OCT 2014
Cardio Health Not The Only Focus
“The first requisite for
success is the ability to
apply your physical and
mental energies to one
problem incessantly
without growing
weary.”
~ Thomas A. Edison
“Fools may laugh at
me, but the wise will
understand.”
~ Lin Chi
“Do no wait; the time
will never be just right.”
~ Napoleon Hill
“It is in the compelling
zest of high adventure
and of victory, and of
creative action that man
finds his supreme
joys.”
~ Antoine De
Saint-Exupery
With today’s obesity epidemic and all the news about heart health, more people are
forgetting the importance of strength training. Cardiovascular training and strength training can work together to help you achieve optimal overall health, although it is often difficult to find one activity that pairs the two together. Martial arts training is one of those
activities that gives your heart a workout while keeping you lean and strong.
As we age, our body naturally loses muscle mass. If we don’t replace the lean muscle,
we increase the percentage of fat in our bodies. This is one of the many reasons it is
important to participate in a fun and enjoyable activity that provides both an aerobic and
an anaerobic workout.
The exercises, like kicking, squatting, lunging and punching, that are practiced in martial arts classes are all great ways to increase strength. Push-ups, sit-ups, and leg lifts
are also great strength training exercises common to a martial arts class. We have
moved past the stigma that building muscles is just for body builders.
Below are some great benefits of strength training.
Bone Strength — Strength training increases bone density and strength by stressing
your bones. As we age, this can help prevent osteoporosis or hunching.
Toning — Toning your muscles helps burn calories more efficiently. Muscles burn
calories automatically, so the more lean muscle you build the more calories your
body will burn.
Endurance — Greater endurance is key to any sport and life in general. When you
have more lean muscle, you won’t get fatigued as fast.
Focus — Some research suggests strength training can also help maintain focus in
older adults.
So remember: When you exercise, focus on cardiovascular health and building lean
muscle. There are many options out there to build lean muscle; start with weight machines, free weights, and resistant bands or participate in martial arts and get a plethora
of great benefits with just one activity.
“Do … or do not. There
is no try.”
~ Yoda; Star Wars
“Everything should
be made as simple
as possible, but
no simpler.”
~ Albert Einstein
WHAT’S INSIDE
Cardio Health Not The
Only Focus
School Calendar
Halloween Fun Facts
Halloween Food
Safety Tips
October School Calendar:
Halloween Fun Facts
Around the world, Halloween is celebrated on
October 31. Traditional celebrations usually include
costumes, parties, and trick-or-treating.
Here are some fun facts about Halloween:
Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween. a
Fifty percent of kids prefer to receive chocolate
candy for Halloween, compared with 24 percent
who prefer non-chocolate candy and 10 percent
who preferred gum. a
The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown
by Norm Craven, who broke the world record in
1993 with a 836 lb. pumpkin. b
Boston, Massachusetts, holds the record for
the most Jack O’Lanterns lit at once (30,128). d
The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made
from turnips. e
Halloween is thought to have originated around
4000 B.C., which means Halloween has been
around for over 6,000 years. e
Halloween is the second highest grossing
commercial holiday after Christmas. f
Ireland is typically believed to be the birthplace
of Halloween. f
Halloween was influenced by the ancient
Roman festival Pomona, which celebrated the
harvest goddess of the same name. Many
Halloween customs and games that feature
nuts and apples (such as bobbing for apples)
date from this time. In fact, in the past,
Halloween has been called San-Apple Night
and Nutcrack Night. f
Because the movie Halloween (1978) was
on such a tight budget, they had to use the
cheapest mask they could find for the character
Michael Meyers, which turned out to be a
William Shatner Star Trek mask. Shatner initially
didn’t know the mask was in his likeness, but
when he found out years later, he said he
was honored. h
References
d Morrow, Ed. 2001. The Halloween Handbook. Secaucus, NJ: Citadel Press.
e Rogers, Nicholas. 2003. Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night. New York,
NY: Oxford University Press.
a “Halloween.” National Confectioners Association. Accessed: September 30,
2010.
f Skal, David J. 2002. Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween. New
b “Largest Rutabaga-World Record Set by Norm Craven.” World Records
Academy. December 6, 2008. Accessed: October 4, 2010.
h “Trivia for Halloween.” IMDB. Accessed: October 2, 2010.
York, NY: Bloomsbury.
Halloween Food Safety Tips
As per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, take these simple steps to help your
children have a fun and safe Halloween.
Children shouldn’t snack while they’re out trick
-or-treating. Urge your children to wait until
they get home and you have had a chance to
inspect the contents of their “goody bags.”
To help prevent children from snacking,
give them a light meal or snack before they
head out — don’t send them out on an
empty stomach.
Tell children not to accept — and
especially not to eat — anything that isn’t
commercially wrapped.
Parents of very young children should remove
any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts,
hard candies or small toys.
Inspect commercially wrapped treats for
signs of tampering, such as an unusual
appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes,
or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything
that looks suspicious.
Enjoy the holiday and have fun with the kids.