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One of Florida´s oldest parks, Highlands Hammock State Park opened to the public in 1931. Although much of the landscape remains the same, there are now many things for exercise enthusiasts to...
One of Florida´s oldest parks, Highlands Hammock State Park opened to the public in 1931. Although much of the landscape remains the same, there are now many things for exercise enthusiasts to do.
There are nine different trails for hiking. Be sure to look for alligators as you stroll along the elevated boardwalk over Charlie Bowlegs Creek. This will be the best place to see them.
There is an 8-mile round trip bike path through Highlands Hammock State Park. For bike riders who may not be able to go that distance, there is a shorter 3-mile loop path, as well as a six-mile trail for off-road enthusiasts. Some bikes are available for rent at the ranger station.
Skaters can also take advantage of the 3-mile loop path; however, they should beware of debris on the roadway (such as sticks or hickory nuts) which might cause them to stumble.
If you have your own horse, you might be interested in the 11 miles of fire lane trails that meander through remote natural areas. These trails are for day use only. The daily equestrian fee is $6.00 and you need to make sure to take a negative "Coggins" report with you. Camping with your horses is also permitted.
For those who enjoy the tranquil sport of bird watching, the park is one of the best places in Highlands County to do it. Be sure to get the bird checklist which is available at the ranger station.
For campers, the park's campground offers water and electric hookups, a dump station and access to restrooms with shower facilities. There are also primitive campsites that have no electric or running water and pit toilets.
However you make your way through the park beneath the tall pine trees and massive old oaks, watch for white-tailed deer, alligators, river otters, opossums, raccoons, Florida scrub-jays, cardinals, cedar waxwings and any other wildlife you may pass.
Admission into the park costs $4.00 per vehicle for up to 8 people or $3.00 for a single occupant in a vehicle.
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The Highlands Pedalers is a bicycle club for cyclists in Highlands County, Florida. This group of about 45 bicyclists can participate in weekly bike rides around Sebring, a once a month breakfast...
The Highlands Pedalers is a bicycle club for cyclists in Highlands County, Florida. This group of about 45 bicyclists can participate in weekly bike rides around Sebring, a once a month breakfast ride and in bigger events, too. Most of the bigger events are held outside the county. Monthly meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at the Kenilworth Lodge.
Membership fees are $25 for individual, $30 for family and $10 for junior. A $30 family membership includes children 18 and younger. A junior membership is for those 18 and over. Shop time is $5 per visit.
A full individual membership, which includes shop time, costs $50; a full family membership, which includes shop time, is $55.
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Our local YMCA sponsors a lot of programs for such a small community and BMX racing is one of them. What was once an ugly, smelly garbage dump became a site where fill dirt and gravel were...
Our local YMCA sponsors a lot of programs for such a small community and BMX racing is one of them. What was once an ugly, smelly garbage dump became a site where fill dirt and gravel were excavated. About 5 1/2 years ago, the local YMCA bought that site and turned it into what it is today - a fabulous BMX race track.
Practice sessions are usually held on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Races are held sporadically on Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m. Contestants may register for the race between 6:00 and 7:30 p.m.
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General Nutrition Center is located in the Lakeshore Mall between Bealls and JCPenney. In relation to fitness and health-related products, GNC sells vitamins, minerals, herbs, protein shakes and...
General Nutrition Center is located in the Lakeshore Mall between Bealls and JCPenney. In relation to fitness and health-related products, GNC sells vitamins, minerals, herbs, protein shakes and sport supplements.
It is the world's largest vitamin and nutrition company devoted to helping its customers improve their quality of life. They work in scientific research and new product discovery and are constantly trying to improve their manufacturing and packaging processes.
I think General Nutrition sells just about anything and everything you could want in the way of vitamins, minerals, nutrition and/or supplements. They sell multivitamins, individual vitamins, vitamins that meet special needs, antioxidants, fish oil and other fatty acids, amino acids, joint support formulas and more.
