photo: Aflo/Corbis

Judo is a martial art that a person can master no matter what his or her size.

Success in judo (which evolved from jujitsu and is sometimes known as the gentle way) can be achieved through speed and skill rather than strength. Judo will be on a global stage at this summer’s Olympics. Learn more at www.usjudo.org or  www.london2012.com/judo.

This post originally appeared as the Move page in the February 2012 issue of Current Health Teens, available now.

Carrie Swidecki, center, danced her way into the record books. Could you dance for 15 hours? (Philip Robertson/Guinness World Records)

Not only did playing the game regularly help her lose something—most of the 90 pounds she says she had gained in the six years after high school—it also helped her gain a Guinness World Record! Swidecki dance-danced her way into the record books last summer after 15 hours, 17 minutes, and 44 seconds. The record was set at a West Virginia conference on preventing childhood obesity, a topic close to Swidecki’s heart. She says she hopes her effort will call attention to fun forms of exercise as a way to get—and stay—healthy.

This post originally appeared in the February 2012 issue of Current Health Teens, available now.

Are you more interested in skiing or snowboarding? You’re in luck! The entire month of January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. You can take part in it at snow sport locations nationwide. Find out more about both of those sports, and how to get started, at www.skiandsnowboardmonth.org and www.winterfeelsgood.com.

A version of this post appeared in the December 2011 issue of Current Health Teens.

“The reason I chose the exercises is because they’re real hard and sometimes they take your breath away,” he says. “It’s wonderful.”

CJ has had a lot of practice as a fitness expert. He’s been hooked on exercise since he was 5, when his football coach told the team to get fit for a big game. Young CJ took that advice seriously.

“I just like working out because it’s fun. You get fit and healthy,” he says.

CJ sticks to a routine. After school he first does his homework and then completes his hour-long workout. Only then does he spend time with his family or play outside with friends.

He hopes that the DVD series will grow so much that kids around the world will benefit from it by getting hooked on his passion. “I want kids to get on their feet and loving exercise,” he says.

People around the country have started taking notice of the healthy kid. He has been interviewed for TV. And people have started recognizing him while shopping.

A version of this post appears in the January 2012 issue of Current Health Kids. Our digital edition is available online now to subscribers.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to improve your flexibility. Yoga is one way. Here is a yoga pose to try at school when you are feeling tight from sitting at a desk for hours.

Chair Pose (also known by its Sanskrit name, Utkatasana): Stand up tall with your feet slightly apart. Then, bend your knees and stick your rear end out as if you were sitting on a chair. From there, reach your arms up with your palms facing together. Hold the pose for several seconds. Take deep breaths in and out to re-energize yourself.

DID YOU KNOW? Dancing is great for increasing flexibility, too. Check out different dance styles. One that’s gaining in popularity in the United States is Bollywood dancing, or “film dance,” because it can be seen in many films from India. Bollywood dance uses many different dance styles including Indian folk, hip hop, and even yoga poses. Yoga, you might say, is the oldest form of dance in India, says Anu Srivastav, director of Hybrid Rhythms Bollywood dance center in Houston.

—By Current Health Get Up and Go writer Betsy Dru Tecco

Current Health subscribers—don’t forget that you can access our digital edition, teacher’s guide, and more online anytime. Your January issue is available now at www.weeklyreader.com.

Have you ever tried snowshoeing? What about cross country skiing? On Saturday, Jan. 7, nearly 100 locations nationwide will take part in the 17th annual Winter Trails Day. Winter Trails Day offers children and adults the chance to try snowshoeing and cross country skiing for free! What a great way to discover how these winter sports can improve your fitness and provide hours of fun.

The only equipment you need to go snowshoeing is a pair of lightweight aluminum snowshoes. Consider buying or renting used snowshoes at a sports store.  You’ll probably want to choose a pair made for casual hiking rather than serious mountain climbing. Many snowshoes have an oval shape that evenly distributes your weight for better balance and stability. Underneath are crampons, or “teeth” that grab the snow to prevent you from slipping. Strap on your snowshoes and get walking! You can snowshoe in your backyard, a local park, or anywhere with a large stretch of snowy ground.

The gear you need for cross country skiing is a set of skis, poles, and boots. Check your local ski shop for sales or used equipment swaps to get the best buy. Cross country skiing doesn’t require going to a pricey ski resort the way you do for downhill skiing. Simply find an open area of snow or blaze a trail through the woods. Cross country skiing is also easier to learn than downhill skiing. Basically you glide across the snow by making long strides with your legs and arms. It’s a fun sport that gives your body a fantastic workout!

