The Chambersburg Memorial YMCA held its 5^th Annual Corporate Dodgeball Tournament on Saturday, February 19.  Fourteen teams participated in two divisions of competition. 

Ten Teams competed in the Competitive Open division.  The teams consisted of: Aerotek, APR Supply, Barkman Farm, Blind Squirrels, Chambersburg Screen Printing, Outlaws, Randy Heck Plumbing, Ted Danson with the Stars, Unabombers and The YMCA. Each team played four pool play matches, which consisted of five games each.  The top six teams competed in a single elimination round.  Ted Danson with the Stars, captained by Matthew Gardner, defeated Chambersburg Screen Printing, captained by Vince Ha, in the championship round.

The Coed division had four teams: SMC, Franklin County Jail, Patriot, and Pop Goes the Weasel. Each team played three pool play matches with all teams advancing to the single elimination round. The Coed division champion was SMC, captained by Dustin Timmons, as they defeated Patriot captained by Ryan Green. 

The YMCA Dodge ball Tournament is an annual event. Teams wishing to participate in the 2012 competition or individuals interested in information on Adult Recreational Activities should contact Chris Misner, Director of Youth and Recreational Activities, at 263-8508.

Over the Christmas break, the Chambersburg YMCA drained our Walker Lap Pool to install a new Prozone Ozone Water Purification System. 

With this new system, harmful bacteria and algae are killed up to 3,000 times faster, while the amount of chlorine used in the pool is reduced by almost 90%.  In a regular pool run on chlorine, chemical reactions unrelated to disinfection create combined chlorines.  Combined chlorines are the major cause of eye irritation, odor, and other side effects of using chlorine.  By reducing the amount of chlorine used in the pool water, the new ozonator keeps the pool clear, odor free, and helps to  reduce skin and eye irritation caused by normal pool chemicals.

The addition of this system to our pool area will assist in keeping our maintenance costs down by using less chlorine, which can be corrosive to the pool.

Here are some useful facts to be mentioned when speaking of using ozone to clean pool water*:

• Ozone destroys viruses and bacteria such as e-coli and legionaries, and others.
• Ozone is over one thousand times faster acting than chlorine at oxidizing and destroying bather load in a swimming pool. This drastically reduces chlorine requirements.
• Decreased chemical usage – significant savings considering the cost of chlorine
• Better water clarity
• Reduction or total elimination of chloramines
• Reduction or total elimination of odors-particularly valuable in indoor pool environments
• Smoother water feel
• No red itching eyes normally caused by chloramines
• Very effective at destroying viruses and organisms
• pH neutral

We hope that you will come and take advantage of our newly filled and purified lap pool this winter.

For more information on the Prozone Ozone Water Purification System, please visit: http://www.prozoneint.com/

*Facts provided by http://blog.lifefacilities.com/swimming-pool-ozone-generators/

Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense partnership gives military families access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs

 As part of the new Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Outreach Initiative, the Chambersburg Memorial YMCA is providing military families with access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs.  Membership fees for these families are underwritten by the DoD and administered through Military OneSource, an information and referral service for military families.

“The Chambersburg Memorial YMCA is happy to help meet the critical needs facing families of deployed military service members,” said Jen Gossert, Director of Family Services, Chambersburg Memorial YMCA.  “Families are the most affected when a loved one gets deployed, so we are deeply committed to providing them with the support they need.”

The ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative responds to a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to support military family readiness and to ensure that military family readiness programs and activities are available to all deployed National Guard and Reserve families, and some active duty families in certain special categories. 

Military families participating in the initiative are eligible for YMCA memberships based on participation requirements. Those eligible to participate in the new initiative include:

All interested families of joint deployed National Guard and Reserves of all military branches;
Active Duty Independent Duty station personnel and their families; and
Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel.
 

“The YMCA has a long history of supporting military service members and their families – since the Civil War – so it was natural for us to join this initiative,” said Gossert. “During this time of conflict, it is more important than ever that we continue providing services and support to these families in the absence of a deployed spouse.” These services are beneficial to military families, as evidenced by the responses of members of the program.

 “Having the benefits of the YMCA at the military families’ disposal is a God-send.” said Sasha Coleman Arnett, whose husband Jeremy is currently serving in Iraq. Arnett is caring for their young daughter, London, while her husband is deployed.  “Since we do not have any family even remotely close to Chambersburg, I was a bit concerned as to how I would be able to get some “me time” and also have London get used to different atmospheres and people.  Using the Y’s child care during my workouts has been wonderful. The staff is always so nice, and I never worry about leaving her there.  She enjoys her time with the staff and children, and I enjoy my time to better me as a person, and in turn, as a mom.”

For more information about the ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative, please visit www.asymca.org. or www.ymca.net.

