Stretching Before Excercise Doesn’t Help In Avoiding Injury

Posted on March 16, 2011 by admin

A recent study has shown that stretching before physical activity does not reduce the risk of injury.

Doctor Daniel Pereles at George Washington University in America, along with a number of other colleagues, conducted an experiment involving 2,729 volunteers who all recruited online and ran at least 10 miles per week, thus increasing the reliability of the findings.

The runners were split into two groups. One of which were asked to stretch their quadriceps, calves and hamstrings before running, whereas the other group were asked to run as normal without stretching before hand. However in the latter group volunteers were asked to report any injuries which would prevent them from running for a whole week.

The results of the findings, which were published at the 2011 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, showed that injury rates in both groups were exactly the same at 16%.

The most significant risk factors for injury were having injuries in the last four months or a higher BMI, which stands for Body Mass Index. Injuries were also increased when competitors were asked to switch groups, which is mainly due to the fact that their usual routine was being abandoned which causes the body to respond accordingly.

Dr. Pereles said:

“Some insist you need to stretch, others say you don’t, and every time I tried to assess a study on this I found that the authors were extrapolating the results from gymnasts or wrestlers or soccer players or other sprinting or short distance athletes, and nothing was related to running.

“I just wanted to know whether stretching before going for a run would be beneficial for recreational runners like myself.”

The important to thing to bear in mind is that this study is solely aimed at runners who did not compete in any other activity. If you take part in Football matches, (or soccer to our American friends) Tennis games or just the occasional Squash encounter then stretching your muscles is highly advised to decrease the risk of injury and to gain optimum performance from your body. By not stretching it has been proved that it is more likely you will pull or tear a muscle, or just incur other problems which stop you from taking part in physical activity.

In professional sports, competitors train every day and then stretch before a match, and then warm down following their activity to gain maximum results from the most important muscles in the body. By not stretching it is doubtful their bodies would last for the length of time their match or game takes place.

However, judging by this study, if you’re a regular runner then perhaps you could add 10 minutes to your route, rather than using the time to stretch your muscles!

End of season marathon for Norwich City CE

Posted on March 9, 2011 by admin

The Chief Executive of Norwich City Football Club is to run the London Marathon in April in aid of the NORCAS charity.

David McNally will run the 26 miles for the `Too much too young appeal` which helps to support up to 15,000 young people in Norfolk who live with parents or guardians who have addictions to drugs, alcohol or gambling related issues.

It will be the third time that he’s competed in the captial and (reportedly) around 25,000 people will join him for the race this year, which is considered one of the biggest running events in the world.

This year the event takes place on April 17^th which could be an exciting time for McNally who may be preparing himself for an exciting end to the Football season with Norwich currently in a position where they may be promoted to the Premier League.

The Chief Executive of the club has already run the race twice before and wasn’t planning to do so again until he met the representatives of NORCAS. He said:

“I felt it would be a fantastic way of supporting the appeal because I was really taken aback by some of the awful statistics surrounding these vulnerable children who need our support. What we are trying to do is employ professionals who can support these children who have to live with parents or guardians with alcohol or drug problems.

“We want to make sure they don’t end up in a cycle where they might experience the same problems. We would really appreciate whatever money people could spare us, because I can genuinely say every penny raised goes to supporting these vulnerable children. I feel desperately sorry for the parents, of course, but we have to support these young children by giving them the confidence and reassurance to know they can get help.”

His training will consist of up to 50 miles running per week, (which will equate to 200 miles per month) until the race comes round later in the year, but he appears ready for the challenge and determined to raise money for a charity that he feels very strongly about.

“It would be nice to finish in under four hours,” he said. “But the most important thing is trying to raise as much as we can for NORCAS. It’s not easy to find the time but what I tend to do is if I need to be at work for 6.30am, I will get up an hour earlier. My problem is with the job I do, I’m not sure how my day might develop. If I plan to run in the evening and something happens, I can’t do that.”

The record for the men’s race is 2:05.10 which is held by Martin Lel of Kenya. Judging by these statistics the elite runners are capable of running the marathon at a consistent pace of thirteen miles per hour.

