Posts Tagged ‘sports’

Sex, Sports, and Caster Semenya

Thursday, February 18th, 2010



Lauren mclaughlin’s brilliant blog entry: bit.ly Our community lives at www.nerdfighters.com Correction In Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, the person is XY chromosomally but has a female external appearance. For more info: bit.ly In which John discusses track star Caster Semenya, sports, sexual identification, internal testes, the ambiguity inherent to life, and the arbitrary rules of a sport that cannot accommodate such ambiguity.
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Free Online Ab Workouts – Langhorne Trainer Teaches How to Find The Right Program

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
by Jose Loni

There are plenty of free online ab workouts to choose from but finding the right program should be the priority. The right program must include a combination of nutrition guidelines and safe and effective exercises that will raise metabolism enough to start burning fat and it must be able to inspire you to get started and to stay with the program.

Free ab workouts and free trial ab workouts are both good because they help you get started. If you know your goals, you can determine whether or not the free ab workouts will be effective for you. Sometimes, the exercises shown are just ab crunches and don’t consider other factors to help you lose fat.

Often, the companies publishing the ab workouts are not knowledgeable in training and will just market their products to the consumer, regardless if they are truly effective or not.

Depending what your goals are, you should be aware of what the free online ab workout is about and make your decision based on knowledge. For example, if you want defined abs and the free online ab workout is just purely ab exercises and crunches. Well, that program will not work and it will just leave you frustrated.

Most free online programs just give you a taste of an ab workout routine that may or may not work for you. It’s up to you whether or not you want to go on with it.

Most often, good online ab workout programs offer a full network of support from experts in nutrition, exercise and fitness. They will also give you the guidance and motivation to educate you on diet, exercise and stress management, which gives you a full, holistic perspective.

Diet is an important factor when considering an online ab workout program. Not only do we need to do exercises, we need to watch what we eat. Avoiding fatty foods and sodas, we can control our caloric intake and help balance our calories.

Physical activity that incorporates exercises that kick-start the metabolism helps to burn fat. Resistance training and training multiple muscle groups at once will help the body burn more calories and force the body to provide more fuel to the muscles that are needed for physical activity.

At the end of the day, free online ab workouts work well to get you started, but finding the right program is still key to keep you on track and actually realize those fitness goals.

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Toned Abs – More Beauty, Less Belly Believed In Langhorne

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
by Jose Loni

Are females with six-pack abs a rare breed? Today, there are more than a few ways to get toned abs. The top 3 ways are through fat burning, getting our body to burn fat more efficiently and mentally programming ourselves to successfully getting toned abs.

A natural deterrent to females getting toned, six-pack abs is the layer of fat underneath the skin. This makes up the majority of the total fat in the body. This is why doing hundreds of crunches will not result in six-pack abs although the abs will get stronger.

Fat gets deposited into our stomach more as we age. In women, more fat gets deposited into their hips and thighs as well. Metabolism also slows with age. When we factor in a slowing metabolism with a change in the body’s fat distribution system, it is not surprising to see a thicker waistline.

One of the most effective ways to whittle that waistline is to engage in activities like biking, swimming, walking, hiking, aerobics and very active sports like basketball, tennis and other racquet sports. The key is to keep our heart rate up and in its training zone for a minimum of 20 minutes to train the heart muscle and effectively burn fat.

When we start losing subcutaneous fat, our skin becomes taut. We start looking firmer and more toned when we lose the fat in the muscles. And doing the above activities five times or more a week guarantees toned abs faster.

Getting our body to maximize fat burning capacity is the next thing to do. And we achieve this by developing muscles. Training the large muscle groups first, followed by the small muscle groups helps burn fat more continuously.

Having the correct attitude towards fat and weight loss is essential to achieving success. Keep in mind that the numbers on the scale are just numbers. What’s important is losing inches. And when you finally fit into that pair of jeans, that means progress. It only takes a few weeks to see results, gain confidence and a better set of abs.

So remember, the key to sexy, toned, six-pack abs is to burn fat, burn it efficiently and to make sure that the correct attitude is present to see us through our goal.

