Life is made up of those little memories. Remember when your baby was taking his first step? Or how grandpa wrapped his arms around his granddaughter? Family moments are shared among sibling, aunts, uncles and the children years and years later. A key component to combining childhood memories to the joys of fitness is our opportunity of instilling a lifelong love for physical activity.

As a parent, it’s our responsibility to share experiences with our children in a positive and uplifting manner. The opportunities abound for ways in which we can create those experiences:

• Your Childhood Games: With younger children, it’s easy to tap into their imagination and go with the flow. The excitement and entertainment You bring will have them giggling and fully engaged. Games such as tag, chase, Cowboys and Indians and more are easy to play.
• Sports played in the backyard: Skill is not a prerequisite for any sports we play with our kids. As they get older, then the competition might heat up, but they still enjoy playing and attempting/possibly overtaking Ma’ and Pops! Soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, rachetball, crochet, and a wide variety of sports are easy to recreate with the family.
• Competitive Sports are challenging, but viable ways of strengthening family bonds. Together, a sport played amongst family and friends can create an enjoyable evening outside of the home. With the wide variety of sports levels, clubs and groups, it is possible to find the best fit for your family. The key to competitive sports is knowing your children’s (and your) personality enough to find the right match. I grew up on competitive sports and having my family nearby was always a thrill. We supported each other and had a great time!
• Outdoor Activities: Hiking, camping, biking, and water activities are wonderful ways to enjoy nature and be physically active. Walking around the block at home and taking the city green ways are a few of the opportunities that are close to many neighborhoods.

Take a moment and think about family moments.

• What do you do as a family?
• Have you been doing things that are fitness related as a family?
• How are you able to reorganize your lifestyle to dedicate a night to family fitness?
• Are you able to sit down at dinner and discuss what physical activities can be shared as a family?
• What is your “Geller Cup?”

It may not be an easy task, but the benefits of creating an evening once, twice, four times a month will work wonders for fitness and the family bond.

Isn’t Jason Taylor and Edyta Slywinska quite the pair? They’re going to be a major contender against Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballus. Tango and Jive are the dances this week. The basic steps are great ways to workout while watching the show. Stand tall and keep your abdominals in as you master these dances.

Practice Sessions of Dancers: Perform the basic steps outlined below and demonstrated by the videos of the Jive or Tango based on the performer.

Enjoy the Performances: Drink water, ooh & ah, and make your comments about the dancers.

Judges Panel: Perform Couch Crunches. Bring both knees in toward the chest and straighten. Keep your abdominals tight. For variety and to target the obliques, place more weight on a hip bone and bring your knees up at an angle. Shift weight and focus on the opposite side.

Samantha Harris Interview Session: Practice the balancing exercise in the Tangocity YouTube Video or triple step as outlined in the Jive Introduction YouTube video.

TangoCity: Learn How to dance Tango Lesson 1/20. An excellent source that breaks the basic tango step down for anyone to follow.

Woman’s Basic step in words as shared in TangoCity Lesson:

1. Left foot forward
2. Right foot to side
3. Left foot back
4. Right foot back
5. Cross with left foot
6. Right foot back
7. Left foot open with pivot
8. Together with right foot

Jive Lessons

Jive Lesson: Use the initial eight count step for your aerobic session in front of the television. The woman’s part starts at 3:24 mark.

Woman’s Basic Step (keep swinging the hips) in words as illustrated in Jive Lesson:

1. Step Left; swing hip right
2. Swing hip left; right foot behind left
3. Right foot front tap
4. Right heel to side
5. Right foot step front left
6. Left foot step front right
7. left heel to side
8. left foot step front right

Jive Introduction Part 2: Simple breakdown of the triple step in place.

Dancing with the Stars Home Page has also added a couple of really neat features. Carrie Ann Inaba introduces simple dance lessons from the previous week. If you’re really brave, they’ve added a download feature where you can upload videos of you dancing!

Photo source:  DWTS photo gallery at abc.com.

To kick off this week’s awesome 5 Minute for Moms Ultimate Blog Party, I thought it was only fitting to discuss the great benefits of using dance as a workout.

