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Tis the season to be merry but festive fun aside, the holidays can prove to be one of the most stressful times of year. Not only is the pressure on to have a good time, keep family happy with visits but there is also the added stress of finding money for gifts and having to step outside your usual routine.

The epidemic of childhood obesity in many countries across the globe, particularly the US, is hardly breaking news. However, with the link between one of the biggest killers, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, there is at least one serious health condition that needs to be tackled alongside the issue of kids getting fitter and not fatter.

Beginning January 7th, First Defense will be holding regular Monday night classes at the Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase, MD. Classes will be every Monday evening from 7:30-9:00pm. Location: Ohr Kodesh Congregation 8300 Meadowbrook Lane Chevy Chase, MD 20815 For more information on the classes and to register, please contact Instructor Jonathan at jonathan@firstdefensemac.

First Defense, in collaboration with the Krav Maga Self-Defense Meetup Group and She Can Shoot, is offering a one-hour women-only self-defense class on December 19th at 7pm. These beginner-level Krav Maga classes will cover some basic techniques and principles as they relate to common threats and attacks women may face.

The next session of our popular 8-week Krav Maga Foundations Course starts on January 9 & runs through February 27, 2013. What we'll cover over the course of the 8 week: Basic Striking Using Hands, Elbows, Knees & Legs Defending Strikes Releases from Chokes Releases from Headlocks Releases from Bearhugs Releases from Wrist Grabs Using Common Objects for self-defense Situational Awarenss Defending Yourself on the Ground Dealing with Stress Developing the Proper Mental Attitude Participants are also welcome to attend the Monday night Krav Maga Basics class and the Monday & Wednesday Striking classes at no additional cost.

The inaugural meeting of the Charlottesville Krav Maga Self-Defense Meetup Group took place on December 1st, 2012. It was a beautiful day & everyone enjoyed training Krav Maga in the great outdoors! At the request of the group, First Defense Lead Instructor, Nick Masi, has committed to travel to the area monthly to conduct workshops with the ultimate goal of setting up a Krav Maga center in Charlottesville.

If you sit behind a desk and wheel around an office then you might feel perfectly fit enough to do your job. The question might be is your job ruining your health and fitness. Recent statistics have shown a huge increase in the number of U.S. Air Force workers either losing their jobs or being demoted because they've failed fitness exams.

It seems like every year some new a fitness fad comes into the spotlight that shines for a while before disappearing. However, with knowledge and understanding of the body, health and wellness increasing this is an exciting time to find interesting and effective ways to get fit and stay fit.

Teenage boys feeling under pressure to have a ripped and pumped up physique might be the reason that more of them are working out to gain extra muscle. A recent study highlights what could be worrying signs of this teenage focus. Meanwhile, a different study suggests that muscle strength in teenage boys could be a predictor for general fitness which links to a longer life.

The trend in people using the expert help of a personal trainer is really growing. Not so many years ago the sheer mention of a personal trainer might have had others looking on in astonishment at what they might have considered an indulgent fitness fad.