Wearing a Bike Helmet Properly

May 27, 2020 by Leave a comment

Wearing a bike helmet improperly is the same as not wearing a bike helmet at all.

 

Fitting a Helmet:
•    Place it on your head without fastening the straps
•    There should be a two-fingers width between your eyebrows and helmet
•    There should be little movement when you shake your head from side to side
•    You will want to start out with the smallest size– you may have to try on different sizes and brands of helmets until you find one that fits

Adjusting Your Helmet:
•    The side straps should come to a point just below your ears forming a “Y” shape
•    When your mouth is closed, there should be about half an inch between the chin strap and your chin

Filed under City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living, Exercise Tagged with , ,

Cycling Safely Around the City

May 21, 2020 by Leave a comment

The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is offering free virtual bike classes. Register for the Virtual City Cycling Class on Wednesday, May 27, at 5:30 pm. This class will improve your experience and safety as you ride around the city.

Can’t make this class? Then check out some of the Smart Cycling videos from The League of American Cyclists.

Make sure your bicycle is in working order before taking it out for a spin by doing the ABC Bike check.

Air: Be sure you have enough air in your tires
Brakes: Look to see that your brake pads are not worn
Chain and Cranks: Pull on your cranks to see that they are not loose and look to see that the chain is not rusted and it is free of gunk
Quick Release: Make sure all quick releases are closed
Check: Take a slow brief ride to check that your bike is working properly

 

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Healthy Monday: Get Thrifty With Your Fitness

May 18, 2020 by Leave a comment

monday

From our friends at the Monday Campaigns:

Exercise equipment can be expensive, cumbersome, and bulky, which is why it often ends up covered in cobwebs rather than sweat. But you don’t need a  treadmill, weights or a squat rack to build muscle at home; with a little creativity, you can fashion a number of household items into fitness gear.

If you want to recreate the feeling of free weights, look no further than your kitchen or pantry. Cans of soups or beans typically weigh 1 – 2 pounds. They are also the right shape to fit snuggly in the palm of your hand, making them perfect for bicep curls and tricep extensions. The next door to explore is that of your refrigerator. A gallon of liquid (juice, milk, water, etc.) weighs approximately 8 – 9 pounds.  These bottles are easy to grip, which is why they’re useful for exercises that engage a number of muscle groups like body squats, lunges, or shoulder presses.

Visit our blog to learn what kitchen items you can use for a great core workout!

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Safe Cyclists Follow the Traffic Laws

May 13, 2020 by Leave a comment


From the League of American Bicyclists:

In all 50 states, people on bikes are required to follow the same laws as other drivers.

Here are a few key principles that underpin all US traffic laws:

First Come, First Served
Everyone on the road is entitled to the lane width they need. This includes the space behind, to each side and the space in front. If you want to use someone else’s space you must yield to whoever is using it.

Ride on the Right
In the United States, everyone must drive on the right-hand side of the roadway.

Yielding to Crossing Traffic
When you come to an intersection, if you don’t have the right of way, you must yield.

Yielding when Changing Lanes
If you want to change lanes, you must yield to traffic that is in your new lane of travel.

Speed Positioning
The slowest vehicles on the road should be the furthest to the right. Where you position yourself on the road depends on the location of any parked cars, your speed, and your destination. Always pass on the left.

Lane Positioning
Bikes can share the same lane with other drivers. If a lane is wide enough to share with another vehicle (about 14 feet), ride three feet to the right of traffic. If the lane is not wide enough to share, “take the lane” by riding in the middle.

Intersection positioning
When there is a lane that is used for more than one direction, use the rightmost lane going in the direction you are traveling.

Follow all street signs, signals, and markings

 

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Do a Virtual 5K on May 2 with Prevention Magazine

April 28, 2020 by Leave a comment

download

Prevention Magazine is doing a virtual 5K on May 2. You’re probably familiar with local runs and walks held at a specific location. You’ve got to live close enough to get there by the start time—and parking can be a beast. With a virtual walk, you pick where you do it, who you do it with, and what time you start.

Registration is free, however if you want to get a t-shirt the fee is $35.

#stayactivedecatur

Filed under City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living, Exercise, Walking Tagged with ,

Ride Smart: Use Hand Signals When Bicycling

April 24, 2020 by Leave a comment

We lvoe seeing so many people in Decatur on their bikes. Let’s make sure we bike safely and use hand signals when you are turning, changing lanes or stopping. Get into the habit so when there are more cars back on the road, you will be ready!

 

Left Turn: Fully extend your left arm out to the side
Right Turn: Fully extend your right arm out to the side or bend your left arm up at a right angle with your hand flat.
Slowing or Stopping: Extend your left arm out at a right angle with your hand open

The League of American Bicyclists has a library of “Ride Smart” videos. Check them out here.

 

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Enjoy Some Family Fun Yoga

April 20, 2020 by Leave a comment

move it monday

From our friends at TheMondayCampaigns:

Yoga is the ideal indoor-exercise. Requiring only a few square feet of space, yoga’s low-impact movements help support both the physical and mental well-being of you and your family.

What sets yoga apart from other forms of exercise is that it can be practiced by people of all different ages and fitness levels. Even with minimal experience, you’ll start feeling the benefits almost immediately, which is why a daily family yoga session is key to keeping everyone spry, stress-free, and occupied.

Click here for some yoga poses perfect for the whole family.

Filed under City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living, Exercise, Monday Campaigns Tagged with ,

Try a Boot Camp Workout!

April 14, 2020 by Leave a comment

Are you struggling to figure out how to get your workout in at home? Burn Boot Camp Decatur Head Trainer, Jackie, has sent us a fun workout that you can do at home!⁣

Do 20 reps of each exercise and repeat the list 3 times:⁣

  1. Bicycle abs⁣
  2. Squat kick over ⁣
  3. Step up step back⁣
  4. Push-ups⁣
  5. Glute bridge pulse ⁣
  6. Tricep dips ⁣
  7. Mountain climbers⁣

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Take a Break and Break a Sweat With Fun Fitness Challenges

April 13, 2020 by Leave a comment

monday

From our friends at Move It Monday:

This month, we’re issuing a challenge to take part in several exercises that are designed to boost your overall health. Our goal is to help people obtain the energy they need for the week, and we’re giving you the opportunity to help us achieve this mission by completing this challenge every Monday.

Issue this challenge to anyone that comes to mind, whether it’s someone from work or a friend you video chatted with over the weekend. You can even use social media to tag someone in another part of the world to do the workout.

First up on this fitness challenge is jumping jacks.

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Explore Decatur’s Virtual Recreation Center!

April 13, 2020 by Leave a comment

Decatur Virtual Recreation Center is Live!

Join us at Decatur’s Virtual Recreation Center!

Decatur Active Living wants to stay connected and help our community stay active and have fun during this tough time. We have collected a variety of fun activities and exercises for indoors and outdoors, resources for seniors and educational resources for all ages.
Visit decaturga.com/virtualrec and have fun staying active!
We hope that you enjoy our content and remember that you are not alone!

Be sure to let us know if you have any great ideas or fun content that can be added. Send an email to  cheryl.burnette@decaturga.com or sara.holmes@decaturga.com.

Follow us at Beactivedecatur.com and at https://www.facebook.com/decaturactiveliving/

Filed under City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living, Exercise, Teens Tagged with , , ,

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