That's Fit

I signed my daughter and I up for yoga class this summer. She's been doing the upward and downward dog poses since she was about 18 months, so I figure she's ready. And so am I, after practicing very sporadically throughout the 15 years since I took my first Hatha class in college.

At first, yoga for a 3-year-old might seem silly. Efforts to get my daughter to hold any pose for more than 5 seconds, let alone something specific that requires following instruction from a teacher, can be futile at best. My daughter has definitely hit a stage during which focused activity has become necessity to get through the day. Discipline has become more of an issue. But I'm hoping the novelty of the yoga class will play big. And listening to a stranger is always easier than listening to Mommy or Daddy.

But we might get more than that. Experts suggest yoga for kids can increase self-esteem and body awareness in a noncompetitive way and can even help children who suffer from hyperactivity disorder.

"Mom, come here," my five-year-old Danny said to me the other day after summer school. "I have an exercise to show you." Clearly, I went running to see what my littlest guy had in his fitness bag of tricks. "You lie down," he said. "And cross your arms like this (across the chest)." Then he told me to sit "criss-cross-applesauce" -- that's elementary school speak for sitting with your legs crossed. He wanted me to sit on his feet so they wouldn't budge. So I did. And here's what he did: A sit-up. A perfect, so-very-cute sit-up.

Danny did four sit-ups and was so proud of himself when he finished. We exchanged high fives, and he moved on.

Danny and his older brother are spending three hours each morning during June in a summer enrichment program where they're learning a little, playing a lot, and reporting to PE class every day. Every day. I love it. During the school year, they go once per week for 40 minutes. This summer schedule is going to spoil me -- and them too. They love their gym time. Joey has been practicing new stretches, they both have been demonstrating "crab crawls," they're learning to do pull-ups, and now sit-ups are coming home. Thanks to "coach," who is teaching my boys their new moves, summer school is tops.

Boys need gym class. But girls need it more, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

It's clear following a survey of 5,000 students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade that girls who got 70 to 300 minutes of physical education per week scored higher on standardized tests. Funny because gym classes are being increasingly scaled back to make room for academics and testing when if the exercise was instead more frequent, girls would do even better. They'd concentrate better too. And participate more in class. Not so true for the boys, though.

The CDC study found no correlation between gym class and test scores for boys, maybe because they play more actively and physically during recess and outside school.

If you're thinking about attending your first yoga class, first of all, congratulations! All kinds of people enjoy the benefits of yoga, and you're about to join them!

You should know that, as long as you're wearing something that's comfortable, doesn't restrict movement, and won't make you too hot, any clothes you choose should be fine. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when packing your gym bag for yoga class:

I grew up dancing -- tap, jazz, gymnastics, ballet -- you name it, I took the class. My schedule has recently become a bit more flexible, so I've been checking out new classes at my gym. I came across Hip Hop Live, which promised "it's more like a dance party than a workout." Sounds like a ball, right?

It was! But it was definitely a workout, too -- after the first class, I was drenched with sweat and crazy sore. More painful than the muscle soreness, though, was the serious bruise to my ego -- apparently those dance classes from my elementary school days weren't going to come back as easily as I had anticipated.

I went to the class again last night, and there was definite improvement (I'm still not good, but it was slightly less embarrassing). Probably Missy Elliott isn't going to be casting me in a video anytime soon, but I'm having a blast learning some of the moves. I don't know when I've laughed so hard working out.

Do you have a class you love to attend? Or hate? Or love to hate? Share -- if my gym has something similar, I promise I'll give it a shot!

A while back, the physician that has been caring for my lower back injury suggested I go do Pilate's to help strengthen and stretch the muscles that are stuck in a chronic spasm. Now, I've been teaching fitness for 18 years and have been exposed to almost every type of training and equipment under the sun. I'm embedded in it. Strangely though, Pilate's and Yoga are things that have never interested me. I understand the benefit to doing those things, and have recommended them to others. I've just never wanted to pursue them myself. I'm a fighter; literally. If you don't believe me click here. I like to move fast, go hard, sweat, grunt, and pant like a lunatic. I like to GO, GO, GO! The one time I took yoga, I wanted to slit my wrists. The few times I used the Pilate's Reformer, I thought it was interesting....but not anything I'd want to pursue.

So last week I show up at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center, and the advanced Pilate's mat class was just about to start. Feeling guilty for not following up on my doctor's advice from months ago, I half-heartedly asked the perky front desk chic if there was any room in the class. Yep. There was. And she handed me a little butterfly thing with a number on it to hold my place.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Dear Fitz, I want to take one of the BOSU classes at my gym, but I've never done it before and I'll feel like a total dork if I bust my butt on one of those things. Plus I'm a guy. Mostly girls take those classes. Should I bother? Eric.

A. Ahhh! Eric, you are too cute. First of all. The BOSU is a balance tool and is designed to make people wobbly. Until that is, they earn the strength and control to not only stand on top of it, but do some tricks too. Second. You can stand in the back of the classroom if you don't want to be a spectacle. Third. Most people in a BOSU class are too concerned with their own balance to have the time and ability to look at what anyone else is doing.

Are you thinking about incorporating kickboxing into your fitness routine? Good for you! It's a blast and a serious workout. You're sure to work up a sweat, burn tons of calories, and feel great afterward (even if you are a little sore).

If you're anything like me, you want to make sure you look the part when you walk in for your first class or training session -- I don't mean that you need to have all of the authentic gear or anything, but you should know what attire and equipment is necessary for the best results. Your class or trainer will likely provide a lot of the equipment, but you still have to provide your wardrobe:

Let me guess: There's someone on your list who has vowed that this will be the year that they finally lose all the weight and get fit. After the holidays, that is. Until then they're going to enjoy themselves. And chances are this person has said this before but instead of getting healthier, they seem to either stay the same or do the opposite.

