There is more to exercise than jumping on a treadmill, lifting weights or playing basketball. To avoid injury and maximize gains, a warm up, stimulus (or conditioning) and cool down must be included in your routine.

Warm ups are needed to move your body from a resting to an exercise state. A good warm up gets you ready for exercise by increasing: blood flow to your muscles, body temperature and metabolic rate. It also decreases the risk of injury. The warm up should last 5-10 minutes and be a lower intensity version of the exercise you are warming up for. If you plan on running, warm up by walking or even jogging. The intensity at the end of your warm up should be at the lower end of your actual exercise intensity. Finish your warm up with some low intensity stretching of the major muscle groups.

continue reading »

Electric, solar, or gas pool heaters can keep your swimming pool warm enough to swim in even when other pools have closed.

If you live in an area that is known for it’s hot summer weather, a swimming pool can be a fun and healthy way to stay cool. Swimming pools have become very popular, and could be one of the best investments you make in your home’s value and your family’s health.

continue reading »

A solar pool heater really comes into its own in spring and autumn. It can greatly extend the pleasure that you and your family get from your swimming pool or spa.

When evenings and mornings are getting too cool for other pool users your solar heater swimming pool will still allow you maximum use of your valuable asset.

continue reading »

A challenging speed/plyometric/core course is a great way to introduce some spice and variety into your triathlon training program, giving your mind a mental break from the long base training sessions and giving your body a chance for force and power development sets, an often neglected portion of multi-sport training.

This particular workout begins with several dynamic stretching and warm-up exercises, which is a necessity for any type of high intensity training. While gentle stretching may sometimes be sufficient for a slow endurance run, more ballistic stretching is beneficial for explosive training. After a dynamic warm-up, you will move on to power and plyometric box training. Force application potential will be highest early in the workout, which is why you perform these sets prior to the speed sets. Your speed work will focus on two primary characteristics of fast runner: a center of gravity that continually “rolls” forwards and a high leg turnover rate. Finally, your last set will include several triathlete specific core exercises, designed not only to improve buoyancy potential in the water, but also pelvic and abdominal stability for the bike and run.

continue reading »

I don’t know how long I’ve been swimming in this little tank, but I’m getting tired. You see, it’s the same old view, same old people, and same old food. This is boooring!

I’ve seen a lot of those people types come and go. It seems that they all wander over to those noisy doggies, those furry little cats, or find entertainment by watching those hamster things go around and around in those silly circle cages.

continue reading »

When training for the bike leg of a triathlon, consistent stressing of the body’s lactate production mechanism is the key to achieving a faster race pace on the bike and a smoother transition from the bicycle to the run. If you don’t know too much about the lactate threshold, click here for a previous article on the topic. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to train at lactate threshold for long periods of time, such as the time required for completion of a 40K Olympic distance cycling time trial. This is because the body buffers lactic acid by combining lactic acid’s hydrogen ions with carbon dioxide (for subsequent transport in the bloodstream and removal as carbon dioxide at the lungs). To blow off this CO2 and retain a physiologically normal blood pH, you must maintain a level of ventilation that can be quite difficult. In addition, that acidic burn just *hurts*!

A good approach to this paradox is to spend small amounts of time at lactate threshold. By pushing at the proper intensity for 2-5 minutes, you can gradually increase the body’s tolerance to lactic acid and the body’s ability to utilize lactic acid as a fuel, while training the body to work at higher levels of energy output while producing less lactic acid.

continue reading »

Did you check the weather report when you last went winter backpacking? You probably did, but I am sure there are some who are thinking “Weather report? How about cold and snowy - it’s winter!” However, cold and snow are not the only aspects of the weather. You may actually be in more danger if there will be a warming trend while you are out in the wilderness.

Getting wet when the temperature is just over freezing is far more likely than when it is far below freezing. Getting wet, and then cold because of it, is one of the primary reasons people die in the wilderness in winter. A down coat might keep you warm down to zero, but it might also become almost worthless in a steady freezing rain. You need to be prepared for the specific weather you are likely to see.

continue reading »

You work hard on the field, at the gym; have committed a lot of your time to getting better in your sport. You strive to achieve success at a higher level. Consistency in training, practicing, skill work and competing begins by knowing exactly what routine to follow to take yourself to a new level. Discipline is doing it right all the time. Mental toughness is doing it right when you are uncomfortable.

It takes a combination of both of these to master your performance. Does an extra 7-10 pounds of lean muscle in only 6 weeks interest you? What it you could train for optimum results by following a no nonsense workout that gets results? The following is an example of a highly effective weekly workout schedule that flat out works! It has been tested by hundreds of top level athletes in a wide variety of sports. Test this out for six weeks and you will be very pleased with your gains.

continue reading »