Benefits Of Strength Training For Women

10 Benefits Of Strength Training For Women

1) Increased Metabolic Rate

Here is one of the most important benefits of strength training for women. We always want to discover the secrets to weight loss... well here is the first secret! Strength training increases your metabolic rate by increasing the calories you burn on a daily basis. The more calories you burn, the more chance you have to drop body fat.

2) Increasing and Restoring Bone Density -

Strength training prevents and fights osteoporosis. Read my entire report on strength training benefits for osteoporosis by clicking here.

3) Increased Lean Muscle Mass -

Note: You will not get big and bulky by strength training! You simply do not have enough testosterone in your body. Yes, if you train for hours and hours and dedicate your life to becoming a bodybuilder you can bulk up.

But simply lifting weights as part of a regular strength training routine will not cause women to bulk up. With that said, for every pound of lean muscle mass that you have, you burn 35-50 calories per day!

If you have 10 pounds of lean muscle mass then you burn between 350-500 calories. If you have 20 pounds you burn between 700 and 1000 calories per day! This is one of the biggest benefits of strength training for women.

4) Injury Prevention -

Strength training strengthens our muscles and tendons. The stronger we are the less chance of an injury. This is especially important as we grow older. The benefits of strength training for women and men are highly touted for injury prevention.

5) Improved Balance -

Especially important as we grow older. Strength training builds a strong foundation. Strengthening our legs and core section means an increase in overall balance and coordination.

6) Decreased Risk of Coronary Disease -

Strength training can reduce your blood pressure. It can also decrease your cholesterol levels. These benefits of strength training for women alone are a great reason to begin your program today. Heart disease is one of the highest (if not the highest) killer of women in America every year.

7) Aids in Rehabilitation and Recovery -

Strengthening the muscles around our joints is one of the best ways to prevent and recover from an injury. For example, the best way to recover from a knee injury is to strengthen the quads and calves.

8) Enhanced Performance in Sports, Exercise and Life In General -

The benefits of strength training for women all boil down to one point- a better overall quality of life. We can perform our favorite activities with more ease and less pain. We are able to increase our health and mental state from a regular strength training routine.

9) Aging Gracefully -

With less falls and less injuries we are able to age gracefully. Our lean and toned bodies create a warm and strong persona. Strength training is a major factor in aging well. Enhancing our muscles and reducing body fat are prime ways to prevent sagging body parts too ;)

10) Feeling Better and Looking Better -

I don't think it is much of a secret that we all want to look great. We are all searching for ways to look young. Strength training is a vital part of a fitness routine.

Strength training has been shown to increase our muscle tone, decrease body fat, and so much more. A toned body is but one factor to looking great. The other is purely mental. There are so many positive mental benefits of strength training for women. We feel accomplished, secure, and strong after a strength session.

Source :http://www.strength-training-woman.com

Beginners weight training top 5 tips

Source :http://www.muscle-fitness-tips.net, http://www.fitandlivinglife.com

Beginning weight training can be confusing. Which exercises should I be doing? How often should I weight train? Do I need them protein shake thingies?

Beginners Weight Training

Beginners Weight Training Can Be Confusing!

With an ever increasing resource of information available to many on the net, including conflicting advice, and advice which appears to have alternative motives, such as the sale of a product or service, it is little wonder why beginners to weight training find it so confusing. The key is to keep things simple. Beginners weight training programs should neither be complex or particularly difficult.

Take a look at our top 5 tips for beginners weight training.

1. Learn how to perform weight training exercises correctly

This may sound like an obviously point, but a look around most commercial gyms proves not many weight trainers learn the correct way to perform an exercise. Performing a weight training exercise in the incorrect manner can be unproductive at best, and injurious at worse. For optimal results it is best to first master the correct lifting technique for exercises, beginning with a very light weight. Once you are confident with your exercise form the resistance can be steadily increased.

If you do not know how to perform an exercise correctly see if you can have a quick chat to a personal trainer in the gym to show you some pointers. Booking an hour with a personal trainer may be a wise investment, working through the form of the major exercises you will be performing within your routine.


2. A simple and effective routine

Following a fancy routine you find in a glossy magazine which promises over night results, or mimicking the routine of a Mr Olympia competitor, will neither be effective or productive for a beginner to weight training. Furthermore, focusing a lot of effort on exercises which target the biceps may seem like the way to go for big arms, but realistically will not be as effective as following a routine which incorporates the main compound exercises which offer stimulus to all major muscle groups.

