Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Fitness’ Category

Helping Chicago Get and Stay Calm-Calm Chicago

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , on January 14, 2011| 11 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Tai Chi can be done at Any Age. Image by Wikipdia.

One of my most popular posts is about Tai Chi and the Wii Fit. As far as I know, there are still no Tai Chi modules for the Wii Fit. I also wrote a post about schools offering Tai Chi in Chicago. But I missed one.  I was recently contacted by a Tai Chi school is in Chinatown, Calm Chicago. to let me know about their classes and school. For my Chicago-based readers,  thought I’d give you more info about this school so those of you that don’t yet have a teacher or place to study Tai Chi could check them out. (And I don’t get any freebies or advertising revenue to tell you about it. Just passing on the info!)



The Calm Chicago center offers three types of classes: yang 24 short form, 18-form qigong and yi jin jig.  They also offer classes in meditation, sitting, standing, walking. They also have a Facebook page and wordpress blog. Find out how to get to the school here.

What does Calm Chicago Offer?

From the Calm Chicago website: Teaching and practice at Calm Chicago focuses on the simple and practical. We offer stress reduction and whole body health via taiji, meditation and qigong. Our teaching leans on a traditional pattern, passed from generation to generation, teacher to student. We emphasize learning by direct experience not from reading in a book or analyzing with the mind. Our classes allow you to : Restore the unity of your mind and body. Enter the natural peace and quiet of your own mind. Balance, strengthen and relax your whole body. Get healthy and stay healthy. Dump stress. Think more clearly. Respond more calmly. Leave feeling refreshed, invigorated and calm. We offer group classes, private lessons and corporate stress reduction programs.  Steady programs of stress reduction utilizing taiji, qigong and meditation, helps keep employees happier and healthier.

Find out more about the Calm Chicago teacher, Hillary here.

Cost of the classes is $20 a class for drop-ins and $100 a month for a once a week class. (Note: There is a one time membership fee of $50 to cover liability insurance. It looks like its cheaper to drop in after that though unless you have 5 days a month to attend! More tuition info here.

Beginner classes are offered on these days and times: Saturday 3:30-4:45pm and Sunday 10-11:15 a.m. Beginner classes offer a gentle introduction to 18-form qigong, Yang 24 form taiji and meditation.

Advanced classes are offered on Sundays from 11:30am -1pm.

Calm Chicago Blog

Read about the upcoming (4-30-11) World Tai Chi Day in the their blog here.

For a great explanation of what Tai Chi Is (from the what it’s not perspective!) click here.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Technology or Real World Fitness: Which is Best for You and Your Kids

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , on January 6, 2011| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Dominique Dawes Playing Fitness Games With Kids

The other day,  I ran across an article by Olympic Gold Medalist, Dominique Dawes, about using online games to teach kids to be more active. The reasoning is that if kids are already using technology for hours why not slip in  a little exercise in the games and give them an alternative to sedentary gaming. Commenters disagreed to this fitness approach and said kids need to get outside and exercise in the real world, to get Vitamin D from the sun and do real carodiovascular fitness activities.

I’m divided on this issue. For one thing, if you and/or your kids ARE already execising outdoors or doing some regular cardio and strength training exercises, then why add a computer game? BUT, for those kids and maybe even the adults themselves, that are not active, but like to game, incorporating a fitness game into daily life can be a good way to get someone off the couch and into more fitness.

What do you think?

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Indoor “Mountain” Biking?

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , on January 5, 2011| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Mountain biking indoors? Only in Cleveland, Ohio. (And soon, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) I read and article and watched a video of a Harry Hart, a Yahoo writer that tried “indoor mountain biking” (isn’t that a oxymoran). Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park looks a bit like Rob Drydeks’ Fantasy Factory and features a series of ramps and jumps designed to simulate “mountain” biking. It’s an interesting novelty for kids just getting started on BMX bikes or for those with extra cash that don’t want to risk getting their bikes wet in the snow. But for seasoned mountain bikers, the Chicago area forest preserves have shown recent evidence of diehard bikers riding in the snow. And isn’t that what mountain biking really is all about? Riding outside on hills and mountains? For those that want to stay dry and risk crashing into hard wooden platforms versus soft snow (and possibly stones and roots under the snow), check out Ray’s!

Check out the Course of Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park. From a safety perspective (and from personal experience of my hands and knees hitting hard surfaces), all that wood looks not so inviting. I prefer dirt myself. But then I do fall at times!  I also notice there is A LOT of info on Ray’s site about waivers. Almost as much as a skydiving site. Kinda tells you something about the safety factor of the indoor course, doesn’t it?