Preparing for a race such as this one is not easy work and it requires an awful lot of determination, training, and above all, resilience. If you choose to run it then you must have undertaken fitness training or have some experience of marathon running. The marathon is around 26 miles and its certainly not a case of turning up on the day and going for a jog. Any previous competitor will tell you its a gruelling event which requires buckets of determination and grit, although if you think you have what it takes its also very rewarding at the same time, and in David’s case even more so as he’ll be raising money for a charity close to his heart.

You can enter for next year’s London Marathon shortly after the completion of this year’s event.

Which Sports burn off the most calories?

Posted on February 17, 2011 by admin

It’s a question which understandably is very difficult to answer due to the fact everyone is different and someone’s weight has a huge impact on how much can be burnt off at any one time. However, using myself as an example, (an 11st, 22 year old male) I’ve attempted, and successfully found, a converter to discover which activities may help you to burn off weight in the fastest time.

At this time I must point out this cannot be 100% accurate, although having spent some time checking different sports and activities it would appear the figures are very realistic and reliable. Not all popular hobbies are listed but there are enough to make an informed judgment and choice. By entering your respective weight and the amount of time you plan to spend on one activity you can find out how much you might lose at http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi

In the UK, Football is the most popular sport in terms of how many people play and how many watch it on Television. The introduction of BSkyB has brought the game into millions of households and has become by far and away the most popular in the British Isles. However this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the activity that will help burn off the most calories; the sport forms just one of ten hobbies or interests (Badminton, Squash, Boxing, Tennis, Swimming, Running, Walking, Rowing via a machine, and Cycling) that I’ve decided to look into and discover which of them in a specified amount of time will aid weight loss.

All of these activities and their resulting numbers are completely relevant to my own weight and the time I have allotted, which is 30 minutes. For other people with different weights and increasing or decreasing time frames these figures will of course be altered and each individual is likely to find a different activity which is best suited to them. If you do happen to be a male conducting these sports for half an hour at a weight of 154lb then these will be of particular interest.

Walking (2mph)- 97 calories

The odd stroll now and then never did anyone any harm, and by walking for just 30 minutes you can burn nearly 100 calories. If you did this just once a day for all days of the week then you’ll come close to losing 700 calories! It may not sound very much but over a period of time you may burn more than you first thought!

Badminton- 157 calories

I’m quite surprised this doesn’t come up higher in the list such is the relentlessness and overall stamina required to play the sport. Getting around the court and exerting power on the shuttlecock requires a huge amount of fitness, and although it burns off a fair amount of calories, you may have to play it slightly longer than the allotted 30 minutes to get good results, or alternatively if you play competitively instead of casually its highly likely you’ll burn more than this in a similar time frame due to the longer match format and extra agility required.

Boxing (punching bag)- 208

Don’t worry-you don’t need to fight David Haye, Amir Khan or even you’re local boxer at the local hall and take a beating! To perform this activity simply buy yourself a punching bag, a decent pair of gloves and start punching. Having had one myself it wears you out incredibly quickly, but while trying to punch hard consistently it also improves your stamina, mental strength and eye to hand co-ordination.

Tennis (singles)- 213

Much like Badminton, this activity requires an awful lot of endurance as getting around the court and delivering shot after shot will after a while drain you of strength and desire to run. However the sport is very accessible, equipment is reasonably cheap to buy and you also get some fresh air at the same time. If you did this for half an hour a day for a month then you may lose up to four pounds, which is a quarter of the way to burning off a stone.

Swimming (moderate)- 213

Debatably one of the more enjoyable ways of getting, and subsequently, staying fit . Swimming gives a workout to all of the muscles and can be conducted indoors aswell as outdoors. If you live near a beach then its free, but its incredibly cheap to visit your local pool for a workout and keeps you well hydrated.

Soccer (casual)- 245

Without doubt this is the activity I participated in the most as a teenager and then subsequently while at University. Even if you play in goal like myself you get a thorough workout, it stretches the legs, makes you sweat, and certainly improves your overall fitness and endurance. At first it may be gruelling and tough to keep up, but over a period of time your body gets used to it and you’re able to run for longer periods of time. There are many clubs you can join in Sunday leagues, and even if you start as a substitute and get 20 minutes per game you will still be shedding those pounds.

