Personal Trainer Vs Gym Membership

Emphasis on fitness is in the limelight like never before. Size zero is in vogue and the uber lean, skinny models and movie stars have gained the status of demi-gods. With this passion for looking good and the desire to keep up with the current fashion, people have started focusing on fitness and are ready to spend to achieve that perfect body. In chasing dreams of the lean, toned look, people are in a mad rush to join a gym and workout extremely hard.

However, all this media hype for toned bodies and high fashion has started a positive train of thought in people. As a result of this increased awareness, people are turning health conscious and cutting down on junk food. Packaged food is being replaced by fresh, home made food which is of high nutritional value. Vegetarianism has touched the lives of people around the globe. In addition to all this, a five day workout at the gym has become a vital part of the daily routine. In fact so much that office-goers utilise some part of their lunch break to get a quick, sweaty workout.

With this entire fetish for exercise and workouts, fitness centers have become jam packed with people. A gym is not so beneficial as compared to getting a personal trainer for oneself. In the former, one gets puzzled as to where to begin with so many equipments to work upon. Also, the individual may not use the correct posture or may use the equipment in the wrong way, which will result in not having the desirable effect on the body. Time is a crucial factor too, since not everyone can spend hours at the gym. In such a scenario, it becomes tough to choose the right equipment, as one cannot use all the machinery daily. This results in a half-baked, poor workout schedule.

To solve this problem, a personal trainer is any day a better choice than enrolling in a gym. A fitness trainer would guide you through all the exercises and the prime focus becomes the individual. Also, he would design specific workouts which have high quality effect. With his vast knowledge, you would have the best of combinations of various exercises like strength training and cardio, which burn fat at a rapid rate. If you are strapped for time, he would make you do a particular set of exercises with more repetitions which would consume lesser time. Exercises at gym do not give out the proper result, if the correct sequence of using the equipments is not followed.

Lifting weights, without a proper trainer is risky as it can cause damage to the spinal cord or a injury. A good personal trainer would mix cardio exercises with rejuvenating activities like aerobics, yoga. On contrary to workouts at gym, this would make the workout fun and cut out boredom. If you have a particular problem like back ache or arthritis, he would carefully avoid all those exercises which may cause it to aggravate further. Instead he would introduce into your workout, different exercises which would give the same benefits as those exercises to be avoided would give. This makes it different from working out in a gym, as one may get puzzled about the exact function of a piece of equipment.

In a nutshell, the variety and uniqueness of workouts performed will have a good effect on the body. As you exercise with interest and enthusiasm, soon the results will start showing on your body. Whereas a dull and drab workout at a gym may not give the required result, the zeal to exercise doubles if done with a personal trainer, who is the constant source of guidance.

So, walk down the fitness trail to be healthy, fit and fine.

The Fat Burning Zone

Debunking the Myth Of the Fat Burning Zone
Many exercisers are under the mistaken impression that fat is only burned at specific exercise intensities and hence weight loss will only occur if you always exercise at these moderate effort levels. Nothing could be further from the truth! Losing body fat and keeping it off permanently requires a carefully planned exercise program that features aerobic AND anaerobic workouts, as well as careful attention to diet and performance nutrition.

Fat is used for fuel during exercise at a variety of intensity levels. At rest and at moderate heart rates, your body's preferred fuel choice is fat. As exercise intensity increases, you burn progressively more glucose. At anaerobic threshold heart rates, you burn almost entirely glucose and very little fat.


How AEROBIC Workouts Promote Fat Loss

To achieve permanent weight management, you must TRAIN your body to prefer fat for fuel 24 hours a day. This is accomplished by building an aerobic base. Your body is like a computer: when you train it to burn fat during low intensity aerobic workouts, it learns to do this around the clock.

You must also fuel your body with healthy, nutritious foods at the right times to prevent metabolism problems that result from exercise-induced caloric depletion. The main mistake people make is restricting calories at crucial times: before, during and after workouts. Restricting calories and training will NOT result in permanent fat loss - it will result in energy level fluctuations, poor recovery and increased stress response to workouts.

When you eat healthy, supplement properly and build a strong aerobic base, you are ready to enjoy the fitness and weight loss benefits that anaerobic workouts provide.


How ANAEROBIC Workouts Promote Fat Loss

Even though you are not burning much fat during a high intensity workout, these workouts are still crucial to the success of your weight loss exercise goals.

The intensity of anaerobic exercise stimulates an increased demand for calories and an elevated body temperature. These factors generate an increase in your metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories) that lasts for several hours after your workout.

Since your preferred fuel choice at rest is fat, you will burn more fat around the clock because of your glucose-burning workout! However wonderful this sounds, many exercisers take shortcuts that sabotage the weight loss benefits of high intensity workouts.

The round-the-clock increase in metabolism caused by an effective training program is the only true way to lose weight. Consider that during a vigorous hour of exercise, you burn between 500-800 calories. A tall glass of orange juice and a bran muffin get you nearly back to even.

Many exercisers skip the aerobic base training and go right for the high intensity workouts. When you ignore base training OR engage in too many anaerobic workouts, your body learns to prefer sugar for fuel (like a computer, remember?) 24-hours a day.

Excessive anaerobic training compromises your fat burning system and causes you to crave sugar, especially at night. Fat stays on your body and your brain tells you to consume sugar all day!

But what if you don’t consume sugar all day?

What if your will power can beat the sugar cravings?

Food Cravings and How to Beat Them
Cravings can be defined as the intense longing for a particular type of food and are something that more than 60% of the population have had. Are these “all in the head” or is there some explanation to why we crave?

Nutritional Reasons
It may be that some cravings are related to nutrition. This is certainly true when it comes to carbohydrates and low blood sugar. Low blood sugar can affect appetite fairly quickly, leaving you hungry and craving carbohydrate type foods. This doesn’t explain cravings for high fat sugary foods in place of carbohydrates such as pasta or potatoes.
It is likely that the craving for high fat, sugary foods is due to the palatability of these. Fat helps carry flavour, which is why high fat foods taste good. Sweetness is a flavour that humans were born liking, while other flavours are acquired.

Dieter’s Cravings
Food cravings are also common in dieters. Diets often focus on deprivation of certain foods and cravings for “forbidden” foods become strong, particularly because the food is labelled as “forbidden. When resistance to temptation gives way, guilt more than often follows. To avoid this situation, don’t label foods. Look for smart alternatives. For example, when craving fries, don’t go for fast food, buy a packet of oven bake low fat fries and have a small portion.

How to Beat Cravings
The trick is not to beat it, but to go with it in a more healthy way. Saying no when you really feel like something is likely to resolve in a binge later on. A good tip is to wait 20 minuets. If you’re still having a craving, allow yourself to have a small portion. For example, a mini candy bar rather than a giant one. This will give you a taste without going overboard on fat and calories. Another tip is to find a healthier alternative for your craving. Feel like something crunchy and salty? Instead of chips, go for a small handful of pretzels. Although these are still high in salt, they are low in fat.
Watching your portion size and swapping choices will allow a little taste without going overboard.

Good Luck.

A letter to the media regarding 'A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons'

A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons

Dear Sir/Madam,

In May next year I will be undertaking the challenge of a lifetime, cycling from John o’Groats to Land’s End and climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales along the way. I will be taking on this challenge solo. The route totals over 1900km of cycling, 17km of climbing and with a vertical assent of 2963m it’s no mean feat.

