Sign at the Guinness Factory in Dublin, Ireland.
EDMONTON —
Irish Canadian Colleen Ciara (pronounced keer-uh) Moynihan, a personal trainer and co-owner of Korezone Fitness, has taken the traditional St. Paddy’s Day workout and expanded it into a trio of exercises that will have worked the whole body by the time you’re done.
Add Celtic music and really green up your workout — Moynihan’s dad Francis, who is Irish to the core, recommends something by The Dubliners or The Horselip.
It’s a healthy way to balance the day, especially if you know you’re going to wind up in a pub, Moynihan says laughing.
When you finally get there, all guilt-free because you did something good for your body earlier, raise a pint of Guinness or green suds and say “Slainte!†(pronounced slain-cha): a toast to your health and the health of those around you.
Leprechaun Leap
Stand sideways next to an aerobic stepper with one foot on the box and the other on the ground. Holding one suitably challenging weight with both hands, squat down, keeping your back straight and making sure that your knees don’t extend beyond your toes. As you stand up, leap across the box and land with the other foot on top of the box. Reverse the move, and repeat eight to 12 times each side.
Beginners don’t need to use a weight; they can sit back only until they feel their abdominal muscles engage instead of going into a squat, and they can step instead of leap, Moynihan says. If you don’t have a stepper, do the exercise on the floor or put a non-breakable item on the floor to leap over.
It’s a great exercise for strengthening legs and core muscles, building athletic power through explosive movement, and improving balance.
Irish Jig
Stand behind a Bosu or half ball. Lift and tap the heel of one foot on the ball, then quickly switch feet and repeat the move with the heel of the other foot. Continue until you feel like you can’t tap one more heel on the ball. If you haven’t got a Bosu, use the bottom step of a staircase, and touch it with your toes to start. Strictly speaking, the Irish always keep their arms at their sides when they dance, but go ahead and put your hands on your hips if you feel more comfortable, Moynihan says. It’s high-intensity training or a cardio burst that really gets your heart rate up.
Great way to prepare for all the bike rides and runs you’re planning once the snow has melted.
Top o’ the mornin’ to ya (Irish for “Good morningâ€) Get Up
This exercise works every part of your body. Start by standing with your back to the Bosu ball. In one fluid motion, squat down and lower yourself onto the Bosu ball; lean back until you engage your abdominal muscles, keeping the back straight; crunch forward and stand back up. Repeat to exhaustion. Moynihan holds a paper shamrock in her hands while she does the exercise, but a medicine ball or any type of larger ball works too.
Beginners don’t have to hold anything and can use one hand on the floor to help themselves get up into a standing position, Moynihan says. If you’re unable to get down low to the ground, or don’t have a Bosu, use an armless chair or bench. Holding one hand in the air as you go through the motions makes the exercise more challenging.
The Chicago River
Chicago is famous for a somewhat peculiar annual event: dyeing the Chicago River green. The tradition started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river—enough to keep it green for a week!
Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only 40 pounds of dye are used, making the river green for only several hours. Although Chicago historians claim their city’s idea for a river of green was original, some Savannah natives believe the idea originated in their town. They point out that, in 1961, Savannah mayor Tom Woolley had plans for a green river. Due to rough waters on March 17, the experiment failed, and Savannah never attempted to dye its river again.
Chinese pageant judges select from hundreds of contestants vying for a spot in the Miss China/Universe contest in Beijing on Thursday. The location of the Miss Universe 2010 pageant is still undecided, as more than 80 countries and territories will compete for the title.
