Please join K12Genie and Eastern Mountain Sports (Soho) for free clinics this November that will help you enjoy the winter and the outdoors with your family. These events will be fun and educational for parents, teachers, and kids of all ages!

Clinics are Free.  Feel free to attend any or all sessions. Space is limited, so an RSVP is requested. RSVP here.

SESSIONS:

SESSION 1:  Things to Know, Places to go for a Family Hike
Saturday, Nov. 14
1 PM – 2 PM
EMS SoHo, 530 Broadway at Spring St., Manhattan

Workshop Description:

• What to wear on your feet,and your body to stay warm and dry.
• What kinds of snacks to bring.
• How to stay healthy by treating your water and keeping clear of poison ivy.
• What’s inside a Guide’s first aid kit?
• Bringing the outdoors back home; photography while hiking.
• Respect for plants and animals you’ll find outside.

This clinic will be conducted by The New York Wilderness Guide Company. We’ve scheduled a separate hiking trip to Bear Mountain on Nov. 22nd for those families that are interested. See below for details.

SESSION 2:  Mom, do I need a Coat? Warm and Dry in Winter
Saturday, Nov. 21
1 PM – 2 PM
EMS SoHo, 530 Broadway at Spring St., Manhattan

Workshop Description:

• Staying warm and dry from head to toe
• Dealing with temperature changes between indoors and outdoors
• Staying healthy during the winter season

SESSION 3: Family Bonding Through Winter Sports
Saturday, Nov. 28
1 PM – 2 PM
EMS SoHo, 530 Broadway at Spring St., Manhattan

Workshop Description:

• Dressing for outdoor activity
• Skiing/Snowboarding and winter sports
• Family time, family moments

Space is limited. Please RSVP here. All clinics in this series are FREE but donations are accepted and help support our ongoing efforts to help families interact with each other and with the world around them.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the New York City Outward Bound.

Family Hiking in Bear Mountain

Sunday, Nov. 22
“Family Hiking in Bear Mountain”
8:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Join The New York Wilderness Guide Company for a great hike up Bear Mountain.  The hike is an easy-to-intermediate hike in Bear Mountain offering an introduction to hiking for novices while giving veteran hikers an opportunity to enjoy a favorite local hike and great views from the top, weather permitting.

Tickets

There are two ticket packages, with transportation to Bear Mountain and without. There are also discounts for kids. For those needing transportation from the city, the morning starts at Grand Central.  The group will leave at 8:30 AM and return to the city by 6:30 PM. For those not needing transportation, the meeting location will be at Bear Mountain, with the exact location TBD. You can see more details and purchase tickets here.

ENTER A CONTEST FOR 1 FREE TICKET.  ENTER HERE.

About Bear Mountain: Bear Mountain State Park is situated in rugged mountains rising from the west bank of the Hudson River and offers spectacular views of the park, the Hudson Highlands, and Harriman State Park.  Click Here for more info.

About the Guide: Nathan Todd is the Chief Guide of the New York Wilderness Guide Company. He has traveled the Rockies, the Andes, the Appalachians, and loves to hike nearby destinations in New York.

For those persons thinking about the hike, please consider attending the Nov. 14th Session 1 clinic on family hiking.

ABOUT US

About K12Genie: K12genie provides families with school-aged children with education and activities that improve family relationships and encourage personal development.  We provide articles, activities, recipes, an online brag wall, local resources, and workshops that foster positive interactions and dialogue between siblings and between generations.

About Eastern Mountain Sports: Since 1967 EMS has been providing quality outdoor gear and outdoor skills training to customers along the East Coast. The EMS SoHo location is the New York City flagship store. (www.emssoho.com)

About The New York Wilderness Guide Company: NYWGC is an outdoor sports and recreation tour company that teaches beginners and seasoned experts the basics of life in the outdoors. We teach the camping, hiking, and outdoor skills needed to have fun and stay safe in mountains and parks just outside of the city.

Wednesday Night Climbs

DATES: September 16, 23, 30, and October 7, 14, 21

TIME: 5pm to 9pm

WHO: Open to public

WHERE: New York City Outward Bound (NYCOB), 2946 Northern Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101

SUBWAY: R, E, G, V train, Queens Plaza, use first car, exit up stairs on right to Northern Blvd.  At top of stairs, see NYCOB banner and follow the Eastern Mountain Sports sign to the right.

FEE: $24 tax deductible donation

GEAR: Provided. Helmets required. Optional: your shoes, harness, belay partner

RSVP/QUESTIONS: Arturo, Jesse or Adam at Eastern Mountain Sports NYC-SoHo, 212-966-8730.

