10. Women will get bulky from lifting weights
Let me be more specific – women are afraid that lifting HEAVY weights will make them bulky. Crappy fitness videos abound with women performing biceps curls and triceps kickbacks with dumbbells that should only be used as paper weights.
Women can not get big and bulky for one very good reason…their bodies don’t produce enough testosterone to build the large bulky muscles you’re likely to see in bodybuilding ads. Testosterone is a key ingredient to putting on muscle mass, and the only way women can get this type of big bulky look is by taking steroids and hormone injections. This is why you see bulky female body builders.
So don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights if you’re a woman. Lifting heavy will make a woman strong, not manly. And personally, I find a strong woman sexy as hell.
9. Yoga will make you long and lean
I’ve been to a few yoga classes in my day. And yes, I’ll admit my attendance was at least “partly” motivated by the target rich environment of fit young ladies (there was only one other dude in the class). But the flexibility and breath training of yoga appealed to the martial artist in me, so I took the class seriously.
My take on yoga? After over 25 years of martial arts training, yoga was the best flexibility training that I ever experienced. I also found yoga to be outstanding for balance, static strength, and breath work. But hearing someone say that yoga will make your muscles long and lean makes me cringe. Maybe we’re dealing with semantics here, but I’m thinking the “length” of a muscle is not going to change anymore than the skeletal structure it’s attached to. Perhaps the increase in flexibility from yoga training causes people to use the term “long” to describe their muscles. Whether it’s poor terminology or marketing hype, yoga will not make your muscles long.
As far as lean, yoga will contribute no more to being “lean” than any other activity using equivalent caloric expenditure. I’m saying that if your yoga class causes you to burn 150 calories and mopping the floor causes you to burn 150 calories, mopping the floor will make you just as lean as doing yoga. But then you’re unlikely to see the hot blonde chic doing the downward dog in yoga pants while mopping your floor.
8. Deadlifts and Squats are dangerous.
Have you picked a bag of groceries off of the floor recently? Then you’ve done the deadlift. Have you stood up from a seated position? Then you’ve done the squat. Danger in these movements is a factor of load and technique. Proper technique will ensure proper skeletal alignment, reducing the chance of injury. Using a load appropriate for your current fitness level will also reduce the chance of injury. Notice I did not say eliminate injury. All movement involves the risk of injury to some extent, whether it’s rocking a 400 pound squat or crossing the street.
7. Three sets of ten repetitions is the best program for building muscle.
Let me make this clear from the start: There is no “best program” for building muscle. There are too many factors that change from person to person to call anything “best”. That being said, three sets of ten reps is a good program for building muscle – for the beginner.
But damn near any resistance training someone does if they have no prior training is going to garner a muscle building response. Beware the lofty promises of the glossy fitness mags. Three sets of ten reps is not a cure-all for the muscularly challenged. The Gym Junkies muscle buiding program would be a better starting point.
6. Machines are safer than free weights
Damn near every exercise machine lulls you into a false sense of security. The machine makes you think you are strong, when you are much weaker than you would be if you spent the same time and effort with free weights. The machine forces you into a plane of motion that is not natural and almost always robs you of the opportunity to develop stabilizing muscles, posture, and balance.
So when the real world strikes – and the real world always strikes – and you have to lift a couch or push a car or pull your dog off of the mailman, you’ll find that all of your machine work doesn’t quite transfer to the task at hand. Skeletal and muscular injuries are a risk in ANY exercise program. A deadlift isn’t bungee jumping. Grab the bar and move some damn weight!
5. Looking fit = being fit.
Oh how I love it when the former high school football star walks into my gym for the first time. He’s five or ten years removed from his varsity jacket, but he still appears to be in pretty good shape. Hell, he still goes to the gym three days a week and he IS in better shape than the average Joe.
But his fitness mag workout built muscles lie to him. They give him an arrogance that I smell and I can’t help but satisfy the urge to serve him some humble pie. So I feed him a simple 4 minute workout of Tabata squats. No added weight – just his body. His face reddens, his legs quiver, but he makes it to the end. And then curls into the fetal position in the corner.
Being “fit” should give a person relative high performance across a broad spectrum of physical attributes including strength, endurance, balance, flexibility, and coordination. You can look like an underwear model and still get humbled by having to move the refrigerator.
4. Targeting specific muscle groups is the best way to lift.
How many times have you heard “Today I’m doing bi’s and tri’s” or “Monday is my chest day”? How you plan a resistance training program depends on several factors, but the one factor we’ll concern ourselves with here is the goal in mind.
Why are you doing resistance training? I prefer to design programs around movements instead of muscles. The real world is never going to give you a task that focuses only on your “bi’s”. The body moves as one piece so it is important that you treat it accordingly. Full body movements like deadlifts, power cleans, and presses should be the staples of any resistance program.
At least any program that wants to get you fit and not just ready for your beach vacation.
3. You need supplements to get in good shape
Supplements should be used only for what they’re name implies: to “supplement” an already nutritious diet. Pills, powders, potions, and magic elixirs are not the Holy Grail they are purported to be.