Squash-245

I predicted before writing this up that Squash would be second best to Cycling. However, the activity doesn’t seem to be as good for fitness as I first thought, although there is no doubt in my mind that over a period of time this is just as good as any other sport or activity when it comes to losing weight and giving yourself a thorough physical work out. Again, I perform this activity myself on regular occasions and even after half an hour it really tests your physical stamina and determination to see a game out. Many local sports halls have several courts and they tend to be good value for money.

Rowing-245

Anybody that’s used one of these to exercise will I’m sure back me up when I say this is an incredibly exhausting and tiring activity, but at the same time its very rewarding and builds up a huge sweat. Obviously you don’t need to start off at high speeds; you can build your way into it and go for distances which you feel comfortable with before stepping it up a notch. It gives your legs, arms and back a real work out and thoroughly tests your overall physical endurance. You can access one of these at a local gymnasium or, if you prefer, they’re readily available to buy.

Running- 296

It does surprise me that one of the more ‘easier to perform’ activities on the list is so high up, but then again that’s good news for people who cannot afford to visit a gym or pay for equipment to aid weight loss. All you need is a decent pair of shoes and a consistent program which involves making up routes in your local area and then increasing the distances as you become more confident. If you run for half an hour a day over the course of two weeks then you will have lost at least two pounds depending on your diet.

Cycling- 305

Having predicted this would come second to Squash it doesn’t completely surprise me that this appears at the top of the tree. It gives all the muscles a through work out, and if you already have a bike in your garage then its free to do (of course you will need a safety helmet and some refreshments to keep you hydrated). Similar to many of the aforementioned activities you can start off at a slow pace and then build up as you become more confident in yourself that you can carry out the hobby for longer periods of time.

Including inclines and tough routes into your program at specific times will really test your physical capabilities, and based on this calculator this is the activity which will help you lose weight in the fastest time.

Remember though, you cannot just perform these once a week and expect to burn off those unwanted pounds. These activities require a huge amount of focus, determination and consistency if you’re to see results, but if you’re intent on sticking at it and seeing them through to the bitter end then you will almost certainly see a smaller number on those scales.

Aerobic exercise ‘boosts memory’

Posted on February 2, 2011 by admin

New research has shown that aerobic exercise boosts memory in older adults.

Moderate exercise carried out over a year increased the size of a part of the brain associated with memory and learning, a study conducted by a team at the University of Pittsburgh found.

Researchers selected 120 dementia-free physically inactive adults aged 55 to 80 for the study.

For a year, one group of participants took part in aerobic activity that involved walking for 40 minutes a day, three days a week, while the other group only performed stretching and toning moves, and did no aerobic exercise.

At the end of the year, the scientists found that the volume of a brain part called hippocampus increased in the group that did aerobic exercise, but decreased in the other group.

Hippocampus is responsible for spatial memory, which is associated with navigation skills. Spatial memory is known to decline with old age.

The aerobic exercise group also showed improved scores on spatial memory tests.

Levels of a protein that plays a role in learning and memory, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were also raised in participants who did aerobic exercise.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences.

Simon Ridley , head of research at the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: “Increasing evidence suggests regular exercise and a healthy diet may help reduce our risk of developing dementia, as well as reaping numerous other benefits from living a healthy lifestyle.”

10 Ways to keep fit for free

Posted on January 18, 2011 by admin

With the economy being in such a precarious and delicate state its hardly surprising that the number of people signing up for gym memberships has declined rapidly in the last few years.

There are many reasons for this change. Primarily its because people just don’t have enough money as they used to have, nor the time to actually make the trip to a gym a regular occurrence.

However there’s no reason to quit your quest to stay fit, there are still plenty of ways to work out for free without having to use a treadmill or consult a sweaty instructor for their advice. Simply Sweat has listed ten ways that you can stay fit without having to spend a penny.

1. Take a nice, long walk

Any form of physical activity which increases your heart rate will burn calories. Infact if you walked for 25 minutes and weigh around twelve stones then you will burn off 300 calories. Repeat this process every day of the week and you’ll burn off over 2,000 calories (nearly half a stone!)

