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Lead Stories: Monday, December 1, 2008

Rookie running guidelines for long-term fitness

Posted January 9th, 2007 at 2:30 PM by Christopher Jack

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health & Fitness, Exercise

The passing of another year means it’s that time again; time to look to the future and resolve to create that better you. For many, personal health and fitness become the centerpiece of their New Year’s Resolution.

Running can be an ideal and long-term means to those ends as long as you follow these simple guidelines:

Set a goal. The downfall of many beginners is setting a goal that is too high considering their running experience and fitness level. Starting small and building up can protect a new runner from injury and the frustration that may accompany failure.
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Use different types of exercise for fitness and muscle strength

Posted December 3rd, 2006 at 11:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

You can’t train for heart muscle fitness and skeletal muscle strength with the same exercises. To strengthen your heart muscle, you must exercise vigorously enough to speed up your heart rate and keep it elevated for a while. To strengthen your skeletal muscles, you need to exercise against increasing resistance in short, hard bouts. Read the rest of this entry »

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Exercise, but don’t run, with arthritis

Posted November 24th, 2006 at 12:00 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

When you have arthritis, your joints hurt you wake up, but you force yourself to get out of bed and as you keep on moving, the pain lessens. Is your body trying to tell you something when you feel better after you start to move? Many studies have shown that bed rest worsens the pain of arthritis, and a strength training program can help to control it.

Most people with arthritis think they should rest their muscles and joints, but resting is the worst thing you can do. When you move around, the cartilage in your joints acts like a shock absorber. Resting weakens cartilage and increases its likelihood to break. Resting also weakens muscles so they can’t control the joints, allowing more wobble of the joints with each movement and increasing cartilage damage. Read the rest of this entry »

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Lifting Weights Can Also Make Your Bones Stronger

Posted October 29th, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

An interesting study from the University of British Columbia shows that lifting weights strengthens the bones of women in their late sixties.

The women were asked to use several weight machines three times a week for one year. At the end of that year, the women gained a tremendous amount of muscle strength, and they also had denser bones.

If a woman lives long enough, she will certainly develop osteoporosis which can shorten her life. This study shows that it is never too late to strengthen bones. Read the rest of this entry »

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