Most supplements are useless, and the few that are beneficial should only be applied after solid nutrition is in place. What supplements do I consider alright? A good multi-vitamin is never going to get bad mouthed by me. An omega-3 supplement if you are unable to get it from your diet (and few of us can) is alright. And maybe, and I said maybe, a protein powder if you are unable to acquire the required amount of protein from your diet. Keep the Horny Goat Weed to yourself.
2. Long slow running is the best way to lose weight
I so wish this one would go the way of the dinosaur. But I still hear people saying how they’re running 5 miles a day in their efforts to lose weight. I tell them that if they want to run to lose weight they should sprint their ass off until they see stars and then walk until the stars go away. Then repeat this cycle until they feel like it is impossible to continue.
The reality is that long slow cardio training of any kind – whether pounding the pavement or watching the wheels go ’round on the eliptical is inefficient to put it nicely and a waste of time to put it bluntly. And for all of you wannabe-gerbils rocking the treadmills, don’t get me started on the pretty lights and the “fat burning zone” of the digital read out. Just like your prom date saying it’s her first time, those things lie – don’t believe the hype.
Cranking your metabolism into a fat burning furnace takes pushing yourself to an exertion level that is “uncomfortable”.
1. Crunches will get rid of belly fat
Oh man, this one is right up there with long slow cardio as far as pervasive myths that get my blood boiling go. In a very broad sense, getting rid of fat is a simple factor of expending more calories that you take in.
And doing a crunch, which moves the body through a minuscule range of motion, is not going to expend many calories. Cranking the metabolism with some solid muscle building resistance training is going to go a hell of a lot farther in reducing your spare tire than racking up your crunch total.
I’ll even go as far as to say you can get the abs of a Greek god without doing a single crunch.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Heart Rate Monitors Fine-Tune Players’ Fitness
STORRS, Conn. — As soccer practice began one recent afternoon, each University of Connecticut player grabbed a puck before he kicked a ball. The puck was a small rectangular transmitter that attached to a chest strap and was worn beneath the players’ jerseys.
On the sideline, a wireless receiver sat next to a laptop computer. As the Huskies performed their drills, heart rate data for each player appeared on the computer screen in real time, both in block numerals, as if on a gas pump, and in the wavy, crayon-colored lines of a collective stress test.
For nearly a decade, UConn, a perennial power, has been at the forefront of using heart rate monitors in N.C.A.A. soccer in an increasingly sophisticated attempt to gauge the intensity of training and create optimal conditioning for its players.
Coaches estimate that 10 percent to 30 percent of college soccer teams use similar technology to customize workouts, help plan their lineups and substitution patterns, and rethink the hoary tenet that harder training is always the best training.
The aim is to calculate precisely that players are giving the desired effort during workouts and, just as important, to prevent them from overtraining and to limit their susceptibility to soft-tissue injuries that can arise from fatigue.
“Soccer is a great game, but there is very little science to it,” said Chris Watkins, the soccer coach at Brigham Young University, which has used heart rate monitors for two seasons. “If you can find science, it gives players an advantage. We’re much smarter in our training now. Fitness is not an issue. We know exactly how to address it.”
UConn (17-3-2) is a top seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament and will open play at home Sunday. The team’s players, coaches and support staff say they are convinced that sports science, along with technical skill and tactical awareness, has played a vital role in UConn’s success. One measure is that the Huskies have scored 21 of their 34 goals after halftime this season.
“I think we’re among the top 5 percent of the fittest teams in the country,” said Mario Diaz, UConn’s trainer. “A lot of times we break teams down in the 65th or 70th minute of games. We outrun and out-endure our opponents.”
The idea of using portable heart rate monitors in sports originated in the mid-1970s with cross-country skiing in Finland. Since then, monitors have become popular in individual sports like distance running and in team sports like soccer, in which some players run six or more miles during a 90-minute match.
Long used in European soccer, heart rate monitors have gained currency in the United States over the past decade, most visibly with the men’s national team, which earned international respect at the World Cup for its relentless, indefatigable style.
At the N.C.A.A. level, UConn has been a pioneering team under the guidance of Chris West, 40, the university’s associate head strength and conditioning coach. Previously, heart rate monitors also have been used in training for the Huskies’ men’s basketball team; this season they have been introduced to women’s soccer and women’s basketball.
“I think it can be really good,” said Geno Auriemma, who has coached the UConn women’s basketball team to seven N.C.A.A. titles. “The naked eye isn’t always telling the truth.”
A former soccer player at Humboldt State, a Division II school in Northern California, West said his interest in heart rate monitors stemmed from the fact that athletes spent about 90 minutes a week in the weight room, compared with 15 hours training and playing games.
“What you are controlling” in the weight room “is a small piece of the pie,” West said. “So you take a step back and say, ‘I’ve got to start understanding what the total stress is on them.’ ”
UConn uses the Polar Team2 monitoring system, a Finnish brand that costs about $10,000. After each practice, West downloads data from the transmitters and produces a report of each player’s effort level that includes: duration of training; minimum heart rate; maximum heart rate; average heart rate; and the time spent in various zones of elevated heart rates.
