<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1" ?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>washingtonpost.com - Get Out</title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/style/columns/getout?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><description>Get Out</description><language>en-us</language><ttl>15</ttl><image><title>washingtonpost.com</title><width>140</width><height>20</height><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com</link><url>http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/hp/image/wp_web.gif</url></image><item><title><![CDATA[Try Skateboarding]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35827-2005Apr7.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35827-2005Apr7.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Propelling yourself down a ramp while balancing on a slice of wood with wheels can be more than a little frightening. There's asphalt all around, for starters. Worse, there's that gaggle of 14-year-olds just waiting for you to take a tumble. Yet zipping around on a board can be exciting and get your adrenaline flowing. With a good teacher, plenty of practice and lots of padding, you can get in touch with your inner teenager and tackle turf you never thought possible.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Try African Dance]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17358-2005Mar31.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17358-2005Mar31.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Can't stand another minute mindlessly jogging on the treadmill? Dog-tired of down dog? Whatever the reason, it's time for a new way to break a sweat  --  without counting down every second until it's over. African dance, which mixes an intense workout with a strong cultural component, could be your salvation. Historically, the terpsichorean art commemorated celebrations  --  marriages, baby-naming ceremonies and other festivals. The music is just as important as the movement: Most classes have live musicians on djembes (West African drums) and the occasional balafon, a xylophone-like instrument. While classes today preserve those African traditions by fostering a sense of kinship, it's also about working up a serious sweat. Once the drums start beating, you won't notice how hot it gets or how out of breath you are  --  just how liberated and exhilarated it feels to dance, a part (for at least an hour) of a community moving and grooving together.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hire a Running Coach]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45670-2005Mar17.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45670-2005Mar17.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[I've always hated running. Sure, I love biking, hiking, skiing, skating and swimming, but ask me to sprint, and I feel like my pavement-pounding feet are beating my body to death. With warmer weather finally approaching and a few winter pounds to lose, though, I thought I'd try jogging once more. Again  --  the agony. Then it occurred to me (well, it actually came to my wife as I complained) that I could be doing something wrong. Maybe, she suggested, I should check in with a running coach, an expert who could analyze and improve my every step. But people just get out and run, don't they? What more could there be to it?]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Take a Ballet Class]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25783-2005Mar10.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25783-2005Mar10.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Like many little girls, I once dreamed of dancing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in "The Nutcracker." I would watch the videotape endlessly on my family's clunky VCR (even then, I had an inkling that Baryshnikov was a fox), pirouetting along with the on-screen dancers. As I narrowly avoided knocking over Mom's best crystal vase with a thrashing arm, I felt beautiful, weightless and graceful.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Panning for Gold in Va.]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5816-2005Mar3.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5816-2005Mar3.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[There's just something about the word "gold" that makes people go nutty. And I'm not just talking about grizzly old prospectors, but everyday, upstanding folks. One day they're sitting quietly at a PTA meeting, the next they're tearing down the road, driving hours to the mountains  for the chance to dig through  mud to find something shiny. Think gold fever went out with the Conestoga wagon? Think again.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Play Speedminton]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51893-2005Feb24.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51893-2005Feb24.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[I'm not ashamed to admit a certain lack of grace when it comes to racquet sports. Given my tendency to whack the ball smack-dab into the center of the net, I've often thought tennis and badminton would be so much easier -- and, let's face it, less embarrassing -- if we didn't have to worry about clearing a pesky piece of fabric. Luckily for me, and for others who are similarly net-challenged, there's a new sport in town.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Gyms That Don't Sweat Your Wallet]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33572-2005Feb17.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33572-2005Feb17.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[For years you've said you'd love to join a gym -- if only it weren't for the costly $75-and-up monthly membership fees.  Well, don't settle back into your sofa just yet. By sacrificing a few amenities -- say, juice bars, free towels or swimming pools that most members rarely use -- you can find a health club that'll offer you all the basics you need, like locker room facilities, classes and ample cardio and weight-training machines. To get you started, here are a few local chains where your monthly membership fee can weigh in at $35 or less.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ride an Indo Board]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33571-2005Feb17.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33571-2005Feb17.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The waves are great today," Priscilla Carver shouts to her husband.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dance Burlesque]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15628-2005Feb10.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15628-2005Feb10.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Take it from a professional -- Velcro is just not hot. "It catches on everything," admonishes  Kitty Victorian, burlesque dancer extraordinaire, with a wink. "It will snag and destroy bits of your costume like your fishnets and satin gloves. And while it makes taking your costume off a little easier, the noise is just not sexy."]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Join a Bowling League]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62153-2005Feb3.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62153-2005Feb3.