If you're an athlete who regularly pushes your limits and could benefit from faster recovery between workouts, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, also known as e-stim might be for you, says Cedric Bryant, PhD, exercise scientist and chief science officer for the American College of Exercise. The treatment does seem to improve muscle tone and reduce post-workout pain and soreness.��

But the machines aren't cheap—they range from $250 to over $1,000—and the idea of hooking yourself up to electrodes and sending jolts through your body may not sound too tempting. So before you give it a go, or rule it out completely, here's what you should know.

How E-Stim Works 

Before it was the next big thing in recovery, e-stim was primarily used for rehabilitation after surgery or for immobilization. “It sends an electrical pulse that contracts the muscle, much in the same way the central nervous system does,” says Bryant. “It was used for muscle reeducation—teaching muscles how to move again.” 

In recent years, however, fitness experts have realized that electrical stimulation also has benefits for healthy, active muscles, especially those that have been worked hard.��

“The low-grade current causes physiological changes that help blood to flow to the region,” says Bryant. It also speeds up the removal of metabolic wastes, like lactic acid, that are a byproduct of high-intensity training. “It's basically turning on one of the body's natural mechanisms for promoting healing and active recovery.” 

And over time, e-stim can even increase muscle strength and size. In a using over-the-counter devices, soccer players who combined e-stim with their regular training for five weeks saw bigger boosts in quadricep strength than those who trained without e-stim. A found similar results using the : Athletes who used the devices on their calves for 10 weeks had increased strength gains and reduced feelings of fatigue.

What to Expect 

Over-the-counter e-stim devices, which are becoming more and more common, must prove to the FDA that they're safe to use and effective at what they claim to do—mainly to improve muscle tone and facilitate faster recovery. (The Marc Pro Plus device is also approved for pain relief.)��

FDA-approved e-stim devices are safe when used as directed, says Bryant. And it doesn't hurt, although the low-grade electrical current may feel strange or disconcerting if you're not used to the sensation of involuntary muscle contractions.��

“It feels a bit like a cramp or a Charley horse,” he says, “not in a painful way, but in the sense that the muscle is working and tightening.” Depending on how much you use the device, you may also feel some soreness the next day, too, just as if you had done a hard workout or lifted heavy weights.��

And while it's true that e-stim will help tone your muscles, it can't take the place of actual exercise. “You may get modest aesthetic results, but it's not going to give you the cardiovascular or metabolic benefits that a real workout will give you,” says Bryant. (It won't help you lose weight, either—so those toned muscles may still be hidden under layers of fat.)��

The biggest benefit of using an e-stim device, says Bryant, seems to be reduced soreness and muscle fatigue. “It hasn't quite yet been supported by a large body of data, but there is a growing sentiment that these devices do produce feelings of enhanced recovery.” 

Choosing a Product 

If you want to try e-stim at home, choose a device that's FDA-approved for muscle toning and recovery purposes; don't confuse them with less expensive Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units, which can provide temporary pain relief but do not cause muscle contractions.

As for whether they're worth it? That depends on how you serious you are about your fitness gains. Casual exercisers who rarely feel sore the next day won't notice much benefit, says Bryant. But for high-intensity or endurance athletes doing punishing workouts several times a week, e-stim could help them get more out of their training. “If an athlete was really looking for an alternative way to optimize his or her recovery, I would recommend they at least give it a try.” 

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Sorry guys—bone loss affects you too. According to University of Missouri associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology, Pamela S. Hinton, two million American men may have osteoporosis and another 12 million have low bone mass (also known as osteopenia).��

Luckily, there are exercises that can help—specifically, exercise that involve large muscle contractions or forces of impact, both of which help bones grow and get stronger.��

Best Moves for Bone Health

For a  published this month in the journal Bone, Hinton and her colleagues recruited apparently healthy men, ages 25 to 60, who did at least four hours of physical activity (mostly jogging, walking, or cycling) a week. Unbeknownst to these men, about a third tested positive for osteopenia of the hip or spine.