Prices can be found here  and rules can be found here. For a  one-time visit it costs about $20-24. For a Season’s pass, it’s a mere $378.

The School of Ray’s also offers mountain bike classes, from basic to advanced on mountain and BMX biking. For learning purposes I can see how an indoor course might be useful. But then again, in the learning phase, I’d like to see more foam padding and less wood around the edges!

For breaking news about Ray’s Milwaukee location coming soon, click here.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Chicago’s Guide to Winter Sports-Skiiing, Snowboarding, Sledding

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , , , on December 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

CBS Chicago has put together a Winter Sports Guide for the Chicago area. It’s interesting that they only mention the most well known Lakefront and Northside recreation areas. CBS, you are missing the entire Southern Cook County, Will County and DuPage County Park Districts!  For those of you that want to know what CBS Chicago has put together for you, click here. I am giving you the short list below:

Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding

Devil’s Head Resort
Merrimac, WI
devilsheadresort.com

Sundown Mountain Resort
Dubuque, IA
sundownmtn.com

Villa Olivia
Bartlett, IL
villaolivia.com

Wilmot Mountain
Wilmot, WI
wilmotmountain.com

Alicia Eler from Chicago’s Center Stage, wrote a great article about ski areas near Chicago. Click here for a link to her article. A few excepts are below.

Granite Peak
A 700-foot mountain with vertical runs located in Wausau, Wisconsin’s Rib Mountain National Park . It boosts 75 runs, seven high-speed lifts and Sun Kid Wonder Carpet.

3605 N. Mountain Rd. P.O. Box 5010, Wausau
Tel: (715) 845-2846

Chestnut Mountain

8700 W. Chestnut Rd., Galena
Tel: (800) 397-1320

Chestnut Mountain descends 475 feet with  19 runs in a  seven-acre terrain park with two half-pipes, its own chairlift, and a vast series of table tops and rail slides

Alpine Valley Ski Resort. Website here.

7-holes of golf, 20 slopes of skiing/snowboarding enjoyment, meeting and banquet facilities for 10 to 200, 124 guest rooms, two swimming pools, tennis courts, whirlpool and much, much more. Lodging accommodations include 123 guest rooms, four suites, and indoor pool and whirlpool, dining rooms, cocktail lounge and even a pizza parlor.

Raging Buffalo Snowboard/Ski Park. Website click here.

19-265 Western Ave
IL 60118
(847) 836-7243

Cross-Country Skiing

Camp Sagawau
12545 West 111th Street
Lemont, IL
fpdcc.com

Lincoln Park
Chicago, IL
chicagoparkdistrict.com

Morton Arboretum
4100 Illinois Route 53
Lisle, IL
mortonarb.org

Northerly Island
1400 S. Lynn White Dr.
Chicago, IL
chicagoparkdistrict.com

Sledding

Deer Grove
Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road
Palatine, IL
fpdcc.com

Lincoln Park
Cricket Hill Fields, Montrose Harbor
601 W. Montrose Ave.
Chicago, IL
chicagoparkdistrict.com

Mount Trashmore (James Hill) (former landfill)
Oakton & Dodge
Evanston, IL
cityofevanston.org

Soldier Field
425 E. McFetridge Dr.
Chicago, IL
chicagoparkdistrict.com

Soldier Field
425 E. McFetridge Dr.
Chicago, IL
chicagoparkdistrict.com

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Where to Go Sledding in the Chicago Area

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , on December 26, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

We had a great snowfall in Chicago this weekend! And maybe you want to go sledding. Or your kids want to go sledding. Where do you go?  The Chicago Area Forest Preserves have a number of Sledding hills you can check out. Some are lighted and open until 10pm. Others are not lighted and only open til sunset. DuPage county also has sledding hills and other winter activities listed below Chicago Forest Preserve hills. Will County also has some great hills including the 40-foot long sledding hill at Goodenow Grove.

Check out the list of Cook County Forest Preserve hills below to see which ones are closest to you.

Cook County Forest Preserve Winter Activities-Click here for more info.

Sledding and Coasting

When snow conditions are suitable, the areas designated below are available for sledding and coasting.

