Merritt Clubs Blog

As the summer begins, parents may be looking for opportunities to add some structured fun into the long days of summer. Baltimore's best gym and fitness club is available to help out with that, offering summer camps in a variety of locations to provide opportunities for kids to have fun, be active, and learn.

Kids Camps in Eldersburg

Eldersburg offers a variety of camps for children of many ages. Water lovers can participate in the easy-going Splash and Swim camp, the more focused Michael Phelps swim school, or a junior lifeguard camp. View Eldersburg Camp brochure here. Other offerings include camps focused on:

• Sports
• Karate
• Dance
• American Girls
• Fairy Tales
• Musical Theater
• Video Gaming
• Art
• Pirate Island
• Theme Days

Younger children are not excluded at Eldersburg with special camps just for preschool-aged children, including Wee Sports, Superheroes, and theme camps such as "Dynamic Dinosaur Camp," "Around the Campfire," or "Kids in the Kitchen."

Towson Camps and New Outdoor Pool Complex

Towson offers a brand new pool complex for its members, which includes a baby pool, a large pool with two 18 foot water slides, and a sports field. Towson also offers summer camps for kids, including Junior lifeguarding, the Michael Phelp's swim camp, sports, and American doll camps. View Towson Camps brochure here. They also offer a Princess dance camp for the youngest dancers, and a Walk the Runway Camp for young aspiring fashion designers.

Canton Camps

The Canton location offers many of the same camps as Towson and Eldersburg. Swim camps, sports camps, dance camps, and American girls are some choices. Their unique camps include a Pop Star Dance camp, and an Ultimate Fun camp where kids will go on scavenger hunts, conquer obstacle courses, and play games. View Canton Camps brochure here.

Dance Camps at the Cranbrook Location

If you've got a dancer in the house, and the Cranbrook location is convenient for you, they are offering the Mini Dancing Princess Camp for children ages 3-5, and the Pop Star Dancing Camp for ages 5 and up.

Merritt Athletic Clubs has got you covered for summer activities! Children will not only learn a lot at these camps, they will have lots of fun and want to come back for more. Check our brochure for exact dates, times, and prices for all of these camps and contact us if you have any questions.

You've been working hard all winter getting in shape, but now that the nice weather is here, a change of pace is in order. Get off that indoor treadmill and head outside! Merritt athletic clubs in Towson offer a new outdoor space that is great for individuals and families.

New Outdoor Pool Promises Summer Fun

Merritt Athletic Clubs in Towson has been working hard on a new outdoor recreation area, and it is just about ready to open. The outdoor complex has a baby pool complete with a fun, squirting dolphin sculpture. In addition, families can cool off together in a large pool that has plenty of room along with two 18 foot waterslides.

Members will also enjoy new lockers, restrooms, and lounge chairs for relaxing. Work up an appetite while playing in the pool? An outdoor grille featuring Panache Fine catering will take care of hungry members so there's no need to leave. In between dips in the pool, kids can work up a sweat on a large outdoor sports field adjacent to the pool area.

Towson plans a grand opening celebration for their new pool area on June 15th, from 12 to 5pm, although it will be available to members at the end of May. Merritt Athletic Clubs offer a similar feature at their location in Eldersburg. Canton and Locust Point locations have an outdoor pool as well.

Merritt Athletic Clubs want to provide a place that gives families an opportunity to relax and play together. This new pool complex will give families a way to spend time together, while having fun and being active. If you'd like to become a member and see all that Merritt Athletic Clubs have to offer, contact us (410-821-0160).

Photo Courtesy: Ray Salas, Trainer

Tired of your current workout?

Not sure how to lose those unwanted inches or having trouble toning muscles?

Always feel fatigued, never have enough energy, or need help staying motivated?

If you answered Yes to any of the questions, then bootcamp is for You!

“All you have to do is show up and let me take care of the rest” –Ray Salas, Trainer

Each week Ray’s got a new playlist that’s bound to get your body moving. No matter what your fitness level is, this class is made to do one thing, Burn Calories and have fun doing it!

Challenge yourself and try a class!

Many people interested in fitness and nutrition have heard the term “intermittent fasting”. Maybe you are wondering what the buzz is all about and whether it can be a part of a healthy lifestyle?

In simple terms, intermittent fasting means going without food for a certain period of time. There are different types of intermittent fasting, including:

• All-day fasting- Usually this means eating an evening meal, and then going without food until the following evening, or approximately 24 hours.
• Alternating days of fasting- This involves fasting on one day and then eating normally the following day.
• Partial-day fasting- This allows for a specific window of time for eating, and then fasting the remainder of the day. Someone might eat during a 6-8 hours period of time, and then fast for the other 16 to 18 hours in the day.

