The Body & Movement

The No Pain, No Gain Fallacy

We’ve all heard the phrase, No Pain, No Gain in relation to exercises. It’s a popular expression but it is not true. Actually, it’s potentially harmful.

When we think No Pain, No Gain in terms of exercise we tend to think that either our workout should be grueling, or we should be sore the day or two afterward. If we aren’t then we presume we haven’t done enough. The problem is working out and pushing through pain increases our risk of injury. Once we are injured our whole workout plan can be derailed. Plus the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) we feel 24-48 hours after a workout isn’t practical or functional. We are more likely to get injured then because we have to alter the way we naturally move to work around how sore we are.

While you can choose to only do an upper body workout every other day, you can’t not use half your body for a whole day. We need our arms to pick up our children, reach for something off the top shelf, and open the refrigerator. We need our legs to go upstairs, get in and out of […]

The No Pain, No Gain FallacyMaggie Downie2021-10-15T16:20:14-04:00

Carving for a Cause Charity Pumpkin Patch

Personal Euphoria is hosting the third Carving for a Cause Charity Pumpkin Patch

Carving for a Cause Charity Pumpkin Patch was designed to highlight our local creativity, bring joy to our community, and raise money for a local charity. Personal Euphoria began sponsoring this event when, in the midst of COVID, we all needed a little glimmer of joy. Due to its popularity, we are continuing the event.

This year will have 3 winners.

All are welcome to participate by dropping off a carved pumpkin at 400 Hartford Ave, Wethersfield, CT on Saturday or Sunday, October 21 or 22, 2023. Please submit name/email/phone number/picture of your pumpkin to [email protected] to officially register your pumpkin. Please write your name on the back of your pumpkin with a sharpie. Place your pumpkin as close to the garage as possible. Note: any carvings deemed offensive will not be displayed.

Others can join the fun by voting throughout the week. Simply click this link to vote. One vote per person. Votes will be collected through Halloween night at 10 pm and then tallied. Personal Euphoria […]

Carving for a Cause Charity Pumpkin PatchMaggie Downie2023-10-01T09:28:51-04:00

Family Fitness – Fun for the Whole Family!

This is a great time of year to start a family fitness routine because with kids heading back to school we all tend to get back into a schedule after summer vacation. If you are looking for a family fitness routine your whole family will enjoy consider keeping it simple, incorporating variety, and looking for fun ways to move.

Simple

Probably the most basic way to incorporate movement with the whole family is to plan a walk after dinner. You could do this three, five, or seven nights a week if you are feeling ambitious. It would help instill great habits.

In case you’re not sure you could convince your whole family to walk every day, here are some other ideas. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are plenty more and you can come up with anything and try new things daily or weekly, depending on how often you want to move with your family.

Play a Game

You could always use the technology kids love and play a game. The Nintendo Switch has boxing, bowling, and dance games you can play that will keep you moving. Or go old school and pull out a game like twister.

Bike Ride

You can take a […]

Family Fitness – Fun for the Whole Family!Maggie Downie2021-09-14T23:03:26-04:00

Workout in the Heat

Plank You!

We have been having such a hot, muggy, moist summer. But this is also one of the best times to workout outdoors. We have long days, and the sun feels good for the soul. We can still workout when it’s toasty, but it just takes a little more planning and forethought to be safe working out in the heat. Here are some tips for a safe workout in the heat:

Timing in the Heat

When the humidity tops 70% (we’ve been seeing much higher this season) and the temps above 90, you’re best bet is to exercise first thing in the morning. Next best choice would be later in the evening (but that can interfere with your sleep schedule and it doesn’t always cool down enough). Either way definitely stay away from exercise during the peak heat of the day (from 11am-4pm).

Location

Consider a different location. Think of a place that is shade covered. You’ll keep cooler in the shade than if the sun it beating down on you. The Airline Trail in Connecticut is a great place for this. Large swaths of it is shade covered. Plus, it’s really pretty.

You can […]

Workout in the HeatMaggie Downie2021-08-23T15:59:34-04:00

Swimming is more than just a great way to beat the heat. Swimming is a great form of exercise that hits so many health and wellness bases:

Cardio

Swimming is cardiovascular exercises. It gets your heart pumping.

Respiratory

Swimming enhances our lung capacity. In research comparing amateur but regular swimmers with amateur but regular runners, the swimmers had better lung capacity on all counts. Running is certainly good for lung capacity, but researchers think perhaps the pressure and resistance of the of the water helps build lung capacity even more in swimmers.

Resistance Training

The water itself creates resistance and not just for the muscles around our lungs and ribs, but every part of the body, so it helps build muscle tone and increase overall strength.

Full Body Workout

Pick pretty much any swim stroke and you are going to get a full body workout. Your core, glutes (part of your core), arms, and legs all get involved in the workout.

Calorie Burn

If you are into the workout to burn calories, there isn’t much you can do that burns more than swimming (maybe running). Of course, your intensity and choice of stroke matter.

Low Impact

The ability to be buoyant in the […]

Maggie Downie2021-06-28T21:51:33-04:00

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