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More isn’t always better, especially when it comes to fitness. In fact, rest is just as important as the work you put in. In this article, we’ll dive into why recovery days are essential for anyone with a fitness routine, how rest contributes to overall health, and tips for maximizing your rest periods to maintain a healthy, balanced workout plan.

When the temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, staying active can feel like a daunting task. However, exercising in winter is not only important for maintaining your physical health, but it’s also a great way to support your mental well-being and boost your energy during the colder months. In this article, we’ll explore why winter exercise is essential and suggest some fun, effective activities to keep you moving. Plus, we’ll highlight how Siegel JCC can help you stay fit and motivated all season long!

Whether you're swimming in a pool, lake, or ocean, safety should always be a top priority — for swimmers at every age. Here are some essential swimming safety tips to ensure a fun experience for everyone.

Yoga, an ancient practice that originated in India over 5,000 years ago, has become a popular form of exercise and relaxation worldwide. It combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to improve overall health and well-being. Whether you're looking to increase flexibility, reduce stress, or simply find a new way to stay active, yoga offers a range of benefits for beginners and seasoned practitioners alike. This comprehensive guide will introduce you to the basics of yoga and answer common questions, helping you get started on your yoga journey.

Flexibility and mobility are often overlooked aspects of physical health, yet improved flexibility and mobility come with valuable benefits, enhancing your overall physical performance and contributing significantly to your everyday well-being. Read on to learn more about the benefits of improved flexibility and mobility and discover some practical ways to enhance these essential elements of physical fitness.

Cardiovascular fitness — also known as cardiorespiratory fitness — refers to the efficiency with which the heart, lungs, and vascular system work together to supply oxygen-rich blood to working muscles during sustained physical activity. This type of fitness is crucial for overall health, affecting everything from heart health to mental well-being.

In this article, we'll explore the importance of cardiovascular fitness, discuss the numerous benefits it offers, and provide practical tips for incorporating cardio training into your lifestyle.

Dance isn't just a form of art or entertainment; it's a powerful medium that offers a plethora of benefits, ranging from physical health to emotional well-being and beyond. Whether you sway to the rhythm of ballroom beats, tap into the quick steps of salsa, or find peace in the fluid motions of contemporary dance, incorporating dance into your life can be transformative. Here’s a closer look at the benefits of dance.

The new year is a time of renewed hope and aspiration, especially when it comes to personal fitness. Whether you're a seasoned gym-goer or a newcomer, setting achievable fitness goals is the first step toward a healthier and happier you. In this article, we’ll walk you through setting fitness goals for the new year — and setting yourself up to achieve them.

In today's fast-paced world, where our attention is constantly pulled in different directions, taking a step back to focus on the present moment can be a bit of a challenge. Yet this practice — known as mindfulness — comes with profound positive effects. Whatever your circumstances, mindfulness can serve as a powerful tool to enrich your life. Here’s a closer look at what mindfulness entails, why it’s so beneficial, and how you can develop mindfulness in your world.

Pickleball has been making waves in the sports world, and if you haven't heard of it yet, you're in for a treat. This sport combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, offering a unique and exhilarating experience for players of all ages. In this article, we'll introduce you to the world of pickleball, exploring its origins, how and why you should be playing, and where you can get in on the action.

Everyone knows exercise is essential, but as people age, maintaining physical fitness becomes even more important. Not only can regular exercise help seniors feel healthier and more energetic, but it can also contribute to better balance, reduce fall risk, and even help manage chronic diseases. Let’s take a closer look at how fitness can benefit seniors, some effective exercises, and our best exercise tips for older adults.

Embarking on a fitness journey can be overwhelming, and with so many options available, it can be challenging to find the right path for your unique needs. One approach that has gained popularity in recent years is counting macros, a nutrition strategy designed to help you meet your goals, whether that's weight loss, muscle gain, or improved overall health. Here’s what counting macros means, why a macro-based nutrition plan could be beneficial for you, and how to get started counting macros.

Often, we tend to think of fitness as an individual journey. And that's true, to a certain extent—after all, everyone comes to the gym with different goals, bodies, and abilities. But while an independent workout habit works for some people, it's not the best choice for everyone. Particularly for individuals who struggle with motivation or could use some extra support, group fitness classes provide an effective (and fun!) way to achieve your fitness goals. 

We need physical activity to be healthy. It is recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities that train every major muscle group on 2 or more days a week. Exercise can come in many forms, including group exercise. Here are 3 benefits of including group exercise classes in your fitness regimen:

Increasingly, stress seems to have become an inseparable part of modern life. Current events (particularly concerns about money and the economy), combined with the demands of work, relationships, and family have all contributed to driving up stress levels around the nation—if not the world. 

Although we experience stress primarily as a feeling, prolonged exposure to negative stress can have major repercussions for our health and well-being. Chronic stress can contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, headaches, and more. Similarly, the effects of stress on mental health include increased likelihood of depression and anxiety. According to the American Institute of Stress, "We are facing a national mental health crisis that could yield serious health and social consequences for years to come."

