That's Fit

Danny had a soccer game on Saturday. It was game one. And his team won. Well, there was no official score keeping but those of us with our eyes on Danny and his purple-shirted four-year-old friends happened to notice that his team scored three times while the other team didn't seem to score at all. It doesn't matter all that much who won -- although we did let Danny know his team was victorious: We needed something to get him back on the field next week -- he's not sure he loves soccer all that much -- and this seemed to motivate him a bit.

I'm no athlete myself. I gave sports a try a few times in junior high school -- basketball and softball were my two attempts -- but really, organized sports just didn't do a thing for me. They might not do anything for Danny either. But I must say it was quite exhilarating watching my little tike run around that soccer field this past weekend. Seeing him race around with his teammates, not even sure which goal belonged to him, admiring him in his knee-length team shirt with a gigantic number 10 on the back, and spotting him kick that size three ball in his size 11 cleats just warmed my heart.

Maybe I'm living vicariously through my mini soccer guy, feeling the thrill of what I never felt firsthand all those years ago when I threw my hat in the sports ring and promptly pulled it back out. I'm just not your average female athlete. I'm simply a happy bystander. A spirited cheerleader. A proud mom.

Go Danny!

Dribble. Pass. Shoot. That's what Danny learned at his first soccer practice on Saturday. Armed with his shin guards, knee-high socks, soccer shoes, and size three soccer ball, my four-year-old made his debut performance on an organized, YMCA-sponsored sports team.

Armed with our matching red canvas chairs, a small cooler filled with water and fruit, and a big brother by our side, we parents watched proudly as Danny did just as Coach Joe told him to do. He was willing, able, and excited. His head was in the game. And besides his one shout out to us -- "I don't want to play anymore" -- Danny remained focused for his hour-long commitment.

"Was I so great at soccer?" Danny asked all day on Saturday. We assured him he was a superstar. He assured us he had fun.

Next Saturday we go back for practice #2. Six weeks of games will follow. And then maybe a lifetime of athletic competition. Or maybe not. It's up to Danny. We'll provide the exposure. He can determine if sports are his thing or not. I can't wait to see how it all unfolds.

Want to know what experts say about kids and soccer? Click here.

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. My high school offers very few sports, but I'd like to play something. I'd like to try out for football, but my old-fashioned mother thinks that will make me a "tomboy". What do you think? Katie

A. You've come to the right place Katie! I happen to have embedded myself in the traditionally male sport of full-contact kickboxing, and you know what? It made me a better woman! Sports are sports. Whether you play with a ball, racket, gloves or sneakers...sports are just a more fun way to exercise and flex your competitive muscles. Period.

I loved getting in the ring to try and knock an opponent out. I loved the strategy, speed, and power of the event. Fighting, in fact, is one of my favorite things to do. Some of the girls I've competed against thought they had to take on some sort of macho persona. Short hair, yucky jeans, and mean snarls. I, on the other hand, preferred to act like a monster in the ring and show up to the after-party like a lady in a pretty dress and heels. Embracing my athleticism, strength and courage has allowed me to appreciate how wonderful it is to be a woman. A strong, athletic, educated woman who loves to have the doors held for her.

That's hard to believe isn't it? After all, this is the man that had a whole movie named after his famed curved free kicks. But the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer star feels that, though he's been training, he's not fit for a match right now. Becks, also a member of England's National team, is jonesing for his 100th England Cap. But his fitness level could keep him on the bench as it did during this month's match against Switzerland. On his blog, Beckham stated that he respected the manager's opinion to sit him out of that match. He's racing against time in hopes to be "match ready" by the March 26th soccer duel between France and England. He could become the first player to earn 100 England Caps.

Beckham is used to breaking records. He was the first England player to score in three world cups. He's one of only five players (including Pele... that's some great company there) in World Cup history to score twice from a direct free kick. And he's captained England's team 58 times -- one of the most in history.

My littlest boy is about to play soccer. Not just backyard soccer. Real, organized, coached soccer. I signed him up yesterday and he is thrilled about the prospect of becoming a real star on the field. Well, maybe it's the required shoes, shin guards, and ball he needs that have him so pumped up.

"Will my shoes have bumps on the bottom," four-year-old Danny asked his daddy at breakfast the other day.

