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Showing posts from November, 2018

Best Stretches for Time-Crunched Cyclists

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/best-time-saving-stretches-cyclists/ SEPTEMBER 24, 2018    BY SHAYNE GAFFNEY We all know that cycling is great for a myriad of things, but the bike keeps your body in a fixed position, sometimes for hours on end. This can wreak havoc on the neck, middle back, hips, and lower extremity muscles, causing them to become shortened, painful, and  lose their ability to produce powe r. This, of course, is unacceptable and the exact opposite effect we want after spending time training outdoors, or in the pain cave! So, do yourself a favor and  spend a few minutes stretching your legs  out after you beat them up—your body will thank you, and it will give you some precious time to think about life (i.e. more cycling) for a while. The following stretching routine is designed for athletes who are time-crunched and need to really maximize any time dedicated to their fitness. The Rules The ideal time to stretch statically is POST WORKOUT. Bacurau et a

A Calorie Is Not A Calorie

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/a-calorie-is-not-a-calorie/ DECEMBER 20, 2012    BY PACIFIC HEALTH LABORATORIES I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “A calorie is a calorie.” It means that carbohydrate, fat and protein calories are equal in terms of their effect on body weight. This point is most often made in the context of  debates between low-carb and low-fat diet  advocates. Those who say “A calorie is a calorie” in this context mean to suggest that macronutrient proportions are irrelevant to weight management (as long as one is getting enough of each to meet one’s basic health needs). All that matters is the total number of calories consumed, regardless of whether the plurality comes from fat or carbohydrate. Weight management is a simple game of math, these folks argue. To maintain your current weight, you need to consume the same number of calories your body burns each day. To lose a pound, you need to create a caloric deficit of approximately 3,500 calories. Wheth

SWEAT TESTING METHODOLOGY IN THE FIELD: CHALLENGES AND BEST PRACTICES

EY TERMS The amount of water and electrolytes (primarily sodium, Na+) lost as a consequence of thermoregulatory sweating during exercise can vary considerably within and among athletes. The reported range in sweating rate and sweat Na+ concentration ([Na+]) is ~0.5 to 2.0 L/h and ~10- 90 mmol/L, respectively. Sources of intra/interindividual variability in sweating rate and sweat [Na+] during exercise include exercise intensity, environmental conditions, heat acclimation status, aerobic capacity, genetic predisposition, body size/composition, protective equipment, sex, diet and hydration status. Sweat testing can be conducted to estimate individual sweating rates and sweat Na+ losses to help guide personalized fluid and electrolyte replacement recommendations. However, unstandardized methodological practices and challenging field conditions can produce inconsistent/inaccurate sweat testing results. Based on study findings to date, as well as some practical considerations, curren