5, 4, 3, 2, 1 BLAST OFF! YMCA ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN!...or cool-down, is essential to muscle...

5,4,3,2,1BLASTOFF!YMCAANNUALGIVINGCAMPAIGN!

OurAnnualGivingCampaignofficiallykicksoffonFebruary27!Youwillseemanyofoursuperstarvolunteersand staff out talkingwithmembersandour communityabout theYMCAand requestingpledgesof financialsupport.FundsraisedsupportourOpenDoorsProgram,whichprovidesYMCAmembershipfinancialassistancefor those in need. The campaign also supportsmany of our youth programs including Child Care, SummerCamp,YouthSports,SwimLessons,YouthTheatre,andBackpackWeekendFoodProgram.Youcanpledgeagiftofanyamounttothecampaignatyourbranchordonateonlineatwww.ymcaocc.org.

SpecialFUNdraisers

You’veprobablyseenavarietyoffunadditionalwaysyoucansupportyourY.Thefollowingaretwoofourlargersuchevents,butbeonthelookoutatyourbranchfor

additionalfunopportunities.SilentAuctionsPennsValleyYMCA:March9-17BellefonteYMCA:March17-24StateCollegeYMCA:March19-21MoshannonValleyYMCA:April2-5Opentothepublic—heldinthelobbyoftheYMCAs.SendAKidtoCamp!Wednesday,April11atALLBranchesStaff,Volunteers,andmemberswillbebiking(orsomeformofexercising)toraisemoneytoprovidescholarshipstosendchildrentoYMCASummerDayCamp.ContactyourbranchtosignupforaFUNdraisingshiftifyouwouldliketobepartofthefun!YoucanalsosponsoraFUNdraiserorcontributethedayofevent.

SUMMERDAYCAMP

Summerwillbeherebeforeweknowit.Weareplanningafunandexcitingprogramthatwehopeyourchildwillenjoy.Summercampoffersnewexperiences,asenseofcommunityandlastingfriendships.Ouruniquesummercampprogramcontinuesourhighqualitystandardsbyprovidingchildrenwithanoutsideexperiencetheywillrememberforever.SummercampisheldoutdoorsatGovernor’sPark,withrainsitesattheYMCAandtheBellefonteElementarySchool.Throughoutthedaychildrencanchoosefromavarietyofactivitiesthatincludeart,groupgames,creativedramatics,music,dance,cookingandteambuilding.WeswimatKeplerPooleverydayexceptWednesday.OnWednesday,wetakefieldtripsorprovidespecialdayactivities.Thechildrenareprovidedbreakfast,lunchandanafternoonsnackdaily.Wedividethechildreninto3ageappropriategroups:JOURNEYCAMP(GRADE1-2)ADVENTURECAMP(GRADES3-4)QUESTCAMP(GRADES5-6)SUMMERCAMPWILLOPERATEFROMMONDAY,JUNE4THTHROUGHWEDNESDAY,AUGUST22THTHISYEAR.(tentativedates,dependingonBellefonteSchoolDistrictsnowmakeupdays)PleasecontactHeatherHeckman,EarlyCare&EducationDirectorformoreinformationonhowtoenrollyourchild.hheckman@ymcaocc.org814-355-5551

MartialArtsAdultShotokan:ShotokanisatraditionalOkinawanstyleofkaratethatisstrongyetgraceful.Shotokanemphasizesacombinationofphysiology,withtechniqueandspirittomaximizeoneseffectiveness,power,andspeed.Forages12andup.Classmeetsduringbothtimesindicatedbelow.Additionalfeesforuniforms.Location:AerobicsRoom(MainBuilding)Wed:7:00-8:30PMSat:9:00-10:30AMRegisterHereKidsShotokan:Shotokankaratefostersthedevelopmentofqualitiessuchascoordinationofmindandbody,self-control,mentaldiscipline(knowingwhatisrightandwrong),respectforothers,andself-confidencewithcourageperseverance,courtesy,andhumility,inyourtraining.Childrenages5-14willbedividedintoage/skillgroups,andclassmeetingdayswillbedeterminedbySenseiA.Campbell.Mon:7:00-8:30PM(MainBuildingAerobicsRoom)Wed:7:00-8:30PM(AnnexAerobicsRoom)Sat:9:00-10:30AM(AnnexAerobicsRoom)RegisterHere

