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ff in search of the markings. two-fold. ourses tend to run awry from
aces through tunnels, parks and lys some are straightforward, but commitment.
take trails, putting marks down back to mark a different path to going is more about enjoying the setting personal records. three to four miles, but don't or without stopping, because the is the pit stop.All Hash races in the middle of the race. idea of drinking and running, and understand the reservations of
e to try hashing, even if they are big can help ease newcomers into plenty of fodder for laughs. And score. It's a way to mix up annett says.
to make exercising adventurous
sites through all types of terrain.
The Student Recreation Fitness Center rock climbing wall is 42 feet tall. Rock climbing clinics are held Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
Races consist of both the uber-athletic and your average drinking enthusiast with a beer gut. The athletic types don't always finish first. Keep in mind, some Hash clubs insist that the first person to finish the race drink for his or her accomplishment. Most runs involve walking to search for the trail and short breaks. Don't worry if you're not a fast runner. No awards are handed out, and races generally consist of packs of people helping each other find and stay on the course.
Hash clubs exist all over the world. There is one in the Kansas City area, and a club recently formed in Lawrence. Check the Hash House Harriers' global Web site, www.gtthh.com, for a more complete view of the experience, as well as listings of all 1,862 clubs around the world.
Pole Dancing
It sounds slutty, and maybe that's what I felt walking into the pole dancing studio to try this one out. I'm not sure exactly what slutty feels like, but if the end result is anything like the sense of accomplish I felt after trying pole dancing, I need to do it more often.
Because the moves in pole dancing involve using both upper and lower body muscles, as well as plenty of movement, you can gain muscle and burn fat.
An hour-long workout on the pole can burn 600 calories. Smith says.She started the workouts three years ago while working at the Ford plant in Kansas City, Mo.A year later, she was 35 pounds lighter with no help from dieting or any other exercise.
Natalie Smith, instructor and owner of Pole Worx in Kansas City, Kan., says that while most girls see a shiny pole and think it's just something to play on jungle gym-style, girls often worry what people will think if they go swinging around a strip pole. That's why she only conducts private classes for groups who all know each other. She caters to groups who want to work out together in a more enjoyable way.
"I didn't go to the gym. It felt like another job.After a hard day of work, this makes you feel better,happier.It relieves stress and makes you feel,like,7 years old again," Smith says.
"You can't go by weight at first because it tones so well you'll notice your pants getting looser and later you will see the weight start to fall off". Smith says.
I worried about how to explain to my mother that I broke my neck pole dancing as I watched Smith show me the correct way to spin around on the pole upside down. But, lifting up from the ground, pirouetting around the silver blur between my legs and sticking the landing was one of the
most rewarding experiences I've had in a long time.
Smith says anyone can do the workouts. She has both a 60-year-old woman and a 250-pound woman who regularly attend sessions.
She says everyone starts at the beginner level, but most people can catch on quickly. You don't have to be coordinated or overly strong, as most of the moves involve momentum rather than strength. Workouts are good for a girl's night out, a bachelorette party or for regular exercise.
Smith says that while most of her classes are filled with girls, she does have the occasional male student (besides just me).
Classes can be as small as just four people or as large as 20 or more. Generally, groups are female only, but Smith will allow women to invite males to pole dance if all the other women in the group are comfortable with it.An hour-long session at Pole Worx runs about $20, and the business also offers packages for weekly sessions that last one or two months
Rock Climbing
The Rec offers climbs for beginners and adrenaline junkies alike. Bybee says some people are scared of the height, but there are trained staff who can guide timid climbers up to the top of the wall. You just have to be brave and try something new, Bybee says.
You walk past it every time you go to the Rec to do your same boring workout, but next time, go ahead and tackle that rock wall. Connor Bybee, member of the KU Rock Climbing Club, says he sees at least three new climbers every day at the Rec.
"You just can't be afraid—just give it a try. Try it at least three times before you decide not to come back," he says.
Workouts can be tailored to work on cardio or on building strength. Cycles of going up and down the wall can
quickly raise the heart rate and leave a climber dripping in sweat. Bybee, who runs and lifts weights, says he sweats more on the wall than on the treadmill. Climbers can also do "bouldering" on shorter walls. Bybee says the short, hard moves can be a way to challenge yourself.
"It's usually done leaning back, so there are few foot holds. It requires more forearm strength and grip strength," he says.
Besides the workout, rock climbing can simply be a way to get together with friends.
Patrick Sargent, Houston sophomore, has climbed with friends back home. While he says they didn't really do it so much for the workout, he enjoyed getting out and being active
"I think more people than you think want to get outside more than anything." Sargent says. "I just want to do something physical."
Take a break from your next regular workout and try something that will leave you with the same post-workout buzz and soreness in new places.
Pole dancing photo: Jessie Fetterling, Rock climbing photo: Mindy Ricketts, Running photo: Contributed
03.27.2008
VOL. 5 ISS. 25
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