By compound exercises we mean the multi joint exercises which target a number of muscle groups during the execution of the lift. Examples being, the bench press, squat, dead lift, row, shoulder press and the pull up. Using the shoulder press as an example, the pressing of the barbell above the head calls on the recruitment of the deltoids (the shoulders, also commonly referred to as “delts”), the triceps, and core stabilising muscles.

Repetition range would commonly be 8-12, with 3 sets per exercise. That is to say, you would perform the exercise movement 8-12 times in a controlled manner, rest for 2 minutes, and then repeat until you have done this 3 times for the exercise. You would then move onto the next exercise, and so on.


3. Learn the value of food

Heavy lifting and gains in muscle mass and strength requires energy. Carbohydrate and calorie dense meals are needed for the weight trainer who wishes to advance with muscle mass and strength. Protein is also well known as an important macronutrient due to its role in muscle building and repair, hence why many weight trainers choose to take protein shakes.

A beginner to weight training should seek to eat four to five balanced meals throughout the day, composing of wholesome sources of carbohydrates, protein and fat. The addition of vegetables, or fruit for desert will allow for the inclusion of vital micronutrients.

Only once a trainer has a staple dietary intake of wholesome foods which will aid his/her weight training should they seek any form of supplementation. The inclusion of a whey protein powder directly after workout, with also a daily intake of creatine monohydrate may be the next step for a weight trainer, but little reliance should be placed upon such supplements, whole food diets plays a much greater role.

4. Do not try to do too much too fast

This point could hold true for your supplement intake, and your weight training. As mentioned in the previous tip, many supplements will be marketed in a manner which leaves many uneducated weight trainers hooked in to buying the product, ready for the quick gains in muscle mass and strength. Whilst there are many great supplements out there, they should be only seen as additions to your nutritional intake, and not alternatives. Once you have trained for a sustained period of time, following a suitable wholesome diet which is dense in the nutrients your body craves when weight training, should you take a realistic look at supplements to further aid your progression.

Furthermore, the basic compound exercises which you have been performing should remain high on your priority list as you advance in muscle size and strength. The addition of other exercises, even exercises which isolate the smaller muscles such as the biceps, deltoids or triceps, can be implemented as you become more advanced, but the compound exercises should remain the backbone of your training routine.

5. Be patient

Whether you are looking for increased muscle mass, increased strength, or just overall greater muscle functionality, progression takes time. Many beginner weight trainers will notice relatively rapid progression in strength when they first begin a weight training program, but as the first couple of months past the gains will start to slow down. The key to long term success is the sustained commitment to training and diet, which will see steady but ever increasing advances in size and strength.

Source :http://www.fitnessuncovered.co.uk

Medifast Diet Plan-Weight Loss

The Secret to Losing Weight on the Medifast Diet Plan

Obesity is a problem that affects a lot of people in this day and age and unfortunately it isn’t as easy as it should be fixed. A lot of information on the web and media confuses the issue and makes losing weight a lot more complicated than what it should be. The Medifast Diet Plan is one solution available that removes the confusing and helps to make weight loss as simple as possible and achievable for anyone who has a bit of motivation and desire to reach their goal.
What are the Medifast Diet Plans?

These are generally a liquid shake based diet that is based around substitutes low in fat, low in calories, and low in carbohydrates. The diet works around the concepts of ketosis where the body if forced into a cycle which causes it to burn its fat rather than its muscle which is common for many diets based on low energy intake.
Other Diet Plans

As good as the Medifast diet is, it might not be suitable for everybody or maybe it isn’t available in your Country or region. Luckily there are many alternatives that might deliver what you need.

Optifast and Slimfast are two such liquid diets.

Optifast is a shake based meal supplement weight loss program that is a medically monitored clincally proven diet. It is popular in many countries and you will find many testimonials of how good it is. Slimfast is designed to stop hunger cravings with its shakes which work together to help you lose weight. Both diet plans use a form of ketosis.

Nutrisystem diet plans are another type of weight loss program that has cooks prepare fresh and healthy food for you so all you need to do is warm it up and eat it. It takes the guess work out of it while you learn the ropes and allows you to eat real food. You might even start to love the healthy meals and stop craving the fat and sugary stuff.

