Showing posts with label Health and Fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health and Fitness. Show all posts
Thursday, November 11
I need your help!
Will you be the 1 in 3 ? If not, who of your friends and relatives? Cancer Research UK has made huge leaps in increasing survival rates for cancer.
Robert
Monday, June 14
Should we tolerate self-abuse?
Nothing to do with self-harming, which is a dark topic about which I'm nowhere near knowledgeable enough to discuss.
Lately, I've seen a few comments, references, forum posts and status updates that seem to suggest that we should accept obesity, despite the fact it's more deadly than drug dependency or alcoholism. This trinity of substance abuse (food, drug, drink) has become so widespread as to almost seem normal - what was previously overweight is now the norm, people get away with drinking amounts that would've raised eyebrows not long ago, and certain drug use has become acceptable.
In my previous post on this topic, I referred to a statistic that food, drug and alcohol abuse account for 80% of the NHS's budget. Recently, I talked about this topic and was curious enough to find out how much that is:
The NHS budget last year was £110bn
The number of tax payers in the UK is approx 29m
That's £3800 every year for each taxpayer towards food, drugs and alcohol abuse.
Next time you're asked to tolerate obesity, binge drinking or substance abuse, remember how much these people are costing every one of you £10 a day.
These people are wasting YOUR money!
Addendum - this doesn't include the cost of promoting good eating habits, policing, alcohol-fuelled criminal damage, thieving by drug users to fund their habit, etc.
Lately, I've seen a few comments, references, forum posts and status updates that seem to suggest that we should accept obesity, despite the fact it's more deadly than drug dependency or alcoholism. This trinity of substance abuse (food, drug, drink) has become so widespread as to almost seem normal - what was previously overweight is now the norm, people get away with drinking amounts that would've raised eyebrows not long ago, and certain drug use has become acceptable.
In my previous post on this topic, I referred to a statistic that food, drug and alcohol abuse account for 80% of the NHS's budget. Recently, I talked about this topic and was curious enough to find out how much that is:
The NHS budget last year was £110bn
The number of tax payers in the UK is approx 29m
That's £3800 every year for each taxpayer towards food, drugs and alcohol abuse.
Next time you're asked to tolerate obesity, binge drinking or substance abuse, remember how much these people are costing every one of you £10 a day.
These people are wasting YOUR money!
Addendum - this doesn't include the cost of promoting good eating habits, policing, alcohol-fuelled criminal damage, thieving by drug users to fund their habit, etc.
Friday, March 12
Personal coaching
After being asked many times about how a rider should train for a specific event, riding techniques, nutritional strategy, etc., and given some informal coaching sessions, I've decide to offer my services to a wider audience.
Whether you're after an intensive 3-month plan to get you at your peak for a specific event or personal coaching sessions to help you reach your peak on your own training schedule, I have knowledge and experience to share with you to meet your goals.
For a full breakdown of services and prices, please click on the "Personal Training" link on the right. Services and charges are adaptable to suit your needs, so please do email me to see what I could provide for you.
Train better, not more!
Whether you're after an intensive 3-month plan to get you at your peak for a specific event or personal coaching sessions to help you reach your peak on your own training schedule, I have knowledge and experience to share with you to meet your goals.
For a full breakdown of services and prices, please click on the "Personal Training" link on the right. Services and charges are adaptable to suit your needs, so please do email me to see what I could provide for you.
Train better, not more!
Tuesday, March 9
Life happens...
Yep, I've been away a while, I know. A few hours after making a New Year's Resolution to put weekly rides on my blog, I contracted a serious bout of gastroenteritis that knocked the wind out of my sails for most of January. A great way to spend the first day of the year... in hospital with two bags of IV to keep me alive! It's amazing how it can take so long to get up again from such a fall. I think it may have been the norovirus that's been spreading in the UK this winter - a week after I visited my local hospital, they announced they had an outbreak that's now spreading across the area... just call me Norovirus Rob!!
Along the way, I attended the only (so far) Kranking instructor course in the UK - although it's spread quickly in the US, Italy and Germany, it's yet to make an impact here in the UK. I think that may be due to the gym chains that make up a much larger slice of the market here than they do abroad. I think they'll likely be initially taken up by independent gyms or facilities that cater to athletes with a disability. Watch this space, as this will catch on faster than Spinning ever did!
So, I'm now back in full health, starting to train seriously once again and, as you can see, I'm back on the blog! For starters, if some of you had problems downloading the first of my mixed rides, I have made it available again for your downloadable pleasure!
Next ride coming soon...
Along the way, I attended the only (so far) Kranking instructor course in the UK - although it's spread quickly in the US, Italy and Germany, it's yet to make an impact here in the UK. I think that may be due to the gym chains that make up a much larger slice of the market here than they do abroad. I think they'll likely be initially taken up by independent gyms or facilities that cater to athletes with a disability. Watch this space, as this will catch on faster than Spinning ever did!
So, I'm now back in full health, starting to train seriously once again and, as you can see, I'm back on the blog! For starters, if some of you had problems downloading the first of my mixed rides, I have made it available again for your downloadable pleasure!
Next ride coming soon...
Wednesday, September 30
Lose weight by changing your mind
Huh? Well, I was asked recently about weight loss and why exercise or dieting hasn't worked for some, despite all their best efforts. This got me thinking and researching how the mind is the biggest obstacle to weight loss... and to anything else we can't seem to achieve. I don't need to lecture on the power of positive thinking (check out a book called The Secret, to which Jennifer Sage introduced me) but the mind is so muddled with baggage and history that it can be hard to find a way out. You have to literally "free your mind". I had been planning a nice article but this one by Kereru Moses has done all the work for me!
Weight loss is only possible with the correct psychology
Losing weight is often a struggle but it is even more of a struggle without the right psychology. You can have all the information in the world about how to lose weight but without the right psychology to apply it, it is useless. Weight loss is only achieved by having the correct information and using that information to take action.
Having the appropriate psychology is the most important element of weight loss but is usually overlooked and underestimated. The right psychology will give you motivation, commitment, and help you to overcome obstacles, temptations and distractions. The proper psychology can also make weight loss fun, easier, more exciting and develop changes towards a healthy new lifestyle and a better quality of life.
The Right Weight Loss Psychology
First off I will start referring to a person’s psychology as a mindset. A mindset is important because it controls our behaviour, thoughts and actions. As people grow they develop habits and associations that govern their life. These habits and associations are controlled by our subconscious and people are usually unaware of them. A person’s subconscious can also sabotage their weight loss efforts. The right mindset consists of using various techniques and strategies to control your behaviour by monitoring your actions and thoughts. This will help to replace your old habits and associations with new ones that will be more beneficial.
A colleague of mine Jack Bower couldn’t understand why people moan about being overweight but wont exercise. I replied by saying that they don’t have the correct mindset. You might think that they just lack the correct information but if they had the proper motivation then they would find it. Nothing can stop someone that has a powerful mindset. People like this will always find a way no matter what obstacles they face. People that don’t lose weight have formed associations and habits that have taken control of their life and stopped them.
How do you get the correct mindset for Weight Loss ?
Developing the correct mindset is not an instant change. It will take time and constant and conscious awareness. By this I mean you will have to regularly monitor your progress and behaviour. Sometimes it will be easy and others it will require will power. On the good side there are strategies and techniques that are easy to apply. Using these techniques will give you motivation, determination, commitment and make you emotionally charged and driven to succeed. One such technique is the power of goal setting. This is one important technique that you could use to achieve your weight loss goals. Below I have listed simple guidelines to follow when goal setting.
* You have to write your goals down.
* Your goals have to be specific.
* Your goals have to have a deadline.
* Your goals have to be measurable.
* Your goals have to be achievable.
* You have to focus on your goals everyday.
* You have to have emotion behind your goals.
