Core strength is truly the foundation for strength in every other muscle group of the body. Think about it — everything you do in fitness, you have to prepare your body for resistance. In other words, you need to brace yourself for any amount of resistance.

All of this starts in the midsection, otherwise known as the core. There are many different styles and positions you can use to build strength. Many of these moves can also be combination exercises to work numerous parts of your body all at one time.

Our move today is a reverse elevated knee tuck, and all you need is yourself and an elevated surface, such as a coffee table or fitness bench.

This move will be targeting your abdominals, but your triceps, glutes, and hamstrings will get their fair share of work as well.

Begin this move by sitting on the floor and placing the lower part of your legs on top of your elevated surface. Place your hands on the floor just behind you, palms down and elbows facing behind you. Now, lift your rear end up off of the floor and engage your core by rotating the hips upward. Lift the chest, and engage the glutes as well. Now you are ready to tuck.

Once your body is in position, proceed to pull one knee at a time in toward your chest. Then return it back to the starting position and proceed onto the next leg. Continue alternating between each knee tuck for either a determined number of tucks or for a desired amount of time.

Shoot for at least 10 tucks on both legs for one set. Giving yourself five sets. This move can be intensified by placing a hand weight or barbell plate on your tummy, although after one or two sets, your own body weight resistance may be more than enough.

This is a great at-home workout at your convenience or just as good at the gym, as part of your training session. Happy tucking!

Marlo Alleva, an instructor at Gold’s Gym and group fitness coordinator, can be reached at faluvzpa@msn.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: ALLEVA: Core strength is foundation for all other muscles

GAINESVILLE — The likelihood adolescents will try marijuana rises steadily from age 11 to age 16, then decreases before hitting another peak at age 18, according to a new University of Florida study.

The study findings, which appear in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, may help experts develop new marijuana prevention strategies, says lead author Xinguang (Jim) Chen, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the department of epidemiology in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions and the UF College of Medicine, which are both part of UF Health.

“Many existing marijuana intervention programs target students age 15 and older,” Chen said. “Our findings demonstrate the need to start drug education much earlier, in the fourth or fifth grade. This gives us an opportunity to make a preemptive strike before they actually start using marijuana.”

As medical marijuana laws are passed in more states, there is concern among some experts that adolescents may view marijuana as a substance that can be used safely by anyone, regardless of whether it is part of a treatment plan under a physician’s supervision.

Using marijuana at a young age could put adolescents at risk for cognitive problems, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Teens who use marijuana may have impaired brain development and lower IQ. They may receive lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school.

The UF study was designed to learn when adolescents are most at risk for starting marijuana use. It is one of the first studies to examine the likelihood of marijuana initiation as a function of age and it used a study method called survival analysis that is more sensitive to fluctuations across age groups, Chen said.

The team analyzed data from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a nationwide cross-sectional survey including approximately 27,000 respondents ages 12 to 21, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The researchers found the likelihood that adolescents would start using marijuana climbed steadily starting at age 11, reaching a first peak at age 16. But the researchers were surprised to discover that at age 17, there was a dip in the possibility that teens would start using marijuana.

The team theorizes that many 17-year-olds are focused on improving grades and preparing for college entrance exams, which could pull their attention away from experimenting with drugs. This finding may represent an additional approach for developing interventions, Chen said.

“Increasing adolescents’ academic responsibilities and placing more emphasis on education could be one way to postpone drug use initiation, ultimately preventing drug use,” he said.

The likelihood of marijuana initiation rebounded at age 18 for a second peak. This corresponds to another major milestone in the lives of many young adults, said Bin Yu, M.D., M.P.H., one of the study’s co-authors, and a research assistant in the UF department of epidemiology.

“At 18, many adolescents leave their parents’ homes to start college or enter the workforce,” Yu said. “They may be more susceptible to influence from peers and they have less monitoring by their parents and the community.”

The researchers found that by age 21, 54 percent of young adults will have used marijuana.

The research team, which also included Sonam Lasopa, Ph.D., a recent graduate of the UF doctoral program in epidemiology, and Linda B. Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H., a dean’s professor, chair of the UF department of epidemiology and PHHP’s associate dean for research, noted a second surprise finding when they analyzed the likelihood of marijuana use by race. Adolescents who self-identified as having a multiracial background were significantly more likely to use marijuana than any other racial or ethnic group.

More research is needed to understand the reasons why adolescents from multiracial backgrounds may be at increased risk for initiating marijuana use, Chen said. With that knowledge, experts can develop prevention programs that take into account racial and ethnic differences, as well as age.

“This study finding supports the idea of precision intervention,” he said. “Intervention programs should be developed for both parents and adolescents, and delivered to the right target population at the right time for the best prevention effect.”

Jill Pease is the public relations director for the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida university study: Teens' potential for trying marijuana peaks at 16, 18

Six Okaloosa County parks have potentially hazardous bathing water, the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County stated June 27.

Garniers Park, Fort Walton Beach; Poquito Park, Shalimar; East Pass, Okaloosa Island; Henderson Beach and Clement E. Taylor Park, Destin; and Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, Niceville failed tests based on EPA-recommended enterococci standards. Enteric bacteria's presence indicates fecal pollution from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife or human sewage.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa health department releases water quality results

CRESTVIEW — Some Northwest Florida children know more about including healthy foods in their diet.

Rebecca Catalena, from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview, recently taught children at the Crestview library to fill half of their plate with a rainbow of healthy fruits and vegetables.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa children learn about nutrition