Sparkes Wellness is now at www.sparkeswellness.com!

CLICK HERE for the Sparkes Wellness website and all updated information.

Thanks!



Monday, August 31, 2009

STRETCH class in Prospect Park

Back by popular demand!!!

Meet @ Grand Army Plaza, Wednesday, Sept. 2nd, 7pm
***$5 suggested donation***


Get your stretch on in the beautiful Prospect Park.
You'll be able to breathe in fresh air as you lengthen your muscles and relax your mind.
Bring a towel, yoga mat, and/or clothes you don't mind getting dirty.

We'll meet at Grand Army Plaza @7pm and settle on the Great Lawn. Be prepared, it will most likely be dark by end of class @8pm.

Rain Date TBA.

Suggested $5 donation. Bring your friends!



***All attendees will receive a coupon for a $50 Thai Massage with me (normally $80/hr)***

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Greenmarket Goodness...

Shopping at local farmer's markets is one great way to take the 'edge' off city living...

"Greenmarket promotes regional agriculture and ensures a continuing supply of fresh, local produce for New Yorkers. Greenmarket has organized and managed open-air farmers markets in NYC since 1976. Greenmarket supports farmers and preserves farmland for the future by providing regional small family farmers with opportunities to sell their fruits, vegetables and other farm products to New Yorkers."



The River Garden cut flowers & wreathes from Greene County, New York




Eat Local!

"Eating locally grown food is nothing new. A hundred years ago, over 95% of Americans lived on farms. City dwellers ate food brought by horse and cart from nearby farms. In the 1800s, Brooklyn was the top producing agricultural county in the US. In the 20th century, farms moved west and many local farms were paved over. By the 1970s, New Yorkers complained of brown lettuce and hard tomatoes while local farms went bankrupt. Greenmarket was a natural solution to a two-fold problem: by selling their homegrown crops in New York City, local farms could stay in business and bring fresh food to city neighborhoods. What began with twelve farmers in an empty lot in 1976 has grown into the largest network of its kind in the country, with rigorous "grow-your-own" standards."

-Excerpts from Council on the Environment of New York City website


Oak Grove Plantation vegetables, plants and pork from Hunterdon County, New Jersey




Find your closest NYC Green Market here
My favorites? Union Square (M, W, F) and Grand Army Plaza (Sat), both open year round!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

FREE Thai Massage & Partner Stretch workshop!!!!

Thai Massage & Partner Stretch Workshop @ lululemon athletica

Wednesday, August 26th, 7-8:30pm
472 Bergen St. @ Flatbush Ave in Park Slope (2/3 to Bergen)

It's FREE!!!***


A new lululemon athletica (my all time favorite exercise clothes store) just opened a new shop in my neighborhood. Wohooo!
And they're all about offering the community free classes & workshops.

Yup, I said FREE!***

On August 26th, I will be teaching a Thai Massage & Partner Stretch Workshop. You asked for it, you got it. Learn how to do those amazing assisted stretches that you get at the end of your personal training sessions. You will have a chance to be both the giver and the receiver of the stretches.

Bring your friend, lover, roommate, so you'll always have someone who knows how to stretch you out!! ;)

Wear comfy clothes and get ready to purchase some new fitness gear after the workshop. lululemon athletica will still be open exclusively for workshop participants.

Relaxing, stretching, and shopping all in one night? Does life get any better than this?

***Call the store (718) 636-6298 to reserve your spot!!***

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Stingrays & Dragons in NYC

Yes, you read it correctly...dragons. In New York City!

Last weekend I competed with my team, The Stingrays, in the 19th annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in Flushing, Queens.




Dragon Boat racing is an ancient Chinese tradition that dates back 2,000 thousand years. There are about 12-18 people rowing in one boat. Our races were 250 meters or 500 meters. We finished in approximately 1minute 11sec and 2minutes 29sec, respectively. Talk about explosive power! It looks like it would be all about upper body strength, but really the power comes from your legs and obliques.

According to Dragon Boat Festival Chairman Henry Wan, "A very well-known scholar and high court officer named Qu Yuan was very fed up with the new king's failed policies. So he drowned himself in the river in order to protest the failed policies. Since he was so well liked all the villagers raced out to try to save him. They couldn't save him but every year they reenact it and that became dragon boat racing."

Watch a news clip on NY1 and look for the Stingrays in blue life jackets ;)


Stingrays showing muscles after our warm-up of 100 jumping jacks and squat thrust push ups. Hardcore!

See more pics of the boats and festival here.