For people who really get motivated by counting numbers and being part of a team then Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig are great programs. They spend more time on training how to eat properly rather than a fast approach. It is a good idea to look into these program while doing a liquid diet as they will really help you keep all your lost weight off for a long time. It should actually never be a problem again!

Have a read around the site and you should be able to find the information required to decide whether the Medifast Diet Plan is the one for you or how to really make it help you lose weight, fast.

Source : http://www.medifastdietplan.com

Tips For Reducing Body Weight

Pic Source : http;//www.topnews.in

Whatever happened to just enjoying good food, in moderation, without guilt? These global tricks reveal it's possible, and show you how.

1. Stop eating before you're full. The Okinawans, whose average BMI is 21.5 for those who eat a traditional diet, call this hara hachi bu, or eating till you're 80 percent full. Of course, we're not suggesting that you leave the table hungry. But eating until the buttons pop stretches the stomach by about 20 percent each time you do it, so you inevitably need more food to feel satisfied, explains Bradley Willcox, MD, co-author of The Okinawa Diet Plan. He says that putting your fork down "when you feel that first twinge of fullness" gives your brain a chance to realize that you are full before you overdo it.

2. Drizzle on the healthy oils. Healthy fats like olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, and canola oil, a staple of Okinawans, make vegetables tastier, so you're likely to eat more of them. And, as we know, eating a diet rich in produce is key to maintaining a healthy weight.


3. When you're eating, just eat. No other culture multitasks meals the way Americans do with our TV dinners, fast-food drive-throughs and grab-'n-go food that's designed to fit into a car cup holder and be eaten with one hand. In Japan, it's considered rude to eat while walking. And you'll never catch the French gulping coffee in the car. "In France, there are no car cup holders because you don't drink coffee while driving," explains Will Clower, PhD, author of The Fat Fallacy : The French Diet Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss. "Eating and drinking aren't errands. It's not what you do on the way to something else." Good advice. When you're distracted by work, traffic or the TV, you're apt to overeat without even realizing it, notes Dean Ornish, MD, author of Eat More, Weigh Less. "If you really pay attention to what you're eating, you enjoy it more fully and don't need as much food."


4. Get moving. People in Asian countries, France and the Mediterranean tend to be slim because they're more active. Not that they spend hours at the gym; they simply walk a lot.


5. Enjoy regular meals. One reason French women don't get fat is because French women eat three meals a day. You may think skipping meals cuts calories, but all it does is evoke a primal "fear of hunger response" that causes overeating later, explains Dr. David Katz, MD, author of The Way to Eat. "Throughout most of our history, we had too little to eat. So when you go for long periods without eating, you stir up all that native programming, which says eat like crazy when you can, because all too often you can't." Start with breakfast. Studies show that breakfast-eaters are slimmer than skippers.


6. Dine with others. Eating with family or friends vs. alone in your car, at your desk or on the couch is part and parcel of traditional cultures. Not only does camaraderie make the meal more enjoyable, it's slimming. "Eating with others restrains your own behavior," notes Dr. Katz. "You eat more slowly, which increases the likelihood that you'll register when you're full before you've eaten more than you should."



7. Chow down only when you're hungry. Americans eat for all sorts of reasons besides hunger, especially from boredom, loneliness, stress or fear, a foreign concept in other cultures. "You can't make food the solution to every issue in your life and expect to be thin," says Dr. Katz. "If you eat from boredom, find a hobby. If you eat to relieve stress, learn meditation or yoga."


8. Have a glass of wine. A staple of French and Mediterranean tables, wine adds joy to the meal, and because it contains potent antioxidants, is at least partly responsible for why these cultures traditionally have lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality despite their higher-fat diets. And while some studies show that we tend to eat more when we drink, a Finnish study actually found that male drinkers were leaner than abstainers.

Source :http://shine.yahoo.com/

Basic Yoga For Beginners

Graphic Source : discover-yoga-online.com

Basic Yoga Session - Yoga Exercise and Pose

Set your gym equipment aside. Yoga Exercise will only require you 30 minutes each day, a Yoga Mat or blanket, and a small exercise space.