On the sideline, a wireless receiver sat next to a laptop computer. As the Huskies performed their drills, heart rate data for each player appeared on the computer screen in real time, both in block numerals, as if on a gas pump, and in the wavy, crayon-colored lines of a collective stress test.
For nearly a decade, UConn, a perennial power, has been at the forefront of using heart rate monitors in N.C.A.A. soccer in an increasingly sophisticated attempt to gauge the intensity of training and create optimal conditioning for its players.
Coaches estimate that 10 percent to 30 percent of college soccer teams use similar technology to customize workouts, help plan their lineups and substitution patterns, and rethink the hoary tenet that harder training is always the best training.
The aim is to calculate precisely that players are giving the desired effort during workouts and, just as important, to prevent them from overtraining and to limit their susceptibility to soft-tissue injuries that can arise from fatigue.
“Soccer is a great game, but there is very little science to it,” said Chris Watkins, the soccer coach at Brigham Young University, which has used heart rate monitors for two seasons. “If you can find science, it gives players an advantage. We’re much smarter in our training now. Fitness is not an issue. We know exactly how to address it.”
UConn (17-3-2) is a top seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament and will open play at home Sunday. The team’s players, coaches and support staff say they are convinced that sports science, along with technical skill and tactical awareness, has played a vital role in UConn’s success. One measure is that the Huskies have scored 21 of their 34 goals after halftime this season.
“I think we’re among the top 5 percent of the fittest teams in the country,” said Mario Diaz, UConn’s trainer. “A lot of times we break teams down in the 65th or 70th minute of games. We outrun and out-endure our opponents.”
The idea of using portable heart rate monitors in sports originated in the mid-1970s with cross-country skiing in Finland. Since then, monitors have become popular in individual sports like distance running and in team sports like soccer, in which some players run six or more miles during a 90-minute match.
Long used in European soccer, heart rate monitors have gained currency in the United States over the past decade, most visibly with the men’s national team, which earned international respect at the World Cup for its relentless, indefatigable style.
At the N.C.A.A. level, UConn has been a pioneering team under the guidance of Chris West, 40, the university’s associate head strength and conditioning coach. Previously, heart rate monitors also have been used in training for the Huskies’ men’s basketball team; this season they have been introduced to women’s soccer and women’s basketball.
“I think it can be really good,” said Geno Auriemma, who has coached the UConn women’s basketball team to seven N.C.A.A. titles. “The naked eye isn’t always telling the truth.”
A former soccer player at Humboldt State, a Division II school in Northern California, West said his interest in heart rate monitors stemmed from the fact that athletes spent about 90 minutes a week in the weight room, compared with 15 hours training and playing games.
“What you are controlling” in the weight room “is a small piece of the pie,” West said. “So you take a step back and say, ‘I’ve got to start understanding what the total stress is on them.’ ”
UConn uses the Polar Team2 monitoring system, a Finnish brand that costs about $10,000. After each practice, West downloads data from the transmitters and produces a report of each player’s effort level that includes: duration of training; minimum heart rate; maximum heart rate; average heart rate; and the time spent in various zones of elevated heart rates.
Monday, February 6, 2012
5 Energy Boosters!!!
As much as we’d all like to think energy comes in a bottle, it doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find it elsewhere. You just have to know the right places to look for it!
First of all, don’t believe the hype. No matter how many commercials you see with energetic, skinny people running around, they didn’t get like that from whatever product is for sale. It’s called acting, and the product is most likely a scam.
Second of all, one of the most well-known sources of energy drain is stress. You’ll see as soon as you learn techniques to reduce stress, your energy levels will increase. One great suggestion to try is deep breathing; another is meditation.
With that said, check out these five surefire tips to aid you in regaining an upward momentum:
1. Get adequate sleep — This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people suffer from different forms of insomnia. Although the average amount of time is eight hours, it’s whatever you need to feel rested and only you can determine that. Avoid caffeine and alcohol to assure a good night’s rest.
2. Stay hydrated — It is not only important to stay hydrated for your skin and digestive health, but your overall engine running, as well. Remain conscious about how much you’re drinking throughout the day. You’ll feel better when you’ve imbibed enough water!
3. Take a multivitamin — Eating a balanced diet doesn’t insure you’ll get the minimum dietary requirements you need for energy. To remind yourself, put your bottle of multivitamins next to your toothpaste or something else you know you’ll use at least once a day! (Editor’s note: Click here to check out eDiets’ complete line of supplements.)
4. Exercise — Although many people think exercise makes you tired, it does just the opposite if done in moderation. Exercise actually increases energy by getting the heart pumping, providing oxygen to working muscles and by increasing cardio respiratory capacity.
5. Eat breakfast – Many may think it’s not that important, but those who eat breakfast sure can tell the difference on days they skip. Your body is resting all night and the only way to get it started in the morning is by feeding it. It’s like trying to start a car without gas — it won’t work. Something light and healthy is a great way to start your day.