The best way to set a weight loss goal is to set more than one. Have one long-term goal and then break it down into smaller goals. Make some monthly and weekly goals. You can only eat an elephant one piece at a time. This is a very simple and basic overview of goal setting. There are other strategies involved that will make goal setting more efficient and make you driven to succeed.
There are also other techniques and strategies apart from goal setting which will help you develop a powerful psychology including controlling your focus, having a critical action plan, forming new associations, developing new habits and controlling you internal dialogue and self talk. This might seem complicated and a bit overwhelming but the techniques are simple and easy to use.
To lose weight you also need a nutrition plan and it is also important and highly advised to have an exercise routine. When obtaining a nutrition or exercise plan you have to make sure that the information is correct, suited for your needs and lifestyle, individualized specifically for you and your goals, is in your best interest and that the source of the information is trustworthy and creditable. Information is readily available, free and easy to obtain. However not all of this information is correct and the best. Make sure that you get your information from a trustworthy source and that they have some type of credentials or experience. If you can find this type of free information that is great but you will usually have to pay for it.
I wish you all the best with your weight loss goals and I know that if you develop a powerful psychology you will achieve your goals and success will be yours. So aim high, push the limits become all that you want to be and live the life that you want and deserve. We are not given the gift of dreams without the power to achieve them. I highly advise you to now take action and do something towards helping you achieve your weight loss goals. The sooner you start the sooner you will lose the weight. If you do not take action now to achieving your goals and developing a powerful psychology then you will put more weight on and not live the better quality of life that you deserve.
TAKE ACTION NOW!!
Weight loss is only possible with the correct psychology
Losing weight is often a struggle but it is even more of a struggle without the right psychology. You can have all the information in the world about how to lose weight but without the right psychology to apply it, it is useless. Weight loss is only achieved by having the correct information and using that information to take action.
Having the appropriate psychology is the most important element of weight loss but is usually overlooked and underestimated. The right psychology will give you motivation, commitment, and help you to overcome obstacles, temptations and distractions. The proper psychology can also make weight loss fun, easier, more exciting and develop changes towards a healthy new lifestyle and a better quality of life.
The Right Weight Loss Psychology
First off I will start referring to a person’s psychology as a mindset. A mindset is important because it controls our behaviour, thoughts and actions. As people grow they develop habits and associations that govern their life. These habits and associations are controlled by our subconscious and people are usually unaware of them. A person’s subconscious can also sabotage their weight loss efforts. The right mindset consists of using various techniques and strategies to control your behaviour by monitoring your actions and thoughts. This will help to replace your old habits and associations with new ones that will be more beneficial.
A colleague of mine Jack Bower couldn’t understand why people moan about being overweight but wont exercise. I replied by saying that they don’t have the correct mindset. You might think that they just lack the correct information but if they had the proper motivation then they would find it. Nothing can stop someone that has a powerful mindset. People like this will always find a way no matter what obstacles they face. People that don’t lose weight have formed associations and habits that have taken control of their life and stopped them.
How do you get the correct mindset for Weight Loss ?
Developing the correct mindset is not an instant change. It will take time and constant and conscious awareness. By this I mean you will have to regularly monitor your progress and behaviour. Sometimes it will be easy and others it will require will power. On the good side there are strategies and techniques that are easy to apply. Using these techniques will give you motivation, determination, commitment and make you emotionally charged and driven to succeed. One such technique is the power of goal setting. This is one important technique that you could use to achieve your weight loss goals. Below I have listed simple guidelines to follow when goal setting.
* You have to write your goals down.
* Your goals have to be specific.
* Your goals have to have a deadline.
* Your goals have to be measurable.
* Your goals have to be achievable.
* You have to focus on your goals everyday.
* You have to have emotion behind your goals.
The best way to set a weight loss goal is to set more than one. Have one long-term goal and then break it down into smaller goals. Make some monthly and weekly goals. You can only eat an elephant one piece at a time. This is a very simple and basic overview of goal setting. There are other strategies involved that will make goal setting more efficient and make you driven to succeed.
There are also other techniques and strategies apart from goal setting which will help you develop a powerful psychology including controlling your focus, having a critical action plan, forming new associations, developing new habits and controlling you internal dialogue and self talk. This might seem complicated and a bit overwhelming but the techniques are simple and easy to use.
To lose weight you also need a nutrition plan and it is also important and highly advised to have an exercise routine. When obtaining a nutrition or exercise plan you have to make sure that the information is correct, suited for your needs and lifestyle, individualized specifically for you and your goals, is in your best interest and that the source of the information is trustworthy and creditable. Information is readily available, free and easy to obtain. However not all of this information is correct and the best. Make sure that you get your information from a trustworthy source and that they have some type of credentials or experience. If you can find this type of free information that is great but you will usually have to pay for it.
I wish you all the best with your weight loss goals and I know that if you develop a powerful psychology you will achieve your goals and success will be yours. So aim high, push the limits become all that you want to be and live the life that you want and deserve. We are not given the gift of dreams without the power to achieve them. I highly advise you to now take action and do something towards helping you achieve your weight loss goals. The sooner you start the sooner you will lose the weight. If you do not take action now to achieving your goals and developing a powerful psychology then you will put more weight on and not live the better quality of life that you deserve.
TAKE ACTION NOW!!
Wednesday, September 16
Group exercise makes you happy!
Two posts in one day... making up for lost time! I saw this article on the BBC News website, which is very relevant to anyone wondering the purpose of group exercise and whether they'd be better off going solo:
Group exercise "boosts happiness"
Exercising together appears to increase the level of the feel-good endorphin hormones naturally released during physical exertion, a study suggests.
A team from Oxford University carried out tests on 12 rowers after a vigorous workout in a virtual boat. Those who trained alone withstood less pain - a key measure of endorphins - than those who exercised together. Writing in Biology Letters, the authors speculate these hormones may underpin an array of communal activities.
It has long been known that physical exertion releases endorphins and that these are responsible for the sometimes euphoric sensations experienced after exercising. They have a protective effect against pain. But researchers from Oxford University's Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology found this response was heightened by the synergistic effect of rowing together.
After 45 minutes of either rowing separately or in a team of six, the researchers measured their pain threshold by how long they could tolerate an inflated blood pressure cuff on the arm. Exercise increased both groups' ability to tolerate pain, but the difference was significantly more pronounced among the team rowers. This, they said, was a measure of an increased endorphin release.
As well as potentially improving performance in sport, the researchers speculated that this endorphin release may be the mechanism that underpins the sense of communal belonging that emerges from activities such as religious rituals, dancing or laughing.
"The results suggest that endorphin release is significantly greater in group training than in individual training even when power output, or physical exertion, remains constant," said lead author Emma Cohen. "The exact features of group activity that generate this effect are unknown, but this study contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that synchronised, coordinated physical activity may be responsible."
Carole Seheult, a sport and exercise psychologist from the British Psychological Society, said the findings were entirely credible. "Rowing is a sport which requires real team work and endorphins could well foster that process. But more generally we know from experience that exercising in groups is good for people at many levels, it's motivational, it's social. Groups sessions really do work."
Group exercise "boosts happiness"
Exercising together appears to increase the level of the feel-good endorphin hormones naturally released during physical exertion, a study suggests.
A team from Oxford University carried out tests on 12 rowers after a vigorous workout in a virtual boat. Those who trained alone withstood less pain - a key measure of endorphins - than those who exercised together. Writing in Biology Letters, the authors speculate these hormones may underpin an array of communal activities.
It has long been known that physical exertion releases endorphins and that these are responsible for the sometimes euphoric sensations experienced after exercising. They have a protective effect against pain. But researchers from Oxford University's Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology found this response was heightened by the synergistic effect of rowing together.
