Friday Fitness Study Guide

 

Visualize Yourself Kicking Butt

A study in The Journal of Conditioning Research found that visualizing yourself kicking ass before a workout or race can drastically enhance your performance.   Runners who visualized themselves sprinting superfast up to 2 minutes before a race ran faster than those who did not. Timing is everything though, the effect disappeared if it was done more than 3 minutes before running. This is probably because having more time between dreaming and doing causes you to loose the physiological momentum you have built.

Take it Outside

According to a study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, It requires less effort to move  on a treadmill versus walking or running outdoors at the same speed. Researchers tracked how much energy people burned walking outside and on a treadmill, and found that choosing a 3 percent slope on the treadmill best matches the energy requirements of walking on flat ground outdoors.

RISE and Shine

RISE is the new it word in exercising.  It stands for resistance, intervals, stretching, and endurance. According to a study in The Journal of Physiology, mixing these four exercises will maximize fat burning.  Individuals in the study consumed a diet of high protein meals and they exercised using RISE or they ate a normal diet along with an exercise regime of sprinting and weight training.  The individuals who used RISE lost more weight than the individuals who sprinted and lifted weights. Different activities trigger different metabolic pathways that work together to burn off fat more efficiently, says study author Paul Arciero, PhD.

Warm it Up

The next time you warm up before a workout try incorporating squatting and whole body vibrations into your warm-up. By doing this you can boost your sprint power by 6%, says a study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Problem is: You may not have a whole-body vibrating machine. Instead, follow this three-step program proven by researchers at Bloomsburg University to boost your golf stroke speed by up to 24 percent: Take 2 minutes to do aerobic exercises like walking lunges, stretch for another 3 minutes, and then take practice swings for another 2 minutes.

Cool it Down

Take your next cool down to the next level. According to a review published in The Cochrane Library, cold water immersion (CWI) can reduce muscle soreness between 15 to 20 percent in the 24 to 96 hours after an intense workout session. Researchers compared the effects of CWI to passive recovery (basically doing nothing), active recovery (slowly jogging for several minutes), and compression (from socks and other tight clothing). The study found that ice baths were about as effective as active recovery or compression.

Are you As Strong as a Teenager?

According to German researchers, the average 25-year-old is only as fit as a 15-year-old kid. Researcher tested the running speed and chin-up strength of 8,000 German students, and compared their numbers to people in their 20s. The results: Both the average kid and 25-year-old could hold a chin-up for 40 seconds and complete a 1,000-meter run in 270 seconds. Your move: Hammer out intervals three times a week to burn three times as many calories compared to a moderate-pace run that’s twice as long, according to researchers at the University of New South Wales.

Boost Your Vertical Jump

Need to add a few inches to your vertical jump? Try squatting deeper. According to a study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, bringing your squats below parallel when you’re squatting is the best way to improve your vertical jump. Before you start deep squatting, take a look at your heels: If they lift off the ground as you go low, use box squats to build mobility and strength before dropping to the floor.

Bring a Friend for Motivation

Having trouble staying motivated? Grab a training partner. Hitting the gym with a buddy can double the length of your workout, say researchers at Michigan State University. Even better: Join a team. Participants who rode together on the same team exercised for 2 minutes longer than their counterparts who rode with a single partner.

Get a Mouth Guard

According to a study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, mouth guards can improve your performance on upper and lower body power exercises. Researchers found that people who used a mouth guard could jump higher on a vertical jump test than those who didn't have anything in their mouths. The researchers concluded that clenching your teeth can increase blood flow to the areas of the brain associated with motor control and timing.

Motivational Monday: Learning to Let Go

Picture Courtesy of Google Images

Learn to let go. Most of us want to be in control of every little peace of our lives, from how we look, to how others perceive us. Trying to mold the world to your will can drain your happiness, cause unneeded stress, and even alienate the people around you. If you find yourself faced with this dilemma the best thing you can do is surrender. Let go of the control and start to bring joy and fun back into your life.

Wish Them Well!

You need positive energy to attract success into your life, so stop comparing yourself to your coworkers or friends.  Constant comparisons with your friends or coworkers can hinder your own triumphs. Instead of harboring ill feelings toward that coworker you think stole your promotion, or your friend who is happily married while you are single and having a little bad luck in the romance department, wish them well. I know this can be hard, heck it can be downright impossible at times. If your situation falls into the later, just fake it.  Even if you don’t really want to wish them well, just saying the words will create a positive energy you need to attract success into your life.

Don’t Force It!

Sometimes, no amount of  brainstorming or analyzing can further your cause.  When this happens, don’t force it. Forcing things only leads to distress. Instead of fuming or ruminating when you hit a bump in the road, sit back, take a deep breath, and assess the situation at hand while feeling calm and collected. Begin to ask yourself what can be done to further your cause and how else can you address the situation at hand. Listen to your inner voice and follow those gut feelings as they may help you tune into a solution that has previously been beyond your reach.

Don’t Hold Back!

Sometimes we tend to see crying as a weakness so we hold back the tears.  Or we are afraid to open up the floodgates by allowing ourselves to have a good cry so we hold back the tears. Whatever the reason, don’t hold back anymore. Tears are healthy and healing.  Tears are your body's way of releasing stress, sadness, grief, and anxiety.  Letting go of pent up emotional and physical tension will help you to resolve and avoid being consumed by whatever pain you may be feeling.

Take a Time Out!

Life is hectic and most of us feel as though we don’t have time for anything else.  When life is this busy, your body needs a time out now and then to recharge and renew both energy and enthusiasm. Try a mediation exercise during this time out. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and focus on a relaxing image for three minutes.  Carry this image with you throughout the day to bring feelings of peace to help you relax throughout the day.

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Wildlife Wednesday: The Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta Splendens

Mr. Sprinkles (My Betta Splendens)

Mr. Sprinkles (My Betta Splendens)

Mr. Sprinkles (My Betta Splendens)

The Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta Splendens was  discovered in Southeast Asia and became domesticated in the 1800’s in Thailand where they were bred for competitive fighting. The betta was named after an ancient clan of warriors, called the "Bettah."  The fish were given a combatant name after the fighting fish became popular in the mid-1800s.  In fact, the sport became so popular in Thailand that the former King of Siam had it regulated and taxed!  The biggest and bravest Betta was declared the winner, even if it was more torn up at the end of a fight.
At the end of the 19^th century, Betta fish had found homes in Betta aquariums in Europe and eventually the United States. The evolution of Betta fish continued, with breeders introducing new fish with brilliantly colored bodies and long, flowing fins. Each new Betta Splendens was given a new name.
Bettas are  native to slow moving and stagnant, overgrown waters , the betta became accustomed to frequent storm flooding and devastating droughts.  The cyclic, drastic changes in its environment helped the fish to adapt - becoming a true labyrinth fish.  Betta splendens have an accessory breathing organ called the labyrinth organ that allows them to survive in waters with low oxygen content, by breathing air from the surface, allowing a betta to sustain itself in stagnant, oxygen-deficient water.  Although bettas can tolerate small spaces and poor water quality, they do best in small aquariums (at least two gallons) with regular water changes. 
Bettas have several different tail shapes, the "veil tail."  the "half-moon," "double tail," "short-finned fighting-style tail" and "crown tail." Bettas normally live 2 - 3 years, but have been known to hit the teenage years. The betta is known as "plakad" in its native Thailand and has often been referred to as "The Jewel of the Orient."
Bettas upturned mouths give them the ability to feed on the water's surface.  A good diet consists of dried bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia.  The Betta food or pellets that can be purchased at most pet stores are best because they contain a mixture of all three foods, in addition to vitamins and minerals. 
Most fish are schooling fish, but Bettas are not and they will fight with each other.Bettas like to swim alone and they hide in sea caves or plant forests to feel safe.
Each time you clean your Bettas tank be sure you only replace a third of the water in the tank with fresh water.  This enables the Betta to adjust to the temperature and pH of clean water – without messing up the biological balance of the betta’s environment.  This should be done about every three or four days for small bowls or tanks. Bettas prefer slightly acidic water (pH 6.5 to 7) and warm water. The optimal water temperature for a Betta is 76-82 degrees F.   Cold water can suppress the immune system and cause illness.An important rule of thumb when cleaning your Bettas habitat is to never use soap, hot water will work just fine.  To prevent the buildup of ammonia and bacteria use a small turkey baster to siphon debris from the bottom of the tank.
Siamese fighting fish are bubble breeders, which means the males build bubble nests at the surface of the water. During courtship , the male wraps himself around the female in a tight embrace during which he fertilizes eggs released by the female. He then gathers up the eggs in his mouth as they sink and blows them into the nest. This nuptial egg release repeats until the female has no more eggs. The male then tends the eggs until they hatch about 36 hours later.
This species is threatened by habitat degradation. Habitats across most of its range have been converted into intensive farmland, developed, or polluted, especially in central Thailand which is its centre of population. Genetic erosion from escaped farmed stock into wild habitats is a secondary threat.
Currently its exact extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are poorly known, but is locally uncommon in its suitable habitats. The species is considered vulnerable due to a perceived population decline of at least 30% across its range, and a declining area and extent of occurrence.
Captive breeding from wild populations is strongly recommended.