Participants use a series of balls to release muscular tension, improve flexibility and work select muscle groups. Learn how to help your body become more supple, increase blood flow, and dislodge tightness held in your muscles and connective tissues. We will use fun activities to warm up the body internally such as the hula hoop and standing yoga poses. We'll apply techniques using specific balls to roll your body out like dough as you stretch and elongate muscles. Specific routines and sequences will be followed in an order logical to the body musculature. Using the body and gravity, this is a method of self massage that gives relaxation and suppleness to muscles that have been tight for some time and once you learn the benefits of body rolling, expect everyday pains to dissipate or even go away entirely.

Nordic walking is fitness walking with specially designed poles in which the walker applies force to the poles with each stride. Nordic walkers use more of their body, with greater intensity and build fitness throughout the body including the legs, butt, chest, lats, tricps, biceps, shoulder, abdominals, spinal and other core muscles. This extra muscle involvement over ordinary walking increases overall strength and endurance, increases heart rate, assists with hill climbing, burns more calories and improves balance and stabilty. Nordic Poles (not the same as Trekking Poles) are required for this class; contact Susan before class to order your own set or to rent a pair. Participants must be able to walk three miles in under one hour to join the class.

We will explore various walking styles including intervals, speed, hill training and extended walks along tracks and mapped routes. Learn how posture, breathing, hip, leg and foot action will allow you to get the maximum benefit and fun from walking. Yoga poses will be integrated into the sessions ensuring a strength and flexibility component to the class. Cardiovascular endurance will be measured at the beginning and end of the program and logs and training plans provided as optional materials.

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