Stand Up Paddle Boarding
What is Stand Up Paddle Boarding?
This may not be the best time to be thinking of going out into the ocean for us northerners dealing with the frigid weather. But there are hot places all around the world where you can go paddle boarding. Stand up paddle boarding is done with a long paddle and a surf board, a great way to stay in shape, lose weight and have fun. It seems that stand up paddle boarding has become so popular that it has been approved for a class-1 certification by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). This movement to popularize and certify participants has been spearheaded by a national organization called Stand Up Fitness.
Surfwire has just released some information on stand up paddle boarding.
Stand Up Paddle Boarding
A new partnership with the WPA provides Paddle Fit participants with a range of benefits including a Class 1 certification, discounted liability insurance, up-to-date industry knowledge, and much more.
“The World Paddle Association is excited to be a part of Stand Up Fitness and Paddle Fit. Brody Welte provides a professional, informative and entertaining curriculum that works with and supports the WPA’s Water Safety/SUP education course,” states Byron Kurt, WPA Board of Director for Instruction and President of the World Paddle Association. “Education and communication are key elements to provide with SUP since there are so many people engaging in the sport that have not been active on the water or at all for many years. SUP allows participants easy access, a short learning curve and a sport that puts less stress on the body and joints for a great experience.” Read More…
Exercise for Diabetics
Can Exercise Eliminate Diabetes?
We know that exercise build muscles, strengthens the cardiovascular system and releases hormones that reduce stress. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise has released a study indicating that exercise could prevent or reduce type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a high glucose level, usually found in sedentary and over weight people. There are over 60 million Americans that are predisposed to type 2 diabetes because of their weight, diet and lack of exercise. Regular participation in strength and conditioning programs with intense cardiovascular exercise, progressive resistance and flexibility training improve glucose control and reduce weight.
Exercise and Diet Reduce Diabetes
Blue Circle for Diabetes
ACUTE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE
Fuel Metabolism during Exercise
Fuel mobilization, glucose production, and muscle glycogenolysis.
The maintenance of normal BG at rest and during exercise depends largely on the coordination and integration of the sympathetic nervous and endocrine systems (250). Contracting muscles increase uptake of BG, although BG levels are usually maintained by glucose production via liver glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis and mobilization of alternate fuels, such as free fatty acids (FFA) (250,268).Several factors influence exercise fuel use, but the most important are the intensity and duration of PA (9,29,47,83,111,133,160,181,241). Any activity causes a shift from predominant reliance on FFA at rest to a blend of fat, glucose, and muscle glycogen, with a small contribution from amino acids (15,31). With increasing exercise intensity, there is a greater reliance on carbohydrate as long as sufficient amounts are available in muscle or blood (21,23,47,133). Early in exercise, glycogen provides the bulk of the fuel for working muscles. As Read More…
Fun Exercises For Children
As a physical education teacher the hardest thing to do was to get kids to exercise. Kids will run around all day as long as they are having fun. The best way to get children to exercise to make it not seem like an exercise. Make fun exercises for children and they will do it for prolonged periods of time. Focus on movement exercises rather than athletic skill exercises. There is a large market for exercise studios that make fun exercises for children. Brian Zarley reports on how Doug Grosser has developed a program for youth fitness and sports. His program focuses on fun activities that are movement oriented, not strictly structured and develop general fitness skills.
Fun Exercises for Children
“We’re focusing on training for youth fitness and sports, although we’ll do adult fitness training as well,” Grosser said. “Fitness training will start at six years old through adult, sports training a little bit older — like nine years old and up from there. The training is for any fitness goal and any sports.”
Grosser noticed that the current trend in child exercise was to work on sport specific skills, rather than have the child gain the fitness base needed for a healthy lifestyle. Grosser orients his training to be fun and active for all ages.
“For the younger kids, its more organized play,” Grosser said. “Their activities are more fun, less structured. It’s less skills based; it’s more movement based. We just want to keep them moving, really. As they get older we get a little more technical, with their strength training, with their speed training, they’re agility stuff. We’ll get more specific with their sports as they get older.”