After 45 minutes of either rowing separately or in a team of six, the researchers measured their pain threshold by how long they could tolerate an inflated blood pressure cuff on the arm. Exercise increased both groups' ability to tolerate pain, but the difference was significantly more pronounced among the team rowers. This, they said, was a measure of an increased endorphin release.
As well as potentially improving performance in sport, the researchers speculated that this endorphin release may be the mechanism that underpins the sense of communal belonging that emerges from activities such as religious rituals, dancing or laughing.
"The results suggest that endorphin release is significantly greater in group training than in individual training even when power output, or physical exertion, remains constant," said lead author Emma Cohen. "The exact features of group activity that generate this effect are unknown, but this study contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that synchronised, coordinated physical activity may be responsible."
Carole Seheult, a sport and exercise psychologist from the British Psychological Society, said the findings were entirely credible. "Rowing is a sport which requires real team work and endorphins could well foster that process. But more generally we know from experience that exercising in groups is good for people at many levels, it's motivational, it's social. Groups sessions really do work."
One thing after another...
OK, so I've not posted for a while. It has been a strange old year, nothing like a bit of excitement to keep you on your toes, eh? After a relaxing three-week (cycling, of course) break in southern France, I came back home full of resolution to tackle my ever-lengthening to-do list.
I was really getting stuck into it, making good progress and enjoying the thrill (OK, so I'm weird) of crossing out yet another task to be completed, when the worst thing that could happen to a cyclist happened... I slipped off a set of stairs, landed badly and tore my ankle tendons and sprained the ligaments too.
It swelled up enough that my foot was unrecognisable as such; luckily, it's gone down enough for me to wear socks and shoes but now the bruising's come up and turned my foot into something that would make children cry. I'm still on crutches (well, one of them) although I can at least stand on both feet and walk with a limp.
The indications are that it'll take 6-8 weeks to recover and longer to rebuild full strength and mobility. So I guess I won't be running before December, then... but hopefully back on the bike soon.
I was really getting stuck into it, making good progress and enjoying the thrill (OK, so I'm weird) of crossing out yet another task to be completed, when the worst thing that could happen to a cyclist happened... I slipped off a set of stairs, landed badly and tore my ankle tendons and sprained the ligaments too.
It swelled up enough that my foot was unrecognisable as such; luckily, it's gone down enough for me to wear socks and shoes but now the bruising's come up and turned my foot into something that would make children cry. I'm still on crutches (well, one of them) although I can at least stand on both feet and walk with a limp.
The indications are that it'll take 6-8 weeks to recover and longer to rebuild full strength and mobility. So I guess I won't be running before December, then... but hopefully back on the bike soon.
Wednesday, January 7
Colour zones - what's that all about?
I've been asked a few times about this in my classes and alluded to it in my previous post - why am I using colours to indicate heart rate zones and levels of effort?
I've always referred to the "red line", your lactate threshold (LT), and the red zone beyond it, where all effort is doomed to be short-term due to its intensity. This is where oxygen is in short supply, breathing is uncontrolled, lactate is accumulating rapidly, legs start burning and we're all waiting for the instructor to tell us we only have 5 seconds left, because that's all we feel we can do. Definitely "red"... as in red alert!
While I was in Miami attending the Kranking seminars and workshops, Johnny G & Co. explained that they used colours to represent HR zones, as this was more easily interpreted by the members than numbers and percentages. Initially, I didn't see a problem, as I like numbers - I've always been more logical than arty. But, having taken part in a Power Kranking session, I could see how the concept really worked in practice. The colours become an indication of your state of being - not working, relaxed, comfortable work, uncomfortable, panic stations - and were more easily communicated by the instructor and, for my part, more easily assimilated when focusing on the task at hand.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
This concept was so simple and yet practical, that I resolved to introduce it into my Spinning rides. So, here are the colour zones, highest to lowest:
RED - approx 85% to 95+% of MHR - above LT
YELLOW - 75% to 85% MHR - the uncomfortable Strength zone in Spinning
GREEN - 65% to 75% MHR - the more comfortable Endurance zone
BLUE - 55% - 65% MHR - the relaxed Recovery zone
GREY - below 55% MHR - warm-up and cool-down only!
These zones worked even better when combined with a Suunto or Activio HRM system. This is where everyone is given a heart rate monitor strap and their data is transmitted to a central system that projects their HR on a large screen. Everyone is given a nickname, so there's no "naming and shaming" - only the individual knows whether they're really working hard enough, not recovering, etc. The Suunto system was used by the Kranking team and this also gave a clear block of colour along with the percentage of MHR. Not tried the Activio system yet but will use it this weekend, as the Pedal Studio has it.
So, next time you hear me asking you to bring your effort down into the blue zone, it doesn't mean I want you to enter a walk-in freezer!
I've always referred to the "red line", your lactate threshold (LT), and the red zone beyond it, where all effort is doomed to be short-term due to its intensity. This is where oxygen is in short supply, breathing is uncontrolled, lactate is accumulating rapidly, legs start burning and we're all waiting for the instructor to tell us we only have 5 seconds left, because that's all we feel we can do. Definitely "red"... as in red alert!
While I was in Miami attending the Kranking seminars and workshops, Johnny G & Co. explained that they used colours to represent HR zones, as this was more easily interpreted by the members than numbers and percentages. Initially, I didn't see a problem, as I like numbers - I've always been more logical than arty. But, having taken part in a Power Kranking session, I could see how the concept really worked in practice. The colours become an indication of your state of being - not working, relaxed, comfortable work, uncomfortable, panic stations - and were more easily communicated by the instructor and, for my part, more easily assimilated when focusing on the task at hand.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
This concept was so simple and yet practical, that I resolved to introduce it into my Spinning rides. So, here are the colour zones, highest to lowest:
RED - approx 85% to 95+% of MHR - above LT
YELLOW - 75% to 85% MHR - the uncomfortable Strength zone in Spinning
GREEN - 65% to 75% MHR - the more comfortable Endurance zone
BLUE - 55% - 65% MHR - the relaxed Recovery zone
GREY - below 55% MHR - warm-up and cool-down only!
These zones worked even better when combined with a Suunto or Activio HRM system. This is where everyone is given a heart rate monitor strap and their data is transmitted to a central system that projects their HR on a large screen. Everyone is given a nickname, so there's no "naming and shaming" - only the individual knows whether they're really working hard enough, not recovering, etc. The Suunto system was used by the Kranking team and this also gave a clear block of colour along with the percentage of MHR. Not tried the Activio system yet but will use it this weekend, as the Pedal Studio has it.
So, next time you hear me asking you to bring your effort down into the blue zone, it doesn't mean I want you to enter a walk-in freezer!
Saturday, January 3
It's only just begun...
...and I've already mapped out my activities for 2009! I thought, when I left my desk job, that I'd have to do a "proper job" at some point but it looks like I'll be so busy that I'll be getting complaints from my riders that I'm always going "on holiday" instead of Spinning with them! If you're interested or would like to join me on any of the following, here's my list for the year (so far - there may be more!):
February
ECA convention in New York in the last week, mostly Spinning with Josh Taylor, Jennifer Sage and Iona Passik. Will also do some Kranking at one of the gyms with Krankcycles.
March
I'll still be in New York for the first week, doing a bit of tourism with my mother, some more Kranking if I can fit it in. I've been to New York eight times for work, this will be the first time as a camera-happy tourist. This time, I won't go anywhere near the UN, I may get asked to do some work!
April
Spending the last week at FIBO, a fitness trade show in Essen, Germany. I'll be joining the Kranking family to demo the Krankcycles and, hopefully, become a fully-fledged trainer. Apparently, they'll be taking orders for the Krankcycles but Rick and I are planning on bringing back home two of the demo cycles.
May
On the first weekend, I'll be cycling in the Alps with Rob (who, usefully, owns a chalet in Valmenier). A season opener, first taste of the Alps.