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6 Pack Abs – Buck County Experts Comparing Philosophies

Monday, June 1st, 2009
by Dan Solaris

Time and again, expert studies have shown that total body cardiovascular exercises are most effective in eliminating excess body fat. There’s no way to bring out the striations and contours of the abdominal muscles to show a 6 pack unless the belly fat is reduced enough.

Though there’s little contest about the effectiveness of combining resistance training and aerobic exercises for developing a lean, shredded midsection, there is some debate as to which type of cardio exercises to do. Building muscle raises the metabolism and cardio exercise burn calories from body fat.

Cardiovascular exercises can be done at low intensity and high intensity. The latter is more popular as a method of losing fat and getting 6 pack abs because first, it’s easier to do. The physical effort in doing low-intensity cardio exercises can actually be done by novice exercisers and people that are extremely overweight.

The second reason low intensity cardio exercisers have a larger following even in expert circles is because study after study has proven that these are most effective in targeting body fat as the sole source of caloric energy. When exercising at high intensity levels, the body starts to access glycogen stores in our muscles.

The body absorbs carbohydrates from the food we eat and stores it in muscle tissue as glycogen. Supporters of the low-intensity theory say working-out too intensely can cause the loss of muscle tissue because some glycogen is used for energy when doing hard workouts.

On the other hand, high intensity exercises burn loads of calories even if done for just 10-20 minutes. This means considerably less time can be spent in the gym and proponents say the lost glycogen can just be replaced anyway by eating carbo-rich food after working out.

Some experts argue that although they’re more difficult to do, high intensity exercises in fact build more muscle tissue because of the hard effort. They also kick the metabolism up to high levels and keep it going hours after a person has stopped working-out.

There are two different opinions when it comes to cardio exercises- both with pros and cons. Low intensity exercises have to be done for longer periods and this means more hours spent in the gym. High-intensity cardio workouts can have you out of your sweaty clothes in half an hour but they’re not for beginners, elderly and the extremely overweight.

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How To Find The Best Elliptical Machines

Monday, May 18th, 2009
by John Andrews

All companies seem to claim to have the best elliptical machines, so choosing the best can be a daunting task to say the least. What may be best for one person might not as well be best for another. Staying in fit today is crucial to survival and healthily living, so by doing what ever you have to do to stay fit will give you a happier healthier life.

All of today’s best elliptical machines will have the same functions and schematics. The over all effect will be the same for each machine, but the prices will vary depending on the machine.

Some machine brands target the line of programming and its features, while other brands offer sturdy frames meant for larger people with simple features. The key to picking the right machine for you is picking one that’s well rounded in both areas and isn’t that expensive.

A truly great machine is the Precor EFX 5 17i. It has the patented Cross Ramp feature which gives you the ability to adjust the angle of the pedals. This enables you to have a complete work out, getting deep into the muscle tissue. Tracking and designing your own personal workout is simple with the state of the art LED display which has some truly amazing graphics.

The Smooth CE2 gives you ergonomic foot pedals which help to eliminate strain on your body. It comes with a wireless heart rate monitor and nine user profiles which are fully programmable. It is a very quiet machine and will cost you roughly 1700 dollars that is the best value you will find on a machine like this. You will experience many of the same benefits as some high end elliptical machines. Making this one of the best elliptical machines there are.

If you’re looking for more variety to your workout then the Schwinn 418 elliptical trainer is one to have. It’s equipped with eight levels of resistance for your workout. It sells for 1,100 dollars, which isn’t too bad for the features you’ll get. Many compare it to the Smooth CE2 because it has some of the same features. Schwinn Ellipticals can take a beating and keep on delivering the same great workout to you, that’s why they have a reputation for having well built machines.

However only you can determine what the best elliptical machines are. What might be the best feature for you may not be as good for the next person. If it’s the price that concerns you, then the eclipse 1100HR/a is right for you. It is priced to sell coming in at only $500. This price makes it one of the most inexpensive machines out today.

The Eclipse 1100HR/A is a lot lighter in weight than the other machines out. It is not recommended for heavier people. With the Orbital linkage system, it will give you a smooth ride. However this machine does not offer a lot of features. Apparently that doesn’t matter to most people since it’s one of the best elliptical machines on the market today. If it’s limited space you have in your home, then it’s this unit you would want!