Those men were then split into two groups, and performed one of two exercise routines (in addition to continuing their regular workout patterns) for a full year:

• One group did resistance training twice a week, consisting of hip- and spine-focused exercises—squats, bent-over-row, modified dead lift, military press, lunges, and calf raises.
• The other group did plyometric training three times a week, which included various jumping exercises—squat jumps, forward hops, split-squat jumps, lateral box push-offs, bounding forward and laterally, box drill with rings, lateral hurdle jumps, zigzag hops, single-leg lateral hops, progressive depth jumps, and jumps off a box.��

Overall, both groups  in total-body bone mass as well as bone mass of the lumbar spine. The resistance training group also saw improvements in bone mass of the hip, as well.

Your Plan of Action

If you're not already doing resistance training or plyometrics a few times a week, adding them to your routine can reverse bone loss, says Hinton—and it's never too early to start.��

“People who are concerned about their bone health might choose either training program, depending on their preference,” she says. “Individuals don’t typically have to know they have heart disease, high blood pressure or prediabetes to start exercising; they do it as prevention. Similarly, individuals don’t have to know they have osteoporosis to start lifting weights.”

Both programs require very little equipment and can be done in one to two hours per week, she adds. They're also safe: Both groups reported minimal fatigue and discomfort throughout the study. (To prevent injury, they started with low reps and light intensity, working their way up to more challenging exercises over six weeks. If you're unsure of how to do this yourself, a personal trainer can help you develop a plan and track your progress.)��

The bottom line: Everyone should be doing bone-strengthening exercises on a regular basis, whether it's for prevention or treatment, says Hinton. If you are at increased risk for osteoporosis—if you have a family history, for instance—you might ask your physician for a bone-density test, as well.��

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Runner's high has been described as many things: euphoria, a burst of energy, or feelings of zen and clear-headedness, to name a few. It's also been a biological mystery for years, and an elusive goal for some runners who have never experienced it themselves. Up to this point, most research on runner's high has suggested that the phenomenon occurs when the body  and addictive, drug-like  chemicals in response to physical stress of exercise.��But a  published this month in the journal Cell Metabolism suggests another explanation. Leptin, a hormone secreted by fatty adipose tissue that regulates feelings of hunger and satiety, also appears to play a role in the rewarding effects of running.��

“Our study shows that this phenomenon is not just a matter of endorphins,” says lead author Maria Fernanda Fernandes, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Guelph in Ontario. When she and her colleagues tested two groups of mice—one of which had been genetically modified to have impaired leptin levels—they found that the low-leptin critters logged nearly twice as many miles on a running wheel as their genetically normal peers.��

This may serve an evolutionary purpose, she says, since running was once a means of finding and pursuing food sources. “We speculate that for humans, low leptin levels increase motivation to exercise and make it easier to get a runner’s high,” she explains. “Ultimately, leptin is sending the brain a clear message: When food is scarce, it’s fun to run to chase some down.”

 has also shown a correlation between leptin and marathon times: the lower people's leptin levels are, the faster they run.��

So does lower leptin equal faster and more enjoyable runs? It's very likely—which may be why short and easy pre-breakfast runs, when leptin is naturally low after you've fasted all night, can be so invigorating, says Fernandes. But don't start skipping meals just yet, at least not before long or hard runs.

“Our findings do not mean that people should purposefully run too far or too often on an empty stomach, as this can be very harmful for the health and act as an unpleasant experience far from euphoric,” she says. “It's important to fuel the body properly before running exercise so that you can run and feel your best.”

There may be one way you can safely and permanently alter your body's leptin production, however: Run more.

“Chronic running exercise is well known to reduce leptin levels,” says Fernandes. So the benefits may be cyclical: Running gives you lower leptin levels, which may make you more susceptible to runner's high and more inclined to exercise.��

The bottom line: Leptin seems to be at least partially responsible for the rewarding effects of running, but it may not be the only metabolic chemical at play. More studies, preferably in humans, are needed—and of course there are plenty of other factors (including psychological ones) that will affect how much a person enjoys exercise.��

But if you've never felt runner's high yourself, keep chasing it. The more often and more consistently you run, this study suggests, the better your body may be conditioned to achieve it.��

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It’s common knowledge that coffee can help get you going in more way than one before a competition. But it wasn’t until recently, that we (sort of) discovered why. Courtesy of  from the American Chemical Society, here's the latest biological explanation for why your favorite morning beverage helps you poop.��

