Student spotlight: Matthew

Matthew came to us after his mother heard about OYT from a co-worker. After the first lesson, Matthew was hooked on Parkour! He had natural ability and an abundance of energy. He has taken to instruction well and has reached Level 2 in our Parkour program. With the support of his family, Matthew will gracefully maneuver through any obstacle in life.

Matthew executing a "tic tac" on, then off a tree.

European Tour: Zamosc, Poland

While on a tour throughout Europe we made a stop in Zamosc, Poland to teach two dance workshops and give a lecture at the local University. The dance workshops focused on individual growth and we introduced a few new skills. The lecture focused on creating a happy and positive life by expanding on your hobbies and turning them into a source of happiness as well as income. The weekend was filled with positivity and new friends.

Inactive Teens at Risk for More Behavioral Problems

TUESDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In adolescents, physical inactivity is associated with emotional and behavioral problems, suggests a Finnish study of more than 7,000 teenagers who took part in a survey that assessed their levels of physical activity and mental and emotional health.

Boys who reported less than one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week had more symptoms of anxiety, withdrawal and depression than boys who were more active. Inactive girls had similar problems, and were more likely than inactive boys to also report sleep problems and rule-breaking behaviors.

Both inactive boys and girls were more likely than active peers to have social and attention problems.

"Adolescence is already a complicated and sometimes difficult stage of life -- emotionally, mentally and physically," study author Marko T. Kantomaa said in an American College of Sports Medicine news release.

"Compounding that with negative mental and emotional effects brought on by physical inactivity does not help young people ease into adulthood. Physical activity could be a highly effective and relatively easy way to help that transition and could, in addition, lead to establishment of lifelong healthy habits," Kantomaa said.

The researchers noted that a growing body of evidence suggests that an increase in physical activity helps reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in both adolescents and adults.

"It seems that there is a psychological and physiological connection that, when operating together, help explain the beneficial effects of exercise on mental health," Kantomaa said.

The study was published in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Student Spotlight: Jett

Jett came to OYT a little shy and full of energy. His father was a mentor to me as a young man, so it was my pleasure to coach his son in Breakdancing and Parkour. After our first lesson Jett would run from the car to start his weekly lesson. We split the hour lesson, staring with Breakdancing and ending with a fast paced Parkour lesson. Jett showed extreme disciple and was a joy to coach. He made vast improvements during his time with OYT and I know he will continue to grow healthy and happy.

European Tour: Zagan, Poland

I must say that Zagan, Poland has the largest number and most talented young dancers that I have seen in all my travels. Nearly the whole town showed up to our two day dance workshops and I was impressed the whole time. The town greeted us with open arms and plenty of smiles. Gumar of Zagan helped make the whole thing happen and I truly appreciate his help.

The benefits of Parkour

In the world of health and fitness, if there’s anything that France has done, it is introducing the sport of free running (also known as ‘Parkour’) which is beginning to gain a lot of popularity and acceptance. While the objective of ‘parkour’ is to be able to find a path from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible. As this involves negotiating with obstacles, one has to develop a high level of fitness to do so.So, here is a list of benefits that one can avail of when training using the form of parkour:

Benefit #1: A full-body workout leaving you in great shapeSince everything is about ‘movement’, this involves one having to ‘move’ every part of their body (i.e. cardiovascular exercise), finally resulting in one getting fitter and fitter by the day. Since this also involves negotiating with obstacles, speed and the ability to be ‘water-like’ (a Bruce Lee-ism) while doing so can count for a lot as well.

Benefit #2: Think on your feetSince this form of exercise involves negotiating obstacles that require one to make choices to very quickly, this results in practice for the mind as well, as it makes one to think on their feet. In turn, with each success that you achieve in negotiating an obstacle, you begin to trust your choices, as instinctive as they might be.