You might be surprised to learn that your body can actually do things you did not think possible. Take the wide range of Yoga Poses that can help an individual attain a high level of self-awareness, balance, and strength. The seven primary types of movements that your body can make through Yoga exercise are flexion, extension, hyperextension, abduction, adduction, rotation, and circumduction. You can do a combination of these movements to have a stronger, more flexible, and balanced body.

Yoga is one good way of relaxation. It can ease the tension building in your muscles and joints without experiencing fatigue and overexertion. The Yoga exercise is also believed to make a practitioner look younger. The basic yoga moves involved in the poses and exercises will provide inner peace and radiant health.

These are some of the things to keep in mind before indulging into Yoga Exercise:

* Know your body limits.
* If you want to enjoy the activity, don't push too hard. This could also avoid hurting yourself in the process.
* It is advisable to start with a teacher so you will be guided on the yoga basic positions. If that is not possible, good books or videos on Yoga Exercise can help you get started.
* Consult a health professional before starting to do the exercises, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

The Asanas or the Yoga Poses usually start in breathing slowly and deeply, concentrating your mind, and making yourself centered. Remember that your body movements and breathing must be coordinated until such time that they are one and the same. Your breathing will also be your guide on when to start or stop the Yoga Exercise. Coming into a pose, holding it, and coming out of it must be continuously done with gracefulness.

The Main Groups of Yoga Postures

The main groups of yoga postures are: standing, seated, reclining (prone & supine), forward bends, back bends, side bends, twists, inverted and balancing postures.\

Standing Postures


These poses invigorate the mind and body by eliminating tension, aches, and pains. Internally, these postures stimulate digestion, regulate the kidneys, and alleviate constipation, as well as improve circulation and breathing by developing the strength of the legs and the flexibility of the pelvis and lower back. Through regular practice, standing poses lend strength and mobility to the hips, knees, neck, and shoulders. On a psychological level, standing poses create confidence, enhance willpower, and strengthen character.

Seated Postures

Generally, these poses are considered calming, as they soothe the nerves, eliminate fatigue, and refresh the brain. They also help regulate blood pressure and assist in recuperation from illness, as well as promote restful sleep. Some poses are beneficial in that they increase flexibility in the lower back, hips and hamstrings.

Reclining Postures

These poses fall into two categories: prone and supine poses. The prone poses are done facing the floor, either on the hands and knees or lying on the stomach. They rejuvenate and energize the body and can be especially strengthening for the arms and back. Supine poses are done while lying on the back. For the most part, these poses are more relaxing and restful. Reclining poses serve mainly to stretch the abdomen and increase the mobility of the spine and hips, thus opening the groin and strengthening the back, arms, and legs. The less strenuous of these poses traditionally are done at the end of a practice session to cool down the body and restore energy.

Forward Bends

Forward bends improve the blood circulation, aid digestion and calm the emotions. They stretch the lower back and lengthen the hamstrings

Back Bends

Back bends invigorate and encourage deep breathing. They open and energize the body and mind; they develop courage and lift depression. They open the chest, stimulate the nervous system, strengthen the arms and shoulders and increase flexibility of the spine.

Side Bends

Side bends stimulate the main organs, for example the liver, kidneys, stomach, and spleen.

Twists

These postures free, energize and balance the body. Sitting twists are the most intensive, as they increase the range of motion of the spine. They promote flexibility in the spine, hips and upper back, thus relieving backaches, headaches, and stiffness in the neck and shoulders. This group of postures also tones and stimulates the abdominal organs, thus aiding digestion and relieving constipation. Ideally, twisting postures are done after a series of sitting poses or forward bends, which gives the hips and spine a proper warm-up. When done after backbends, they tend to relieve any lower back discomfort.

Inverted Postures

Inverted postures reverse gravity, bringing fresh blood to the head and heart, thus revitalizing the mind and the whole body. These poses tone the internal organs and glandular system, stimulate brain function, improve circulation and refresh tired legs.

Balancing Postures

Balancing postures develop lightness, strength and agility. They also help develop body control, muscle tone, coordination, and concentration.

In yoga, the body is gently and skillfully maneuvered in all directions. Consequently every muscle is stretched and toned. The internal organs are massaged, squeezed, and expanded, improving their general function. The skeletal system is flexed, extended, rotated, and twisted, creating greater joint mobility. The spine is encouraged to maintain a healthy, upright, and pain-free condition. The circulation is improved. The breathing capacity and elasticity of the lungs is enhanced.

