Shreveport-Bossier Personal Training

Water aerobics is a great low-impact, high-benefit exercise.  It is can be defined as “rhythmic dance or exercise steps performed in usually chest deep water.”  The Shreveport Times has a recent article about local Shreveport residents using water aerobics to combat their arthritis.

Judy Brewer and Robert Burton shared an early morning laugh as they dried off after their water aerobics session at the Southern Hills Pool.

The low-impact exercise has many health benefits for seniors and many in the group are searching for ways to continue the program year-round. “It’s been a great program,” Brewer said.

She drives from Shreve City to attend the program. “I’m not intimidated. There are all shapes and sizes and colors. It’s fun, and the fellowship is why I come,” she said.

For the past 12 weeks at the crack of dawn each Monday through Friday, an average of 32 seniors jump into the Southern Hills pool.

For late risers, there was also an evening class at 8 p.m. Burton has partaken of water aerobics for three years now.

“It’s great for your joints and arthritis,” he said. (more…)

I will be holding a fitness boot camp in Shreveport, LA, from October 2 - December 18, 2008.  Information is as follows:

Why not head into the holiday season a step ahead of the rest with this intense, fat burning, full body workout?  This indoor/outdoor class will challenge any fitness level and give you the motivational support you need to keep going!

Hurry up and register because the classes will fill up quickly!

When:  October 2 - December 18, 2008; Tuesday and Thursday mornings @ 6 AM

Where:  Calvary Baptist Family Life Center

Cost: $50

CONTACT ME TO REGISTER.

I will be leading an eleven week boot camp in a few weeks.  It will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA.  I will post more details tomorrow.  It will be a very challenging workout and is open to people of various fitness levels.

The Shreveport Times has a new story detailing the convenience of a home gym.  Here are some excerpts:

But Shreveport personal trainer Blake Wiggins, 39, opted to go another route by turning his garage into a home gym.

“With the equipment I have, I can do most anything that can be done in a commercial gym,” he said.

Keene said the reason for an upgraded home gym is simple.

“Psychologically, if the aesthetics of the room are more pleasing, you’re more likely to use it. You have to make sure it’s an inviting space that you wouldn’t mind using rather than a little dungeon in the basement.

“Natural light helps. Fluorescent lighting is bright, and that’s good. It keeps you awake. Mentally, it keeps you alert, which is how you want to be when you’re exercising. TVs, sound systems — all of that makes you want to go in there. It makes you not dread exercising so much.”

…

Hintz said not only does he and his wife work out on a regular basis, but their children work out, too.

“The kids, who are 7 and 5, saw how much we enjoyed it so they’ve gotten involved, too,” Hintz said. “I use it on average about four days a week and both of our kids will get in there and do cardio.”

Personal Training in a Box: Today is the U.S. Launch of the Wii Fit, a game and related hardware designed for the Nintendo Wii. Some say that this is personal training on your TV. The Wii Fit will have exercises from four categories: Aerobic Exercise, Muscle Conditioning, Yoga Poses, and Balance Games. Although I don’t think this will totally replace outdoor exercise and time in the gym, it is definitely better than sitting around watching TV. If you or your kids are going to play video games, this would be my suggestion. The makers of the game say that it will help promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage people to stay active. If you are working with a personal trainer, maybe they can work in some of the Wii games into your session…

The Wii fit is projected to sell 3 to 4 million units in the United States and will probably sell out in Shreveport very quickly.

Jerry Stephens, a former boxer for 32 years, is the owner of Road to Glory Stephens Boxing and Fitness Gym in Shreveport, Louisiana.  His gym is holding the “Night of Champions Boxing Tournament” today.  Stephens partnered with the Right Way Foundation, which is helping to put on today’s event and is working with the Right Way Foundation to open a gym in the Shreveport community.  (more…)

Reprinted from the Shreveport Times: By Ashley Northington • adnorthington@gannett.com • April 7, 2008

“Kindergarten students at Mooretown Elementary School waved their arms and kicked their legs emulating moves that Taebo guru Billy Blanks demonstrated through the television set.

Since Friday’s rainy weather prevented the class of 17 from walking a trail outside or playing a ball game, the youngsters were content watching the eight-minute video. Afterward, they split into teams and raced around orange safety cones. Later, they jumped rope.

“We won’t stop exercising, but we couldn’t do it outside because of the rain,” said Cynthia Jacobs, physical education teacher at Mooretown Elementary. “I’ve been working them out and had them exercising since day one.”

The school is focused on getting students to live healthy lifestyles, as part of Caddo public schools’ “Wings to Wellness” initiatives. The wellness program gives points to schools that promote healthy behavior, eating and other habits so the schools can earn “Wellness Wings” at year’s end. On Wednesday, Mooretown will host the Wings to Wellness Health Fair, the school’s first ever health fair.