Although this journey has been completed before, it has not been done under any significant time restraints. I have therefore set myself the challenge to reach Land’s End in less than ten days; the Guinness World Records have confirmed that this has never been attempted.

I am 23 years old, I have a degree in bio mechanics and I work with up and coming athletes providing training programs, support and education on a daily basis. I have chosen to dedicate this adventure to a charity close to my heart, SportsAid, which works with and provides funding for both able and disabled athletes, aged 12-18 years old. I have a target of £50,000 and with your assistance we will together help the next generation of young British sports men and women succeed.  You can read more about SportsAid on their ‘About US’ page.

I believe that this event has the potential to be extremely successful and I think you will agree that I need a significant level of media promotion and publicity to make this possible. I am confident that with your media experience and coverage you have the ability to help me make this impact on an exponential scale. 

My contribution to SportsAid is important and well worth the effort. Your help with this would be invaluable, whether it be a small article, a news piece or some other form of promotion.

If you would like to join me in supporting this outstanding event, please reply to me and we can discuss the possibilities.

Thank you for considering my request for your support. If you have any questions about the event ‘A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons’ please do not hesitate to call me. I hope that together we can make a really
positive impact and raise a really valuable sum of money for SportsAid.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Matthew Page

A letter asking for help regarding 'A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons'

A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons

Dear Sir/Madam,

In May next year I will be undertaking the challenge of a lifetime, cycling from John o’Groats to Land’s End and climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales along the way. I will be taking on this challenge solo. The route totals over 1900km of cycling, 17km of climbing and with a vertical assent of 2963m it’s no mean feat.

Although this journey has been completed before, it has not been done under any significant time restraints. I have therefore set myself the challenge to reach Land’s End in less than ten days; the Guinness World Records have confirmed that this has never been attempted.

I am 23 years old, I have a degree in bio mechanics and I work with up and coming athletes providing training programs, support and education on a daily basis. I have chosen to dedicate this adventure to a charity close to my heart, SportsAid, which works with and provides funding for both able and disabled athletes, aged 12-18 years old. I have a target of £50,000 and with your assistance we will together help the next generation of young British sports men and women succeed.  You can read more about SportsAid on their ‘About US’ page.

I believe that this event has the potential to be extremely successful and I think you will agree that I need a significant level of media promotion and publicity to make this possible. I am confident that with your media experience and coverage you have the ability to help me make this impact on an exponential scale. 

My contribution to SportsAid is important and well worth the effort. Your help with this would be invaluable, whether it be a small article, a news piece or some other form of promotion.

If you would like to join me in supporting this outstanding event, please reply to me and we can discuss the possibilities.

Thank you for considering my request for your support. If you have any questions about the event ‘A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons’ please do not hesitate to call me. I hope that together we can make a really positive impact and raise a really valuable sum of money for SportsAid.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Matthew Page

Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight training is one of the most effective ways to burn fat and build muscle. When our weight gets to a certain level many of us decide that we need to join the gym or purchase training equipment. However, it is actually possible to train using your own bodyweight and achieve similar results. Many people neglect the potential of bodyweight training and in this blog I intend to change that and make you aware of the benefits bodyweight training has to offer.

Bodyweight training can help improve your physique by starting with as little as 15-20 minutes work a day. As you get used to the training you should allocate more time which will in turn yield more impressive results. To ensure that you are getting adequate training time you need to make bodyweight training part of your daily schedule. Maybe you could get out of bed 20 minutes earlier or perhaps you could watch TV for 20 minutes less each day. As your bodyweight training progresses you should be able to come up with more creative ways to fit in your training times. If the appearance of your body is important to you then you will always be able to find the time. Stick with it, do it every day and you will begin to notice surprising results.

One of the main concerns with bodyweight training is the frequency with which you exercise. Many people think that you should exercise 3-4 times a week or every other day. This is partially true. People who participate in high intensity, high volume workouts require the additional rest between training and therefore should only train 3-4 times a week. However, bodyweight training is much less intensive. If you train for 15-20 minutes each day.

So now that I have introduced you to bodyweight training and its benefits you are probably wondering what do I actually do? Well there are plenty of exercises you can do but I’ve outlined one of my favourites below:

THE BURPEE CHIN UP COMBO:
 - To begin stand under a chin up bar
- Slowly squat down, bending your knees and keeping your back straight.
- Place your hands on the floor in front of you.
- Kick back with your feet so that you are in a push up position.
- Do a push up.
- Jump your feet back under your chest and stand up rapidly.
- Grab the chin up bar with your palms facing towards you.
- Do a chin up.
- Squat back down and repeat.

Try and keep this up for 15 minutes and you will quickly realise how tough bodyweight training can be. If you do this exercise every morning you will start to notice changes within the week. It will help you burn fat and build muscle in a very short space of time.

Bodyweight training has almost limitless possibilities, it does not stop at this one exercise. If you get onto the BetterTrained website here http://www.bettertrained.co.uk/ there are lots of great bodyweight training ideas and plenty of advice and exercises that you can use in your own routine.

To progress with your bodyweight training set a feasible goal for each week. Once you achieve it set a new one for the next week. As long as you put in the effort you can burn fat and build muscle without attending the gym.

Drop Pounds at the Pool                

A swimming pool -- the kind with lanes, not a swim-up bar -- triggers a negative twinge in many people. Too cold, too inconvenient, too wet, and that's too bad. Swimming gives you a great cardiovascular workout with none of the joint-jarring of running. You'll burn roughly the same number of calories per minute as you would cycling, without the traffic risks. You'll get a restorative workout that helps you come back strong in your other sports. And you'll develop that lean-and-powerful look that draws so many women to the TV when the Olympics are on.

Swimming builds functional strength, starting with your core muscles, back, chest, abdominals. People think it's about making your arms and legs strong, but those are simply extensions of what the core does when you swim properly. Problem is, many individuals can't swim properly -- they thrash, struggle, sink, and give up. Not you. Your swimming lesson, adult version, begins here.

You've seen those old guys who swim lap after lap after lap, never tiring. They're efficient. If you're out of breath after one lap, it's not that you lack "some sort of elusive or special swimming fitness." You're just inefficient.

* LEAD with the top of your head, not your forehead, for better head-spine alignment. Look at the bottom of the pool, not ahead.

* PUSH DOWN with your chest until your hips and legs feel light. That "sinking feeling" you may notice is just your legs and hips naturally riding lower in the water than your upper body. Pressing your chest down gives you better balance. With each stroke, press each armpit into the water.

* SLIP your arm into the water with each stroke as if you were sliding it into a sleeve. A longer body line reduces drag. Extend your arm until your shoulder touches your jaw.

* BE QUIET with your body. Waves indicate wasted effort. Imagine you're piercing the water and slipping through a small hole.

The Starter Swimming Workout

If you get winded, just hang on to the side; it's better than struggling with poor form. This 30-minute workout allows for lots of rest.

* SET 1: Swim 8 x 25 meters focusing on head and chest position, resting for five deep breaths after each length. Then swim 25, 50, 75, and 100m. (Take a five-breath rest after each distance.) Note how many strokes you take on the 25. Swim the remaining laps at a consistent effort, counting strokes. A tired swimmer uses more strokes.

