| You're fired up, your adrenaline is pumping, | | | | stress fractures. |
| engines are revved. You can't wait to get out | | | | SOLUTION: Take lessons from a professional |
| there and perform. You've waited all day, maybe | | | | specializing in your specific sport and invest in |
| a few days and are replaying in your mind the | | | | good equipment. Cross training with a qualified |
| challenges you will confront and how you will | | | | fitness trainer can help you develop enhanced |
| tackle them. Your time to escape the day to day | | | | coordination, balance, strength, flexibility, proper |
| and become your true self, the adventurer, the | | | | alignment and breathing techniques plus teach you |
| conquerer, the winner, the leader, the activist or | | | | body awareness so you don't create bad habits |
| the dreamer has arrived. | | | | and break the old ones. |
| When your sport is your passion, motivation is | | | | PROBLEM: Saving time, hassle and money keeping |
| not a problem. Sometimes though, the passion | | | | the old shoes and equipment. |
| can create complications. Knowing how and when | | | | SOLUTION: Replace them when the treads start |
| to stop, slow down, change your ways, get | | | | to look worn, or when the shoes are no longer as |
| educated, hire a pro. or just 'take a break' is | | | | supportive. Visit a qualified orthotist or pedorthist |
| essential to survival and ongoing fulfillment from | | | | to find if you need orthotics. They will help resolve |
| your sports and fitness career. | | | | (foot, ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder or neck) |
| Your activities are precious and you want to be | | | | pain and debilitation provoked by poor foot |
| sure to keep it that way. | | | | alignment. |
| You're certainly aware of all the advantages your | | | | PROBLEM: Not wearing the appropriate safety |
| sports participation provides. It keeps your spirits | | | | gear. |
| up, makes you feel and look young, gives you | | | | SOLUTION: If you inline skate, use a helmet, |
| lots of energy, allows you to cheat on your | | | | knee, wrist, and elbow pads. If you ski, cycle or |
| calorie counts, your mind is sharper, helps maintain | | | | snowboard, get a helmet and wear suncreen. |
| your figure, you're passionate and optimistic, you | | | | Safety gear can save your life, broken bones, |
| feel fulfilled...and this only to start the list of | | | | soft tissue injuries and keep you away from the |
| benefits. If your not feeling these benefits you | | | | risk of cancer. |
| may just want to stop, take a look and see if | | | | PROBLEM: Ignoring what your body says as you |
| your missing something in your routine. Sports | | | | age. Losing flexibility and not modifying activity |
| and fitness adventurers are human too. | | | | you did years ago. Some sports put too much |
| Whether your venturing into a new sport, | | | | stress on the body. The human body is not |
| progressing in your same sport, or cross-training | | | | designed to perform many activities, including |
| here are some problems to consider, hopefully | | | | traditional sports. Our bodies are very good at |
| avoid or know what to do, should the situation | | | | repairing, but as we age, that changes and it |
| strike. | | | | takes longer to recover. |
| Keeping it all in perspective. Let's review some | | | | SOLUTION: You need to decrease the repetitive |
| basics: | | | | impact particularly to your joints, to continue |
| PROBLEM: Too rushed to do a warm up and | | | | enjoying your sports with less aches and pains. |
| stretch before physical activity? Remember: | | | | To modify try to switch from singles tennis to |
| studies confirm that cold muscles are prone to | | | | doubles, from running to bicycling, or from |
| injury and it's the times when you're rushed that | | | | advanced ski hills to the more basic slopes. You |
| you are most prone to injury. | | | | may not be able to play three times a week |
| SOLUTION: Don't give into temptation and jump | | | | because that doesn't give your body time to |
| cold into your sport. Instead jump into jumping | | | | repair. Meanwhile, work on your flexibility and |
| jacks, arm swings, leg swings, step out lunges, | | | | strength. By conditioning and increasing muscle |
| stationary cycling, running, or walking in place for | | | | mass, the body is able to better absorb repetitive |
| three to five minutes. Then, a few dynamic | | | | impacts. Using lighter weights and 30 repetitions |
| stretches (to wake up the muscles and prepare | | | | per exercise is safer and still provides improved |
| them for effort), while reaching out with | | | | strength. Lifting weights damages muscle, but |