Many may perceive this method as ‘too easy’ to be taken seriously, however studies have shown that you can burn off just as many calories per mile by walking as you can by running in a similar time frame.

Anybody can do it; it doesn’t cost you anything, and above all it contributes significantly to overall physical fitness.

2. Running

Certainly one of the more ‘popular’ ways of getting fit, running remains one of the easiest ways of gaining physical exercise, and the only thing you need in order to do it is a comfortable pair of shoes.

The best way to start is by running for five minutes around the block or creating a specific route, and as you become more confident in yourself you can make the route longer. However, try to avoid making this move too early as it can cause injury.

Local clubs often put on ‘fun runs’ or half marathons which you can try to work towards. Its a huge motivational factor and you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction out of it.

Not only will this increase fitness, but it will also enhance your endurance and allow you to run for longer periods.

3. Swimming

Arguably this is the best way to keep fit as swimming strengthens all the muscles and its virtually impossible to pick up any injuries. Obviously to do it for free you will need a beach within close proximity or know a person who has their own pool.

Likewise to running you need to start slow, pace yourself and build up to bigger distances and time frames progressively. It’s a fantastic fitness booster, you get fresh air,and at the same time relaxes and strengthens all your muscles.

4. Cycling

After purchasing a bike (assuming you don’t have one) this activity is virtually free, the risk of injury is very low provided you wear a safety helmet, and you have the opportunity to visit some beautiful places which you may not have otherwise seen.

You don’t have to be a Lance Armstrong or an Alberto Contador (winners of the Tour de France). If you want to physically challenge yourself, enjoy some of the local scenery and improve your physical endurance and fitness levels then Cycling is certainly a good place to start.

If you did just one of these activities every day for a week then over time your fitness will definitely improve, and if your wanting to lose weight then you will undoubtedly shed some pounds if you stick to a fixed program.

5. Circuit Training

This method sounds daunting and perhaps a little extreme, but doing many activities in the space of just a few minutes will undoubtedly benefit you in terms of fitness.

Circuits consist of ‘stations’ where these various activities are placed and you literally go from one to the other where you spend an allotted amount of time. You could include squat thrusts, star jumps, press ups, sit ups and dumb bell raises for an all round selection of fitness enhancing programs.

Carrying this out twice a day will get your heart racing which will burn off calories quickly and improve overall fitness. Put in place a program that suits you and start off slowly, gradually build up confidence and self esteem which will then enable you to put in place more stations and be able to perform them for longer periods.

6. Walk the dog

This sounds so simple and wouldn’t particularly strike you as something that may improve fitness, but aswell as the dog getting exercise, you are too!

If you don’t have a dog then offer to walk someone else’s. This way you may be able to make money at the same time as staying healthy. Dogs need to be walked on occasions three times a day and therefore you will get a considerable amount of exercise while also doing something the animal enjoys.

You can pick your own route; walk for as long as you like and choose the times to do it. It’s a great way to increase your fitness without really realising it!

7. Aerobics

In this age of accessible technology and convenience, more and more people are increasingly turning to DVD workout sessions in order to lose weight and stay fit. Celebrities on regular occasions promote these discs on Television and on the Internet in the hope of inspiring others to follow their regime.

The Nintendo Wii has quickly become a legitimate way in which to lose weight as some of the games are designed in such a way that the user must stretch their body parts and be physically active in order for the console to react.

The ‘sports’ game, which has become one of the most popular of its kind was the subject of a study by students at Liverpool John Moore’s University some time ago and they concluded that if somebody were to use the console for 12 hours a week then an individual could potentially lose 27lb, equivalent to nearly two stones.

Admittedly a Wii does cost money, but if you already have the console and the disc then don’t ignore it, whip it out and give it a go..the results may surprise you.

8. Not using the easy option!

By this we mean get off the bus a stop earlier, use bags of sugar and pasta as weights and run up the stairs instead of walk. All these things add up and you may lose more weight than you initially thought.

