FAST BREAKS

Treadmills Help Down Syndrome Babies

A new study shows that treadmills can help infants with Down syndrome learn how to walk months earlier than traditional therapies. Parents of 30 babies with Down syndrome were asked to help their children walk on the treadmills for eight minutes a day, five days a week. Assisted by their parents, this exercise helped the babies learn to walk up to four or five months earlier than traditional physical therapy alone, according to the study by the University of Michigan’s Division of Kinesiology.

Vacation Fit

With vacation season just around the corner, national fitness expert David Berger offers these tips to help vacationers relax and still maintain their fitness:

1. Plan ahead. Bring walking shoes. Call in advance to see what gym amenities your hotel may provide. Once you know, you can decide if you need to bring additional equipment like travel weights.

2. Don’t create barriers; create opportunities. If there’s no gym, get creative. Use the stairs, pool or even the floor of the hotel room.

3. Practice PO-TEN-TIAL. Don’t underestimate the power of 10 minutes to increase active living. Get at least 10 minutes of devoted full-body exercise time per day–walking, jogging, playing with kids, swimming–any full body motion works.

4. Opt for walking. Ditch the elevator or taxi for physical activity that you’ll thank yourself for later. Take scenic walks or sight-see on foot. Every little bit helps.

5. Get active. Incorporate fitness into vacation activities seamlessly. Climb up a mountain, go for a walk on the beach or take a bike ride. Whatever the physical activity may be, allowing yourself to burn calories while having fun is always a win-win situation.

Downtown Y Hosts USRA Championships

For the 26th straight year, the U.S. National Singles Racquetball Championships are coming to Houston. The May 21-26 tournament features more than 650 of the best racquetball players in the country occupying 14 courts at Houston’s Downtown YMCA.

“This will be the biggest tournament we’ve had in Houston since the heyday of the sport back in the early 1990s,” says Jim Hiser, executive director of the United States Racquetball Association (USRA). “It’s also the 35th anniversary of the USRA Hall of Fame, so many of the people in our hall will be in Houston. Dr. Bud Muehleisen from San Diego, the architect behind the rules of the game at its beginning in 1968 will be there, along with Mike Yellen and Lynn Adams, arguably the best male and female racquetball players to ever play the game.”

The U.S. Military Championships will also take place during the event and Hiser says there will be something for everyone. “The top male and female players from each age bracket will be competing to win a national title. We’ve got amateurs and the top professionals from across the country. The action takes place between eight in the morning and nine at night.”

For information visit www.Ymcahouston.org/downtown or www.Usra.org.

—Lisa Malosky

Did You Know?

In 1990, there were more than twice as many U.S. men’s collegiate soccer teams than women’s collegiate teams. Now, there are more women’s teams than men’s teams at the collegiate level.

Source: Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA)

Clueless

A new study of college students by Indiana University’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences backs up what most guys would at least grudgingly admit: they are hopeless when it comes to reading women.

More often than not, guys interpret even friendly cues, such as a subtle smile from a woman, as a sexual come-on. Why? Guys are clueless. More precisely, they are somewhat oblivious to the emotional subtleties of non-verbal cues, according to the study published in the journal Psychological Science.

Total Body Fitness

Chicago fitness professional Desiree Bartlett’s DVD takes you through 20-minute workouts that cover all the bases: cardio, strength and flexibility training. Includes optional Spanish and “Spanglish” audio tracks. Approximately 60 minutes. Acacia Productions. www.Acacialifestyle.com.

What Men Like

Guys! We want to know what you really like about women. Register your preferences in numerous categories by clicking on the “What Men Like” tab on the Healthandfitnessmag.com home page. The results will be tabulated and presented in our June 2008 “Men’s” issue.

Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription

With no cure to help the approximately 6.8 million Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, prevention is the best recourse. Noted Alzheimer’s neurologist Vincent Fortanasce, M.D. outlines an innovative plan that could lower your risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 70 percent. 336 pages. $26. Penguin Books. www.Penguin.com.

SHORTs

The DCAC Fitness Education Conference and Expo is scheduled to be held at Houston’s JW Marriott Hotel April 17-20. Fitness professionals who attend can learn the latest on providing instruction in numerous disciplines, including group exercise, Pilates, dance, personal training, Spinning, prenatal exercise and more. 800-DCAC551. www.Dcacfitness.com.

H&FSM is searching for Houston area moms who have passed along their enthusiasm for living a healthy life to their daughters to be featured in our “Fit Moms & Daughters” article, scheduled for publication in the October 2008 “Total Women’s Issue.” To register your nomination, please visit Healthandfitnessmag.com and click on the “Fit Moms” tab. Both mother and daughter will be photographed for the article.