Although the idea of a fizzy, lifting drink like the one in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a fantastic one, there is no such thing. Actual products on the market try to persuade the public their liquid energy is a magical experience. But it’s not. Red Bull doesn’t really give you wiiiings.
And next time you’re feeling a little sluggish, don’t rush to Starbucks for that Venti Mocha Frappuccino with extra whipped cream. Put on your mp3 player, kick on some energetic music, grab a bottle of water and take a brisk walk.
Everyone could use a little more energy in their day. Just a little push is all we need sometimes to kick into high gear. Just changing a few things in your everyday routine can make a difference. Try these tips — they’re almost a guaranteed prescription for increased energy.
First of all, don’t believe the hype. No matter how many commercials you see with energetic, skinny people running around, they didn’t get like that from whatever product is for sale. It’s called acting, and the product is most likely a scam.
Second of all, one of the most well-known sources of energy drain is stress. You’ll see as soon as you learn techniques to reduce stress, your energy levels will increase. One great suggestion to try is deep breathing; another is meditation.
With that said, check out these five surefire tips to aid you in regaining an upward momentum:
1. Get adequate sleep — This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people suffer from different forms of insomnia. Although the average amount of time is eight hours, it’s whatever you need to feel rested and only you can determine that. Avoid caffeine and alcohol to assure a good night’s rest.
2. Stay hydrated — It is not only important to stay hydrated for your skin and digestive health, but your overall engine running, as well. Remain conscious about how much you’re drinking throughout the day. You’ll feel better when you’ve imbibed enough water!
3. Take a multivitamin — Eating a balanced diet doesn’t insure you’ll get the minimum dietary requirements you need for energy. To remind yourself, put your bottle of multivitamins next to your toothpaste or something else you know you’ll use at least once a day! (Editor’s note: Click here to check out eDiets’ complete line of supplements.)
4. Exercise — Although many people think exercise makes you tired, it does just the opposite if done in moderation. Exercise actually increases energy by getting the heart pumping, providing oxygen to working muscles and by increasing cardio respiratory capacity.
5. Eat breakfast – Many may think it’s not that important, but those who eat breakfast sure can tell the difference on days they skip. Your body is resting all night and the only way to get it started in the morning is by feeding it. It’s like trying to start a car without gas — it won’t work. Something light and healthy is a great way to start your day.
Although the idea of a fizzy, lifting drink like the one in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a fantastic one, there is no such thing. Actual products on the market try to persuade the public their liquid energy is a magical experience. But it’s not. Red Bull doesn’t really give you wiiiings.
And next time you’re feeling a little sluggish, don’t rush to Starbucks for that Venti Mocha Frappuccino with extra whipped cream. Put on your mp3 player, kick on some energetic music, grab a bottle of water and take a brisk walk.
Everyone could use a little more energy in their day. Just a little push is all we need sometimes to kick into high gear. Just changing a few things in your everyday routine can make a difference. Try these tips — they’re almost a guaranteed prescription for increased energy.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Food Groups
Foods can be classified by the way they affect the body and/or by their food group. It is important to understand both in order to balance your meals and achieve optimal health.
Macronutrients
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines macronutrients as substances essential in large amounts for the growth and health of an animal. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. All foods fall into one of these three categories.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy for the body, especially for the brain and nervous system. Many of these foods are rich in certain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that might not be found in other macronutrients. For the average person, carbohydrates should make up approximately 50-60% of total daily calories.
Proteins
Proteins are required for the function, regulation, and structure of the body's tissues and organs. Protein intake should make up about 20% of total daily calories.
Fats
Fats are important for blood clotting, brain development, insulation, energy storage, and absorbing and moving fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) through the bloodstream. Fat should make up less than 30% of total calories.
Food Groups
Foods are grouped based on similar nutritional properties, but may function differently in the body.
Starches / Grains
This group is composed of breads, cereals, rice, tortillas, pasta, popcorn, crackers, chips, and things like waffles and pancakes. For optimal health, it is best to choose whole grain, high-fiber varieties of these foods.
Starchy vegetables are also found in this group. Examples include peas, corn, beans, lentils, potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, and plantains. All of these foods will function as carbohydrates, but beans, peas, and lentils will function as both carbohydrates and proteins.
Fruits
This group includes apples, oranges, melons, berries, peaches, bananas, grapes, etc. All of these will function as carbohydrates. Fruits are a very important part of a balanced diet; they provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Dairy
This food group is mainly made up of milk (cow, soy, etc), cheese, and yogurt. These foods provide calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. Adequate intake (about 3 cups a day) of dairy is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and lower blood pressure.
Milk and yogurt function as carbohydrates. Cheese and cottage cheese function more as proteins, while sour cream, cream cheese, and half-and-half function as fats. It is important that you check the labels when purchasing dairy - it is best to choose low-fat or fat-free dairy. The high-fat varieties can be detrimental to your health. If you don't know how to read a label, learn how here.
