Today we introduce our newest columnist, Sarah Matchett. A certified cycling coach who works with Cool Breeze Cyclery in Mooresville, she’ll be writing monthly on fitness and training-related topics.

Every year when the cold, wet North Carolina February weather sets it, I’m tempted to move all my fitness and training inside.  Let’s face it, treadmills, cycle trainers and indoor driving ranges are awfully nice when the thermometer plunges.  And temperatures aside, any athlete—from competitive to beginner—knows the value of a structured indoor workout.

But working out inside never feeds my soul, puts the color in my cheeks, or just makes me happy to be alive the way an outdoor bike ride with friends does.  That’s true even in February.

In actuality, there’s no such thing as too cold if you know how to prepare. It’s true for kids who want to stay out in the snow, and it’s true for athletes who want to stay outside to train! Here are some tricks for staying outdoors – and fit – all winter: Read the full story

Runners have a variety of theories about winter training, such as the idea that you burn more calories in cold weather or it’s easy to get dehydrated. Triathlete magazine interviewed John Castellani, a physiologist at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass., so help separate the truths from the lies.

LINK: “Does Winter Running Burn More Calories?”

The Lake Norman YMCA, at 21300 Davidson Street in Cornelius, will hold an open house Saturday, Jan. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m.

For those who haven’t already seen it, guests on Saturday can tour the Y’s newly renovated fitness facility that opened last month.

The center features:

• Larger, brighter and more open workout space
• New and improved Life Fitness strength equipment
• Panoramic views of Lake Cornelius
• Precor TRM 885 Cardio Equipment, including top-of-the-line commercial treadmills, private viewing screens, touch screen consoles, heart rate monitors, integrated Footplant Technology and Ground Effects impact control
• Stay Healthy fitness tracking technology available with all equipment

Open house visitors will be able to try the new fitness equipment, participate in group exercise demonstrations, meet staff members and familiarize themselves with the other facilities and services offered at the Lake Norman YMCA.

All community members are invited to attend.

Lake Norman YMCA members last week got a first glimpse of the Y’s newly renovated fitness center at a grand opening reception Wednesday, Dec. 21. The center opens just in time for those New Years resolutions.

Named for Robert and Louise Cashion, the center was about 15 years old before the upgrades, that took about 3 months to complete. The center features:

• Larger, brighter and more open workout space
• New and improved Life Fitness strength equipment
• Panoramic views of Lake Cornelius
• Precor TRM 885 Cardio Equipment, including top-of-the-line commercial treadmills, private viewing screens, touch screen consoles, heart rate monitors, integrated Footplant Technology and Ground Effects impact control
• Stay Healthy fitness tracking technology available with all equipment

See more photos of the wellness center below. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Frank Giancarli knew Davidson would be the perfect place for his new business, Training Ground of Davidson, because of what he saw around him. “People here are so fitness focused,” he said. “The difference between Davidson and other places is you’re always seeing people walking or biking on the street.” Read the full story

To help, Davidson Parks & Rec starts a Walking Club

By LESLIE WILLIS

Many articles in health magazines feature celebrities and models who participate in yoga, jogging, or kickboxing. They make it appear as if people are doing nothing but exercising all day long.

Many newspaper articles have appeared, reporting on research about chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer along with one of the major underlying chronic conditions, physical inactivity. But the reality of today’s society and our health is often very different. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

When Leslie Willis came to Davidson for a visit a few months ago, she saw “people active” – walking, running and biking around town. That told her that there’s a “good foundation here” for building community health and wellness.

Ms. Willis, 35, is the former campus recreation director at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo. She started work June 16 as Davidson Parks & Recreation’s first health and wellness supervisor. She said this week she’s excited about her new role developing and managing health-related courses, programs and events.
Read the full story

The Town of Davidson Parks & Recreation department will offer a variety of health and wellness classes in June, from a “Back to Basics Herbal Series” to Zumba and martial arts classes. Pre-registration is required, by visiting www.d-Recs.org or calling 704-892-3349. All programs are held at the Parks & Recreation office, 416 Armour St., unless noted. Read more about the classes below: Read the full story

Join the new Senior Strollers Walking Club, a partnership between the Cornelius PARC Department and the North Mecklenburg Senior Center. Walkers will meet Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. at Bailey Road Park in Cornelius, beginning Wednesday, May 18. Read the full story

Members of Davidson College’s newest sorority, the Upsilon Mu chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, took over the atrium of the college Thursday for a midday event they called “Everybody Zumba!”
Read the full story