Grosser studied at West Chester University, earning a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology. He also has a strength and conditioning specialist certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a corrective exercise specialist certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a youth fitness specialist certification from the International Youth Conditioning Association.
Performance is well lit and warm, its wealth of open floor space and lack of selectorized machines hallmarks of a facility that puts wellness first. Free weights, agility ladders, jump ropes and resistance bands are joined by an array of medicine balls and top 40 hits on an ipod in the corner.
The focus on health is not limited to just exercise. Read More…
Emergency Services Training
Emergency services personnel like firefighter, EMT, and rescue operators are required to maintain an optimal level of strength and conditioning to be ready for any emergency situation. The question is, what is the most functional strength and conditioning program for emergency workers? Maintaining cardiovascular endurance by running, swimming and biking is good but will it prepare these workers for real life emergency situations? The best strength and conditioning training for emergency training personal is to train as if they were going to take their entrance exam. Emergency services exercises must simulate real life situation of lifting body weight, pulling ropes, placing ladders, and short burst of energy. Circuit training, Tacfit or Cross Fit is the best way to train the muscles to produce quick burst of strength and fast recuperation. Circuit training, Tacfit and Cross Fit are great because they involve a series of exercises that stimulate the metabolic energy system and involve movements that simulate work situations.
Emergency Services Training
Dan Sennis a certified fitness instructor, firefighter and EMT. He has written a great article on strength and conditioning for emergency services personnel.
If you are currently in poor cardiovascular health or are just starting a fitness program, you should use cardiovascular training as a primary means to improve cardiovascular health and prepare you for higher-intensity activities. If you already have a base level of cardiovascular health and fitness, use cardiovascular training to augment the performance of your anaerobic metabolic mechanisms for on-scene operations.
Training for muscular power, strength, and endurance conditions the anaerobic metabolic systems. Each training adaptation is specific to the mode of training. For example, if you want to increase strength, you must train with heavier loads. If you want to improve muscular endurance, you must train with lighter loads and perform repetitions to fatigue. Power is developed by performing multijoint exercises at high velocities and moderate loads. Power may not be used a whole lot in our job tasks, but it is a bonus. Olympic-type lifts are a great way to develop power, but they’re not for everyone. There are other applicable and more entertaining ways of training for power with medicine balls. Medicine balls may be used in various ways that provide a means of increasing full-body power and for developing core strength and stability as well. Read More…
Tac Fit Commando Review
The best review on TacFit Commando that I have read was done by Steve Barnes. He is a friend of Scott Sonnan the developer and originator of TacFit Commando. I have not done this program but Steve lays it out very well in his blog. Basically, Scott is an international martial arts expert and master fitness instructor. He has taught this system to secret service agents, SEALS, MMA fighters and other emergency services personnel. The exercises use only body weight, no equipment or large space is required and everything is downloaded on your computer or iphone.
Strength and Conditioning Training
Strength and conditioning training for athletes form an essential component of academic and professional sports programs in order to train athletes for peak performance. Strength and conditioning training programs are designed to help athletes perform complex movements and strategies in athletics. The goal of strength and conditioning exercises are to improve an athlete’s performance while teaching them injury prevention practices for before, during and after athletic events.
Strength and Conditioning Training
Strength and conditioning training involves a scientific approach to athletic training. It should be oriented to train the athlete in specific sports skills they will be participating in. For instance, a basketball player who needs to improve their vertical jump their strength and conditioning coach will have a specific training program to build to muscles. A baseball pitcher, on the other hand, will be interested in strength training exercises for rotator cuff muscles. Strength and conditioning training will be different for each type of athlete and should be tailored to maximize performance for the particular athletic skills required.
Strength and conditioning training should be ongoing throughout the year. Athletic trainers know that fitness drops off rapidly when athletes cease training, strength and conditioning coaches are quick to remind team members to maintain their fitness during off-season periods so they are ready for preseason practice months down the line. When a football player’s season ends after the first of the year, strength and conditioning training continues, following a specific off-season program designed to maintain their fitness so they are ready for the pre-season training that will start in the summer.
