Hey ! Get out of the house!

 

The fall season has officially started and the weather is finally getting nice. The days of it being 100 degrees every day are now at an end. This beautiful change means one thing; people have no more excuses for not going outside. The weather is nice, and there are fewer bugs outside. Why not enjoy the outdoors?

The SFA campus is surrounded by beautiful trails that you can explore at your leisure. If you’re having problems finding trails or you just want to know more about them, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of some of the trails around campus:

SFA Mast Arboretum

The Arboretum is probably the most known trail around campus. It’s a 10-acre garden along the Lanana Creek. If you walk to the Rec Center, it’s literally across the street to the left of the IMS fields. The gardens were first made in 1985 as a small project on the south side of the Agriculture Building. After years of care, the gardens expanded into one of the most diverse collection of plants in the South.

Azalea Garden

The Azalea garden is right next to the Arboretum. It contains 46 planting beds, 1.25 miles of universally accessible trails, and 50 benches. The garden features over 550 varieties of Rhododendron, 100 varieties of Camellia, and over two hundred Hydrangea varieties. The Azalea Garden is a highlight of the Nacogdoches Azalea Trail. There are a ton of special events each March that are held in the garden: guided tours during azalea season, an annual Azalea Symposium, and even a Little Princess Tea Party.

Pineywoods Native Plant Center

The Pineywoods Native Plant Center is a 42-acre garden on Raguet St. past the football stadium.  It's a unique mixture of uplands, mid-slopes and wet creek bottoms. The Tucker House serves as the central feature of the property, which is surrounded by native forest and gardens that celebrate the diversity of native plants in the region.

If you would like more information on trails around campus, visit the Outdoor Center located in the Rec Center, or visit the Outdoor Center page of the Campus Rec website!

Just a thought, Devonte Hill

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What's with all this Twerking??

People now are trying to find new and fun ways to work out. You can now do crazy things like playing video games on a stationary bike and even jump rope with out a rope.  In today’s blog, however, I would like to address twerking as a potential workout tool.

Now for those who don’t know about twerking, it’s been around for years. It was mainly seen at clubs and other adult venues. Over time it turned into a Youtube craze and then eventually, it became mainstream, thanks to Miley Cyrus. Reactions and opinions vary on this subject, but this proposes a legitimate question: “Twerking looks difficult; can it be used as a possible workout? Or is it just ‘sexual dancing?’ This would not be the first time something comes from the nightclubs and into workout studios. Recently, people started using pole dancing as a form of working out; now there are studios for pole dancing. To begin this twerking quest for answers, I first started by gathering opinions from Rec Center patrons/employees.

“Twerking can be viewed as an intense movement and shaking of the hip and buttox area, which enhances mobility skills and provides a good, productive workout” – Stephany O. (Fitness)

“Yes, it burns your legs and would be a great toning exercise… IF done correctly. Not Miley Cyrus twerking!” – Tiffany L. (Admin)

“I could see it being a part of a workout routine, but not just doing it in random places like the basketball courts.” – Bethany W. (OP)

The general outlook of twerking as a workout tool is positive. Most people could see it being used as an effective workout. But what do the professionals say?

Brian Krans from Healthline.com says, “Twerking burns between 5-8 calories per minute for a 150-pound individual. Twerking for an hour (should you choose to do so) will burn somewhere between 300 and 480 calories in an hour, about the same as 60 minutes of power yoga or an hour of moderate jogging.”

Glennisha Morgan from Frugivoremag.com quotes, “Dancer, dance-fitness pro, and the creator of Hip Brazil Dance and Fitness, Vanessa Isaac said that ‘twerking’ is good for cardio and also muscle toning. She says in addition to its fitness benefits, it can also be tons of fun. The few times that I’ve tried it in my mirror, I’ve walked away feeling sexy, confident, and full of laughter.”