Source :http://www.abc-of-yoga.com,http://www.yogaforbeginners.com

10 tips for women to stay fit and healthy

Fitness for Women- Stay Fit and Healthy!

Here are 10 tips for women to stay fit and healthy:

1. Staying fit and healthy starts with a balanced diet. Know and monitor the right weight for your age. Consult your doctor to learn what food you should avoid and follow your eating discipline routines. If you are trying to lose some weight, foods with high calories should be omitted from your meals. Food with high fiber and low fat should be included a priority in your grocery list instead of red meat, sugars and fats.

2. Drink plenty of water. Drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. This cleanses the body from impurities. It is also advised for lactating women to increase water intake to keep the body hydrated.

3. Take Vitamins and Supplements. Do not forget your Calcium supplement. Sufficient Calcium intake is beneficial for women of all ages. This has been proven to prevent having cramps and Pre-Menstrual Period (PMS) Symptoms. It also prevents Osteoporosis especially for menopausal women. Vitamin E boosts strong immune system. Women who undergo menopausal period should take Vitamin E-400 as it stops night sweats and hot flashes. Also, Vitamin E is said to be best in avoiding wrinkles when aging.

4. Quit smoking. If you are smoking, stop. It is also a big “NO” for pregnant women, as this will affect the health of the baby. Pregnant women who smoke may pass the harmful content of cigarettes to babies through the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that women smokers are more prone to diseases than men smokers. Women who smoke have a high risk of getting breast cancer. Also limit your alcohol intake.

5. Incorporate exercises in your daily routine. Take a walk after work, use stairs instead of elevator or play with your kids when you are at home. Home exercises are also effective especially when you do not have time to go to the gym and would like to lose some weight. Yoga and Pilates are only a few of the many effective exercises you can do at home. Exercises help in limiting the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

6. Avoid stress. Many women are prone to too much stress. Stress has been known as cause to many sicknesses. As much as possible take time to relax. Read a good book, hang out with friends and engage into sports. Pamper yourself by going to parlors or you can do some shopping. And do not forget to get enough sleep to revive your energy.

7. Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Wear hats when under the sun to protect your skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. The skin is prone to cancer when exposed to too much sunlight. It also speeds up the aging of skin cells, which causes wrinkles to women.

8. Make sure to visit your dentist to keep that beautiful smile. Always have it cleaned to prevent cavities and bad breath.

9. Visit your Gynecologist. Women who are eighteen and above should have their Physical Examination annually especially for the Pap Smear test. Women who are forty and up should have their mammograms and the Breast self-exam is encouraged once puberty has been reached and should be a habit as they mature

10. Safe sex is strongly recommended. Use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Source :http://healthnutritionwellness.com

Guide about Sports Nutrition

Graphic Source : http://www.gnc.com




If you're a competitive athlete or a fitness buff, improving your sports performance is probably on your mind. Lots of people wonder if taking sports supplements could offer fast, effective results without so much hard work. But do sports supplements really work? And are they safe?
What Are Sports Supplements?

Sports supplements (also called ergogenic aids) are products used to enhance athletic performance that may include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, or botanicals (plants) — or any concentration, extract, or combination of these. These products are generally available over the counter without a prescription.

Sports supplement are considered a dietary supplement. Dietary supplements do not require U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval before they come on the market. Supplement manufacturers do have to follow the FDA's current good manufacturing practices to ensure quality and safety of their product, though. And the FDA is responsible for taking action if a product is found to be unsafe after it has gone on the market.

Critics of the supplement industry point out cases where manufacturers haven't done a good job of following standards. They also mention instances where the FDA hasn't enforced regulations. Both of these can mean that supplements contain variable amounts of ingredients or even ingredients not listed on the label.

Some over-the-counter medicines and prescription medications, including anabolic steroids, are used to enhance performance but they are not considered supplements. Although medications are FDA approved, using medicines — even over-the-counter ones — in ways other than their intended purpose puts the user at risk of serious side effects. For example, teen athletes who use medications like human growth hormone (hGH) that haven't been prescribed for them may have problems with development and hormone levels.

Lots of sports organizations have developed policies on sports supplements. The National Football League (NFL), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have banned the use of steroids, ephedra, and androstenedione by their athletes, and competitors who use them face fines, ineligibility, and suspension from their sports.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) strongly recommends that student athletes consult with their doctor before taking any supplement.

