Don’t Let Winter Get A Hold of You

Most of us get into hibernation mode during the winter. The days become dark and cold and the last thing we feel like doing is going outside to exercise. Some believe because they ski during the winter, this will keep them “in shape.” Unfortunately  this is not true. Skiing on the weekends will keep them in ski shape but it is not “fitness”. We need to find a way to stay active during the long cold winters. Here are some ideas to keep you going.

1. Learn a new winter activity.

Have you ever tried snowshoeing? What about cross country skiing? There are many inexpensive instructional classes offered through the Parks and Recreation and Community Colleges which teach all sorts of activities. Pick an activity (preferably an active one) and give it a try.

2. Join a gym.

Most all gyms offer a variety of fitness classes free to their members. The good thing about this is you can try a class out and if you don’t like it, you’ve lost nothing. Then try a different class until you find one that works for you.

3. Attend small group fitness classes.

There are fitness studios popping up all over town these days. Most of them offer unique small group classes year round. Some of them even specialize in “women only” fitness classes, like the Adventure Boot Camp for Women. When we have a “date” to exercise we are much more likely to stick to the plan and follow our fitness schedule.

4. Purchase a workout DVD.

There are thousands of DVD’s out which will take you through any kind of workout you could possibly imagine. Beware, you must be self motivated to make this option work.

5. Get together with friends.

Many people still walk during the winter months. Find a friend and set a consistent time to get together and walk.

Whatever it is you decide to do, schedule it in your day. Your health and fitness is important to your quality of life and your ability to be useful to your loved ones. If you’re not healthy, you can not care for others.

USAPL Women’s Nationals 2011

It was an incredible day last weekend in Atlanta, GA! I competed in the USAPL Women’s Nationals to try to solidify  a spot on the Master’s World Team which will travel to eastern Canada in late September this year. I weighed 120.8 lbs and went 8 of 9 lifts. Setting personal records in the bench press, squat and total. My best lifts were 303 lbs squat, 193 lbs bench press, 347 lbs deadlift and a 843 lbs total. The total is a new national record as well. Now I wait to see if I made it on the world team. They only take 7 women from around the US! So I wait!!! I will post a video of the lifts when I can.

Danna Snow Female Powerlifting

 

 

My name is Danna Snow and I live in Spokane, WA. I am a 114/123 lbs drug free female Competitive Powerlifter. I currently compete in three federations, USAPL, WABDL and Pride Powerlifting. In 2008 I won Deadlift in my weight division at WABDL World Championships in Vegas and got second place in bench press. In September 2008 I qualified for USAPL Women’s Nationals in Miami, FL, February 14, 2009. I am working hard for that goal right now. If I win nationals (strong possibility I will), I will then be on the Women’s World Team. World’s will be held later this year in Praque, Czech Republic.

I’ve been competing since1997 with a three year break between 2003 and 2007. Following is a list of my most recent competition accomplishments:

2008 Nov. WABDL World Championship in Vegas, bodyweight of 116lbs

Deadlift- First Place (World Champion)

Bench Press- Second Place

2008 Oct. USAPL in Seattle, WA, bodyweight of 116lbs

Full Powerlifting- First Place

2008 Aug. Pride Powerlifting in Kennewick, WA, bodyweight 118lbs

Open Women Deadlift-First Place

Open Women Bench Press-First Place

Sub-Master Women Deadlift-First Place

Sub-Master Women Bench Press-First Place

2008 July Pride Powerlifting in Coeur D’Alene, ID, bodyweight 116lbs

Deadlift-First Place

Bench Press- First Place

2008 March WABDL in Pasco, WA, bodyweight 116lbs

Deadlift-First Place

Bench Press- First Place

2007 March WABDL in Pasco, WA, bodyweight 111lbs

Deadlift-First Place

Bench Press-First Place

 

Why am I telling you all this? I need your help. Powerlifting is an amateur sport and we do not win or make money when we compete. Most of the events I compete in are out of state and some are out of the country. Entry fees, travel and accommodation fees add up quickly.

I am searching for sponsorship to help me continue to excel at this sport. Please see attached page for sponsorship options. To view videos of me competing in 2008, visit

 

www.dannsnow.com

.If you have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them. I can be reached by phone at (509)869-4800 or email

 

 

dsnow@icehouse.net

. I look forward to hearing from you soon.Thank you for your time,

Danna Snow

Following is a list of approximate costs related to my sport.

