I am very fortunate as an athlete in that I also have the opportunity to be part of an extraordinary and dedicated team of coaches and mentors to many of the youth competitors at our club. These individuals are extremely talented, hard-working and promising young athletes so it is with great pride and also with great care that I agreed to take on the responsibility of introducing them to the all-powerful training journal!
Somewhere along the line we have lost touch with the fact that food is fuel. Many athletes have a good grasp on nutrition, however many up and coming athletes are not as aware of how important nutrition is. Many young people are still enjoying a fast metabolism and their youthful bodies allow them to eat almost anything. If they only knew how great they could be if they fueled their bodies efficiently.
Society has gone to this calorie in and calorie out mantra. We calorie count for all the wrong reasons. A calorie is quite simply a unit of energy. It is the balance of these calories and where they come from and what they contain that make all the difference. Yes we need a proper balance of protein, carbs and good fats. Yes we do need to know how many calories we need to fuel our day for our goals. However the most important thing is how many vitamins, minerals and nutrients are in those calories. If you are counting calories it better be because you want to make sure that you are getting enough nutrients and not that you are limiting yourself. Remember every single one of your body’s processes functions on the quality and amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that you feed it. Also you have to fuel your body often, especially if you are an athlete. This is equally as important for the everyday person that is exercising and trying to be optimally healthy.
At one point or another we all experience foot and ankle injuries. This can be caused by overuse, age, twists, blows or sudden changes in direction or terrain. These injuries can include sprains, strains, tendinitis, contusions, muscle cramping, muscle spasming or even bursitis.
The foot alone has 26 bones, 5 metatarsals, and 14 phalanges, not to mention, muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments. Think about the rest of the lower leg. There are a lot of possible injuries that can occur when you think about all of the bones and tissues that are in the lower limbs.
Runners all seem to have a different take on how to stride when you run. Before we begin discussing striding techniques, I think it is important to point out that whatever works for you is probably going to give you the best results. If your stride doesn’t slow you down, tire you out, or impede your speed then there is little need to change it. The other reason people have for wanting to adjust their stride is because they feel pain while running. If your stride hurts, you need to fix it.
Eating the right portions of the right foods is an essential part of a healthy diet. Even if you are already eating a balanced diet, there are ways you can improve your eating habits to optimize healthy weight control.
1 Hour in the Morning
If you want to maintain a high level of health you need to get your metabolism started as soon as you wake up in the morning. This means eating breakfast within 1 hour of getting up. When you wake up from sleep your body has not had food for 8 to 12 hours or so. One thing you may not know is that in the morning your body is particularly deficient in protein. Eating in the morning means that your body has the best chance of transforming the food you intake into energy rather than to your hips or arms.
Hi RIVALUS blog readers, I’m pleased to introduce the fourth edition in my new series of educational videos taken at a conference a few months ago. In this video I briefly talk about PROMASIL and how it’s the world’s first anabolic protein with beta-alanine delivering seven different high quality proteins! I will be releasing more videos in the coming weeks with lots of information about our products and also some of my other favorite topics including human physiology, exercise, and nutrition. Please feel free to comment, I love hearing from RIVALUS supporters and answering your great questions.
INDIANAPOLIS – David Oliver, Bernard Lagat, Molly Huddle and Kara Patterson are just a few of the U.S. stars that will lead the Americas against the world September 4-5 at the inaugural IAAF Continental Cup in Split, Croatia.
Formerly known as the IAAF World Cup in Athletics, the Continental Cup is a four continent competition between Africa, the Americas, Asia/Pacific and Europe. The Americas team is composed of athletes from NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean track and field federations), and South America. The Continental Cup title will be awarded to the continent with the highest collective point total of both men’s and women’s teams. The teams will consist of two athletes per individual event however, only one athlete from any one country may compete in each individual event.
As a mid distance runner I sometimes cringe at what I willingly choose to put my body through in the name of achieving success. But it’s crucial to acknowledge that the time I spend putting out should amount to the same time I put back in. One of the more recent agonies I have had to endure recently is shin splints. I started my training regime at the beginning of the year on a very enthusiastic note, but I had to listen to my legs when they were not on the same page. I had to go through a period of RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) to rid my body of the problem before readjusting my routine to ensure my legs were up to continuing the challenge.
Lunch #1: A Noodle Salad
Cook your favorite healthy noodle and add vegetables. Carrot, peppers, cucumber, tomato, and broccoli are all great choices. Spice it up with coriander and add your favorite light dressing. If you want to add protein, nuts or tofu are excellent choices. In the right container this salad is easy to pack and easy to reheat.
Lunch #2: A Bean Dip
If you run, bike, walk, swim, or play most sports, you know that your knees can take quite a beating. If you’ve hurt your knees or a knee, it is important to understand what the injury is as well as how to fix it. First, let’s look at knee injuries themselves. A knee injury can come in a variety of forms: