Tim Begley

**Workshop Alert** Introduction To Resistance Training - Also known as strength training, resistance training is an essential component of a well-rounded fitness plan. There are many health benefits to this style of exercise. Join Practicing Kinesiologist Tim Begley for an overview of resistance training and a hands-on workshop using the new equipment at Dinner Bay Park.

This is sponsored by the Mayne Island Parks and Recreation Commission. If successful, it will be the first workshop in a series of similar workshops.

When:
1st session Tuesday, August 27th at 9:30 am - 10 am (Full)
2nd session Tuesday, August 27th at 10:30 am - 11 am (Space available)

Cost:
Free - Thanks to the Mayne Island Parks and Recreation Commission

To Register:
Please PM me or email [email protected]

If you're interested in bone health and exercise, this video is for you.

Understanding Exercise for Bone Health This is "Understanding Exercise for Bone Health" by Positive Shift Academy on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

More greens, more berries 🥬. I often suggest people buy more greens than they think they can eat. It becomes a challenge to see what meals you can add greens to. In our garden, we challenge ourselves to grow more greens than we think we can eat. We don't like wasting so we end up eating more just to save it from going to waste. Then there are the berries! We have added a TON of berry bushes to our backyard. There never seem to be too many of them. The kids eat the greens and the berries. I just LOVE growing food.

Outdoor Fitness Classes on Mayne Island resume May 11th. PM me if you are on Mayne Island and you want the details.

I am using my phone this year, instead of a wearable tracker, to track my steps. It doesn’t catch all my steps but it is very easy to use. It seems to count my bike rides. I will take it 😊.

One question that often comes up is: "What happens if I don’t have 30 minutes for a workout?"

You can string together 10-minute workouts for a similar training effect. Three 10-minute walks will have a similar benefit to a 30-minute walk. Breaking up the task can make it easier to fit into your schedule.

February is Heart and Stroke Awareness Month and we’ve got lots of cardio-inspired content ready to help you feel great and take care of your heart this month. Cardio means “heart” in Latin, and your heart is a muscle. Just like all the other muscles in your body that benefit from training, your heart does too. Walking, cycling, rowing, and swimming are just a few examples of “cardio” activities. I recommend at least 30 minutes every day.

Some simple strength exercises can significantly improve your posture. I have some short videos I can send to you if better posture is one of your goals.

There are many clients I work with 100% online. I create programs and routines. I help with structure and accountability. I do live 1-on-1 and group sessions. If you are looking for support with your health and fitness, please send me a message. I have some free resources that can help you get started.

Happy New Year! It was one of the easier polar bear dips this year. A truly beautiful day. Thank you Pete Jones for these photos. My best wishes for a happy and healthy 2024.

I get some help cleaning the gym. It is nice to start 2024 fresh with a clean space for exercise. It is also nice to play with bubbles.

This is cool. I don't drink much alcohol. If you are going to a party or hosting a party it is helpful to have some celebratory drinks that you are excited about. I like sparkling water. I guess it doesn't take much to excite me.... Think about what you ARE CHOOSING and it will make saying no to the things you don't want to choose much easier. Usually, I am simply choosing to feel great the next day..

35 km with some extra weight today. It was a nice Sunday adventure. The e-bike makes it possible but far from easy.

Grip strength is a great indicator of health as we age and a huge tool for independence in older adults. Hanging from the monkey bars is a fantastic way to build this strength!

We were on the ferry last week and ended up parked on the lower of two vehicle decks. As we began trekking up the very steep stairs, my 4-year-old said “This is great! Now we get to climb even more stairs!” He was very sincere.

It is a good reminder that we choose how we perceive things.
We don’t have to climb the stairs. We GET to.

Indoor Classes Starting Oct 28 on Mayne Island.

In addition to my online classes, I will be offering indoor fitness classes on Saturday mornings starting Oct 28th. There is a light-intensity class and an advanced class. PM me to reserve your spot.

Saturdays 8:30am -9:15am Light Intensity
9:30am-1015am Advanced Class
$180 for 8 classes Oct 28-Dec 16 (8 Classes).

The Groove Studio, 454 Village Bay Road

If you have ever been overwhelmed learning about nutrition labels, this is an easy place to start. https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/868564206/f4d3934206/privacy

I am offering outdoor fitness classes in August on Mayne Island. PM me if you want to register.

Times:
Sundays August 6-27 (4 classes)
Light Intensity Class 8 am-8:45 am
Advanced Class 9am -9:45 am

Tuesdays August 1-29 (5 classes)
7:30-815 pm
(There is only one class on Tuesdays and it will be moderate in intensity. Everyone is welcome)

Location:
The Adachi Pavillion in Dinner Bay Park

Cost:
All the classes $75
Only Sundays $35
Only Tuesdays $45

We love making and drinking green juices. We aim to use a variety of vegetables and very little fruit. Celery, spinach, and kale are the common ones. Green juices can be a great addition to a meal to get a pile of nutrients associated with green veggies in, including a variety of vitamins, calcium, and folate. They are convenient, delicious, and make it much easier to get the quantity of leafy greens recommended for optimal health than eating all the vegetables themselves.

This time of year forest fires can lead to poor air quality in my region. I’m thinking of those impacted by the fires. A few years ago I developed a free course on how to read air quality reports, breathing exercises to help strengthen your lungs, and follow-along exercise videos to support your health doing these periods. I hope it will bring you some comfort and knowledge to stay healthy and keep active during periods of poor air quality.

https://www.positiveshiftacademy.com/courses/air

How are your shoes supporting your health? Depending on the type of shoe, they might not be helping at all. However, spending time barefoot can be very beneficial.

It can help you:
- Strengthen the muscles in your feet and lower legs
- Encourage your toes and arches to adapt to provide the support your body needs from them
- Improve your balance and proprioception
- Develop a more natural gait and posture

Start slow in a safe environment. Then, challenge yourself to do more and more barefoot.

I love doing intervals on the rower. Whether you use a rowing machine, a bike, or sprinting up hills, doing some sort of interval training where you go as hard as you can for 20-40 seconds is essential. There are many ways to do interval training. High-Intensity Interval Training where the intervals are very hard and intense, but there is also low-intensity interval training. If you have access to a rowing machine or a bike, that makes it easy great, otherwise find some way to do some intervals and your body will thank you.

Look who joined me in the gym!

Going without screens and blue light after dark is beneficial for your circadian rhythms (your body’s internal clock of awake and rest cycles). Increased time spent with blue light can also lead to some health challenges for your eyes. This time of year it is even easier to try out since, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are so much longer.

Actions to Try:
- Try blue light-blocking glasses after sunset.
- Have an iPhone? Turn your screen red in the evenings.
- You can even switch the lightbulbs in table lamps to red bulbs and eliminate using overhead lights after sunset.
- Simply, or not so simply, set your alarm clock after dinner and then put your cell phone away!

People often ask about training for balance and if they should train on a wobble board. There’s basically no difference between training on an unstable surface (like a wobble board) and training on a stable surface and challenging yourself to be strong. Both are good. I tend to prefer training on a good, stable surface. Sometimes, it’s fun to change it up and train on an unstable surface.