Registration fees: $60-$130 per competition (I compete in 4-5 per year)

Travel: $400-$700 per flight

Accommodations: $110 per night

Food: $60 per day (during travel)

Protein: $100 per month

Lifting Equipment: $150=$300 per year

Grocery bill: $300 per month

 

 

 

Sponsorship Packages

 

Platinum: $5,000

What you get:

A link on my website to your company’s website

A company patch or logo of your choice on my gear bag and warm-up suit

A mention of your company’s support in all media reports

Gold: $2,500

What you get:

A company patch or logo of your choice on my gear bag and warm-up suit

A mention of your company’s support in all media reports

Silver: $1,000

What you get:

A company patch or logo of your choice on my gear bag and warm-up suit

Copper: Under $1000

What you get:

You or your company’s name on my website as a sponsor

How to Sponsor me

 

You can mail a check or money order to:

Danna Snow

PO Box 30046

Spokane, WA 99223

Or visit

 

 

www.dannasnow.com and go through Paypal.

USAPL Women’s Nationals Powerlifting

Well, I’ve qualified for USAPL Women’s Nationals Feb 14, 2009 in Miami! I’m beginning a rigid six week training cycle today to prepare the competition. If you want to know more about my Powerlifting visit www.dannasnow.com and see what it’s all about… There are videos of me in my last few competitions and more detailed info about me. I’ll try to keep up on the blog to let you know how the next six weeks progress.

Interactive Fitness

I found a great interactive fitness product! This online business offers software that turns exercise equipment into an interactive game. What does this mean? You get to exercise while having fun. Don’t waste anymore time running on a treadmill with no purpose other than to get your time in for the day. We are not hamsters! Following are few of the programs you’ll find by clickig the link at the bottom of this page.

Netathon2:

This virtual interactive fitness software has provided users of fitness machines the ability to simulate outdoor riding activity in 3-D real-time virtual environments. t uses leading-edge technology to create an immersive virtual reality environment for both the avid and casual biking fitness enthusiasts.

Island World’s:

Explore worlds alone or with others while getting exercise. The program can steer for you automatically or you can use a game controller or a USB steering wheel to steer with.

PCGamerBike:

Unlike the other interactive bikes, the PCGamerBike is not limited to driving and racing games. The response time of the PCGamerBike is fast enough to play FPS (First Person Shooters) and MMORPG’s (like World of Warcraft®).It’s also the only bike that detects pedal direction. This means that you can also pedal backwards to move your character backwards. You can steer with a game controller, your keyboard, mouse, or the GameCap™.

 

 This site offers a variety of games that you can play right in your living room! Check out Tennis, Golf, Baseball, bass fishing, bowling, J-Mat, and more. These are similar to the Wii but not as expensive. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Virtual Sports

 

 

7 Steps to Get Your Kids Moving

For years now scientific experts have warned us of an epidemic of childhood obesity in the U.S. It’s true, and the problem is getting worse.

Why can’t we get the situation under control? Because our approach to the problem is flawed. We are being educated about childhood obesity…But we’re just not doing anything about it.

What needs to happen to reverse this destructive trend? We have to take an active role in the health and fitness of our children.

By following the steps below, you can take action and get serious about changing the lives of you children…and their children.

 

 

1. Limit “screen” time to under two hours a day. A recent study showed the nations children watch an average of five hours of television a day. So the first step to helping your children be more active is to restrict their television, video games, computers, etc. You’ll be amazed at what time this frees up.

2. Be a role model as a parent. Set an example and get involved in your own health and fitness. Your children will more often model a behavior before they do what they’re told while watching you do the opposite.

3. Eat out no more than once a week. This is a big one. It’s a challenge in our busy lives to find the time to have all our meals fresh and home cooked. But fast food is killing us. The serving sizes are usually double to triple a single serving size, and they usually contain higher amounts of fat. Remember the saying “everything in moderation”? Our concept of moderate has been stretched and expanded.

4. Get your children involved in an organized physical activity outside of school. School doesn’t count anymore for providing an active environment. Many schools withhold recess as a discipline tool and even ore schools don’t offer P.E. anymore because of budget constraints. There are numerous organizations which offer physical activity programs. They range from team sports to individual sports or just fun fitness classes. There are also organizations who offer scholarships for those families who can not afford to participate.

5. Encourage active play. Sitting in the bedroom playing on the floor with the electronic toy is not active play. Get your children outside and moving. Children will choose to play actively if given the option. Examples of active play are: running around the yard with the dog, riding a bike, scooter, rollerblades or skateboard, playing group sports with friends such as yard football or soccer, tumbling around the yard, hide and seek (outdoors), jump rope, hopscotch, capture the flag. The list is only limited to yours and your child’s imagination.

6.Get the children involved in planning the meals. This is a great way to educate children on healthy nutritional choices. Children as young as 6 are good helpers in the kitchen and will learn a lot about healthy eating by helping do the planning.