The second weekend sees me in Hemsby, as I did last year, for Schwinn Revolution - 14 rides over the weekend and good endurance training.
Then I'll be in France and Italy with Jennifer Sage and a group of lucky riders, as we ride in the French Alps, catching the Giro d'Italia as it goes over the Izoard on its way to Sestriere, before moving to Tuscany and catching two of the stages in and out of Florence.
As soon as I come back from that, it's time to start packing and head out to Miami for the annual WSSC spinning convention. Aside from the heaps of ideas I hope to pick up, I'm looking forward to meeting my online friends on the lobby couch (apparently, it's the designated meeting area for us!).
June
Not definite yet but I've been asked to be a guest instructor in Jamaica, so it would be ideal to do this on the back of Miami, maybe spending 3-4 days of rest on the beach before a weekend of special rides.
July
Another busy month starts with the Marmotte on the first weekend.
Then, hopefully, it will be joining Jennifer for another week-long cycle tour in the Pyrenees, again catching a stage of the Tour de France.
Should a second cycle tour in the Alps go ahead, we'll have some days in between the two, so Jennifer and I can research some rides and ride the Ventoux (depending on how I feel after the Marmotte, I may attempt the Cingles de Ventoux)
The second tour would see us riding with another group in the Alps and Provence, catching what hopefully will be Lance Armstrong racing to victory and the maillot jaune on the Ventoux.
August
After a couple of weeks of normality, it's time to head out to France again, this time for a "proper" holiday. A couple of weeks at my mum's holiday home in Languedoc will end with me riding the Laurent Jalabert sportive - shorter and with not as much climbing as the Marmotte but that might make it tougher (no holding back if it's only 130km!).
September
I've got nothing penned in for the month, so I may look to ride one of the remaining races... just to make sure I don't get lazy!
October
There may be another Schwinn event, so that would keep me happy for the month.
Another possibility is to ride one of the autumn Classics in France or Belgium.
November
ECA Miami anyone? If anything, it'll be an excuse for some warmth on a cold month in the UK.
December
Rest! I think I'll need it...
February
ECA convention in New York in the last week, mostly Spinning with Josh Taylor, Jennifer Sage and Iona Passik. Will also do some Kranking at one of the gyms with Krankcycles.
March
I'll still be in New York for the first week, doing a bit of tourism with my mother, some more Kranking if I can fit it in. I've been to New York eight times for work, this will be the first time as a camera-happy tourist. This time, I won't go anywhere near the UN, I may get asked to do some work!
April
Spending the last week at FIBO, a fitness trade show in Essen, Germany. I'll be joining the Kranking family to demo the Krankcycles and, hopefully, become a fully-fledged trainer. Apparently, they'll be taking orders for the Krankcycles but Rick and I are planning on bringing back home two of the demo cycles.
May
On the first weekend, I'll be cycling in the Alps with Rob (who, usefully, owns a chalet in Valmenier). A season opener, first taste of the Alps.
The second weekend sees me in Hemsby, as I did last year, for Schwinn Revolution - 14 rides over the weekend and good endurance training.
Then I'll be in France and Italy with Jennifer Sage and a group of lucky riders, as we ride in the French Alps, catching the Giro d'Italia as it goes over the Izoard on its way to Sestriere, before moving to Tuscany and catching two of the stages in and out of Florence.
As soon as I come back from that, it's time to start packing and head out to Miami for the annual WSSC spinning convention. Aside from the heaps of ideas I hope to pick up, I'm looking forward to meeting my online friends on the lobby couch (apparently, it's the designated meeting area for us!).
June
Not definite yet but I've been asked to be a guest instructor in Jamaica, so it would be ideal to do this on the back of Miami, maybe spending 3-4 days of rest on the beach before a weekend of special rides.
July
Another busy month starts with the Marmotte on the first weekend.
Then, hopefully, it will be joining Jennifer for another week-long cycle tour in the Pyrenees, again catching a stage of the Tour de France.
Should a second cycle tour in the Alps go ahead, we'll have some days in between the two, so Jennifer and I can research some rides and ride the Ventoux (depending on how I feel after the Marmotte, I may attempt the Cingles de Ventoux)
The second tour would see us riding with another group in the Alps and Provence, catching what hopefully will be Lance Armstrong racing to victory and the maillot jaune on the Ventoux.
August
After a couple of weeks of normality, it's time to head out to France again, this time for a "proper" holiday. A couple of weeks at my mum's holiday home in Languedoc will end with me riding the Laurent Jalabert sportive - shorter and with not as much climbing as the Marmotte but that might make it tougher (no holding back if it's only 130km!).
September
I've got nothing penned in for the month, so I may look to ride one of the remaining races... just to make sure I don't get lazy!
October
There may be another Schwinn event, so that would keep me happy for the month.
Another possibility is to ride one of the autumn Classics in France or Belgium.
November
ECA Miami anyone? If anything, it'll be an excuse for some warmth on a cold month in the UK.
December
Rest! I think I'll need it...
Thursday, October 23
I'm sure they make it up as they go along...
A while ago I opened a thread on Pedal-On about a blog I'd found that had me in hysterics but for all the wrong reasons. Today, I had reason to refer to it so I thought I'd put here my original post.
I came across this site while browsing other blogs. I'm not one to overly-criticise other people's technique unless clearly unsafe but this certainly caught my eye!
"Purpose: strengthening and toning the hamstrings, glutes, and butt. First, add a lot of tension on your bike. Then a bit more. This set is not about fast legs, but about form, technique, and isolation of the hammies/glutes/butt. (already looking suspect) Then rest on your forearms. (here we go...) Lean forward forward as far as possible and get into a comfortable position. (did he say comfortable???) Most of your weight should be supported by your forearms resting on the handlebars. (WHY?? Why do something so utterly stupid?)
Next, thrust your hips back as far as possible, “Like you have to go to the bathroom in the desert and you are afraid a snake might bite you.” Thrust ‘em back! Then, mentally, make sure you are landing on your toes. Lasly, lift your butt up as high as possible. “Moon the moon!” Your goal is to try and get your butt higher than your shoulders. Even if you cannot do this, aim for it. In sum, you are leaning forward, hips back, butt up. (WTF ?)
Focus on keeping that butt-up! It takes 30-45 secs to explain this (try a 2-hour lecture on biomechanics) to the class and to have everyone get into proper position. When they do, remind them to breathe slowly and deeply and to keep the butt up! Climb like this for 3-5 minutes. You should feel a bit of a pain (really?) behind each of your kneecaps which will slowly crawl up the hamstrings and settle in your lower butt. Pain is good! (only if you inflict it on someone else, I bet!) Halfway through the set, carefully have the class increase the tension. (so I presume they take one of their load-bearing arms off the handlebars to do this?) Remind them of maintaining proper form (hahahaha - unintentional irony!) — lean forward, hips back, butt above the shoulders. It is easy to get tired and sloppy with this set. When you are done, your bootie and hammies should feel like they have been thrashed… in a good way! "
You can see the replies on Pedal-On in the thread here.
I think I would truly want to hit him if he ever tried this in a class in which I was participating. Yet, people think he's "awesome" - perhaps meaning to say "awful"....
I came across this site while browsing other blogs. I'm not one to overly-criticise other people's technique unless clearly unsafe but this certainly caught my eye!
"Purpose: strengthening and toning the hamstrings, glutes, and butt. First, add a lot of tension on your bike. Then a bit more. This set is not about fast legs, but about form, technique, and isolation of the hammies/glutes/butt. (already looking suspect) Then rest on your forearms. (here we go...) Lean forward forward as far as possible and get into a comfortable position. (did he say comfortable???) Most of your weight should be supported by your forearms resting on the handlebars. (WHY?? Why do something so utterly stupid?)
