Post by Cassandra - Admin on Jul 1, 2014 14:14:14 GMT
WEEK 10:
NUTRITION CHALLENGE:
**De-grain a grain meal.
+
Add a recipe for us with a review!**
Explanation:
Take a meal that is usually served heavy in grains and try it without! My two favorite examples of these kind of meals are pasta dishes and pizza!! I’ll share my favorite recipes for some cool alternatives in the food forums ASAP!
FITNESS CHALLENGE:
**Turn it upside down!**
Explanation:
Ever watch kids play? They’re all over the place! Running around, flipping, tumbling, rolling, spinning. You know why that’s awesome? Because it’s FUN!! You know a more important reason it’s awesome? Because they’re training their balance, coordination and brain through vestibular stimulation training.
Say whaaaat? A breakdown:
A bit more info/explanation:
“For young children, vestibular activity becomes indispensable as soon as they begin to move their heads. Activities such as crawling, spinning, and piggy back rides, all exercise the child’s vestibular system and will soon pave the way for more demanding activities, such as walking, climbing, tumbling, and general balance. As with all skills, great practice leads to great results, and activities that challenge your child’s balance, equilibrium and sense of direction will lead to a rock-solid confidence and comfort in balance activities that will see them effortlessly flipping across the floor, or climbing rock walls as they grow older.
But the benefits are not just physical. Studies have shown that a healthy vestibular system leads to exceptional achievement in academics, particularly in mathematics. This is said to be due to the system’s role in detecting gravity. Because the force of gravity provides a persistent mathematical reference point for the senses, a robust skill in sensing its effects will lead to a more alacritous ability to detect mathematical relationships in other things within the child’s universe. Studies have also shown this increased aptitude to carry over into reading and language as well.” (Source: gymnastics-greenwich-ct.com/balancing-success-the-importance-of-your-childs-vestibular-system/)
So this kind of activity is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL for childhood development. However, the need for it does not disappear as we age. Just like any muscle or system of the body, it needs to be used regularly - trained & stimulated - to be healthy and strong.
When was the last time you were upside down? (On purpose that is. Last Friday night after one too many cocktails doesn't count.)
Do you even remember what it feels like? There’s that initial fear of doing something that doesn’t feel quite natural (even though it IS natural and should feel that way!). The hesitation of doing something that will make you look goofy and being scared of failing. Then the feeling of fearlessness and courage as you dive in and try it out. Frustration as you try. And try. And try again. Then the shock of going through the movement for the first time! And that feeling of accomplishment and “heck yeah I DID IT!”....usually followed immediately by, “I wanna try that again!!”. 
So this week I want you to get upside down. Somehow. Don’t care how. Beginners - try tumbling. A simple forward roll is hard enough! (I know this - I just did one for the first time in probably about 10 years about a month ago - um...Hello, Awkward! My name is Clumsy! I’ve got ‘em down now though. Been practicing with some munchkins.) More advanced ReVITALizers - try handstands. Or handstand walks. Or a wall walk.
Other moves/ideas:
This challenge not only requires the courage for you to try something new and possibly look silly doing it (WHO CARES???), but SAFETY. Do NOT attempt anything you’re not physically able to do. Meaning - yes push yourself to try something new, but if you don't have the upper body strength to do an overhead press with your body weight, you're probably not going to do a handstand this week. And that's ok. Pick something new for you, to your ability level.
If you’re going for headstands - make sure your neck and back are nice and in-line. Working against a wall with a pillow under your head is ideal. Handstands or walks? Make sure there’s nothing nearby for you to impale your flailing limbs on as you (inevitably) fall over a few times. If you’re tumbling, do it on a soft surface. A tumbling mat at the gym or the grass.
I’ll be posting articles and videos and links over the next few days. I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with for both challenges!!
NUTRITION CHALLENGE:
**De-grain a grain meal.
+
Add a recipe for us with a review!**
Explanation:
Take a meal that is usually served heavy in grains and try it without! My two favorite examples of these kind of meals are pasta dishes and pizza!! I’ll share my favorite recipes for some cool alternatives in the food forums ASAP!