7. Have plenty of healthy snack choices accessible. Children will choose healthy snacks if given the opportunity. Fresh fruit, dried fruit, string cheese, yogurt, and granola bars make great healthy snacks.

We can fix the problem of childhood obesity but we need to be willing to invest time and energy in re-educating the youth of our society.

Is Your Job Giving You a Pain in the Neck?

In today’s society, more people sit for a living then ever before. And because of this, people have more pain than ever before. So, what do you do about it? Do you quit your job? No. You go to the doctor and report shoulder, neck and head pain. Then you get some drugs and go back to work doing exactly what caused the pain to begin with, sitting.

What if I told you there is something you can do to completely eliminate your pain, or at least, diminish it greatly? Before I explain, you need to understand WHY sitting at a desk can cause so much havoc. Imagine yourself sitting in a chair. Are you sitting straight up with your shoulders back and chest forward? Chances are, you are not. Most likely, you are sitting with your shoulders rounded forward, chest tucked inward, chin up and head jutted forward. This is the problem which occurs when you sit for long periods of time (like an 8 hour a day desk job). Your muscles fatigue and you are unable to hold “good” posture for very long at all.

 

So, how do you fix the problem? First, you need to get up from your desk and move around and then sit back down (get up and get a drink of water) frequently throughout the day. Then, you need to begin to work to strengthen the muscles between your shoulder blades and stretch the muscles of our chest. You have to basically retrain your body to remember what is good posture. Right now there is a tug-of-war going on between your back and your chest. The muscles of your chest then begin to shorten and the muscles of the back begin to stretch, putting a lot of strain on them. The back muscles are too weak to keep your shoulders back and this causes the pain…Basically, you have created a situation where your own body is causing muscle strains.

Exercises which strengthen the upper back muscles are those which involve squeezing your shoulders blades together, such as rowing movements. A stretch for your chest is standing in a doorway, reaching your hands out to your sides about shoulder height and bracing them on the door jams while stepping through the doorway. You’ll feel the stretch in your chest. If you address the forward shoulders, the head jutting problem will fix itself.

Other suggestions to manage pain related to desk work are to get deep tissue massage on a regular basis and become more physically active. There are many Certified Personal Trainers and Physical Therapists in Spokane who would be able to develop a specific routine to address the above problems.

The longer you go without addressing the problem, the more impact the poor posture will have on you as time goes on. Be happy in your work place, be pain free.

Truth About Walking for Fitness

There’s been a lot of mixed info in the media regarding walking for fitness. I’d like to shed some light on the subject for you. Walking is an excellent way to get out and move. It is the perfect place to begin when you’ve been inactive and are beginning to work toward a more active lifestyle.

Now, the problem is that people stop there… They begin walking and they continue to just walk. They follow the same walking route for the same length of time without much variation. Why is this a problem?

After you begin a walking program your body will adjust to that level of exercise within approximately two weeks if done consistently. After this two week period, the benefits from your walking become much less. Don’t get me wrong, walking is much better than doing nothing at all. What I’m saying is, in order to continue to have more and more benefits from a walking program, you need to walk with a purpose and a plan.

If you normally walk for sixty minutes on the same path everyday, you need to add a little more demand to the walk. For example, for the first five minutes, walk a comfortable pace. For the next two minutes pick up the pace so you are having to breath a bit heavier. Then for the next three minutes slow your pace back down to the original pace. Repeat this process for the normal sixty minute walk and you’ll find you’ve worked a bit harder than usual. Your body needs this demand and welcomes the change.

If you’re walking with a friend and need the time to visit, just set one of your watches to chime every couple minutes and that will signal you to either speed up or slow down without having to lose that valuable chatting time.

If you’re in good health, try walk/jogging . Begin your walk by walking for five minutes. Then jog for five minutes. Return to walking for five minutes and then repeat the jog, etc. Continue for the remainder of your sixty minutes. For variety, you can increase the time you spend jogging and decrease the walking time.

If your walk normally consists of walking for 1.5 miles, you can do a similar variation. Begin your walk normally. Then speed walk for one block. After that block, slow your pace back down for one block. Then speed walk the next block, etc. continue this for the entire 1.5 miles and you’ll have a much greater benefit from your walk.

Just remember, walking with a purpose and a plan will give you a much greater benefit than just going for a walk.

 

Mood Swings?

Exercise 30 minutes daily, at least three to four days per week, to boost your energy and feel less irritable. Eating small meals throughout the day with plenty of protein can also help cope with the ups and downs of life. Massage, yoga or meditaion can help you de-stress also.