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Trampolines And There Many Benefits

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
by James Johnson

You are aware of what a trampoline is. You have seen kids having fun on them and gymnasts use them to practice on. Do you know of the health benefits that a trampoline can provide for you.

It does look like a good exercise, does it not? Jumping up and down just like when you do jumping jacks on the trampoline makes it seem like a great way to sweat those extra pounds off. However, there are actually a lot of health benefits that can be gotten from the trampoline ” more that what you expect from something that looks like a childs play thing.

The outdoor trampoline is better for one you don’t hurt yourself if you use it the proper way. Actually, safety nets can be fitted to most trampolines by the metal ris so you or your child would not fall off. If you were jumping and running it may be a bit of a turn off from exercise when you would be in pain of the heel and back . An outdoor trampoline uses a soft and bouncy canvass sheet that limits the pressure on your lower back an heels, the joint in your knees and hips, and the spine.

It is also said that bouncing on the trampoline can be very beneficial to cellular rejuvenation. This is because the gravitational force that is felt by the body helps by decreasing pressure on the cells, thus, making them freer to get rid of toxic substances in the body. There is more oxygen and nutrients that flow into the cells as well, making them healthier and able to fend off damages and injuries.

Bouncing on an outdoor trampoline also helps the muscle legs become stronger. It stimulates the regularization of the blood flow in your lower extremities, and when blood flow is unrestricted, you know that the body is healthier overall. The heart does not exert so much effort in pumping blood and there is more oxygen available for all areas of the body. Aside from strengthening the muscles, bouncing also helps your bones become stronger even as you grow older.

Of course, you cannot discount the fact that jumping up and down on the outdoor trampoline can help you maintain the weight you already have. Trampolines also promote weight loss and fat control. This is because it increases you metabolic rate. Believe it or not some studies show that jumping regularly on your trampoline helps balance the digestive processes.

The last thing about trampolines, when you jump on it, you pretty much use all your facilities. This is because you are trying to maintain balance as well as maintain the height you are jumping at, this creates a lot of interaction between your senses and the brain. You are not only exercising your body, you are exercising your mind as well.

This sport is a soft impact sport and has a lot of amazing health benefits. There is a lot to learn about the outdoor trampoline and how you can use it to maximize your benefits. One way to do this is to ask your personal fitness trainer about this amazing device.

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P90X Does It Work?

Thursday, April 30th, 2009
by John Thomas

I’m going to start this little story by telling you where I was at almost 1 year ago, I was 30 years old, 5ft 9inches tall and 195lbs. I’m not saying I was fat, I’m not saying I was obese, but one this is for sure, I definitely wasn’t where I wanted to be, and found myself to be sadly out of shape, and had taken on the infamous pear shape. My problem was I forgot I was getting older, I continued to eat like I was a active teenager and not a thirty year old man who spent alot of time sitting. So I awful eating habits, drinking any where between 10-15 soft drinks per day, raiding the local buffets. To top it all off my only form of exercise was… well…there was none. I owned a business, and a father, I had very little time to myself and the time I did have I did not want to exercise.

So one night I was sitting around watching tv, with what I’m sure was a big bowl of chips, and a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper close with in reach, and probably some ice cream in the freezer when the P90X commercial came on. I remember watching this commercial laughing at these idiots on the tv, because in my infinite wisdom I was positive that there was no way it was possible to get those kind of results in 90 days. Before long, for what ever reason, found myself asking if I believed what I just saw, and it wasn’t long after that found myself wondering if this program could actually work? So I figured “What the heck, I’ll give it a try”, Surely I could devote an hour a day for 90 days, besideswhat have I got to lose other than a few extra pounds, and let’s be honest who doesn’t want to be ripped. So I made the call and waited for my new exercise program to arrive in the mail, I was ready to start losing the flab, burning some fat and building lean muscle or at least I thought I was.

In the past I’ve done rather should I say attempted many exercise programs, and for some odd reason I always fell short of my goal. AHHH who am I kidding I didn’t even make it any where near my goal, the video’s never even made it into the dvd player, mainly because I’m lazy, and un motivated. For what ever reason these were different, maybe it was because they weren’t super cheap, or maybe it’s because I was just tired of going down hill who knows why, but I was determined this go around. So I patiently waited for my video’s to arrive, all the while convincing myself that in just 90 short days I was going to be a lean mean fighting machine. Yes I know, I’m gullible and I believe in little fairies that fly around and grant people wishes.

