The rise of walking urbanism

Posted on by
Reply

Are we looking at a back-to-the-future walking trend? Back in the “good old days” we all lived within shouting distance of family and friends. We had homes where we could walk to the shops and many people could walk or cycle to their workplace. On average, as a result, we were a lot fitter and healthier. Of course, there were other factors to take into account but living somewhere that offers the opportunity to walk and cycle, rather than jump in the car, has to be a good thing.

And now, after decades of people moving further and further from their offices, and shopping centres being built greater distances from our homes, there appears to be something of a strong desire to return to they days of walking to services and other people’s homes.

Rising demand for walking urbanism

A recent survey in America has found that that 77% of millennials – the generation of 20-somethings – want to live where they are “close to each other, to services, to places to meet and to work, and they would rather walk than drive”.

Walking urbanism is defined as an urban area in which it is made easier to walk to services. So it could be a suburb of a city or a new-build quayside enclave of a town where people have easier access to purpose-built walkways and walk-ways that lead to shops, restaurants and even offices. Homes are also connected via walkways, rather than just roads. In fact, if you find yourself in these new-built areas in a car it can lead to dead-end/cul-de-sac meltdown!

The demand for walkable urbanism today is the result of a number of factors, but is broadly a story of demographics. Millennials, and their parents in the baby boom generation, make up a large percentage of our country’s population – and both are in transition.

Baby boomers are now empty-nesters and will soon become retirees, and are likely to downsize their housing as they age. Studies show that millennials — those just graduating from college and starting out in life — greatly prefer the characteristics of urban living, including proximity to friends and events, nightlife and not needing a car, to those of the drivable suburbs where many of them grew up.

Millennials are delaying marriage and family, something that, when paired with the empty-nester baby boomers, is creating a boom of childless households. Singles and childless couples are the emerging household type of the future, a trend that is already having a profound effect on the built environment and will continue to do so for decades to come.

Of course, to meet the demand for this new walking urbanism trend it requires a great deal more new-build areas and an effort by builders and architects to create these new walking urbanism communities.

In many cases, especially in Britain, we find that millennials take up residence in pockets of cities and towns that are close enough to the city centre to walk to, yet far enough away to be affordable.

In favour of walking urbanism

Any trend that has a potential benefit for the health of the nation is to be encouraged. If the younger generations are keen to walk – and cycle – to shops, services, work and to see each other then the knock-on effect will be improved health. It has been shown in so many pieces of research that a reliance on a car has a negative impact on health and weight of humans.

Walking is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise because almost everyone can do it, it requires minimal kit and it burns lots of calories without putting major strain on joints and muscles.

Let’s hope the housing planners think about the demand for “walking urbanism” every time they review a building application.

Video : The Career of Olympic Legend Steve Cram

Posted on by
Reply

This great video by BMW profiles the legendary Olympic medal winner Steve Cram. Whether you’re old enough to remember his outstanding athletics career or not, this is a great trip down memory lane and an interesting insight into the characteristics that make an Olympian – power, speed and endurance – with interviews with the man himself and footage from throughout his career. Well worth a watch.

Now you can walk while you work!

Posted on by
Reply

TreadmillIt was only a mater of time before someone came up with a way to get us up out of our office chairs and burning calories while we work. For some of us, going to work is the only time that we do get to sit down and rest our legs a little, but perhaps no longer!

In America, a doctor has invented a desk with a built-in treadmill. Dr James Levine, of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, has himself spent a decade walking on a treadmill as he works, because he believes that sitting down all day increases the risk of heart disease. He also claims that by standing up we burn three times as many calories.

Dr Treadmill writes: “Muscle contractions, including the ones required for standing, seem to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars. When you sit down, muscle contractions cease and these processes stall.”

Now the walking-working doc is launching his very own brand of Walkstations, which are a cross between an office workstation and a treadmill.

