A Day At The Naked Spa

A client of mine recommended a spa that she has been frequenting for years. This place does full body scrubs, facials, body wraps and massage at fairly reasonable rates. The spa has mud and jade, charcoal, salt, sand, elvan stone, and meditation rooms. These various rooms supposedly aid in increased blood flow, reduction of PMS, and even help reduce blotchy freckled skin. She absolutely loves going to this spa. “The only problem is you gotta be naked.” she warned. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: A Day At The Naked Spa, Day Spa, Half Marathon, Massage, Running, ambiance, birthday suit, body scrubs, fitness, fitness recovery, half marathons  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Ouch that Hurts! - Runner’s Side Stitch

Today, was an exciting day for me, I helped coach my sister and daughter as they completed their first triathlons. They both had a great time, and accomplished all of their goals. But interestingly, and not surprisingly they both experienced one of the most common exercise related complaints of new athletes: the side stitch. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Articles, ETAP, Injury Prevention and Recovery, Library, Running, exercise related transient abdominal pain, runners side ache, runners sideache, side cramp, side sticker, side stitch, sideache, sidestitch  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Top 5 Ways To Avoid The Muffin Top

The Muffin Top: Fashion Craze Who’s Time has Past?

Why do women wear shirts that expose their midriff?  Why do they wear pants that are so tight that their flesh comes over the top?  “Muffin-top” is a generally pejorative, slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging flesh when it spills over the waistline of trousers or skirt in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing. This generally occurs when an individual wears low-rise, hip-hugger pants, or midriff-baring tops that are too small. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Articles, General Fitness, TV, diet, exercise, fashion, weight-loss  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Guidelines For Working Out During Pregnancy

A woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy. The most obvious are increased girth, posture and center of gravity. The hormonal changes such as increased levels of estrogen and progesterone cause the GI track to slow down so that a woman gains the appropriate amount of weight to sustain a fetus. Relaxin, causes muscle and connective tissue to soften and become more flexible. Proprioception may change as feet swell and posture compensates for the new distribution of weight. Changes in hormones can create mood swings for many women. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Exercise And Pregnancy, News, Running  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Overindulging? - 5 Tips For Getting Back On Track

Almost everyone overindulges at one point or another. Vacations and parties are part of life. There will always be social occasions where we find ourselves falling off the wagon, eating too many chips and drinking a little more than usual.   A Sweat365 member recently commented, after returning from France, “I’ve gained 3.5 lbs, but it was worth every croissant!” Enjoying food and wine is part of experiencing life. Restricting yourself takes away from the full experience.

We all want to be healthy and feel good about ourselves. We want to fit into our clothes and be content with our bodies. Balance is the key. You can be social and partake in festivities without ruining your training.

Restaurants portions are not only huge, they contain way too much salt and butter. The extra sodium will cause your body to hold fluid, leaving you feeling puffy and bloated. Overindulging can sometimes lead to falling off your training program. How can you turn the situation around and get back on track? Every day is a new day to re-start and focus on being healthy.

5 Tips For Getting Back On Track:

1. Throw Out The Scales - Don’t constantly weigh yourself. Weight fluctuates depending on hydration etc.

2. Wear Clothes That Fit - Don’t try to fit into your skinny jeans after a week in Mexico. You’ll be disappointed if they are snug.

3. Go To The Gym - Get back into your fitness routine. Consistent exercise is part of a balanced healthy life. Get moving!

4. Eat Healthy - Don’t skip meals or starve yourself to make up for overeating. Be sensible and take care of yourself.

5. Drink Lots Of Water - Drink at least six 8 OZ glasses per day, more if you are active. Water will help return your body to balance. You will know you’re hydrated when your urine is pale.

There are times when we feel a little out of balance and need to get back in sync. Nurturing yourself by eating healthy, and exercising regularly will help you get back on track. We all occasionally fall off the wagon. The trick is to get back to your normal routine as quickly as possible.

Filed under: General Fitness, Nutrition and Wellbeing, diet, exercise, fitness, weight-loss  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Run Your First 5K!

You want to become more fit and healthy. Running is a great way to improve your cardiovascular fitness, burn calories and get in shape. Starting a running program can seem overwhelming at first. But, If you are willing to devote 3 days a week to running or run/walking you are on your way.

Some training schedules use mileage and others go by time. It really doesn’t matter, plan on spending about 30 minutes for each work out. Schedule time in your calendar for running. Think of it as time for yourself.
Some people are more likely to adhere to a new fitness program if they team up with a friend. By all means, the more the merrier! Check with local running stores or on-line for groups in your area. You may have days when you don’t feel like going. When you train with a group there is accountability. It’s harder to bag out when others are counting on you.

Another way to get motivated is to sign up for an event. Check for local races in your area. Pick a race that is at least 6 weeks away if you are completely new to running. Races and fun runs are great opportunities to meet people.
At times you may not feel like you are progressing as quickly as you expected. Be patient with yourself. Listen to your body and take days off when you need them. More is not better when it comes to beginning a running program. It takes time for tendons and joints to get strong. As you become more fit, running gets easier. You’ll find yourself feeling more relaxed and invigorated after your work outs. Watch out, you may become addicted!