So this year, why not help this loved one finally take the plunge and start living healthfully? Here are five great gift ideas for the person who's just starting out on a healthy path:

• iPod. An iPod (or any MP3 player) is a key ingredient of many people's healthy routine, mine included. An iPod can be a major motivator and cheerleader on a tough routine. Here's a trick -- before you give this gift, load it up with heart-thumping, inspiring tunes and fitness podcasts.
  
• A subscription to a fitness magazine. Give you loved one motivation delivered directly to their door each month with a subscription to Shape, Fitness, Self or any of the other great mags out there.
  
• A fitness class. Sometimes, all someone needs is a little push. Give them that, and give yourself a gift too by signing the two of you up for a class. It can be anything healthy -- maybe a dance class, a yoga class or a full-on bootcamp. Most people won't get active without someone to do it with them so you'll be doing them--and you--a favour.
  
• A fitness DVD. Some people are scared of the gym so giving them a fitness DVD will give them the opportunity to work out in the comfort of their home. They might never use it so offer to come over and do it with them.
  
• Nice fitness gear. I love my LuluLemon Boogie Crop pants. And since they're not really appropriate for day-to-day life, I enjoy having the chance to wear then when I go for a run. My point is this -- if you buy your loved one a nice piece of fitness wear, one that can't be used just for lounging or trips to the mall, they're more likely to get out and do something fit because they'll want to show off their swanky new duds. I love anything Lulu and chances are you will too.
  

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

On June 21, hundreds of people celebrated the start of summer on the longest day of the year by commencing yoga class in a city marked by madness. Smack dab in New York City's Times Square, on the island at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets, yoga enthusiasts rolled out their mats and set up shop for the annual Mind Over Madness Yoga event. This year's extravaganza was the largest ever.

The purpose of this yoga fest? To face the challenge of finding tranquility and transcendence in the midst of the world's most commercial and frenetic place.

If ever we all have something in common, it must be the desire to find calm in the midst of chaos. Who doesn't want to breathe easy, rid themselves of anxiety, and tackle life with a peaceful energy? It's human nature to seek serenity.

While summer is behind us and the madness of this official event is long over, it's not to late to pull out your own yoga mat. Take it to the center of your own town if this strikes your fancy. Or simply find a quiet place and strengthen your mind, body, and spirit with the 3,000-year-old practice that is good for every bit and piece of your soul.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Smith isn't available right now. He's in theater class."

What???

Seriously. Doctors across the country, in growing numbers, are turning to acting classes to help them improve their bedside manners.

It's really not as bad as it sounds. The goal is not to teach doctors to "act" like they care more, but instead to give them some formal training on just how big of an impact body language, attentiveness, eye contact, and verbal cues can have on a person's perception.

Considering 'bedside manner' is such an important part of what makes a good doctor good, I think this is a great idea.

I never get much out of my first-grade kid when he gets home from school. "What did you do today?" I inquire. "I don't know," is his usual reply. "Who did you sit with at lunch?" I ask. "The same boy I sat with yesterday," Joey tells me. "What's his name?" I probe. "I don't know," Joey declares. The same pattern happens when I ask about math, spelling, art, recess. Prying information out of Joey is like pulling teeth.

Joey did manage to blurt out some important information the other day, though. He told me he exercises at school every morning. He said he stretches and bends and reaches and jumps with the other kids in his class. His daily fitness routine lasts for 15 minutes every day. Joey didn't tell me this. I saw it posted in his classroom during open house the other night. All this tops off his once weekly 40-minute physical education class.

I'm happy for the moving and grooving Joey gets at school, although it's nothing like what I did when I was his age. I remember attending gym class every day. Back then, we'd change into our gym shirts and shorts before engaging in a painful game of dodge ball or a choreographed mess of square dancing. Gym class was a sure presence in the school day. Times sure have changed. But maybe we're getting back into the swing of things.

More and more men are taking up yoga, and as much as we'd all like to think that they all have the best of intentions and truly want to learn the techniques in some cases it's all too painfully clear what they're really after: that little blonde in the stretchy pants. There's even an online comedy sketch on YouTube called "Inappropriate Yoga Guy" about a man who hits on all the girls in his yoga classes with cheesy pickup lines and badly timed compliments.

Have you ever experienced anything like this? Sometimes it's just newbies who are nervous and don't understand the unspoken rules yet, but other times it's a genuinely uncomfortable situation. Where should the line be drawn?

School days seem long, and kids often need a little snack here and there. Fending off hunger and maintaining focus and energy is a must. If you provide snacks for your child or an entire class, set your standards high. Just because kids seem to have high metabolisms, doesn't mean you should settle for a box of Cheez-its or cookies. Kids do gain weight, earn high cholesterol levels, and suffer from other health related issues. Don't contribute to that. Give some thought and seek out foods high on nutrition and low on fat and calories. You can do this!

Ideas for healthy school snacks:

• Fresh fruit with yogurt dipping sauce
• Fruit and cheese kabobs
• Vegetable tray with low fat dip
• Celery sticks with peanut butter
• Low-fat pretzels or popcorn
• Yogurt smoothies - low fat

It may not appeal to everybody, but more and more couples are finding both fitness, fun, and a way to release stress in putting on some boxing gloves and letting loose on each other. Gyms across the country are offering co-ed boxing sessions.

Obviously most of the time the guys hold back a little while the women are really able to let loose, but not always -- It depends on the couple. And don't think just because the husbands and boyfriends aren't hitting their hardest that they aren't getting a workout -- they still get to hone their ducking, dodging, and defense moves!

Would you consider doing something like this with your significant other? Do you think it's healthy or harmful to a relationship?