According to report the treadmill is a lot quieter than those noisy gadgets we use at the gym and while users are encouraged to walk, they can still apparently carry on their work

Hmmm. We want to see move evidence of how it’s possible to walk on a treadmill and easily use a computer keyboard or design a graphic, or whatever it is that your usual office day entails.

What do you think to this invention?

‘One running race sold out in 36 minutes’

Posted on by
Reply

It used to be that running events struggled to fill all their places. Now it’s frequently the case that if running hopefuls don’t apply for a place within a month, or even a week, of the entries opening, they might miss out on the whole event. According to numerous running events and challenges across the country, people are so keen to be on the starting line that they are often over-subscribed into the hundreds.

Last month, one Scottish running event was stunned to find that all places had filled within just 36 minutes of entries being opened. That’s 220 places for a half-marathon event on a small Scottish island sold out less than 40 minutes. According to organisers, last year it took 11 hours for places to sell out. “This is a record and totally unexpected,” said Katie MacNeil, of the Barrathon organising team. “We were amazed last year by how quickly places filled up but this year is extraordinary.”

The Barrathon is an annual half-marathon distance event – and fun run – that takes place on the Outer Hebridean Isle of Barra.

Rise and rise of running

While many of us might recall the running fad in the early 1980s, towards the end of the 80s and into the 1990s, running lost favour with the British public. But then towards the end of the 90s and into the 21st century, running has again seen a resurgence. Head out on an early morning and evening or on a morning at the weekend and you’ll see hundreds of people – male and female – pounding the streets.

Parks, promenades, cycle ways and canal paths are popular running spots and from young to older, the range of runners is simply amazing.

But why has running become so popular again? It could be that Brits have been inspired to run after seeing the likes of Kelly Holmes and Paula Radcliffe clinching world record results on the athletics field.

Then again, some commentators believe that the relative low cost of running, compared to joining a gym, has caused a surge of runners and joggers. Once you have bought a pair of running trainers and the basic kit, running is free and easily accessible.

Running is also time efficient. Runners do not need to run according to a timetable and with increasingly busy home and work lives, running is one of the simplest ways to keep fit. You can run pretty much any time and anywhere rather than being tied to a gym timetable.

Running can also be as sociable or as anti-social as you fancy. Many running clubs report a rise in their membership numbers but you will also see numerous runners out and about on their own and listening to their iPod or MP3 Player.

So, really, it’s no wonder that running races have seen a huge boost. Today, new events are springing up across the UK and demand doesn’t seem to be waning. From 5ks to marathons and ultra-distance races there is a challenge to suit all abilities – and so many more people are rising to this challenge.

Men fear the flab, too

Posted on by
Reply

New research has added hard facts to many people’s concerns. No longer are fears about flab, diets, wobbly bits and muffin tops the preserve of the women… now men are fretting about the less-than-perfect bods, too. Once, seemingly long ago and probably in the last century, there was an era when men were simply too butch and strong (or out of tune with their conscious side?!) to even think about their body image. Rarely would you hear a bloke voicing his concerns about his flab or eating a fat-laden meal followed by two puddings. It just wasn’t what was expected of men. But times change… And like generations of womenfolk, the guys are now worrying about their weight, what they eat and a range of untoned body areas.

It’s not just the beer bellies

Arms, chest, legs and tums. Just like women have been complaining for years, the men are now spending a great deal of time fretting about areas of their body that they perceive to be less than perfect. How do we know this? Well, apart from what you must surely be hearing from your male friends and colleagues, a new study, carried out jointly by the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) at UWE Bristol, The Succeed Foundation and Central YMCA, has found that:

  • 17.4% of men had a definite fear that they might gain weight every day
  • 17.8% of men felt fat every day
  • 62.8% worry about lack of arm muscle
  • 62.9% worry about lack of chest muscle.

