Well Being Guide

Did you know that the word “biathlon” means “two tests” in Greek? It seems that the sport, which combines cross-country skiing with target shooting, has its origins in ancient traditions of skiing and hunting dating back more than 4,000 years. If you’d like to reconnect with your prehistoric roots and train for these two ancient […]

If the cold, dark days of winter leave you feeling punchy, take your fists down to Palooka’s Boxing Club and ask for Tyson Cave. Cave is the head coach at Palooka’s and teaches over 200 classes a month. Classes range from beginner to advanced boxing and also include women’s boot camp, Muay Thai and jiu […]

The snow in Halifax rarely piles up much, but walking trails at any HRM parks can be used for cross-country skiing; a city employee recommends the former railway lines at the Musquodoboit Trailway and the Timberlea trails. Martock is the official Winter Games venue, and has cross-country programs offered for adults and kids (see also […]

HRM residents who want to hurry hard and try their hand at skipping and throwing stones should consult the Nova Scotia Curling Association for more information. Among the city’s several rinks, the Mayflower Curling Club is home to the 2011 Junior Men’s provincial champions and the women’s Canada Games team. It’s also the official venue […]

The first place you’ll want to inquire about how to throw a triple lutz is the Halifax Skating Club at Centennial Arena. Founded in 1862, the club now has more than 200 members and offers a variety of programs for adults at all levels of skating. Unfortunately, the current programs are all full for this […]

At the Games all the downhill events including moguls, aerials, dual moguls and half-pipe are freestyle, and will take place at Ski Wentworth during the first week of competition. Ski Wentworth offers a series of programs, though their students are boys and girls in the age range of six to 20. “We try and encourage […]

Hockey isn’t the expensive, ultra-competitive sport it’s made out to be—there’s a sledge version for people with special needs, and recreational leagues for any skill level. Start by calling your local rink. For example, SportsPlex has a drop-in recreational league for people of “decent ability” organized by Bob Dalling. The first 20 people in the […]

Judo is the martial art of using your opponent’s own strength against them, making it a great self-defence sport. You won’t learn how to strike or punch, but you will be able to throw your opponent to the ground and subdue them. The Halifax Judo Academy, which operates out of the King’s College Gym, offers […]

Originally developed in the ’60s for women as a no-contact alternative to hockey, ringette remains popular with women today. It’s a low-injury sport that focuses on camaraderie, says Bruce Hennebury, a volunteer with Ringette Nova Scotia. There’s a ringette association for every geographical area of the HRM, just check out the Ringette Nova Scotia website […]

Canada Winter Games athletes will hit the hills at Martock, near Windsor, to compete. At 45 minutes outside of Halifax, it’s an easy place for you to snowboard, too. Group and private lessons are available, with lessons for first-time snowboarders offered twice a day on weekends and holidays, $49.95 (equipment rental included), and an eight-week […]

Speed Skating You’d think that with all the excitement surrounding The Oval, Halifax would be buzzing with adult speed skating programs and ambitious skaters. Currently the speed skating community in Nova Scotia does not have separate adult-only programs. But fear not—ambitious adult speed skater wannabes can train alongside younger athletes at the Dartmouth Speed Skating […]