A collection of fitness ‘treats’ for Halloween
***image1***Lots of great things (treats!) to write about this week . . . so many, in fact, that I couldn’t choose just one! Treat - This weekend’s Race for the Cure was a tremendous improvement over last year. Even the weather was better. Congratulations to Colleen Adams for making this year’s event such a success! Treat - A new fitness activity has arrived on Daniel Island – cardio tennis! Be sure to check out a free demonstration this Friday, October 28, from 6 – 6:30 p.m. at the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center. I would be there but I’ll be traveling to Knoxville to see the Gamecocks take on the Volunteers . . . of course, you can be sure that we’ll pack our workout gear, bands, and jump ropes! I’ll be eager to give cardio tennis a try when we return. Treat - Don’t forget to set the clocks back this weekend. That means the sun will be setting earlier, cutting short your after-work outdoor exercise time. If you do continue to exercise outdoors, please remember that motorists cannot easily see you in the dark – wear light-colored clothing, or, better yet, clothing that is reflective. And with the days becoming shorter and shorter, it is easy to lose your motivation to exercise. Now might be a good time to recruit a workout buddy, write your resolutions down and post them where you can see them, or join a gym. Sometimes it helps to hire a personal trainer to help you make it through the winter months, alone or with a friend. Treat - Halloween is this weekend . . . there will be plenty of candy given out. For those of you who plan to come to my house to trick-or-treat . . . please don’t expect Hershey bars and blow pops! You’ll probably find boxes of raisins, organic candy from Whole Foods, and sugarless chewing gum in your bag of treats. Perhaps you’ll consider doing the same. Treat - Last but not least, I promised another exercise using the stability ball. We often focus on the abs, and neglect another important part of the "core," the lower back. Here is an exercise to help strengthen the low back, glutes, and hamstrings. Stability Ball Bridges: Lying flat on your back, prop your legs up on the ball. Tighten your glutes (your rear end) and lift your hips up off the floor. Lift your legs high enough to form a line from your shoulder blades on the floor to your heels. Lower your hips to the floor. Build up so that you can repeat 15-20 times. Some tips to remember when performing this exercise: ·
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Meredith Nelson, M.Ed, is the owner of PrimeTime Fitness, Inc, on Sullivan’s Island. Offering group fitness classes, PrimeTime Spin, private yoga, personal training, and monthly gym membership, Meredith divides her time between the gym on Sullivan’s Island and limited in-home training here on Daniel Island, where she resides along with her husband and two cats. Meredith can be reached with your fitness questions at 883-0101, or Meredith@primetimefit.net.