Filed under: 5K, Everyday Athletes, Running, fitness  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Yes, You ARE an Athlete!

I have a confession to make: I am not comfortable around jocks. I have a horrible body image. I don’t feel like I’m fit enough to hang out with “real athletes”. When I look in the mirror I still see that fat kid, and I still feel like I’m not supposed to be “in the race” or “in the weight room” or “working out”. Yes, a four time marathoner, three time double-century cyclist, and two time Ironman, I still wonder if I am an athlete. Read More »

Filed under: 5K, Athletes, Half Marathon, Running, Sweat365, exercise, fitness  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Exercise is the New Diet!

We all know that America is facing a health crisis. Over one third of our population is obese and almost 65% of Americans are overweight. If you’re trying to get healthy and lose weight you know how hard it can be. The sad thing about this epidemic is that most people focus on diet alone. We’ve become a society so obsessed with eating food that when we focus on weight loss we only focus on eating less. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Marathon, Marathons, News, Nutrition and Wellbeing, Sweat365, diet, exercise, fitness, weight-loss  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Good Luck Boston Runners!

Tomorrow, Monday April 21st, is the 112th running of the Boston Marathon. Good luck to all of the runners as they complete one of the greatest and most historic athletic events in the world. Special shout outs to the several members of the Sweat365.com community who will be participating in tomorrows race.

Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Boston Marathon, Marathons, News, Running, Uncategorized  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment

Strength Training For Endurance Sports

Many endurance athletes don’t include strength training as part of their routine. Runners think that to improve their running they just need to run a lot, cyclists need to ride a lot, etc. In recent years, athletes are starting to realize the benefits of adding strength training to their routines. Strength training will improve performance, improve body composition and prevent injuries.

As an endurance athlete you’ll want to make sure that you are improving muscular endurance without adding bulky muscle. You can do this by incorporating basic strength training exercises into your routine.
Examples of Exercises:

Squats
Lunges
Push Ups
Seated Rows
Lat-Pull Downs

These exercises help strengthen your joints and work the major muscle groups. Stronger muscles take stress away from the joints making it easier to do your sport. Incorporating balance training and functional exercises will help prevent injuries by balancing muscular strength. Repetitive exercises such as running, cycling or swimming work the body in specific planes of motion. As a result some muscle groups are stronger than others. When the strength ratios aren’t optimal overuse injuries can be the result. “Functional exercises” focus on integrating movement patterns versus building strength in a specific muscle group.

Examples of Functional Exercises:

Lunging (Forwards, Backwards, Diagonally)
Squat To Shoulder Press With Dumbells
1 Leg Squats

2 Training Methods For Endurance Athletes

German scientists have utilized two different training methods with their athletes with great success, according to Nathaniel Mosher, ptonthenet.com. The extensive interval method and the intensive interval method each have a slightly different focus and endurance athletes will improve performance by using both methods.

The extensive interval method is used for athletes who need to acquire high endurance capacity in a given period of time. This method increases the athletes ability to resist fatigue. This is important for marathon runners. Weight training sessions should be performed cicuit style. That means you do one exercise, rest, move on to the next one until all exercises have been repeated. Repeat the circuit 3-6 times. Since you are training the entire body, you will have a greater increase of growth hormone and lactic acid production. Training with this method will help your body’s ability to remove lactic waste products during competition.

Extensive Interval Method Guidelines:

Resistance - 30-40% of max
Reps - 20-30 reps (sets last 60 seconds)
Sets - 3-6
Rest Interval - 60 seconds
Set Speed - Brisk with emphasis on exploding on the concentric (lift phase)
Rest Between Circuits - 3-5 minutes

The intensive interval method is effective at helping muscles resist fatigue during short term high intensity muscular endurance activities of medium to high intensity. This method utilizes both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. With this method it is more important to focus on time rather than repetitions.
Intensive Interval Method Guidelines:

Resistance - 50-60% of max
Reps - 20-45 seconds (30 seconds is optimal)
Sets - 3-6
Rest Interval - 10-30 seconds
Set Speed Explosive, focus on fast concentric (lift phase)
Rest Between Circuits - 1-3 minutes

Periodization:
For the best results periodize these methods. Extensive interval method should be used during your base phase as you are increasing your aerobic endurance. Intensive interval method should be utilized just prior to your competitive season. The intensive interval training will prepare athletes for the burst of power needed for racing.

References:

Bompa, T. (1999). Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL.
Hartmann, J & Tunnemann, H. (1995). Fitness and Strength Training for All Sports: Theory, Methods, Programs. Sport Books Publisher: Toronto.
Kurz, T. (2001). Science of Sports Training. Island Pond, VT: Stadion.
Schmolinsky, G. (2000). Track and Field: The East German Textbook of Athletics. Sport Books Publisher: Toronto.
Verkhoshansky, Y. (1986). Fundamentals of Special Strength Training in Sport. Livonia, MI: Sportivny Press.

Filed under: Articles  |  Digg this Story  |  Leave a Comment