Sweets / Desserts
Foods in this group, like cookies, pies, cakes, ice cream, and candy bars, do not have many vitamins, minerals, or fiber. In fact, their nutrition quality is very poor; they are high in calories, sugar, and fat. Try to eat these foods at special occasions only. These foods function as carbohydrates and fats.
Non-Starchy Vegetables
These vegetables are classified as carbohydrates, but very little of it is digestible. Because of this, along with high nutritional value and low calories, they are often referred to as "Free Foods." Examples of non-starchy vegetables include: asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers, spinach, and tomatoes.
Proteins / Meats / Meat Substitutes
Proteins are typically made up of all animal meats (poultry, beef, fish, pork, wild game), eggs, and tofu. Healthy choices include lean meats labeled as "loin," egg whites, Canadian bacon, tuna, trout, salmon, skinless poultry, and sandwich meats or tofu varieties with less than 5g of fat per serving.
Fats
Fats are important parts of proper body functioning; however, they typically pack a lot of calories and fat in a small serving. As an example, most cooking oils, mayonnaise, butter, and some salad dressings and margarines provide 45 calories and 5 grams of fat in just 1 teaspoon!
Other foods in this group include avocados, nuts, nut butters, olives, bacon, etc. When choosing fats eat more mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, and avoid saturated and trans fats.
Macronutrients
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines macronutrients as substances essential in large amounts for the growth and health of an animal. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. All foods fall into one of these three categories.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy for the body, especially for the brain and nervous system. Many of these foods are rich in certain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that might not be found in other macronutrients. For the average person, carbohydrates should make up approximately 50-60% of total daily calories.
Proteins
Proteins are required for the function, regulation, and structure of the body's tissues and organs. Protein intake should make up about 20% of total daily calories.
Fats
Fats are important for blood clotting, brain development, insulation, energy storage, and absorbing and moving fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) through the bloodstream. Fat should make up less than 30% of total calories.
Food Groups
Foods are grouped based on similar nutritional properties, but may function differently in the body.
Starches / Grains
This group is composed of breads, cereals, rice, tortillas, pasta, popcorn, crackers, chips, and things like waffles and pancakes. For optimal health, it is best to choose whole grain, high-fiber varieties of these foods.
Starchy vegetables are also found in this group. Examples include peas, corn, beans, lentils, potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, and plantains. All of these foods will function as carbohydrates, but beans, peas, and lentils will function as both carbohydrates and proteins.
Fruits
This group includes apples, oranges, melons, berries, peaches, bananas, grapes, etc. All of these will function as carbohydrates. Fruits are a very important part of a balanced diet; they provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Dairy
This food group is mainly made up of milk (cow, soy, etc), cheese, and yogurt. These foods provide calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. Adequate intake (about 3 cups a day) of dairy is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and lower blood pressure.
Milk and yogurt function as carbohydrates. Cheese and cottage cheese function more as proteins, while sour cream, cream cheese, and half-and-half function as fats. It is important that you check the labels when purchasing dairy - it is best to choose low-fat or fat-free dairy. The high-fat varieties can be detrimental to your health. If you don't know how to read a label, learn how here.
Sweets / Desserts
Foods in this group, like cookies, pies, cakes, ice cream, and candy bars, do not have many vitamins, minerals, or fiber. In fact, their nutrition quality is very poor; they are high in calories, sugar, and fat. Try to eat these foods at special occasions only. These foods function as carbohydrates and fats.
Non-Starchy Vegetables
These vegetables are classified as carbohydrates, but very little of it is digestible. Because of this, along with high nutritional value and low calories, they are often referred to as "Free Foods." Examples of non-starchy vegetables include: asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers, spinach, and tomatoes.
Proteins / Meats / Meat Substitutes
Proteins are typically made up of all animal meats (poultry, beef, fish, pork, wild game), eggs, and tofu. Healthy choices include lean meats labeled as "loin," egg whites, Canadian bacon, tuna, trout, salmon, skinless poultry, and sandwich meats or tofu varieties with less than 5g of fat per serving.
Fats
Fats are important parts of proper body functioning; however, they typically pack a lot of calories and fat in a small serving. As an example, most cooking oils, mayonnaise, butter, and some salad dressings and margarines provide 45 calories and 5 grams of fat in just 1 teaspoon!
Other foods in this group include avocados, nuts, nut butters, olives, bacon, etc. When choosing fats eat more mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, and avoid saturated and trans fats.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Bike + Mountains = Excitement And Challenge
Tired of paved roads? Want to go where there aren't any speed limits? If you answered yes, then your vehicle of choice could very well be a mountain bike. Ever since a group of friends took a fast-paced ride down a steep incline in Northern California, mountain biking has been an exciting challenge to off-road riders. Its inclusion as an event in the 1996 Olympics confirmed what riders already know: Mountain biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, both in popularity and participation. If you've never been on a mountain bike you might wonder what all the fuss is about. Many riders say it's the freedom. After all, destinations are unlimited on these machines built for rough terrain.
The Right Equipment
Mountain bikes are sturdier than your average 10-speed or hybrid bicycle so they can withstand rough roads. They have wide tires that grip the trail, and cantilever brakes, similar to those found on a motorcycle.
