Exercising mind, not just body, important to staying healthy

By Kirby Adams

As you begin the New Year with a resolve to expand your health and well being perhaps it's more than just a tighter tummy or leaner loins that will leave you feelin' fine. Many of us are finding that exercising our minds, or least trying to exercise our minds as rigorously as we have our bodies for the past 20 or so years, is a challenge worth trying.

Both adults and children have been challenging themselves in a unique type of physical acting course taught by Lee Kitts. The format is “play.” The end result is not “performance but exercise.” Kids come into the Mellwood Art Center space after school pretty wound up. Lee begins by bringing the group into a neutral space with a time for relaxation exercises. “Nothing creative can happen with out relaxation,” Lee says, so she guides the class through meditation and imagination. Eventually the kids get up and begin to act out what they imagined. Lee says, “I love this age because they are so spontaneous.” The class goes on from there with the exercises encouraging everyone to contribute, and teaching that everyone is important and has something to contribute.

Cultivating the imagination is key to this program. For the kids' ages 8 to 11 that are part of this group, the imagination is still right there on the surface, easy to pull out. Adults may be a little tougher and Lee says many come to her saying they had bad experiences as children in school plays or speaking in public. The goal now is to change all that. What better way to start off the New Year than exploring and expanding your wonderful imagination?

Drama for Kids (ages 8-11)
Thursdays, 4:15-5:45
January-May

For all skill levels. Students explore theatre games, improvisation and group exercises in an atmosphere where growth and self-discovery unfold in the spirit of fun.

Adult classes
Tuesdays, 7-10
January-March

This class is for either the beginning student or the experienced actor. The training starts at the beginning with a progression of fundamentals for performance with focus on: acting as action (acting as doing) ; focus outside the self (a way of grounding in the moment by focus on environment/partner; clarity and specificity of intention (making meaningful choices that galvanize one to action). For more information, call 451-8717.

I've written about this in the past but it bears repeating at this time every year. Are you thinking of joining a health or fitness club? Congratulations!

Before signing on the dotted line, consider some of the following:

• Visit the facility at the time of day you plan to use it. This is really important and will keep you from becoming incredibly frustrated in the future.
• Is there adequate parking? If in the early morning or evening, is the parking area well lighted and safe? Is the workout/weight room over crowded?
• Are classes scheduled that you are interested in?
• If you become ill or are unable to attend for a month or so, what is the club policy for freezing memberships?
• What kind of education/training/certification do the people that will be assisting you have?
• How clean are the floors, the equipment, and the people working there? Go into the locker room. Ask to use the restroom. Is it clean are the showers?
• Another question to ask yourself: Is this health club convenient to my home or my work? If it is you are more likely to use it. If you have to go out of your way to get there, chances are you will not.

Good luck. Joining and participating in a club setting can be a very positive step in becoming a healthier you.

Kirby Adams is the consumer reporter for Kentuckiana's News Channel WHAS-11, Team Captain for Team Crusade and a sports and fitness buff. You can e-mail Kirby at kirby.adams@whas11.com. Kirby is also a member of Kentuckiana HealthFitness' Editorial Advisory Board.

If you know of a little “GEM” or a story, you would like to share it with our readers, drop me a note about it to:

Kirby Adams
WHAS-TV
520 West Chestnut Street
Louisville , KY 40202