A Healthy Diet for Athletes

A healthy diet for athletes requires energy intake sufficient to maintain body weight, maintain health, and to maximize training effect. Optimal nutrition is a key component of any training program and will enhance athletic performance and recovery.

Typically, athletes do not need to diet for weight loss. However, if weight or fat loss is desired, it should be completed before the start of the season. Consult with your health professional before undertaking any sort of dieting.

Many cyclists are concerned about power-to-weight ratio, which is the main determinant of speed. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that losing weight is the key to improving performance. If you are overweight, then yes, try to lose a few pounds, but if you drop below your optimal weight, you could actually lose strength and move backward in your training plan. Restrictions in your diet may also increase your risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. A healthy diet for athletes should meet the recommended daily allowances at a very minimum.

Here are some recommendations for a healthy diet for athletes regarding what and when to eat...

Before Exercise

Eat a small meal high in complex carbohydrate with moderate protein approximately 3 hours before your workout to ensure proper digestion. Stick with foods that you tolerate well. Focus on staying hydrated with water and electrolytes.

During Exercise

While you are exercising you will need to consume approximately 30 – 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour to fuel yourself. Drink your carbs if possible for better absorption. Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty. Stay hydrated by drinking 8 – 10 ounces of electrolyte enhanced beverage every 15 – 20 minutes even if you don't feel thirsty.

After Exercise

After your cool-down, try to get some carbohydrate and protein within the first 30 minutes. This window is when your body is the most receptive. After that, eat a healthy balanced meal within 2 hours. Your goal is to replace fluids and electrolytes, to ingest carbohydrate to replenish muscle, and to get some protein for muscle tissue repair and rebuilding.

The following components are key to getting proper nutrition when participating in a regular exercise routine and constitute a healthy diet for athletes...

Carbs are important for replacing glycogen and maintaining blood glucose levels and are the primary source of ATP used for high intensity exercise. Inadequate amounts of carbohydrate will lead to premature fatigue. Ingest 6 - 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per day relative to your activity level.

Fats are an integral part of a healthy diet for athletes and should not be restricted, although try to avoid saturated and trans fat as much as possible. Fat is the primary source of stored energy for low-intensity exercise and provides vitamins and essential fatty acids. Less than 25% of your calories should come from fat.

Protein requirements are slightly greater for athletes versus sedentary individuals. Protein is a minor source of energy but is essential for normal growth and development of muscle. 15% of your total daily calories should be in the form of protein. More than 2 grams per day will be excreted or stored as fat.

Vitamins are essential for energy production, tissue growth and maintenance, immune system function, and protection of body tissue from oxidative damage. Athletic training slightly increases the need for vitamins, but most athletes get them from increased food consumption. Vitamin intake beyond adequate amounts does not improve performance.

Minerals are essential to performance and health. Common deficiencies in athletes are calcium, iron, and zinc. Vegetarians are more at-risk of missing essential minerals than meat-eaters.

Calcium is vital for bone health and to help combat osteoporosis, a common concern for cyclists, especially females. Consume approximately 1200 milligrams of calcium per day.

Iron is a key component of the oxygen transfer mechanism and the energy producing system in muscles. Iron deficiency decreases performance so get yours from iron-rich foods such as red meat, iron-fortified grains and cereals, and beans. Athletes should have their blood screened for iron deficiency on a regular basis.

Zinc is important for the growth, building, and repair of muscle tissue and energy production. Many athletes are deficient in zinc, but there is no standard measure so be sure to ingest meats (poultry & fish), dairy, grains, cereal, and nuts.

Electrolytes consist of sodium, potassium, and chloride to regulate fluid balance, muscle contraction, and nerve impulses. Electrolytes are lost through sweat so be sure to consume electrolyte drinks or tablets during exercise, especially in high heat or humidity or if you are a heavy sweater.

Antioxidants such as vitamins A, E, C, beta-carotene, and selenium prevent and counteract damage that oxygen causes to cells and are found in abundance in fruits and vegetables. They also offer long-term health benefits such as decreased risk of cancer and heart disease.

Try to get your daily allowance of each of these components through a balanced healthy diet for athletes. You might need to get some from nutritional supplements, but be careful if you are competing as some supplements may trigger a positive test for doping.

