The Weekly Word: June 5th, 2022

Gym News & Notes
Well, judging by the pictures I see online of high school graduations, it appears the school year has just about come to an end. Time surely does move fast and the summer months prove to be busy ones here at the gym. Starting June 13th, we will be hosting six weeks of Youth Fitness Camps for kids aged 7-11. These camps run from 9-11 am Monday thru Thursday. Our mission with these camps is to teach kids the importance of physical training in a fun and challenging environment. It is our hope that the lessons learned are ones in which can last a lifetime! If you have a child or may know someone looking for things for their children this summer, all of the information can be found here: Youth Fitness Camps. 

In addition, this will be the first year I offer a Jump Start Program for kids ages 4-6. The goal of the gym is to create an environment for the entire family to explore and challenge themselves physically and mentally. Through play and movement, we want to encourage these youngsters to explore risk/challenges in a safe environment and get comfortable learning new activities and games. The end result will be a child who feels more competent in all walks of life. More information on this program can be found here: Jump Start. 

What I've Been Thinking About...
Prior to Covid-19 shutting the world down I used to run speed & agility programs designed for female athletes. I did this for a few reasons. The first is that I felt girls just didn't have the same opportunities to train or, maybe more importantly, were not encouraged by parents or coaches to partake in fitness training. The second is that as I was coaching high school football, I would see multiple girls in the trainers room with devastating lower body injuries (ie ACL tears). These injuries have life long ramifications and they hit the female community much harder than their male counterparts. Some research even indicates that it is 7-9 times more likely!

Last week we were at a Farmers Market and the former idea played out right in front of our eyes. There were girls interested in using some of the equipment we took down there (medicine balls, box jumps, agility ladder, etc.) but they were discouraged from even trying anything. These actions at a young age plant the seed for inactivity later in life. I shared with Marisa how unfortunate it was because sometimes, all it takes is that one time trying something to light a fire in someone to get moving.

With all that being said, I decided to bring the girls camp back to life and will be offering it over two weeks this summer. The first session is June 20 - June 23 and the second session is July 18 - July 21. If you have a daughter or know someone who may be interested, please feel free to share these events with them!

Fitness Tip of the Week
A salad a day keeps the belly fat away...I think!

The more I learn, the more I think diet is the determining factor in regards to body fat, not exercise. It doesn't seem to matter how hard I work or what I do in the gym, on the road, or in the pool. If my diet sucks, there is little to no change physically. So this month, my goal is this: eat one salad a day, for as many days as possible. This is not a magic pill for everyone. For me, eating a bunch of vegetables and some fruit or nuts just seems to work. It may not have the same effect for you. We are all individuals and need to try things out ourselves.

The best way to be successful with this is to plan and prepare. As I pack Emi's lunch each morning during the week, I also make a salad for myself. I do this so that whenever I decide to eat, I have something ready. It is often when we are short on time that we neglect healthy eating and choose to grab whatever is handy. In this case when I prepare, whatever handy is a bowl full of vegetables! 

What I've Been Reading...
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Call me morbid but this title appealed to me when I was browsing books. It made me want to look inside the cover and see what this was all about. As I started to read it, I was surprised by its contents. It somehow blends Vonnegut's experience as a soldier and the atrocities he witnessed, with a little science-fiction and anti-war sentiment. The Sci-Fi genre is something I typically don't find myself reading but his writing is entertaining and the first few chapters had me hooked! 

Quote of the Week
"As long as you live, keep learning how to live" -- Seneca

I hope you all have an awesome week!
Chris Fluck