Sledding and Coasting Hills With Lighting (Hours: 8 A.M. – 10 P.M.
Dan Ryan Woods
87th and Western Ave., Chicago

Swallow Cliff Woods
Route 83 and Mannheim Road, Palos Park

Caldwell Woods
Devon &; Milwaukee Avenues, Chicago
Deer Grove #5
Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road, Palatine

Westchester Woods
Cermak Road, east of LaGrange Road, Westchester

Sledding and Coasting Hills Without Lighting (Hours: 8 A.M. – sunset

Indian Hill Woods
16th Street & Edgewood Avenue, Chicago Heights

Pioneer Woods
107th Street, 1/2 mile west of LaGrange Road, Willow Springs

Indian Road Woods
Central Ave., 1/2 mile south of Caldwell Ave., Chicago

Schiller Woods
Irving Park and Cumberland Ave., Schiller Park

Deer Grove #4
Quentin Rd., north of Dundee Rd., Palatine

Public safety requires the closing of many Forest Preserve parking lots and driveways during the winter season. However, parking facilities involved with winter sports will be open daily.

Forest Preserve District of Cook County Sledding Hill Rules and Regulations

• Use of Forest Preserve District of Cook County sledding hills is a visitor’s own risk.
• Proper use of appropriate sledding devices which are in good repair and have no sharp edges is recommended.
• Use of skis, inflatable tubes, carpets, snowboards and metal-railed sleds is strictly prohibited.
• Unauthorized building of ramps, bumbs, moguls, hills or jumps out of a material or substance is strictly prohibited.
• Children under the age of 12 should wear a bicycle or multi-sport helmet and should be supervised by an adult.
• Sledding hills may be closed due to a lack of snow cover or for any other safety-related reason.
• Pets and alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited on sledding hills.

DuPage Forest Preserve Winter Activities-Click here for more info.

Snow Tubing

The snow-tubing hill is located at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville.

* The 800-foot run is open December through February on weekends and school holidays, except Dec. 25, when the hill is covered with 3 or more inches of snow.
* Participants must use District-rented inner tubes.
* Rentals, which are at the base of the hill, are $4 per tube per day (cash only).
* Updated hours of operation and snow conditions are available at (630) 871-6422.

Sledding and Ice Skating

Unless otherwise posted, the Forest Preserve District allows sledding and ice skating in all forest preserves.

* Neither sledding nor ice skating requires a permit or has an associated fee.
* Rangers do not monitor ice conditions.
* All ice-related activities are done at the user’s own risk.
* As a guideline, not a guarantee, a minimum of 4 inches of ice is recommended for any ice activity.
* Sledding is always prohibited at Mount Hoy at Blackwell Forest Preserve, the closed landfill sites at Greene Valley and Mallard Lake forest preserves and any slopes at Spring Creek Reservoir Forest Preserve.

Will County Sledding Hills-Click here for more info

• Forked Creek Greenway (Wilmington)
• Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve (Crete Township)

Goodenow Grove in Beecher provides a includes a 40-foot-high sledding hill. Sledding tubes can be rented at Plum Creek Nature Center, which is located near the sledding hill. Guests can also bring their own sleds, but no steel runners, snowboards, or steerables are allowed. Please also note that no dogs are allowed on the sledding hill. To check on sledding conditions at Goodenow Grove, call the Plum Creek Nature Center at 708.946.2216 or check the Winter Recreation Report during the winter season.

Lake County Forest Preserves

Sledding
Grab your sled and head out to the sled hill at Old School Forest Preserve or at the Lakewood Winter Sports Area. The hill at Lakewood is lighted and open until 9 p.m. every day that it is in operation. The sled hill at Old School is open until sunset every day when conditions allow. Note: no sleds with metal runners or snowboards, please.

Check back here for current conditions or call our Winter Sports Hotline at 847-968-3235. Click here for more info.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Wearable Water for Endurance Athletes

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , on December 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

One of the most important questions you might ask yourself when undertaking about endurance sports is where are you going to store and access your water. I favor the CamelBak’s for hiking. I am not a long distance runner, but many of my clients are long distance runners and I do like to go on long bike rides. My CamelBak works for those trips too.