Why Coffee Might Make You Go

Coffee is acidic which causes the stomach to secrete heightened levels of gastric acid—a fluid that helps break down protein. It also contains chlorogenic acid which helps the stomach dump food into the intestines.��

As the video explains: “It has been proven that coffee affects the movement of the large intestine within four minutes of ingestion, similar to the way a large meal does.” Once food reaches the intestines, scientists believe that coffee somehow triggers a “digestive call to arms” by increasing levels of two hormones, gastrin and cholecystokinin which cause the release of digestive enzymes and bile, and activate peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions that help move waste through, and ultimately out of the body.

What they still don't know is which of the nearly 1,000 compounds in coffee is responsible for this interesting side effect—but they know it's not caffeine, at least not by itself; otherwise, people would have similar experiences while drinking soda and energy drinks (which they don't), but not decaf coffee (which they do).

What You Drink Matters

Not everyone is prone to bowel movments after drinking coffee. But researcher Joseph Rivera, founder of  and a scientific consultant for the ACS video, says that java's bowel-moving effects are really quite universal.

“Individuals vary significantly, and most of us just experience it to a lesser extent,” he says. People who don't have to go No. 2 immediately after their morning cup “maybe just aren't drinking enough—or the right kind of coffee—to have this effect.” 

The kind that's most likely to make you run to the bathroom? Instant coffee crystals and cheap gas-station brews which tend to be made with lower-quality robusta beans, and have higher concentrations of chlorogenic acid.��

Pre-Workout, Timing Is Everything

So should you drink coffee—and then hit the bathroom—before a long run or a strenuous workout? Absolutely, says Rivera. Apart from its role in helping to emptying your tank, coffee triggers other physiological reactions that are optimal for exercise.��

“Caffeine has a thermogenic, or heat-causing, effect on our metabolism, and increases overall energy expenditure,” says Rivera. “It also causes the release of short-chain fatty acids to be released from our cells, which enter our bloodstream and make them available for use.” In other words, it makes it easier for the body to burn fat—an important skill when you've depleted all your glycogen stores during aerobic exercise.��

But keep in mind, too much caffeine can backfire and cause stomach problems, making it difficult for you to focus during and after your workout.  

So if you need to speed things up, try this trick: “Having an apple in conjunction with a cup of coffee should, theoretically assist in a bowel movement,” Rivera says. The fruit contains a high concentration of chlorogenic acid, he explains, and should have the right stimulating effect.��

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You want to go into your workout properly hydrated, and drink enough during to keep your body running smoothly. Afterward, it's all about replenishing what you've lost. Here's how it should all break down.

Sip Slowly Throughout the Day

Hydrating for a workout shouldn't mean chugging 20 ounces of water immediately beforehand. Aside from the obvious (a sloshy stomach that's not conducive to exercise), there's another reason why drinking small amounts all day long is better than trying to get it in all at once: Your body can hang onto it longer.

Why, you ask? It turns out, drinking a lot of liquid in a short amount of time causes a drop in antidiuretic hormone, or ADH, a chemical naturally produced by the body to help conserve fluids. “When that hormone drops, the body wants to urinate,” says Stavros Kavouras, a hydration scientist at the University of Arkansas. “This is a phenomenon that takes place even if you are not well hydrated.”

So even if you've been skimping on water for the past few days, he explains, your body won't have much use for that pint you chug pre-run. (Plus, you'll probably have to pee en route.) Sipping throughout the day, on the other hand, keeps ADH levels steady.

Make Hydration a Habit

Of course, we don't always drink as much water during the day as we should. Always having a glass or bottle of water within reach can help you make it a habit, Kavouras recommends.  may help you drink more without realizing it, too.

The temperature of the water makes little difference in how it's used in your body, Kavouras says, but most people find cool water more palatable and may be more likely to drink it that way. The same goes for sparkling water, mineral water, or water that's marketed as alkaline or oxygenated: “If you enjoy the taste, go for it.” says Kavouras, “but there's no evidence that it works any differently in the body.”  

