Getting Fit Goes Beyond Lifting Weights
or those who aren’t fitness fanatics, getting back in shape is a goal to strive for. Though F rates of overweight and obesity are high, society has also grown increasingly healthconscious in the last 10-20 years, as the growing number of gyms and other fitness centers can attest.
Still, for those hoping to shed a few extra pounds, the first step toward doing so can be the hardest. Many instantly think of the oft-intimidating nature of the local gym, where muscular fitness enthusiasts dominate the landscape. However, getting fit does not have to include weight training. While weight training can be a valuable means to get healthier and shedding pounds, there are a host of other exercise options that can lead to very positive results. • Spinning. Spinning is a popular and valuable alternative exercise option. However, because it can be so demanding, spinning can be a tough routine for those making a lifestyle change. Once you’ve gotten into an exercise groove, spinning might be something to explore. Often set to aggressive, pulsating music, spinning involves riding a stationary bike through demanding courses featuring hills and other difficult terrain. • Aqua aerobics. For those who enjoy time in the pool, see if your gym offers an aqua aerobics class. This might not be as readily available at most gyms as spinning classes are, as lots of gyms don’t even have pools. For those who love swimming, look for a gym that does have a pool, and chances are, that gym will offer some derivation of aqua aerobics which consists of intense cardio movements mixed with some strength training. The chief benefit of a good aqua Aerobics workout is that it will work all your muscle groups with low impact on joints -- making it ideal for seniors. • Pilates. The popularity of palates classes is now so great that many gyms offer classes several times per day. Not unlike yoga, palates is both a physical and mental exercise. The exercises themselves can be quite demanding, focusing on stretching and breathing that strengthens the abdominal core. • Abdominals. Few people look at their abs and don’t think they could use some work. That said, nearly every gym offers a class focusing strictly on abdominal exercises. These usually range anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes in length. Anything longer than that might cause painful and unnecessary muscle strain, so beware of ab classes that might be longer than 30 minutes, especially if you’ve only recently gotten back into exercise. • Fusion. For those who subscribe to the idiom that “variety is the spice of life,” fusion classes (also known as total body conditioning) classes could be the perfect fit. That’s because such classes are a combination of other classes. Because they combine so many different elements, these classes tend to run a little longer in length, oftentimes exceeding an hour in length. The benefit of these is that they build up your cardiovascular as well as muscular strength. • Yoga. Arguably no alternative exercise class is more widely known than yoga. A centuriesold Hindu discipline aimed at promoting control over the body and mind, yoga classes are offered at nearly every gym or fitness center across the country. Much of yoga is concerned with helping you become stronger, more balanced, focused, and flexible. If you’re looking for a non-competitive environment where you can move at your own pace, this might be the best workout program for you. This feature is sponsored by: Dr. Robert Casañas Dr. Casañas is a Board Certified Internist and Board Certified Pain Management specialist. Dr. Casañas practices out of two offices, Unicorn Medical Office in West Tampa and Lunasol Institute in Westchase. Submit your question for Dr. Casañas by emailing him at: AskElDoctor@thelatinvillage.com or contact him directly at 813-789-2799.
HOW YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE IS AFFECTED BY FLORIDA’S IMPLIED CONSENT LAW
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ave you heard the old saying: “Don’t bring a child to a man’s fight…” What do you think it means? Recently, a national television network presented a very interesting show about average Joes competing against professionals athletes in their own sport. The purpose of the show was to illustrate the huge talent and performance difference that exists between a professional athlete and the average sportsmen that trains regularly and vigorously during the week. To me, the show validated my beliefs. One of the most interesting competitions featured a contestant competing in an “Ironman” like race. The Ironman is a triathlon consisting of about a 2.4 mile open-ocean swims followed by cycling a distance of 112 miles and concludes with running a 26.2 mile marathon. Dave Scott, the 6 time iron man champion, ran it in a record 8 hours and 31 minutes. The shows contestant, who was in excellent athletic shape, was given three months to train for the event. Needless to say, the contestant came in last place. He took over 15 hours to finish. Complicating matters, he ended up suffering from severe right leg and hip ligament damage and extreme dehydration which led to kidney failure. Figuratively, your experience like the contestant will be similar if you try to fight a legal battle without a lawyer. The legal system in this country is one of the most complex and technical in the world. It has thousands of intricate procedures and laws that can be used to help or destroy your case in court. Take for example having to answer depositions. In a deposition, a well trained professional lawyer is given the right by law to ask you specific questions under oath that he intends to use against you in court. Like the professional athlete, he knows how to confuse you so you will make a statement that will incriminate you or absolve his client. The wrong answer or omission depending on the type of the case, may affect the rest of your life. When you choose to represent yourself, you risk the chance of finishing last like the contestant in the triathlon. The layman just is not prepared to fight in a legal arena that is filled with procedural nuances and technicalities. It doesn’t matter how many law books you read on your own. Experience which takes years of accumulation of trial and errors is what separates professional from amateurs. Like the professional tri-athlete who has trained years in order to compete and win a race, the Lawyer has spent year’s training to fight for your rights in court. Judges try hundreds of cases every month with impartiality and an unbiased perspective. Hence, they are not allowed to sympathize with parties regardless of their legal experience or lack thereof. Judges are interested in finding the truth in the most judicially efficient method possible. If you do not have experience in legal procedures, your arguments even if true may never be heard. That’s why in criminal cases, you have the constitutional right to an attorney. Why would you want to give up that constitutional right? In my many years as a trial lawyer, I have seen people trying to represent themselves without a lawyer subjected to mockery, shame and verbal abuse in the court system. These laymen slow down the legal system. The system does not like be slowed down. Consequently, the layman stalls his case costing him time and in many cases money. Most people will have to face a legal problem sooner or later. It could be an auto accident, traffic violation, DUI, act of violence, civil law suits or divorce. Don’t be an amateur like the contestant in the triathlon when it comes to solving your legal problems. Have an experienced lawyer represent you in your case. • Personal Injury • Criminal Law ( State and Federal ) • Uncontested Divorces • Foreclosure Defense • Traffic Cases
Attorney Pedro G. Velez, Jr. Law Office of Pedro G. Velez, JR. 314 E. Harrison Street Tampa, Florida 33602 Phone: (813) 209-9800 Preguntas: AskElAbogado@Latin-Times.com