But then I was checking out REI’s website today and found this hydration shirt on sale:

It’s normally $74.93 but REI is knocking the price down to $64.83 for the holidays. It’s an interesting concept, running with your water bag sewn into your shirt. Or riding your bike long distance with your water punch resting on the back of your neck, but enclosed in a hydration shirt so it’s not against your skin. I might try it for a bike ride, but I’d be a bit worried that the water temperature would not be insulated well enough to either keep the water cold or keep my neck from getting cold.  However, when I read the specs for the shirt on the website, it actually looks like it is well insulated, with an attempt to be chafe proof.  I just wouldn’t wear it i the winter!  but it might make a great gift! Check out the specs:

  • HydroPouch™ is an integrated reservoir compartment that encapsulates a 72 fl. oz. reservoir in a manner that supports and stabilizes the water weight on the back
  • Vest is made from plush, chafe-free compression fabric that self-adjusts to comfortably hold and stabilize water reservoir while conforming to the body like a second skin
  • Fabric also delivers moisture management and dries quickly for cool and comfortable performance; 1/4-length neck zipper allows easy on and off
  • Air-mesh insulated back panel insert keeps your back cool and comfortable while insulating the water in the reservoir
  • Includes an insulated tube cover to keep the water in the tube cool and palatable
  • OMEGA™ HydroTanium™ reservoir is made from a strong polyurethane film for tensile strength and burst resistance
  • Big Bite™ valve is ergonomically positioned for easy drinking; handy HydroLock™ securely shuts off water flow

They also have:

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Looking to Learn More About Outdoor Adventure Gear? Check Out REI’s Expert Advice

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 8, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

There are a lot of different places you can get active outdoor gear. I like Amazon. com for the wide selection of items you can get from all over the country. But you can’t touch or test gear sold on Amazon, you can only read other people’s reviews. Sometimes that’s enough. Other times I want to go into a store and see and get a feel for items I buy such as camping gear, tools, GPS systems and bicycle equipment. And it’s helpful to have a seasoned expert tell me about the gear right then and there to help me make better decisions about the tools and equipment I buy to keep me active. At REI, they now added  videos and articles for shoppers to review basic information about active outdoor gear.

Dubbed REI Active Advice, the REI website has a page which links to how to videos, articles and more.  And they have a new REI Expert advice for families to help parents learn ways to incorporate outdoor activities into family time.

Check Out REI Expert Advice for Families

Watch an REI Expert Video

REI experts give you helpful tips, techniques and ideas to show you how to have great outdoor adventures and which gear you’ll need.  Some of the current videos include:

Video: How to Transport Your Boat by CarHow to Transport Your Boat by Car

Articles By REI Experts

REI and guess share expert advice on how to choose and maintain outdoor gear as well as how to  have fun and stay safe on your next outdoor adventure.  Current topics include:

How to Choose Wool Clothing

REI Expert Gear Checklist

REI’s website lets you print out a gear checklist to help you keep track of the details for your next adventure, including:

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Winter Fun in Will County Forest Preserves

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve. Photo by Sue Shekut

For my birthday in November, my boyfriend took me to a lovely gentle hike at Goodenow Grove near the  Plum Creek Forest Preserve in Crete township. Now that the first snow has fallen, it’s a great time to bundle up yourself and your kids if you have kids) and head to Plum Creek for a cold hike or a sledding adventure!  Plus Creek has a fantastic nature preserve complete with stuffed owls, live snakes and a project area for kids to learn about nature and make artwork. The Plum Creek Nature Center is part of Will County Forest Preserves and it looks like Will County has spent their conservation budget well. The trail is well maintained, the sledding hill is large and wide enough for many people to spend the day sledding on and the nature center guides are knowledgeable and friendly. Check out more about the nature center here.

Goodenow Grove has about four miles of hiking trails that crisscross the preserve. The Trail of Thoughts is  a 0.5-mile paved loop, leads around a pond filled with a cattail marsh to a wildlife observation deck.. The Pine Grove Trail, a 1-mile loop with a natural surface, provides you with a scenic overlook from the highest point in the preserve. For info on the Goodenew Grove Nature Preserve or Plum Creek Nature Center link here.

Will County Forest Preserve Winter Activities

Ice Skating
There are ice skating ponds at both Goodenow Grove and Monee Reservoir open to the public when conditions allow. Ice thickness is checked daily and conditions are posted on the website.

Sledding
There is a 40-foot high sledding hill at Goodenow Grove. Bring their own plastic sleds (no runners allowed), or rent a tube  at Plum Creek Nature Center. (Nature center is located within Goodenow Grove. Tube rental requires a driver’s license or state ID and $1.00/day/tube fee. after sledding you can warm up inside the Nature Center by the fireplace and enjoy a variety of nature-related exhibits. Goodenow Grove sled hill conditions are posted on the website.

