Monthly Archives: January 2017

30th January 2017.When you dive into the pool, do you feel as agile as a dolphin, or something similar to a heavy stone? While swimming is an excellent exercise for many and you don't need to be skilled to derive benefits from it, the right form does make a difference. Improving your technique is a good idea whether you want to step up your skill level to be a little more competitive (with friends or on a team) or you just want to maximise what swimming does for you. As you think on that, you may wonder, "What is the best way to improve my form and technique in the pool?" One answer might initially seem "too good to be true" ? swimming lessons! It's true: getting in the pool with an instructor isn't just for young children or adults who don't yet know how to swim. As a matter of fact, there are classes for adults across many age and skill brackets available. Whether you want to hone your butterfly stroke or learn a more efficient technique for breathing, swim lessons can do the trick.

28th January 2017. For many of us, exercise might not be the most fun thing to do in the world, but we do it anyway. Sure, we may feel a little sore the next day, or tired in the evening after a heavy workout, but the body bounces back quickly in response to fitness activities. After all, we're trying to improve our health, right? Unfortunately, for many people, this isn't their reality. Instead, each day is a constant battle against fatigue, exhaustion, muscle aches, and a litany of other pains and complaints. This condition is what is often called chronic fatigue system, also known as CFS or by its medical name, "myalgic encephalomyelitis." Treating ME/CFS disorders poses a challenge for many doctors. There is currently no known cause for the condition, though some theories exist. Likewise, there is no cure ? CFS is often a lifelong condition that even defies classification. There is debate over whether it is a neurological or a muscular disorder. The World Health Organisation,

26th January 2017.For runners everywhere, few sights are as daunting as a steep hill. If you live in an area with plenty of slopes, you may even crave the ability to run for long distances over smooth, level ground. While you may not currently enjoy running up and down hills, the fact of the matter is that it's an incredibly effective way to train your body and improve your fitness. Anyone who's tried to run up a hill at full speed knows it's no easy task; your heart starts pumping as hard as it can, and you're often out of breath long before you reach the top. Then, of course, there's the return down the hill. With gravity on your side, you'd think it would be much easier, and yet there's always the danger of going too fast and taking a terrible spill. Rather than avoid hills altogether, though, you should embrace them and their ability to train your body more thoroughly. One doesn't need just suddenly to start attempting to run hills all day, though. There are preparations

23rd January 2017.When you cycle for exercise, you see a lot more of the world around you than you would any other way, even by running. Cycling lets you hit a higher top speed, and with the right endurance work, you can go for miles and miles. Over time, though, you might see much of what your town or city has to offer. Seeing the same sights can lead to boredom setting in, which can threaten the regularity of your fitness activities. Perhaps it's time to ramp up the challenge and push yourself farther than ever before. If you don't want to participate in a more competitive atmosphere like a cycling race, though, what can you do instead? Why not try a cycling tour that spans multiple days? A multi-day ride allows you to indulge in the best of both worlds: you can cover a lot more ground and see tonnes of interesting sights while also testing the limits of your endurance. Of course, you can't just hop on your bike and ride off into the sunset one day. Instead, you'll have to work

21st January 2017.For most athletes, the winter is the time of year when they head indoors and change up their routine. When it gets cold outside, most people don't quite enjoy spending extra time in it just to exercise! For these individuals, the gym and its equipment offer a more enticing place to spend the winter. For those who love to swim, the same is true. Of course, if you have access to an indoor pool, you usually don't have to vary your routine too much. Why should you have to stop swimming outside just because it's a little chilly out, though? Believe it or not, winter swimming is an activity many people enjoy. At first, the idea of swimming in potentially frigid water may seem less than ideal. However, it can provide you with several benefits ? not to mention a much more interesting winter fitness experience! In this article, we'll put a microscope on what makes outdoor winter swimming worth considering. We'll also cover some of the potential risks; for some people, it

19th January 2017. Here's a little thought experiment: think about the portrayals you're most likely to see of men and women in fitness and sports advertising. What are these people usually doing? It often breaks down into two gender-defined categories. You'll see plenty of pictures of men participating in solo activities, like working out on the machines at a gym or running on a track. The women, however, will often feature in group activities such as exercise classes. While there are certainly deviations from this formula, they betray a real fact of life: men just don't enrol in group fitness classes at the same rates as women. Why should a group activity be seen as feminine or the domain of women, though? Men actually stand to gain just as much as women from taking part in these classes. Why should you struggle to motivate yourself to make use of your gym membership when the fun and stimulating atmosphere of a class could be all you need? For the guys out there who are still sceptical

16th January 2017. For the cyclist, winter presents many challenges ? some of them are good, and yet some of them not quite so fun! Pushing yourself to keep cycling your usual distance even when it's cold out can help you to build up toughness and endurance you would miss out on otherwise. It's also a good time of year to work on improvements in your fitness, rather than succumbing to the desire to stay indoors. However, on the days when you decide to take your bike out instead of hitting the spin machine, there's no telling just what kind of conditions you'll face. While it's important for you to prepare yourself physically for winter biking, your bicycle is going to need some TLC as well. Why? Throughout most of the year, the most maintenance you probably need to worry about is changing your chain every once in a while. Perhaps you might need a new tyre, or to patch an old one. However, the outdoor conditions during the winter place a much different kind of strain on many parts

14th January 2017.Through a long winter, it's not uncommon for everyone in the household to get a little "stir crazy." We might call it "cabin fever," but the reality is that it's just not as much fun for the little ones when they can't go outside to play anytime they like. Whether it's snowy or icy conditions or dangerously cold, the conditions outside aren't always ideal for family activities. The busy level of activity that comes with the holidays can complicate matters, too. So, when the end of winter is finally in sight and the spring thaw beckons, you might want to turn your attention to planning some family fun. What about purchasing a kite and taking everyone out for a day of learning how to fly and have fun? Whether you head down to the beach or your local athletic field, all you need is a nice day with a gentle spring breeze, and you can have a blast. Spring is perfect for reasons more than just the fact that the snow is melting away and the green of the world is coming

12th January 2017. The ring of the bell, the roar of the crowd, and suddenly, nothing matters more than the two souls in the ring duking it out for the title of victor! We're talking, of course, about boxing. A popular sport for centuries now, boxing is an incredibly exciting activity whether you are a participant or a spectator. Its popularity is such that it's even infiltrated our popular culture with films like Raging Bull and the Rocky franchise. Have you ever considered what it would be like to lace up a pair of gloves and step into the ring, though? Believe it or not, ladies, but boxing can be an excellent workout and a fun fitness activity for you to try! While most women might not necessarily view a combat sport as the path to fitness, boxing has a whole host of benefits in store for your body. That's not

9th January 2017. For runners, the desire to find a new challenge is a big part of what keeps us heading out the door every day, even when the weather isn't the best. Whether you've just started out or you've been running for a while, it might be time to figure out your next goal. Dreaming big is a major factor when it comes to motivating yourself to keep on pushing through your training. So, what would be a good goal to work towards? You might not be ready physically or mentally for the punishment that a full marathon entails. Why not consider the next step down ? the half marathon? Remember that a full marathon is about 26 miles, give or take a few yards. A half marathon, therefore, is 13 miles. If you're already running a few miles every day regularly, then this is a lofty but attainable goal. Before you register and participate in your first half marathon, though, you'll need to know how to train for it; you can't just show up on race day and hope to succeed. Instead, you'll