by Jaq Clark, Fitness Specialist 

Head up! Chest out! Shoulders back! Have you heard this before? My dad always got after me about my posture and he was on to something. Not only does poor posture make you look less confident, but it can also lead to long term damage and injuries.

Did you know that slouching can cause headaches and pain in your neck, back and jaw? It can lead to fatigue and breathing problems, and poor posture can even cause poor body mechanics in athletes. Unfortunately, certain jobs just seem to foster bad posture, such as sedentary work, call centers, IT or other jobs that have you sitting at a computer. Does this mean we should steer clear of these career paths? Not at all.

The good news is, like most aspects of fitness and wellness, good posture can be practiced and steps can be taken to reinforce proper alignment. Furthermore, flexibility and strength plans can be designed to correct poor posture over time. Check out the video for some quick tips and easy exercises to help you correct poor posture.

For a full physical assessment, including a posture evaluation, or to work with one of our personal trainers to create a plan to enhance healthy posture, be sure to complete our personal training online request form. Let us help you feel, look and be more upright!

by Tony Lightheart, Fitness Specialist

When you go out to eat, order a carry out box as soon as your food arrives. Cut everything in half before you eat and place half of each in the box. Now you have half the calories and a nice clean cut meal for the next day, instead of a mixed up, sloppy box of leftovers.

by Robert Arbogast, Fitness Specialist
 

A few weeks ago, something truly exciting happened in our fitness unit. It was a normal Monday morning with two water fitness classes scheduled at Kempsville Rec Center, the first at 7:45 and the second at 9:00. What's amazing is that more than 90 people showed up to take these classes! We've had big classes before and these two classes are typically large, but 90 people is incredible.

Along with these two classes, we also had water classes going on at Princess Anne, Bayside, and Great Neck Recreation Centers at similar times. These classes were also very well attended and for the morning, we had over 150 water participants taking water fitness classes between all of the sites.

So what makes these classes so popular? I think it's for two reasons. First, water is one of the best and most versatile of all workout tools. It can be used to increase range of motion and build strength. It can be used for cardio-conditioning and developing a stronger core. It's also a great environment to increase, decrease or eliminate impact without making the class too easy or too challenging, so people with all athletic abilities can reap the benefits. The challenge is on the instructor to bring all the benefits of water to life so that every participant experiences results.

This leads to the second reason why we think our water classes are so popular. We pride ourselves on having the best water instructors in the area. Chuck and Robert B. do a phenomenal job and their class numbers reflect it. As an instructor of some of our water classes, I marvel at their success. In addition to these guys, Debbi, Andi, Jane, Birgitt and Aimee have put in dozens and dozens of hours working on their craft, developing new routines and helping participants get the very most out of the water fitness experience. It takes a good instructor to bring water to life and that's what ours are doing on a regular basis.

If you thought water fitness wasn't for you, maybe now's the time to give it a try. Check our group fitness schedules to view class times and details. Have questions or concerns about getting started? You can contact me directly at rarbogas@vbgov.com.