Next, thrust your hips back as far as possible, “Like you have to go to the bathroom in the desert and you are afraid a snake might bite you.” Thrust ‘em back! Then, mentally, make sure you are landing on your toes. Lasly, lift your butt up as high as possible. “Moon the moon!” Your goal is to try and get your butt higher than your shoulders. Even if you cannot do this, aim for it. In sum, you are leaning forward, hips back, butt up. (WTF ?)
Focus on keeping that butt-up! It takes 30-45 secs to explain this (try a 2-hour lecture on biomechanics) to the class and to have everyone get into proper position. When they do, remind them to breathe slowly and deeply and to keep the butt up! Climb like this for 3-5 minutes. You should feel a bit of a pain (really?) behind each of your kneecaps which will slowly crawl up the hamstrings and settle in your lower butt. Pain is good! (only if you inflict it on someone else, I bet!) Halfway through the set, carefully have the class increase the tension. (so I presume they take one of their load-bearing arms off the handlebars to do this?) Remind them of maintaining proper form (hahahaha - unintentional irony!) — lean forward, hips back, butt above the shoulders. It is easy to get tired and sloppy with this set. When you are done, your bootie and hammies should feel like they have been thrashed… in a good way! "
You can see the replies on Pedal-On in the thread here.
I think I would truly want to hit him if he ever tried this in a class in which I was participating. Yet, people think he's "awesome" - perhaps meaning to say "awful"....
Thursday, September 11
Normal service will resume shortly...
A combination of factors have kept me away for the past month but I will be back soon with a flood of posts about the Olympics, Lance's return to cycling, the myths about the credit crunch, and anything else I feel I need to share with you!
Since my last post, I've been taking a break in France... err... cycling! OK, so not much of a break but it was away from the volume of classes, irregular eating habits, lack of sleep, oh and the so-called summer in the UK. I think the sun is boycotting the UK for crimes against the environment!
When I got back, I got through ten Spinning classes in three days - that, and the shock of the 15c drop in temperature, I think were responsible for falling ill. Nothing serious but constantly dehydrated, headaches, dizzyness... all the signs of a bout of influenza but without the sniffles. Let this be a lesson on the woes of over-training: rest is as (if not more) important than exercise. Our bodies have a way of giving us a good kick if we ignore the signs of distress!
Once I had a break in my schedule, I managed to rest up enough to recover properly but that's when my internet connection slowed to a crawl... about 4kps, rather than 4Mbps! It was a good reminder of how slow dial-up used to be in the days before the internet caught on (approx 1995-96) and to realise how far we've come in just over ten years. Never really resolved why it was so but so long as it stays at this century's speeds, then I'm happy.
Touch wood, everything seems to be back to normal now - time to start catching up on all the things I put off while feeling sorry for myself.
Ciao for now!
Since my last post, I've been taking a break in France... err... cycling! OK, so not much of a break but it was away from the volume of classes, irregular eating habits, lack of sleep, oh and the so-called summer in the UK. I think the sun is boycotting the UK for crimes against the environment!
When I got back, I got through ten Spinning classes in three days - that, and the shock of the 15c drop in temperature, I think were responsible for falling ill. Nothing serious but constantly dehydrated, headaches, dizzyness... all the signs of a bout of influenza but without the sniffles. Let this be a lesson on the woes of over-training: rest is as (if not more) important than exercise. Our bodies have a way of giving us a good kick if we ignore the signs of distress!
Once I had a break in my schedule, I managed to rest up enough to recover properly but that's when my internet connection slowed to a crawl... about 4kps, rather than 4Mbps! It was a good reminder of how slow dial-up used to be in the days before the internet caught on (approx 1995-96) and to realise how far we've come in just over ten years. Never really resolved why it was so but so long as it stays at this century's speeds, then I'm happy.
Touch wood, everything seems to be back to normal now - time to start catching up on all the things I put off while feeling sorry for myself.
Ciao for now!
Saturday, July 19
The art of sprinting
If you've been watching the Tour or, especially for readers in the UK, read the sports pages of a newspaper, you will have marvelled at just how good a sprinter Mark Cavendish really is. Four victories in a single Tour are a rarity and, in someone so young (23), truly awesome - he's already proving to have more potential than Mario Cipollini and Alessandro Petacchi. If this, combined with the British cyclists ruling the sport at the moment, don't instigate interest in the media and the population at large, then cycling as a sport is doomed to play second fiddle to other sports at which... well, we suck.
Anyway, back to sprinting. I've been asked a lot lately about it - why I don't do it in my classes, what it really should be like, proper technique and how to improve it. Well, let's start with what sprinting is NOT - it's not about how fast your legs are moving. Many instructors will ask their members to pick up their leg speed to 130+rpm, some even asking them to pedal as quickly as possible, resulting in a flurry of uncontrolled and pointless activity. Many members like these "sprints" as they feel as if they're working really hard. Absolute tosh - they're doing the equivalent of pedalling downhill, as they will have insufficient resistance to apply any power to the pedals. In fact, it's so pointless that the freewheel was invented to allow us to relax while the wheels go ever faster downhill. Work is measured in power output - no resistance, no power... no matter how fast you pedal. Therefore, no resistance, no work. The key elements of a sprint are power, acceleration and a high cadence.
Too many novice riders will put their chain into the highest gear and then try to accelerate - this is a very slow build up, although it'll feel very macho. Instead, they should be using a slightly lower gear to accelerate faster to a high cadence (95-110rpm), then shift to a higher gear and raise the cadence again. With practice comes knowledge of exactly which gear is best suited for a top-level effort - it's not ideal to have to change gears 3-4 times in a sprint! Say you know you can handle 110rpm at a gear that's 9 (out of 10) - your fast pace before your sprint should be in gear 7, shifting to gear 8 once the sprint starts (when you "kick") and then up to 9 once cadence has reached 110rpm. Keeping your feet moving fast is the key to being able to accelerate quickly and the ideal situation is one where you do not reach your maximum cadence until the finish line - gear 9 at 110rpm on the final few seconds. If your legs are moving too quickly or top cadence achieved too soon, you have underestimated your power output and will begin to lose ground (unless you shift up yet again).
As for power output, it's a difficult point to illustrate unless you have power meters on your bike. The maths, however, is rather simple. Imagine what some instructors refer to as "sprints": 130rpm at gear 2. Say this gives 130 watts of power output. To a bystander, looking at the fast cadences, will think it amazing that anyone can work so hard! However, the equivalent in a proper sprint and all-out effort of gear 9 at 110rpm would be around 500 watts. How does that translate? Well, imagine your driving a Fiat Cinquecento at full speed... as you're overtaken by a Ferrari at full speed. Which car will win in a true sprint finish? Which is pushing out more power, more work? Which is using more fuel? Sounds negative for the Ferrari but, in humans, fuel = calories, so wouldn't you rather be using more of that fuel?
In my classes, I've only ever taught surges, accelerations on a hill and short bursts of extra effort - they are sprints of sorts, in that they require the sort of intense effort detailed above. However, the effort required to perform a sprint similar to those of Mark Cavendish, Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, et al, would require a jump from 500W to over 2000W... beyond the realm of indoor bikes, let alone the capabilities of the riders - but that doesn't mean we can't do our best!
PS - if you have Keiser M3 bikes in your gym, fitted with a power meter, and have wondered what it would take to beat Mark Cavendish... imagine a climb at 60rpm at the highest gear (24). Then it's time to begin your sprint: with that same gear you bring your cadence up to 110rpm!
PPS - don't try it at home and certainly not unsupervised. Oh, and don't blame me if you can't walk afterwards....