Foods with high water contents (like fruits and vegetables), also contribute to your overall hydration. Instead of aiming for a certain number of ounces a day, use your bathroom trips as a guide. “If you go when you get to work in the morning and you don't have to go again until you leave in the evening, you're not drinking enough,” says Kavouras. (Your urine should be an indicator, too: Aim for a light yellow, �����DZ��ǰ�.)��

During Your Workout: Drink When Thirsty

Use the same gradual approach to drinking fluids while you exercise, as well: Sip water or sports drinks regularly, but don't overdo it.�� published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine advise athletes to drink only when thirsty, because of the dangers of exercise-associated hyponatremia—a condition in which the body loses too much sodium due to excessive water consumption. “The normal range for sodium is very tight,” says Tamara Hew-Butler, who co-authored the paper. “Dehydration makes cells shrink like raisins, while hyponatremia makes cells swell like over-watered grapes.” But dehydration and water-weight loss during exercise do not impair performance until they approach 5 to 7 percent—not just 2 or 3 percent, as once believed.��

Replenish Post-Exercise 

Once the hard work is done (and your ADH levels return to normal), now's the time to refill your stores with a big glass of ice water. How much you drink should depend on how much you've sweat; Kavouras recommends this rule of thumb from the American College of Sports Medicine: Weigh yourself before and after, and drink 20 to 24 ounces for every pound lost.

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Running on an incline will ramp up the intensity of your workout—so it makes sense that you feel fatigued and out of breath while you're racing (or slogging) to the top. “You'll have to work harder than usual, and you may be huffing and puffing,” says , MD, senior medical advisor for the American Lung Association. But if you're actually experiencing chest tightness or noisy, obstructed breathing, there may be a more serious issue at play.

First, take note of when exactly you experience these wheezing episodes. “Ask yourself if it happen every time you run up any hill, anywhere, or does it happen in one certain geographic location, during certain weather, or during a certain time of day,” says Rizzo.��

Exercise-induced breathing problems are often affected by environment and air quality: Cold, dry air can inflame airways (especially for mouth-breathers), while the air on very hot days often has elevated levels of pollutants. (Harmful ozone gasses are most easily formed on humid, sunny days when air is stagnant.)��

Your best option, in this case, is to limit your exposure to poor air quality by exercising early in the morning or away from direct sources of pollution (like running along a main thoroughfare). If you must run outdoors on bad days, skip the hills and keep your effort level at easy.��

If pollution or cold, dry air don't seem to be issues—like if your chest feels like it's whistling or rattling repeatedly, even in clean and moderately temperate conditions—you could have exercise-induced asthma. “It's worth getting checked out and diagnosed by a physician, because it's a very treatable disease,” says Rizzo.��

Your doctor will confirm whether or not you’re healthy enough to undertake strenuous activity, and can provide advice on how to breathe easier while doing it.��

One of these is to make sure you complete an extended warm up before hitting the hills. Research has shown that a gradual increase in exercise intensity can desensitize lungs for up to 80 minutes from the stress of heavy breathing, and a  found that warm-ups that include at least some high-intensity intervals provided the most protection—think 10 minutes of easy jogging followed by 5 minutes of alternating speed drills and recovery periods.��

Once diagnosed with asthma, you may also be prescribed a “rescue” inhaler that can be used preventatively, 20 to 30 minutes before doing an activity you know will trigger wheezing. Losing excess weight and staying hydrated may also help reduce airway inflammation.��

No matter what the circumstances, it's worth a mention to your doctor to rule out a serious heart or lung condition. “Healthy athletes shouldn't experience wheezing during a workout—not even a hard one,” says Rizzo. “Your physician can help you get to the bottom of it and, hopefully, get you some relief.” 

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When it comes to working out, most of us have no shortage of options. Most cities now have countless boutique fitness studios with services like ClassPass to let you sample as many workouts as you can squeeze into a month. Group-training gyms like CrossFit introduce new workouts daily, with very little repetition in routine. And if you happen to do most of your exercising outside, the options are unlimited.��

But like all good things, it is possible to have too much exercise, or at least too many options. Though it’s true, having variety in your training can help prevent injuries and provide your body with what’s known as “muscle confusion,” which keeps you from hitting an eventual plateau as your body adapts to the same physical stresses day after day. But according to exercise physiologist and personal trainer , constantly changing your workouts may not actually be the smartest way to train because without consistency, it’s harder to make daily exercise a habit—and harder to make measurable progress in strength or skill.  

