Introducing Susana and the Mulan workout

One of our longtime student volunteers, Susana, is going to occasionally contribute to our blog. She found the Mulan workout online. Mulan happens to be one of her favorite Disney movies. The workout that you see on the poster below is similar to the training that is done in the movie. This workout is a fun one to do with your family. Susana really enjoyed doing the exercises. Your kids will enjoy pretending to be Mulan and General Shang as well.

Here is Susana having fun practicing her battle moves:

side lunge chops

lunge punches

donkey kicks

Some of the moves can be found on this youtube clip from the movie:

R & R with Rachel (Rants and Raves with Rachel): Your Children Love You So Wear a Helmet!

Now that the weather is nicer it's great to see more families outside enjoying time together. Taking a bicycle ride is not only a way to get exercise but it is fun as well. However, why do so many adults think it is not necessary for them to wear a helmet? Parents know children are required to wear bicycle helmets, but many adults never think to put one on themselves. This idea is incomprehensible to me. Do adults feel that they are immortal? Are adults any less susceptible than a child to suffering from a severe brain injury if they have an accident on a bicycle? I wouldn't be married today if it wasn't for a helmet. Before I met my wife she was in a bicycle accident directly outside her house. She broke her jaw on both sides as well as many teeth. It was months before she was up and around and to this day she still has occasional pain. However, if it wasn't for a helmet protecting her head, doctors said she would have been dead.

When I see someone biking without a helmet I usually call after them asking why there isn't one on their head. People must think I am crazy. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, injuries to the head are one of the main causes of death and traumatic brain injury for cyclists. In 2013 in the United States, over 900 bicyclists were killed and there were an estimated 494,000 emergency department visits due to bicycle-related injuries. The majority of deaths on bicycles occur due to head injuries. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85%.

So what are we to make of the above information? First of all, I think it is clear: Getting riders of all ages to wear helmets is important and much easier than sustaining an injury or accident to the head. If you think that as an adult riding your bike without a helmet is okay, imagine this scenario: your child wants to play football. You agree to let them play. Then you proceed to let your child go to practices and games without wearing their helmet onto the field. This seems totally ludicrous. But every time you go riding without a helmet (or allow your child to do so) you are actually doing something even more dangerous than the above proposed scenario. Statistics prove this to be true.

There are many metaphorical situations that I can think of that can also be compared to not wearing a helmet while biking. Would you drive a car without brakes? Would you go skydiving without a parachute? Would you cross a busy intersection without looking to see if there were cars coming? All of these situations and decisions are incredibly silly and ignorant. But they are just as foolish as riding your bicycle without your helmet.

Maybe people just need to be reminded how important wearing a helmet is both for your health and safety. By enforcing the use of helmets with your family, you can save your life and the life of your child. So, if you pass me on your bicycle and I don't see a helmet on your head you might hear me ask about it. Remember, I am asking on behalf of your children who want you to live a long and happy life.

What a lucky bunny! He is getting to eat lots of carrots!

Happy Easter, Passover and Spring!

Don't Try The Chair Challenge

Thanks to our wonderful volunteer Susana who brought the "Chair Challenge" to our attention. We are always searching for new workouts, however, this is NOT an exercise we can condone. That being said, daredevil Rachel just had to try it.

This was the challenge: Start by sitting in a chair, then go under the chair, and return to a seated position, all without touching the ground. We feel it is a surefire way to end up with bumps and bruises and possibly a trip to the hospital.

The move started as a training exercise for intense rock climbers, but now people all over social media are trying it out. We feel there is a risk of serious injuries so DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME (or at work).

Watch Rachel trying the challenge. It will make you chuckle. Remember, do as we say, not as we do and... DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME (or at work)!

Watch this video to see some other people trying to succeed:

Again, we cannot emphasis this enough: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME (or at work)!

Get Fit while Helping the PWPL

For those of you who live in Port Washington, we have a great way for you to get some walking in during the month of April while helping the children's department of the Port Washington Public Library. During the entire month the children's department will be running a game entitled: The New Great Library Card Adventure.

Those who participated in the past will remember playing a scavenger hunt in the children’s room. However, the children’s room is currently undergoing a complete renovation and there isn’t enough space to safely play the scavenger hunt in its temporary home. We didn’t want to cancel the game because so many children look forward to it. The popularity of Pokémon Go gave us the idea of taking the game to the streets. Although not as complex as Pokémon Go, the New Great Library Card Adventure works with an electronic device and uses QR codes to give clues to various buildings along Main Street.

Here is an example of a QR code that links to a couple of introductory videos about the game:


How can I help, you may ask? Well, besides being great exercise and learning some history about the buildings that were chosen for the game we need you to help us check up on the QR codes and make sure none are missing from their assigned windows.

The adventure begins and ends at the children's room at the library, so stop by to say hello. And, if you don't live in our town try exploring your own town, or visit Port Washington to try out the game. We'd love to meet our readers!

Spring Training

The NY Mets home opener is almost here! This is a big deal for all Mets fans (Rachel) who have been waiting for the start of what hopes to be a great season (again, Rachel).

As you can tell, one of us is very excited about the day (still Rachel). The other is indifferent. However, we both know the importance for athletes of all ages and abilities to get into shape for the season. Here's a workout that you can do to get you in tip top shape:

Round the Bases
Go to your local baseball diamond and see how many “home runs” you can make with this workout (or modify it at home):
1. First warm up your muscles by jogging one time around the bases.
2. Starting at home plate sprint to first base and do 10 jumping jacks.
3. Sprint to second base and do 10 squats. For a reminder of how to do squats see our previous entry:  Book Shelving Squats
4. Run to third base and do 5 push-ups (on knees or toes depending on your comfort level).
5. Sprint to home plate, and catch your breath.
6. If you are not too tired do steps 2-5 one or more times. Gradually add additional circuits (steps 2-5) to your workout. The goal is to complete 9 rounds or “innings" in one session.

Mets opening day countdown:



Disclaimer to our readers: Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. If you experience any pain or difficulty with these exercises, stop and consult your healthcare provider.

R & R with Rachel (Rants and Raves with Rachel): Can This Be the Next Generation of Standing Desks?!

If you happen to have read my post on May 14, 2014 entitled "Take a Stand Against Sitting" you know that I designed my own standing desk at work. Sitting for hours during the day was killing my body. It is now over 2 years since I made my desk and I am still happily standing for the majority of my work day. While I had initially hoped to be given a treadmill desk I have since read a few opinion articles about them that say that after the newness of the desk wears off walking at 2 m.p.h. all day tends to get a little monotonous. So I continue to happily stand. But I am asking all furniture manufacturers....wouldn't it be great to have a stand up desk on wheels?!?