* SET 2: Swim 8 x 25 with a focus on a longer body line. Then swim 100, 75, 50, and 25 yards. (Take the same rests as above.) Swim the 100 very easily. Count your strokes and divide by 4. That number serves as your benchmark for the rest of the set.

* SET 3: Swim 8 x 25 with a focus on "quiet" form. Then swim 25, 50, 75, and 100 yards. (Take the same rests as above.) Note the number of strokes you take on the 25. See if swimming quietly improves your efficiency.

Treadmills? Good, bad or indifferent?

Treadmills? Good, bad or indifferent?

I’m often asked whether it is ok to run on a treadmill rather than outside. My answer is usually different to each person because it depends why they are asking me the question. There are pros and cons for each. So here are my general thoughts on the subject:

Running outside is better than running on a treadmill when:

You plan to do or have entered a running event

If you are aiming to do an event running outside then you need to get used to running outside. A treadmill helps you run since there is a continual ‘pawing back’ motion through the belt. Effectively part of the running motion is done for you therefore you do not develop the strength through this section. You will over-develop some muscles relative to others which will make it feel increasingly harder for you to run outside if you get too used to a treadmill. It can be easy to convince yourself not to run outside when it is, say, raining hard or blowing a gale. But if you train for weeks or even months for one event only to wake up on that day and discover a downpour then what are you going to do?

When the session you want to do is a long endurance one

Whether a long run for you is 30 minutes or 3 hours it can be really boring doing it on a treadmill. Running outside tends to pass quicker since you have a variety of views and terrain to keep you occupied. In addition, usually our longer runs are a training session for some kind of distance event so I refer back to the last point! Also consider long training runs for half or full marathons where you need to learn to drink and / or eat on the run. If you’re going to have to carry things in the event then the place to work out what is best for you is on a training run in similar conditions.

When you want to consolidate your running

I usually include in my clients training programmes a regular ‘run as you feel’ run. This allows you to pull all your running training together. It may mean pushing hard up a hill because you feel strong or really letting the run stretch out on the flats because you feel flexible. It lets your body respond to its muscles and your fitness while allowing you to just enjoy running (which should be the number one reason we all do it!) with no fixed agenda or target. This is much harder to do on a treadmill as your legs respond to the pace of the machine, rather than your pace being a response of your mind and body.

When you plan to run an off-road event

A treadmill has a flat, smooth and bouncy surface. It doesn’t ‘feel’ the same as grass, sand, gravel or mud under your feet. If you are planning an event on non-road surfaces then you need to get used to running on these surfaces. It is good practice to run on various surfaces anyway since the differences in terrain gives your lower limbs a better strength and stability workout. This means all the supporting, smaller muscles around your ankles and knees are worked more, making them stronger and keeping you more resistant to injury.

When the weather is nice and you have spent all day inside
Speaks for itself really! Why would you want to stay cooped up inside with lots of other sweaty bodies when you could be outside in the fresh air?

Running on a treadmill is better than running outside when:

You are returning from an injury and want to try your running out

Running outside to some extent will strengthen your muscles up but from time to time we can suffer from injuries and niggles. If you have had a set back then it is often worth building your running back up on a treadmill, especially if the injury has been caused by the impact of running. Treadmills nowadays all have shock absorbers to lessen the impact. In addition it is easier to just stop the session completely if needs be when you are on a treadmill, than if you are outside and discover you can’t run anymore when you are 3 miles from home!

When you only want to include a little bit of running in your overall workout

If you run mainly for fitness or you do a lot of cross training then you may want to just include a short running section within an overall cardiovascular workout. Logistically it makes much more common sense to just do 10-15 minutes on the treadmill than to ‘faff’ about going outside, coming back in and so on!

When it’s icy outside

Save yourself a broken leg and use the treadmill instead! 

When you are trying new trainers ou

Most good running shops will allow you to bring their trainers back after a test run as long as you don’t use them outside. Proper trainers are the best running investment you can make so be sure that they feel right for you.

I am a fan of treadmill running when there is a specific purpose to it. I include one treadmill session a fortnight in my own programme, but given I am doing 5 or 6 running sessions a week the proportion of treadmill running is quite small. Since my clients don’t have the need (or insanity!) to do so many sessions I tend to discourage them from using treadmills often, for the reasons I have stated above.

So, when all is said and done, if it’s a case of a treadmill run or no run then I’d pick a treadmill one every time!

Have fun,

All the best,

Matthew Page

Diving into the gene pool

As athletes rely more and more on technology, where does talent end and science begin.
Ever since the first Greek Olympics in 776BC, athletes have been pushing the boundaries of human physical potential on track and field. But now experts believe we have finally hit our limits and the human body can’t achieve more, and this is where science steps in.

I've explored the contribution of science to sport – with recent scientific developments including genetic testing to maximise training schedules, and shark-like swimming costumes to reduce drag in races. They’ve discussed in a line is drawn being between where talent stops and science begins.
Many experts, including those who trained the comedian David Walliams for his cross-Channel swim, believe that athletes, competing in track and field events in particular, have now reached the limit of natural human performance. In these sports, science will have the greatest contribution to future medal tables, where even a small enhancement in performance could make a big difference. Here are some of the scientific advances that may give sportsmen and women the edge.

WINNING GENESOne day scientists may be able to pick the winner of a race before it has even started, by looking at the competitors’ genetic make-up to see which one carries “performance genes”.
In recent years researchers have identified genes that confer athletic advantage, and some are now suggesting that genetic profiling for so called performance genes could be used to identify the athletes of the future. For instance, the ability to use oxygen efficiently is key to having the winning edge in all sports, as it keeps muscles going for longer. Some people carry a mutated version of a gene called EPOR, which results in an abnormally high number of red blood cells – the main oxygen transporters of the body. People with this mutated EPOR gene have more oxygen whizzing around their body, helping them to carry on working longer and harder than others. Researchers identified an entire Finnish family with this EPOR mutation, several of whom were championship endurance athletes, including the gold medal cross-country skier Eero Maentyranta.
It is likely that athletes able to break records in the future will be such physiological “outliers” – people who naturally possess extremes of normal body biology, which also happen to enhance performance. For instance, one helpful gene is called ACTN3. It comes in two variants, one of which makes muscles more suited to endurance events, and the other to sprint or power events. One American company has even started to offer people the chance to have their genes tested for performance-enhancing variants – at £50 a pop – to find out which sport they are genetically suited to.
So will we see genetic profiling by talent scouts? I’m dismissive as rediretcting athletic aptitude is incredibly difficult. There are too many genetic variations and environmental factors involved to make accurate predictions.

CHEMICAL ASSISTANCESome common enhancers, which might be called an appliance of science, are drugs such as anabolic steroids and EPO, the hormone that promotes red blood cell development. These are banned, although athletes tend always to be one step ahead of the regulators, using new undetectable drugs. The long-term effects of the use of such substances are unknown.
Some technologies, however, such as simulating the effect of training at altitude by placing an athlete in a pressure chamber, are not banned. This increases the number of red blood cells by making the body think it’s in a low oxygen environment, making it step up blood cell production. Nor is taking sodium bicarbonate before competition banned. This acts as a buffer in the blood, helping to prevent the build-up of lactic acid that causes burning muscle pain.

