Fitness

If you’re 50 or older, the YMCA of the Suncoast hopes you’ll join other adults in the community to participate in 50 Moving Forward, the health and well-being initiative that lets you shout out, “Of Course I’ve Still Got It!”

April 27 is a great day for kids to get a jump on summer at one of YMCA of the Suncoast’s branch locations. It’s national YMCA Healthy Kids Day, which means the whole family can enjoy fun and healthy playtime, sports, crafts, nutritious snacks and more. Healthy Kids Day is free to all and open to the community.  Events run from 9 am to 12 pm. Visit one of our YMCA of the Suncoast locations in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties. See you there!

It’s official – YMCA of the Suncoast is now home to Les Mills™ BODY PUMP™. This much sought-after fitness program builds muscle, self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.

Dr. Mark Smitherman is ahead of his time. A doctor of internal medicine for Morton Plant Mease, Dr. Smitherman is a long-time open water swimmer. This sport is growing in popularity and will be featured at the 2012 Olympic Games. Participants gather in outdoor bodies of water – oceans, lakes, rivers – and battle the elements in exciting and unpredictable races.

Seniors represent grandparents, parents, friends and heroes who have supported us through the years. At YMCA of the Suncoast, we work to support seniors who have spent their lives taking care of us. Just look at the difference the Y has made in the life of one our local seniors. Here are other ways the YMCA celebrates our senior members.

Each day at the Y, families are coming together to get healthy. Kids are engaging in physical activities, learning social skills and building self-confidence. Parents are enjoying working out in our wellness centers and participating in group fitness classes while knowing their children are in a safe, nurturing environment.

The CDC reports that one in three children is overweight or obese. And, according to a recent report by the British medical journal, The Lancet, half of U.S. adults will be obese by 2030 unless solutions are put in place to tackle the epidemic. This health crisis sheds light on the need to start outreach early, by providing children (and their parents) with the resources and the support they need in maintaining healthier lifestyles, emphasizing that small steps can lead to big results to reverse this trend.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services along with several partners launched Million Hearts, recently launched an initiative that HHS hopes will prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. One of the partners in the initiative is the YMCA, whose involvement will include an expansion of their national Diabetes Prevention Program. NewPublicHealth spoke with Jonathan Lever, Vice President for Health Strategy and Innovation at the YMCA of the USA about the Y’s ongoing focus on improving the health of communities.

For the longest time, one of the basic rules of exercise has been to keep our knees behind our toes during ground-based exercises.  Apparently, allowing the knee to project past the toes while doing things like lunges, squats, and step-ups, creates too much stress, and is potentially harmful to the knee. But is this true?

As we approach the 10^th anniversary of the September 11 events in NYC, the Y is hosting an events to honor all those who served, died, and will forever be changed by that day in history.  The Greater Palm Harbor Branch YMCA in Pinellas County will host SWIM. BIKE. RUN for FREEDOM Youth Triathlon on Sunday, September 11 beginning at 7:30 am.