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Saturday, March 16, 2013

Basic Maintenance

Seriously, people. Let's set aside all the craziness about getting skinny, and what you're supposed to look like, and guilt, and extreme exercise programs. There's a place for some of that, and that's not here right now. Let's get real for a second. Everyone has a body. Everyone wants their body to work, today, and for as long as they're alive. Nobody wants to be in pain, or unable to move. Everyone wants to have enough energy to do what they need and want to do in a day. You brush your teeth because you don't want them to fall out, and because you don't want toothaches, or bad breath. You do this every day. It is considered basic maintenance. You get your oil changed, because you want your car to keep running smoothly and last a long time without giving you problems. This too is basic maintenance. Exercise is basic maintenance for your body. It doesn't have to be hard. You don't have to get super sweaty. You don't have to hate it. But you do have to move to keep your body working. Period. There's no way around it. This needs to be part of your daily routine. Yes, daily. There is no reason for an able-bodied person to ever spend 24 hours not moving beyond couch to desk to bathroom to bed. You can walk, you can dance, you can stretch, you can bounce on a trampoline, you can ride a bike. You can also do the harder and more intense things, if you're interested in doing so or have fitness goals beyond "survive and feel good and live a long life without my body breaking down on me." But if you do not move on a daily or nearly daily basis, your body will stop working as well as you'd like it to, and eventually it will break. Just like your teeth will rot if you do not brush them, and your car will break down if you do not change the oil. So if nothing else, make sure you spend an hour a day (not necessarily at once - you can add up ten minutes here and there) moving. Out of your seat, out of bed, off the couch. Walk around the office, go outside, ride your bike, turn on some music and dance around, clean your house, dig in the garden, play with your kids or pets... do something. Anything. This is basic maintenance, bare minimum for survival and general health.

Friday, January 4, 2013

BalancePoint Fitness Winter 2013 Class Schedule

A new year brings new beginnings, and BP Fit is happy to offer a variety of classes to help start or breathe some life back into your fitness routine. Classes are ongoing with no start or end dates, so you can jump in at any time! Our instructors love seeing new faces and will be happy to accommodate your questions, requests, and special needs. Best of all, your first class is FREE!

Current Classes

Boot Camp
An intense workout mixing cardio and strength training. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) concepts are used to constantly keep the body's challenges changing and to maximize fat burn. Variations are provided for different fitness levels, so try it out even if you're a beginner!

Power Kick
A fast-paced workout using basic martial arts kicks, punches, and blocks to create a fat-burning, endorphin-pumping class. Self-defense concepts are taught and practiced as a part of each class. Gloves are necessary for working on the punching bags; we recommend that you bring your own but have a few loaners.

Zumba
A dance party-style workout that will keep you moving and having fun while you torch calories! Incorporates hip-hop, samba, salsa, merengue, mambo, and more. If you have Spotify, you can listen to a sample of what you might groove to:



Pricing
After your first FREE class, pricing is as follows. Punch cards can be used for any type of class, at any time, within a three-month period.
  • Single class drop-in: $9
  • 8-class punch card: $50
  • 12-class punch card: $70

Schedule

Tuesday
9:00 - 9:45 a.m.: Boot Camp with Rose
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.: Power Kick with Jibril

Wednesday
7:00 - 7:45 p.m.: Boot Camp with Nicoleta

Thursday
9:00 - 9:45 a.m.: Boot Camp with Rose
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.: Power Kick with Jibril

Friday
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.: Zumba with Nicoleta

Saturday
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.: Power Kick with Jibril
12:00 - 12:45 p.m.: Boot Camp with Rose

For more information on classes and personal training options, please visit bp-fit.com.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Teaching Your Kids--and Yourself--to Love Movement, by guest blogger Lauren LaLonde

It's easy to get so caught up in the whirlwind of child-rearing that regular exercise gradually slips through the cracks until it disappears completely. It's certainly normal, understandable, and admirable for parents to put their loved ones' needs far in front of their own; that's what being a parent is all about. But it's important to teach kids to love and move their bodies in ways that are enjoyable to them, and that teaching process can serve to remind you of the very same thing!

Show your kids as many possible ways to be active as you can.
Remember the ways in which you had fun as a kid, and share those experiences with them. Heck, even show them the activities you didn't like as a kid; maybe you'll like them now. The options are practically limitless: sports, dance, trampolining, sledding, martial arts, hiking, jumping rope, using playground equipment, hopscotch, biking, bowling, swimming, playing catch, flying a kite, walking the dog, gardening, hula hooping, etc.

Make an outing of it.
You can plan an activity based on sightseeing or some other purpose and still build in tons of walking time (e.g., zoo/museum trips, scavenger hunts, geocaching).

They're never too young.
Work on rolling, crawling, dancing, and ultimately walking with your infants. Have dance parties with your toddler and provide her with space in which to run. Chase, swing, and toss your kiddo. Utilize toddler play structures, indoor play places, walkers, ride-on toys, and kiddie pools.

Remember that it's supposed to be fun.
Your child shouldn't feel pressured into something; he's playing, and playing should be enjoyable. Encourage anything that he shows an interest in, and help him find new ideas if or when his interest wanes.

Use the time to bond.
Not only is family bonding time a great idea in general, but your child will also likely associate specific physical activities with happy memories for a long time!