HIGH-TECH KITWe’ve already seen the impact that science can have on world records through advances in technology. In the 1990s, new materials science made it possible to use carbon fibers to build bicycles with characteristics that had never been seen before. An early example was Chris Boardman’s Lotus monocoque carbon frame, which he rode in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In the one-hour speed event, Boardman was able to travel 7km farther than the legendary Eddie Merckx had achieved 30 years earlier. But riding a standard A-frame bike, he managed only a paltry 10m more than Merckx.
Materials science makes a contribution to sport in many other ways, from shoes that let people bounce higher, to “go-faster” swimming costumes. Some cozzies, for instance, mimic the skin of a shark, making the swimmer more streamlined and reducing drag. High-tech equipment won’t make super-athletes out of mere mortals, but, it can make the difference between winning and losing for those at the peak of their game. “You need talent and preparation,” says Alan Currie, the psychiatrist for the UK Athletics team. “Self-motivation is integral to success, if you want to reach the top.”

Is your body built for sporting success?Have you got the perfect physique for sport? No matter what science can create to enhance our body’s performance, the basics have to be there, and this means having the right body shape for a sport.

One for the boys or the very hard core girls.

Build an All-Sport Body

Lay the foundation for a year of muscle growth with a versatile training tool: the power cage. Most men shy away from the power cage, so you won't have to wait in line to use it. You'll improve your strength, mobility, and endurance with this simple routine. Do the workout three times a week, resting at least a day between sessions.

Perform the exercises in succession, and then rest for 60 seconds before repeating the circuit once or twice.

1. Barbell Duck-Under

Set a barbell at waist level on the supports of a power cage, and stand with one hip next to it. Take a long stride beneath the bar, then duck underneath. Stand up on the other side, and repeat the motion to return to the starting position. Go back and forth until you've passed under the bar 8 to 10 times in each direction.

2. Reverse Push up

Sit on the floor under the barbell with your legs straight, and grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip. Hang from the bar so only your heels touch the floor. This is the starting position. Pinch your shoulder blades together and bend your arms to pull your chest to the bar. Pause at your highest point, then lower yourself. Aim for 8 to 10 repetitions.

3. Front Squat to Shoulder Press

Load the barbell with a weight you can press overhead 8 times. Holding the bar on the front of your shoulders, bend at the hips and knees. Pause when your thighs are parallel to the floor (or lower), and then press up and push the bar overhead. Lower the bar to your shoulders. Do 8 reps.

4. Pull-up to Hanging Leg Raise

Grab the pull-up bar at the top of the cage with your palms facing away from you. Pull yourself up until your upper chest is as close to the bar as you can get it. Holding that position, bend your legs and bring your knees in toward your chest. Lower your legs, then lower your body to the starting position. Aim for 6 to 8 reps.

Good luck.

Break through a fitness plateau

Break through a fitness plateau. A few tips and tricks to keep training interesting.

I was stuck. Thousands of biceps curls for months on end, and nothing. Not even half an inch. My arms had simply stopped growing.

I took the Taoist approach: I quit trying. Instead of doing direct arm work, like curls, I concentrated on my chest, shoulders, and back, hitting them with heavy-lifting sets of chinups, rows, presses, and dips.

That's when it happened. My arms inflated.

Truth is, I hadn't really stopped working my arms. I was working them harder than ever—by association. The exercises I was using for my chest and back were also enlisting my biceps and triceps, stimulating more muscle fibers in different ways than with the arm isolation exercises.

My realisation:
Changing the training approach is the trigger for blasting through a frustrating fitness plateau, in either muscle or strength.

Weight loss plateaus

Weight-loss plateaus have many causes. Let's assume you've ruled out under eating (which triggers fat storage) and excessive stress (which releases cortisol, inhibiting fat loss). Your metabolism could just need a workout of its own: One intriguing plateau buster comes from a 2004 University of Colorado study, which linked increased "energy flux," or the total amount of calories your body processes in a day, to increased metabolism. Working out harder and eating more — while keeping the overall balance the same — could improve your ability to break down food.

A better way to blast your arms

Ditch the dumbbells and grab a Swiss-ball. Get down on the floor and assume a standard push-up position, with your hands resting on top of the ball. Keeping your hands planted, slowly roll your wrists onto the ball, followed by your forearms; stop when everything up to your elbows is touching. Slowly reverse the movement. Do only three sets of three repetitions in the beginning, and gradually build up to three sets of five. "This blasts your triceps because you have to stabilize the ball along with controlling your downward movement, it'll work the muscles better than any free-weight arm exercise can."

Are Vibrating Plates Effective?

Are Vibrating Plates Effective?

Expensive Gimmick or a Genius Invention?

With a price tag of £3,000 - £5,000 per machine, you’d be justified in expecting a vibrating plate to do the exercise for you – which ironically it kind of does. This revolutionary piece of equipment has been all the rage with celebrities, who claim that the oscillating platform has transformed their bodies with minimal effort and no risk from injury.

The whole concept of losing weight and getting into shape simply by standing on a vibrating plate has invited huge media attention, all thanks to excellent marketing and celebrity endorsements. The notion of standing, sitting or lying on something that effectively does the exercise for you is every dieter’s dream – and the manufacturers know it. We live in a society where we want everything now and with minimal effort, and vibrating platforms appear to be that miracle ‘pill’ every dieter would die for. It intrigues me that these vibrating plates are marketed with claims that you can:

•    Improve fitness levels
•    Increase fat combustion
•    Improve coordination
•    Reduce stress
•    Improve flexibility.

All of these miraculous results can apparently be achieved in 10–20 minutes without raising a sweat. It’s everyone’s dream. A quick 10 minutes’ standing on a vibrating platform and your workout is done – you can now spend more time in the pub rather than wasting time at the gym and wearing out your trainers!

The science behind these oscillating plates is actually quite interesting and despite the hint of sarcasm, some benefit can be gained for certain groups of people, such as injured sportsmen and women. If the claims are correct, exercises on the plate cause the muscles to contract 30–50 times a second, which will stimulate the metabolism to a point and possibly over time contribute to a degree of weight loss.

This is all well and good, but why not go for a brisk walk instead and if you want to lose weight by having your muscle violently vibrate, why not sit on the number 32 bus near the engine? That’ll make your legs vibrate and it doesn’t cost anywhere near £5,000.

Vibrating platforms are expensive that are marketed extremely well and, with the help of a few select celebrities (who don’t eat much), these machines claim to work miracles for fitness levels and weight loss in minimal time. If you have a spare £5,000 hanging around, a vibrating plate may very well add variety to your workout and if used regularly, it may help to tone the muscles and be very useful to hang your washing on.
I certainly wouldn’t rush out to buy one if you think it’s the answer to reducing your midriff, though!

The Health and Sports Benefits of Milk

The Health and Sports Benefits of Milk

The nine essential nutrients found in milk are critical to good health and the prevention of chronic disease. Research supports milk’s benefits for hypertension, bone health, osteoporosis and even certain types of cancer.

Hypertension:
Hypertension or high blood pressure afflicts one in five and is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Many studies suggest that fat free or low fat milk, as part of a low fat diet, may help reduce the risk of hypertension. Research shows that a low fat eating plan called "DASH" (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which includes three servings of low fat dairy foods and 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, may help lower blood pressure as effectively as some medications. A clinical trial of the effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the DASH dietary pattern has proved successful with consistent results.