FitnesstipsfromMatt’sLuksicWellnessDirector

Pursuingyourfitnessgoalscanbeagrind.Weekinandweekout,madness.Notonlydoyouneedtostayfocusedongettinginyourworkouts,butalsoeatingrighttomaximizeresults.Withabusyprofessionalandpersonallife,weallhaveplentyofreadilyavailableexcusesandpotentialroadblocksthatcankeepusfromachievingourgoals.Let’snotaddanotheronetothelist.Listentoyourbody.Inrelationtoworkoutrecovery,herearethe5thingsthataremostlikelykeepingyoufromperformingatyourbestandmaximizingresults.You’reNotFoamRolling:Foamrollingshouldbedonefollowinganystrenuousstrengthtraining,orcardiovascularworkout.Whenperformedproperly,foamrollingincreasesbloodflowtothemusclesandhelpstoworkout“knots”inthemuscletissue.Itistrulyanothernameforself-administeredmassagetherapy.Potentiallythemostappealingbenefitoffoamrollingisasignificantdecreaseinmusclesoreness.Thiswillallowforamuchmoreassertedeffortduringeachandeveryworkout.Increasesinflexibilityandrangeofmotionarealsoseenasaresultofregular,post-workoutfoamrolling.Thebestwaytouseafoamrolleristositorlayontherollersothatitpositioneddirectlyunderthemusclethatyouaretargeting.Thenallowyourbodyweighttoapplypressuredownontotherollerandrolltheentirelengthoftheisolatedmuscle.Somewhereintherangeof20-30rolls,backandforth,overthemusclewillallowforoptimalmyofascialrelease.Ifyoudiscovertroubleareas,or“hotspots”,paymoreattentiontotheseareas.You’reNotDoingAProperCool-Down:Chancesarethatafteranintenseworkoutyourfirstreactionistoheadforthecouchandabruptlyendallphysicalactivity.Althoughthismaybewhatyourbodywants,itiscertainlynotwhatitneeds.Inordertopromoteincreasedbloodflowinthebody,thereforeaidinginnutrientdeliverytomuscles,anactiverecovery,orcool-down,isessentialtomusclerecovery.Byremovingwasteproductssuchaslacticacid,thepropercool-downwillcutdownonmusclesorenessfollowingyourworkout.Thegoalofacool-downistolowertheheartratebackdownintoarestingstate.Agoodruleofthumbforthisistoperform5-10minutesoflowerintensityexerciseorstretchingasyourheartratedecreasesbyabout10-15beatsperminute.You’reNotRefuelingProperlyAfterYourWorkout:Hydrationiskeyinpreventingpost-workoutfatigue.Forworkoutslastinglessthananhour,watershouldbetheprimarysourceofhydration.Workoutslastinglongerthananhourinlengthshouldbefueledbyasportsdrinktoreplenishnutrientslostduringtraining.Thehourfollowingyourworkoutisacrucialtimetorefuelthebodyforoptimalmusclerepair.Awellbalancedprotein/carbsnackcontaining20-25gramsofproteinisperfectpost-workoutfuel.Planaccordinglyinordertotakeadvantageofyouronehourpost-workoutrefuelingwindow.You’reDrinkingTooMuchAlcohol:Followingaphysicallydraining,musclefibertearingworkout,therearen’tmanythingsthatareworseforthebodythanAlcohol.Irealizethatthe“easethepain”approachmaybeaconvenientshort-termmaskforthepainofextrememusclesoreness,butinthelongrun,youwillpaytheprice.Duringmusclerecovery,hydrationisabsolutelyessentialinhelpingtoacceleratethedeliveryofnutrientstothemusclesforrepairandgrowth.Althoughdrinkingalcoholinmoderationcontinuestoshowminorhealthbenefitsandwon’thurttoomuch,savetheheavydrinkingfortherareoccasion.You’reNotGettingEnoughQualitySleep:Qualitysleepmeansincreasedproteinsynthesis,ordelivery,tothemuscles.Notonlywillyourmusclesthankyouafteranightofdeep,restfulsleep,butalsoyourbodyasawholewillfeelfullychargedandreadytoconquerthenextworkoutathand.Inordertomaximizequalitysleepandmusclerecovery,budgetingabout8-10hoursforsleepeachnightisideal.Withabusyandseeminglyover-extendeddailyschedule,8-10hoursofsleepcouldseemlikeapipedream.Thekeyhereisconsistency.Frequentlackofsleepfollowedbyoversleepingcanthrowyourbodyintoatailspin,asyouwillseeyourdailyenergylevelplummet.Consistent

qualitysleepwillresultinconsistentqualityworkouts.