Maybe you've hit a plateau in your fitness routine. Maybe you're working toward a specific goal, whether that's losing weight, building muscle, preparing for a competition, or reaching a new personal record. Or perhaps you're trying a new type of exercise, starting a gym habit for the first time, or simply trying to deepen your fitness routine.
If any of the above apply to you, it might be time to look into personal training.

Not all fats are created equal, and too much of the wrong kind can do serious damage to your health. Here, we'll discuss the different types of fats, their benefits and dangers, and where to find them in the wild (er, that is, the supermarket). 

For many people, the process of trying to lose weight feels less like making progress toward a goal and more like an endless (and frustrating) cycle. You try a new diet, and perhaps lose a few pounds. Soon, the restrictions on your food intake lead to constant feelings of hunger and cravings. Perhaps you decide to ease your restrictions, allow yourself a "cheat" day, or become frustrated when your weight loss seems to plateau. Before you know it, you're knee-deep in potato chips and you're consumed with feelings of shame and guilt. You recommit to your diet—and the cycle starts all over again.

Whatever your fitness goals are, at some point you're going to have to reckon with the role that vegetables play in your diet. Whether you're trying to lose weight, bulk up, or simply get healthier, a nutritious diet will be a crucial component of your plans—and vegetables, in turn, are part of a nutritious diet.

Strength training is an important part of any fitness routine. It's essential for building muscle mass, improving endurance, and maintaining a healthy weight. In fact, contrary to what many people might think, researchers have discovered that strength training can be just as or more effective than cardio at helping people lose weight and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to these, there are a slew of other benefits of strength training that might not seem obvious, such as better mental health, stronger bones, and improved balance. 

Strength training is also an extremely versatile form of exercise that includes bodyweight exercises, resistance training, and weight lifting. Regardless of where you're at in your fitness journey or what your long-term goals are, there are plenty of ways to make strength training work for you. Whether you're just getting started and are feeling a little lost, or whether you're looking to try something new, here's a step-by-step guide to incorporating strength training into your workout routine.

When it comes to cardio, running is one of the best forms of exercise out there. And in addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight, it comes with a host of benefits for your health and well-being, including improved cardiovascular health, better sleep, reduced stress, and a stronger immune system. And, if you're lucky, you might even experience the much-coveted "runner's high"—a rush of endorphins following a period of extended exercise that many people describe as euphoric. 

All that being said, even die-hard runners will be the first to admit that running isn't always fun. In fact, sometimes it's quite the opposite. What's more, if you're new to the sport, it can be difficult or even intimidating to know how to start running. In this article, we'll cover some running basics that will help you develop a healthy—and hopefully even enjoyable!—running habit. 

For a practice that is grounded in mindfulness and non-judgement (theoretically, at least), yoga can be uniquely intimidating. Even just shopping for supplies or researching poses can lead to being inundated with pictures of serene-looking yoga teachers folded into impossibly pretzel-like poses. It's enough to make anyone want to skip their workout for the day. In spite of what Instagram representations of yoga might seem to suggest, however, you don't need to be capable of contortionist-level flexibility or be able to fit into size 0 Lululemon pants to have a rewarding yoga practice. In its true sense, yoga is accessible to everyone, and starting a yoga practice might be easier than you think.

When was the last time you had a bad day at work? Or felt like the kids were driving you to the very brink of your sanity? Or dealt with a stressful situation and felt the familiar flare of anxiety in the back of your brain? 

If you're a human living in the twenty-first century, it's likely that you've experienced any or all of these in the recent past. Given all of the demands and stressors of the modern world, it's important to have habits and strategies that support good mental health. And while coping habits such as seeking out comfort food, indulging in an extra drink in the evening, or relaxing in front of the TV are often easy, they might not be the most effective (or the healthiest) choices. Keep reading to learn some of the benefits of an often-looked activity that can have astonishing rewards for your mental health: exercise. 

Most of us are aware that we should exercise. However, there's a big difference between knowing that we should do something and actually mustering up the motivation to do it. If you're one of the people who feel a vague obligation to go to the gym but have trouble actually following through on that goal, rest assured that you're not alone. 

As COVID-19 stretches on through winter, our bodies are slowing down, holing up, and forgetting that we actually need to move. With physical-distancing protocols and lock-down mandates in play, people have been challenged with finding alternative ways to working out. And as remote work and learning continues to dominate our routines into January, the cold weather adds another layer of challenges as we all try and stay physically heathy. The following is a list of exercises/strategies you can gift yourself, and some you don’t even have to get out of your chair for!

Rock climbing: anyone can do it! 

Locker Room Closures: 12/16-12/30.

Results from July 16th's JFit Duathlon.

Day 16, Tabata with Kathy, 9 - 9:50 AM, Tuesday.

Day 16, Cardio Jam with Kathy, 8:45 - 9:30 AM, Friday.