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	Fitness Center Orientation	Adult Health Classes	Youth Health Classes
	Youth & Teen Fitness Center	Our Renovated Fitness Center

Help Us Minimize Winter's Effects On Our Equipment

Winter in the Fitness Center means an invasion of footwear tracking in sand, salt, and slush. Please help us to keep our Fitness Center equipment operating in tip top shape.

• Please wipe your feet to rid your shoes of snow, ice melt and salt before using the cardio machines. These things get into the machines and act as an abrasive grinding down surfaces and causing wear.
  
  
• To keep the machines in top shape and to avoid the spread of cold and flu germs, please wipe down all machines and mats when you finish using them.
  
  
• When using the fitness center, if you notice a machine that doesn't seem to be working correctly, let the staff know so they can either fix it or call for service. The sooner a problem is reported, the sooner it will be corrected.
  
  
• Remember in the cold weather to leave coats and bags in the locker rooms.
  
  
• Keep your valuables safe by leaving them at the Control Desk.

Y Fitness Center Etiquette

To help make your workout stress free here are a few of our policies to follow:

• Coats and bags are to be stored in the lockerrooms, not in the Fitness Center. Please utilize our ample lockerrooms to store your personal items.
  
  
• "Outdoor" shoes should not be used on the cardio equipment. Salt and sand from shoes wears down the machines leading to breakage. Help us keep all of your new machines working.
  
  
• Re-rack your own weights when you finish using them. Be considerate of the person who will use the equipment after you, they may not be able to move the weight.
  
  
• Wipe down all machines and benches after you use them. With colds, flu and other viruses in abundance, lets keep everyone healthy.
  
  
• No cell phones in the lockerrooms. This is for the comfort and safety of everyone in the lockerroom. Most cell phones now have cameras.
  
  
• Place your dirty towels in the laundry baskets in the lobbies. If they are sitting on the floor in the lockerroom, they are not clean and available for a member to use.
  
  
• Please limit your time on all cardio equipment to 30 minutes during busy times. There are sign-up sheets at the Fitness Center Desk for the machines.

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The Melrose YMCA Fitness Center in the Main Street building is open for family participation from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Parents/guardians may bring a child 9-13 years old to use the Fitness Center. Children must be accompanied and supervised at all times by the parent. Only one child per parent will be allowed. All participants must be Melrose Y members.

A Y staff person will be available to assist you in the proper use of the equipment. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Mike Fleming, Health and Wellness Director, at 781-665-4360.

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The Melrose Family YMCA offers a variety of fitness activities for all ages in addition to a complete Fitness Center that can tailor your workout to your own individual needs. All new members who join the Fitness Center are eligible to receive free orientation sessions to help them get started safely and effectively on a workout program. A complete description of this orientation program is located at the bottom of this page. Professional personal training services are available at additional cost through our association with 1 to 1 Personal Fitness.

Please note that not all classes are held in every program session. Consult our current class schedule for current information.

Youth Health & Fitness In September, 2003, we opened our brand new Youth & Teen Fitness Center at our Sports Center location, 152 Tremont Street in Melrose. You can read more information and see photos on our Teen Fitness Center web page. Youth Fitness Youths age 12-14 are trained in the proper use of Nautilus and Free weights. These classes are held in the Teen Fitness center. Teen New Member Nautilus Instruction All teens between the ages of 14-16 must go through the Fitness Center Orientation and receive a certificate upon completion in order to receive a fitness center membership card. This is for safety reasons and to educate our teens on proper technique on the exercise equipment. Please make your appointment with the Fitness Center staff. Beginner Exercise Children ages 10-12 workout in the Teen Fitness Center. They are instructed on the use of all Cardio equipment and limited use on the Nautilus equipment. These classes are 30 minutes long. Tai Chi/Yoga For Teens For ages 12-16. Class combines both disciplines. Other Teen Classes Other classes for teens offered periodically include Teen Belly Dancing and Self Defense For Teens

Adult Health & Fitness On October 13, 2003, we opened our newly renovated Fitness Center at 497 Main Street. You can read more information and see photos on our Fitness Center web page as well as view our Nautilus equipment on our New Fitness Center Equipment web page Senior Fitness Class designed for seniors. You are taught how to use all the Nautilus and Cardio equipment. The class meets Monday-Wednesday-Friday. Continuing Senior Fitness Twelve visits per month for those who have completed the introductory class and are continuing their exercise program. You will find additional Fitness Center staff available. Hatha Yoga This class will learning positioning, stretching and breathing. There is also mediation and visualization components to the classes. Class content may vary from instructors. Adult Basketball League Registration is required for this program. The games are played on Mondays and Wednesday from 8:00-10:00pm. Midday Volleyball Pickup volleyball games at the YMCA every Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays from 12:30PM-2:00pm. Beginner Social Dancing Learn to dance to 3 of the most popular social dances in ballroom style: Waltz, Fox-trot, and Swing. Registration is required for this class. Intermediate Social Dancing Two different dances will be taught each session. Beginner Social Dancing is a prerequisite. Registration is required for this class. Dancing classes may vary from session to session. Adult Aerobic Classes A variety of classes from beginner to advanced. Many new classes have been added this year. Schedule is updated monthly. You can pick one up at the Y or click here to view it online.

  

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Stretch For Success!