Welcome to Go Workout Mom

I, Cindy Posey, am a wife and mom to two toddlers that discovered how hard it was to make fitness a priority amongst the demands of raising a family. My goal is to share the knowledge that I gained through my past experiences in sports, military and training individuals to be fit with moms that are also struggling to find time to be everything to everyone and forgetting about themselves! Through Go Workout Mom, you will find:

• Time for Self
• A Healthy Lifestyle
• Ideas to build healthy, lasting routines
• Motivation
• Workouts designed for busy moms of all walks of life

What are the benefits of dancing?

• Pick your style
• Mix up the tunes
• Mix up the routines
• Moving your body without noticing the time go by
• More time with your significant other
• Great way to exercise with your kiddos
• There’s always a new dance or choreography to learn (exercise the mind)
• Cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility workouts combined in most dances

How to make your Dance Workout Effective

Just moving is a huge bonus, but you can really up the workout with a few key points. My goal is to always maximize time in a workout. Dancing is fantastic.

1. No floppy body parts. Be crisp in your moves. The resistance against gravity will make your muscles work even more!
2. Upright Posture. By keeping a tall, lean posture, the core (abdominal and lower back muscles) will feel the power of dancing. This is what makes Ballroom dancing so effective. Most positions require an upright, tightly contained body continually stressing the muscles.
3. Breathe. Keep oxygen circulating. Your body needs it!
4. Focus. The mental connection will increase your enjoyment of the dance and the body’s response to the workout.
5. Have Fun. No one’s looking or laughing. Connect with family, love your body, and move. The time will slip away. Being active will not seem impossible.

How to Use YouTube

In putting together this little dance party, I discovered that YouTube is an awesome way to add a dance workout into your regular routine. There are a variety of choreographed dances available, singer’s videos, movie clips, dance show segments (awesome for Dancing with the Stars fans or So You Think You Can Dance), how to videos, and more. Select a video of any length and start dancing! Here are a few ways to search for the clips that are right for you:

• Include the word dance to all your searches as well as…
• Song Titles
• Names of Singers
• Type of dance (ballet, tango, fox trot, waltz, hip hop, etc)
• Movie Name (i.e. Dirty Dancing choreography)
• dance choreography for XXX
• Do you know a choreographer? (For instance, Mia Michaels from So You Think You Can Dance?–Fantastic Results)
• How to….(There are tons of videos from amature to professional grade that can take you through the steps of virtually any dance).
• Competition dance
• TV Show name

My Sample Collection of Dances gathered at YouTube

I’ve created two playlists for you to get right into the action of dancing. We’re here to party, so it’s time to dance. You can research your own videos later. Come on over and get your groove on for a few minutes or up to a full 30 minute workout(there’s a button you can hit to play all the videos in the playlist):

Playlist 1: Jump in and Start Dancing. This list has a mix of videos that are about 3 minutes long. Jump in and try to stay with the dancers. I had to include my absolute favorite movie, Dirty Dancing. I am the girl that jumps up and wants to dance right along side Patrick Swayze (Who doesn’t?!). Play Now

Playlist 2: Combined lessons on how to dance along with a musical version of the dance. Learn a few steps and start practicing. Play Now

Did you have a great Dance Workout??? Do you feel energized to take on the rest of the day? Fantastic.

Way to Go Workout Mom!!!

* * *

The Ultimate Blog Party 2008 is open to All women bloggers regardless of parental status, religious affiliations, etc. This party is about having fun with friends and meeting new people. Join us this week for a fun filled event that is sure to introduce you to new bloggers and fun prizes. Last year, 945 women bloggers signed up with Mr. Linky! Check out the Prize Page and stake your claim to some fantastic prizes. Sign the Mr. Linky at 5 Minutes for Mom and start partying!!!

It will be a week long bash from Friday, March 7, 2008 to Friday, March 14, 2008. The prizes will be announced on Monday, March 17th.

I’m giving away a 6 Week Fitness Plan, #58, to help you realize your goals! Fitness, Time and Life can meld together to make a better You!

58 — Customized 6 Week Fitness Plan
Provided By: Cindy Posey, Go Workout Mom
Prize Details: Go Workout Mom is offering one lucky lady a personalized plan for your lifestyle. Upon completing the initial consultation via an email questionnaire, I will fold your current lifestyle, fitness level, needs, goals, and desires into a Fitness Journey just for YOU. The program will walk you through everyday of the first 6 weeks. Designed to push you slightly above and beyond your current fitness level, it will cover your cardiovascular, muscular and dietary needs. Through daily email contact and motivational cheering, I will be available to answer your questions and concerns.

