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Freedom on the Waterfront

This Mount Dora event is set to be a festive celebration of the Fourth of July. Entertainment will include Nashville breakout country star Bailey Callahan, various vendors, family fun, great food and fireworks!

As this event is scheduled for Sunday, celebrate the 4th the day of the holiday with the Independence Day Parade in Mount Dora, too! Starting at 10 am in downtown Mount Dora, this parade will feature local businesses, artists and organizations to celebrate the holiday.

Find out more about local events at ci.mount-dora.fl.us.

Art by Susan Grogan, winner of 2022 Freedom on the Waterfront Poster Design Call to Artists.

Freedom on the Waterfront

When: Sunday, July 3, from 4 – 9 pm

Where: Elizabeth Evans Park and Gilbert Park; 100 North Donnelly Street, Mount Dora

Cost: Free admission

Inexpensive Summertime Fitness Hacks

By Mark Grevelding

The heat is on, and that can change your exercise habits. If you need some inexpensive inspiration to stay in shape this summer, consider trying one or more of these fitness hacks.

Exercising Tubing

If the summer heat has driven your fitness routine indoors, make sure you have some exercise tubing on hand. Priced at under $15 on Amazon, exercise tubing sold with a door anchor can be used to perform a variety of pushing and pulling exercises for upper body strength. Aging bodies should focus on pulling exercises for upper back muscles, such as rowing, in order to combat sloping shoulders and poor posture.

Wheel Chocks

Chances are you have shifted outdoor walking to the mornings in the hot summer months. Regardless of the time of day you do it, foot care is essential for maintaining a healthy stride. Over the past 30 years, I have suffered from a litany of feet issues. My current podiatrist suggested that I buy a cheap pair of wheel chocks and use them daily for calf stretching. Best advice ever! Flexibility in the calf muscles is essential for loosening up tight tendons in the feet. A pair of wheel chocks sold on Amazon for under $10 will do the trick.

Tennis Ball

Speaking of foot care, consider giving your feet a tennis ball massage. Rolling a tennis ball under your feet can help loosen up plantar fascia making it less likely to get irritated. A self-directed tennis ball massage can also help a sore back, tight chest muscles, stiff knees and more, according to an article in Prevention, “10 Pain-Fighting Moves you can do with a Tennis Ball.”

Pool Noodle

If you have taken your workouts to the pool to the heat, consider buying an inexpensive pool noodle. A noodle is the most versatile piece of water fitness equipment you could ever have. Float on it for ab training. Push and pull it for upper body training. Place it under your foot for lower body training. Stand on it for balance training. The Poolfit app has several pool noodle exercise videos that you can watch free trailers for ideas. Mark Grevelding is the founder of PoolFit.tv, a fitness app and streaming website that includes over 130 water fitness workouts that include a wide variety of formats for all fitness levels. All workouts are led by highly qualified training specialists.