Common Supplements and How They Affect the Body


Whether you hear about sports supplements from your teammates in the locker room or the sales clerk at your local vitamin store, chances are you're not getting the whole story about how supplements work, if they are really effective, and the risks you take by using them.

Androstenedione and DHEA

Androstenedione (also known as andro) and dehydroepiandrosterone (also known as DHEA) are prohormones or "natural steroids" that can be broken down into testosterone. When researchers studied these prohormones in adult athletes, DHEA and andro did not increase muscle size, improve strength or enhance performance.

The side effects of these "natural" steroid supplements like DHEA and andro aren't well known. But experts believe that, when taken in large doses, they cause effects similar to stronger anabolic steroids.

What is known is that andro and DHEA can cause hormone imbalances in people who use them. Both may have the same effects as taking anabolic steroids and may lead to dangerous side effects like testicular cancer, infertility, stroke, and an increased risk of heart disease. As with anabolic steroids, teens who use andro while they are still growing may not reach their full adult height. Natural steroid supplements can also cause breast development and shrinking of testicles in guys.
Creatine

Creatine is already manufactured by the body in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It also occurs naturally in foods such as meat and fish. Creatine supplements are available over the counter, and teens make up a large portion of the supplement's users.

People who take creatine usually take it to improve strength, but the long-term and short-term effects of creatine use haven't been studied in teens and kids. Research in adults found that creatine is most effective for athletes doing intermittent high-intensity exercise with short recovery intervals, such as sprinting and power lifting. However, researchers found no effect on athletic performance in nearly a third of athletes studied. Creatine has not been found to increase endurance or improve aerobic performance.

The most common side effects of creatine supplements include weight gain, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and muscle cramps. People with kidney problems should not use creatine because it may affect kidney function. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people younger than 18 years old do not use creatine. If you are considering using creatine, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits, as well as appropriate dosing.
Fat burners

Fat burners (sometimes known as thermogenics) were often made with an herb called ephedra, also known as ephedrine or ma huang, which acts as a stimulant and increases metabolism. Some athletes use fat burners to lose weight or to increase energy — but ephedra-based products can be one of the most dangerous supplements. Evidence has shown that it can cause heart problems, stroke, and occasionally even death.

Because athletes and others have died using this supplement, ephedra has been taken off the market. Since the ban, "ephedra-free" products have emerged, but they often contain ingredients with ephedra-like properties, including bitter orange or country mallow. Similar to ephedra, these supplements can cause high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and seizures.

Many of these products also contain caffeine, along with other caffeine sources (such as yerba mate and guarana). This combination may lead to restlessness, anxiety, racing heart, irregular heart beat, and increases the chance of having a life-threatening side effect.
Will Supplements Make Me a Better Athlete?

Sports supplements haven't been tested on teens and kids. But studies on adults show that the claims of many supplements are weak at best. Most won't make you any stronger, and none will make you any faster or more skillful.

Many factors go into your abilities as an athlete — including your diet, how much sleep you get, genetics and heredity, and your training program. But the fact is that using sports supplements may put you at risk for serious health conditions. So instead of turning to supplements to improve your performance, concentrate on nutrition and follow a weight-training and aerobic-conditioning program.
Tips for Dealing With Athletic Pressure and Competition

Advertisements for sports supplements often use persuasive before and after pictures that make it look easy to get a muscular, toned body. But the goal of supplement advertisers is to make money by selling more supplements, and many claims may be misleading. Teens and kids may seem like an easy sell on supplements because they may feel dissatisfied or uncomfortable with their still-developing bodies, and many supplement companies try to convince teens that supplements are an easy solution.

Don't waste your money on expensive and dangerous supplements. Instead, try these tips for getting better game:

* Make downtime a priority. Studies show that teens need more than 8 hours of sleep a night, and sleep is important for athletes. Organize time for sleep into your schedule by doing as much homework as possible on the weekend or consider cutting back on after-school job hours during your sports season.

* Try to relax. Your school, work, and sports schedules may have you sprinting from one activity to the next, but taking a few minutes to relax can be helpful. Meditating or visualizing your success during the next game may improve your performance; sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing can give you a brief break and prepare you for your next activity.