When purchasing a mountain bike, be sure that it isn't too large. You should always be able to put a foot on the ground to steady yourself. A helmet is a must, and knee and elbow pads are sure-fire scar preventers.
Your Body On A Bike
Riding a bike is one of the best cardiovascular exercises around. Not only does it provide an aerobic workout, but it strengthens the large muscles of the lower body, including the thighs, hips and buttocks, without putting a lot of stress on the joints. The upper body and arms come into play when climbing hills.
Always warm up before you begin your ride. Pedal in a low gear over flat terrain until you begin to sweat or feel warm.
This usually takes about five to 10 minutes. And don't neglect to cool down when you come to the end of your ride. Gradually lowering your heart rate can help prevent the pooling of lactic acid in the muscles. Again, pedal slowly in a low gear.
On The Trail
Practice makes perfect isn't a cliché when it comes to handling a mountain bike. Once you start heading up hills and mountains and over rocks and steep falls, you'll need to rely on your instincts, which, if they don't come naturally, develop through practice. One of the first things to do is to get a feel for how the brakes work. The front brake on a mountain bike usually has more power than the back, and pulling it alone may send you flying over the handlebars. Practice quick stops before you hit the trail so you can feel how your weight may affect how you stop. Cantilever brakes are stronger than those on other bikes, allowing riders to control factors such as their rate of decline. When descending a hill, lightly squeeze and release the brakes - a technique called feathering - to prevent the wheels from locking.
Change gears as it becomes necessary in order to keep a steady cadence. Use a low gear when you need power, and a high gear when you want speed.
Climbing requires a shift in your weight that will control the tires' grip on the ground. Short, steep hills may require out-of-the-seat pedaling to garner more power. If you try this on a long climb, however, you'll likely tire before you reach the top. Shift your weight forward, off the seat if necessary, to gain the power you need.
Get Pedaling
You can obtain information about trails in your area from your local library or mountain-biking group. The sooner you start pedaling, the sooner you can test your limits - those set by both your body and your mind.
The Right Equipment
Mountain bikes are sturdier than your average 10-speed or hybrid bicycle so they can withstand rough roads. They have wide tires that grip the trail, and cantilever brakes, similar to those found on a motorcycle.
When purchasing a mountain bike, be sure that it isn't too large. You should always be able to put a foot on the ground to steady yourself. A helmet is a must, and knee and elbow pads are sure-fire scar preventers.
Your Body On A Bike
Riding a bike is one of the best cardiovascular exercises around. Not only does it provide an aerobic workout, but it strengthens the large muscles of the lower body, including the thighs, hips and buttocks, without putting a lot of stress on the joints. The upper body and arms come into play when climbing hills.
Always warm up before you begin your ride. Pedal in a low gear over flat terrain until you begin to sweat or feel warm.
This usually takes about five to 10 minutes. And don't neglect to cool down when you come to the end of your ride. Gradually lowering your heart rate can help prevent the pooling of lactic acid in the muscles. Again, pedal slowly in a low gear.
On The Trail
Practice makes perfect isn't a cliché when it comes to handling a mountain bike. Once you start heading up hills and mountains and over rocks and steep falls, you'll need to rely on your instincts, which, if they don't come naturally, develop through practice. One of the first things to do is to get a feel for how the brakes work. The front brake on a mountain bike usually has more power than the back, and pulling it alone may send you flying over the handlebars. Practice quick stops before you hit the trail so you can feel how your weight may affect how you stop. Cantilever brakes are stronger than those on other bikes, allowing riders to control factors such as their rate of decline. When descending a hill, lightly squeeze and release the brakes - a technique called feathering - to prevent the wheels from locking.
Change gears as it becomes necessary in order to keep a steady cadence. Use a low gear when you need power, and a high gear when you want speed.
Climbing requires a shift in your weight that will control the tires' grip on the ground. Short, steep hills may require out-of-the-seat pedaling to garner more power. If you try this on a long climb, however, you'll likely tire before you reach the top. Shift your weight forward, off the seat if necessary, to gain the power you need.
Get Pedaling
You can obtain information about trails in your area from your local library or mountain-biking group. The sooner you start pedaling, the sooner you can test your limits - those set by both your body and your mind.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Pay Attention To Pain & Soreness
When any workout or specific exercise causes you pain, pay attention. Knowing how to react can help you avoid a serious injury. Strength training can cause several types of pain including:
Muscle Soreness
When you use muscles you have not used for a while or try a new exercise or training technique, it is normal to feel a dull ache of soreness in the muscles that were trained. This pain is caused by microscopic tears in the fibers of the connective tissues in your body--the ligaments that connect bones to other bones, and the tendons that connect muscles to bones.
This microtrauma may sound harmful but is in fact the natural response of your muscles when they experience work. This is the primary reason it is so important that you get enough rest between specific muscle workouts. Each time you work out with weights, you cause this "damage"--these tiny tears in your muscles; they need ample resting time to rebuild and become even stronger, bigger, and more firm.
