FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herselfSurrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Is your workout getting a little stale? Revitalize and compliment your fitness routine by adding yoga. Yoga helps prevent injury by strengthening joints and stabilizing the core, but it also helps increase your range of motion and flexibility which both contribute to better balance and mobility. WINK News Fitness Expert Mike Drumm joined WINK News This Morning to explain the benefits of yoga and special guest Colleen helped demonstrate a basic routine you can start this morning! Yoga is a great way to be active and has many benefits include improving strength, flexibility, posture and breathing. Yoga boosts mood and concentration, and decreases stress, blood pressure and anxiety. Everyone can benefit from adding yoga to their fitness routine. You can incorporate a few moves into the beginning or end of your existing workout, or instead of lifting weights or stretching, do a session of yoga. There are many variations of yoga that change poses, how quickly you move, how long you hold each pose, how much breathing is emphasized, and how much of a spiritual aspect there is. Yoga can be performed by yourself or with others and today Colleen and I are going to go through a basic yoga routine that you can do at home with us this morning, or hit record on the DVR and practice your moves after work tonight. You’ll see improvement to your flexibility in as little as a few weeks and gains in both your strength and endurance in less than a month. THE WORKOUT Upward Stretch Forward Bend (hamstrings) Plank/Rotate (R/L) Down Dog (stretch calfs) Cat / Cow Childs Pose Bird Dog – 6 moves MAINSTREAM: Yoga Myths and Misconceptions Many brave souls have stepped into a yoga class thinking that it’s only about stretching, and discovered it to be a butt-kicking workout by itself. If you don’t buy it, then check out the popular programs like P90X and see how much yoga they incorporate into their systems. Yet, people still avoid yoga due to some common myths… Flexibility Is A Requirement for Yoga. Flexibility is NOT a requirement. Yoga is actually a balance of strength and flexibility. In a yoga class you may not be able to touch your toes, but the person next to you may not be able to do a push-up. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and yoga is about balancing the two. Yoga Isn’t REAL Exercise. Make no mistake, yoga can be incredibly challenging. Instructors guide you through the different poses showing you how to modify them based on your fitness level. I’ve seen even elite athletes struggle when attempting the advanced postures as a beginner. CONCLUSION A Surprise Benefit of Yoga: Strength! I was shocked when I realized how much strength it took to get through a yoga class. I was even more surprised by how quickly how strength-building poses that were once incredibly difficult for me got a little easier. I wasn’t just getting more flexible–I was becoming stronger, too! Description of Exercises: Upward Stretch. Start by raising your arms, it’s a great way to get the blood flowing and wake up the body. Reach your hands above your head, point your fingers to the ceiling. Elongate your spine and feel the stretch in your ribcage and arms. Hold for a count of 10. You’re probably going to be sitting most of the day, so stretch out now. There’s scientific proof that a sedentary life leads to health problems. Unfortunately, many of us have no choice but to spend long periods of time in a car or a chair. Sitting shortens your muscles, and tight muscles lead to discomfort and injury. Stretch out while you have the chance. Standing Forward Bend. Targets hamstrings and lower back. Standing with feet hip-distance apart and knees slightly bent, fold forward at the hips. Allow your upper body to hang and clasp elbows. Hold for 2-3 deep breaths. To come up, pull in abs and round up one vertebra at a time. This might be the only alone time you have all day. Before you have to talk to everyone else, use the morning as an opportunity to have a conversation with yourself and set your intentions for the day no matter how small, and meditate on that intention for a few peaceful moments. Plank/Bridge. Place your hands (or forearms) on the floor, shoulder-width apart, and walk your feet back until you are in a straight plank position. Lengthen through your spine and send the top of your head away from your heels in a straight body position. Keeping your abdominals flexed, pulling your belly button in towards your spine. Hold this pose for 2-3 breaths. Down Dog. Tuck the toes under and lift the tailbone towards the sky. Drop the head down and push into the hands to create length in the spine. Draw your navel in towards your spine and press the soles of the feet down towards the ground. Take 5 rounds of deep breath in this pose, closing the eyes if you have your balance High Lunge. Bend at the knee, reaching one foot foward, placing it between your hands. From this position, reach for the ceiling with both hands so your upper body is now straight. (Your back leg remains straight and your front leg is bent at 90 degrees.) Your lower-body muscles should be engaged. Hold this pose for 2-3 breaths. Return to plank pose and repeat on the other side. Yoga can be as relaxing or vigorous as you want it to be. Add a little challenge to your routine, get your blood pumping and muscles working. You’ll feel stronger all day — and strength lends to more energy and confidence Cat-Cow. Come down onto the hands and knees. Be sure that the wrists are directly below the shoulders and the fingers are spread wide. Feel each knuckle and the finger pads on the ground to distribute the weight into the hands so that not all of the weight is on the wrists. The knees are hip distance apart and the tops of the feet are on the ground, the big toes are touching. Inhale into cow (the head and tailbone lift up, dropping the belly towards the ground, heart extending forward). Exhale into cat (arch the spine upwards, tuck the chin toward the chest, draw the navel in towards the spine). Continue for 2-3 times. Bird Dog. A great overall core exercise that not only strengthens the abs and back, but also involves the glutes and improves balance and stability. For a more advanced version, try this move on the toes instead of on the knees. Begin on hands and knees with the back straight and the abs pulled in. Lift the right arm up until it is level with the body and parallel to the floor. At the same time, lift the left leg up and straighten it until it is also parallel to the floor. Hold for a moment, lower and repeat on the other side, this time lifting the left arm and right leg. Alternate sides and move slow and controlled. Try to keep your body straight throughout the movement. Childs Pose. A great finishing movement. Stretches your lower back and arms and relaxes your entire body. If you have knee problems, lower yourself into this yoga pose with extra care. Start in a kneeling position. Drop your butt toward your heels as you stretch the rest of your body down and forward. In the fully stretched position, rest your arms in a relaxed position along the floor, rest your stomach comfortably on top of your thighs, and rest your forehead on the mat. You should feel a mild stretch in your shoulders and buttocks and down the length of your spine and arms. *Don’t force your butt to move any closer to your heels than is comfortable. TIP: In yoga, relaxation refers to the loosening of bodily and mental tension. Conscious relaxation trains your muscles to release their grip when you don’t use them. Relaxation is a conscious endeavor that lies somewhere between effort and non effort. To truly relax, you have to understand and practice the skill. Try these stretches when you first wake up, or before your regular workout.