TheYispartneringwithCentreMovesfora30-dayphysicalactivitycommunitychallenge.ItisaneasyandfunwaytogetactivewithyourfamilythroughoutthemonthofAprilandbeenteredtowinsomegreatprizes.Yourfamilycanincludeparents,kidsgrandparents,dogs,colleaguesorfriendsandcoworkerswhilebeingpartofagreatcommunityinitiative.RegisteronlineorpickupapockettrackerattheY,record15exercisesthroughoutApril,ReturnyourtrackingformorcompleteyouronlinetrackingbyMay5.ReturnpaperformtoYMCAbranchorMountNittanyHealth.Youmayalsoscanorsendaphotoofyourformtoinfo@centremoves.org.Checkoutthelinkbelowformoreinformation.http://www.centremoves.org/fit-families-challenge

SpringSessionBegins Monday, March 5th and runs through April 28th Members canregisterFebruary23rdandnon-memberscanregisterFebruary27th.

TheBellefonteBranchisofferingaFirstAid/CPRandAEDTrainingonSunday,March4thfrom12-5pm.Thecostis85.00dollarsformembersand110.00fornon-members.ContactSteveatsgreecher@ymcaocc.orgformoreinformation.RegisterHere

Sign up early for American Red Cross Lifeguarding. This six day course will run between March 12th-19th.Participantsmustbe15yearsoldbythefinaldayofthecourse.Participantswillneedtocompleteswimtestingprerequisites.Allparticipantswillalso receiveacertification inCPR/AEDandFirstAid.Thecost is170.00 formembersand250.00fornon-members.FormoreinformationpleasecontactSteveatsgreecher@ymcaocc.org.RegisterHereCurrentlifeguardscanrecertifyinAmericanRedCrossLifeguardingonthe18th,19thand20thofMayattheBellefonte Branch. Participants must provide a current copy of their Lifeguarding Certification. The cost is100.00dollarsperparticipant.Formoreinformation,contactSteveatsgreecher@ymcaocc.org.RegisterHere

FloorHockeyTheBellefonteBranchwillbeofferingayouthfloorhockeyprogrambeginningThursday,March22ndonThursdayeveningsbetween5-7pm.A6-8yearoldgroupwillpracticebetween5-6pmanda9-11yearoldgroupwillpracticebetween6-7pm.Formoreinformation,pleasecontactSteveatsgreecher@ymcaocc.org.AGE6-85-6PMAGE9-116-7PM

AdditionalPoolHoursBeginningMonday,March26th,andthroughFridayApril27th,theBellefontepoolwillofferextraopenswimtimebetween3-5pmMonday-Fridayafternoons,aswellasaneveninglapswimbetween5-6pmMonday-Friday.Pleasecomeoutandenjoythisadditionalaccesstoourpool!

StewardsofChildrenTrainingBellefonteBranchTuesday,March13th6:00pm-8:00pmStewardsofChildrenisapreventiontrainingprogramthatteachesadultshowtoprevent,recognize,andreactresponsiblytochildsexualabuse.Theprogramisdesignedfororganizationsthatserveyouthandforindividualsconcernedaboutthesafetyofchildren.Itistheonlynationallydistributed,evidencebasedprogramproventoincreaseknowledge,improveattitudes,andchangechildprotectivebehaviors.FormoreinformationcontactJamieSanfilippoatjsanfilippo@ymcaocc.org.

YMCAOFCENTRECOUNTYBellefonteFamilyYMCA125WestWaterStreetBellefonte,PA16823814-355-5551www.ymcaocc.org

ShawnThompson–BranchDirectorHeatherHeckman–EarlyCare&EducationDirectorSteveGreecher–Aquatics/YouthProg.DirectorMattLuksic–WellnessDirector

BethGibson–MemberEngagementDirector