Pain During or Just After a Workout
During a workout, repeated contractions cause lactic and other acids, as well as proteins and hormones, to build up in muscle tissue. This can cause pain even without injury. But if you experience a sharp, continuous pain, or pain accompanied by a burning sensation, stop lifting and get it checked.
Cramps
These happen when muscles, often in the calves or feet, knot up in intense contractions. Cramps occur most commonly in endurance sports like cycling and running, where the athlete loses a lot of fluids through sweating. This is why it's very important to stay well-hydrated during exercise. If you do get cramps, the best way to stop them is to gently stretch the cramped muscle.
Injury
When working out with weights you need to be in full control of both the weights and your own body as it lifts and uses the weights. Careless weightlifting can result in injury. Not warming up, attempting to lift too heavy a weight, using momentum or jerky movements, letting the weights drop, not using correct form, or forgetting to stretch or cool-down after your workout can indeed result in injury.
The following injuries can occur as a result of carelessness:
1.Tendonitis: This is inflammation of the tendon and can occur if you begin your first set with too heavy a weight and/or are not properly warmed-up. Rest is the best treatment for this painful injury.
2.Fascia injuries: Can occur if you suddenly jerk or pull the weight. Fascia is basically the packaging tissue of muscle. When fascia is torn, it becomes inflamed and the pain is severe. The injury should be treated with cold packs and wrapped with an ace bandage.
3.Ligament injuries: Can occur when people use momentum and jerk the weight to accomplish a lift. This injury is treated by using cold packs and rest.
4.Sprains or muscle tears: Are uncommon if you warm-up, stretch, and cool-down properly and implement the safety precautions and principles we teach.
Any time you do have inflammation or swelling, use the R.I.C.E method of reducing damage and speeding healing. For injuries, R.I.C.E. is nice.
1.Rest: When you are hurt, stop your workout immediately and take weight off the affected area.
2.Ice: Wrap ice in a towel and hold it against the injury for 10 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day until the acute injury diminishes.
3.Compress: Wrap the injured area in a snug, but not tight, elastic bandage.
4.Elevate: Raise the injured limb and rest it on a pillow to reduce swelling.
Strength training provides many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity. However, when enjoying this great form of exercise, be sure to pay attention to pain and soreness so that your program is not only effective, but safe as well. Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a safe and effective strength training program.
Muscle Soreness
When you use muscles you have not used for a while or try a new exercise or training technique, it is normal to feel a dull ache of soreness in the muscles that were trained. This pain is caused by microscopic tears in the fibers of the connective tissues in your body--the ligaments that connect bones to other bones, and the tendons that connect muscles to bones.
This microtrauma may sound harmful but is in fact the natural response of your muscles when they experience work. This is the primary reason it is so important that you get enough rest between specific muscle workouts. Each time you work out with weights, you cause this "damage"--these tiny tears in your muscles; they need ample resting time to rebuild and become even stronger, bigger, and more firm.
Pain During or Just After a Workout
During a workout, repeated contractions cause lactic and other acids, as well as proteins and hormones, to build up in muscle tissue. This can cause pain even without injury. But if you experience a sharp, continuous pain, or pain accompanied by a burning sensation, stop lifting and get it checked.
Cramps
These happen when muscles, often in the calves or feet, knot up in intense contractions. Cramps occur most commonly in endurance sports like cycling and running, where the athlete loses a lot of fluids through sweating. This is why it's very important to stay well-hydrated during exercise. If you do get cramps, the best way to stop them is to gently stretch the cramped muscle.
Injury
When working out with weights you need to be in full control of both the weights and your own body as it lifts and uses the weights. Careless weightlifting can result in injury. Not warming up, attempting to lift too heavy a weight, using momentum or jerky movements, letting the weights drop, not using correct form, or forgetting to stretch or cool-down after your workout can indeed result in injury.
The following injuries can occur as a result of carelessness:
1.Tendonitis: This is inflammation of the tendon and can occur if you begin your first set with too heavy a weight and/or are not properly warmed-up. Rest is the best treatment for this painful injury.
2.Fascia injuries: Can occur if you suddenly jerk or pull the weight. Fascia is basically the packaging tissue of muscle. When fascia is torn, it becomes inflamed and the pain is severe. The injury should be treated with cold packs and wrapped with an ace bandage.
3.Ligament injuries: Can occur when people use momentum and jerk the weight to accomplish a lift. This injury is treated by using cold packs and rest.
4.Sprains or muscle tears: Are uncommon if you warm-up, stretch, and cool-down properly and implement the safety precautions and principles we teach.
Any time you do have inflammation or swelling, use the R.I.C.E method of reducing damage and speeding healing. For injuries, R.I.C.E. is nice.
1.Rest: When you are hurt, stop your workout immediately and take weight off the affected area.
2.Ice: Wrap ice in a towel and hold it against the injury for 10 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day until the acute injury diminishes.
3.Compress: Wrap the injured area in a snug, but not tight, elastic bandage.
4.Elevate: Raise the injured limb and rest it on a pillow to reduce swelling.
