Archive for December 22, 2009

Interval Training – That’s Fit.

You can perform intervals on pretty much any piece of cardio equipment, but I recommend any one of the following: An indoor cycle, Concept 2 rowing machine, Versa-Climber or treadmill, although I prefer outdoor running over indoor running whenever possible.

I try to do interval training on the treadmill when I am at the gym or outside. I find that it helps to do them when I feel like I have to stop, so I speed up as fast as I can for as long as I can, then slow it down to recover.

Fitness – Taking a Bite Out of Sports Stress – NYTimes.com.

…growing number of athletes wearing what manufacturers like to call “performance mouthpieces” while cycling, running or weight training. One of the newest tools in a performance-enhancement arsenal, these mouthpieces are light, flexible pieces of molded plastic that fit over the teeth — and are only vaguely reminiscent of that retainer from junior high school or the bulky mouth guards worn by football players.

Dentists say these high-end mouth guards can open up the airways, prevent teeth-clenching and align the jaw. Being able to take in more air while exercising has obvious benefits — more oxygen for working muscles — while a relaxed jaw can decrease stress and help an athlete’s body function more efficiently.

My bootcamp partners know I have asthma and use an inhaler. I find that chewing gum helps regulate my breathing when I workout. I wonder if this is something that could offer help as well.

Seafood Today: Principal New studies reveal oily fish helps fight skin cancer.

New studies from the National Cancer Institute, England’s University of Manchester and Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine reveal that a diet high in omega-3 oils – the kind that come from oily fish and fish oil supplements – can help prevent skin cancer by boosting the immune system enough to fight off the damaging effects of overexposure to the sun.

I wish I were a fish eater. I supplement Omega-3 but I am sure its not the same as eating the real stuff.

NYC – New York in Last Place in Happiness Rating – NYTimes.com.

One was a survey of 1.3 million Americans done over four years by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which asked people about their health and how satisfied they were with their lives. Those self-assessments were stacked against “objective indicators” borrowed from researchers at U.C.L.A. They included state-by-state variances on quality-of-life gauges like climate, taxes, cost of living, commuting times, crime rates and schools.

How interesting. I love NYC. I love to visit there and always said that if I had a lot of money, I would live there for a spell. Sounds like maybe that’s not a great idea. Nj didn’t rank that well either, and I grew up there. Hmmm….

Brain Power – Studying Young Minds, and How to Teach Them – Series – NYTimes.com

But recent research has turned that assumption on its head — that, and a host of other conventional wisdom about geometry, reading, language and self-control in class. The findings, mostly from a branch of research called cognitive neuroscience, are helping to clarify when young brains are best able to grasp fundamental concepts.

I work for an educational company that believes in teaching children the way they learn based on cognitive science.  So this study is very interesting to me. This is something my company already knew and we have been teaching that way for a long time.