Thursday, September 12, 2013

Spartan MoMs & DaDs

Lead by example…an active parent leads to an active child!
SPARTAN CODE: “A Spartan LEADS!”

We are very well aware of the high rate in child obesity and as parents it is our job to keep this number as low as possible.  It is no secret that obesity is the cause of many problems in our society, for instance health issues, mood swings, unhappiness, no desire to try new things, just to name a few.  We also, know that our children copy everything we do!  So why not lead by example and teach them the path to a healthier lifestyle, one that will benefit them as they grow into adulthood and one that will benefit us in return in staying active.
Here is the 2013 Statistical Fact Sheet from The American Heart Association
(23.9 million Children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese)
           
        Children by nature love to be active; they like to jump, run, climb, swim, etc.  Our job is to use that to our advantage and join them in the fun.  Just the mere fact that they see you enjoying those moments with them, not only does it entice them to do it more, but it also helps in their psychological development to be active and happier children.  Although, joining them in their fun times is awesome for them and for you, it doesn't always have to be with children’s games.  For example moms and dads can go out for jogs/walks with their kids in the jogging stroller or bike riding with the child strapped in the child bicycle seat or simply doing a workout video at home while your child is in the playpen or high-chair watching you. Spartan Race is a great activity to bring the whole family together! So join the race, bring your kids to take on the Junior Spartan Race and team up with other parents for many more future family adventures, activities, and Spartan memories! They are absorbing everything they see and there is a huge chance they will copy those great habits. 
        
Me (Aragon) with my daughter Kiara        Kari out for a jog with Kiara
Kiara at Tuxedo Spartan Sprint

Check out Will & Karen Vanderhorst with their daughter Isabel
Another important factor is guiding them to eat better.  For their meals and snacks always choose healthy, yet delicious foods such as, whole wheat grains, cereals, fruits, veggies, yogurts, etc.  

Check out some healthy meals and snacks ideas for kids here:

If we can help child obesity in any way, the best ways is to start with our own children; let’s teach them the path towards health & fitness and help create a healthy-active environment. 

See you at the RACE! AROO!
Coach Jon Aragon

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Spartan Beach Workout


Before laying on your beach chair, give yourself a reason to Snooze! The beach is a great place to change up the scenery from the daily gym or park. Plenty of sun, sand, and the ocean waves in the background, make for an excellent Spartan workout atmosphere.

When going on vacation I always take my gym with me, and that’s my empty heavy duty nylon duffle bag. A small duffle bag is perfect for a variety of exercises, which you can do anywhere anytime. To adjust weight, all you have to do is simply add or remove sand to the desired weight. I always prefer to use dry sand; this is the sand you come across near the entrance of the beach. The dry sand makes it easier to fill up your bag and is less of a mess to empty when done. If you want to be a hardcore Spartan about it then feel free to dip it in the ocean and toss your sandbag around.

Now to find the appropriate weight to do most exercises with, fill up your bag and do a bicep curl with one arm. If you are able to curl the bag then it’s going to be too light when you use it for full body movement exercises such as swings, squats, and burpees. The bag should be very difficult to curl or not at all. Of course adjustments during the workout can be made in seconds by removing or adding sand.

Here is a great workout I recently did on my trip in South Carolina:
-         1-2 min Sand Bag Swings
-         1-3 mile Jog
-         1-2 min Sand Bag Switches (Switch hands at the top)
-         1-2 min Sand Bag Curl Cleans (Hold palms facing out, preform clean)
-         1-2 min Sand Bag Beast Crawls (Place bag on shoulder blades, Crawl)
-         1-2 min Single Arm Presses (Spilt time in half, exp. 1min each side)
-         1-2 min Single Arm Upright Rows (Raise hand to chain EVERY REP)
-         1-2 min Spartan Burpee (Chest must touch ground, push press up)
-         Repeat 2-5 times

Enjoy and see you at the RACE! AROO!
SGX Coach Aragon