 

Read more »

Benefits of Physical Activity that You Should Consider

There are many obvious and well known benefits of physical activity, such as weight control, fitness, looking good and so on. However there are so many other benefits of regular exercise; some of which you may not have thought of.

If there was one thing that a person can do for the good of their health and long term wellbeing, then it would have to be exercise.

There are many health problems that can be avoided with exercise.

The benefits of physical activity for one's health are many – it can help avert obesity, which is itself a predictor for many life threatening diseases. Regular exercise can help to keep osteoporosis at bay, it can help control and reduce back pain by helping to improve endurance, muscle strength, posture and body flexibility.

It is also well known that exercise helps reduce risk of heart disease by improving heart health – the heart muscles become stronger, cholesterol levels can normalize, blood pressure is better controlled, blood circulation to the organs is improved. Even the risk of non insulin dependent diabetes as well as developing metabolic syndrome and even stroke is reduced with the help of exercise.

The CDC website lists several other benefits of physical activity such as:

It can reduce one's risk of developing certain kinds of cancer. Active women are less likely to have breast cancer and the overall rate of colon cancer is lower among those who are physically active.

Strengthening the bones and muscles of the body can have obvious benefits but for older adults this can be particularly vital – exercise can help keep a person more mobile and independent even in old age. By helping to improve balance and flexibility the chance of falling and injuring oneself reduce, which are yet more benefits of physical activity.

Exercise can help beat stress and elevate the mood.

Physical exercise can beat mental stress by causing the body to secrete certain beneficial hormones. Stress is known to hamper health and wellbeing so controlling this is vital.

In addition, depression and anxiety are curbed, and people can feel better about themselves; self esteem is often seen to rise among those who exercise regularly and find themselves looking more attractive.

In addition, the Mayo Clinic Website lists the following benefits of regular exercise

With regular physical exercise the muscles and organs of the body are better oxygenated and this can help beat fatigue and increase the body's energy levels. The heart and lung work more efficiently and you can go through a day feeling more charged and energetic.

Exercise is a great antidote to poor sleep, helping a person sleep better and deeper; this in turn can make one more efficient and productive during waking hours.

Some of the added benefits of physical activity are the fact that it can help to improve your sex life. As a person gains good health and fitness and a more attractive body, they can feel better about themselves and this can reflect in a better sex life. Exercising with a significant other or a good friend can, quite simply, be a lot of fun as well.

In What Ways Physical Activity is Beneficial to Your Body?Trampoline Exercise Is A Combination Of Great Fun And Physical Activity!After School Physical Activity Cuts Down Excess Weight In Adolescent GirlsChildren's Physical Activity Drops As They Grow UpPhysical Activity Low Among Immigrant ChildrenGardening Provides Recommended Physical Activity For Older Adults

Read more »

Benefits of Anaerobic Exercise

The benefits of anaerobic exercise are realized from performing short intense work. These benefits consist of both training effect and long-term effects on health.

Anaerobic literally means 'without oxygen' and occurs when an exercise is of such intensity that the muscle receives insufficient oxygen to meet the demands of the activity. Anaerobic exercise consists of brief high-intensity spurts and is used to build power and muscle mass.

The anaerobic threshold or lactate threshold (LT) is the exercise intensity at which lactate starts to accumulate in the blood stream. This value represents the maximum intensity you can sustain during endurance exercise. You have a limited amount of time that you can spend above LT before you give in to muscle fatigue. The good news is that LT can be raised through training.

Although weight training is the most common form of anaerobic exercise, you can get a great anaerobic workout on the bike too. Fartlek, which means 'speed play' and is most commonly used by runners, is a method of anaerobic training in which you exceed your LT temporarily, then drop back down below LT slightly to recover for the next effort.

Another method, with which cyclists will be more familiar, is interval training. Intervals are similar to Fartlek in the sense that you will be increasing intensity above LT and then recovering below, but the goal is to spend short amounts of time well above LT with recovery well below. Both of these types of anaerobic training burn more calories than continuous aerobic sessions.

Studies have shown that anaerobic training can deliver results much faster than aerobic training alone. However, be careful that you have built a sufficient aerobic base before incorporating high-intensity anaerobic intervals into your training sessions in order to avoid injury.