In a snow-free zone? No problem! Ice hockey is a popular winter sport that can be played inside or out—same with street hockey and basketball. Whether you’re shooting hockey pucks or shooting hoops in cold weather, you’ll warm up fast and get a great workout.

—By Current Health Get Up and Go writer Betsy Dru Tecco

Current Health subscribers—don’t forget that you can access our digital edition, teacher’s guide, and more online anytime. Your December issue is available now at www.weeklyreader.com.

PHOTO: MANDYGODBEHEAR/ISTOCK

Think you’re ready for the cold? Check out these tips from the December 2011 issue of Current Health Teens before heading out for some outdoor exercise this winter.

• Dress warmly. But be sure to wear layers you can shed if you get too hot.

• Do a warm-up. Before you do anything strenuous, “get your heart rate and body temperature up,” recommends Ithaca College’s Gary Sforzo. So if you’re about to compete in a snowshoe race, for example, start with an easy 10-minute jog.

• Pick your day carefully. “If you’re looking to build a love for any sport, it starts on the good days,” says Eric Harlow, head women’s ski coach at Stratton Mountain School in Vermont. “Once you’re proficient and having fun, then the cold or rainy days won’t matter as much.”

• Once you start, don’t stop. “As long as you’re moving, there’s no fear of hypothermia,” says Sforzo. “It’s when a hiker stops for lunch, for example, and their body cools down, that it becomes dangerous.”

• Be safe. If you’re headed downhill on skis or a snowboard, wear a helmet, for instance. Check with those in the know to make sure you have the correct safety equipment for whatever activity you’re trying.

If you like being active outside, there’s no reason why you should stop in winter—no matter where you live! Just bundle up and get moving.

–By Chris Hayhurst

Aerial yoga is a fun and relaxing way to hang loose. (PHOTO: MATT WRITTLE)

Here’s a new way to look at yoga—or, more accurately, a new way to look at the ground! Participants hang from, stretch out in, and generally have fun with fabric hammocks. Sometimes called antigravity yoga—a misnomer, because gravity is clearly involved—fans say it’s relaxing, easier than some similar floor-based exercises, and feels a lot like being at a playground! Search online for aerial yoga or antigravity yoga to learn more. Or check out this video and review of an antigravity yoga session from The New York Times.

A version of this post originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Current Health Teens. Subscribers: Your December issue is now available. Look for it in the mail, or log in at www.weeklyreader.com/subscriberonly/login.aspx for your digital edition. 

CURRENT HEALTH: How did you learn about running?
LARRY GREENE: “When I first started competing in track and cross-country at age 12, I benefited so much from reading books and magazines about the sports. I also went to local running clinics and summer camps. From well-known experts and my school coaches, I learned the basics of starting a sound running program—things like what sorts of shoes to run in, what foods to eat for optimal energy, how to warm up, how to pace myself and increase my running distance gradually, and how to avoid injuries.”

CH: Do stretching exercises help avoid injuries?
LG: “Yes, runners can avoid injuries by stretching before and after workouts. But there are right ways and wrong ways to stretch. The wrong ways can actually cause injuries. So to learn how to stretch properly, you need a knowledgeable coach or teacher to guide the way.”

CH:Why does it matter how you run?
LG: “Good running form is tremendously important for performing your best and for avoiding injuries. Good form involves holding your body correctly and moving your arms and legs efficiently.” To learn more about good form as well as how to stretch properly, visit A Running Start. That Web site was created by New York Road Runners with the assistance of Greene and other fitness experts. It contains dozens of free videos that teach you how to run and how to pace yourself to run a mile or more.

CH: Should young runners participate in marathons, triathlons or 5K runs?
LG: “I’m always concerned about young runners covering very long distances. And I consider 5K a pretty long distance. My philosophy is that kids who are training for competition in track and cross-country should master the shorter distances (like 800 meters and 1,600 meters) before moving up to the longer races. I recommend that kids should wait until high school [age 14 and older] before they begin training for and competing in 5K races regularly. But I don’t see any problem with 9- to 13-year-olds occasionally participating in a local 5K event, as long as it’s not for competition. When kids get to participate with family and friends, and when they can stop and walk if they get too tired, 5Ks are great fun. I [also] love the idea of young kids participating in supervised triathlons because the different activities—swimming, cycling, and running—are naturally fun and challenging in terms of physical skills.”

CH: What can kids do to keep the fun in their runs?
LG: “Here are three great online resources that offer running games and other activities.”
A Running Start
Mighty Milers, a school-based program for young runners
Kids Running

—By Current Health Get Up and Go writer Betsy Dru Tecco

DO YOU have more ideas? Let us know! Post your best get-started ideas in the comments section below.

This post originally appeared in the October 2011 issue of Current Health Teens magazine.