* Choose good eats. Fried, fatty, or sugary foods will interfere with your performance. Instead, focus on eating foods such as lean meats, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat dairy products. Celebrating with the team at the local pizza place after a big game is fine once in a while. But for most meals and snacks, choose healthy foods to keep your weight in a healthy range and your performance at its best.

* Eat often. Sometimes people skip breakfast or have an early lunch, then try to play a late afternoon game. Not getting enough food to fuel an activity can quickly wear you out — and even place you at risk for injury or muscle fatigue. Be sure to eat lunch on practice and game days. If you feel hungry before the game, pack easy-to-carry, healthy snacks in your bag, such as fruit, trail mix, or string cheese. It's important to eat well after a workout.

* Avoid harmful substances. Smoking will diminish your lung capacity and your ability to breathe, alcohol can make you sluggish and tired, and can impair your hand-eye coordination and reduce your alertness. And you can kiss your team good-bye if you get caught using drugs or alcohol — many schools have a no-tolerance policy for harmful substances.

* Train harder and smarter. If you get out of breath easily during your basketball game and you want to increase your endurance, work on improving your cardiovascular conditioning. If you think more leg strength will help you excel on the soccer field, consider weight training to increase your muscle strength. Before changing your program, though, get advice from your doctor.

* Consult a professional. If you're concerned about your weight or whether your diet is helping your performance, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian who can evaluate your nutrition and steer you in the right direction. Coaches can help too. And if you're still convinced that supplements will help you, talk to your doctor or a sports medicine specialist. The doc will be able to offer alternatives to supplements based on your body and sport.

Source : http://kidshealth.org

Choosing the right workout shoes

Tips on selecting the right workout shoes

While the clothes you choose for a workout are important, the sneakers you select can make a huge difference in how you perform your fitness activity, while the wrong athletic shoes can hurt your feet and even cause injury to other parts of your body.

Athletic Shoes Tailored to Your Activity

Before determining which athletic shoes will be best for your feet, consider what type of exercise you'll be doing. The exercise will help determine which athletic shoes offer the best features for your needs.

• Running. If running is your main form of exercise, look for running shoes that provide plenty of cushioning, traction, and stability. They should also be lightweight and flexible.

• Walking. Walking shoes should offer a comfortable cushion that absorbs shock, and a sole designed to support the natural walking movement of the foot.

• Court shoes. If you play tennis, volleyball, basketball, racquetball, or other court sports, find a shoe with a sturdy, stable sole that can support your feet during constant back-and-forth movement.

• Outdoor field sport shoes. If you're looking for footwear for baseball, soccer, golf, or football, you'll want shoes with cleats, spikes, or studs for better traction.

A quick tip to check a shoe's stability before you buy: Bend the shoe, holding it at both ends. It should bend naturally behind where the ball of the foot would be, since that's where your foot naturally bends. Also, make sure the heel counter is sturdy. The heel counter is a stiff cup that surrounds the heel part of the shoe. Squeeze the heel counter and make sure it doesn't cave in when you apply pressure.

Athletic Shoes: Fitting and Testing

Trying on shoes in the store can be different than wearing them during your workouts, but there are ways to make sure your shoes will fit well when you're in the middle of a hard workout:

• Shop in the afternoon. If you try on athletic shoes toward the end of the day, when your feet are more swollen, you'll get a better idea of how they fit.

• Shop in socks. When you look for athletic shoes, wear the socks that you use during a workout. You want to make sure the shoes fit properly with your athletic socks.

• Go large in the toes. Make sure that your shoes have about half an inch of wiggle room between the end of the shoe and your longest toe. If your feet are different sizes, opt for the larger shoes for better comfort.

• Snug fit in the heel. New athletic shoes shouldn't slip on your heels, but they shouldn't be too snug in the toes, either. Make sure that the ball of your foot fits easily in the widest part of the athletic shoe.

• Try them out. Test out the shoes for at least 10 minutes in the store, or even outside if the store will allow it, before you decide to buy.

If you have problem feet, talk to the sales representative at the store about what types of sneakers are best for you. If you have high arches, for example, you'll need a different style of shoe than someone with flat arches.

Remember, every athletic shoe is different, as is every foot, so don't rely on a style you find attractive or a shoe that you like on someone else. Be clear about your needs and any special foot problems you have, try on lots of different styles, and test them out in the store.

