Use these endurance tests before you begin your training program and then at 6-8 week intervals. Here’s how to put together a battery of physical fitness tests. Balke 15 Minute Run This is a very simple test to predict VO2max. You will require a stop watch and a standard 400m running track. After warming up run
You could argue that endurance soccer training is the most important element of your conditioning program… And, just as strength training for soccer consists of more than just lifting weights, soccer endurance training involves more than just running continuously. Running – at any intensity – for 90 minutes, requires a high level of stamina. Couple
A purple coneflower may sound more like a garden delight than something that you would use for medicinal purposes, but in 2005 it was the second highest selling herbal supplement in the U.S. [1] Most people are more familiar with the colourful plant’s commonly used name – Echinacea. There are estimates that the first uses
Dynamic stretching uses speed of movement, momentum and active muscular effort to bring about a stretch . Unlike static stretching the end position is not held. (1) Dynamic stretching is similar to ballistic stretching except that it avoids bouncing motions and tends to incorporate more sport-specific movements. Arms circles, exaggerating a kicking action and walking
Dynamic stretches are best incorporated into your warm up routine before training or a competition. More recently, clinical studies have shown that traditional static stretching exercise may be detrimental to sports involving powerful movements. Dynamic stretches seem to be more effective at reducing muscle stiffness, which is thought to increase the likelihood of muscle tears. For this
Dumbell exercises are popular with recreational gym users right through to elite athletes. They can be used exclusively to form a wide variety of strength training programs, or they can be used to compliment a program that uses resistance machines, barbells or resistance bands for example. Dumbells are often favored over weights machines and when performed correctly
There are several topics within exercise science that are not well understood and delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS is one of them. DOMS is a familiar experience for athletes at every level and can be described as muscles soreness that occurs 24 – 48 hours following intense exercise. The sensation can range from mild
How fit do you have to be to play cricket? Would a cricket training or fitness program really make a great difference to performance on the field? Traditionally, cricket has been perceived as a relatively mild sport from a physiological point of view. The intermittent nature of the game with its long rest intervals provides
Creatine is one of the most popular supplements among athletes seeking to build muscle mass and improve performance. A substance that occurs naturally in the body and that is found in many foods, creatine is also marketed in a variety of advanced products often touted as legal steroids. These products come with varying price tags,
Core strength training may be a relatively new, buzz term in the fitness industry but coaches and athletes have understood its value for many years. The core region consists of far more than just the abdominal muscles. In fact core strength training aims to target all the muscles groups that stabilize the spine and pelvis.
Neither classed as a vitamin or mineral, Coenzyme Q-10 (C0Q10 for short) is a naturally occurring biochemical which can be found in every cell of our bodies. It was first discovered in 1957 and during the early 70’s interest was piqued when research suggested CoQ10 may help to treat a number of chronic ailments. Since
Conjugated linoleic acid is found primarily in the flesh and dairy products of ruminant animals such as cows and sheep. CLA is produced by micro-organisms within the rumen of these animals. Animals that are grass-fed, such as those who are able to graze in a pasture, possess more CLA than those who are fed only
Conventional circuit training workouts combine various exercise stations to develop both strength and stamina Circuit training is popular amongst fitness enthusiasts for its challenging nature and individuals pushed for time find it can be a great way to develop a good all-round level of fitness in minimal time. Circuit training is also used by athletes
A well-designed circuit training routine can be a beneficial addition to any endurance athletes training program At one point, many endurance athletes avoided strength conditioning for fear it would be detrimental. However, studies have shown that this is not the case and even heavy resistance training can aid endurance performance. Long-term strength endurance is required by athletes
A circuit training program can be used to develop either short-term or long-term strength endurance Short-term muscular endurance is required for sports and events that last between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Certain swimming and running events fall under this duration and strength endurance is required to maintain a high level of work throughout the race. But
