Kettlebells are becoming very popular in North America. They look like big weights with a handle on top to grip. Kettlebells can range from light weights all the way up to and including 150lbs. When you watch people swinging them around and breathing funny it may be slightly intimidating, but they are great for strength, speed, and cardiovascular work. They are a fun way to change up the monotony in your workout routine.
Read more…
Stress plays a huge role in our daily lives. Stress factors into our health, weight, mood, and relationships. It is no wonder that stress reduction is a hot topic. A good way to help combat and reduce stress is through the utilization of relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques work to reduce stress by lowering the heart rate, slowing the breathing rate, and reducing tension to name just a few.
Read more…
Performance running is all about speed over distance, but you don’t always need to be training that way. Long slow runs help develop excellent core muscles while explosive workouts provide you with that kick you need to finish a race strong. The trick is finding a system that utilizes all these exercises together. When you workout with a plan and have a competitive goal, you can train to peak right at the time of your event.
Read more…
When you are doing cardio how often do you find yourself bored? A lot of people avoid cardio because they don’t like the idea of running on a treadmill like a hamster. They don’t enjoy continuous running at a steady pace. The good news is that it is possible to get your cardio work done in less time with a little bit more effort. Celebrities such as Dwayne Johnson AKA THE ROCK use the interval method to stay fit and lean.
Read more…
I work behind at a desk, sitting at the computer all day. I love my job, but it does nothing for my physical health. With email and IM, I don’t even have to get up to talk to my colleagues. Despite all this, I make every effort to get blood moving through my body through out the day.
Take the stairs. I know it has been said before, but stairs are a great way to quickly get the heart pumping. I only work on the second floor, so I don’t take a lot of stairs, but I always use them. I even go downstairs to use the bathroom, even though there is one on my floor. I also park on the third floor of the parking garage, just so I can get the stairs.
Read more…
June 29, 2010
Distance: 1.9K swim, 90K bike and 21.5K Run
Description: Swim was in a lake with a rectangular buoy line. Bike was rolling with good pavement conditions. Run was hilly for the first 5 miles then relatively flat (mix of pavement and trail).
Conditions: Cool and overcast.
Place: 2nd Overall (4:13:44)
Race morning was calm and cool. This was strange turn of events as it had been calling for thunderstorms with rain.
Read more…
I run several times a week, but I live in the city. I manage to find about 40% of my runs in a park or paved trail, but I still have to navigate miles of city street and even a few traffic lights to get the distances I want. Many people in my area have chosen going to the gym over outdoor running for exactly this reason; there just isn’t enough space to make a good run. Frustrated by this because it’s summer time and outdoor activity is what I enjoy, I began to search for alternate places to run. I soon began to realize that even in the city I didn’t have to go very far to find a great trail to run on.
Read more…
By now, I am sure you have all see the ads on television infomercials telling us about shock treatments and fat shakers. The question I’m sure you’ve asked yourself is:
“Are they worth the money?”
While I don’t know about all of the products I have tried one that I ordered online. The advertisement boasted results in 7 weeks as long as I stuck to their workout which came on a DVD. The machine looked like a dumb bell, but it vibrated. The idea was that the vibrations would work out my arms one at a time by doing some simple exercises. The product was supposed to help tone my shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearm as well as back and chest. It also made claims of significantly reducing arm fat.
Read more…
This time of year I constantly find myself looking for any type of mental advantage to get ahead. In the current peek training weeks for a hockey player such as myself I have found that it is not a matter of finding an advantage to get ahead but more so creating the advantage for you.
Rather than going through your daily workout in a typical gym setting, surround yourself with an atmosphere that is meaningful and serves a purpose. For example, running the stadium stairs or early morning sprints on the beach as the sun comes up. Tiger Woods has been spotted on numerous occasions running the cart path of the golf course the morning of competition he uses this activity as a mental tool to prepare himself for the upcoming contest. Using visualization to constantly reminds yourself of your goals both on and off the playing surface I have found to be a useful asset in training. This process comes in handy when training sessions push you past your physical threshold, when your body begins to impolitely raise it’s voice to you and when you find yourself in a place where your competitors haven’t been before.
Read more…
One simple way to increase your daily activity level is through counting your daily steps. The easiest and most reliable way to count your daily steps is through the use of a pedometer. The number of steps you take each day can be used as an indicator of activity level.
- 5,000 steps or less is equivalent to a sedentary lifestyle
- 5,000 to 7,499 steps is equivalent to a low active lifestyle
- 7,500 to 9,999 steps is equivalent to a somewhat active lifestyle
- 10,000 to 12,499 steps is equivalent to an active lifestyle
- 12,500 steps or more is equivalent to a highly active lifestyle
Read more…
Kettlebells are becoming very popular in North America. They look like big weights with a handle on top to grip. Kettlebells can range from light weights all the way up to and including 150lbs. When you watch people swinging them around and breathing funny it may be slightly intimidating, but they are great for strength, speed, and cardiovascular work. They are a fun way to change up the monotony in your workout routine.