FITNESS CHALLENGE:
**Turn it upside down!**
Explanation:
Ever watch kids play? They’re all over the place! Running around, flipping, tumbling, rolling, spinning. You know why that’s awesome? Because it’s FUN!! You know a more important reason it’s awesome? Because they’re training their balance, coordination and brain through vestibular stimulation training.
Say whaaaat? A breakdown:
“While “vestibular stimulation” sounds like a terribly complicated process, it actually means nothing more than activating the sensors in your inner ear, which helps your body position itself in the environment. These sensors become activated when you move, either in small ways such as bending your neck or turning your head, or in large ways such as running around or riding a roller coaster. Because babies and young children are still learning to orient themselves in space, vestibular stimulation is a crucial developmental process.” (Source: everydaylife.globalpost.com/vestibular-stimulation-childrens-development-34037.html)
A bit more info/explanation:
“For young children, vestibular activity becomes indispensable as soon as they begin to move their heads. Activities such as crawling, spinning, and piggy back rides, all exercise the child’s vestibular system and will soon pave the way for more demanding activities, such as walking, climbing, tumbling, and general balance. As with all skills, great practice leads to great results, and activities that challenge your child’s balance, equilibrium and sense of direction will lead to a rock-solid confidence and comfort in balance activities that will see them effortlessly flipping across the floor, or climbing rock walls as they grow older.
But the benefits are not just physical. Studies have shown that a healthy vestibular system leads to exceptional achievement in academics, particularly in mathematics. This is said to be due to the system’s role in detecting gravity. Because the force of gravity provides a persistent mathematical reference point for the senses, a robust skill in sensing its effects will lead to a more alacritous ability to detect mathematical relationships in other things within the child’s universe. Studies have also shown this increased aptitude to carry over into reading and language as well.” (Source: gymnastics-greenwich-ct.com/balancing-success-the-importance-of-your-childs-vestibular-system/)
So this kind of activity is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL for childhood development. However, the need for it does not disappear as we age. Just like any muscle or system of the body, it needs to be used regularly - trained & stimulated - to be healthy and strong.
When was the last time you were upside down? (On purpose that is. Last Friday night after one too many cocktails doesn't count.)
Do you even remember what it feels like? There’s that initial fear of doing something that doesn’t feel quite natural (even though it IS natural and should feel that way!). The hesitation of doing something that will make you look goofy and being scared of failing. Then the feeling of fearlessness and courage as you dive in and try it out. Frustration as you try. And try. And try again. Then the shock of going through the movement for the first time! And that feeling of accomplishment and “heck yeah I DID IT!”....usually followed immediately by, “I wanna try that again!!”. 
So this week I want you to get upside down. Somehow. Don’t care how. Beginners - try tumbling. A simple forward roll is hard enough! (I know this - I just did one for the first time in probably about 10 years about a month ago - um...Hello, Awkward! My name is Clumsy! I’ve got ‘em down now though. Been practicing with some munchkins.)
More advanced ReVITALizers - try handstands. Or handstand walks. Or a wall walk. Other moves/ideas:
- hanging upside down from the monkey bars next time you’re at the park with your kids
- standing on your head and hands against a wall
- google some beginner's gymnastics moves
- Have kids? Know someone with them? Get social! Go on a playdate and ask them what to do.
This challenge not only requires the courage for you to try something new and possibly look silly doing it (WHO CARES???), but SAFETY. Do NOT attempt anything you’re not physically able to do. Meaning - yes push yourself to try something new, but if you don't have the upper body strength to do an overhead press with your body weight, you're probably not going to do a handstand this week. And that's ok. Pick something new for you, to your ability level.
If you’re going for headstands - make sure your neck and back are nice and in-line. Working against a wall with a pillow under your head is ideal. Handstands or walks? Make sure there’s nothing nearby for you to impale your flailing limbs on as you (inevitably) fall over a few times. If you’re tumbling, do it on a soft surface. A tumbling mat at the gym or the grass.
I’ll be posting articles and videos and links over the next few days. I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with for both challenges!!