In their sports nutrition line, they sell products from Pro Performance, MUSCLETECH, BSN, NO2 & CE2, NxCare, CytoSport, Optimum Nutrition, MHP, Fizogen, Xyience, Next Proteins, EAS, Twinlab, Natures Best, Vyo-Tech, Universal Nutrition, Instone and Met-RX as well as apparel and accessories.
They also sell diet support formulas, thermogenics, meal replacements, energy formulas and power bars. Natural remedies, cleansing and detox formulas, soy and flax products as well as teas can be found at GNC, too. They carry health and beauty products as well.
GNC sells so much, in fact, that I get overwhelmed when I go in there. That's one reason good sales people are so important here. Unfortunately, I've never been waited on by anyone at our local GNC who could answer my questions or help me choose the proper product(s) for my specific needs.
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Payless Shoe Stores sell affordable footwear and accessories for the entire family. Of the four major stores in Highlands County selling athletic equipment, including shoes, they are the least...
Payless Shoe Stores sell affordable footwear and accessories for the entire family. Of the four major stores in Highlands County selling athletic equipment, including shoes, they are the least expensive choice.
In their line of athletic shoes, they carry names like Airwalk, Champion, Dunkman, Tempo, Four Stripe, SafeTStep and the better known Spalding. Most of their shoes are made from man made materials rather than leather and other quality materials. Prices range from $19.99 to $37.99, although Payless often has sales. Although the sales help is friendly, they have no expertise in fitting shoes or what shoe would be best for what sport.
In my opinion, if you're a serious athlete and need shoes that are going to stand up to heavy-duty wear, Payless ShoeSource is not the place to buy your athletic footwear.
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As the fastest-growing shoe retailers in the nation, you're almost certain to have a store near you. If not, there should be one opening soon. You can check their website...
As the fastest-growing shoe retailers in the nation, you're almost certain to have a store near you. If not, there should be one opening soon. You can check their website http://www.rackroomshoes.com/grand_openings.asp to see where the latest openings are.
Located just inside the Lakeshore mall entrance between JCPenney and Belk and across from the Zap Zone (where Luby's Cafeteria was for so many years), Rack Room sells shoes, handbags and accessories at discounted prices.
You'll find sneakers and athletic shoes by Adidas, New Balance, Nike, Reebok, Asics, Converse, Keds, Skechers, Avia, L. A. Gear, K-Swiss, Rocket Dog, Ryka, Saucony and Vans as well as Timberland hiking boots for men, women and children; however, I don't think you'll find the serious athletic shoes Hibbett Sports and Foot Locker carry. Also, I don't think you'll find the knowledge about different sports products and which shoe would be right for what athletic activity, like you would at Hibbett.
I do think you'll find a huge variety of mid-range shoes sold at reasonable prices in conveniently located stores. I have always found the sales people at Rack Room to be very helpful, although limited in their expertise.
Before going to a Rack Room store, make sure you visit the Rack Room website for coupons http://www.rackroomshoes.com/coupons.asp that will save you money.
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Foot Locker in Lakeshore Mall between Pretzel Twister and Elegant Jewelers has expanded their store into a quasi L shape so that they are now also between Elegant Jewelers and Randy's Mobility. ...
Foot Locker in Lakeshore Mall between Pretzel Twister and Elegant Jewelers has expanded their store into a quasi L shape so that they are now also between Elegant Jewelers and Randy's Mobility. Foot Locker claims to carry the world's most complete athletic footwear store. That's a mighty big claim and I'm not sure this store fills the bill.
They do sell shirts, shoes, shorts, athletic wear and accessories by Nike, Reebok, Adidas, New Balance, And 1, Jordan, Fila, Dada, K-Swiss, Lugz and Phat Farm. I'd never even heard of most of these companies!
One thing I found very interesting at Foot Locker was the Nike + iPod Sport Kit. A blend of two modern favorites, the Nike + iPod Sport Kit lets you listen to your favorite motivational music while you track your progress. The iPod nano provides feedback on distance, time, pace and calories burned directly through the headphones. After your run, a performance summary appears on the nano screen and can be heard through the headphones. At only $28.99 (excluding iPod and shoes), I thought this was a good deal for any serious runner.
