Safety Tips for Raking Leaves and Shoveling Snow

Raking and snow shoveling provide an excellent aerobic workout. You should always check with your doctor before starting new aerobic activities that place high stress on your heart. If you have a medical condition or do not exercise regularly, you should find someone to assist you with raking and snow removal.

• Warmup your muscles and cardiovascular system before activity by performing pictured (below) exercises and/or a short walk.
   
• Use proper equipment according to your height. You should be able to have your hands 18-24” apart and the handle should be about chin height. A rake or shovel with too short of a handle will require excessive forward bending and too long of a handle will decrease your leverage.
   
• Pace yourself by taking regular rest breaks and replenish fluids to avoid dehydration.
   
• Dress appropriately in layers to stay warm. This gives you the ability to remove layers as you warm-up. Use gloves to keeps hands warm and prevent blisters.

• Keep rake handle close to body to promote upright posture through the back and neck.
   
• Place one foot in front of the other with slight bend at knees, so you are able to shift weight back and forth between feet as you rake.
   
• Minimize trunk twisting by using pulling motion from the shoulders and weight shifting at the legs.
   
• Switch sides with your lead foot & hand to equalize stresses to each side of the body.
   
• Avoid overfilling bags to limit the load on your back and arms as you carry bags.

• Try a combination of pushing the snow and lifting to alter the loads on your body.
   
• Use lift strategies that involve bending the knees and keeping the load close to the body.
   
• Scoop small amounts of snow to limit load on your back while lifting.
   
• Avoid throwing snow over the shoulder or to the side to limit trunk twisting. Use your feet to pivot and keep shoulders in alignment over your hips.

Golf Performance Client Testimonial

Like most middle-aged golfers I recently came to the realization that my body and swing were nowhere near as effective as in the past. I had been diligently working out and stretching for years but whenever I asked a health club trainer for advice it was the typical suggestions we’ve all heard. After 40+ years of playing competitively, professionally and mostly for fun I was due for a change.

Thankfully I heard about Chris through the Titleist Performance Institute. Our visit and his workouts have totally revamped my body and swing. A long trip to Scotland six weeks after starting his workouts confirmed what I could feel. My swing had regained significant efficiency, my shoulders and spine could again deal with repeated 36 holes a day, and my distance nearly returned to my days (15 years ago) as a pro. The workouts are interesting and simple to master and can easily work into your daily routine. I am thrilled at the results and am happy to recommend Chris and his program to golfers of all ages and skills.

We are heading into the end of the current golf season and this is the best time to tune your body for next year. We have a lot of options for addressing your physical and swing efficiency limitations.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR GOLF PERFORMANCE WEBSITE FOR A MENU OF OPTIONS AND SERVICES

3rd Annual Monster Dash 5K :: Pround Sponsors

GREAT SHWAG, GREAT COURSE, GREAT COSTUMES!!!

The 3rd Annual Monster Dash 5K, 10K and Little Monster Miler are coming to town Sunday, October 26th, 2014 at 10AM at Highland Elementary School. There will be prizes for the best costume and the fastest little monsters!

The 5K and 10K courses both begin south down Harmon to Columbia. A counter-clockwise lolly-pop with bring runners back up to Drake park, cross the foot bridge and counter-clockwise run the park up to NW Drake Rd. to finish back at Highland Elementary School. The 10K route is the same route, just 2 loops.

The Little Monsters route is a counter-clockwise loop that will head south down Harmon to Galveston, and then follow the path back through Drake park, across the foot bridge and finish back at the school.

This year the Monster Dash is proud to be supporting Younityus.org. This fantastic organization is locally based and passionately driven to reduce bullying in our community.  Our goal is to get 400 participants, to include as many grade school and high school kids as we can to come out and run or walk for this cause.!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND TO REGISTER FOR THIS EXCITING EVENT
 

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