Men would make huge sacrifices to gain the body beautiful

More than a third of men would even sacrifice a year of their life to achieve their ideal body weight or shape, according to the research. A lead researcher said: “The fact that one in three men would sacrifice a year of life to achieve their ideal weight and shape is a worrying sign and suggests that men are placing more value on their appearance than on other things, including life itself.” The fat talk isn’t helping Until recently, chat about body wobbles, diets and fitness was generally only heard among groups of women. Yes, you might have had a fleeting chat with your male partner in the confines of the home about his weight gain or fitness, but men only talk about football, rugby and cars when the meet at the pub. However, 21st century man is now almost as likely as the fair sex to talk endlessly about their bodies and what they plan to do to get in better shape. The research has revealed that four in five British men regularly talk about one another’s body and most are unhappy with their muscularity. The most common topic is beer bellies. Sadly, it seems, the talk doesn’t actually help much. Opening up among each other about weight worries and fitness concerns simply leads to more negative thoughts. This mirrors research among women, which shows that listening to just five minutes of body talk can lower overall body confidence. The researcher said: “Historically conversation about your body has been perceived as something women do, but it’s clear from this research that men are also guilty of commenting on one another’s bodies. In many cases this is having a damaging effect. “The high levels of body talk that we have found in men are symptomatic of a growing obsession with appearance.” The study showed that, like women, body talk among men also affects their self-esteem. It can even make them too self-conscious to go to the gym. Hey guys, welcome to the self-conscious world of women!

Time to re-think our body-perfect obsession?

Perhaps it’s time for both men and women to re-evaluate why we are so obsessed with the body-perfect. While being fit and healthy is important it isn’t necessary to over do it. Health experts recommend around an hour of exercise every day and a balanced diet. Surely, this isn’t worth obsessing about and it’s actually not that difficult to achieve. Or is it? Tell us your views on male and female fitness obsessions.

Good versus bad of yoga

Posted on by
Reply

The “good and bad” of yoga argument continues to rumble on. Internet news sites have been reporting on recent spate of yoga-related injuries, including stories of chronic back pain created by doing yoga, “how power yoga can do more harm than good”, and “over-pushing in yoga cause long-term injuries”.

On the other side of the fence, yoga promoters continue their mantra of “yoga being the best form of exercise since the invention of the wheel”.

The chances are, that on both sides, there is a little exaggeration of the actual truth. Whatever form of exercise you choose to take part in, if you over-do it you’ll have an increased risk of injury. Being taught by an unqualified instructor can also lead to injuries, but this applies to all sports, including running, cycling, aerobics and more.

Shona, a qualified yoga teacher of 10 years, says: “Putting things into perspective, yoga does have a great many benefits… but if you go at it too hard or too long before your body is ready for it, the chances are you will end up with a niggle or an injury. It’s all about getting to know your body, starting slowly and building up the practice. If you follow the guidance of an expert teacher you will reap great benefits and avoid injury.”

And one of the greatest benefits of yoga is for improving back complaints. Back pain and injury is one of the most common ailments of desk-bound 21st century works, but by attending a yoga class it is possible to relieve back pain and strengthen your core muscles for you future good health. We have research-based evidence to prove this!

Yoga benefits revealed through research

1) A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine revealed that yoga is a safe and effective treatment for chronic back pain. The yoga in question was the Viniyoga form. The yoga participants had 12 weekly, 75-minute viniyoga classes, and after this course of treatment they found that they were much better able to do daily activities involving the back, compared to the non-yoga group.

2. A West Virginia University study in America found that Iyengar yoga “may relive chronic back pain more effectively than conventional treatment”. The yoga participants took Iyengar style yoga classes twice weekly for 24 weeks. The control group received standard medical care. The researchers found that the yoga group had better back-related function and less pain compared to the control group.

3. A control trial published in Pain Journal showed that Iyengar yoga may help to reduce back pain. The participants took part in weekly yoga sessions for 16 weeks after which they all reported a significant decrease in the level of their back pain.

Tell us about your experiences of yoga. Good or bad?

Spring clean your fitness clothing wardrobe

Posted on by
Reply

Are you smelling a scent of spring in the air? Do you feel the promise of warmer days and brighter evenings? If so, you have the perfect excuse for giving your fitness clothing wardrobe a mini makeover.