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Tired of striking out at happy hour? Turn it into a bonus: Grab a friend or co-worker, or go it alone, and  join one of the the area's bowling leagues. The addition of specialty drinks, DJs, and a new generation of ballers have put the user-friendly -- not to mention addictive -- sport back on the social radar, 21st century-style. You'll enjoy the thrill of team competition without changing your clothes or breaking a sweat -- and you may even get to the point where everybody knows your name.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Go Sledding]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25199-2005Jan20.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25199-2005Jan20.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Last week's flurries may have reminded you of the giddy childhood thrills that come from flinging yourself down a  snowy slope. When I was growing up, I considered our local "Suicide Hill" the fiercest one going. So I was more than a little, er, crestfallen when I heard someone else refer to their favorite sledding spot by the same name. Surely, it couldn't be as treacherous, as fearsome, as awe-inspiring as mine. Did it have a rusty fence at its base? Could it dole out bloody lips and bruised bottoms the way ours did? Did it offer that added thrill of being so narrow that you risked being mowed down as you stood at the bottom adjusting your layers or fumbling for your hat? Every neighborhood couldn't have its own Suicide Hill?]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Try Gliding]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8043-2005Jan13.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8043-2005Jan13.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[I'm in the middle of a set of leg lunges. Simple enough, right? But today, something's different: Under my lunging foot is a nylon disc, which has turned the shiny wood floor into a veritable Slip 'n Slide -- and me into a bit of a klutz. Forget about mastering any new moves; I'm working on staying upright.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Try Snow Tubing]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54802-2005Jan6.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54802-2005Jan6.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[First, a confession: I am a wimp. My idea of extreme sport is navigating Starbucks on Saturday morning. Winter activities have always appealed to me, but I never thought I was destined to be a snow bunny until I heard of snow tubing, a relatively new ski-resort activity perfect for skill-less thrill seekers like myself. As its name implies, snow tubing involves a giant rubber inner tube -- you simply sit back on it (or prone, as is your wont) and shush down the slopes. It really is that simple (gotta love gravity). Once you reach the bottom of the hill, a tow pulls you back up to the top, so all you have to do is relax and enjoy the ride.  A winter sport where reclining is required? It could have been designed with me in mind.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Take a Water Yoga Class]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20965-2004Dec22.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20965-2004Dec22.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Whether your sun salutations could rival any professional poser's or you've yet to find Om away from home, water yoga offers a novel way to give body and mind a workout.  The practice has many variations, with names like aqua yoga, woga, Yoga Afloat and YOQUA (the last two are trademarked certification programs).]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Take Meditation Classes]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53754-2004Dec9.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53754-2004Dec9.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Frantic gift-hunting! Desperate spending! Humiliating office parties! I-forgot-about-you fruitcakes! The holidays are supposed to be about peace, love and harmony, but anyone who's ever battled a fellow shopper over a Bratz doll knows that December's reality isn't always that pretty. This year, do yourself a favor and make an effort to clear your mind -- without taking early nips on the eggnog.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Go Telemark Skiing]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30180-2004Dec2.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30180-2004Dec2.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Bored with snowboarding?  Done with downhill? You're not alone: Earlier this year, the trade group Snowsports Industries America released a study showing that sales of alpine skis and snowboards were flat nationwide. So what was hot? Fat skis, twin tips -- and telemark skis, for a once-thought-dead technique that's being revitalized across the country.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Play Underwater Hockey]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61317-2004Nov18.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61317-2004Nov18.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Just because the National Hockey League is on strike doesn't mean you have to suffer through winter puck-less. The Beltway Bottom Feeders, a local underwater hockey team, plays year-round, and even those of us who aren't built like Jaromir Jagr can join in the fun. Never heard of the game? Underwater hockey may sound like an indie sport, but there's actually a U.S. national team (Bottom Feeder David Kennedy is a member) that competes in the World Cup every two years against powerhouses such as New Zealand, Australia and France. In the States, Nationals are held every summer -- the Bottom Feeders hosted the tournament in June 2003.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Learn Racquetball]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44019-2004Nov11.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44019-2004Nov11.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Looking to work up a sweat old-school style? Try racquetball. The sport of choice for short-shorts-clad execs in the '70s has stayed popular for a simple reason: It's a fast-moving game that's easy to learn.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Learn Wushu]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26740-2004Nov4.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26740-2004Nov4.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" featured an epic love story, poisonous darts and graceful, gravity-defying swordplay, with lithe warriors battling each other in midair by ricocheting off walls, leaping off roofs and soaring among treetops.  Although the flying was courtesy of stunt masters and cinematic special effects, there is a real martial art buried under the glitz: wushu, a modern, acrobatic variant of kung fu that is gaining in popularity locally and worldwide.]]></description><author></author></item><item><title><![CDATA[Play Indoor Soccer]]></title><link>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7819-2004Oct28.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7819-2004Oct28.html?nav=rss_style/columns/getout</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 7:24:59 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Think it's too cold to charge down a field toward a soccer goal? Too chilly to bend it like  Beckham? Not so fast, twinkle toes. Just because the turf, so lush and green in the warmer months, goes squishy and slushy in the fall doesn't mean the action stops -- it just moves inside, where the grass (er, AstroTurf) is greener.]]></description><author></author></item></channel></rss>