While they carry an extensive line of products, I have always found their sales staff to be a major drawback. Although they wear uniforms that make them look like football referees, I didn't think the sales people were very professional. In my experience, they are more interested in talking to their friends than in helping me.
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We have several stores in Highlands County which sell athletic shoes and equipment. Hibbett Sports, in Lakeshore Mall just outside Bealls Department Store, carries more sports products than any...
We have several stores in Highlands County which sell athletic shoes and equipment. Hibbett Sports, in Lakeshore Mall just outside Bealls Department Store, carries more sports products than any other store in Highlands County, according to its manager. They carry a full range of equipment for anyone participating in football, baseball, basketball, soccer or physical fitness including shirts, pants, jerseys, socks and hats in sizes and styles to fit men, women and children. They also custom imprint team uniforms should you need this done. Hibbett sells Adidas, Nike, Converse, New Balance, Under Armour and K-Swiss brands.
Armando, the store manager, believes that one of the best things about Hibbett Sports when compared to other stores in the area is that they carry a wider range of shoe sizes than anyone else. He said they may not have the biggest variety of styles but they do carry the best selection of sizes.
I think one of their strengths lies in their excellent customer service. While sales people in some of the competitor stores are more interested in talking to their visiting friends about last night's date, I found the sales people at Hibbett to be professional and well informed about the products they are selling.
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The aquatic therapy program at The Therapy Centers is designed with the specific needs of each individual person in mind. After an initial assessment and communication with the patient's doctor,...
The aquatic therapy program at The Therapy Centers is designed with the specific needs of each individual person in mind. After an initial assessment and communication with the patient's doctor, treatment will begin.
The pool provides a soothing, supportive environment and allows a person to move unencumbered by gravity. This is great for anyone who has lower body paralysis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, nerve damage or is in chronic pain.
In the pool, a person can move through a greater range of motion and stretch tight muscles. When they are deemed ready, the patient can begin to exercise in order to build muscle strength and endurance. Many of those who have difficulty walking are able to move more freely in the pool and therefore regain strength and function. Clients who suffer from painful injuries or conditions that prevent them from exercising in conventional ways have an alternative method to improve their stability, strength and function without increasing their pain or aggravating their condition.
The Therapy Center has a large, heated, indoor pool with separate showers and locker rooms for men and women. Aquatic workouts are led by licensed therapists who have specialized training in aquatics to ensure good results for everyone.
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The Haywood Fitness Center offers a variety of programs from calming yoga to high-intensity workouts, from group classes to one-on-one sessions with personal trainers. Whether you're already fit...
The Haywood Fitness Center offers a variety of programs from calming yoga to high-intensity workouts, from group classes to one-on-one sessions with personal trainers. Whether you're already fit and healthy or recovering from open heart surgery, there is something here for you.
After my mom had a heart attack and subsequent open heart surgery, her cardiologist sent her to the Haywood Fitness Center to take part in their cardiac rehab program. Each session, she had to begin with a weigh-in to make sure she wasn't retaining water (important to keep track of after open heart surgery). The staff would then hook her up to monitors before she began exercising. There was always at least one staff person present to keep a close eye on the monitors, start her on oxygen when needed and have her slow down or discontinue using the exercise equipment if necessary. My mom feels this was a very important step in recovering from her heart attack.
For regular memberships, there is a $50 enrollment fee + $37 per month membership fee for each primary member. The cost is just $10 more per month for a spouse or child. A family membership would be priced at the above + $5 per month for each child 13 to 21 years old still living in the same household. No one under 13 is permitted to join. Childcare is provided. Some companies have reduced corporate rates and some insurance companies offer preventative healthy care plans.
There are no long-term contracts and, in some instances, the billing department will work with your insurance company.
The Haywood Fitness Center is a great place to do something good for yourself. In fact, it was voted #1 Best Health Club in Highlands County.
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