Bone Health:
Including dairy products, like milk, cheese and yogurt to your menu when you’re dieting helps ensure that you’re not losing bone density along with the pounds. Dairy’s role in preventing osteoporosis, strengthening bones and providing calcium and other essential nutrients has long been established and lauded by the nutrition and science community. Dairy foods help to build your bone bank, which research shows plays an important role in helping reduce osteoporosis risk. A research review in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition examined 138 studies exploring the relationship between bone health and calcium intake and found overwhelming evidence that lifelong calcium intake is one of the most significant factors for reducing the risk of fracture due to osteoporosis.
Cancer:
Research shows people at risk for colon cancer may have another reason to consume at least three servings of dairy products per day. A study published in Nutrition and Cancer indicates that low fat dairy products – including low fat milk, cheese and yogurt – may help reduce the risk of colon cancer, the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. This area of research is emerging. Comparison of calcium supplementation or low-fat dairy foods upon epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation, studies of the aforementioned shown positive and neutral benefits.

Nutrient Package:
No other foods offer quite the same nutrients as milk and dairy products. Most authorities, including the National Institutes of Health and the American Dietetic Association, recommend calcium-rich foods like low fat milk and dairy products – rather than supplements – as the preferred source of calcium. The American diet is chronically low in calcium – a nutrient that plays a valuable role in building strong bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Research indicates calcium may also reduce high blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. The latest evidence suggests that calcium may even help in the fight against obesity – which has become an epidemic in America. Studies indicate that calcium plays a role in the body’s natural fat burning ability and may make weight loss efforts more effective.

Milk – The New Sports Drink
There has been growing interest in the potential use of bovine milk as an exercise beverage, especially during recovery from resistance training and endurance sports. Based on the limited research, milk appears to be an effective post-resistance exercise beverage that results in favourable acute alterations in protein metabolism. Milk consumption acutely increases muscle protein synthesis, leading to an improved net muscle protein balance. Furthermore, when post-exercise milk consumption is combined with resistance training (12 weeks minimum), greater increases in muscle hypertrophy and lean mass have been observed. Although research with milk is limited, there is some evidence to suggest that milk may be an effective post-exercise beverage for endurance activities. Low-fat milk has been shown to be as effective, if not more effective, than commercially available sports drinks as a re-hydration beverage. Milk represents a more nutrient dense beverage choice for individuals who partake in strength and endurance activities, compared to traditional sports drinks. Bovine low-fat fluid milk is a safe and effective post exercise beverage for most individuals, except for those who are lactose intolerant. Further research is warranted to better delineate the possible applications and efficacy of bovine milk in the field of sports nutrition.

Milk, like all aspects of nutrition is often surrounded by controversy. From the nut job tinfoil on the head anti-milk zealots to bodybuilders who say that milk makes you smooth, milk is often thought of as a terrible food for adult humans to eat.

Yet, objectively milk is an excellent source of high quality protein (a mix of casein and whey), carbohydrates (lactose, which admittedly some people have problems digesting) along with providing fluids, highly bio-available calcium, and electrolytes. Old time lifters often built large amounts of muscle mass with a program of squats and a gallon of milk per day; the idea is still around in various incarnations. In contrast to the anti-milk zealots, milk has been shown to have a number of potential health benefits beyond any sporting applications that may exist.

I’m not going to address the controversy regarding milk here, sufficed to say I’m on the side of milk (and dairy foods in general) being excellent for athletes and folks trying to improve body composition. The combination of both fast whey and slow casein is excellent for a lot of sporting and athletic applications; dairy calcium improves body opus, etc. And while dairy does contain quite a bit of sodium (which is what I suspect causes the issues with ’smoothness’ for contest bodybuilders), this is only an issue on the day of the contest. Dropping milk 16 weeks out can only hurt fat loss, not help it.

Which brings me in a roundabout way to research examining the potential of milk as a sports drink
The paper first examines much of what I talked about above, the overall macro-nutrient profile of milk. In that the recent area of research for sports nutrition revolves around carbohydrate, protein/amino acid intake, along with fluids and electrolytes, milk ends up covering all of those nutritional bases.
As noted above, milk contains a combination of both casein (a slow digesting protein) and whey (fast acting), along with a large proportion of the branched chain amino acids (BCAA). It also contains carbohydrates (lactose, see my note at the end of this piece), along with minerals, both sodium and potassium. Of course, milk automatically contains fluid and hydration/fluid balance is also important for optimal performance and recovery.

Moving on the paper first examines research on milk and resistance training adaptations. A number of studies have been performed from acute (single drink) studies to longer work looking at lean body mass gain. In one acute study, both fat free and whole milk were shown to improve protein synthesis following training; the whole milk worked better although the researchers weren’t sure why.
Of more interest, milk was shown to be superior to a soy based drink (both drinks contained identical protein, carbs and calories) in terms of lean body mass gains over 3-8 weeks. In addition, not only did the milk group gain more lean body mass, they lost a bit of fat. Of some interest, it was thought that the superiority of the milk was due to its slower digestion compared to the soy (a fast protein).


“Consumption of low-fat milk appears to create an anabolic environment following resistance training and over the long term with training, it appears that greater gains in lean mass and muscle hypertrophy can be obtained. Furthermore, milk may also lead to greater losses of body fat when it is consumed following resistance training.”

Now, moving onto endurance training, it’s first important to note that endurance athletes have a couple of issues to deal with (in terms of both performance and recovery) that strength trainers don’t necessarily have to deal with. This includes hydration and performance during training/competition as well as glycogen re-synthesis and re-hydration following training. While those certainly can be an issue following very voluminous strength training, they tend to be a bigger issue for endurance type training.

Now, about a zillion studies (give or take a couple hundred thousand) have looked at the impact of carbohydrate intake on endurance performance. The research is mixed and whether or not carbs help depends on the duration and intensity of training. Of more relevance here, some research has examined whether adding small amounts of protein during endurance competition can help performance. Some of it finds a benefit, some of it doesn’t; there is still some controversy over this issue.

In this vein, some work has examined the impact of milk during endurance training. While some potential benefits (such as increased blood amino acid levels) were seen, no performance benefits were seen and the subjects reported a fuller stomach due to the milk; this was likely due to the milk more slowly emptying from the stomach. This isn’t a good thing and what research has found is a benefit of protein during endurance training invariably used faster proteins (whey or casein hydrolysate). I would not recommend milk during training.

However, as a post-workout drink, milk appears to be a good choice for endurance athletes. Some work has found that the combination of protein and carbs leads to better glycogen re-synthesis; however no research has directly examined milk in this context. One study compared chocolate milk to a commercial carbohydrate drink and found that the chocolate milk was at least as good at promoting performance as the carbohydrate drink.

With regards to hydration, a previous research reviewed examined Milk as an Effective Post-Exercise Re-hydration Drink, finding that milk was superior to water or commercial carbohydrate drinks for re-hydration following endurance exercise, presumably due to the sodium and potassium content. 
“The limited literature that does exist suggests that milk is as effective as commercially available sports drinks at facilitating recovery for additional performance…Furthermore, milk is also a very effective beverage at promoting fluid recovery following dehydrating exercise in the heat.”

Practical Application
Clearly the research to date suggests that milk may be a superior post-workout drink following resistance training (at least compared to a fast protein like soy) and may have benefits for endurance athletes as well in terms of promoting glycogen synthesis, recovery and re-hydration following training.

I’m big on milk and milk proteins; they have massive advantages in terms of their protein content, dairy calcium, and other effects. Milk is readily available, tasty and relatively inexpensive.

