Hey Des Plaines! For our next installment of Doing it up in Des Plaines I headed over to the Des Plaines Park District Prairie Lakes Fitness Center, 515 E. Thacker St., for a Saturday afternoon Stretch and Strength class. The Fitness Center offers a variety of classes and programs aimed at all fitness levels. Besides Stretch and Strength, they also offer yoga, Pilates, martial arts, Zumba, step classes, one-on-one personal training, Irish Dancing and even a Bollywood inspired dance class, among many others. All fitness and dance classes are taught by professionals and like all programs, are …

Hi Des Plaines! For our next installment of Doing it up in Des Plaines, I headed over to MBD Martial Arts, 1673 Oakton St., to try my hands, er legs, at kick-boxing in their Muay-Thai class. MBD offers instruction in martial arts for children and adults. Their classes include Mixed-Martial Arts (techniques used in Ultimate Fighting), Muay-Thai, Grappling, Karate, Self-Defense, Pankration and Weapons Training. At MBD I spoke with Michelle De La Rosa, co-owner with her husband Ben, about fighting styles and students Jacqueline Rusch, 10, and her dad Kurt about the fun and benefits of martial …

Hi Des Plaines! Welcome to my new video column, Doing it up in Des Plaines, where I'll be out and about town, trying my hand at activities, participating in events  and showing you everything your community has to offer. Up first, a hip-hop class at AMA Dancers & Co. at 216 Graceland Ave. Always looking for new ways to get some exercise and get out of the house, I headed over to AMA on a Monday night and hoofed it up in the hip-hop class. (I won't be quitting my day job any time soon.) There I spoke with instructor Amy Probasco, 26, about the benefits of the class and student Tyra Kadlac, 70…