Anyway, back to sprinting. I've been asked a lot lately about it - why I don't do it in my classes, what it really should be like, proper technique and how to improve it. Well, let's start with what sprinting is NOT - it's not about how fast your legs are moving. Many instructors will ask their members to pick up their leg speed to 130+rpm, some even asking them to pedal as quickly as possible, resulting in a flurry of uncontrolled and pointless activity. Many members like these "sprints" as they feel as if they're working really hard. Absolute tosh - they're doing the equivalent of pedalling downhill, as they will have insufficient resistance to apply any power to the pedals. In fact, it's so pointless that the freewheel was invented to allow us to relax while the wheels go ever faster downhill. Work is measured in power output - no resistance, no power... no matter how fast you pedal. Therefore, no resistance, no work. The key elements of a sprint are power, acceleration and a high cadence.
Too many novice riders will put their chain into the highest gear and then try to accelerate - this is a very slow build up, although it'll feel very macho. Instead, they should be using a slightly lower gear to accelerate faster to a high cadence (95-110rpm), then shift to a higher gear and raise the cadence again. With practice comes knowledge of exactly which gear is best suited for a top-level effort - it's not ideal to have to change gears 3-4 times in a sprint! Say you know you can handle 110rpm at a gear that's 9 (out of 10) - your fast pace before your sprint should be in gear 7, shifting to gear 8 once the sprint starts (when you "kick") and then up to 9 once cadence has reached 110rpm. Keeping your feet moving fast is the key to being able to accelerate quickly and the ideal situation is one where you do not reach your maximum cadence until the finish line - gear 9 at 110rpm on the final few seconds. If your legs are moving too quickly or top cadence achieved too soon, you have underestimated your power output and will begin to lose ground (unless you shift up yet again).
As for power output, it's a difficult point to illustrate unless you have power meters on your bike. The maths, however, is rather simple. Imagine what some instructors refer to as "sprints": 130rpm at gear 2. Say this gives 130 watts of power output. To a bystander, looking at the fast cadences, will think it amazing that anyone can work so hard! However, the equivalent in a proper sprint and all-out effort of gear 9 at 110rpm would be around 500 watts. How does that translate? Well, imagine your driving a Fiat Cinquecento at full speed... as you're overtaken by a Ferrari at full speed. Which car will win in a true sprint finish? Which is pushing out more power, more work? Which is using more fuel? Sounds negative for the Ferrari but, in humans, fuel = calories, so wouldn't you rather be using more of that fuel?
In my classes, I've only ever taught surges, accelerations on a hill and short bursts of extra effort - they are sprints of sorts, in that they require the sort of intense effort detailed above. However, the effort required to perform a sprint similar to those of Mark Cavendish, Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, et al, would require a jump from 500W to over 2000W... beyond the realm of indoor bikes, let alone the capabilities of the riders - but that doesn't mean we can't do our best!
PS - if you have Keiser M3 bikes in your gym, fitted with a power meter, and have wondered what it would take to beat Mark Cavendish... imagine a climb at 60rpm at the highest gear (24). Then it's time to begin your sprint: with that same gear you bring your cadence up to 110rpm!
PPS - don't try it at home and certainly not unsupervised. Oh, and don't blame me if you can't walk afterwards....
Thursday, May 22
Why did I quit my job?
I've been asked many times lately why I left my cushy 9-to-5 desk job in central government, especially given the perks the job entails: flexible working and hours, final salary pension, and no chance of ever losing my job unless I murdered my boss (even then, probably only if it happened on government premises!). I always believed that one of four things must be present to stay in a job: good money, good prospects, good working environment (location, people, etc.), good work. Government has never been a place to make money - unless you're a consultant - and prospects were minimal given budget cuts. The environment had been steadily getting worse and the work that I loved doing (protecting the international environment) had been taken away from me.
As I was looking around for options - transfer to another post, Department, job, even country - the opportunity to take voluntary redundancy came up. They offered me just under £30K to leave. I had calculated my basic spend including mortgage payments and, with the income I was getting from my regular Spinning classes, the money would be enough to last me another ten years. Well worth the risk, given I had ten years to get my fitness business profitable before having to get another job. So they showed me the money, I took it and left without turning back. Ultimately, the choice was about my state of mind... my happiness, if you will. That has no price, in my book - I'm just lucky I had the opportunity to make a break for it and to be in a position to afford it.
After I left, I saw this video - it touched all the right buttons, as it was exactly how I was feeling every day. If you have the opportunity, don't hesitate to make that change - a life not lived is worse than no life at all.
Not loading? Click here!
As I was looking around for options - transfer to another post, Department, job, even country - the opportunity to take voluntary redundancy came up. They offered me just under £30K to leave. I had calculated my basic spend including mortgage payments and, with the income I was getting from my regular Spinning classes, the money would be enough to last me another ten years. Well worth the risk, given I had ten years to get my fitness business profitable before having to get another job. So they showed me the money, I took it and left without turning back. Ultimately, the choice was about my state of mind... my happiness, if you will. That has no price, in my book - I'm just lucky I had the opportunity to make a break for it and to be in a position to afford it.
After I left, I saw this video - it touched all the right buttons, as it was exactly how I was feeling every day. If you have the opportunity, don't hesitate to make that change - a life not lived is worse than no life at all.
Not loading? Click here!
Wednesday, May 21
Light at the end of the tunnel
It's been a frustrating but illuminating fortnight.
I was in relatively bad shape after the accident and found it difficult to do the simplest of things, like sleeping, getting changed and eating. So I was pretty angry at having put in this situation through no fault of my own. That said, I consider myself lucky to have got away so lightly considering the violent impact - if I hadn't had the cyclists' instinct to sweep the back wheel and spread the force of the impact by side-swiping the car, I would've gone flying and landed fairly hard, probably with far worse injuries. A shoulder blade can heal quickly, a broken neck less so (if at all).
Those who aren't cyclists may find this shocking but, despite the fractured shoulder blade, I was able to ride a Spinning bike a few days after the accident. One-handed, though, with the other arm in a tight sling - not to be recommended if you don't have strong core muscles to keep you balanced! I found the aerobic exercise (i.e., not pushing myself too hard) improved my state of being by getting rid of toxins that had built up as a result of the accident. I guess the fresh oxygen carried around the bloodstream helped to flush away waste by-products, improve muscle tone and flexibility, and repair tissue damage. It was also good for my state of mind - I refuse to be a victim of circumstances and have to feel like I'm doing something to improve my situation.
I was still unable to put on a standard cycling jersey, though, as I was (and still am) unable to lift my arm up - only a full-zip would do. Luckily, I had gone on a planned trip to France the week after the accident, which allowed me time to rest and recuperate in the sun (I was so lucky with the weather). I can recommend sun therapy to anyone with an injury - it speeds up the healing process no end. It also gives you a great tan! I also managed to buy some full-zip jerseys out there - they're rarer than titanium here, I guess because it's a mountain climber's jersey (there are no long climbs in the UK) and it never gets warm enough here to have to open them fully!
After I came back, it was time to prepare for the Schwinn Revolution - could I ride a bike for long periods of time? I had an opportunity to find out, as I was due to teach a class before the event. I would have to ride with both arms, as riding one-handed would strain my back through over-compensation. While in France, I had done some home-made physiotherapy to improve my range of movement, so I was able to put my bad arm on the handlebars even if I could not put too much pressure on it. By adjusting my position on the bike (not my usual, ideal position) I was able to ride without needing to lean forwards or put weight on my arms. So I knew that I could at least ride the Schwinn event, even if I could not "go for it".
Did I go for it? Find out in my next post!
I was in relatively bad shape after the accident and found it difficult to do the simplest of things, like sleeping, getting changed and eating. So I was pretty angry at having put in this situation through no fault of my own. That said, I consider myself lucky to have got away so lightly considering the violent impact - if I hadn't had the cyclists' instinct to sweep the back wheel and spread the force of the impact by side-swiping the car, I would've gone flying and landed fairly hard, probably with far worse injuries. A shoulder blade can heal quickly, a broken neck less so (if at all).