In addition don’t use the remote control to change the TV channel, change it at the screen. Don’t take the car to get a pint of milk and a newspaper, take a walk. When you’re in town don’t use a trolley, use a basket as this will provide a great work out for your arm muscles.

Although these things sound too simple, its often the basic ideas that get the best results. Think before you do something, and ask yourself whether you can change what your doing to burn an extra few calories.

9. Take the kids to the park

If you’re a parent you will know only too well that the little ones have an awful lot of energy and at times need to burn off their enthusiasm. Taking them to the park for a kick around or a push on the swings will not only wear them out, but you will be getting some fresh air and exercise at the same time.

Making this a regular occurrence will help you enormously if you’re trying to get fit and lose some weight, and you’ll be able to spend time with the kids at the same time.

10. Clean the house

I know what the men are thinking. Oh no, manual labour.. and admittedly it doesn’t sound particularly appealing. However don’t write it off just yet!

Cleaning your house vigorously from top to bottom once a week will increase the heart rate, you’ll build up a sweat and burn off calories very quickly. Presuming you do this four times a month it will contribute massively in your quest to stay fit.

So put down the television remote, tell the wife (or girlfriend) to relax, pick up a duster and start cleaning!

These are just ten ways in which you can lose weight for free but obviously there are many more, and all will come in handy if you’re on a quest to lose some weight and get fit.

Good luck!

Honestly, what’s with the names?

Posted on January 10, 2011 by admin

A friend of mine was planning to go running the other day and she was taking it very seriously. She wasn’t just planning to lace up some trainers and just jog off. Oh No, she was actually planning what clothes to wear. I said to her, “Isn’t that a bit extreme?”

“No”, she replied, “why, what do you do then?” As she looked at me and we both stared at my waist, me pulling an Erm-not-alot-except-eat-chocolate face and her with dawning realization, she silently mouthed, “Ah”.

So being a good friend no more was said about it apart from me flicking through a catalogue and her digging out her gear.

What struck me as most interesting is the name each item is given. No doubt it’s name must be used to describe it and precisely it so the correct item is pulled off the shelf from wherever such clothing comes from but also it might need to describe to the potential wearer what unique qualities it has.

Take the Ronhill Womens Vizion Windlite Jacket. I was wondering if ‘Vizion’ was some American type spelling but No it is the name given to the collection of sports clothing that all feature Hi-Viz features. So that means when the word ‘Vizion’ is in the name description for any Ronhill product it will feature fluorescent colours and reflective trims.

And the ‘Windlite’ element, in this case, features an activelite lightweight fabric that is breathable whilst preventing wind and rain from penetrating; assuming that you would go out in the wind and rain of course.

I tell you what I would think about going out in though and that’s the joggers with the skirt. To give it its official name, the Ronhill Aspiration Powerlite Skapri.

The ‘powerlite’ fabric has high lycra content that is apparently all about fantastic stretch and recovery. The ‘Skapri’ bit is a little skirt over a Capri style jogger, which means no one knows but me that the same cannot be said for my tummy.

And so comes another day when I meet my friend as she goes about her fitness regime, I hail her, “Nice beanie”

“Thanks, it’s a Pro Beanie”

“Hey and look at him over there”

“Why yes, he’s got the Flash Beanie”

“Yeah, I thought he looked flash”

“Er, I think they called it Flash because of the reflecting flash design on it.”

“Oh, yeah… Yeah, ’course, I knew that”

Marathon Training Crucial For Heart

Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin

Marathon runners suffer considerable but reversible heart damage during the race, a new study has found.

LiveScience has reported that the temporary heart damage suffered by runners during the 26.2 mile (42.2km) event could explain the rare instances of deaths during races.

Results of the study in Quebec found that during the race, over half of the heart’s segments lose function due to an increase in inflammation and a decrease in blood flow through the muscle.

Eric Larose from the Graduate Institute of Cardiology and Respiratory Medicine Quebec and Universite Laval in Quebec City led the study, prompted by the death of a fellow runner in the 1999 Quebec City Marathon.

The younger runner collapsed and died near the finish line, leading Larose and his colleagues to recruit 20 runners in the 2008 Quebec City Marathon, aged between 21 and 55, to investigate what would cause an otherwise healthy person to die during such a race.