Allen’s Landing is the site of the 8th Annual Dragon Boat Festival on May 3. Organizers expect more than 30 teams to compete. The event also includes educational cultural booths, great food, live entertainment and more. It’s sanctioned by the Texas Dragon Boat Association. www.Texasdragonboat.com.

Construction has begun on the Aliana Polo Club in Fort Bend County. The club will feature two professional polo fields and will host seasonal, national and international polo events. The project is part of the Aliana community development, located on the east side of Grand Parkway and FM 1464.

The Image Enhancement Center (formerly the Center for Image Enhance-ment), under the direction of Dr. James H. Kern, invites you to the “Spring Fling” on April 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn about the latest developments in no downtime medical procedures and sample outstanding beauty products. 2000 Bering Dr., Suite 260. 713-774-6243.

A group of well known former athletes, including Herschel Walker, along with sporting goods manufacturers, concerned citizens and sports retailers, have come together to lobby for congressional passage of the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act and the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Bill. The PEP bill would provide grants to school districts and community organizations to support physical education programs. The PHIT act would use tax incentives to initiate programs to encourage improved health for all Americans. 202-349-9417 or

www.getinvolved.sgma.com.

Houston Community College now offers a health and fitness instructor certificate program for students interested in pursuing careers in the fitness and health industries. The program combines practical and theoretical aspects of the field. 713-718-6084. www.Hccs.edu.

The Swing With the Legends golf tournament is scheduled for April 21 at Redstone Golf Club. Proceeds benefit prostate cancer research. Numerous former sports celebrities are expected to participate. 713-355-1975.

Historic Old Town Spring hosts the Texas Crawfish and Music Festival April 18-20 and 25-27. The event, one of the largest and most established crawfish festivals in the south, features live entertainment from top country, rock, blues and zydeco performers. Proceeds help to preserve Old Town Spring and support a variety of service organizations. www.Texascrawfishfestival.com.

Corbin Bleau, star of the hit Disney movie “High School Musical,” makes a special appearance at the H-E-B Houston Children’s Festival April 5-6. The event, held around city hall, Tranquility Park and Sam Houston Park in downtown, benefits Child Advocates, Inc. It features more than 350 activities, music, crafts, exhibits and more. www.Houstonchildrensfestival.com.