However, there are a couple of caveats. For large athletes who need a large amount of carbohydrates or protein following training, milk may not be an ideal way of getting it. A typical 220g serving of milk contains roughly 12 grams of carbohydrates and 8 grams of protein. A large resistance training athlete might need 4-5 times that, many nutrients following training and drinking that much milk may not be feasible.

A compromise solution might be to use milk as a base and add extra nutrients (such as maltodextrin or dextrose powder for carbs and protein powder for protein) to achieve a higher nutrient density than milk itself can provide. So 400 grams. (2 cups) of milk with extra carbs/protein would get the benefits of milk along with sufficient nutrients for larger athletes to recovery. Similar comments would apply to endurance athletes who often need very large amounts of carbs following exhaustive training; drinking 4+ cups of milk following training may not be feasible.

As a final comment, if there is one major problem with milk for many people, it’s the presence of lactose (milk-sugar). Lactose, like all digestible carbohydrates requires a specific enzyme to be broken down called lactase. However, some people lose the ability to produce lactase/digest lactose; this can occur either completely or relatively (in the latter case, folks can handle small amounts of dairy).
Lactose intolerance, which should not be confused with a true milk allergy, can cause stomach upset, gas, and diarrhoea in predisposed people; it’s racially based and some ethnicities are more or less likely to have problems. For those with lactose intolerance, but who wish to use milk following training there are several options.

The first is to find a source of lactose free milk. Brands such as Lactaid add lactase to milk to digest the lactose into glucose and galactose; this typically results in sweeter milk but without the offending lactase. Lactase pills are also available which can be taken with milk to help with digestion. Finally, there are products which claim to increase lactase levels in the gut and some people find that milk consumed with other food is tolerable; additionally, regular yogurt consumption can improve the ability to digest lactose.

The Rider's Guide to Snow, Weather, and Light Conditions

After a few more days Snowboarding in the Alps this season I thought I'd write about the varied types of conditions you will encounter as you ride. These conditions occur as a combination of the type of snow underfoot and the type of weather over your head. It's not all sunny days on perfect snow.

SNOW CONDITIONS:

Bumps--There are bumps, and then there are buried Volkswagens! Bumps are probably better left for those who feel comfortable in them and can maintain board control. They are impossible to learn in, because you get tossed this way and that down the fall line. Bumps are caused by the repetitive action of really good skiers flying down a slope, so they can appear almost over the course of a single weekend. Just because there weren't bumps on your favorite run yesterday doesn't mean there aren't any now!
Corn--large, loose granular snow, usually found in the spring. This condition is caused by snow that melts during the day and then refreezes overnight. Corn is okay to learn in, but it doesn't represent the best.
Crud--broken chunks of snow, like skiing through avalanche debris. Crud is hard on the knees and body in general. This is not an optimal snow condition for beginners.
Crust--harder snow on top of a softer base. When you walk across crust, your boots will often break through and sink to the bottom. This can happen to powder that has never been groomed and/or has not been exposed to a little melting and refreezing. Crust can get broken up and become crud. Avalanches occur when the soft snow under crust collapses.
Groomed--At most resorts, snowcats come through overnight to comb some areas of snow into even layers, called corduroy. This is by far the best surface to learn on. Most green runs and many blue runs are groomed regularly at most resorts.
Hard Pack--snow that becomes very firmly packed because it hasn't ever melted and then become refrozen. This is a very common condition during cold winter months. Some resorts may use the terms "packed powder" and "hard pack" interchangeably. Hard pack is great to learn on, although it is a little more difficult to learn to execute clean turns in.
Ice--dangerous and scary. You often hear ice scrape beneath skis and snowboards, so you know it's there even if you cannot see it. It's usually hidden below a thin coating of blown snow, and you don't know it until you hit it. Pay attention to the sounds other skiers and snowboarders make as they come down the slope. Beginners will find it very difficult to hold an edge and maintain control. This is not a good choice for learning.

Man-made--This type of snow is made by machine because Mother Nature is not cooperating. Man-made snow is usually hard and gritty but good to learn on. This is what you encounter at the beginning of the season at most resorts that have snow-making capabilities.
Packed Powder--This is the most common condition you will encounter. It is created when powder has become compressed either through machine grooming, skier/rider traffic, or weather conditions. It's not fluffy anymore, but it's not exactly hard, either. Packed powder is great to learn on.
Powder--very dry, fine, cold, fluffy particles (sometimes called champagne powder). Powder is fun to learn jumps (and therefore fall) in, but it's almost impossible for a beginner to tackle since you need considerable speed and turning ability to prevent from getting bogged down and sometimes stuck. If it's been snowing all night, expect powder unless the run is groomed. Called "freshies" or "pow-pow," fresh powder is the cause of "powder fever" that results in many a person playing hooky. True snowlovers arrive at the crack dawn after a huge dump to get first tracks.
Slush--soft, wet, and sticky, usually encountered in the spring or at resorts that are very humid. Slush sticks to your board, skis, clothes, anything it can. It makes for very slow going--if speed is your thing, you will be disappointed. Great for the beginner, since it can help slow you down and make you feel more in control. The weather conditions that accompany slush are wonderful--warm sun, mild wind, and good light.

WEATHER AND LIGHT CONDITIONS:

Bright Light/Sunny--Lots of sun in the sky means lots of glare from the snow. Everything is visible and crystal clear. Sunny conditions are great to learn in if you have the proper eyewear. Sun that glances off ice can effectively burn unprotected eyes. Use polarized and mirrored lenses in your sunglasses or goggles.
Flat Light--This occurs when the sun is blocked by thick clouds. You won't be able to see the bumps or true surface texture as well,and shadows are darker. Flat light can be present when it's lightly snowing. While it's okay to learn in, use amber/orange lenses to help bring out the definition of the terrain.
Night Riding--If you are at a resort that uses night lighting for skiing, you'll notice that surface texture is pretty much impossible to read. This is very intuitive riding, like riding with a blindfold on. Obstacles are even harder to see, as are other skiers and riders. This is not a good choice for beginners. For any night-riding excursion, either at a resort or in the backcountry, use clear lenses in your goggles or sunglasses. You still need wind protection but don't want to hinder your ability to see detail.
Partly Cloudy--This is by far my favorite time to ride--it has just the right type of lighting to illuminate the surface texture, yet it's not too harsh on the eyes. You will probably need to bring both polarized/mirrored and amber/orange lenses since the sun will play hide and seek with you.
Wind--Hard pack or icy spots are sometimes uncovered when the wind blows powder or granular snow around. Wind equals windchill equals cold--which can mean that your face, hands, and feet feel like they are frozen. This is a miserable way to try and learn. Blowing snow creates a unique hazard--now you see it, now you don't, now you see it again! Make sure your lenses match the sun condition but still keep the wind out of your eyes.
White Out--Forget it! You don't know which way is down, you can't see your friends, you can't even see the slope. Remember trying to drive in a blizzard? When combined with wind, watch out for blowing snow that somehow finds its way into every nook and cranny. You will have no visibility, so use amber/orange or clear lenses to keep out the wind and offer some way to discern detail.

Hill Running, Let's try something different today.

Hill Running:  

The Benefits Are Uplifting

You may not think that running uphill is a comfortable thing, but the fact of the matter is that it is very beneficial for your body.  Not only does it force you to use a variety of muscles that you do not normally use, but it can actually help to increase your capabilities across the board.  Hill running is something to consider if you want to improve your running performance.