Source:www.everydayhealth.com

Sports and Technology

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The world of sport is continually changing over the years, and the use of technology is just one of those areas that has made an impact on many sports in the modern day. One criticism of the use of technology is that it can slow down the speed of the game.

1.Assisting the Umpires / Referees

Most professional sports in the United States have long used instant replay and other high-tech aids to help referees make the right call. Gridiron has used video replay systems to check referees' calls for many years. Basketball referees use replay systems to make sure players are shooting within the time allotted by the shot clock. In international cricket, the third umpire has been used, one sitting off the ground with access to TV replays of certain situations (such as disputed catches and boundaries) to advise the central umpires. The umpires out on the field are in communication via wireless technology with the other umpire. The third umpire is also asked to adjudicate on run out decisions, which he makes without consultation with the two central umpires. One sport that has resisted the use of high-tech assistance is soccer/football. Replays could be used to decide off-side decisions, whether a ball passes over the goal line, and clarify penalty decisions.

2.Soccer Goal Line Technology

There has been a need for goal line technology in soccer, particularly as TV replays are showing in retrospect wrong decisions by the referee. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has laid down four criteria that they want to see in goal-line systems:

The technology should only apply to goal-line decisions.
The system must be 100 per cent accurate.
The signal sent to the referee must be instantaneous.
The signal is only communicated to the match officials.

A promising prospect has been a "smartball" loaded with an computer chip, jointly developed by German companies Cairos Technologies and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, an engineering research and software development company, along with the Adidas athletic clothing and shoe company. The companies' technology uses a network of receivers around the field designed to track the ball's precise position in real time - including exactly when it has fully passed the goal line. That information would be relayed in less than a second to a watch-like device worn by the referee. However, this system has had its setbacks, and another system using, The Hawk-Eye, is being looked at.

3.Hawk-Eye Technology

Hawk-eye is the name of a computer and camera system which traces a ball's trajectory. It is being used in international cricket and tennis, and many other sports are also looking at making use of this technology. The system is also being trailled in soccer. The Premier League of Football in the UK has agreed to the introduction of goal-line sensors after being given approval by football's rule-makers. The system being developed by the UK company Hawk-Eye, would give a definitive decision on whether the ball had crossed the line. The Hawk Eye uses a camera taking 600 frames a second on the goal-line. The information is analyzed by computer and sent to the referee's headset or a device on his wrist.

Source:http://www.topendsports.com

Fun Fitness

Many people believe there's no such thing as fun fitness. In their minds, a good workout means trudging on a treadmill or lugging weights around a joyless gym, and that there’s no gain without the pain.

This, of course, is nonsense. There are many ways to combine fun and fitness.

Activities that fall under the fun fitness umbrella include:

• Competitive sports - Basketball, Soccer,Tennis, and Racquetball are some competitive sports that can help improve your fitness. Some gyms are even offering competitive dodge ball as a fun game to get your heart pumping.

• Outdoor activities - Walking, jogging, bicycling, and swimming can get you out in fresh air and sunshine, making your fitness workout feel less like work and more like play. Other options include kayaking, hiking, inline skating, and skateboarding.

• Martial arts - Classes that teach karate, jujitsu, judo, tae kwon do, or kickboxing provide a workout aimed at improving your fitness, coordination, and mental discipline.

• Dance classes - Energetic ballroom dancing is considered a vigorous workout by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine. Dance styles like the salsa, meringue, and mambo can keep you whirling and twirling so much you forget you're actually getting into shape.

• Acrobatics - Activities like tumbling, headstands, and somersaults can condition your body and help you feel like a kid again. You can use a balance beam, rings, or just a padded floor. Bouncing on a trampoline is another type of acrobatic fitness fun. Just be careful — these activities can lead to injury if your form is off or you lose your balance.

• Kid stuff -Don't discount the fitness to be had in kids’ activities like jumping rope or riding a pogo stick. For example, jumping rope improves your balance, stamina, and coordination, while working muscle groups in your arms, legs, chest, back, shoulders, and abdomen.

• Nintendo Wii - The venerable video game maker upped the fun factor for fitness when it released its Wii Fit game. Other game makers have followed suit with more video workouts involving the Wii.
  

Finally, You can make any fitness activity more fun by recruiting a workout buddy or joining a group.

Source:www.everydayhealth.com