We take part in aerobic activity to improve our cardiovascular endurance and burn fat. We weight-train to maintain lean muscle tissue and build strength. Those are the two most important elements of a fitness program, right? Actually, there are three important elements. Too often neglected is flexibility training, which is unfortunate, because flexibility training: Allows greater freedom of movement and improved posture Increases physical and mental relaxation Releases muscle tension and soreness Reduces risk of injury Some people are naturally more flexible. Flexibility is primarily due to one's genetics, gender, age and level of physical activity. As we grow older, we tend to lose flexibility, usually as a result of inactivity rather than the aging process itself. The less active we are, the less flexible we are likely to be. As with cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength, flexibility will improve with regular training. Before stretching, take a few minutes to warm up as stretching cold muscles can cause injury. Begin with a simple, low-intensity warm-up, such as easy walking while swinging the arms in a wide circle. Spend at least 5 to 10 minutes warming up prior to stretching. When performing any stretch: Start each stretch slowly, exhaling as you gently stretch the muscle. Try to hold each stretch for at least 10 to 30 seconds.

Avoid these stretching mistakes: Don't bounce a stretch. Holding a stretch is more effective and there is less risk of injury. Don't stretch a muscle that is not warmed up. Don't strain or push a muscle too far. If a stretch hurts, ease up. Don't hold your breath. Fitting stretching into a compressed schedule Time constraints keep many people from stretching. Some complain they just don't have time to stretch; others hurry out of their fitness classes before the cool-down exercises are completed. Ideally, at least 30 minutes, three times per week, should be spent on flexibility training. But even a mere five minutes of stretching at the end of an exercise session is better than nothing. And all aerobic activity should be followed by at least a few minutes of stretching. Here are some tips for fitting stretching into an overstuffed schedule: 1. If you don't have time to sufficiently warm up before stretching, try doing a few stretches immediately after a shower or while soaking in a hot tub. The hot water elevates muscle temperature enough to make them more pliable and receptive to stretching. 2. Try a few simple stretches before getting out of bed in the morning. Wake yourself up with a few full-body stretches by pointing the toes and reaching the arms above your head. This can clear your mind and help jump-start your morning. 3. Take a stretching class such as yoga or tai chi. Scheduling a class will help you to stick with a regular stretching program. Courtesy: American Council on Exercise Reprinted from the YMCA of the USA Member News, October 2006

  

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PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES aren't the only ones who experience muscle strains. Any active person uses muscles in a forceful and repetitive way, which can result in imbalances that lead to injury. Because it trains muscles to relax and extend instead of jerking and tightening, yoga can help anyone move differently, both in sports and daily activities. Many athletes such as runners, cyclists, and tennis players use yoga as part of their cross-training routines. Increased flexibility and strength, along with relaxation and stress reduction, are some of the benefits of yoga most often mentioned. While the practice of yoga is more than 5,000 years old, new styles are always emerging. They range from the classic hatha yoga, which uses breath and awareness to encourage a shift in the body's biomechanics, to power yoga, which combines yoga poses with weight training. Learning yoga takes practice, but the benefits can be recognized immediately. Regular yoga training will create subtle yet life-changing results for a stronger, more flexible you. Reprinted from the YMCA of the USA Member News, August 2006 The Melrose Family YMCA offers several kinds of yoga. Please see our aerobics schedule for details on the current offerings.

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The Fitness Center Orientation Program

Welcome to the Melrose YMCA Fitness Center! As a new member, one goes through an orientation process. This orientation is designed to develop a fitness program based on your own fitness level and personal goals. The fitness center staff does this through a series of three appointments.

The first time you come in, an instructor will sit down with you and go through a health questionnaire and discuss your individual fitness goals. Then the fitness instructor proceeds to take you through a tour of the cardiovascular equipment and teach you about heart rates. The member is fitted with a heart rate monitor which is used to adjust the cardio equipment at a safe and comfortable level for the individual. This is important:

	1. In knowing how to burn off calories effectively
	2. To get a good workout for the heart and lungs and
	3. In how to keep yourself motivated throughout the workouts.

This session is concluded with an abdominal and stretch routine. The information we get through the questionnaire is then used to design a weight training program to strengthen and tone the skeletal muscles on the outside of your body. This will be covered during the second appointment.

The second appointment is a weight routine involving the Nautilus equipment. It is designed to meet your needs for conditioning the skeletal muscles. This is important for toning and strengthening the muscles, thickening the ligaments, connective tissue and increasing bone density. It is also very important in weight loss because the more lean the body mass, the more calories you burn off at rest. The instructor will guide you through the different machines and adjust the machine according to your body structure, making notes on where the seat is adjusted and how much weight is to be used in the workouts.

The third appointment is made a couple of months later and serves two important purposes:

	1. It is a check-up and review of the individual's progress of their workouts and
	2. The member is introduced to the Free Weight area and taken through the basics of how to use the barbells, dumbbells, and other apparatus. This will also cover the difference between free weights vs. weight machines.

There are follow-up appointments which can be made every three months to upgrade the fitness programs. These are used to lead the member to their next level of weight training or can be just slight changes in the workout to add variety and answer questions you may have about your workout.

Personal training is available for those who want a coach to motivate your workouts and maximize your results with one-to-one attention to achieve your fitness goals. A consultation can be made through 1-to-1 Personal Fitness, a personal training firm that works in conjunction with the Melrose YMCA. Information can be obtained from the Fitness Center desk.

Special outings involving outdoor activities such as hikes, bike rides, etc. are posted on the Fitness Center bulletin board. Incentive contests are fun programs or fitness games designed to motivate you through your fitness program. The dates for when these contests start will also be posted on the Fitness Center bulletin board. There are also articles to take home and articles about members/staff that are interesting to read.

We also encourage you to try the classes available in the Aerobics Studio. There are classes such as Step, Muscle Conditioning, Yoga, and Dance with new classes always being introduced to the schedule.

Lastly, the fitness staff is here to answer any questions you may have about your fitness program. We want you to succeed! So don't ever hesitate to ask us any questions or help you may need in the Fitness Center. Good luck!