Exercise of the Month: Spider-Man Push-Ups By Mike Mejia, M.S., C.S.C.S Muscles Trained: Chest, shoulders, triceps and core. Importance to Swimmers: By requiring a unique combination of flexibility and strength, this challenging drill stresses the importance of integrating core stability with movement of the limbs. Execution: Get down into a push-up position with your hands spaced slightly wider than shoulders’ width apart, and your shoulders lined up directly over your wrists. Keeping your core braced tight, begin lowering yourself towards the ground as you simultaneously bend your right knee and...

When The Coach Goes To Nationals Concern: The coach leaves the team for a whole week just to take one swimmer to nationals. It is not fair to the team and a poor use of money. Response: It is an important milestone in the development of the swimmer, of the coach, and of the team when the first national qualifier is developed. This swimmer represents the current "peak" of the program. All parts of a program are important but the peak is of special importance because it is a point...

Help Your Children Have Healthy Relationships By Stephanie Tweito Jacob Whether kids develop healthy relationship skills -- like how to compromise, how to resolve conflict and how to get along with others -- may ultimately affect their well-being as adults. "We know that relationships are both the biggest source of happiness and the biggest source of unhappiness in most adults' lives," says Dr. Brett Laursen, a professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University in Fort Lauderdale. Kids who are more socially skilled tend to be well liked by other children...

The beginning of the school year is here again, and with it comes the after-school snack. These after-school snacks will satisfy your children until dinnertime, and won't have them riding a sugar high all through the night. They take just minutes to prepare, can be made ahead of time, and might even be mistaken for their less-than-healthy competition. CRAN-NUT GRANOLA This recipe is easy to prepare, and the kids can help. Scoop some granola into an airlock baggie and set on the counter for your kids to grab after 3...

Soda and Drink Guidelines Child Nutrition Basics By Vincent Iannelli, M.D. Some experts are saying that the school soda and drink guidelines from The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, William J. Clinton Foundation, American Heart Association, and beverage industry leaders to limit soda and other high calorie drinks in schools are a good first step in the battle against child obesity. Many others think that much more needs to be done and that the guidelines may not go far enough though. For example, although the guidelines ban no sugar added...

Some people welcome new experiences and new people. They look forward to any opportunity to socialize. They're often the first to introduce themselves and they jump into a conversation easily. Josh is like this. For him, being friendly and outgoing is natural, energizing, and fun. It doesn't take much effort at all. Other people are more like Josh's friend Megan. Ever since elementary school, Megan has thought of herself as quiet and shy. She prefers to warm up slowly to new people or situations. Some people may mistakenly think that...

5 Facts About Goal Setting These practical tips on goal setting can help make it easier to set and reach goals: Specific, realistic goals work best. When it comes to making a change, the people who succeed are those who set realistic, specific goals. "I'm going to recycle all my plastic bottles, soda cans, and magazines" is a much more doable goal than "I'm going to do more for the environment." And that makes it easier to stick with. It takes time for a change to become an established habit....

Splashing, wading, and paddling — it must mean a great day in the water. Playing at the beach, at a water park, by a lake, or in a pool can be a real treat on a hot day. Swimming is a lot of fun, but drowning is a real danger. Let's find out how to stay safe in the water. Why Is It Important to Be Safe in the Water? Fish are able to live and breathe under water, but people need air to breathe. People drown when too much...

For an inexpensive, guilt-free snack, bake your own perfectly crisp and delicately sweet banana chips. Baked Banana Chips Keep a bag of these tasty treats handy for long family drives or pack them in a child’s bagged lunch. Makes about 60 chips Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 3 hours INGREDIENTS 2 bananas, peeled 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice Cooking spray INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 200°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut bananas into 1/4” slices. Dip them in lemon juice, then place on a prepared baking...

Who says you can't play with your food—as long as you eat it too? Try increasing kids' consumption of healthy snacks by making them fun to eat. You'll get to spend some enjoyable time together, and have the chance to make good food fun to eat and make—together. Bumps on a Log—Spread celery sticks with peanut butter. Older kids can even do this themselves. Sprinkle on a few raisins. These are great in the lunchbox or for after-school snacks. Pack the peanut butter sides together, so it won't stick to...