No obligation to purchase and no need to use all the minutes in one sitting! Use the minutes as your 4th-12th grader needs the help on homework assignments from the comfort of home with the world’s largest network of professional tutors online every day.

Feel good? Great.  Complete a mini-walk break on the hour when you’re at the computer. The minutes will add up in the day!

Way to Go Workout Mom!

This morning, I was downstairs working on a project and did not maintain “ears” on the little ones. I hear the dripping of water in the lower bathroom and immediately think, “Oh, no! A pipe has burst!” I run upstairs and the pipes are fine. Two toddlers, playing in a sink stuffed with baby wipes and creating a waterfall into the room is what I find.

I groan and speak a bit louder than normal (We don’t scream. I read Screamfree Parenting), “NOT AGAIN!!! OUT! NOW! What are you doing?! I told you the bathroom is off limits! We don’t play in the sink!”

What should I do when those great big eyes look up at me, “Mommy, I’m all wet! Look at the floor.” Large grins plastered on both of their cherubic faces! Argggghhh, they haven’t a clue that they’ve done something wrong.

Finding a balance between discipline, constant supervision and keeping a house in tack is a source of many frustrations. So where do I channel this pent up anger? I exercise.

• Leave the house and walk around the block, fast!
• Run. Pound the pavement and make the lungs burn.
• Beat a Punching Bag until the arms feel like their about to fall off!
• Kick the punching bag repeatedly.

How do you channel your anger?

Hak has a fantastic combination of interviews, pointers, and discussions for the multi sport enthusiasts.

Table of contents for The Starting Line

1. The Starting Line: Six Assessments to Track Progress
2. The Starting Line: Medical and Body Composition Assessments
3. The Starting Line: Flexibility Assessment
4. The Starting Line: Cardiovascular and Strength Assessments
5. The Starting Line: Nutritional Assessment

This is Part 4 of a 5 part series on determining your Starting Line. I outlined the process in The Starting Line: Six Assessments to Track Progress.

Cardiovascular Assessment: One Mile Walk

I have chosen the One Mile Walk over a variety of assessments because it is the easiest method that can be applied at home. There are other assessments that are more intense and more accurate than the One Mile Walk, but the equipment and procedures needed are more complex. Very athletic individuals need to focus on more in-depth assessments such as a treadmill, run or ergometer test. Tests that are capable of pushing you to your point of exhaustion will result in a more accurate measure of cardiovascular fitness. However, I want to focus on establishing a baseline cardiovascular fitness level within the means of a majority of mothers. Most of us are beginners or moderately active individuals resuming a journey in fitness. The One Mile Walk will provide a fairly decent estimate of your cardiovascular fitness level. More importantly, we can conduct the test ourselves under safer conditions.

Materials:

• Measured, level one mile course
• Stopwatch
• Heart Rate Monitor (if available)

Procedure:

• Warm up and stretch prior to testing.
• Walk the mile as briskly as possible.
• Using a 6 sec or 10 sec pulse check five minutes into the walk, ensure your heart rate is above 120 beats per minute.
• Immediately following the completion of the walk, measure your heart rate and write down your time.
• Determine your level of cardiovascular fitness from the results of your heart rate and time using this calculator.
• Add the heart rate, time and level of cardiovascular fitness to the Personal Assessment Sheet.

Strength Assessment: Absolute Strength and Muscular Endurance

The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science and Medicine defines absolute strength as the maximum force an athlete can exert with his or her whole body, or part of the body, irrespective of body size or muscle size. Why would a mother care to measure her strength? The muscles are a major component of our physical fitness. The ability to lift and carry our growing children is important. Plus, muscle burns more calories than fat and tones the body. The goal is not to become body builders, but to develop our muscles to become a leaner, more toned Mom! These tests mark a baseline to help you see the progress you make throughout this journey.

Bench Press for Absolute Strength:

Due to the large number of muscles in the body, it’s difficult to measure all of them. Typically, the upper and lower body absolute strengths are measured with the bench press and leg press. Bench press has been found to be a very good indicator of overall body strength, so we will focus on the bench press.