Treadmills Help Down Syndrome Babies A new study shows that treadmills can help infants with Down syndrome learn how to walk months earlier than traditional therapies. Parents of 30 babies with Down syndrome were asked to help their children walk on the treadmills for eight minutes a day, five days a week. Assisted by their parents, this exercise helped the babies learn to walk up to four or five months earlier than traditional physical therapy alone, according to the study by the University of Michigan’s Division of Kinesiology. Vacation Fit With vacation season just around the corner, national fitness expert David Berger offers these tips to help vacationers relax and still maintain their fitness: 1. Plan ahead. Bring walking shoes. Call in advance to see what gym amenities your hotel may provide. Once you know, you can decide if you need to bring additional equipment like travel weights. 2. Don’t create barriers; create opportunities. If there’s no gym, get creative. Use the stairs, pool or even the floor of the hotel room. 3. Practice PO-TEN-TIAL. Don’t underestimate the power of 10 minutes to increase active living. Get at least 10 minutes of devoted full-body exercise time per day–walking, jogging, playing with kids, swimming–any full body motion works. 4. Opt for walking. Ditch the elevator or taxi for physical activity that you’ll thank yourself for later. Take scenic walks or sight-see on foot. Every little bit helps. 5. Get active. Incorporate fitness into vacation activities seamlessly. Climb up a mountain, go for a walk on the beach or take a bike ride. Whatever the physical activity may be, allowing yourself to burn calories while having fun is always a win-win situation. Downtown Y Hosts USRA Championships For the 26th straight year, the U.S. National Singles Racquetball Championships are coming to Houston. The May 21-26 tournament features more than 650 of the best racquetball players in the country occupying 14 courts at Houston’s Downtown YMCA. “This will be the biggest tournament we’ve had in Houston since the heyday of the sport back in the early 1990s,” says Jim Hiser, executive director of the United States Racquetball Association (USRA). “It’s also the 35th anniversary of the USRA Hall of Fame, so many of the people in our hall will be in Houston. Dr. Bud Muehleisen from San Diego, the architect behind the rules of the game at its beginning in 1968 will be there, along with Mike Yellen and Lynn Adams, arguably the best male and female racquetball players to ever play the game.” The U.S. Military Championships will also take place during the event and Hiser says there will be something for everyone. “The top male and female players from each age bracket will be competing to win a national title. We’ve got amateurs and the top professionals from across the country. The action takes place between eight in the morning and nine at night.” For information visit www.Ymcahouston.org/downtown or www.Usra.org. —Lisa Malosky Did You Know? In 1990, there were more than twice as many U.S. men’s collegiate soccer teams than women’s collegiate teams. Now, there are more women’s teams than men’s teams at the collegiate level. Source: Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) Clueless A new study of college students by Indiana University’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences backs up what most guys would at least grudgingly admit: they are hopeless when it comes to reading women. More often than not, guys interpret even friendly cues, such as a subtle smile from a woman, as a sexual come-on. Why? Guys are clueless. More precisely, they are somewhat oblivious to the emotional subtleties of non-verbal cues, according to the study published in the journal Psychological Science. Total Body Fitness Chicago fitness professional Desiree Bartlett’s DVD takes you through 20-minute workouts that cover all the bases: cardio, strength and flexibility training. Includes optional Spanish and “Spanglish” audio tracks. Approximately 60 minutes. Acacia Productions. www.Acacialifestyle.com. What Men Like Guys! We want to know what you really like about women. Register your preferences in numerous categories by clicking on the “What Men Like” tab on the Healthandfitnessmag.com home page. The results will be tabulated and presented in our June 2008 “Men’s” issue. Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription With no cure to help the approximately 6.8 million Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, prevention is the best recourse. Noted Alzheimer’s neurologist Vincent Fortanasce, M.D. outlines an innovative plan that could lower your risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 70 percent. 336 pages. $26. Penguin Books. www.Penguin.com. SHORTs The DCAC Fitness Education Conference and Expo is scheduled to be held at Houston’s JW Marriott Hotel April 17-20. Fitness professionals who attend can learn the latest on providing instruction in numerous disciplines, including group exercise, Pilates, dance, personal training, Spinning, prenatal exercise and more. 800-DCAC551. www.Dcacfitness.com. H&FSM is searching for Houston area moms who have passed along their enthusiasm for living a healthy life to their daughters to be featured in our “Fit Moms & Daughters” article, scheduled for publication in the October 2008 “Total Women’s Issue.” To register your nomination, please visit Healthandfitnessmag.com and click on the “Fit Moms” tab. Both mother and daughter will be photographed for the article. Allen’s Landing is the site of the 8th Annual Dragon Boat Festival on May 3. Organizers expect more than 30 teams to compete. The event also includes educational cultural booths, great food, live entertainment and more. It’s sanctioned by the Texas Dragon Boat Association. www.Texasdragonboat.com. Construction has begun on the Aliana Polo Club in Fort Bend County. The club will feature two professional polo fields and will host seasonal, national and international polo events. The project is part of the Aliana community development, located on the east side of Grand Parkway and FM 1464. The Image Enhancement Center (formerly the Center for Image Enhance-ment), under the direction of Dr. James H. Kern, invites you to the “Spring Fling” on April 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn about the latest developments in no downtime medical procedures and sample outstanding beauty products. 2000 Bering Dr., Suite 260. 713-774-6243. A group of well known former athletes, including Herschel Walker, along with sporting goods manufacturers, concerned citizens and sports retailers, have come together to lobby for congressional passage of the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act and the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Bill. The PEP bill would provide grants to school districts and community organizations to support physical education programs. The PHIT act would use tax incentives to initiate programs to encourage improved health for all Americans. 202-349-9417 or www.getinvolved.sgma.com. Houston Community College now offers a health and fitness instructor certificate program for students interested in pursuing careers in the fitness and health industries. The program combines practical and theoretical aspects of the field. 713-718-6084. www.Hccs.edu. The Swing With the Legends golf tournament is scheduled for April 21 at Redstone Golf Club. Proceeds benefit prostate cancer research. Numerous former sports celebrities are expected to participate. 713-355-1975. Historic Old Town Spring hosts the Texas Crawfish and Music Festival April 18-20 and 25-27. The event, one of the largest and most established crawfish festivals in the south, features live entertainment from top country, rock, blues and zydeco performers. Proceeds help to preserve Old Town Spring and support a variety of service organizations. www.Texascrawfishfestival.com. Corbin Bleau, star of the hit Disney movie “High School Musical,” makes a special appearance at the H-E-B Houston Children’s Festival April 5-6. The event, held around city hall, Tranquility Park and Sam Houston Park in downtown, benefits Child Advocates, Inc. It features more than 350 activities, music, crafts, exhibits and more. www.Houstonchildrensfestival.com.