With spring just around the corner the YMCA is accepting registrations for their Scramble Golf League slated to start on April 6th at the Majestic Ridge Golf Club. Two person teams will play nine hole handi-capped matches against other two person teams through August 17th.  An 18 hole league championship will be held on August 23rd or August 30th.  Weekly prizes for men and women play.  All playing levels welcome.  Men’s, Women’s and Co-Ed teams accepted.  $25.00 per person registration fee.  League capacity twenty teams.  Registration forms can be found on the YMCA’s web page under league play.

Whether it is swimming laps, running miles on the treadmill or shooting hoops; the YMCA has these and many other ways to spend quality time together with your children, spouse or special friend.  Weekends at the Y are a great time to re-connect with yourself and your family.  Upcoming weekend events for families include the Nov. 16th Ornament Making Class, the Dec. 6th Breakfast with Santa and the January Snow Tubing trip.  For teens and adults, the Y is offering a Stuffed Turkey Spin class on Black Friday, Nov. 28th and several tournaments for all skill levels.

 But beyond special trips and classes, the Y is open every Saturday and Sunday with great ways to keep healthy and connected with your loved ones.  So the next time you are looking for someplace to go, remember your YMCA membership offers you and your family lots of fun.

Only two more months of 2008 are left, which for most folks means two more months of holiday gluttony until they announce another “Get in Shape” New Year’s Resolution.  Why wait until January, when you can start right now and help beat the holiday bulge.
From Nov. 1st until Nov 30th the Y will offer 6 Total Access Fitness Classes a week.  These classes are 30-45 min weight training group exercise classes held in the Y’s new Total Access Fitness Room.   The goal is simple – attend 12 classes during the month of November averaging 3 times per week and you will receive a free T-shirt.  For those who struggle with time commitments if you attend 9 classes in November you will receive a free water bottle. 
The rules are simple:  1 – you must be a current Y member with Fitness Center privileges; 2 – you must participate in 30 minutes of the scheduled class time; 3 – you should know how to use each piece of Cybex Total Access equipment before taking the class.
Each class accommodates 11 students, they are free to Y members and they are on a first come first serve attendance basis.   For more information please contact Michele Sheppard a msheppard@chbgy.org

1. Add Weight to Lose Weight
Should I do more reps with less weight? Or use more weight and do fewer reps?  If you are looking to shed pounds, the answer is to use more weight and do fewer reps.  Select a weight heavy enough that you are able to do 15 reps maximum.  Work up to completing three sets of 15 reps.  It seems contradictory – but increasing lean body mass is the best way to lose excess fat and maintain a long-term healthy body weight.

2. Best Butt Workout
Get on the EAGLE Leg Press and adjust the back to position #4.  Adjust the footplate so that when your toes are at the top of the footplate, your knee is at a 90 degree angle.  Select a weight where you can’t do more than 15 reps.  Repeat 15 reps three times.  (Extra tip: for added variety, do one leg at a time placing less stress on the back and greater emphasis on the glutes.)

3. Flattest Tummy
Get on the EAGLE or VR3 Ab machine.  It may not look like it is going to work your abs – but from the first lean-forward you will know it is working just the area you need to tighten up those ab muscles.  (Extra tip – REALLY IMPORTANT: Always work opposing muscle groups in tandem.  Do 10-15 reps on the ab machine and then 10-15 on the Back machine.  Repeat 3 times.)

Cybex International’s high quality fitness lines are the result of over forty years of experience in the sports medicine, human performance and rehabilitation fields. Cybex’s commitment to excellence has resulted in Cybex being the leader in innovation, who consistently sets the fitness industry’s standards for customer satisfaction and ease of operation.

Cybex’s unique design elements ensure you will feel a sense of simplicity and ease on every piece of Cybex.  Superior ergonomics, easy to read instructions, intuitive adjustments and a comfortable fit for individuals of all sizes provide the user with a non-intimidating enjoyable workout experience.

Professional athletes all over the world ask for Cybex equipment by name.  The YMCA’s different Cybex lines will provide an exceptional fitness training experience for all our members from the teens through active older adults.

Sometimes the usual or the regular routine can be disrupted in life.  Here at the Y over the last few weeks this has been true as the Y Fitness Center renovations have been occurring.  But, despite how uncomfortable it may be to change, a little variety in your workout habits will often help lead to fitness success.  Trying  a new exercise routine or a new fitness class or even exercising at a different time of day can often invigorate a stale exercise regimen. Over the next few weeks many opportunities to further experience a change in your workouts with the arrival of new equipment and the re-organization of the facilities will occur.  Try to approach your workouts in the new facilities with excitement and an open mind.  You might just lose a few pounds or gain some strength from the change.