NOTES: Kids must be 12 years old or older.  Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration for a particular date is recommended.

MORE DETAILS:   EMS SoHo
Are you ready to SIGN UP?    Register Here

Are you interested in building your own home bouldering (rock climbing) wall?  Click Here to find out how.

Be functional AND look great on the Rocks!

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EMS Men’s Techwick Crew Shirt, Short Sleeve
The EMS Techwick® Crew Shirt wicks and dries like no other, whatever your sport, whatever the setting. Buy two or more shirts and save! Check Price

Check out more items at

Did you attend this event or similar ones in your area?  Share your story and pictures.

Whether you are a student-athlete or a professional athlete, one of the most important aspects to an injury prevention and exercise training program is a proper stretching program.  Many high level athletes often lose their season to injury because they are not adequately prepared and engage in activities without a proper warm up routine.  Stretching is an aspect of a warm up routine that has many benefits.

Studies have shown positive effects include:

• increased energy levels
• improved posture
• greater circulation of blood to various parts of the body
• improved range of motion and flexibility
• enhanced muscular coordination, and
• pain relief.

Warm-up your muscles, then stretch

One of the most common misconceptions amongst active individuals is that they feel it is only necessary to stretch prior to an activity.   Scientific research, however, has shown evidence to the contrary.  When stretching is done as a warm up to an activity, the muscles have a tendency to become injured as they are cold.  A recommendation I use with my patients is to perform a short cardiovascular activity, such as a light jog (around 3-5 minutes) prior to a gentle stretch, and then participate in whatever sport or activity desired.

Do most of your stretching after exercise

The majority of stretching should come upon completion of an activity or at the end of a training session.    It is important to stretch after doing any physical activity. When muscles perform any exercise, they tighten and shorten as a result. Stretching them out helps to restore and improve their length. When doing strength training, you could stretch each muscle group directly after performing each set.  The key to gaining flexibility is to use the correct form and technique.  As a general rule, perform the stretch for a minimum of a 20 second hold, at least 1-3 times.

For more information about the benefits of stretching, please visit your local physical therapist.

—–
About the Author: Dr. Tony Sood received his clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Touro College in New York. He is also a Certified Golf Fitness Instructor and a Certified Manual Therapist and provides services in the greater New York City metro area.

Traditional high school isn’t for everybody. Unlike many other sports, tennis competitions occur year-round and around the world, requiring aspiring young players to abandon regular high school for home or online programs. The Laurel Springs School in Ojai, California is one such school that caters to students, such as actors and Olympic athletes, that require a distance learning environment . The school now has more than 300 tennis players. Distance programs like that at Laurel have been spurred by the move by the U.S.T.A. and the International Tennis Federation to professionalize the junior circuit. To some parents, allowing their son or daughter this exposure to international competition at a young age allows them to realize their potential unfettered by the traditional education system.

Read Full Article

Are you a parent of a star athlete? Share your story with K12Genie.

Need tickets for the US Open? Buy them at TicketMaster

]]> http://www.k12genie.com/the-career-path-to-pro-tennis-often-passes-high-school-by/feed/ 0 http://www.k12genie.com/skimboarding-an-introduction/ http://www.k12genie.com/skimboarding-an-introduction/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:21:45 +0000 K12Genie Staff http://www.k12genie.com/?p=1574 It’s summer and there’s still time to get to the beach.  Are you looking to try something new?  How about Skimboarding?

Skimboarding is fun sport similar to surfing but closer to shore. According to skimonline.com, here are the basics.

1. The skimboarder stands 20 feet from the ocean with skimboard in hand.
2. When a wave comes, the skimboarder runs towards it.
3. Upon reaching the wet sand, they drop the board and jump on it as quickly as possible.
4. Once on the board, the skimmer must remain stable and prepare for a transition into the ocean.
5. The skimmer glides into the ocean towards the incoming wave, banks off it, and rides it back to shore.

Here are some videos showing you more about the sport. Be sure to check the additional resource links at the bottom of this post.

2008 Dewey Sports Festival from J Farnum on Vimeo.

2008 South Side Shoot Out from J Farnum on Vimeo.

Related Content:

• Brag–Best 4-Year-Old Skimboarder Ever!!

Discover More:

• History of Skimboarding: www.skimonline.com/history/
• Local Skimboarding spots: www.skimonline.com/skim_spots/
• Buy Skimboarding books, videos, gear, and accessories: Amazon.com