Larose said: “We know that regular exercise reduces cardiovascular risk by a factor of two or three in the long run, but while we’re doing vigorous exercise such as marathon running, our cardiac risk increases by seven.

“This is the first potential explanation as to why a runner has increased risk while he’s running or she’s running.”

Within three months after the marathon, results showed that the heart damage had generally disappeared.

Larose said that the risk of dying while running a marathon was still very low, but warned: “People should not enter a marathon lightly.

“Training needs to be well done. You can’t cheat the marathon.”

Nike+ GPS App ‘True Runner’s App’

Posted on September 9, 2010 by admin

Nike+ GPS App ‘true runner’s app’ike is going digital with its new iPhone application which is sure to keep runners company.

The Nike+ GPS App, which is now available on the App Store for £1.29 ($1.29), will allow users to monitor their pace and distance while running, as well as calculate the amount of calories they have burned.

Pep talks from sportspeople such as Lance Armstrong and Paula Radcliffe, and funnyman Tracy Morgan will keep runners in the race and give them a dose of entertainment every time they complete a lap.

The application, which will function by clubbing GPS and the in-built accelerometer technology, will provide the most precise readings based on a person’s exercise routine.

Sprinters from the world over can also connect through www.nikeplus.com – which is now the biggest running community on the planet, with more than three million members and counting.

Stefan Olander, vice president, Nike Digital Sport, said: “We are so excited to introduce the true ‘Runner’s App’ for iPhone combining the dynamic power and community of Nike+ with the user-friendly functionality of GPS and accelerometry.

“We will continue to evolve the digital options we provide to runners so that their running experience is always unique and inspired.”

Nike+ will be available for both the iPhone and the iPod touch on the www.itunes.com/appstore site. Though the Nike+ GPS App will work on either, the app will operate only through the accelerometer technology on the iPod touch.

Athletes advised over training

Posted on August 25, 2010 by admin

Diet management and properly regulated training is key for marathon runners in order to avoid health problems and serious injury, according to experts.

A team of US sports medicine specialists have recommended that long-distance runners eat around 30 to 45 calories per kilogram of weight each day, with a diet that includes 65% carbohydrates, 25% protein and 10% fat.

The total calorie consumption may be varied based on the energy requirements of the athlete and the diet balance adjusted according to the body’s needs, they said.

Runners were also warned not to overtrain and cause the body to burn up more calories than it takes in, as the imbalance could lead to injuries such as stress fractures, shin splints, muscle strains and knee pain.

Dr. Haemi Choi, sports medicine specialist of the Loyola University Health System, said: “These injuries often result from overtraining or increasing mileage too quickly. That is why it is important to build up mileage slowly and take rest days.”

Dr. Jim Winger, another sports medicine specialist from the same university, added: “Energy requirements increase as the amount of distance you run increases, so proper nutrition during marathon training season and the race is essential. Consuming small, balanced meals every three to four hours ensures energy levels support training needs.”

Man to run 30 marathons in 35 days

Posted on July 21, 2010 by admin

A 24-year-old school teacher is attempting to run the equivalent of 30 marathons in 35 days to raise money for charity.

Jason Arday, who lives in Clapham, began his challenge on Monday and has finished two marathons already. He plans to run the route of the London Marathon for 15 consecutive days and then do 15 days of running between Piccadilly and Teddington.

Once finished, he will have covered the distance between London and Madrid, 786 miles.

Mr Arday said: “I’ve been training for a few months now and I feel confident but I’m under no illusion, it’s going to be tough. The support I am getting along the way is fantastic already and many people are going to complete part of the task with me.”

The money he raises will go to homeless charity Shelter and children’s hospice Shooting Star.

Mr Arday has collected £100,000 for charity since the age of 17. He said when he was a teenager he became aware of the brutality of homelessness.

“My mum took me to a homeless shelter when I was 17 and I was surprised to see people my age struggling for something as fundamental as a roof over their head, something I took for granted.

“I felt I needed to do something to help people in this situation by supporting Shelter’s work with homeless and badly housed families.”

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