Hill Running Benefit: More Muscles Used

  In exercise in general, the most beneficial exercises are those where you use as many muscles as possible.  It just makes sense that the more flex you give a muscle, the better it will be.  It also makes sense that the more muscles utilized, the better you will get at this type of training. In hill running, you use more muscles than in other types of running and you use them more efficiently.  You even will use muscles that you normally do not exercise through your daily or weekly runs.    But, it’s more than just that.  Because of this added muscle use and the simple fact that you are getting a more vigorous workout in hill running, you will find that your body ends up burning calories faster.  You will also begin to boost aerobic and anaerobic capabilities.  Hill running will also give you greater focus which is something that you will use throughout your running career.  

Hill Running Tips

  Okay, so not all areas are made the same and not all hills are right to run up and down on, but you are looking for some specifics here.  Do your best to find a hill that is about a five to ten percent grade.  It should take you about a minute to a minute and a half to run up it.  Do this at a hard pace.  Additionally, take a minute to check out these steps:  

• Start with a warm up that is about fifteen minutes long.  Use small slopes to help you get accustomed to it.  Jog here.
• Next, get started with eight to ten charges at a good, hard pace.  You can then add one or two more charges per session.  The goal is to keep your time coming down though (negative splits).
• Its all in how you run.  Find a specific spot to land each time and make sure that you are using the right form as well.  You will want to run with a slightly higher knee lift while you pump your arms vigorously.  Lean slightly forward but keep your head up.
• During each descent down the hill, running should be slow, not hard. 
• Watch your breathing and heart rate.  If they are too elevated, slow it down some.  If this doesn't seem to help, you may need to stop for the day. 
• End your hill running with another fifteen minute slope jog. 

Enjoy

'A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons' Where it all began...

Where it all began...

I've written a lot over the last few days and thought it about time I introduced myself and what I plan on achieving. My name is Matthew and I want to do something incredible.

I recently had an urge to do something incredible. I needed to find my focus, I wanted to do something that made people stop, think and take note. And I wanted them to ask themselves what they’d ever done, more importantly, what could they do to. I love adrenaline; I love a feeling of singularity and individualism that you only get when you break away from the norm and do something, anything.

I’ve completed the three peaks challenge; I’ve climbed Ben Nevis’ north face in -18 conditions and I’ve Snowboarded down afterwards, just for fun. I’ve got a 1^st class honours degree, a successful business and yet, I’m still searching for something to make a difference.

I introduce to you:

‘A Man, His Bike and Some Crampons’

Let me give you some more details. In July/August 2010 I’m going to cycle from John o’ Groats to Lands End and climb; Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon along the way. I’m going to complete this task in a mere 10 days.

Land's End to John o' Groats is the traversal of the whole length of the island of Great Britain between two extremities; in the southwest and northeast. The distance by road is 874 miles (1,407 km) and takes most cyclists ten to fourteen days; the record for running the route is nine days. Off-road walkers typically walk 1,200 miles (1,900 km) and take two or three months for the expedition.

I'm planning the following: 1909km/1186 miles (Roughly) will be the total distance covered on two wheels and 17km/10.6miles of climbing with 2963m/9721ft of vertical ascent on my two little legs. The distance is significantly longer due to the de-tours required to get to the three mountains.

Something incredible I think you’ll agree...

I hereby present to you, the cause.

SportsAid

SportsAid, previously known as SportsAid Foundation (SAF), was founded in 1976. Its principal function was to raise funds from the private sector to provide financial assistance to Britain's amateur sportsmen and women. The aim was to help them prepare for competitions against better-funded, overseas athletes.

From 1983 until 1997, SAF was a major source of funding for most of Britain's leading athletes, both able-bodied and disabled. 1997 brought the Lottery funding and a change to SportsAid's role. As SportsAid was no longer the sole provider it could not continue in the same area, but there were still funding gaps which the Lottery funds could not fill.

Since 1997, SportsAid has focused on giving awards to youngsters aged 12 to 18, from 50 able-bodied and 25 disability sports. These athletes compete in national squads and these awards, generally worth £500, help with costs such as travel, training, accommodation, competition fees and equipment.

Since 1976, SportsAid has distributed around £20 million and now gives 2,000 awards per year.

There you have it; The Why, The What and The Reason.

My name is Matthew and it’s been a pleasure writing to you all, thank you for reading

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Foods to lift mood

• Eat your fill and feel good about it with these mood-boosting foods

MILK
Your brain needs an amino acid called tryptophan in order to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter nicknamed the brain's Prozac, thanks to its happy-making and calming effect. Prozac works by conserving the brain's serotonin, but tryptophan helps you make more of your own. Dairy foods are a great low-fat source of tryptophan, but you can also get it from poultry and nuts, especially peanuts.

TURKEY
Turkey is high in phenylalanine, an amino acid which the brain converts to dopamine, a brain chemical that elevates mood and motivation and prevents depression. A study published in a German psychiatry journal showed that phenylalanine was as effective as an antidepressant drug. As well as turkey, phenylalanine is found in most protein foods, so eat them when you want to feel sharper.

LIVER
Liver is one of the richest sources of vitamin B6, which you need to convert the phenylalanine from the protein you eat to mood-enhancing dopamine and buzzy adrenaline. If you don't get enough vitamin B6, you'll probably feel low, and stress depletes your levels further. If the thought of liver doesn't exactly boost your mood, get your vit B6 from brown rice or other wholegrains.

COFFEE
Caffeine is the world's most popular psychoactive drug. It boosts metabolism and energy levels, making you feel more alert by interfering with the action of drowse-inducing adenosine in the brain. It also manipulates the same channels in the brain as amphetamines, activating the brain's pleasure centres.

MUESLI
Eating carbohydrates boosts serotonin levels, and slow-release ‘complex' carbs like oat and rye flakes keep you sustained, helping you to stay mellow and preventing between-meals rattiness. Protein in nuts and milk further lower the glycaemic index (GI) of that bowlful, so your blood sugar levels don't spike and plummet, and this prevents the ‘sugar slump' and accompanying crabbiness you'd get all-too-soon after eating a high GI sugary snack like a chocolate muffin.

BRAZIL NUTS
Brazil nuts are the number one source of the mineral selenium, which helps maintain your mood and prevent depression. Although scientists haven't figured out exactly how, it seems that selenium is essential for maintaining a happy mood - it's so important that when the body's stock is being run down, the brain is the last organ to give up its stash. Just six Brazil nuts give you your recommended daily intake. If you don't like Brazil nuts, you can get smaller amounts from meat or fish. But you'd need to eat nearly a kilo of cow to get a day's worth - which wouldn't do your cholesterol levels any good. So, try to eat some nuts, okay?

CURLY KALE
Green leafy vegetables like kale are high in folate (folic acid). And since low levels of folate have been linked to depression in many studies, including research following thousands of people in Finland and California, it stands to reason that if you keep your folate levels up, you're less likely to be down in the dumps.

CHOCOLATE
Chocolate is a source of anadamide, a neurotransmitter that targets the same parts of the brain as THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. But chocolate contains such minuscule levels of anadamide, you'd need to eat kilos of it in order to make any impact on the amount that's circulating in the brain naturally. So, why does chocolate give us the buzz it does? Scientists believe other chemicals in chocolate cause anadamide to hang around in the brain for longer, enhancing its stimulant effect. The sweet stuff also boosts our levels of endorphins, the brain's natural happy hormones.