There's no doubt that anaerobic training helps to build strength and endurance. But it also has been shown to improve posture, flexibility, joint health, sleep, blood pressure, and bone strength. Anaerobic training also increases metabolism to burn more calories and increases the occurrence of beneficial natural body hormones like Human Growth Hormone.

Add intervals to you training routine to increase strength, speed, and explosive power on the bike. The benefits of anaerobic exercise will have you making gains that will put you in the front of the pack.

 

Read more »

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

Physical conditioning is only one of the benefits of aerobic exercise.

Aerobic exercise requires your body to increase the amount of oxygen it consumes, increase the size and amount of blood vessels, and requires your heart to pump more blood with more force and speed. This results in a stronger, more efficient heart.

The benefits of aerobic exercise can be classified into the following 5 categories...

Health

Stimulates your immune system to help fight common colds and illnesses.

Reduces the risk of high blood pressure. Studies show a 50% decrease in prevalence of hypertension among regular exercisers as compared to the general population.

Helps prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow, and increasing good cholesterol while decreasing bad cholesterol.

Helps prevent diabetes by controlling weight and lowering blood sugar levels.

Helps prevent cancer by changing hormones, reducing obesity, and lowering fat levels.

Body

Controls weight by burning calories and fat.

Helps reduce body fat by burning it during exercise.

Relieves pain by loosening and relaxing muscles.

Builds strong bones when combined with light weight-bearing exercise such as walking or jogging.

Mind

Promotes a positive attitude by releasing chemicals that instill a sense of accomplishment.

Increases production of endorphins - the body's natural painkiller.

Relieves stress by providing a healthy outlet for all that pent up energy.

Boosts mood through the release of chemicals that alleviate both mental and physical pain.

Increases confidence through the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a taxing workout.

Lifestyle

Increases lifespan by improving heart condition, cardiovascular fitness, and immunity to disease and illness.

Increases stamina and resistance to fatigue.

Increases energy and overall efficiency of bodily systems.

Reduces stress by providing an outlet.

Improves sexual performance through increased stamina and blood flow.

Helps maintain youth and fights the effects of aging.

Increases independence into the golden years.

Training Effect

Reduces resting heart rate - the most predictable sign of a fit athlete.

Increases cardiovascular efficiency allowing you to accomplish more work with the same effort.

Increases energy on and off the bike.

Increases endurance, stamina, and pain tolerance to go that extra mile.

Reduces recovery time to get you back on the bike for more training effect.

Improves blood flow to get it to those muscles pumping faster.

Cycling is just one of many methods of reaping the benefits of aerobic exercise. You may want to cross train with running, swimming, or any other aerobic exercise for more balanced fitness.

Cleary, regular aerobic exercise can have a dramatic impact on your quality of life now and well into the future. Exercise should be an integral part of your lifestyle.

 

Read more »

Athlete Diet Menu

Here's a sample athlete diet menu taken from my daily routine. Keep in mind that you can deviate and waiver from perfect eating without any detrimental effects on your training routine. If you follow these healthy diet guidelines at least 80% of the time, you will reap the benefits.

The first thing I have each morning is coffee. Fresh ground whole beans, typically a French roast or Sumatra, something bold and rich. I don't add any sugar or creamer and limit myself to one cup (ok, maybe two). Yes, caffeine is a stimulant and diuretic and should likely be avoided, but let's be real... I don't know many cyclists who don't love their coffee.

Also, I tend to drink a pretty good amount of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and combat the diuretic effects of the caffeine. Water is a staple of the athlete diet menu.

After my caffeine fix, it's on to breakfast, which typically consists of a bowl of oatmeal, an egg or two with whole wheat toast (easy on the butter), or some sort of whole grain or high bran cereal like Kashi or granola with skim milk.

A couple of hours after breakfast, I'll have my first snack of the day. Snacks are typically fruit or vegetables. I like apples, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Sometimes I'll add a bit of cottage cheese to the mix. Nuts are also a favorite for a quick snack. Cashews, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts are all great sources of protein and healthy fats, but don't get carried away as these tasty treats are loaded with calories. Another snack favorite is half of an all natural energy bar.

This brings me to lunch, where I try to start getting some more vegetables with a nice salad. I'll usually have a homemade vinaigrette dressing (extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar), which is quite healthy. Beware of store bought salad dressings as they are typically loaded with sugar. Of course I get tired of salad every day, so I mix in a tuna wrap or a bowl of soup such as bean or vegetable.

I will usually have another couple of snacks after lunch and before my evening workout. After the workout I may have a recovery drink immediately depending on the intensity of the exercise.

Dinner is my last and largest meal of the day. I try to eat dinner by 8:00 PM and do not eat anything else before bedtime. Again, I like a small salad with dinner to help get the vitamins and nutrients from raw vegetables. No athlete diet menu would be complete without some sort of meat. Fish is best, along with chicken and pork, and sometimes beef. It's best to grill, bake, or broil the meat instead of frying to avoid the added fat. I also like potatoes, but try to stick with red potatoes and go easy on the butter, cheese, and sour cream. Finally, some sort of bean is a good way to round out the meal and add fiber to your diet.

Keep your diet on track with this sample athlete diet menu. Eat the right foods to give your body the fuel it needs for sufficient recovery that leads to improved performance.

Nutrition for Sports E-book
A comprehensive review of sports nutrition with an eye to the aerobic-endurance athlete. Cyclists, runners, triathletes, and walkers will appreciate the down-to-earth practical advice, the debunking of advertising, as well as the detailed explanations and comprehensive reference material provided about every vitamin and mineral.

 

Read more »

Benefits of Physical Activity that You Should Consider

There are many obvious and well known benefits of physical activity, such as weight control, fitness, looking good and so on. However there are so many other benefits of regular exercise; some of which you may not have thought of.

If there was one thing that a person can do for the good of their health and long term wellbeing, then it would have to be exercise.

There are many health problems that can be avoided with exercise.

The benefits of physical activity for one's health are many – it can help avert obesity, which is itself a predictor for many life threatening diseases. Regular exercise can help to keep osteoporosis at bay, it can help control and reduce back pain by helping to improve endurance, muscle strength, posture and body flexibility.

It is also well known that exercise helps reduce risk of heart disease by improving heart health – the heart muscles become stronger, cholesterol levels can normalize, blood pressure is better controlled, blood circulation to the organs is improved. Even the risk of non insulin dependent diabetes as well as developing metabolic syndrome and even stroke is reduced with the help of exercise.

The CDC website lists several other benefits of physical activity such as:

It can reduce one's risk of developing certain kinds of cancer. Active women are less likely to have breast cancer and the overall rate of colon cancer is lower among those who are physically active.

Strengthening the bones and muscles of the body can have obvious benefits but for older adults this can be particularly vital – exercise can help keep a person more mobile and independent even in old age. By helping to improve balance and flexibility the chance of falling and injuring oneself reduce, which are yet more benefits of physical activity.

Exercise can help beat stress and elevate the mood.

Physical exercise can beat mental stress by causing the body to secrete certain beneficial hormones. Stress is known to hamper health and wellbeing so controlling this is vital.

In addition, depression and anxiety are curbed, and people can feel better about themselves; self esteem is often seen to rise among those who exercise regularly and find themselves looking more attractive.

In addition, the Mayo Clinic Website lists the following benefits of regular exercise

With regular physical exercise the muscles and organs of the body are better oxygenated and this can help beat fatigue and increase the body's energy levels. The heart and lung work more efficiently and you can go through a day feeling more charged and energetic.

Exercise is a great antidote to poor sleep, helping a person sleep better and deeper; this in turn can make one more efficient and productive during waking hours.

Some of the added benefits of physical activity are the fact that it can help to improve your sex life. As a person gains good health and fitness and a more attractive body, they can feel better about themselves and this can reflect in a better sex life. Exercising with a significant other or a good friend can, quite simply, be a lot of fun as well.

In What Ways Physical Activity is Beneficial to Your Body?Trampoline Exercise Is A Combination Of Great Fun And Physical Activity!After School Physical Activity Cuts Down Excess Weight In Adolescent GirlsChildren's Physical Activity Drops As They Grow UpPhysical Activity Low Among Immigrant ChildrenGardening Provides Recommended Physical Activity For Older Adults

Read more »

Army Preparing to Produce JLTVs

refining requirements during a two-year Technology Development phase for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, Army developers are poised to conduct a full and open competition geared toward formal production, service officials said.

The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or JLTV, will be a next-generation light vehicle designed to bring Soldiers an unprecedented blend of protection, payload and performance, said Tim Goddette, director of Sustainment Systems.

The Technology Development, or TD, phase for JLTV development, completed this past May, successfully demonstrated the vehicle's ability to meet a wide range of requirements, including fortified improvised explosive device, or IED, protections designed to withstand blast attacks, off-road mobility, variable ride height suspension, exportable power and essential command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or C4ISR, capabilities, Goddette said.

The 27-month phase included prototype vehicles from three teams of vendors: BAE-Navistar, Lockheed-BAE and General Tactical Vehicles (General Dynamics and AM General).

"The purpose of the TD phase was geared toward refining the requirements in order to demonstrate the JLTV's ability to meet the designated capability gaps," Goddette said. "The program has succeeded in identifying and proving out those areas of needed development -- and now the Army is analyzing what trade-offs might be required in order to best pursue an acquisition strategy that both lowers costs and delivers this needed capability to Soldiers."

The competitive prototyping and extensive testing pursued during the TD phase was designed to match technological capability with the vehicle's requirements and lower risk for an anticipated production phase, Goddette said.

"We demonstrated that every one of the requirements was achievable," Goddette explained. "We've learned that some trade-offs are necessary to pursue an overall strategy that best synchronizes requirements, resources, mature technologies and a cost-reducing acquisition strategy."

"We demonstrated not only that the requirements were achievable, but we gained valuable insight into the cost of each capability and effect that one capability might have on another. We've learned that some trade-offs are necessary to pursue an overall strategy that best synchronizes requirements, resources, mature technologies and a cost-reducing acquisition strategy," Goddette said.

Operating in today's more budget-constrained fiscal environment, Army developers are working on an approach to JLTV procurement that harnesses the best available technologies while minimizing costs and achieving efficiency in the process, he said.

One such approach includes the possibility of buying less add-on armor, known as B-kits, for the vehicles because not every JLTV will need the added protection and new, lightweight materials may likely become available in the future, Goddette said.

Due to its enhanced technological capabilities, the JLTV will be able to perform a wide range of missions and perform many roles Humvees are currently unable to do, Goddette said. At the same time, the Army has embarked upon a competitive Humvee recap program aimed at improving the survivability of the existing vehicle that is already in the Army inventory.

"The JLTV and Humvee-recap program are designed to complement one another as part of an integrated Light Tactical Vehicle strategy designed to best prepare our force for a range of anticipated future contingencies," Goddette said. "These two competitive efforts are also synchronized with one another to invest a limited amount of resources up front enabling a 'try before we buy' approach and capitalize on the vast experience our industry partners have gained over that past five years."

With its off-road ability, blast-protections and on-board electronics, the JLTV will bring a new set of capabilities to the Army and Marines.

There are two different variants or categories of JLTV:

-- Combat Tactical Vehicle is a four-person general purpose vehicle with a curb weight of 13,000 pounds and the ability to carry 3,500 pounds of payload and 3,500 pounds of add-on armor.

-- Combat Support vehicle is a two-passenger utility vehicle with a short cab/open bed for hauling equipment or putting on shelters.

 

Read more »

Army Campaign Looks to the Future

The Army's newest campaign may not be on the battlefield, but its goal is to continue to be victorious.

The Profession of Arms Campaign is mandated by John M. McHugh, secretary of the Army, and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Army chief of staff, to assess the state of the Army and take a critical look at how the past decade of war has impacted the military and civilian workforce.

"The overall objective of the campaign is for Soldiers and leaders to refine their understanding of what it means to be professionals - expert members of the Profession of Arms -after over nine years of war and to recommit to a culture of service and the responsibilities and behaviors of our profession as articulated in the Army ethic," Dempsey said.

Another Army leader talked about what the campaign means for all those serving in the Army, whether Soldier or civilian, and how it is designed to help transition from the past decade of continuous conflict into a still-uncertain future.

"The Army has decided to introduce the campaign for the Profession of Arms to develop leaders of character and competence required to meet the dynamic challenges of the 21st century," said Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Kan., commanding general. "This campaign is designed to define and reinvigorate what it means to be a professional in the Profession of Arms. As we embark on this mission, we must reflect on the values and traits that define and distinguish us as a unique profession."

Lt. Gen. Richard P. Formica, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command commanding general, has initiated a command-wide review of what it means to be in the Profession of Arms.

This review is part of a broader Army wide effort and leaders across the command are getting involved in this open collaborative process to solicit and capture feedback from its Soldiers and civilians. This campaign will also be a teaching opportunity to help better understand what it means to be in this profession and what it means to be in public service that distinguishes a profession from a career.

For the workforce at USASMDC/ARSTRAT, the Profession of Arms Campaign is a chance to give input to the Army on how the past decade has influenced, both good and bad, those serving their nation in wartime.

"For the Army as a whole, this is a chance to assess a lot of what impact the last 10 years of being at war has had on our workforce. It is a chance to take note of what we need to do right now, what we need to do in the future and what direction we need to go in, and I think this could have a great effect on SMDC as a whole," said Lisa Ratley, Concepts Division, Future Warfare Center-Battle Lab. "We will conduct some roundtable groups and town hall-type meetings with civilians, officers and noncommissioned officers that will take input from everyone.

"This is a great opportunity for SMDC to gather input and have something to say to the Army as a whole," she added.

In the Profession of Arms Campaign, there are five 'cohorts' that the Army is looking at. They are officers, noncommissioned officers, warrant officers, junior enlisted Soldiers and civilians.

The campaign focuses on three questions: What does it mean for the Army to be a Profession of Arms? What does it mean to be a professional Soldier? And, after nine years of war, how are we, as individual professionals and as a profession, meeting these aspirations?

"The Army chief of staff and secretary of the Army are concerned about what effect the last 10 years of war is having on the Army," said Donald Long, FWC-BL. "They want to assess the impact of it and to keep ahead of what has actually changed, and how do we implement fixes to any problems or issues that may come up so we can continue to be a professional Army.

"The Profession of Arms Campaign was officially going to end in December but the commanding general of SMDC wants to extend it to include the next 18 to 24 months of professional development for the civilians, Soldiers and officers in the command to provide professional development on what it means to be a professional in this Profession of Arms," Long added.

The Army has also sent out 20,000 surveys to civilians across the Army to get an input from the workforce.

"To me, working for the Army is not just a job, it is an understanding that we are here to serve the American people," said Ginny Partan, FWC-BL. "I think the Profession of Arms Campaign is going to help us bridge the gap between 10 years at war and where we need to head in the future. It is going to help us take a hard look at ourselves, across the spectrum from Soldiers to civilians, to see what we are doing right and where we can improve so that we are better in the future."

 

Read more »

A Workout Plan for the Midsection and Butt

This workout plan for the midsection and butt will keep your core strong and glutes firm. Most of your power on the bike comes from your glutes and you want a stable core to keep your back in shape and transfer power to your legs.

Remember to always start your workouts with 10 – 20 minutes of aerobic spinning on your trainer. Cool down with 5 – 10 minutes of the same and perform your stretching routine afterwards.

The exercises in this workout plan for the midsection and butt will help strengthen and tone the core and glutes, but aerobic exercise is a must for reducing fat to make these areas look better if that is what you are after.

Midsection

Crunches – Full situps and leg raises tend to work your hip flexors more than your abs (although as cyclists we do need strong hip flexors). Instead, do 3 sets of 20 crunches, with your arms cradling your head, lift your shoulders straight up off the floor, pause for 2 seconds, and then come back down with control. Hold weight against your chest to increase resistance.

Body Pike – Get up on your elbows and toes and hold your body in a straight line for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Keep your butt even with the rest of your body and breathe. This will work your transverse abdominals to draw in your stomach.

Negative Situps – Sit upright with your knees bent at 30 – 45 degrees, arms pointed out in front of you. Slowly lean back, controlling your movement, until your torso drops to the floor. Explode up and repeat.

Bent Over Row – These will help improve posture and draw your shoulders back to help achieve the look of a flat stomach.

Stretch – Stretch your chest and hip flexors to improve posture and reduce belly protrusion.

Butt

Cycling is great for the butt, so ride, ride, ride.

Squats work your hips, butt, and thighs. Start with body weight squats and progress to dumbbells. There's no need to use large amounts of weight.

Lunges work the entire leg: quads, calves, glutes, and hamstrings. Try variations such as the reverse lunge, side lunge, and walking lunges. Use dumbbells to increase resistance.

Step ups are also a great leg exercise. Do them slowly, concentrating on putting all your weight on one leg. Never go past a 90 degree bend in your knee.

Just riding the bike can give you a great butt. Keep up the aerobic work and add core strengthening exercises for a flat midsection. Mix and match the exercises from this workout plan for the midsection and butt or add your own variations.

 

Read more »

A Chinese Carrier for ‘Science’

I'm not sure if the image above showing smoke coming from the funnel of China's aircraft carrier Shi Lang is Photoshopped or not but one thing is for certain, the ship is close to being put to sea. Also check out the photo at the end of this post of her meatball Optical Landing System (and what appear to be cameras to document landings). These images, along with pictures of her lights running, jet blast deflectors up, weapons mounted and construction gear removed, paint a picture of a carrier that will indeed be operational soon.

(Note that you can see life raft pods along the rails in the picture above.)

Still, you've got to laugh at the Chinese government's latest claim that the ship is going to be used for scientific purposes. Yes, one of the world's most badass types of weapons is going to be used for scientific research. Oh, and military training, lots of military training.

Here's a very carefully worded article (or should I say press release?) from China's state-run Xinhua news agency about the Shi Lang. It's got some very telling sentences that hint at china's ambition to deploy the carrier operationally around the world; from pacific ocean sea lanes to the Arabian sea:

BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) — The Defense Ministry officially confirmed Wednesday that China was pursuing an aircraft carrier program aimed at refitting an imported carrier as a platform for scientific research, experiment and training.

It appears China is a long way off having a carrier with real fighting capacity since developing and building this type of vessel is a long and complicated process.

Even if China does equip its naval force with a carrier, it is unlikely to have much of an impact on the world, given a traditional military power such as the United States has 11 in service, and even lesser powers, such as Thailand, Brazil and India, each have one.

China, with an estimated total coastline of more than 10,000 km to defend and long, busy sea lanes to secure for the flow of materials and manufactured goods in and out of the country, is entitled to an aircraft carrier.

Apart from its need for national defense, the program will better serve China's purpose of international cooperation against maritime crimes, including the fight against Somali pirates.

Chinese navy fleets had by June escorted 3,953 ships from countries all over the world through the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, among which 47 percent were foreign commercial ships.

The carrier program will gear up China for a bigger role in peaceful cooperation worldwide.

Here's the rest of the article over at China Defense Blog.

Read more »

5 Basic Components of Physical Fitness

The following 5 basic components of physical fitness will give you all around endurance and strength allowing you to perform better on the bike.

Cardio-respiratory endurance is the ability of your heart and breathing systems to deliver fuel in the form of oxygen to your muscles. Also known as aerobic endurance.

Cycling is an excellent way to improve aerobic endurance and further develop your respiratory system. It requires a sustained and continuous effort in the aerobic training zone.

Improve your cardio endurance through more cycling or other aerobic activities such as running or swimming. Swimming is also a fantastic exercise to improve your respiratory system as you learn to regulate your breathing.

Muscular strength is the ability of your muscles to exert force.

Cycling certainly helps build great quads, but you will want to incorporate additional weight training for balanced overall strength. Mountain biking can help develop upper body strength.

Improve your strength with regular visits to the weight room. Focus on your core, upper body, hamstrings, and lateral strength.

Muscular endurance is the ability of your muscles to continue work without fatigue.

Cycling's low-impact nature helps teach your muscles to support sustained work over longer periods of time.

I like to use yoga for improvements in muscular endurance. Holding the poses is a great way to build this endurance, improve flexibility, and develop mental toughness.

Flexibility is the ability to move through a full range of motion.

It is very important for cyclists have a stretching routine. Flexibility will minimize your chance of injury when you fall. Riding a bike keeps you in a fixed position for long periods that can tighten you up like a knot.

Always stretch after every ride when your muscles are nice and warm. Try to stretch everyday if possible, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds.

Body composition is the relative amount of body mass to fat. Also known as body fat percentage.

There's no doubt that cycling burns fat. But, you should also take care to eat a healthy diet. You can have abs of steel, but know one will know they're covered by a quarter-inch layer of fat.

Riding a bike is a super fun way to get fit and stay that way. But, in order to have a balanced fit body, you must also incorporate strength training, stretching, and a healthy diet. Heed this advice to address the 5 basic components of physical fitness and you will soon see great improvements in you're cycling performance.

 

Read more »