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Question:
Shirley asks: What exercises will help me tone my arms?
Expert Answer:
Shirley, what a great question! With summer right around the corner, I get asked this question a lot. For “toning” the muscles in the arms, the strength training exercises usually target the bicep and triceps. Some basic arm exercises are bicep curls for the biceps and tricep kickbacks, or dips for the triceps, just to name a few. These exercises can be done using machines, free weights (dumbbells) or even tubing for resistance. However, keep in mind that we must also burn off body fat by doing cardiovascular exercises, and take in the right amount of calories, so that the muscles can be seen in the arm giving us that “toned” look.
Our Expert is Ericka Dawydko, Wellness Director at the Livonia Family YMCA.
summer camp!
It's time to start thinking about summer experiences for your child! Consider YMCA Residence Camp or Day Camp -- an experience of a lifetime!
Wendy's Night
On Wednesday, July 22, dine at a local Wendy’s restaurant from 5-8 p.m. and Wendy’s will donate 15% of all sales to the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign (SKC).
Spring Programs
Spring Registration!
Registration is now open for the Spring program session!
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volunteer
Enjoy a rewarding experience while serving your community. A variety of opportunities are available from teaching programs to being a camp counselor.
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Features this Month:
Healthy Recipe: Crazy Crunchin' Tuna Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta (macaroni, penne)
2 6 ½ oz cans tuna, light, packed in water
½ cup zucchini, chopped
½ cup carrots, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup radishes, sliced *
¼ cup plain non-fat yogurt or reduced-fat mayonnaise
black pepper
salt substitute
* optional ingredient
Preparation:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain pasta and tuna.
Wash vegetables. Chop, slice and dice veggies.
Mix pasta, tuna, and vegetables together in a bowl.
Stir in yogurt.
Season to taste with pepper and salt substitute.
Chill until ready to serve.
Serve on whole-wheat bread or pitas.
Serves: 4
Playing as a Family in the Great Outdoors
It's much easier to play every day now that the weather is beautiful! With the arrival of spring, we're eager to get outside and stretch our legs after a long winter hibernation. So get your family together for a day out at the park and enjoy the sunshine. Here are a few great local parks and greenways you can visit to enjoy the outdoors, hike and get some play in your day:
The Dequindre Cut Greenway - Downtown Detroit
The Dequindre Cut Greenway, an urban recreational path connecting the east riverfront with the Eastern Market district in downtown Detroit, will open to the public on Thursday, May 14 with a grand opening ceremony. While the bike path is already accessible, the grand opening ceremony will include activities and entertainment between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The 1.2-mile paved greenway was developed through a public, nonprofit and private partnership. The Dequindre Cut is part of a growing network of greenway paths developing around the city.
At more than 60 feet wide, the below-grade trail serves as a paved biking, walking and running path while still offering plenty of surrounding green space. It stretches from Woodbridge Street to Gratiot Avenue, 1.2 miles, with exit ramps at Lafayette Boulevard and Gratiot.
The Rouge River Gateway Greenway - Dearborn
The Rouge River Gateway Greenway trailhead starts on Michigan Avenue, in West Dearborn. With a maze of trails and walkways, you can hike on to several areas on the Henry Ford Estate or wind up at Hines Drive. A wonderful space to get ourdoors and hike, this area includes a range of fun things to explore (i.e. the Great Meadow, the Hidden Lake and the Red Bridge at the Rouge River) and boasts a variety of wildlife. Keep an eye out for birds such as Mallard ducks, Kingfishers, Canada Geese, Pied-billed Grebes, Wood Ducks, as well as turtles, and even deer.
The Detroit International Riverfront Area - Downtown Detroit
The Detroit International Riverfront is a planned 5 ½ miles of public waterfront, linked by a continuous RiverWalk and parks, plazas and green spaces. As of June 2007, more than 2 ½ miles of East Riverfront is open to the public, including:
- 1 ½ miles of RiverWalk from Joe Louis Arena to Rivard Street
- 1 ¼ miles of RiverWalk from Stroh's River Place at Joseph Campau Street to Mt. Elliot Park, as well as RiverWalk at Gabriel Richard Park
- Rivard Plaza and Pavilion, located at Rivard Street
- Gabriel Richard Park Plaza and Pavilion
Work continues by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and its public and private partners to complete the remaining portions of Riverfront. Enjoy Detroit's beautiful new Riverfront and stay tuned for more!
learn more about the Riverfront Area...