With that in mind, here’s how to switch up your routine intelligently, with a few tips on what to avoid.��

Set Benchmarks for Your Goals

“If all you want to do is lose weight or stay in decent cardiovascular shape, then any kind of physical activity is going to be good for you,” says Holland. “But if your goal is to build muscle or to get better at one specific sport or skill, then mixing things up too frequently is not going to be good for you.” 

That's because your body needs a little bit of consistency to continually improve, and you’ll also need to repeat some of the same workouts at least every couple of weeks in order to chart your progress. Put the simplest way possible, you'll never get better at doing pull-ups if you don't regularly practice doing pull-ups—and you'll never know if you're getting better if you don't test yourself on occasion.��

Plus, when you're repeating a workout with a goal of improving every time, it reminds you of why you're doing it in the first place. “Most people want to see results,” says Holland, “and if you're not running the same loop and getting faster or doing the same routine and getting stronger, it can be hard to stay motivated.”

Maintain Some Type of Constant

An all-over-the-place fitness routine can also prevent you from forming regular habits or getting passionate about any one activity. And that's fine, if you really don't need those things—but research shows that we're much more likely to stick to an exercise routine that we do build into our daily schedule and follow with some degree of consistency.��

We're also more likely to stick to workouts that we do with friends. If you're always trying out new workouts on your own, or jumping in and out of team sports or running groups or group fitness classes, you may not be forming those bonds and making those connections that make fitness so addicting to so many people.��

To get the best of both worlds, Holland suggests trying to keep some constant thread between your varied workouts: Maybe you take a different fitness class every day, but you do it at roughly the same time of day. Or maybe you switch up your routine with a buddy or a group of friends, so no matter what workout you're doing, you're always doing it together.

Choose Activities That Compliment Each Other

When examined as a whole, your workouts each week should touch on strength building, cardiovascular conditioning, and proactive recovery. “You can stay well-rounded and injury-free by finding three or four workouts that balance each other out and help you eliminate the weak links,” says Holland. (That weak link for most people, he says—the one most people skip or don't do enough of—is the active recovery and proactive body maintenance.)

The problems start, he says, when you're doing too many activities back to back that all target the same thing, or that work against each other—doing several days of high-intensity cardio in a row, for example. “I have one client who is always finding new workouts he loves—but he just keeps adding them in without getting rid of anything,” says Holland. “There has to be some method to the madness or it's easy to quickly burn yourself out, even with different workouts.” 

To avoid exercise overkill, alternate lifting days and cardio days and make time for restorative work like yoga or Pilates a few times a week as well. Take a gentle yoga class after your weight-room sessions, for example, or foam roll before you run. Just avoid the temptation to squeeze in extra sessions as fun and accessible as they might be.��

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The pull-up is one of the oldest exercises in the book, so struggling with it (and all the workouts that call for it) can be seriously frustrating.  But you're not alone: “It's very common, for both guys and girls, to not be able to do a pull-up,” says Spartan Race Series coach . “They're a very demanding exercise that work a large number of muscles in your back, shoulders, and arms at the same time.” 

Which is why the key to knocking out a few sets is to target those individual muscles with gradually increasing resistance over several weeks—and, in the meantime, modifying workouts that call for pull-ups, so you can still get the benefits even if you can’t yet execute the full move.��

Here are some of Blackwell's favorite ways to prep for pull-ups. Do these moves three times a week and in about six weeks, give the real thing a try. Everyone progresses at a different pace, Blackwell says (and women have an inherently more difficult time doing pull-ups than men, thanks to physiological differences in muscle mass and body-fat distribution), but we bet your chances of success will greatly improve.��

Weeks 1 – 3

Isometric chin-up holds: Jump up into position (using a box or chair if needed) and hold your chin above the bar for as long as you can, up to 20 seconds. Repeat three times. Using a “chin-up” grip (underhand, with palms facing toward you) is generally easier than an overhand, palms-out “pull-up” grip, Blackwell says, and puts less strain on the shoulder joint.