There are literally thousands of potential circuit training exercises that can be used to develop a suitable routine. Additionally, many exercises require little or no expensive equipment. With nothing more than a mat and a set of dumbbells, there is scope to develop dozens of routines, even one that is sport-specific. The circuit training exercises
Circuit training is an efficient and challenging form of conditioning. It works well for developing strength, endurance (both aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility and coordination. Its versatility has made it popular with the general public right through to elite athletes. For sports men and women, it can be used during the closed season and early pre-season
If you’ve heard of “chromium picolinate”, you have probably also heard of the many benefits it’s purported to have – from helping to reduce body fat to increasing lean muscle and enhancing insulin sensitivity (which helps your body burn fat). But according to a number of studies, chromium picolinate is not delivering on the promise
The cardiovascular system serves five important functions (1) during exercise: Delivers oxygen to working muscles Oxygenates blood by returning it to the lungs Transports heat (a by-product of activity) from the core to the skin Delivers nutrients and fuel to active tissues Transports hormones Exercise places an increased demand on the cardiovascular system. Oxygen demand
If you want to estimate your caloric needs there are several methods you can use. You can determine your basal metabolism using something like the Harris-Benedict equation and then add on your daily exercise activity. Alternatively, you can use the calculator below, which simply uses your age, weight and an approximate overall level of activity to determine your
What is body mass index and just how useful is it? Calculating BMI is simple but is it an accurate measure of your body fat percentage? With obesity on the rise, more and more people are taking proactive measures to ensure they are at a healthy weight. One way to do this is through calculating
What is the single, most effective way to calculate body fat? That’s a tough one. It all depends on what on you place most importance on… Accuracy? Reliability? Cost? Availability? They are all important factors to think about. Fortunately there are quite a few techniques to choose from. Some good, some not so good. We’ll take a closer look
The health effects of caffeine have long been debated. A naturally occurring stimulant that speeds up the body’s metabolism, caffeine is an active ingredient in many diet pills. At the same time, reports that caffeine increases blood sugar levels and insulin resistance has prompted concerns that it could actually cause weight gain or retard weight
The Bruce treadmill test has now become a standardized procedure used to evaluate the cardiovascular fitness of athletes… or anyone else for that matter. The original Bruce protocol was developed by DR. Robert. A. Bruce in 1963. This protocol for a multilevel treadmill test was developed as a means to detect chest pain and discomfort
A boxing training program must focus on reactive power, power endurance, muscular endurance, anaerobic endurance and aerobic endurance. Boxing is unique in that, unlike most team and individual sports, competition events are limited during the year. The majority of the annual plan is spent on preparatory training phases planned so that the boxer is at
It’s true… body fat scales ARE one of the most convenient ways to measure your body fat percentage. But just how reliable and accurate are they? Body fat scales have some tremendous advantages over other types of body composition tests. Here are some of the most important… Availability How many places do you know that provide underwater weighing or DEXA (these
Why calculate your body fat percentage on an ongoing basis? To coin a well-used business phrase phrase… “What gets measured gets managed”. And managing your body fat, not just your weight, has so many benefits… Whether you’re on a weight management program (weight loss or gain), or an athlete, or just determined to take care of your health and well
Body fat calipers are probably the most popular tool used to assess body fat. For anyone on a weight management program measuring body fat is crucial. For Health and Fitness Professionals… They are an essential tool that can offer you and your clients an effective measure of progress. But just how reliable are body fat calipers? More
Body composition is an essential measure of health and fitness for both athletes and the general population. For sportsmen and women, there is nothing more detrimental than carrying dead weight. If you are considering a weight loss program, accurately assessing your body fat percentage is THE most important measurement you can take. In fact… Even if you wanted
The bmi chart below allows you to determine your body mass index and, in theory, your risk from obesity associated diseases. Body mass index uses your height and weight to determine whether you are considered overweight, normal, underweight or even obese. Yet, despite being used by many physicians and nutritionists, body mass index has its limitations.