MACKEREL
Oily fish like mackerel are the best source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help prevent the blues. They boost serotonin levels and also enhance your brain's receptiveness to the neurotransmitter. High-dose omega-3 supplements can even help patients suffering from clinical depression. Vegetarians can get smaller amounts of Omega-3s from seeds, especially linseeds (flaxseeds) and their oil.

ANYTHING THAT TASTES GOOD!
Eating stuff that tastes good stimulates the production of endorphins - the painkilling peptides that bind to the brain's opioid receptors, triggering the same kind of reaction as opiate drugs such as the painkiller codeine, and heroin. So eat the things you enjoy for a natural - and legal - high!

Sports Biomechanics

What is Biomechanics?


The word 'biomechanics' is derived from the Greek bios meaning life and mekhaniki meaning mechanics, so that biomechanics may said to be the study of the mechanics of life forms. The extent of this subject area is evident in research of plants, insects, reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, fish, whales, elephants, kangaroos.....and humans. In the biomechanics of humans, topics range from the mechanics of bone, tooth, muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage, skin, prostheses, blood flow, air flow, eye movement, joint movement to whole body movement. In human movement biomechanics, topics include injury, clinical assessment, rehabilitation, ergonomics and sport. 


Sports biomechanics uses the scientific methods of mechanics to study the effects of various forces on the sports performer. It is concerned, in particular, with the forces that act on the human neuromusculoskeletal system, velocities, accelerations, torque, momentum, and inertia. It also considers aspects of the behavior of sports implements, footwear and surfaces where these affect athletic performance or injury prevention. Sports biomechanics can be divided up into two sections:

Performance Improvement & Injury Prevention
I aim to provide answers to performance related topics such as:

• What is the best run-up for a high jumper?
• How should the knee angle be modified for the delivery stride of a fast bowler in cricket?
• Why does limb alignment and joint positioning affect performance?
• What is the velocity of the swimmer after the tumble turn

These questions are of the form: What is done? How is it done? Why does it work? The answers to What? How? and Why? are important to the athlete, coach and scientist, respectively...

"Biomechanics is the science concerned with the internal and external forces acting on a human body and the effects of these forces..."

Example of Biomechanics in Rowing:

From viewing video footage of rowing tank training, it's enabled techniques of different rowers to be analysed and compared. Further to that, the Biomechanics enabled the velocity of the oar handle to be monitored and compared for the different rowers.

 

 

The figure above shows a trace of the oar handle through two strokes. The analysis program calculates velocities and accelerations along this line which can be directly analysed. The velocity and acceleration data displayed in the analysis program can be exported into a spread sheet. This allows a more detailed and specific analysis to be conducted.

The second figure shows an example of this. Two velocity traces of two different rowers, working at different stroke rates are compared also. The velocity traces are shifted in time so that the beginning and end of each stroke coincides. This enabled the direct comparison of velocity and acceleration. The velocity graphs, generated from the Analysis program, show the higher speeds generated by Sarah in the driving phase of the stroke, and the significant difference in the velocities in the return phase. 

Soul to Sole

• Just lace-up your trail shoes and you have the freedom to get out there and explore

Trail Running - the term itself may be fairly new, but the essence of the sport goes back millennia. Running over rough, natural terrain is running in its purest, most elemental, accessible and joyous form. And there's never been a better time to re-connect with your soles.

Running over varied terrain is obviously rooted way back in the necessities of sabre-tooth tiger evasion and express cave-to-cave transport, but the earliest evidence of organised running as a sport comes at around 3800 BC, back in ancient Egypt. All that pyramid-building was obviously quite the VO2 max-booster. You can then follow a winding trail of muddy footprints through early cross country running over open country, to the 19th century's embracing of "hare and hounds" races, all the way to 1995, when the British Athletic Federation approved a formal definition for Trail Running. Essentially, they say it's any race over footpaths and bridle paths which are marked on Ordinance Survey maps as public rights of way, but other tracks and pathways from which motorised traffic is excluded can all be considered trails.

However you define it, the sole-ful combo of the running buzz, the challenge of tackling nature in its raw un-manicured state, and the chance to explore our pockets of wilderness has become an increasingly irresistible package. These days Trail has serious momentum. Organised events like the Salomon Trail Running Series, which launched in 2008, has seen massive growth. With a mix of 10km Forest trails, marathons, training camps as well as the 10 mile Turbo X, the numbers over the last 3 years have trebled.

The product - specialist shoes and gear - has kept pace too, evolving to satisfy the specific needs of the trail running fraternity. In the last few years the off-road discipline has firmly outrun its niche appeal, as we've all started to realise just how accessible it is. Away from the definitions and the races, at it's simplest, trail running is just running off road, be it a country trail, a canal route or a dirt track. It's back-to-basics. Just lace-up your trail shoes and you have the freedom to get out there and explore. ‘Trail Running' as we know it now is simply the new, improved incarnation of what's always been the best way to get some soul into your soles.

Burn blubber with an exercise bike

• Saddle up for the ultimate weight loss ride.

• On your bike

• An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found men who completed a 20-week schedule of interval training lost nine times more fat than a control group doing straight endurance training. So saddle up, locate MTV Base on that little rubber screen and complete this 30-minute fat-ravaging ride.
  

• 0-2 mins

• Warm-up gently at an RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) of 4/10. Switch to a sports channel on the gym TV if you need motivation. Just don't try to keep up if they're showing the Olympic cycling qualifiers.

• 2-6 mins

• 4x20 second high-intensity sprints (RPE 9/10) with a pedal speed of 100rpm to elevate your heart rate as quickly as possible. Follow each effort with 40 seconds recovery (RPE 4/10), seated throughout. See? It's possible to get fit without even standing up.

• 6-18 mins

• 4x60 second high-intensity efforts (RPE 9/10) with a speed of 90rpm, standing for the first 30 seconds to work more muscle and raise your heart rate to 160-170bpm. After each, a 2 minute seated recovery (RPE 5/10).
  

• 18-30 mins

• 4 minute high-intensity (RPE 9/10) standing hill-climbs (crank up the resistance until your speed is around 60rpm) followed by 2 minute recoveries (RPE 5-6/10), again out of the saddle.

Enjoy

A higher shade of pay

How colours can increase your productivity

• Seeing red at the office is actually a good thing

• A higher shade of pay

• The colour of money isn’t green, it’s red. Or blue, actually. New research states that certain colours improve your work productivity in different areas, so the right shade can turn a grey day in the office into a very good one. According to a study published in the journal Science, seeing the colour red makes you more accurate, and blue increases your creativity. Researchers at Columbia University, New York, tested 600 people and found that office workers shown red shades performed better on spellchecking tests, whereas those given the blues were far superior at tasks requiring creativity.
  
  Seeing red will help you in the boardroom as well. Durham University discovered that Olympic boxers wearing red vests were victorious 60% of the time against blue-topped opponents of similar ability. The advantage was credited to the colour’s association with dominance. Whether you’re a red braces power-player or an inventive, blue sky thinker, instant success is all down to you.
  
  Net cost
  Pantone mug, £7.90, w2products.com
  
  Net gain
  Precision with numbers, more ideas and 60% more chance of getting your bonus. As long as you pick the right colour on the right day...