Athletes need ten general physical skills, including: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. Improvements in endurance, stamina, strength, and flexibility are derived through a specific strength and conditioning program. Training should ready athletes to perform every task imaginable, at any time—this is accomplished by keeping the training schedule broad, varied and the athlete motivated. Read More…
Strength and Conditioning for Football
Football players not only have to be in the best physical condition but also have to be able to bounce back from injuries. Strength and conditioning programs for football have to include flexibility, stability, balance, coordination, strength and cardiovascular endurance. Chuni Goswami, a legendary Indian strength and conditioning coach focuses on developing flexibility and stability as well as strength and cardio. To prevent injuries and develop elasticity in the muscles players need to practice dynamic and static flexibility exercises.
Strength and Condtioniong for Football Players
Strength and Conditioning for Football
Football, arguably, is the most physically demanding of all sports. An international footballer has to be quick, agile, strong and flexible, with tremendous lung power. On an average an international footballer logs about 6-7km during the course of a game, most of it with great speed and agility. In short, he is a physical animal.
Recently, I spent some time with the legendary Indian footballer Chuni Goswami, who had captained India to an Asian Games gold in 1962. I could not help noticing how sprightly and strong he looked even though he is in his 70s, and has been marginally diabetic for the last 20 or so years.
I rate flexibility and stability as the most important physical attributes for any sport—and it is the same for football. All the other physical parameters follow in hierarchy. About 80% of all football injuries occur due to the lack of range of motion (flexibility) and stability in the hips, knees and ankle joints. Basically there are two aspects of flexibility— elasticity and plasticity. Elasticity is the ability of the muscle to quickly stretch and return to its original length, while plasticity is the muscle’s ability to permanently change its length and remain in that state unless otherwise stimulated. Elasticity is enhanced by dynamic stretching, which a footballer usually performs at the beginning of a Read More…
Strength and Conditioning During Vacation
Take Your Exercise Routine On Vacation
Don’t let the strength and conditioning gains you’ve made dissipate when you go on vacation. The first thing you must do is mentally commit to doing some form of exercise during your vacation. Look for natural opportunities to exercise: if your going to the beach, swim; if your going to an area with country and mountains, hike; do walking tours instead of bus tours. Find out if the hotel has a workout area or a health club nearby. Take easy to pack training equipment like resistance bands or a jump rope. You really don’t need equipment to do push ups, sit-up or abdominal exercises, running in place or jumping jacks. Susy Sedano demonstrates 20 great exercises in a slideshow presentation that can be done anywhere. Here’s a radical idea on how to combine a great vacation and exercise – go to an exercise boot camp for vacation.
If your planning a vacation and would like to get some idea on how to take your exercise routine with you, take a look at Rapid City Journal.
Strength and Conditioning Exercises
Ask at the front desk if walking paths are nearby, and if none are, find a set of stairs to climb.
“Your average hotel hallway is going to be half a block to a block long, so if you’re desperate, you can walk the halls,” Craig said.
But you can find options anywhere. Here are some ideas:
1. Walk, walk, walk. If you are on holiday, walking should be no problem. In fact, if you’re in a place where the natives walk a lot, you’ll probably see that people are noticeably thinner than they are in most of the U.S., where the car culture rules.
If you are on a business trip and the meetings are within walking distance, wear comfortable shoes and walk to the meeting spot. If that’s impossible, walk during coffee breaks. (Bonus: It will keep you away from the pastries.) Better yet, climb some stairs. Stairs increase calorie burn and really get the blood circulating, which will keep you a lot more alert than coffee could.
2. Rather than sitting still, look for unobtrusive ways to fidget. Shift positions often, and, if possible, stand at the back of the room. Standing burns calories, and moving around is especially important if you’re prone to muscle stiffness.
3. Never stay in your seat during breaks. Take a quick walk, climb some more stairs and find a place to stretch. Here are several easy stretches, some of which you can even do in planes, trains and automobiles: Read More…
A Real CrossFit Experience
Can You Handle CrossFit
It nice to get a real life account of someone starting a CrossFit strength and conditioning class. Nick Momrik, gives a blow by blow in his blog of how he started in CrossFit about a month ago. He explains how it’s physically challenging, has variety and he’s addicted to it. I’m sure by everything I have read and seen this is a great way to get into shape. The routines are varied and the intensity is short and explosive. If your looking for a way to get in shape and challenge yourself, CrossFit would be a great way to do it.