While buying a few new items of fitness clothing will involve getting out your bankcard there are a number of benefits to additional fitness clothing and kit:

Feel-good factor: Popping on a new pair of trainers and a shiny new fitness clothing outfit is guaranteed to make you feel good about yourself. No-one is going to find a workout easy when they are wearing age-old and faded out kit so a fresh, brightly coloured t-shirt, new leggings and even new socks in a whiter shade (rather than a grey) will make you feel good and have you smiling as you glance at your image in the mirror.

Important boob factor: This one is for the girls. High quality sports bras are vital for keeping your boobs in place and for preventing sagging in later life. But did you know that many bras can only withstand 12 washes in the washing machine. After this, the support starts to decrease. So a couple of new sports bras will have you stepping into spring with confidence and less bounce!

Go for bounce: While women will be keen to keep their boobs in one place, when it comes to footwear bounce is an asset. Running and walking trainers need to be replaced so that they provide enough cushioning for injury prevention. Running or walking in a brand-new pair of trainers is always a joy. Go on, see what we mean!

Motivation: Buy a set of fitness clothes that fit you and another set in a reduced size. That way you’ll have the motivation to lose weight and get in shape just so you can prove to yourself that you can fit into a dress size smaller.

Keep up with the trends: Flappy running shorts and loose-fit vests went out with the turn of the century so if you haven’t woken up to the trends of 2012 now is the time to do so. This season is all about blocks of bright and bold colours. Mix and match black leggings or lycra-tight shorts with bright vests and t-shirts, such as fuchsia pink, turquoise and lime green. The guys have a wealth of similar options, including bright blues, reds, oranges and yellows.  Look out, too, for running trainers in colours other than your average white and black. Many brands are now creating footwear in a rainbow range of colours.

No sweat: Fitness clothing doesn’t last forever, and that includes the sweat-wicking properties of some fitness clothes. Update your fitness clothing wardrobe to ensure that you are not the whiffy keep-fitter in the gym or runner out on the streets. There are many different items to choose from and all with an array of sweat-wicking fabrics and promises. You’ll be amazed how effective a new t-shirt can be when it hasn’t been worn for years and washed 50 times.

Cycling v Running

Posted on by
Reply

When people think about getting fitter, they often start with jogging. However, this isn’t always the best thing to do. In this article, we look at the benefits of cycling over running.

The whole idea of exercise is to keep fit, which generally means doing something. So, what happens when you are out running and you need to gather your breath, you stop. However, when you are out cycling, as you are sat down, you may stop turning the pedals but at least you are still moving. Runners are stopped but are still using their leg muscles as they are stood up. Cyclists are sat down and so are resting their leg muscles for a brief time.

When you run downhill, you put a lot of pressure on your feet, ankles, shins & thighs. However, riding a bike downhill is great fun and takes very little effort. Another reason to choose a bike over running shoes are shin splints – ouch! Bikes support your body and so reduces the risk of injuries caused by running, like shin splints.

Cycling Makes You Feel Younger

It’s official, cycling makes you feel younger. As cycling helps to circulate blood around your body, and helps you to lose weight, it benefits your heart. Research done by the British Heart Foundation shows that cycling at least 20 miles per week reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Compared to non-cyclists, there is more than a fifty percent benefit. So, riding your bike reduces stress, makes you fitter, healthier and thus younger. In fact, Sharp (the National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Prevention) suggest that cyclists who cycle on a regular basis, have a fitness level comparable to someone 10 years younger. See, I told you it was true!

Benefits of Cycling

Cycling is an aerobic activity, which means it can help get oxygen into your body. This in turn helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients into your muscles. As you exercise, your lungs expand to take in oxygen, your heart beats faster to take this oxygen around the body. Thus, a strong heart and powerful lungs are the building blocks of general fitness.