The human body requires energy to digest or absorb the nutrients in food. Once a meal has been digested and all the nutrients absorbed, the body enters a fasted state, and begins generating energy from stored fat and protein.

An intermittent fast might have some beneficial effects on metabolism, and could help control weight and manage blood glucose levels. Clinical studies have shown that lowering food intake could actually slow the aging process by controlling potentially harmful free-radicals that are produced in metabolizing nutrients in food.

A calorie-restricted diet that has 60-80% of the normal intake of food can result in an unhealthy obsession with food. Studies done at the University of Minnesota during the 1940s showed that men who consumed 40% of their normal intake of food developed unhealthy eating patterns such as bingeing.

Most people find intermittent fasting for certain periods of time or on alternating days easier to follow than a strict calorie-restricted diet all the time. It might be worth experimenting with intermittent fasting to see if it helps you reach your health and fitness goals.

Please contact us for more information.

The top reason for not exercising is not having enough time in the day and a misconception that contributes to that excuse is you have to spend a long time at the gym in order to see results. But you can spend as little as 30 minutes in the fitness club on a consistent basis and stay healthy. But in order to do that you have to maximize how you use your time in the fitness center. Here are five tips to ensure you get the most out of each exercise session.

In 2012, Merritt Athletic Clubs 24 hr Canton was voted one of the best gyms by the Baltimore Magazine. There are a lot of gyms out there so why did this club surpass all the others? First, the membership fees are pretty competitive and reasonable, ranging from $50-89 per month but that also gets you access into the other nine Merritt regional locations. Price typically is one of the deciding factors and when you are able to pay one fee for 10 gyms, that’s a pretty good deal. It’s very convenient, too, especially if you travel around town a lot.

The next thing that put the Canton club above other gyms is the amazing facilities that they offer 24 hours a day. The spinning studio has an amazing light and sound system, the pool has a beautiful view of the harbor, and if that’s not enough the full-service day spa can help you relax. The basketball court and two squash courts are good for pickup games or just to practice some drills. You won’t have to worry about getting bored with the group fitness schedule since you’ll have 70 classes a week to choose from. And while you are doing all that, you’re little ones will have a cheerful day-care to go to.

Being the official club of the Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders, you’ll have fun while working out. contact us to find out more information about how to become a member.

You worked out at the gym a few days ago and went all-out with extra reps or achieved a personal best in the amount of weight for that bench press. Felt great, didn’t it? But you woke up the next day very sore and those muscles are tender to the touch. How to speed up the recovery process and get back to normal again? Here at Merritt Athletic Clubs, you can exercise your options and find the solution to muscle soreness.

Joining a fitness club is a big financial commitment and so finding the right facility that you will enjoy going to is critical to making the most out of your monthly dues. Take a tour, ask lots of questions and try out the fitness club first before signing any contract. Here are five things that you should keep in mind while you are searching for your fitness club.

MEET PECS THE MERRITT PARROT

Congratulations Member Katherine Devaney won the name the parrot Contest. Katherine won a $50 Sports Authority gift card!

Keep your eyes peeled for Pecs. He will be making appearances on the marketing throughout the clubs.

We constantly hear studies that show that kids and adults both need to be active to have a healthy lifestyle. But for many people, that means running on a treadmill for a few weeks until it gets boring, or nagging kids to turn off the video games and go outside to play. Adults and kids should consider karate lessons as a way to start a healthy lifestyle, and obtain other benefits as well.

Health Benefits of Karate

Most karate classes start off with a warm-up that includes stretching, jumping jacks, push-ups, and other activities that will get your body moving and burning calories. Then karate itself will work all muscle groups, including your core which is essential to optimal health. Karate is also a cardio workout, and those that participate usually find increased flexibility, strength, and stamina.

Karate Teaches Self-Discipline, Self-Defense, and Confidence

Kids and adults alike struggle with confidence issues. Karate is a great boost in this area as you master different skills and work to earn new belts. It also helps participants in the area of self-discipline. Karate trains students to focus and concentrate, and these skills often translate to life outside of the dojo. Lastly, karate teaches self-defense. While the classes do not encourage aggressive actions, it is a side benefit that students will be able to defend themselves if they need to in an aggressive world.

Karate Classes for Adults and Children

Karate is one of the rare fitness classes that are taught for adults and kids. This is a great activity that families can learn together and practice skills at home, carrying fitness outside of the gym into everyday life. It's a simple way for families to spend time together and get healthy in a fun, enjoyable way.

If you live in Maryland, karate classes are offered for children and adults at Merritt Athletic Clubs in Buckingham, Canton, Eldersburg, and Towson. For information on additional ways to have a healthy lifestyle for the whole family, contact us. Also, check out our summer camps here!