Monthly Archives: May 2016

It goes without saying that mountain biking is very different from road cycling, but what about road cycling and track cycling? Both of these forms of bicycling are done on hard surfaces and both use lighter-weight bikes than what you would ever use for mountain biking. Still, road cycling and track cycling are very different sports, with different equipment needs, different strategies, and different benefits. In the most accurate descriptions, track cycling is viewed as an entirely different sport than road cycling?just as road cycling and mountain biking are different pursuits.

What Is Track Cycling?

Before we move on to comparing road cycling and track cycling, let's take a closer look at track cycling. Specifically, let's talk about the qualities that define this type of bicycling. The first thing to know about track

For years, if you told someone you were going to "run a race," that person would likely assume that you were gearing up for a marathon or signed up to run a five or 10-kilometer road race. Nowadays, though, another option is available: mud runs. According to an article published last fall by the USA Today, mud runs?also known as "obstacle races"?have seen so much growth in awareness and interest that they are now "more popular than marathons." The USA Today piece focused on a number American obstacle run events, like the "Tough Mudder," the "Spartan Race," and the "Warrior Dash." These races vary substantially in distance?from about three miles to 26 miles, according to the article?but all have a few things in common: obstacles to be cleared, mud to be crawled through, and other impediments you would never find in the midst of a marathon or

For whatever reason, most people don't think of boxing when they are brainstorming new sports or activities they could pursue. Perhaps it's because on TV, boxing looks brutal, hard-hitting, and dangerous. However, while boxing can be dangerous if taken too far or attempted without proper training, it can also deliver a whole slew of physical and mental benefits. Here are eight good reasons to find the nearest boxing class and sign yourself up! The eight reasons covered within this article are:

1. Great Way to Keep Fit
2. Learn Self Defence
3. Increased Confidence
4. Opportunity to Express Emotions
5. Socail Aspects
6. Clear Thought Under Pressure
7. Build Discipline
8. Enhances Coordination

It's a Great Way to Get Fit

Boxing is not just mindless fighting. On the contrary, the right boxing training regimen can be a terrific path to full-body fitness. Warm-ups, sparring and other

It used to be that an athlete in a cardiovascular sport was just an athlete in a cardiovascular sport. You were a runner, a tennis player, a swimmer, or a cross-country skier, and those activities made up the vast majority (if not the entirety) of your daily exercise regimen.

What Is Cross Training?

Nowadays, though, the concept of "cross training" is growing more and more prominent in many parts of the world. The most basic definition of cross training is "training in two or more disciplines." In other words, if you're a runner, you don't just exercise by going for runs every day. Instead, you supplement your running with other fitness activities, like strength training, other cardio activities, or competitive team sports.

The idea behind cross training is that, by exercising in disciplines beyond their main sport, athletes will be able to boost their performance levels in their primary sports. When you are a runner or swimmer

Planning for a marathon is about more than just sketching out your workout plan. Indeed, while it is incredibly important to stay on top of a fitness regimen?and to keep ramping up your miles as you get closer to race day?you can still do all the right things, training-wise, and still fall short of your goals during the marathon. How come? Because diet and nutrition matter almost as much as training and fitness when it comes to marathon preparation.

The Marathon Challenge

A marathon is a long race. Most people never attempt one, and even the majority of long distance runners view those 26.2 miles as the gold standard of fitness and determination. (Ultramarathons, meanwhile, are reserved for the most daring professional runners.) Finishing a marathon is an immense accomplishment no matter who you are, and that's because it's not an easy. Heck, even for die-hard runners, there's no such thing as an "easy marathon." There are plenty of reasons for why running a marathon is

Swimming is typically thought of as one of the most gentle and relaxing sports. Indeed, thanks to how easy swimming is on the joints, doctors recommend it as the top form of exercise for seniors. However, while swimming can be relaxing, it can also make for an intense cardiovascular workout. If you're using good form and pushing yourself, you can burn calories rapidly in the water. But which swimming stroke is best if your main goal is to get your heart pounding and start burning calories? Different swim strokes use different muscle groups in different capacities, so it's easy to understand why one swim stroke would burn more calories than another. Below, we've ranked the most common swimming strokes based on calorie-burning potential, to help you build a great fat-burning workout in the pool. Do note, however, that the calorie counts provided here are only approximations or estimations and don't necessarily reflect how many calories you will burn during your swim workout. As with

We often think of exercise first and foremost as a way to keep our bodies physically fit. Indeed, taking the time to engage in physical activity each day is vital for losing weight, building toned muscles, maintaining cardiovascular health, or simply keeping the body feeling good. But physical fitness is not the only benefit of daily exercise. On the contrary, exercise can be as vital for the mind as it is for the body. Indeed, exercising can impact your work performance and productivity, your relationships, and even your enjoyment of life in general. How does all of this work? Read on to learn some of the specifics of how exercising can benefit your mental health.There are five key areas of these benefits we are going to explore within this article:

• Stress Reduction
• Maintains a Focused Brain
• Boosts Your Mood
• Increased Productivity
• Improves Your Sleep

Exercising Reduces Stress

When you're out at a pub, a few beers in and playing a game of darts with your pals, it probably feels like just that: a game. Believe it or not, though, athletics funding organization Sport England actually considers darts a sport. That fact caused a bit of a squabble last year when enthusiasts of the card game bridge launched a court challenge that essentially asked: "If darts is a sport, why isn't bridge?" According to a report from Reuters, the court challenge was spearheaded by the English Bridge Union. In 2014, the English Bridge Union applied to have their favorite card game recognized as a sport by Sport England. That application was denied, leading to the 2015 court challenge where the EBU attempted to determine whether the denial was lawful. The battle between the EBU and Sport England?and, more fundamentally,

Making a pledge to run your first 5K can be a life-changing decision. For many runners, the first 5K road race is a sort of rite of passage. Five kilometers?or 3.1 miles?is the perfect distance for a beginning runner to target as they train for their first race. It's not too long, but long enough to be a test of fitness and endurance. Add the fact that the 5K is perhaps the most common of road race formats, and this type of running event is clearly the perfect starting point for those looking to get off the couch and start running for the first time. While the 5K may be the perfect starting point, though, it certainly won't be easy if you've never put in many miles as a runner. Who knows? Years from now, you could find running five kilometers at race pace the easiest thing in the world. For now, though, expect a bit of a challenge as you take your first steps toward your first finish line.

Getting Started

You can't get to the finish line of your first 5K