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Exercising your body and mind: Classes in foreign tongues

Posted July 18, 2007 at 04:00 PM by Robyn Slagle

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Alt. Therapies, His Health, Physical Health

Is your workout becoming bland and boring?  Are you having trouble feeling excited and motivated to go the gym? Is your brain feeling a little drained?  Well, a fitness class in another language may be able to help you beat the workout blues while enhancing your body and mind a little bit more.  A recent article in the Washington Post enlightened readers about fitness classes that are now being offered in foreign languages.  In the article, Ronald Algeria, a native Peruvian kickboxing instructor who works at Gold’s Gym, teaches his classes in Spanish. Algeria taught martial arts for 15 years while still living in Peru and has been teaching a Spanish kickboxing class for about a year and half. Although very little English is spoken, he is still able to get his class into shape while allowing them to have a good time.  Students are able to brush up on some basic Spanish while getting a tough but entertaining workout.
Kickboxing in Spanish is not the only new foreign fitness class that has been getting people excited. Yoga classes are also taught in French, a new way to improve body and mind.  The featured yoga class, which is instructed completely in French by Brigitte Pichot, is held at the Alliance Franchise, the French Language and cultural center in Washington, D.C.  Pichot, who has been teaching yoga for 30 years, gives her students an opportunity to work on shaping up their bodies while simultaneously enhancing their French skills.  Students of her yoga class feel that having the class taught in French helps them to additionally disconnect themselves from their daily lives. 
Mind and body workouts should be implemented more often into people’s workout routines to help improve their overall well-being.  In foreign language fitness classes, people are given the opportunity to enjoy a stimulating, innovative, and different kind of workout for their bodies while also expanding their minds.  Expanding your mind is important to help insure lasting health. 
According to the Franklin Institute, “Your brain learns and grows by interacting with the world through perception and action.” The foreign language fitness classes are a perfect tool for helping people gain more brain power.  The institute also says that this kind of mental stimulation along with physical activity can help protect one from cognitive decline. 
Cognitive decline is becoming a more prevalent problem in older people.  According to the Alzheimer’s Association website, more than 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.  If stimulating your mind and body are the key tools to help prevent or slow down the onset of dementia, then why not do both at the same time while having fun?  Exercise classes in another language are a powerful tool to help individuals get more diverse workout, training both mind and body.  The next time you’re feeling a little bored or tired with the same old boring fitness class, try searching for a class taught in a foreign tongue.
For resources and more information: [Page-Kirby, Kristen. Master Spanish Steps. Washington Post (Express). July 10, 2007. Page E4], [Yates, Clinton. Poses a la Paris. Washington Post (Express). July 10, 2007. Page E5], [Alzheimers Organization], [Franklin Institute Online], [picture1], [picture2]

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Tags: alternative fitness, alzheimer's association, alzheimers, dementia, foreign language, franklin institute, health, kickboxing, men's health, mental health, mind, yoga

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