Meditation for Beginners, benefits of meditation

Meditation can bring relaxation, focus, and clarity to your life — just don’t expect it all right away.

For many, the word ‘meditation’ evokes thoughts of inner peace, true wisdom, spiritual enlightenment, and even extra sensory perception. However, my first piece of advice for anyone interested in meditation is to forget all that mystic mumbo jumbo.

Put all such notions completely out of your mind. Instead, think of meditation the same way you think of brushing your teeth: It’s good for you and you should do it at least once a day. The reason behind this line of thinking is simple: Clouding your mind with expectations of the fantastic will only serve to prevent you from truly focusing on the task at hand. Namely, meditating.

The startling and revelatory tooth brushing analogy doesn’t end there. Brushing your teeth is probably one of the few things you do with your full attention and concentration. You don’t brush your teeth while scarfing down breakfast on the way to class, or while you’re Napstering the Bee Gee’s “Saturday Night Fever” (arguably, their finest work).

Your sole concern is polishing those ivories — and if it’s not, it should be. In a very real way, if you’ve ever brushed your teeth like this, you’ve meditated. Mission accomplished! Anytime you do something with single-mindedness, full concentration and participation, you’re meditating.

For anyone interested in meditating without a toothbrush, here’s an exercise to get you started:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and shift forward so the balance of your weight falls 40% on your heels and 60% on the balls of your feet.

2. Place your hands, palms flat, on your abdomen. The tips of your thumbs should touch just below your belly button and the tips of your index fingers meet just above your pubic region. Basically, you’re forming a triangle with your thumbs and index fingers that points towards your “fun zone.”

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A beginners guide to Rollerblading for a great workout

Inline skating — also known as rollerblading — is great exercise and a quick way to get around. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), an hour on skates burns almost as many calories as running. It also strengthens the muscles and connective tissues surrounding the ankles, knees and hips.

Plus, it’s a great way to enjoy being outside — as long as you wear protective gear and don’t crash into large objects. And unlike other sports on wheels (biking, race car driving), inline skating doesn’t require a huge investment. You can pick up a decent pair of skates for $100 to $200, which isn’t exactly pocket change, but it’s a whole lot less than the several hundred you’d spend for a new bike.

When buying skates, finding a good fit is extremely important. “Make sure the boot of the skate is comfortable,” says Joyce Buckley, certified in-line skating instructor. Take note of any pressure spots. If skates are uncomfortable when you try them on, Buckley says, don’t expect them to break in.

If you’re not sure whether inline skating is for you, “A good solution is to rent skates — the [protective] gear comes with the rentals — and try it,” Buckley says. If you decide to buy and you’re on a limited budget, she recommends shopping around. “Look for shops that will sell you their last season rentals at a low price.”

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Benefits of Swimming

When I was little I wanted a swimming pool more than anything. I never got one. But then I went to college, and my school happened to have a state of the art swimming facility. Suddenly, I had a swimming pool at my disposal.

And if your school has a swim team then it probably has a pool, too. Chances are, you can use it for free (as long as the swim team isn’t practicing). So go ahead, dive in, splash around, and get a great stress-free workout while you’re at it.

Benefits of swimming, Good for you

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the buoyancy of water reduces the weight your frame must bear by about 90 percent. This means the stress on weight-bearing joints, bones and muscles is similarly reduced. So a water workout isn’t likely to cause injury or leave you with sore muscles. That’s why the pool is such a great place to work out if you’re recovering from an injury, need a break from running or walking, or if you’re new to exercise.But just because it doesn’t hurt, ACE says, doesn’t mean you can’t get a great workout in the pool. Water exercise like swimming can include all the components of fitness: Cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. And, when done regularly, water exercise helps reduce body fat.

“Swimming offers a full body workout,” says Rich Axtell, a Masters swim coach. “All major muscle groups are used while swimming and it’s a great cardiovascular exercise.”

Axtell adds that swimming is also a safe workout haven for those who may be injured because it offers a “low impact environment on the road to recovery.”

A serious workout

To get the most out of your time in the pool, try interval training instead of swimming regular laps. “Going down and back for an hour each day will limit your progress,” Axtell says. “Mix things up.” Warm up with several easy laps then insert sprints and harder swims of varying distance, with recovery laps in between.”Try and challenge yourself to better your weak spots and then reward yourself by doing a few laps in your “comfort zone,” Axtell says.

You can also mix things up by using the water toys that are usually lying around the edge of the pool. Try a few laps with a kickboard for a leg workout, or use a buoy for your legs and propel yourself using only your upper body.

And even if you’re an experienced swimmer, consider taking a lesson to give your workout an added boost. You’ll probably have fun and learn something. Axtell says many of the accomplished swimmers he works with take lessons regularly to improve their strokes.

Image courtesy: morrisville.edu

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Running for Beginners, tips and suggestions

Running is great for your body and can be even better for your head.

Imagine stepping out the door of your dorm or apartment building and returning less than an hour later with your mind cleared, your body energized, several of your problems solved, and a sweet, natural high. Now imagine that you’re feeling fitter and stronger than ever before. Sounds great, right? Luckily, it’s not impossible: You can get all these things when you go running.

Okay, maybe you won’t feel this way the first time you go running. Or the second. But if you stick with it and run on a regular basis, you’ll become a better runner and develop a healthy habit that can last a lifetime.

Runners don’t need to learn complicated skills or buy a lot of expensive equipment. Running is something you’ve been doing since, well, just after you could walk. Your running stride and body position should feel comfortable to you — everyone has a slightly different style.

Here are some basic running tips from the American Council on Exercise (ACE):

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