After about 7 days I got the video’s, I opened up the package and was amazed at everything that came along with it, I was starting to think that this could be a little more than what I bargained for(and it only took about 10 minutes of the first P90X video for me to KNOW this was more than I bargained for).

So I sat back and read the nutrition guide and found myself getting pretty disappointed that I was going to have to give up my soft drinks, pizza’s and candy bars, to get the most out of the system. But hey, I spent money on this, so I at least need to be half way committed, so that’s exactly what I did, gave up all the junk, and followed the nutrition guide as closely as possible.

Swish Swoosh Swash(that’s my sound of traveling through a time portal as we fast forward) 10 months later, I’m now in the best shape of my life, and Icontinue to do the P90X workouts 6 days a week, I feel better, have more energy, and am definitely in the best shape of my life from following through with this program.

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For Maximum Fitness, Learn to Box

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009
by Benedict Hunter

Training to box is a high-intensity workout regimen that will make you healthier and much more physically fit. It is one of the most powerful programs out there today to help you achieve the strong, attractive body you desire, become more agile, and boost self-esteem. It is a total body workout that cannot be beaten.

Boxing programs are becoming more and more popular as a form of fitness training. It develops arm and leg muscles, as well as the core muscles that many programs neglect. They also focus on emotional issues like confidence, discipline, and control.

Get the Body of Your Dreams

Boxing training programs joined the mainstream of fitness training several years ago after health professionals discovered the great improvement in cardiovascular and muscle toning of the participants in the program. Tae Bo and Cardio-Box videos paved the way for boxing and kickboxing exercise programs.

New aerobics classes have mastered a blend of intense cardio and boxing moves like power jabs and hooks. As you become more adept, you can master any number of combination moves. This type of routine gives you an excellent overall workout and gets you in shape quickly.

The various punch, block, and kick combinations are executed before an imaginary opponent. You have probably seen classes where the participants do shadow boxing, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks in the air. Some training camps provide quality equipment like heavy bags, medicine balls and speed bags that enhance power and speed. Participants can also spar with a live partner as long as they are both wearing protective gears.

A High-Calorie Workout

Kickboxing and other similar training exercises aren’t just great for improving the way your body looks; these programs burn an enormous amount of calories in a relatively short amount of time-up to 600 per hour. They manage to keep your heart rate up at around 185% of its regular rhythm, which is the proper rate for getting cardiovascular benefits.

The long-term effects of boxing training

Boxing classes improve your endurance, speed and stamina. Agility and flexibility of muscles and joints are also developed. The repetitive motion of the arms and legs during training and sparring sessions develops speed and power behind these limbs.

Boxing, kickboxing, and other similar programs give your legs and lower torso a workout as well as your arms. Improved balance and coordination between your upper and lower body are some of the benefits.

Another surprising benefit of using these programs to get in shape is the confidence you will gain as a result. You will feel better about the way you look and feel. You will also feel more confident in your ability to defend yourself should the occasion arise. Boxing classes give your state of wellness a true overhaul.

Brighten Your Outlook

Your mental attitude will also benefit from your boxing or kickboxing fitness training. As you progress in your training, you will develop inner calm, relaxation and discipline which can relieve you of harmful stress and anxiety. Exercise is a great stress reliever.

A growing number of personal trainers are promoting martial arts lessons to their clients. One reason for this is that the workouts are extremely flexible. They provide a way to get fit for people at all levels of fitness. Boxing also allows the fittest and most competitive individuals to push their limits.

As with any workout routine, boxing will need you to put forth a lot of effort. You will need patience and you must be determined to stick it out. In the end you will be glad you did.

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Children and Athletic Ankle Supports

Thursday, March 12th, 2009
by Kenneth Elliott

Sporting activities and athletic ankle supports are a good combination for children in sports. They help to keep children out of danger from major leg injuries that are common. Children are still growing and bone injuries can slow down bone growth on occasion, especially if the injury occurs on a growth plate. Athletic ankle supports can help to prevent major accidents from children landing in the wrong positions. They make sure that key ankle positions are maintained as to not allowing ankle injuries. There are still is a chance that a major ankle injury can happen but wearing athletic ankle supports are there for preventative measures.

