Go green by enjoying the Fitness Stations in your local park (this photo is from Lakes Park in Fort Myers). Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

Go green, minimize your carbon imprint, recycle are common words and phrases we often here in relation to the environment.

But have you ever considered going green with your workouts too?

Nature has very powerful well-being benefits.

Whether you’re going for a run, riding your bike, taking a personal training session in the park or doing boot camp on the beach, there are countless opportunities for Floridians to get outside and exercise.

More than just a popular training environment, it turns out that people who exercise outdoors in their natural settings are benefiting from more than just their sweat efforts.

Research has repeatedly shown that time spent in nature has numerous well-being benefits, including everything from reduced blood pressure readings to heightened immunity and improve mood.

Despite our largely indoors,...

A 4th of July 2024 celebration walk/run in Lakes Park - hydrating along the way! Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

Participation in sports have long been recognized as an effective way to stay in shape, and a great start on the road to a healthy lifestyle.

However, organized sports and individual activities can also sometimes result in injury.

The American College of Sports Medicine has identified the most common sporting activities leading to injury, more specifically, heat-injuries.

These included:

• football
• basketball
• soccer, and
• cycling.

Individual activities, such as running may also lead to a range of injuries while rollerblading and skateboarding spearhead the way in injury-causing culprits among children.

Of additional concern is the research warning that people who experience sports injuries (especially children) are at a higher risk of suffering from re-injury later.

Therefore, it’s important to take some sensible precautions to avoid injury in the first place.

...

Gorgeous late spring view from the Lakes Park running, walking & biking trail - June 2024. Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

It is in everyone’s best interests to prevent injuries.

The more we can stay injury free, the greater our opportunity for consistent, uninterrupted training and consistency breeds better results.

Injuries are impossible to predict. It’s also impossible to know when an injury has been prevented (after all, it never happened).

There are many things we can do, however, to significantly reduce our injury risk.

One of the most effective, and arguably simplest, things we can do is to monitor our training volumes and intensities.

There has been a clear trend in recent years towards higher intensities of class-based exercise for everyday exercisers, and that’s not a bad thing.

When people train on their own, research shows they usually select exercise intensities that are too low to elicit the training response they want.

With fitness...

2024's first Plumeria bloom in Lakes Park Botanical Garden in April! Photo courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

Is there ever enough time in a single day?

Like the U2 song from 1987, “ Race Against Time,” each day is a constant effort to get as much done in 24 hours and still find time for sleep.

When we become overburdened, our health and well-being get pushed to the back burner.

The trick isn’t needing more time, but rather being able to get the most out of time you do have without burning yourself out so you can maintain your health and well-being.

First, create a to-do list.

If something needs to get done, write it down.

The stress of carrying chores around in your head will only keep you awake at night and there is a good probability that you will forget them while focusing on other tasks.

Keeping a notebook handy is a great way to track and prioritize tasks so they get done, leaving more time for you and your bike ride after work.

This is a great technique I...

Movement is the answer! Get out and enjoy nature! Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

Upper back and shoulder pain is a common ailment for many.

Office workers, delivery drivers, and anyone staring at a screen for hours at a time all know the tightness that comes from slouching.

While many people complain about their shoulder pain, one’s posture may in fact be the culprit.

When it comes to postural deviations, often the problem starts with tired muscles.

Holding any one position for too long, including “perfect” posture, will tire the muscles.

We naturally off-load tired muscles, distributing the load of the body through other structures, such as ligaments. This means that the body hangs off these other structures, rather than being held in position by muscles.

Slouching sets in, the back-bends forwards, the shoulders round and the muscles that hold these in place become stretched.

Pain from slouching doesn’t just come from that one source.

Take the...

Reflection time & sunset on the beach, after a reflective, fruitful and brisk 2 mile beach walk!

Over the years, society has increasingly understood the importance of maintaining physical well-being throughout life, and the fitness industry has responded with tailored programs to meet the unique needs of older adults.

In the mid-20th century, the perception of aging began to shift.

Previously, older age was often associated with frailty and inactivity, but this perspective started to change.

Thanks to pioneers like Jack LaLanne, older adults began to understand they could remain physically active and vibrant well into their senior years.

The 1990s witnessed a boom in fitness programs designed for older adults.

Gyms and community centers started offering specialized classes, such as water aerobics, yoga and Tai Chi, to cater to this demographic.

These programs not only helped seniors stay active but also provided them with social opportunities, combating feelings of isolation...

Enjoy a run on the beach - Naples Beach, Naples Florida (Nov 2023). Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

As mental health continues to garner attention, finding effective strategies to improve wellbeing has become a top priority.

While therapy and medication are crucial components of mental health treatment, an often overlooked and powerful tool is exercise. Engaging in regular physical activity not only enhances physical fitness but also has a profound impact on mental well-being.

Cardiovascular exercise, characterized by activities that increase heart rate and breathing, such as running, swimming, and cycling, is widely recognized for its numerous physical health benefits.

However, its impact on mental well-being should not be underestimated.

Mood Enhancement:

Engaging in cardio exercise triggers the release of endorphins, commonly referred to as the feel-good hormones.

These chemicals interact with receptors in the brain, reducing stress, enhancing mood, and promoting an overall...

Sunset on Naples Beach - Saturday, Oct 7, 2023 - Many were running on the beach, too! Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

When you invest your time and money in personal training sessions, you expect results.

To maximize those results, practice a few good habits and you’re ROI (Return On Investment) will pay huge dividends!

1 - Make no excuses.

Personal trainers work with a variety of clients, from all different backgrounds, and fitness abilities, but one constant that remains the same across all backgrounds is the EXCUSES.

One of the biggest and most over used excuses being,

‘I have no time!’

In today’s fast paced, multitasking world, we are all busy, everyone is crunched and time is a challenge we all face, no matter what we do for a living.

However, if you don’t have time to exercise three times a week, you better make time to be sick, go to the doctor and possibly the hospital.

Instead of making the excuse, change the vocabulary and say ‘I...

A beautiful July summer evening for a 2 mile run in Lakes Park. Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

Stretching is traditionally tacked on at the end of an exercise session and only if we have spare time...

However, when we consider all of the benefits stretching provides both before and after exercise, we should really give stretching the due diligence and respect it and our bodies deserve.

I'm sure everyone has experienced the same scenario in one way or another:

After a great workout with a hard effort either in the gym, on the track or in the pool, you've got 5 more minutes set aside for training so you immediately start stretching … not!

Sound familiar?

Most days you're running late and stretches get scrapped from the routine.

Sometimes you get away with it, but this habit of ditching the stretches is risky and will catch up with you.

Every type of exercise we do involves repeated muscle contractions.

These contractions could result in a muscle remaining in a state of...

Hydrotherapy is one of the most effective and therapeutic ways to exercise and rehabilitate from an injury in a cool and relaxing atmosphere.

The water’s buoyancy decreases the load which passes through weight-bearing joints by up to 90%, allowing for more activities and movement with less stress and bearing on the joints.

Exercising in water can be just as intense as an on-land workout, without the physical impact on our bodies.

Bringing your workout or rehab session into the pool has an array of health and therapeutic benefits. These include:

Improving muscular strength, stability and balance. 

The resistance of the water challenges your body’s strength and stability through a natural, constant resistance. Studies have shown significant gains in strength, flexibly and agility after 12 weeks of regular aquatic exercises. 

Relief from pain, swelling and muscle tension.

The warmth and support of the water helps to stimulate blood circulation, reduce muscle...