TRX rows: Using a TRX suspension trainer, hold both handles and lean backward so your body is in a straight line, weight supported by the bands. Walk your feet forward a few steps to angle your body more horizontally and make the move more difficult. Pull yourself up by bending elbows and keeping arms by your side, chest up. Lower slowly. Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps; if 8 reps isn't a struggle, lower your body even more.��

Lat pull-downs: Using a cable machine at the gym, sit on the weight bench and reach up to grab the cable bar overhand. Pull the bar to your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades down and back. Hold for 1 count and release slowly. Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, choosing a resistance that makes it difficult to complete each set. To do this move at home, loop a resistance band around a chin-up bar or overhead attachment. Sit underneath it, pulling down on the band evenly with both hands.��

Weeks 4 – 6

Eccentric chin-ups: These are similar to isometric chin-up holds, but instead of holding your chin in place above the bar, slowly lower your body for 6 seconds, until arms are fully extended. Use a box or chair to jump back up to start. Do 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps with a 6 second controlled lowering.

Lat pull-downs: Continue doing lat pull-downs as in previous weeks, but increase the resistance provided by the machine or band so that it's difficult to complete even shorter sets. Do 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps.��

Band-assisted chin-ups: Attach a looped resistance band around a pull-up bar and place either your feet or knees under the band. This should allow you to do pull-ups (or chin-ups) with greater ease; aim for 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps. If 6 reps isn't a struggle, use a skinnier or lighter-resistance band until you no longer need one at all.��

Aim for Quality, Not Quantity

When adding these exercises to your existing routine, do them first—before other upper-body moves that work smaller muscles groups (like curls or dips), which can fatigue your arms and make progress more difficult.��

“And remember that your initial goal is to do just one pull-up,” says Blackwell, “so it will benefit you to avoid high reps with light weights, and save your energy for shorter exercises with heavier loads.” (Once you can do one, sticking with this routine and slowly increasing your weight and reps will help you up your count.)��

One final thing to keep in mind: Shedding excess pounds will help too. “Getting strong is key,” says Blackwell, “but if you are also 5 to 15 pounds lighter in six weeks, a pull-or or chin-up should definitely be easier.” 

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First it was indoor cycling, then ; now boxing is having its moment in the fitness-trend spotlight. New boxing gyms are opening all over the country, and everyone from adventure athletes to  are climbing into the ring. And with good reason: “Boxing works the entire body through a combination of resistance training and high-intensity intervals,” says Leyon Azubuike, owner and head coach of Santa Monica, California's new studio—in other words, it's a proven formula for getting major results.

And unlike other impact sports such as running or weight lifting, boxing can be practiced at any age because its weight-bearing load is relatively small. “It's a lot of your own body weight, torque, and momentum using natural physics,” Azubuike says.��“You don't have a ton of weight on your back or your legs, or a ton of pressure on your knees or shins.”

It also works all the major muscles, thanks to the quick, explosive movements necessary for sparring. Plus it gets your heart rate up. “The more you twist, the more you end up sculpting your muscles and strengthening your core,” says Azubuike. Shifting your weight side to side activates your glutes, hamstrings, and quads while striking a bag forces you to engage your abs to maintain your balance and serves as resistance training for your upper body.”

If you’re curious, try taking a class or simply spending some quality time with a bag. For non gym-going types, these three alternatives are a great way to incorporate the skills and fitness gains of boxing into your daily routine.

In the Pool

You don't need a punching bag for resistance if you've got the power of water. During a swim workout, spend 30 to 60 seconds after each drill shadowboxing in the deep end. (Your head should be above water, but your shoulders should be under.) It's a great way to mix it up and add a cardio burst between laps, Azubuike says, especially if you're swimming at consistent, moderate pace.

Set yourself in a defensive stance, then raise your fists to shoulder height and punch straight out, alternating arms, snapping out and pulling back in as quickly as you can. For more variety, alternate sets of shadowboxing with underwater running-in-place.

After a Run or Bike Ride

Before heading out for your cardio workout of choice, leave a pair of light hand weights—2 to 5 pounds each—near your end point. When you finish, pick up the weights and start punching. “Bring your hands to your chin and punch straight out at eye level until your shoulders start to burn,” says Azubuike. “Set them down for a minute, then repeat two or three more times.”