"Yes, they will," John told him.

"Will the bumps be blue?" Danny continued.

"I'm not sure," replied his chuckling father.

Danny can't wait to go shopping. I can't wait to get him into the game.

My mini-athlete begins his soccer career on March 22 . For eight weeks, our family will report for Saturday practices and games. Our first chance at sitting in the kiddie sports stands, cheering on one of our own, I am giddy with excitement and bursting with pride that my spunky little man wants to take on this new endeavor. And while his motivation might have more to do with accessories than athletic performance, I just know soccer will be so healthy for him. I'm imagining the possibilities -- physical fitness, teamwork, camaraderie, competition, pride, and of course a fair amount of frustration, crying, and quitting too, I'm sure. I can't wait.

Soccer could be a fleeting activity for Danny. It could also be the start of a life full of fitness -- and cool shoes.

Got a soccer player in your family? Then this finding may interest you. A recent study found that people with extroverted personalities are more likely to head the ball in soccer, a move that comes with the risk of possible concussion. I suppose it makes sense -- extroverts are probably more likely to be more assertive during game play.

Tall people are also more likely to head the ball, according to the study, regardless of personality traits. Experts say it's easier to coach a tall soccer player not to use their head on the ball than it is an extrovert, since extroversion is a personality trait. Interesting, huh?

A common complaint against running as a form of exercise is that it is boring. Redundant, even. I can't say that I disagree, as I tend to avoid running almost altogether and instead opt for more lively forms of cardio. Fortunately for the anti-runners out there, a recent Dutch study revealed that you burn more calories playing a game of soccer (though I'm sure they called it football in their study) than you do when just going for a run.

When comparing men with similar health profiles aged 31 to 33 who played soccer for an hour a day, three times a week against men who jogged for this same amount of time, it was found that the soccer players saw a 3.7 percent reduction in body fat. By contrast, the joggers dropped about 2 percent.

As an added incentive to kick the ball around, soccer players also demonstrated an increase in muscle mass by almost 4.5 pounds, whereas the joggers did not show any significant change one way or the other.
The soccer players and he joggers had similar heart rates, but the health advantage the soccer players experienced came from occasional bursts of speed and intensity. Also, because the soccer players were more focused on the game than on their exhaustion, they were able to push themselves to greater levels of exertion.

Tired of jogging? Play soccer. It's better for you.

Danish researchers compared the fitness levels of 31-33 year-old male soccer players, joggers and couch potatoes for three months. The men participated in their respective activity three times a week for one hour. By the end of 12 weeks, body fat dropped 3.7 percent for soccer players vs. 2 percent for joggers. Muscle mass increased by nearly 4.5 pounds for the soccer crowd, while joggers had no significant change. Non-exercisers didn't change much at all, of course.

Average heart rates were the same for soccer and jogging, but soccer players had a better workout due to intense cardiovascular bursts inherent to the game. Soccer dudes also had more fun, while joggers self-reported exhaustion. Time to check out intramural soccer league opportunities in your area. You'll burn through fat faster than an international soccer announcer can scream GOOAALLLL!

Soccer may also be a better stress reliever. Don't miss Jacki's post on the stress-relieving benefits of high-intensity workouts.

We generally think of competitive athletes as super-duper healthy, but doctors at a heart conference pointed out that heart problems like arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) actually pose a greater risk to those who go for gold. Athletes may not know they have a heart issue, and adrenaline produced during exercise can overstimulate the heart. However, screening all athletes for these kinds of problems could reduce the rate of death. Right now Italy is the only country that mandates this kind of screening for its pros.

The issue has garnered more attention lately following the deaths of football (that's soccer for the Americans) players Antonio Puerta, Chaswe Nsofwa, and Anton Reid. The docs estimate that Italy's screening program costs about $82 per athlete, but many countries hesitate to implement screening due to the relatively rare incidence of the conditions and questions about the effectiveness of the tests. I dunno, still seems like a small price to pay to potentially prevent 16-year-olds from dropping dead on the field.

Resistance training is an important aspect of your workout, but so is cardio, particularly if you're trying to burn fat. But cardio is beneficial for more than just fat-burning -- it can strengthen your heart, it increases your lung capacity, it helps reduce stress, it aids with sleep, it increases your mental functioning and so much more. I've heard a fitness expert say that you can lift as many weights as you want but if you can't run around the block, you can't call yourself in shape.