How do you design a basketball training program that really maximizes the time and resources YOU have available? After all… To perform at your very best you have to dedicate some time to strength conditioning, power and jump training and speed and agility drills. What about aerobic and anaerobic conditioning? And don’t forget flexibility. Even if you
These basketball agility drills will improve your speed around the court, quickness, co-ordination and most importantly your ability to change direction with minimal deceleration. Basketball players who excel move with lightening-like speed. But it’s not necessarily the athlete who can run a quick 100M time that makes the quickest player… Much more important in basketball is
This sample baseball weight training program is a continuation of the baseball strength training article. If you missed that first article be sure to take a look. It explains how to structure your training over an entire year. To quickly recap… Strength training for any sport is usually broken into separate phases. And in baseball the
An effective baseball strength training program – one designed to significantly improve your performance – is NOT about bulking up. In fact… Too much size can reduce your range of motion, restrict your quickness and agility and hamper your execution of skills. But strength training for baseball is very different from bodybuilding… The main priority
What exactly is basal metabolism? Our bodies need energy for everything, from carrying out basic bodily functions to exercising vigorously. The energy we need during complete rest just to stay alive on a daily basis is known as our resting metabolic rate. Under normal conditions, resting metabolic rate accounts for 60-75% of our total energy
I have always admired the physique of gymnasts. Aesthetically, I think they look so much better than bodybuilders – just as impressively strong and muscular, yet much more athletic and definitely more functional. I’m not alone. The overly-muscled, restrictively-bloated meathead look is no longer in vogue. In 2016, it’s all about functional ‘street’ strength and
Ballistic stretching involves active muscular effort similar to dynamic stretching. However, ballistic stretching uses a bouncing or jerking movement to increase the stretch. Ballistic stretching is effective at increasing range of motion but has been associated with injury, particularly where there has been previous injuries (1). Ballistic stretches often activates the muscle spindles and triggers
Broadly speaking badminton training is similar to conditioning for the other racket sports such as tennis and squash. A simple movement analysis however, reveals a few key differences that will affect the competitive badminton players training regimen Many shots in badminton are played overhead more so than tennis or squash for example. Badminton players also
This section of the site is dedicated to athletic training for the field events. Although many field events are highly technical in nature, conditioning is still vitally important. A common element of fitness to all athletic field events is explosive power. While training will differ for each event, the underlying, general principle of power development will
There are several methods used to determine an athletes lactate or anaerobic threshold. While the most accurate and reliable is through the direct testing of blood samples during a graded exercise test, this is often inaccessible to most performers. There are several field tests that can also be used to estimate lactate threshold. They vary
Unquestionably, acclimatization to altitude improves performance at high levels but can altitude training improve an athlete’s performance at sea-level? The research is inconclusive. In theory, some adaptations that take place during prolonged exposure to the hypoxic conditions at 1500 m (4921 ft) or more above sea-level, should improve VO2 max and endurance performance at sea-level. Recall from
These agility exercises can be used to develop speed and quickness in all kinds of sports. Along side a speed program they will help to improve your agility, speed of tought and co-ordination. They differ from traditional speed training in that they incorporate a lot more lateral movement. Most team sports and individual sports like
These speed and agility drills are designed to improve your speed off the mark and acceleration. For multi-sprint sports such as basketball, soccer and tennis absolute speed is not the most important factor. Speed off the mark, acceleration and agility are… How often does a basketball player have to sprint over long distances (50 to 100meters) in a straight line? The point
There are several different types of aerobic endurance training – each with a different, specific outcome and suitable for different events and sports. The duration, frequency and intensity of sessions varies with each form of training leading to different physiological adaptations within the body. The table below summarizes the main types of aerobic endurance training
This activity calorie calculator gives you a rough idea how many calories each type of exercise burns over a set period of time. Please bear in mind that these are approximate figures based on completing each activity at a moderate intensity. The actual values can vary considerably depending on a person’s weight and the intensity
Acclimatization to altitude has become an important part of the preparation process for athletes competing above 1500m (4921ft). Conditions above this level make physical activity more difficult and limits performance (2). But what is the most effective method for acclimation and can training at altitude improve performance at sea level? This article focuses on the
The Sportneer Pull Up Bar Doorway Trainer is our best pull up bar, which is multifunctional due to the many variations of exercise you can work on it. What’s more, it has a comfortable grip for safety. It gives you a quick installation overall and there will be no sliding and interruption due to the
The 12 minute run (also called the Copper Test) allows you to gauge you level of endurance and estimates your VO2max. For this test you will need: A pedometer to measure the distance you have covered (or access to a 400m running track with markers at 100m intervals). A stop watch. Instructions Warm up for
If you’re an experienced runner, this 8-week, 10k training program is designed to improve your times by incorporating more advanced forms of conditioning. The program makes use of intense tempo and interval training and some strength training should also be incorporated into the plan. The program assumes you know your own target race pace. Below
The Body Solid 7 Feet Olympic Bar is our best Olympic barbell, which has a collar space of 51.5 inches long so it is just right for your deadlifts and power lifting. Likewise, the knurling on the bar is safe to use and okay for most people and exercises. The Olympic barbell can improve the