Strength training provides many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity. However, when enjoying this great form of exercise, be sure to pay attention to pain and soreness so that your program is not only effective, but safe as well. Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a safe and effective strength training program.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
VEGGIES
Vegetables: Four Reasons Why You Should Be Eating Them!
Are you a bodybuilder who scoffs at the thought of giving up your beloved protein for some boring carrots? Big mistake! You need your veggies if you want to reach your full bodybuilding potential. Lauded by health experts, doctors and your mom (remember "You're not getting any dessert until you eat all your broccoli"?), vegetables don't have a sexy rep, but their therapeutic and healing properties are essential to keeping you as healthy as possible for maximum gym efforts. And a bodybuilder in optimal health will make gains faster than one who isn't. So ignore vegetables at your muscle-gaining peril. Here's the dirt on why, along with what's best to keep in the crisper.
Vegging Out
From fighting disease to revealing your washboard abs, there are so many reasons to spend more time in the produce aisle that we could fill an entire issue. These are the most important reasons to say, "More, please," when it comes to vegetables.
Mighty Phytos
Unlike fiber and vitamins, what you don't see in those vegetable nutrition charts are the powerhouse antioxidant chemicals called phytochemicals. A vegetable will produce them to protect itself during growth, but many phytochemicals, such as lycopene in tomatoes and carotenoids in carrots, can also protect us against many ailments. There's even a group of phytochemicals called indoles (found in cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli) that stimulate enzymes to make estrogen less effective — a definite advantage if you yearn for more mass. Acting as antioxidants, phytochemicals also aid in postworkout muscle repair.
Bulking Up
Vegetables are a great source of something often neglected in bodybuilding nutrition — fiber. As a source of bulk, veggies can slow digestion, which helps regulate blood-sugar levels. Improperly timed spikes in blood sugar (which often come from eating high-carbohydrate, low-fiber foods like white bread) promote fat storage, and sudden drops can cause energy "crashes," making it less likely that you'll push serious weight at the gym. Add vegetables to your lunchtime stir-fry and you could say adios to those ups and downs. You'll also tend to eat less because low-calorie, higher-fiber veggies take up room in the stomach and release chemicals that tell the brain to shut down the appetite. And don't overlook the fact that by improving digestion, vegetable fiber can support the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids — all of which your muscles need for further growth.
Burn, Baby, Burn
Vegetables are a "free food" with a very low calorie-density, so you can eat almost unlimited amounts while still burning fat. This lean indulgence is all because of a biochemical quirk that only veggies (except the starchier ones like corn and beets) enjoy — the body uses almost as many calories to digest vegetables as they contain in the first place. The leftover calories don t even have a fighting chance of being stored in a fat cell.
Are you a bodybuilder who scoffs at the thought of giving up your beloved protein for some boring carrots? Big mistake! You need your veggies if you want to reach your full bodybuilding potential. Lauded by health experts, doctors and your mom (remember "You're not getting any dessert until you eat all your broccoli"?), vegetables don't have a sexy rep, but their therapeutic and healing properties are essential to keeping you as healthy as possible for maximum gym efforts. And a bodybuilder in optimal health will make gains faster than one who isn't. So ignore vegetables at your muscle-gaining peril. Here's the dirt on why, along with what's best to keep in the crisper.
Vegging Out
From fighting disease to revealing your washboard abs, there are so many reasons to spend more time in the produce aisle that we could fill an entire issue. These are the most important reasons to say, "More, please," when it comes to vegetables.
Mighty Phytos
Unlike fiber and vitamins, what you don't see in those vegetable nutrition charts are the powerhouse antioxidant chemicals called phytochemicals. A vegetable will produce them to protect itself during growth, but many phytochemicals, such as lycopene in tomatoes and carotenoids in carrots, can also protect us against many ailments. There's even a group of phytochemicals called indoles (found in cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli) that stimulate enzymes to make estrogen less effective — a definite advantage if you yearn for more mass. Acting as antioxidants, phytochemicals also aid in postworkout muscle repair.
Bulking Up
Vegetables are a great source of something often neglected in bodybuilding nutrition — fiber. As a source of bulk, veggies can slow digestion, which helps regulate blood-sugar levels. Improperly timed spikes in blood sugar (which often come from eating high-carbohydrate, low-fiber foods like white bread) promote fat storage, and sudden drops can cause energy "crashes," making it less likely that you'll push serious weight at the gym. Add vegetables to your lunchtime stir-fry and you could say adios to those ups and downs. You'll also tend to eat less because low-calorie, higher-fiber veggies take up room in the stomach and release chemicals that tell the brain to shut down the appetite. And don't overlook the fact that by improving digestion, vegetable fiber can support the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids — all of which your muscles need for further growth.
Burn, Baby, Burn
Vegetables are a "free food" with a very low calorie-density, so you can eat almost unlimited amounts while still burning fat. This lean indulgence is all because of a biochemical quirk that only veggies (except the starchier ones like corn and beets) enjoy — the body uses almost as many calories to digest vegetables as they contain in the first place. The leftover calories don t even have a fighting chance of being stored in a fat cell.
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