 

Overall, twerking (done correctly) takes a lot of muscle control and it could be used to tone the hips, legs and butt area. It seems like this generation is more accepting to new and different ideas. I even tried giving twerking a shot, but I soon realized that I am a guy and my body doesn’t move in certain directions. Anyway, if you want to try twerking in the mirror sometime or do it with your friends and see how it works for you, you’re free to do so. As with anything, it’s all about what you want to do with it. 

- Just a thought, Devonte Hill

Rec Center Massage Presentation

When I heard the Rec Center was having another massage presentation, I had to seize the opportunity. If you keep up with the blogs, you’ll know that I wrote about massages last year. I felt it was time to take the next step and learn some techniques. With the help of my trusty partner, we made our way to the Rec Lobby to receive our first lesson. Therese Hostetter, the massage therapist at the Rec, went over some of the dangers of massage and what potential hazards to look for. She used the acronym “In Heaven Divine Therefore Bring Apples” to help us remember what to look for. It stands for: Heart problems, Deep vein blood clots, Trauma, Brain problems and Blood pressure. You must check to see if the person has any of those problems before you massage them. If you don’t, you can cause serious injury or even death.

After getting scared a little bit, we eventually got into the fun stuff. Here are some of the techniques we used:

Long stroke

It’s one of the easiest techniques we learned. Let’s say you’re massaging someone’s back. To perform a Long Stroke you simply press lightly, starting at the waist, and gradually increase pressure as you get closer to the heart. Then, you lightly lift your hand without completely removing it from their back, and move back down to the waist. After that, you repeat the process. You can perform this technique anywhere on the body as long as you start at the farthest point from the heart and gradually gain pressure as you get close to the heart.

 

Kneading

Kneading was my favorite technique. To put it simply, you basically grab a piece of the person’s muscle and pretend that you’re trying to make meat balls or burger patties with it. Move the muscle in our hands in a grabbing motion. It feels great and it’s fun to do.

Strike

Strike is a type of Tapotement technique used in Swedish massage. It involves using rhythmic strikes on the part of the body you’re massaging. There are several ways you can do it. You can spread your fingers and use the outer edge of your hand, you can cup you hands, or you can use the tips of your fingers. This technique is really useful when you’re trying to wake up or excite your nerves. I might have to bring this technique out during finals....

Therese covered a lot of techniques in the two hours I was there, and I’d recommend anyone try it. It's free, very informative, and the Rec created a friendly environment for learning.

If you are interested in talking with Therese Hostetter or would like to get a massage from her, walk in and schedule an appointment at the Rec Center admin office or call 936-468-3507

-Just a thought, Devonte Hill

Are you Surviving?

 Tools for Surviving the Semester 

It’s another year in school. By now, things should be pretty intense. Homework is piling up, projects are close to being due, some people even have a test next week. Well, I have a couple of suggestions to charge your energy and help you get that boost to survive this semester.

Yoga

I have to admit, before going to one of the Group X classes in at the Rec, I though yoga was just for girls. Most advertisements show only girls doing yoga, but after trying it, it seemed like a really good experience. At first I felt pain in my legs from the positions, but the breathing exercises really gave me energy. Walking out of the class, I really felt energized and really to take on the world! Or just my homework.  I recommend trying out any of the different yoga classes and see if it fits you and your schedule.

Working Out

One of the best stress relievers is pumping iron. Now, I’m not saying you have to become a body builder. If you want to get energized and even shed a few pounds, try working out with lighter weights and with a lot of reps. Another good stress reducer is running. You use your whole body when you run. If you are outside or on the trails, you can experience great scenery and scents. There’s something about trees that help get your mind off things. If running or lifting weights aren’t your thing, you can always join a Zumba Group X class or other fitness classes. Anything high energy will do your body and your mind good.

Cut down on fast food

If you need more energy during the day, make sure you’re eating the right things. Although burgers and fries are delicious, they don’t do a good job giving you that burst of energy and you find yourself tired and sluggish afterwards. Try eating healthier and see how that effects your body. You’ll notice you’ll have more energy during the day when you eat the right things. 

-Just a thought, Devonte Hill