| effortless breathing. Slow static stretches (which | | | | when it is rebuilt, it is stronger than before. You |
| put the muscles to sleep) have been shown to | | | | may be able to lift two to three times a week |
| dampen performance efforts, so stretch out and | | | | and still play sports and allow your body a chance |
| keep it moving. Now your ready to jump in. | | | | to heal. Some studies show that exercise reduces |
| PROBLEM: Succumbing to the "weekend warrior" | | | | pain in arthritis sufferers. Warming up, stretching |
| syndrome. Compressing all of your physical | | | | and anti-inflammatory treatments help relieve |
| activity into two days sets you up for trouble and | | | | symptoms but won't slow down the natural |
| doesn't increase your fitness level. You should try | | | | progression of arthritis. Nutritional supplements like |
| to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity | | | | glucosamine and chondroitin may also reduce |
| every day. | | | | symptoms. They are not miracle cures and we |
| SOLUTION: If time is a problem HIIT (20 min. | | | | do not understand how they work yet. But some |
| cardio) may be your solution. High Intensity | | | | users swear that they help. |
| Interval Training is really quite simple to do. You | | | | PROBLEM: Being impatient and wanting better |
| pick your favorite cardio activity and build up to a | | | | results or avoiding boredom. |
| challenge pace by minute 5. Then take your pace | | | | SOLUTION: Use the 10% rule. When changing |
| up to a winded "sprint" state for as long as | | | | your activity level, increase it in increments of no |
| tolerable, and bring it back down for however long | | | | more than 10% per week. If you normally walk |
| it takes you to recover enough to go into your | | | | two miles a day and want to increase your |
| next "sprint" state again. These are your intervals, | | | | fitness level, don't suddenly try to walk four miles. |
| which you eventually build up in numbers. At first | | | | Slowly build up to reach your goals. Develop a |
| you can only do a few intervals and the entire | | | | balanced fitness program that incorporates |
| workout will take 8 -12 minutes. So you save | | | | cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and |
| time while getting tremendous benefits! You will | | | | flexibility. In addition to providing a total body |
| eventually build up the length, intensity and | | | | workout, a balanced program will keep you from |
| number of intervals to fill up 20 minutes no more | | | | getting bored. If you have been sedentary or |
| time is needed! Always include gradual warm up (5 | | | | even if you are in good physical shape, don't try |
| minutes) and cool down (3 minutes), add a few | | | | to take on too much at once. It is best to add no |
| stretches if you can at the end. | | | | more than one or two activities per workout. |
| Cautionary note: work within your level as you | | | | Yours truly doubled everything and caught herself |
| are more prone to injury because of increased | | | | another cold...not helpful. |
| intensity. For example, if you're a beginner use a | | | | PROBLEM: Trying to silence an injury such as |
| walk into a jog. Joggers can break into a run for | | | | tendonitis, arthritis, stress fracture, or low back |
| intervals. Runners go into a sprint, sprinters zip | | | | pain. |
| into light plyometrics like jump roping or track and | | | | SOLUTION: See a qualified specialist (these |
| field. | | | | specialists are ordered in seriousness of injury) |
| It is believed that HIIT helps the body to release | | | | such as an orthotist or pedorthotist, medical |
| HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which is a | | | | exercise specialist, physical therapist, physiatrist, |
| tremendous fat burning hormone, as well, it has | | | | or orthopaedic surgeon who can guide and advice |
| rejuvenating properties for body tissues (including | | | | you along to a speedy recovery to your first |
| skin, organs and muscle). Less intense cardio | | | | love and passion. |
| programs cause fat loss but also muscle loss, plus | | | | Remember you want to keep that sports file |
| there's the time element. | | | | filled with great experiences. Your sports and |
| PROBLEM: Guessing at how to correctly maintain | | | | fitness regime should provide a lifetime of |
| your physical form or hold a piece of equipment is | | | | adventure, fulfillment and exhilaration, if your |
| not smart. Improper form increases the chance | | | | passionate and smart! |
| of developing "overuse" injuries like tendonitis or | | | | |