Search Results for: fitness exercise martial arts

Family Fitness: Build on What You Know

I couldn’t be more proud of my daughter this year as she’s dived into the world of books with such bursting enthusiasm. She’s literally devouring the books faster than we can get them. Each book is a portal to another time, another place, and whether it’s an adventure or history or compassion, she’s learning a little bit more from each book. So it disturbed me when my husband commented that her reading was great, but he didn’t want her to get fat just sitting around and reading books. Active Kids This is an attitude that a parent shouldn’t have about … Continue reading →

End of November Fitness Goal Check

Wow – is it really the end of November? It seems like just yesterday we were out trick or treating and now we’re getting holiday decorations up, still worrying about those extra pounds from Thanksgiving. December also marks my first anniversary here at Families.com and the first anniversary of the site overall – so Happy Birthday Families.com and to all of you who have been with us here this year and joined us throughout the year – woo hoo to you too! The end of the month Fitness Goal Check began as a way to help us look at the … Continue reading →

Kid Fitness: A Guide for Physical Activity

So how much activity should you child engage in regularly? How much is enough? How much is too much? How do you weigh one activity against another? With childhood obesity the rising concern of many parents, it’s important to understand how to engage your kids in activity and what the definitions of activity and inactivity are. Everyday Activities Everyday activities are the kinds of activities where our children should be spending most of their activity time. So what is included in everyday activities? The following are a sampling, though they are going to be different from child to child: Riding … Continue reading →

The Fitness Week in Review, October 14-20

Good morning and Happy Saturday to you. We covered a lot of ground this week in the Fitness blog and whether we were talking about workout programs and trends or losing weight at your desk, we’ve been tackling a lot of topics. The temperatures are continuing to drop and several areas saw their first snow this week, so look forward to some snow based sports information and working out in frigid conditions. Sunday, October 15 In Budokon or Pogo Bootcamp? What’s around the next creative corner? We talked about all the changes in the fitness industry that are taking place … Continue reading →

How to Decide on a Fitness Plan

There are so many fitness plans, fitness gurus and workout recommendations floating around that deciding on what regimen to follow. In fact, you can look at one workout plan and think that doesn’t sound too bad, while another sounds like a recipe for torture. You may think that you have no choice but to follow the path of torture to achieve your goals and hopefully what we talk about here will help you weigh your options. A Base Fitness Plan A base fitness plan is good for people who plan to start out solid and who have not exercised in … Continue reading →

Choosing the Right Martial Art

Karate, Ti-Chi, Kickboxing. Krav-Maga, Tiquando, Hapkido and Jujitsu. Ti-Boxing, Grappling, BaGwa and Ti-Chi Broadsword; even traditional boxing. Within the umbrella which is martial arts so many styles and schools exist that picking one to study with, maybe even two, can be a daunting task. But even before you go looking for a school, start interviewing instructors and talking to students, prepare yourself before with questions written down on paper to help if you had an idea of a particular art you are looking to try and what might be best suited for your age and body type. Any fighting or … Continue reading →

Tae Bo for Fitness

If you’re tired of the same old aerobics dance moves, but you’re not quite ready to jump into the full intensity of martial arts or boxing classes, Tae Bo may be the high-impact workout you’ve been looking for. Created in the late 1980s by Billy Blanks, a champion martial-arts guru and high-energy fitness trainer from southern California, this hybrid exercise technique is specifically designed to get the average person interested in fitness again – and to keep them coming back week after week. It combines the cardiovascular rigors of Tae Kwon Do (did you know that martial arts is one … Continue reading →

Dieting and A Little Bit of Urban Rebounding

My Dieting Journey My diet and fitness journey started a little over three years ago when I made a conscious effort to get healthy. I will admit, my impending health problems helped to prompt this newfound effort and I went at it in full swing. With determination and perseverance, I dieted and exercised faithfully for about 2 hours each and every day. I cut myself no slack and even one day a week without exercise was out of the question for me. I had made up my mind that I would become healthier and nothing would stand in my way. … Continue reading →

Avoiding Classic College Weight Gain

If your child just started classes at the University of California-San Diego he or she has a better chance of avoiding the dreaded “Freshman Fifteen.” At least that’s what school administrators maintain. For the first time ever the popular college is pulling out all the stops to help students avoid packing on the pounds while on campus. The school recently unveiled its Weight Loss Solutions program–a new wellness, weight-management and counseling program designed to get freshman moving. The program addresses the problems most students face when entering college and living on their own for the first time in their lives. … Continue reading →

K is for Kicks

Why kick boxing? Isn’t that a sport where people beat each other up? Well, yes – but in fitness, kick boxing has become the all the rage. It’s a great way to build your flexibility, increase your stamina and strength train while at the same time enjoying your favorite dance music. The origins of kick boxing date back more than 2,000 years, but it’s only become the competitive sport in the United States in the last thirty years. Cardio kick boxing has become incredibly popular just this century with the advent of cardio kick boxing classes at gyms, YMCAs and … Continue reading →