My hands started to tingle. I pushed with my hamstrings and ass to finish another air squat. Thirteen. I bent over and placed my hands on my knees. I could barely breathe. I was getting light-headed. What was going on? I stood up and did another squat. Fourteen. One more. Fifteen. I dropped to my hands and knees. No more.
A couple of minutes passed. I stood up and attempted to stretch. I felt dizzy and had to sit on the ground for a few minutes. I stood up and walked to the open door for some fresh air. It didn’t help. I sat on the plyo boxes for a minute but quickly moved to laying on the ground. This trainer is either worried about me or holding back a laugh. I’m glad no one else is here, because this is embarrassing.
It was October 31st and I had just completed my firstCrossFit mini-session with Matt at Survival Fitness. I think it was about a half hour before I was able to leave the gym. When I got home I spent about an hour laying on the couch. My body was exhausted and I felt terrible. But the only thing I could think about was going back on Wednesday for another workout. It couldn’t come soon enough. I was hooked.
So what did I do in that first workout? It started off with a 5 round Tabata circuit of high knees, butt kicks, and mountain climbers to warm-up. If you’ve never heard of Tabata, it’s a form of high intensity interval training which uses 20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. The warm-up was a piece of cake.
This is the way a blog should read with real life experiences. Nick Momrik tells you exactly how he survived a CrossFit class and went back for more.
Take a few minutes to check out his blog.
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Strength Training for Young Athletes
Proper Strength and Conditioning for Young Athletes
Young athletes, teens and preteens need proper strength and conditioning training coaches. Many young athletes want to become famous, make money and live the good life through sports. These potential super stars need to be trained in proper techniques to not only perform better but to train safely and reduce injuries. Young athletes need to train with certified coaches to insure peak performance in strength, flexibility, cardio endurance, motivation, rest and recuperation.
Tyler Welch discusses the importance of a training philosophy for young athletes.
Resistance Band Training
What is needed are thorough, efficient methods to prepare young athletes for the stress of competition – programming that includes mobility (a comprehensive term that refers to flexibility, stability, and proper range of motion), strength (not just body-building), recovery and sufficient attention to the particular needs of each athlete. No small task, I know. But in order to encourage physical longevity in players, it is important to create the proper foundation.
The dimensions of basketball players makes them particularly prone to dysfunctional posture, limited mobility and overuse injuries: combine long levers (tall and lanky with long limbs) that make many movements difficult and limit range of motion in hip-centric movements (i.e., squats) with the reality that the world is simply not made for tall people and you see that taller ballers are practically destined for postural issues. Some of these issues are unavoidable, but proper preparation starting at a young age can significantly reduce risk of injury, increase competitive career and improve performance.
I could give you a long list of movements, and a program to pop them into, but that does not solve the issue of training young athletes. Their bodies are at a critical stage where they can either learn proper movement patterns (which they’ll retain for the rest of their lives), or learn them incorrectly (thereby enforcing pre-existing improper patterns and possibly increasing their risk of injury). Form before weight, every time. If an athlete is strong through 90% of his squat, but loses all semblance of posture at the bottom, he is not strong enough to move up in weight. Consistency throughout full range of motion is essential, and is too often ignored in pursuit of higher numbers and/or frustration with the nuances of proper form. In adults, we have to restore proper range of motion due to years of misuse. For kids, it’s a matter of fostering that natural flexibility, while strengthening the body in order to maintain joint integrity over time.
This country needs more facilities that provide coaches for young athletes with potential, motivation and desire to excel in a particular sport. Give a young athlete a place to learn about mobility, injury prevention, proper form, healthy foods and stress management. Placing a sport is not only physical but mental and emotional. Give young athletes the tools to excel as a professional in their particular sport.
Read the complete article about strength training for young athletes.
Kyle Leon has an excellent strength, conditioning and healthy foods regime, take a look.
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