaller”, we can all be lean because it has more to do with muscle mass than weight.
How do we become leaner? Here are nine ways…what would you add? [Read more...]
Don’t Want to Pay for a Massage? Use a Foam Roller!
June 16, 2011 By 2 Comments
I like a massage, just like the next person (or runner, at least). But let’s face it, sports massages are not cheap! Just how much are we willing to do to keep running and exercising? For me, it depends on a few factors. If I am training for something, and it’s pretty close to race date, or if my insurance pays for it (some do), then I can justify a massage. Otherwise, it fits into the luxury category, and I usually do without. Although there really isn’t anything like a good deep tissue massage for tight muscles, these days I am relying more and more on the foam roller to do the job. [Read more...]
Is Glucosamine/Chondroitin for You?
June 8, 2011 By 2 Comments
The jury isn’t out yet on the efficacy of glucosamine/chondrotin supplements for the treatment of osteoarthritis. However, some people have found that after taking the supplements, they experience fewer symptoms.
According to physical therapist Alan Tyson, owner of Architech Sports and Physical Therapy, interesting results have been reported from studies about glucosamine/chondroitin intake. Basically, there are some who say the supplements have been shown to help those who experience moderate symptoms of osteoarthritis, but not those with mild symptoms or those with severe symptoms. Alan’s recommended dosage is 1500 milligrams of combined glucasamine/chondroitin. [Read more...]
Dynamic Stretching…Best for Pre-Workout
May 17, 2011 By 4 Comments
What is the first thing many people do before they go for a run or begin a workout? Stretch! This has been drilled into our thinking. If there were deadly sins of running, not stretching would be on the top of the list. It is common to see runners standing, holding one foot behind them, stretching their quads, or sitting on the ground doing a hamstring stretch. We have been told to hold the stretch for 15-90 seconds, and not to bounce. These kind of stretches are known as static stretches, and they are what we have been taught to do. As a runner, I have never been very disciplined about stretching, and so I was interested in what many coaches and trainers are now saying is a better kind of pre-workout warm up. Some people call it dynamic stretching, and if you show up at a track meet or a basketball game these days, you will likely see athletes continuously moving rather than staying in one place stretching before competition. [Read more...]
9 Foolish Reasons I Never Did Yoga… And 9 Reasons I am Going to Start
April 29, 2011 By 10 Comments
1.“Yoga isn’t really a form of exercise.”
This is really funny when I think about it now. My friend recently took me to Yoga Flex and we did the hour and a half Power Yoga class. I wasn’t 20 minutes into the class before I realized how far out of my league I was. Out of the 15 or so of us taking the class, I was one of the least “fit”. These women were in amaziyng shape, and when I asked them what other form of exercise they did, most of them said yoga was their main source of fitness. Yoga is serious exercise!
2. “Yoga is boring”.
I have to admit to being a little bored at first. But as the class went on, and I had to focus on the various positions I was doing (attempting to do is more like it), the hour and a half was over before I could think about boring. [Read more...]
Kettlebell Craze
March 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The kettlebell seems to be all the rage! I recently went to a course where the instructor showed us various moves to do with the versatile kettlebell. Apparently this unique piece of equipment (imagine a weight shaped a little like a cow bell) has been around for over 300 years! Like any weight equipment, it is important that it be used correctly to avoid injury. In fact, whenever I see someone using it, I feel the need to stand back a few feet because it always seems like the weight of the kettlebell will cause someone to hurl it as they swing it. I know that is unlikely…but you never know! [Read more...]
Almost ready…
February 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Thanks for stopping by! We will have some real content up in a few weeks. In the meantime, join us on facebook: www.facebook.com/9KidFitness
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