You only have to cycle a few miles per day to help you develop your muscles, we’re not talking about turning yourself into a body builder, just a healthier version of yourself. Cycling helps to develop the upper thigh muscles, the backside muscles and the calf muscles. For women, this helps develop beautifully toned & shapelier legs.

Cycling helps with weight loss, it increases energy levels and helps the body to burn fat. This article highlights how many calories we burn cycling and this one is a guide to energy drinks and foods for cycling

.

The History of Pilates

Posted on by
Reply

The concept of Pilates was first created in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates, a German immigrant to the United Kingdom and the United States. A fairly weak child, Pilates was determined to increase his strength through exercise and was a firm believer in the connection betweenmental and physical strength.

Pilates tried out many different exercise techniques, especially those used across history in Ancient Rome and Greece. He also practiced various martial arts and by 1912 was beginning to develop a type of body conditioning system which used both Eastern and Western exercise methods. It was at this time that he came to the UK to further develop his career until he was imprisoned in a Prisoner of War camp. This is where he spent time developing what is now known as ‘Pilates’.

Pilates began to gain popularity in America in the early 1920s, and then it wasn’t until the seventies that it was brought back to the UK.

What is Pilates?

Often compared with yoga, it is similar in the sense that both styles of exercise practice both body and mind control, but the techniques and aims are very different. Pilates focuses on developing and stabilising your core strength around your abdominal area and lower back. Yoga on the other hand is more focused on the meditative aspect of exercise.

Regularly practiced by dancers, Pilates is a method which is a body conditioning technique. Body conditioning is all about building up your strength, endurance and muscles but Pilates works in a very different way.

Slow, controlled exercises which help you build you inner strength are the main focus in a Pilates session. The exercises used in a Pilates session are designed to firm, tone and strengthen your body. Pilates also focuses on balance and posture, so alignment of your spine to ensure agood posture is one of the aims of a series of Pilates workouts.

Pilates is about teaching you to be aware of your mind and body. By having a comprehensive bodily awareness, you will be able to learn the correct body posture as well as develop great flexibility as a result. Your core stability is such an important part of a Pilates workout as it helps to support the rest of your body, and can result in a slimmer waist and more defined abs.

Benefits of Pilates

Pilates has many benefits, but is mainly great for:

· Increasing mobility and flexibility

· Improving your posture

· Helping your balance

· Toning your whole body

· Stress relief

· Helping blood circulation

· Relieving back and joint pain

· Healing sports injuries

Overall, Pilates is an effective alternative body conditioning method that can suit everyone.

Pilates clothing needs to be of a relaxed fit, to allow for ease of movement. Fabrics are soft, natural and breathable.

Join a record-breaking ‘kilt’ run!

Posted on by
Reply

Go on, tell us how you plan to celebrate for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee? We’ll bet the answer from most of you is not: Joining a world record-breaking Kilt Race! But you could, you know, if you fancied it. The aim is to pop on your finest kilt (or hire one) and run 8km (5 miles) through the town.

This madcap event takes place in Perth, Scotland, on June 2 and is part of the town’s  celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

So how many kilted runners do they need to break the record? Well, the story goes that on  June 26, 2010, 1,089 participants at the Perth Kilt Run in Perth, Ontario, Canada, claimed the first record for the World’s Largest Kilt Race.

The following year, they broke their own record when 1,276 people participated in the run. Then the runners in Ontario laid down the gauntlet to Perth, Scotland, their twinning partner, to beat their existing record by 2016, which is the 200th anniversary of the founding of Perth, Ontario. Are you keeping up?

imgres-10So, of course, the Scottish runners couldn’t resist and they plan to go for the record this year. We reckon this sounds like a fantastic idea. A fun run that could see you making the World record books. Anyone else looking out their kilt for June 2, 2012, for the Perth Kilt Run? More info see  Perth Kilt Run.

And… if you fancy doing your bit for charity, the Perth Kilt Run is delighted to announce its official partner charities as ABF The Soldiers Charity and PKAVS.