Fit Your Life Now

Archive for June, 2010

Happy Feet

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

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I have been an advocate of barefoot running and minimalist footwear for running for nearly a year now. After I began suffering from IT BAND SYNDROME I bought my first pair of VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS early last fall, and now I’m running again, injury free. Lately I’ve been looking at the new VIBRAM BIKILA and the SOFTSTAR RUNAMOC for running, and I’m also really digging the VIVOBAREFOOT for everyday wear.

I stumbled across this great article called YOU WALK WRONG all about how wrapping our feet in padding and “support” tends to prevent the 200,000 nerve endings in your feet from doing their job. It’s a very long article, but if you are someone who walks a fair amount on a daily basis (as most of us are) then it’s worth the time. The diagram below is taken from the article, and illustrates exactly what I’m talking about in practice.walking080428_makingstrides_560

Mark’s Daily Apple

Saturday, June 26th, 2010

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I recently came across a website dedicated to “primal living” written by a man named Mark Sisson, and I’m hooked. It’s called MARK’S DAILY APPLE and I’ve added a permanent link to the right. It’s a great site, with day after day of new and interesting articles. Under his ABOUT ME section he discusses his personal health philosophies as the following:

“In a nutshell:
- fresh, organic, unprocessed food – no junk!
- daily activity – whether it’s the gym or a walk along the beach, it all counts
- plenty of quality sleep
- plenty of water, no soda or sweetened drinks
- antioxidants galore – the key to limiting stress
- a good fish-oil supplement

- lots of essential fats, reckless amounts of vegetables, and clean protein
- time for fun – don’t take anything too seriously – ethical behavior – because what goes around comes around
- taking responsibility for yourself and your life – openness to new things and ideas”

I’ve highlighted the two that I don’t really agree with. Those are both two things that you have likely heard from several different sources, but guess what: there is no real science to back that up. Those ideas have been disseminated by so many media outlets (magazines, infomercials, tv news, websites, etc) that we no longer question it, but where’s the evidence? I’ve never seen any. He has his own line of nutritional supplements which science has shown do next to nothing for you, so that tells you his incentive to advocate them.

But what I really like about this guy’s website is he is all about questioning everything. On that same “About Me” page he says just that. He gently jokes that you shouldn’t even always take his word for it. Ask questions, find out for yourself, and take your health into your own hands. YES! I love it!

Towards the end of a great article about a new SHAMPOO-LESS MOVEMENT he shares the following nugget of wisdom:  “Our bodies, left to their own devices, really can take care of themselves.” YES! You don’t need expensive supplements, or freaky-crazy detox diets. Just make good choices to give your body the tools it needs, and you’ll be fine.

He brings all kinds of interesting information to you, like THIS REVIEW OF A BOOK CALLED THE VEGETARIAN MYTH

Sex Education Day (Men’s Perspective)

Monday, June 14th, 2010

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MEN’S HEALTH offers a lengthy, but INTERESTING ARTICLE on many frequently asked sex questions.

What I like most about this article is it’s not your typical sex article fare. It’s not mindless, shallow titillation. It gives you actual biological answers to these questions.

Like WHY DO YOU LOVE PORN?

WHY IS A FOOT MASSAGE FOREPLAY?

WHY DO BEAUTIES MAKE YOU STUPID?

Tabata

Monday, June 7th, 2010

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If you’ve never heard of Tabatas you are missing out. Here’s a crash course.

A fitness research scientist by the name of Izumi Tabata did extensive research in work-to-rest ratios and which ones produced the greatest changes in VO2 max in test subjects.

What he came up with is now known simply as a Tabata. The concept is easy, but the workout itself is not.

For 20 seconds you do as many reps of the activity as you possibly can, and then you rest for 10 seconds. You do this for only 4 minutes, and then you are done. You can do this with just about anything. Push-ups, box jumps, you can even do a Tabata run on a treadmill. In the case of the treadmill though, make sure you pick a speed and an incline that are at or near your limit for 20 seconds. What I mean is, by the end of that 20 seconds you should feel like you need that 10 second break.

Previously on this website I have recommended CROSSFIT as a great source for challenging, and interesting workouts. The classic CrossFit “Tabata This” workout consists of the following:

Tabata Rowing machine
Tabata Squat
Tabata Pullup
Tabata Pushup
Tabata Sit-up

There is a 1 minute rest between each. Stick to that time signature! Don’t cheat and take longer rests. Your smallest set for each movement is your score for that movement. For example, if you start out on your squats with 20 reps your first 20 seconds, but then by the final squat set you’re all the way down to 3, then 3 is your score. When you’ve completed all five Tabatas, then total up all your scores for each to get your total score. The rowing machine is scored by calories on the computer.

If you don’t have access to a rower, you can substitute in kettlebell swings, or dumbbell swings.

CLICK HERE FOR A SWING DEMO VIDEO.

Just For Fun

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Fitness Lowers HyperTension Risk

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

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The news that physical fitness greatly reduces the risk of high blood pressure should surprise nobody at this point, but what I do appreciate about THIS ARTICLE is that they point out that simple physical activity isn’t enough, you need actual physical fitness.

They go on to mention that physical activity is a behavior and fitness is a measurable level of your body’s ability to perform. They also connect the two by pointing out that behavior is the biggest predictor of fitness levels. But here’s where they say something important:

The level of intensity of the activity must be high enough to actually IMPROVE your fitness levels to see any benefit from the activity.

So, what does that mean? Well, for starters, it means that those people who go into your average Globo Gym and get on a treadmill at a moderate walking pace for 45 minutes are wasting their time. It’s true that they are definitely better off than the people sitting at home watching TV and munching on fatty snacks, but once their body has adjusted to the workload of that 45 minute walk, they better up the difficulty level, or they will see no further added benefit.

Always remember these two words: Overload Principle. If you don’t give your body a bigger challenge than it’s used to, it will have no reason to improve. You have to overload it to force it to adapt. So, maybe a newbie to the gym is absolutely destroyed by 45 minutes of walking. Great, that’s a start. BUT within a couple weeks, he better take the pace faster, or up the incline, or put dumbbells in his hands or something! Anything!

Always be moving forward, or you’re just standing still.