Benefit #3: A can-do attitude that leads to greater confidenceWhile most people would avoid jumping a fence but finding an easier path around, traceurs would think of the most efficient way by which one can negotiate this obstacle based on the training that he or she has received. And it is this can-do attitude that can lead to greater confidence that can spread to other areas of your lives.

Article via Medical Daily

Elbow Burn

When practicing the art of B-boying (break dancing), there are many burns that indicate which moves you've been practicing. I was proud to notice that Devi-Dev had earned his windmill burn on his elbow. I showed Devin mine and let him know that he was on the right path. If you'd like to earn these windmill burns, check out the very helpful tutorial by VincaniTV below.

Friends and Family day with OYT

To thank all the people that have helped get us stared on our journey with Onsite Youth Training we decided to have an appreciation day. We invited friends and family to come out to the park and enjoy a free lesson. Thank you all for your support.

European Tour: Kiel, Germany

I had the honor of teaching a dance class and judging the Enter The Circle event in Kiel, Germany.

             I make a few cameos after the 2:22 mark in the video re-cap of the event.

Kids having fun and people smiling. It's always a god time in Kiel. 

100 Cartwheels in a row!

Once I started working with Allison on her gymnastics skills,  she came up with a "secret goal" of her own. 100 cartwheels in a row. I am proud and happy to announce that she has accomplished this goal. Congratulations Allison!

Healthy Students Are Better Learners

The academic success of America’s youth is strongly linked with their health.

Health-related factors such as hunger, physical and emotional abuse, and chronic illness can lead to poor school performance.¹ Health-risk behaviors such as early sexual initiation, violence, and physical inactivity are consistently linked to poor grades and test scores and lower educational attainment.^2-4
In turn, academic success is an excellent indicator for the overall well-being of youth and a primary predictor and determinant of adult health outcomes.^5-7 Leading national education organizations recognize the close relationship between health and education, as well as the need to foster health and well-being within the educational environment for all students.^8-11

1. Dunkle MC, Nash MA. Beyond the Health Room. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers, Resource Center on Educational Equity; 1991.
2. Carlson SA, Fulton JE, Lee SM, Maynard M, Drown DR, Kohl III HW, Dietz WH. Physical education and academic achievement in elementary school: data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. American Journal of Public Health 2008;98(4):721–727. 
3. MacLellan D, Taylor J, Wood K. Food intake and academic performance among adolescents. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research 2008;69(3):141-144.
4. Spriggs AL, Halpern CT. Timing of sexual debut and initiation of postsecondary education by early adulthood. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 2008;40(3):152–161.
5. Srabstein J, Piazza T.  Public health, safety and educational risks associated with bullying behaviors in American adolescents. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health 2008;20(2):223–233.
6. Council of Chief State School Officers. Policy Statement on School Health ; 2004.
7. National School Boards Association. Beliefs and Policies of the National School Boards Association . Alexandria, VA: National School Boards Association; 2009.
8. American Association of School Administrators. AASA position statements[pdf 61K] . Position statement 3: Getting children ready for success in school, July 2006; Position statement 18: Providing a safe and nurturing environment for students, July 2007.
9. ASCD. Making the Case for Educating the Whole Child[pdf 1.9M] . Alexandria, VA: ASCD; 2011.
10. Basch CE. Healthier Students Are Better Learners: A Missing Link in School Reforms to Close the Achievement Gap. Equity Matters: Research Review No. 6. New York: Columbia University; 2010.
11. CDC. The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010.
12. Freudenberg N, Ruglis J. Reframing school dropout as a public health issue . Preventing Chronic Disease 2007;4(4):A107.
13. Muenning P, Woolf SH. Health and economic benefits of reducing the number of students per classroom in US primary schools. American Journal of Public Health 2007;97:2020–2027.

Onsite Youth Training x Low End Theory

We had a great time giving a free workshop to the youth at Gallery2110 for the Low End Theory event this past weekend. It was great catching up with friends and encouraging new dancers.