Those who aren't cyclists may find this shocking but, despite the fractured shoulder blade, I was able to ride a Spinning bike a few days after the accident. One-handed, though, with the other arm in a tight sling - not to be recommended if you don't have strong core muscles to keep you balanced! I found the aerobic exercise (i.e., not pushing myself too hard) improved my state of being by getting rid of toxins that had built up as a result of the accident. I guess the fresh oxygen carried around the bloodstream helped to flush away waste by-products, improve muscle tone and flexibility, and repair tissue damage. It was also good for my state of mind - I refuse to be a victim of circumstances and have to feel like I'm doing something to improve my situation.
I was still unable to put on a standard cycling jersey, though, as I was (and still am) unable to lift my arm up - only a full-zip would do. Luckily, I had gone on a planned trip to France the week after the accident, which allowed me time to rest and recuperate in the sun (I was so lucky with the weather). I can recommend sun therapy to anyone with an injury - it speeds up the healing process no end. It also gives you a great tan! I also managed to buy some full-zip jerseys out there - they're rarer than titanium here, I guess because it's a mountain climber's jersey (there are no long climbs in the UK) and it never gets warm enough here to have to open them fully!
After I came back, it was time to prepare for the Schwinn Revolution - could I ride a bike for long periods of time? I had an opportunity to find out, as I was due to teach a class before the event. I would have to ride with both arms, as riding one-handed would strain my back through over-compensation. While in France, I had done some home-made physiotherapy to improve my range of movement, so I was able to put my bad arm on the handlebars even if I could not put too much pressure on it. By adjusting my position on the bike (not my usual, ideal position) I was able to ride without needing to lean forwards or put weight on my arms. So I knew that I could at least ride the Schwinn event, even if I could not "go for it".
Did I go for it? Find out in my next post!
Sunday, April 6
Post-exercise sauna
Exposure to heat is widely used as a traditional therapy in many different cultures but does it really have the benefits we would associate with it (improved circulation, stronger heart, etc.)? I recently came across some old (2001, 2004 and 2006) medical papers on the benefits of saunas - the first looked at the benefits to patients with coronary risk factors, the second at how regular sauna use reduces stress factors and the third at the effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of athletes.
In the first study, 25 men with at least one coronary risk factor and 10 healthy men without coronary risk factors were enrolled. Patients in the risk group were treated with a dry sauna for 15 min and then kept in a bed covered with blankets for 30 min once a day for two weeks. They found that the repeated sauna treatment improves impaired vascular endothelial function in the setting of coronary risk factors, suggesting a therapeutic role for sauna treatment in patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis.
For the second paper, 28 subjects with at least one coronary risk factor participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to either the sauna group or the non-sauna group. As in the first study, subjects in the sauna group were placed supine in a dry sauna for 15 minutes. After the sauna, they rested on a bed with a blanket for 30 minutes. This occurred once a day for two weeks. Subjects in the non-sauna group were placed in supine position at room temperature for 45 minutes a day for two weeks.
The coronary risk factors measured were body weight, heart rate, blood pressure, hematocrit, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting plama glucose and urinary 8-Epi-Prostaglandin F2a (a marker of oxidative stress). All subjects were admitted to the same hospital and ate the same meals throughout the two-week study period. On admission and after two weeks, urine samples were taken after an overnight fast.
Results of the study showed that repeated sauna therapy significantly reduces levels of urinary 8-Epi-Prostaglandin F2a, a marker of oxidative stress, or destruction caused by free radicals, which may lead to diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, according to recent research. Systolic blood pressure in the sauna group had also decreased significantly after two weeks and it was significantly lower than that of the non-sauna group. The authors suggested a combination of diet, exercise and repeated sauna therapy as the best method for preventing lifestyle-related diseases, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus. The good news is that repeated sauna therapy can be used even for patients who are unable to exercise, e.g., due to injury.
I then wondered whether these beneficial effects could be used for improving athletic performance, which led me to find the third study (good old Google!). They performed a cross-over study in which six male distance runners completed three weeks of post-training sauna bathing and 3 weeks of control training, with a 3-week washout. During the sauna period, subjects sat in a humid sauna immediately post-exercise for 30 mins. The performance test was a 15-min treadmill run to exhaustion at the runner's current best speed over 5 km. The test was performed on the 1st and 2nd day following completion of the sauna and control periods, and the times were averaged.
Plasma, red-cell and total blood volume were measured immediately prior to the first run to exhaustion for each period. Relative to control, sauna bathing increased run time to exhaustion by 32%, which is equivalent to an enhancement of 1.9% in an endurance time trial. Plasma and red-cell volumes increased by 7.1% and 3.5% respectively, after sauna relative to control. Change in performance had high correlations with change in plasma volume and total blood volume, although the correlation with change in red-cell volume was unclear. They concluded that the physiological adaptations to 3 weeks of post-exercise sauna bathing produced a worthwhile enhancement of endurance running performance, probably by increasing blood volume.
So which is better - dry or humid sauna? Dry is where infrared rays are used to induce heat, whereas a humid sauna is either a hot steam room or the Finnish-style sauna where water is added to hot rocks to create a mist.
So I tracked down the results of yet another study, which compared changes in hemodynamic and thermoregulatory functions during 10 mins of humid sauna bathing and those in a dry sauna. Subjects were 7 healthy young men. Blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature at chest, forearm, thigh, and leg, skin blood flow at forearm, and sweat rate were measured at 1-min intervals throughout the experiment. Total sweating and change of hematocrit were also measured for dehydration analysis.
Blood pressure and heart rate were higher and total sweating greater in dry bathing than humid. Mean skin temperature in dry bathing was higher than that in mist bathing, i.e., you feel the heat more on the skin than "in your bones". This suggests that the heat stress of the dry sauna may be stronger than that of the mist sauna, leading to dehydration by sweating. On the other hand, changes in skin blood flow and sweat rate during the mist sauna were increased much more than those during dry sauna. The mist sauna may thus be safer physiologically and provide more effective vascular dilation and sweating than the dry sauna.
In short, if you want decrease your risk of coronary disease, improve your athletic performance, your endurance and stamina or if you just want a good sauna - (a) it's good for you and (b) head for the humid kind (I must admit to never having seen the dry kind...)
References:
Repeated thermal therapy improves impaired vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors
Masakazu Imamura, Sadatoshi Biro, Takashi Kihara, Shiro Yoshifuku, Kunitsugu Takasaki, Yutaka Otsuji, Shinichi Minagoe, Yoshifumi Toyama and Chuwa Tei
J Am Coll Cardiol, 2001; 38:1083-1088
Repeated Sauna Therapy Reduces Urinary 8-Epi-Prostaglandin F2a
Akinori Masuda, Masaaki Miyata, Takashi Kihara, Shinichi Minagoe and Chuwa Tei
Japanese Heart Journal, 2004, Vol. 45, pp. 297-303.
Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners
Guy S.M. Scoona, William G. Hopkinsb, Simon Mayhewb and James D. Cottera
J Science and Medicine in Sport; Vol 10, Iss 4, Aug 2007, 259-262
Effects on changes in hemodynamic and thermoregulatory functions during mist and dry sauna bathing
Kawahara Yuko, Nagata Mayumi, Niimi Yuki, Miwa Chihiro, Iwase Satoshi
Autonomic Nervous System Journal, 2002, Vol 39, No 4, pp 402-408
In the first study, 25 men with at least one coronary risk factor and 10 healthy men without coronary risk factors were enrolled. Patients in the risk group were treated with a dry sauna for 15 min and then kept in a bed covered with blankets for 30 min once a day for two weeks. They found that the repeated sauna treatment improves impaired vascular endothelial function in the setting of coronary risk factors, suggesting a therapeutic role for sauna treatment in patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis.