Me, I love cardio, much more than the weights. But some people are the opposite and see cardio as tedious. It doesn't have to be though. There are a number of cardio exercises that you can do -- the key is to pick one you enjoy.

What is your preferred method of exercise using a sporting medium to get in those huffs puffs and beads of sweat? Cycling? Swimming? Jogging? Soccer? There are so many different activities that most folks can find one they like and stick with it -- and get in daily (if not, very frequent) exercise as a result.

But if you're a daily jogger (treadmill or outside), how about a change for the better? A recent experiment from Europe found that two to three weekly rounds of soccer produced massive health benefits that outstripped even the expectations of the researchers who performed the study. Every measurement that was taken with those who played soccer for the three-month period went up (in a good way), noted the researchers.

While it's hard to play soccer by yourself (not a problem with jogging), the nature of the sport itself, even when done just a few times a week for an hour or so, seems like the perfect exercise for many of us. Now, where's that ball?

Many people who establish fitness routines do it alone, and that's very commendable. But let's face it -- sometimes exercising alone can be a drag. Not only do you not have anyone to commiserate with and share your triumphs with, but when you're going at it alone, you have no one to be accountable too and unless your ultra-motivated, that can lead to laziness sometimes. Team sports are a great way to get active and not only that, but you'll meet new friends and have lots of fun in the meantime. Here's a list of some fun team sports. Ask around and you'll probably find a league you can join in you're area.

• Dragon boating: Dragon boating has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and most cities have an annual dragon boat festival in the summer. Dragon boating teams consist of 22 people, 20 of whom are responsible for rowing the team to victory, and while you might think you can slack off because there are so many people, think again. Dragon boating is hard work, and can burn up to 800 calories an hour. I first heard about it from a family friend who participates in races regularly. She is in her 70s and a cancer survivor, so I think that if she can do it, you can too.

Each week, Debbie will share her goals, challenges, successes and tips on how to fit in fitness when caring for a rambunctious toddler.

I gotta say, man, am I daft. Or sleep-deprived. Or both.

Here I am, not only trying to make exercise a priority, but trying to fit it in around Owen's schedule. And writing about it. So you'd think I would be using some sort of creativity to reach these goals.

You know one of my biggest complaints has been that Owen doesn't really sit still in the stroller long enough for me to get a good walk. So what did I do? I didn't walk with him.

This seriously cut down the amount of time I spent being active, since I spend most of my time with Owen. But since I couldn't make him miserable by insisting he sit in the stroller for a lengthy walk, what was I to do?

Pro soccer players might be making lots of money but the price is their brain health, a new study shows. College-age soccer players have exhibited a degree of brain shrinkage throughout their playing years, particularly in their grey matter, which it's thought controls thinking and memory. The damage is particularly exaggerated in the anterior temporal cortex, which not surprisingly is where players hit the ball with their head. Soccer also carried a risk of multiple concussions, and multiple concussions can lead to potentially serious brain damage over time.

I doubt there's much we can do to convince pro soccer players to give up their lucrative salaries, but there are things we can do to protect ourselves, such as not hitting the head with your ball and

Summer is a great time of year to get outside and try a new sport that will help you stay fit and look great. After all, when it's nice out, who wants to be couped up on a treadmill? If you're bored of the same old gym routine and want to get out and enjoy the weather while getting some exercise, try the sports discussed here (note: calories burned are based on an 150lb person):

• Soccer: The sport burns between 630 and 900 calories an hour depending on the level of play and works your quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes. All that running is great for your cardiovascular system too.
• Squash: According to the piece, squash helps burn a whopping 1,080 calories in an hour! The sport also helps hand-eye coordination and strengthens core, shoulder and leg muscles.
• Basketball: Not only is shooting hopes fun, it will burn 400 calories in an hour. A competitive game will burn up to 700, and basketball also helps build coordination and agility. Plus, like soccer, it's good for your cardiovascular system.

Want to find out more? Take a look at the article for alternate work-outs for each sport, as well as for a breakdown on additional activities like water polo and kickboxing.