Fitness All Around

The recumbent trike has been discovered by baby boomers who realize they have to get into an exercise but whose joints can’t take the impact stress of jogging, dodgeball, or other high-impact modes of exercise. Many boomers also dislike bicycling because it’s hard on the backside shoulders elbows and wrists. Even the hands can take a beating when you’re supporting your weight on a narrow metal handlebar. And of course, many disabled people can’t mount a bicycle either.

This is where recumbent trikes come in. Your seating position is similar to sitting on a lazy boy chair, and the seats of any recumbent bikes are comfortable and even provide lower lumbar support. There’s no danger of tipping unless you’re taking a corner at very high speeds. With three wheels arranged in a triangular position, in your seat positioned at the same level as the wheels, you are extremely stable indeed. And you don’t have to worry about hitting the pavement when you get a pothole, edge unintentionally onto a gravel shoulder, or take your eyes off the road at the wrong time.

As a fitness instructor and writer, I consider it part of my job to stay up-to-date with the latest news in the world of health and fitness. Who knows what new product, research, or news might affect or even improve my ability to teach.

As a result, I often find myself perusing the Internet in search of the latest information. One website I check on a frequent basis is Gerard’s Health Product Reviews. While this website does provide some reviews on the latest health products and equipment, it also provides a lot of information, in newsfeed fashion, about a number of different issues in the health field. I do find it quite useful.

There are a number of other excellent resources that provide practical information for health and fitness. I really like a website called Physical Education Update. It’s been around for almost 30 years, and in fact I remember subscribing to it back in the 90′s when it was called Physical Education Digest and it was a paper magazine. It provides a lot of information on a number of different topics (well over 30, I believe). Most of it is practical information that you can use when teaching your students. And I enjoy the blog as well – the blog it provides opinions and information on some of the latest topics.

Web M.D. is another excellent resource that I refer to frequently. I find it useful when a student has an injury or illness of some sort.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a skin affliction that can affect those who exercise. It’s basically a form of acne that can cause lumps, persistent itchiness, and lesions that can break open and even leak pus. The symptoms can be made worse when he sufferer is frequently hot and sweaty. That situation, of course, that includes many of us who love to exercise, particularly if we live in southern climates.

At the onset of hidradenitis suppurativa, you’ll  typically notice an itchy lump, often in the armpits or groin area. That’s because HS tends to begin in areas adjacent to hair and the glands. While it’s not uncommon for people to have itchy armpits on occasion, if the symptoms persist for weeks or even longer, and you might want to check with your doctor to see whether you have more than just a simple rash. If you do have HS, the symptoms can last for weeks or even months and can affect your daily life in addition to your athletic life.

Of course, a doctor’s office should be your first option if you think you might have  this condition. There are also some alternate hidradenitis suppurativa treatment options that can help. These include holistic measures that involve changes in diet, altering your lifestyle, and supplementation with herbal products.

Whatever you do, don’t let this affliction limit your daily exercise routine. Exercise is too important to your physical health and mental wellness!

One of the latest crazes in the world of sport is fingernail art using a sports motif. Fingernails can be colored using team colors, with the two or three team colors painted on one nail, or on alternating fingernails. More sophisticated designs can include team logos painted in team colors; team letters such as LSU, painted on the single nail or on alternating nails. Small footballs, baseballs, hockey pucks and volleyballs. can all be painted on your nails to denote your sportive preference.

During international competitions such as the Olympics, I’ve seen the five ring Olympic logo painted on nails, and in a really cool effect, the flags of the nations for which you are cheering can be applied.

The use of stick-on nails now makes this job much easier and more professional-looking. Rather than having your nail specialist painting these designs in miniature, you can simply purchase pre-designed nails and apply them. These stick-on nails can be a lifesaver for those of you who are nail biters. If you have enough fingernail left to work with, these sports motif nails can be applied and can give your hands a more normal, healthy look. And, while they are on your hands, they will prevent those of you with onychophagia from nibbling on your natural fingernails.

Photo provided by SD Dirk, c/o Flickr

Here’s an interesting study that will have little practical value for you, unless a company comes up with a line of battery-heated sweatpants. It’s really aimed at power athletes who must perform with short bursts of intense activity after a lengthy warmup – athletes like sprinters or jumpers. However, if you’re one of those athletes, the implications are indeed practical. If you want to generate as much power as possible, keep your sweatpants on after warming up, and keep your legs as warm as possible, as long as possible. Here’s the study:

Fun/interesting study (via Trent Stellingwerff) in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise about the role of muscle temperature in athletic performance. British researchers recruited 11 competitive cyclists, and had them do a 30-second maximal sprint on three different occasions. Each time, they did a standardized 15-minute warm-up, then waited around for 30 minutes. During the 30-minute wait, they wore:

- regular tracksuit pants;

- insulated tracksuit pants; or

- insulated tracksuit pants with a 7.5-watt heater embedded around the thigh, operating at a maximum temperature of 40-42 degrees C (normal body temperature is around 36).

They also did lots of temperature measurements, including using a needle to measure muscle temperature at depths of 1, 2 and 3 centimeters. As expected, muscle temperature rose by around 3 degrees C (depending on depth) after the warm-up, and then gradually dropped again during the 30 minutes of sitting around. Not surprisingly, the heated pants kept the muscles warmer than the other two options, by a degree or so. (The insulated pants seemed marginally better than the normal ones, but not significantly so.)

And the punchline: when they wore the heated pants during the rest, the cyclists produced significantly higher peak power in the 30-second sprint than in the other two cases, by about 9%. They also had a higher increase in lactate levels, which the researchers believe…to read more, CLICK HERE.