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Plank Competition Results!

Don't get too jealous, the medal is from Joe's first half marathon, not the plank competition!  However, after tying with Lisa Jones for a four minute plank, Joe Adams took the title for longest plank with a 6 minute and 34 second tiebreaker!!  Congratulations, Joe, on the longest plank hold out of all of Napoletan Fitness' participating clientele.  You held your plank longer than over 20 people and earned yourself a free one hour massage from Massage on the Rocks in Westerville.

Congratulations to Lisa Jones for a valiant effort and a second attempt time of 5 minutes and 5 seconds!  Other honorable mentions go to Cheryl Brown, Maggie Anderson, Wendy Satkoviak, and Caryn Coomer for holding planks longer than three and a half minutes.  Great job to everyone who participated and did their best!!  Keep practicing!

Cap City Run

The Capital City Half Marathon is coming up on May the 5th in Columbus.  Did you know that you can also sign up for a quarter marathon (6.55 miles) or a 5k (3.1 miles)?  Whether running or walking, why not make one of your goals this year to finish a race in your city or suburb?

If you're just starting out consider walking a 5k this spring with a goal of a 10k or quarter marathon by late summer.  Who knows, you may work up to a half marathon or The Columbus Full Marathon by October!  No matter your goal it's important to get started sooner than later.  Sign up for a race now so that you have a reason to stay accountable.

Check out details for the Capital City races in May by clicking here.  You can also find training schedules and more details about the race that's right for you on that site.  Do yourself a favor and set this goal now.  You'll feel GREAT once you achieve it.  The sooner you sign up the cheaper the entry fee, so in the words of Nike, "JUST DOOOO ITTT!!!!"

Get Active This Spring

You don't have to dread being active.  It doesn't always have to be inside and it certainly doesn't always have to be in a gym or health club.  Now that it's February, a lot of communities are starting sign-ups for recreational sports this spring.  Consider signing up for a volleyball, soccer, or softball league.  Some communities even offer kickball and flag football as options.  Whatever your choice, start looking into options now.  Make a commitment to get active once or twice a week in a way that you can enjoy and look forward to.  Get a team of friends or coworkers together or just look into joining a roster that needs an extra player or two.  Commit to a fun and active spring and you may even earn bragging rights by season's end!

Have No Fear!

"The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can."  - Robert Cushing

No more excuses!  If you want something go out and get it!  You're the only one who can truly stand in your way.  Make your health and wellness a priority, not just for yourself, but for your family as well!!  Set a goal and reach it by the end of the month.  You'll be surprised at how good it feels to accomplish something for YOU!

Exercise of the Day

Add sumo squats to your legs routine to help work your inner thighs and butt.  Keep your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and your toes pointed out.  Keep your chest up and your weight on your heels making sure your butt stays back like you're sitting in a chair.  Hang on to a weight if you're looking for ways to add intensity.  You may also consider adding a jump to increase your cardiovascular activity.

Tabata!

Looking for a change in your workout routine?  Try your next workout in the form of a Tabata workout from CrossFit.  Tabata workouts are bringing a specific type of interval training to the forefront of the fitness world right now.

All you need to do is choose a series of exercises and use time rather than repetitions to complete them.  Perform your first exercise for twenty seconds followed by ten seconds of rest.  Repeat that circuit eight times straight before moving on to your next exercise and doing the same thing.

You'll be surprised at how tough this can get!  Be sure to adjust your weights properly before beginning.  Don't expect to use the same weight that you would use for a ten repetition set.  This has a lot to do with muscle endurance and you WILL be struggling to get through the last few sets if you've chosen the proper weights.