Materials:

• Bench press machine or free weight bar
• Helper

Procedure:

• Warm up with a few light reps
• Lay flat on back with knees bent and feet on the floor.
• Helper spots in case you need assistance and to increase weight.
• By trial and error, determine the maximum weight to lift at one time. Take a few minutes between lifts if feel lift more than previous lift.
• Lower the bar just above your chest and press upward to extend your arms. Do not lock your elbows.
• Write the maximum weight you lifted at one time.
• Compare your maximum weight with the Bench Standards Chart (Exercise Prescription on the Net) to determine your absolute strength level.
• Record your maximum weight and strength level in your Personal Assessment Sheet.

Muscular Endurance

The sit up and push up tests assess your muscular endurance. The Oxford Dictionary of Science, Sports and Medicine defines muscular endurance as the ability of a muscle to avoid fatigue. The repetitive nature of daily tasks become easier and stress decreases as you increase your endurance.

Sit Up Test for Abdominal Muscles and Hip Flexors:

Materials:

• Mat or Towel

  

• Helper or low bar to hold feet
• Stopwatch

Procedure:

• Lie flat on your back with knees bent and your hands behind your head.
• Have helper hold your feet to the ground or place your feet snuggly under a low bar.
• For 1 minute, raise your head and chest until your elbows touch your knees, then return to starting position.
• Keep your bottom on the floor and don’t pull on your neck.
• Perform as many sit ups as you can in one minute.
• Write your number down, and insert it into the Sit Up Calculator (Exercise Prescription on the Net). They also have a sample video of the proper technique.
• Write your results in your Personal Assessment Sheet.

Push ups for the Upper Body:

Materials:

• Mat

Procedure:

• Start with your body supported by your hands and knees (designed for Women).
• Keep your arms and back straight and fingers facing forward.
• Lower your chest to the floor and return to the starting position.
• To accurately evaluate level to floor, place a shoe on it’s side just above your chest area.
• Perform as many push ups as possible. There is no time limit.
• Plug your number into the Push Up Calculator at Exercise Prescription on the Net.
• Write down the number of push ups and your results in your Personal Assessment Sheet.

Walking and/or running are two excellent forms of aerobic exercise available to kick up our heart rate. With a baby in the stroller or a sling (working those abdominal and back muscles too), a dedicated walk around the block can do wonders. Since there is no travel time to the gym or track, you’re able to maximize your workout time.
Are you a numbers kinda gal? Do you need to know your distance traveled? Or are you setting a goal to walk a certain distance in a certain time. I came across a great tool to help you plan your routes. Runningmap.com brings up a map of your neighborhood when you plug in your address. You then add the points in the route you want to walk/run and the distance will be added as you develop your route. Elevations are provided and you can print up the results or save your map.

What a great workout tool! Have fun walking or running.

Table of contents for Babysteps

1. An Overview of 10 Babysteps for Mom’s Fitness Journey
2. Babystep #1 Explained: Mental Desire to Change
3. Babystep #2 Explained: Medical Background
4. Babystep #3 Explained: Determine Current Level of Fitness
5. Babystep #4 Explained: Identify Time Constraints
6. Babystep #5 Explained: Set Goals
7. Babystep #6 Explained: Go Workout Mom!
8. Babystep #7 Explained: Take It Slow
9. Babystep #8 Explained: Try New Activities
10. Babystep #9 Explained: Establish a Support System
11. Babystep #10 Explained: Have Fun and Reward Success!

No more excuses, mom. There are many ways we can contribute extra movement to our day. The idea is to start increasing your normal activity levels.

Around the house:

• Stairs, stairs, stairs
• floor: ab exercises, leg lifts, stretches
• Gardening or yard work
• Jogging/walking in place
• Housework (Yuck! We might as well make sure our body benefits from the chores.)
• Videos: Most libraries have a selection of workout videos/dvds. You can vary your workouts and get a good workout for free!

On the Go:

• Sitting in the car: muscle squeezes (butt, stomach, kegels), arm stretches, flex toes
• In the Park: Hang on the monkey bars, chase after the kiddos, walk around the playscape, stretch, standing ab exercises, calf raises

Work on establishing a 30 minute block of time into your day at least 3 times a week. The workout should consist of a warm-up (elevate your heart rate), stretch (warms up the muscles), aerobic/anaerobic exercise, cool down, and stretch. Smile and pat yourself on the back.