Today, the school system will host a Fitness Meet at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport. In coming weeks, several outdoor 4-H activities and a Kid Fun Run will be held. All the activities are held in conjunction with Caddo’s health initiatives.

(more…)

Shreveport area Hospital Network Willis-Knighton held a contest encouraging hospital employees to lose weight. This is a great idea and I hope that other Shreveport and Bossier area businesses will follow their lead. Below is part of the article from the Shreveport Times:

Willis-Knighton workers shed pounds to win weight-loss crown
By Melody Brumble • mbrumble@gannett.com • April 2, 2008

A fitness contest modeled after a popular television show motivated Katrina Henderson to shed nearly 20 pounds.

The nurse is among 50 Willis-Knighton workers who competed for prizes and recognition during a 13-week diet and exercise contest similar to NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” Teams worked with nutritionists and exercise specialists and weighed weekly. They stepped on the scales for the last time Tuesday.

“Nurses are the hardest people to get to do right,” Henderson said, shaking her head and laughing. “We motivate everybody except ourselves.”

Participants today will find out which team — Goal Getters, Knockouts, Eating Dis-Orderlies, Shrink’n South or Elle-iminators — takes home the title of biggest loser.

“For the most part, all but one in the group had gone up and down (in weight) and were frustrated from the get-go,” said Amy Yates, a nutritionist who worked with the Elle-iminators. “One of the things I was most pleased about was that they kept coming to the meetings.”

Yates and other nutritionists taught healthy eating basics, including appropriate portion sizes. They encouraged participants to plan meals so they wouldn’t turn to fast food or high-fat, high-sugar snacks.

Yates also asked the Elle-iminators to figure out why they were eating so emotions wouldn’t sidetrack them.

Click here to read the complete article…

News Article Excerpt from the Shreveport Times:

Health fair educates students about staying fit
By Ashley Northington • adnorthington@gannett.com • April 10, 2008

“It’s important to have them do things like this because, in today’s fast-paced
society, many children are left home alone,” Harris said. “We have experienced
this firsthand in Shreveport. Children need to be educated on what to do when
they have a fire.”

The school is focused on getting students to live
healthy lifestyles as part of Caddo public schools’ Wings to Wellness
initiatives. The program gives points to schools that promote healthy behavior,
eating and other habits so the campuses can earn Wellness Wings at year’s end.

In coming weeks, several outdoor 4-H activities and a Kid Fun Run will
be held. All the activities are part of Caddo’s health initiatives.

The
health fair featured several demonstrations, each with a focus on healthy, safe
behaviors, from many community organizations.

The Shreveport Fire
Department demonstrated the safety house and firefighters’ and firetrucks’
roles.

Project Neighbor Health, through Willis-Knighton Health System,
taught youths how to brush their teeth properly. LSU Health Sciences Center
focused on germ awareness and hand-washing techniques.

“It’s important
to be healthy because you have to eat healthy so you won’t be weak,” said
Johnathan Battles, who celebrated his 12th birthday Wednesday. “If you’re not
healthy, you could be in the hospital with tubes hooked up to you. But if you
eat healthy, you’ll be straight.”

Battles’ fifth-grade class walked on
the school’s outdoor walking trail after they finished touring the displays at
the wellness fair. His teacher, TreDonna Moore, takes the students on the trail
at least three times a week.

“They don’t get much activity, and they eat
a lot of junk food,” Moore said. “I make them exercise out here because it’s a
good way to expose them to something that they can do.”

Students rotated
to different table displays throughout the cafeteria and outdoor displays.

School nurses measured third-, fourth- and fifth-graders’ and several
adults’ body mass indexes. Shreveport police gave bicycle and gun safety tips.
The Caddo sheriff’s office taught students to be aware of strangers.

“This is a really good thing for kids because it really teaches them how
to be healthy,” Lavontae Pearson, a junior at Huntington High School, said as
she helped young students wash their hands properly. The Huntington High Student
Council volunteered during the fair.

“This teaches them the benefits of
staying healthy,” the 18-year-old said. “This is a good thing.”

The
Mooretown branch of Shreve Memorial Library displayed children’s books about
nutrition and health. Morningstar Baptist Church alerted students about its
summer programs. Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal told participants about
the Friendship House in the area.

“Students have gotten wonderful
information on how to live healthy lifestyles,” said Phyllis Belk, who organized
Mooretown Elementary’s health fair. “It’s been superior. I think the students
and our families were excited.”

Principal Melvin Ashley said he hopes to
host another fair next year.

The school cafeteria and Christus Schumpert
Health System told youths about healthy, nutritious food choices. Students even
got to eat examples of healthy foods like apples.

Christus Schumpert
also gave students and parents information about the Louisiana Children’s Health
Insurance Plan.

“We want to make sure they learn everything they can
about all aspects of wellness,” said Flo Willcott, a counselor at Mooretown
Elementary. “This event is about wellness all over the body, from head to toe.”

Click here for the complete article at the Shreveport Times…