As of 2010 a new new sledding hill is open at Butcher Road in the Forked Creek Greenway in Wilmington. This natural hill is not monitored for sledding conditions.

Snowshoeing
Enjoy snowshoeing  the winter trails in the Monee Reservoir’s 2.5-mile trail. You can bring your own or rent snowshoes at the Monee Reservoir concessions building. Then warm up by a wood-burning stove after your trek.

Cross-Country Skiing
Bring your cross country skills to Monee Reservoir, Goodenow Grove, and many other preserves to enjoy the quiet of nature in the winter and burn a lot of calories tredging along the trails..

Our Fall Hike Pics November, 2010 of Goodenew Grove and Plum Creek Nature Center

Plum Creek Nature Center. Photo by Sue Shekut

Trails at the Goodenew Grove Nature Preserve are well mapped and well marked.

Hiking Trails at Goodenow Grove. Photo by Sue Shekut

It’s difficult to get a perspective of how high the sledding hill is from the photo. But is’ a decent sized hill, high and wide enough for sledding.

View of the Sledding Hill from the Top at Goodenow Grove. Photo by Sue Shekut

The Hiking/Snowshoeing Path Sneaks Around a creek

Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve. Photo by Sue Shekut

The nature center at Plum Creek is top notch!

Inside Plum Creek Nature Center. Photo by Sue Shekut

Snakes are one of the many animals kids can meet at the Plum Creek Nature Center. The Guide holds a gentle snake and let me pet it. Kids can too!

Plum Creek Nature Guide Showing off gentle snake. Photo by Sue Shekut

You know a forest preserve is a place to see and be seen when the rap community deems it a good place to shoot a video!

A Young Rap Artist Shooting a video on Goodenow Grove sledding hill! Photo by Sue Shekut

My boyfriend and I prefer to let our shadows leave our mark, instead of littering or damaging nature preserve property on our hike.

Goodenow Grove Forest Presrve in the Shadows! Photo by Sue Shekut

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

A Gym That’s a A Kitchen–A Cooking Class That Offers Fitness? Check Out My Fitness Kitchen

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nutrition, tagged , , , , on November 30, 2010| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

 

]

Nutrition+exercise=Good Health

Today I came across an article about a gym that offers cooking classes and teaches basic nutrition to its members. Sadly for Chicagoans, the gym isn’t located in Chicago, but in Pittsburgh, PA. But maybe some enterprising Chicago gym owner/Entrepreneur will like the idea and start one here in the city of restaurants! Hint hint.”An article by Debbie Black in the FOR THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW describes the fitness/nutrition experience of My Fitness  Kitchen here:

With over 23 years of experience working in the fitness industry, the owner of My Fitness Kitchen, Mark Rullo is an exercise physiologist, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, a medical exercise specialist and certified golf fitness instructor.

Gym members can learn to cook from nutritional recipes and are trained in a healthy lifestyle starting with calories, cooking and eating. My Fitness Kitchen recommends supportive nutrition, stressing the need for oxygen to work muscles, concern for muscles, and relaxation and recuperation.

Read the entire article here.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Learn the Truth Behind Workout Myths

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , , on November 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Personal trainer monitoring a client's movemen...
Image via Wikipedia

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

There are so many workout myths out there I can’t even count them all. Today I ran across an article I really enjoyed that breaks some of the most popular and entrenched workout myths. Number #1 is the myth that sit ups will give you a “six-pack” belly. I have low back problems and doing sit ups is the worst way for me to strengthen my core. Traditional sit ups really work your hip flexors (Iliopsoas muscles for the anatomically aware) more than the abdominal muscles. Instead I prefer Pilates Plank poses or other abdominal exercises that target the core of your torso. (Meaning those muscles deep to your spine  that support your spine. A good thing, supporting the spine, don’t you think?!). Click here for an explanation of how to do Prone Plank with Stability Ball. (Note: Click on More photos under the pic in this short article to show you visually how to do the exercise.)

Also explained: Why running makes you a better runner but doe snot make you necessarily more fit for other activities. How reading effects your body while you workout (Hint: It isn’t helping your posture.) Why weights are not just for bodybuilders. Why exercising longer may not make you burn more calories! Why stretching IS important despite some confusing reports to the contrary. How your workout will make you look like your favorite celebrity. Not. And why you can’t eat like a glutton if you work out a  lot.

Read the list of exercise myth busting tips here by By Gillian Reeves, Personal Trainer from Mail Online. And then workout with a better idea of what you are doing.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »