Monday, February 7, 2011

Music makes you move

Studies have shown that listening to music that syncs with your movements provides a better workout than exercising without tunes. See how to match your grooves to your moves below.

Beats per minute    Perfect for
160 and up               Running, jumping rope
140 to 160               Jogging, Spinning
125 to 140               Power walking, stair-climbing, elliptical
105 to 125               Walking, toning
60 to 115                 Stretching, yoga, warming up

Go ahead!  Get your groove on!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Cold Weather Training Tips

When exercising in a cold environment, our goal is to conserve heat to some extent and avoid hypothermia.  Just like exercising in the heat, our bodies need several weeks to adjust to training in cold temps and make it easier for us to conserve heat.  Blood not only carries large amounts of oxygen, but also heat!
  1. Dress appropriately.  Layering works best as it traps air and insulates the body.  30% of the body's heat is lost from the surface area of the head, so a warm hat or face mask works great.  A wool blend fabric is recommended.
  2. Don't expect yourself to have the same stamina!  We don't have temps cold enough/long enough here to be able to acclimate to the weather.  Imagine starting to run in Houston in late July at 2:00 pm....
  3. Be aware of the wind chill factor!
  4. Drink plenty of fluids during cold weather training, but avoid alcohol.  Avoid excessive sweating; if you are sweating a lot, you are overdressed.
  5. Keep moving.  Muscle contractions generate heat.
  6. Cover all exposed skin.
  7. If you have cardiovascular disease, do not perform vigorous cold weather activity!