For the second paper, 28 subjects with at least one coronary risk factor participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to either the sauna group or the non-sauna group. As in the first study, subjects in the sauna group were placed supine in a dry sauna for 15 minutes. After the sauna, they rested on a bed with a blanket for 30 minutes. This occurred once a day for two weeks. Subjects in the non-sauna group were placed in supine position at room temperature for 45 minutes a day for two weeks.
The coronary risk factors measured were body weight, heart rate, blood pressure, hematocrit, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting plama glucose and urinary 8-Epi-Prostaglandin F2a (a marker of oxidative stress). All subjects were admitted to the same hospital and ate the same meals throughout the two-week study period. On admission and after two weeks, urine samples were taken after an overnight fast.
Results of the study showed that repeated sauna therapy significantly reduces levels of urinary 8-Epi-Prostaglandin F2a, a marker of oxidative stress, or destruction caused by free radicals, which may lead to diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, according to recent research. Systolic blood pressure in the sauna group had also decreased significantly after two weeks and it was significantly lower than that of the non-sauna group. The authors suggested a combination of diet, exercise and repeated sauna therapy as the best method for preventing lifestyle-related diseases, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus. The good news is that repeated sauna therapy can be used even for patients who are unable to exercise, e.g., due to injury.
I then wondered whether these beneficial effects could be used for improving athletic performance, which led me to find the third study (good old Google!). They performed a cross-over study in which six male distance runners completed three weeks of post-training sauna bathing and 3 weeks of control training, with a 3-week washout. During the sauna period, subjects sat in a humid sauna immediately post-exercise for 30 mins. The performance test was a 15-min treadmill run to exhaustion at the runner's current best speed over 5 km. The test was performed on the 1st and 2nd day following completion of the sauna and control periods, and the times were averaged.
Plasma, red-cell and total blood volume were measured immediately prior to the first run to exhaustion for each period. Relative to control, sauna bathing increased run time to exhaustion by 32%, which is equivalent to an enhancement of 1.9% in an endurance time trial. Plasma and red-cell volumes increased by 7.1% and 3.5% respectively, after sauna relative to control. Change in performance had high correlations with change in plasma volume and total blood volume, although the correlation with change in red-cell volume was unclear. They concluded that the physiological adaptations to 3 weeks of post-exercise sauna bathing produced a worthwhile enhancement of endurance running performance, probably by increasing blood volume.
So which is better - dry or humid sauna? Dry is where infrared rays are used to induce heat, whereas a humid sauna is either a hot steam room or the Finnish-style sauna where water is added to hot rocks to create a mist.
So I tracked down the results of yet another study, which compared changes in hemodynamic and thermoregulatory functions during 10 mins of humid sauna bathing and those in a dry sauna. Subjects were 7 healthy young men. Blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature at chest, forearm, thigh, and leg, skin blood flow at forearm, and sweat rate were measured at 1-min intervals throughout the experiment. Total sweating and change of hematocrit were also measured for dehydration analysis.
Blood pressure and heart rate were higher and total sweating greater in dry bathing than humid. Mean skin temperature in dry bathing was higher than that in mist bathing, i.e., you feel the heat more on the skin than "in your bones". This suggests that the heat stress of the dry sauna may be stronger than that of the mist sauna, leading to dehydration by sweating. On the other hand, changes in skin blood flow and sweat rate during the mist sauna were increased much more than those during dry sauna. The mist sauna may thus be safer physiologically and provide more effective vascular dilation and sweating than the dry sauna.
In short, if you want decrease your risk of coronary disease, improve your athletic performance, your endurance and stamina or if you just want a good sauna - (a) it's good for you and (b) head for the humid kind (I must admit to never having seen the dry kind...)
References:
Repeated thermal therapy improves impaired vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors
Masakazu Imamura, Sadatoshi Biro, Takashi Kihara, Shiro Yoshifuku, Kunitsugu Takasaki, Yutaka Otsuji, Shinichi Minagoe, Yoshifumi Toyama and Chuwa Tei
J Am Coll Cardiol, 2001; 38:1083-1088
Repeated Sauna Therapy Reduces Urinary 8-Epi-Prostaglandin F2a
Akinori Masuda, Masaaki Miyata, Takashi Kihara, Shinichi Minagoe and Chuwa Tei
Japanese Heart Journal, 2004, Vol. 45, pp. 297-303.
Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners
Guy S.M. Scoona, William G. Hopkinsb, Simon Mayhewb and James D. Cottera
J Science and Medicine in Sport; Vol 10, Iss 4, Aug 2007, 259-262
Effects on changes in hemodynamic and thermoregulatory functions during mist and dry sauna bathing
Kawahara Yuko, Nagata Mayumi, Niimi Yuki, Miwa Chihiro, Iwase Satoshi
Autonomic Nervous System Journal, 2002, Vol 39, No 4, pp 402-408
Monday, January 28
Aerobics!
No, not Jane Fonda! But, as it is the beginning of the year and most will be feeling the Christmas hangover, an important note on why it's better to work less at this time of year (based on a Spinning handout, which I always carry with me to classes):
The first step to improving your fitness level is to establish a base of aerobic fitness, from which one can later advance. To build an aerobic base, you must exercise in the aerobic range, gradually adding more duration to absorb the training effectively. A strong aerobic base will enable your body to better adapt and benefit from anaerobic training when that type of exercise is introduced.
You should commit to an aerobic base building period for 6-12 weeks when you are just beginning an exercise program, returning after a break from training or recovering from an injury or overtraining. The longer the lapse in exercise, the longer the base building period should be. During this time your workouts should be completely aerobic, without any anaerobic exercise. Athletes will spend around 75% of their training programme in this aerobic zone.
Aerobic base building workouts should be at a heart rate range of approximately 65% - 80% of maximum heart rate so that the intensity does not cross over into the anaerobic range. You would then not be able to take in enough oxygen for the energy you're producing (cue the heavy breathing) and you will start producing lactic acid as a by-product (that burning sensation in your legs). Using a heart rate monitor is critical because it provides immediate, continuous, accurate feedback, making sure you don't cross that "red line".
The benefits of Aerobic Exercise are:
• Increased resistance to fatigue
• Toned muscles and increased lean body mass
• Decreased tension and aid in sleeping
• Increased general stamina
• Improves mood and reduces depression and anxiety
• Increases the number and size of blood capillaries
• Increased cardiac output
The first step to improving your fitness level is to establish a base of aerobic fitness, from which one can later advance. To build an aerobic base, you must exercise in the aerobic range, gradually adding more duration to absorb the training effectively. A strong aerobic base will enable your body to better adapt and benefit from anaerobic training when that type of exercise is introduced.
You should commit to an aerobic base building period for 6-12 weeks when you are just beginning an exercise program, returning after a break from training or recovering from an injury or overtraining. The longer the lapse in exercise, the longer the base building period should be. During this time your workouts should be completely aerobic, without any anaerobic exercise. Athletes will spend around 75% of their training programme in this aerobic zone.
Aerobic base building workouts should be at a heart rate range of approximately 65% - 80% of maximum heart rate so that the intensity does not cross over into the anaerobic range. You would then not be able to take in enough oxygen for the energy you're producing (cue the heavy breathing) and you will start producing lactic acid as a by-product (that burning sensation in your legs). Using a heart rate monitor is critical because it provides immediate, continuous, accurate feedback, making sure you don't cross that "red line".
The benefits of Aerobic Exercise are:
• Increased resistance to fatigue
• Toned muscles and increased lean body mass
• Decreased tension and aid in sleeping
• Increased general stamina
• Improves mood and reduces depression and anxiety
• Increases the number and size of blood capillaries
• Increased cardiac output
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