At first glance it looks like an accident waiting to happen. You see something in the water that appears to be a slab or perhaps an overturned kayak and then you see someone standing on top of it with one long paddle, moving forward with deliberate strokes.

You wonder if he's in trouble until you see that he looks perfectly happy and balanced. Then you ask the inevitable question: "What is that?"

Craig Richardson, assistant manager of Umiak Outdoor Outfitters in Stowe, is an enthusiastic ambassador of Stand Up Paddling or SUP.

About three years ago, Richardson began to hear about this new sport. Last season, a kayak representative had a board with him and Richardson tried it out on the pond behind Umiak's store.

"I loved it right away," Richardson said. "Standing up brings a whole new perspective on the water. It is clean and simple — not a lot of other stuff. It's yourself, your board and your paddle."

The sport begins with the board. Stand up paddleboards come in a variety of lengths, shapes and buoyancies designed for the type of paddling to be done: flatwater, surf, racing, white water or a combination of them all. (Read whole article)

 photo by mikebaird

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My wife Mary joined a fitness club earlier this year.  A random exerciser, she wanted to be more intentional about working out.  One of the decisions she made was to buy a series of sessions with a personal trainer.  It worked well -- she not only got professional help in learning how to use some of the equipment and how to do exercises correctly, she also got a personalized workout routines for home and at the facility.  It was a good lesson for me on the benefits of personal training for people of all levels of fitness and athletic skill sets.

Here's a guest post from that trainer, Linda Freeman:

    If you were to walk into my office and ask me about Personal Training, I would toss the ball right back into your court and ask you why you think you’d like to work with a Personal Trainer.

    Personal Training is no longer only for the rich and famous.  Stopping by a fitness facility, you might see a Personal Trainer working in the gym, the pool, a studio or even outside with equipment ranging from 200 pound barbells to stability balls to tubing or other alternative balance and resistance training tools.  Clients may train one on one, with a buddy, or in small groups of 4-5.  Furthermore, clients come in all sizes, shapes, ages, and fitness levels. 

    Personal Training is exactly that – fitness training designed specifically for each client addressing that client’s unique capabilities and goals.  There should never be a standard training protocol offered to a Personal Training client.  Each session, each training plan, each conversation must be tailored to the individual.

    Of course, this idiosyncratic approach comes with a price tag.  Personal Training always requires an additional fee which varies according to the qualifications of the Personal Trainer and whether or not the trainer works for a facility or as an independent contractor.  Usually training sessions last one hour and, if purchased in packages, are more affordable.  Some clients choose to meet once, develop a training plan, and then restructure and improve upon that plan every 4-6 weeks.  Some clients prefer to meet once a week.  Those who have won the lottery, would prefer to meet daily!  It’s so nice to walk in the door and turn yourself over to someone else to motivate and guide you through your workout.

Linda Freeman, a Certified Personal Trainer, is the Director of Personal Training and Group Exercise, First in Fitness, Berlin and Montpelier, Vermont.

 photo by The U.S. Army

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My friend Linda Freeman recently had both hips replaced. She writes about it in this moving article:

"There are both expected and unexpected events in life with which to deal. Some blindside us as calamities. Some are simply goals established that need to be met. Some include negative stress, some include positive stress. Some are completely out of any sort of control.

Based on recent personal experience, I believe that there is a positive link between training and the challenges presented by injury, surgery and rehabilitation.

Each of us, at some point in our lives, will face disappointment, discouragement, accident, loss or illness — often caused by factors out of our control and requiring courage and energy to combat. I have just experienced eight months of physical challenges, resulting in surgery, and have some thoughts I'd like to share.

Because of my previous life as a professional ballet dancer, I had badly damaged hips. Notwithstanding, I had switched careers to that of a fitness professional-athlete and have devoted the past 20 years to teaching and living a strong and healthy lifestyle. Those 20 years have rewarded me with huge interest.

When it became apparent that the degeneration in my hips was no longer tolerable, I was scheduled for bilateral, total hip replacements. Yup, as we say in Vermont, that's right: I had both hips replaced. And that's where the 20 years of regular strength training, good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle have come home to benefit me...."   (read complete article)