If you decide to get an ankle brace for your child then you will need to make sure you have the right type of brace. Not all ankle braces are for everyone. There are braces that are designed to totally immobilize the ankle and there are ankle braces that are designed to just provide pressure in key areas and keep the ankle in fairly the same place. For a growing child it is not necessary to get an ankle brace that will get in the way of the full range of motion of the ankle. This will be a hindrance rather than a benefit if you were to purchase this kind of brace. A lightweight athletic elastic ankle support should be just fine for a child athlete.

So what is the best ankle brace to purchase? The best ankle supports are made of neoprene and they not only support your ankle but increase your bounce, make your landings softer and keep your muscles warm. Neoprene or polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene. It is used in a wide variety of environments, such as in wetsuits, laptop sleeves, electrical insulation, and car fan belts. It is also a synthetic rubber that is resistant to oils and aging.

Are you still thinking that you may not need ankle supports for you child. Maybe you are thinking that the high top sneakers that you brought yesterday are enough support needed. Yes, high top ankle sneakers do provide ankle support, but they just have the minimum support needed. Step up your security for your child and get the maximum support needed. Athletic ankle supports will provide what you need.

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Side Effects Of Anabolic Steroids On Athletes

Monday, February 23rd, 2009
by John Burks

The sporting industry is a million dollar industry, and many athletes go to great lengths to enhance their performance in order to give their best in the field. This is one reason why the intake of steroid has risen in recent times, and why the testing prior to an event includes testing for drug and steroid abuse. This protects athletes from using unfair means to increase their performance.

One performance boosting drug that is very popularly used is known as “Anabolic Steroids,” and some familiar brand names for this incorporate Dianabol, Deca Durabolin, and Sustanon.

Anabolic steroids actually work in a similar way as androgenic hormones like testosterone do. as our hormones give us energy and strength, these thus assist weight gain, muscle building, swiftness, and endurance in the sports ground. These types of drugs are very commonly used in sports including weight lifting and field events. Despite their popularity, these are very contentious drugs and scientists are not sure of whether or not they really help boost performance.

Conversely, athletes that consume these swear by them and insist that their increased performance is payable to the steroid use.

One of the reasons behind the dissimilarity in these opinions is the “placebo effect”. As athletes think that the drug will assist them in recuperating their performance, they put in more effort into their game and consequently do better. one more reason is that the testing is carried out by using much lower amounts of drugs as compared to what is normally consumed by athletes.

These steroids work by means of testosterone which is the hormone that assists male human beings grow through their teenage years and adolescence stages. Testosterone brings about changes in sexual characteristics caused by the androgenic properties, which includes but is not limited to hair growth, penile growth, increased violence, and secondary characteristics like growth in muscle density, growth of bones, etc which is caused by the anabolic properties of testosterone.

Anabolic steroids imitate these changes while trying to bring down the androgenic effects and having just the anabolic properties play a role (thus the name), but this is not entirely possible and this causes harmful side-effects in the athletes who use these steroids.

Due to the increase in the quantity of testosterone, the most common adverse effect in males is infertility where the body stops producing testosterone on its own to compensate for the amount being consumed through the drugs. These drugs will as well cause liver damage, in increase in cholesterol level, and enlargement of breast tissue in males.

An additional side effect of this is increase in fierceness. In women, the testosterone causes increase in facial hair, changes in the menstrual cycle, and deepening of the voice.

These drugs may be taken orally, via injections, or via creams and gels. Dosages taken by athletes are extremely high, and generally well over one hundred times greater than the suggested dosages.

Usually athletes consume two different kinds of the drug simultaneously to get enhanced results, starting from lesser dosages and increasing these for twelve weeks following which they decrease them back to a lesser level. This is supposed to help the body become use to the drugs.

Disclaimer: The anabolic steroids information provided in this editorial is for instructive and amusement purposes only. This article does not, in any way, disregard the prohibited position and/or consumption of anabolic steroids for purposes other than those accepted by the FDA or other officially recognized authoritarian bodies.

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