Tri-Centennial State Park - Downtown Detroit
As the first urban park in Michigan, the 31 acres carved out on the banks of the Detroit River offer a green oasis in the midst of downtown Detroit. The first phase of the park - the harbor - was opened to the public in 2004 and offers several covered picnic areas, shoreline fishing and a newly renovated 52-slip harbor. A 63-foot light tower marks the harbor entrance. It is a scaled-down replica of the recently-renovated lighthouse at Tawas Point State Park, originally built in 1876.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation has already begun work on the second phase of development at the park. This phase will include a wetlands demonstration project, which will show how wetlands act as nature's water filtration system. Interpretative signs will explain how the wetland naturally cleans the water and then returns it to the Detroit River as clean water - without going to a wastewater treatment plant.
The RiverWalk will pass through the park in the area closest to the Detroit River, and a quiet, contemplative area with a memorial to Peter Stroh, a noted conservationist who, for 25 years, was a tireless advocate for the opening Detroit's waterfront the public, will be featured in part of the park. A bike path, with financial support from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), will lace through the area on the other side of the wetland. Fishing platforms are planned along the riverfront edge of the park.
Coming Up at the Farmington YMCA
There is so much going on right now at your YMCA. Below are just a few programs you can do:
Catch the Wave!
Spring is here, which means that summer is just around the corner. Now is the perfect time to learn to swim. The summer will be full of backyard barbecues, picnics at the beach, and plenty of birthday parties. All of the fun things that we enjoy in the summer will most likely involve spending some time in the water. The most important part of swimming, in a pool, lake, or any other body of water is SAFETY!
The easiest and most fun way to improve swimming safety is by making sure that everyone who is going swimming knows how to swim! Here at the Farmington YMCA we offer a large variety of classes for all swimmers of different ages and ability levels. We offer an infant/parent class to help parents and children begin to feel comfortable in the water. Our preschool classes are for children between the ages of 3 and 5, youth classes are for 6-12 year olds, we also have classes for teens and adults.
Our classes vary in skill level from novice, all the way up to national level swimmers! So whether you or child can swim, can’t swim, or are somewhere in the middle, the Farmington YMCA pool is the place for you! The Spring session starts Monday April 27th, so sign up now!
Preschool Sports
The 3-5 Basketball Clinic introduces kids to the basic skills and fun of basketball.
3 year old Soccer/T-ball Spectacular combines to great outdoor sports for your toddler. He or she will learn the basic skills of soccer and t-ball.
Tiny Tike Gym Class gets your kid learning fun healthy habits at a young age and introduces them to different games and sports.
Tumbling Classes include kids 18 months to 5 years. Kids will work on motor skills and learning basic tumbling moves.
T-ball/Baseball Leagues
T-ball/baseball leagues brings the fun of traditional summer games for all age groups on Saturdays.
4-5 Rookies T-ball is an introduction o the sport. For their games, they will use the tee for the first three weeks. After that, the tee is optional.
6-7 Rookies Baseball is an introduction to baseball and step up from t-ball. It coach pitch for the most part with the tee being an option after 10-12 pitches.
8-9 Coach Pitch is the most advance level we offer here at the YMCA.
Soccer Leagues
It’s all the fun of indoor soccer moved outdoors!
4-5 year olds will play for one hour a week. They will have a half hour practice and a half hour game.
6-7 year olds and 8-9 year olds will play for two hours per week. The will have practice on a week night and a game on Saturday morning.
Basketball Leagues
Basketball leagues are offered for ages 6-12 during the. Kids will have a one hour practice on a week night and a game on Saturday. Kids are grouped together in the following age groups: 6-8, 9-10, 11-12.
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