Start with basic jabs (punching straight out) or  (punching straight out with one hand, then twisting the hips and torso and punching across the body with the other), and aim no lower than your chin and no higher than your nose. Once you've got that down, add in hooks and uppercuts.

Between Weightlifting Sets

Boxing can also serve as active recovery as you rest between strength-training circuits, keeping your heart rate up so you burn more fat and boost cardiovascular fitness. Every few sets, pick up your light weights and shadowbox as described above—or take turns with a buddy wearing  and throwing punches.

In fact, you get an added benefit anytime you spar with a partner: It forces you to react quickly to unpredictable movements, and lets you practice offensive as well as defensive skills. You'll get more of a workout when you're the one throwing punches, but even bobbing, weaving, and bracing against your friend's impacts will work your core and improve your technique.

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You're not just imagining things: Doctors often refer to the 72 hours after an intense fitness event (like a marathon, ultra, or long-distance triathlon) as the “open window” for infection, says , MD, sports medicine physician at Loyola University Medical Center. And yes, you're more likely to get sick during this time—especially if you don't take precautions. Here's why, and what you can do about it.

Why You Get Sick

Exercise, in moderate doses, increases immunity. The body reacts to stress from exercise similarly to the way it reacts to an infection, and your immune system gets a slight boost from the stimulus. But when you cross the line into endurance exercise and really long or hard workouts, it starts to work in the other direction, explains Jones. During intense bouts of fitness, the body is flooded with stress hormones (like cortisol) and the immune system reacts by kicking into defensive gear. Once you cross the finish line that protective immune response decrease more rapidly than the stress hormones making you more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria.

And chances are, there are plenty of those around. “Think about the end of a race,” says Jones.��“Hundreds of sweaty people hugging, blowing their noses, grabbing at the free food—there's a ton of exposure.”  

Add that to the fact that many athletes celebrate with a few beers and often have to travel shortly after their races—all in that “open window”—and you've got a perfect venue for easily-transmittable viruses to take hold.

Protect Yourself: Before

Paying attention to your nutrition and hydration in the weeks and days leading up to your race can help diminish some of that post-race decreased immunity, recommends Jones. “Some people don't eat enough, especially if they're trying to get down to race weight. But getting enough carbs and protein, and enough calories in general, will protect you.”

Resting between hard workouts is also important, because it gives your body time to recover and keeps stress hormones (and your immune system) from going into overdrive as you ramp up your training.

Protect Yourself: During

Feeling worn down is inevitable after a long endurance event, but you may be able to avoid feeling worse by staying hydrated during your race. In fact,  found that drinking carbohydrate beverages (like a sports drinks) during a race can reduce the production of stress hormones.

Drinking fluids can also keep your mouth and throat from getting too dry (especially if you breathe through your mouth) and help prevent irritation, soreness, and potentially, infection.

Protect Yourself: After

Once your race is over, avoid touching your face (and other people) as much as possible. “If you can pack some alcohol-based sanitizer in your bag, you may be able to at least clean your hands fairly quickly after the race,” says Jones.

Drink plenty of fluids and load up on carbs—not the beer kind—immediately afterward, as well. One worth trying? Tart cherry juice.  found that runners who sipped the antioxidant-rich beverage for five days before, the day of, and two days after a marathon had lower levels of inflammation in their blood 24 and 48 hours post-race. None of the cherry juice drinkers developed upper-respiratory symptoms, while 50 percent of those in the placebo group did.

Jones also encourages his athletes to get lots of antioxidants in their diet, but the research is still out on whether this actually makes a big difference.

In a of previous studies on the subject, Austrian researchers concluded that there's still much we don't know about how nutrition affects an athlete's immunity. “The ultimate goal of future research is to create a sports drink that contains carbohydrate and a cocktail of immunomodulatory supplements that attenuate markers of inflammation and reduce the risk of infection,” they wrote in the paper.

Until then, says Jones, use common sense and practice healthy habits: Wash your hands, get plenty of rest, eat a balanced diet, and lay low during that open window of vulnerability. The better you take care of yourself after a race, the sooner you’ll be back out there training for the next one.

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