Training & Performance
ArchiveNot that you need to be thinking about this before your holiday party stretch, but the American College of Sports Medicine has released The Top 20 Fitness Trends of 2011. What's hot? Strength training…
Chrissie Wellington decided not to compete in Ironman Kona this year due to illness. The night before, “I woke up several times literally drenched in sweat, my head pounding and feeling like my throat was closing,”…
In case you missed 'em, here are the top 10 posts from last month. We dare you not to click on number 5: “Woman Saves Choking Bear”. Number 10: Chrissie Wellington: Riding the Himalayas Number 9: Ironman Champ Chrissie Wellington's…
How can I improve hamstring flexibility? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
With only a few days left until the World Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii, the excitement and pressure is mounting. But this pressure is only as much of a burden as you let it be. I try to see everything as a positive, and knowing that I am…
Building mountain-ready knees is all about listening to what they're trying to tell you.
When British triathlete Chrissie Wellington lines up at the Ironman World Championship, in Kona, Hawaii, October 9, she'll be going for a fourth-straight title.
Maxing out on the weights isn't just for muscleheads. It's the best way to tap into strength you didn't know you had.
We're always excited for the weekend to come because we can spend all day in the great outdoors. Each Friday we post our plans on Facebook and ask our friends to do the same. But what happens if you want to tag along…
New technologies take your fitness to the next level—by making the most of your downtime.
Photo courtesy of Flickr. Pulses of light may one day give fully restored muscle activity to people with cerebral palsy or paralyzed limbs, New Scientist reports. Researchers at Stanford University are using light-activated proteins from photosynthetic…
A recent study shows that massage isn't a frivolous indulgence, but a potential medical necessity, the New York Times reports. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles recruited a group of 53…
CNN.com's Senior Medical Correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, gathered some (potentially) useful info so you know what to do if you loose a finger, a tooth, or (almost) pop out an eyeball. Here's what we learned: Problem: You…
Chrissie Wellington stunned the world of triathlon, and maybe even herself, by breaking the Ironman world record for women in Roth, Germany, in July. The time she beat was her own, clocking in at 8:19:13, 12…
Three essentials for your first cold-water triathlon.
There's no better way to get in shape than to prepare for a triathlon. Here's your guide to the ultimate first-time experience.
According to a new study, static stretching before running does nothing to prevent injury, the New York Times reports. USA Track and Field enlisted 1,400 runners in the study, telling one group to do static stretches before…
On August 26, Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham became the first person in a wheelchair to land a double backflip. The 18-year old, who was born with Spina Bifida, had been dreaming about the double since he landed his first…
Listening up-tempo music during a workout will make you push harder, even if the effort hurts more, the New York Times reports. In a British study published…
What exercises will help improve my reaction time as a lacrosse goalie? Lax Asheville, NC
We saw this Amazing Planet parkour video today and thought back to when our own Lab Rat went in for a Parkour workout. These guys take it a step further.
A new study says that every year, about 10,000 US high school athletes suffer from heat-related illnesses that require medical attention, CNN reports. The…
I want to get in shape for sand volleyball. Any advice? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
The secret to performing in hot weather? Have a really cold one.
Your transition speed can make the difference between podium glory and going home empty handed. Consider this scenario: You swam and biked about the same as your rival, Dom, at an Olympic distance race. But you ran six-minute miles and he ran seven. You should cross the finish line six…
A TRX Suspension Trainer workout to fine-tune the core muscles your body calls upon late in a race.
A Texas woman is in critical condition after a car struck her from behind while she was riding her bike, Examiner.com reports. Plano resident and Ironman triathlete, Debbie McGregor, 41, was riding her bike uphill around 8 p.m. when…
Hi, I compete in triathlons and I was wondering what you would suggest for a backpack. Even better, a backpack that could also also used for snowboarding and camping. — John Fargo, ND
The International Olympic Committee announced Friday that they have no problem with BP's sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympics, the AP reports. BP signed on as a sponsor in July, 2008, in a…
Courtesy of bobbymond on Flickr. Thierry Henry, the highly lauded French striker, has signed with the New York Red Bulls, the New York Times reports. He is expected to make his debut…
OnThursday, British rower and two-time Olympic gold medalist, James Cracknell, willbegin an attempt to swim, bike, row and run 3,600 miles across America—in 18days. “I'm lucky to have the chance to do this,” 38-year old…
Over in Germany, water sliding is serious sport. Hiking up their Speedos, athletes of all shapes have learned how to top 50 miles per hour with only the occasional bloody nose and forehead stitches. This I had to try.
Wednesday will be a big day for soccer in America. After Team USA faces off with Algeria at 10 a.m. EST with a chance to advance out of the first round, New York City will play host to the most star-studded pickup game all year, the third annual…
Welcome to our definitive list of the players who have the best chance to make a name for themselves in the 2010 World Cup. (We did a similar list months ago, but injuries and…
Nick Heil, ϳԹ's Lab Rat, shows you five exercises to get in shape. All you need is ten minutes. Check it out on our…
The sports hernia — a nasty tear in the muscles of the lower abdomen — can debilitate athletes for months. But a new, minimally invasive surgery could get you back in the game in as little as a third of the time of traditional treatment. A…
You survive a plane crash in the Amazon? Who cares! What's far more likely to go wrong during an international journey is injuries and illnesses that would be easy to manage close to home but are much trickier on the far side of paradise. Here are seven frequent scenarios and how to handle them.
In the near future, going out for a sports team may require more than just a basic physical exam, especially for young people with a family history of cardiovascular abnormalities. In response to growing concern involving sudden cardiac death in young athletes, a study conducted by the Massachusetts General…
Gene manipulation to enhance athletic performance is now scientifically possible, and it may become the next doping trend, CNN reports. Researchers point to “Marathon Mouse,” who gained the ability to run twice as far as normal mice with a modified protein gene. While gene…
It seems counterintuitive: Shouldn't Vancouver's relatively low altitude and thicker air help athletes perform better at this year's Olympics? Not always, says Robert Chapman, an expert in altitude training and exercise physiologist at Indiana University. In the special Winter Olympics issue of the journal Experimental Physiology, Chapman argues that…
An Oklahoma veterinary scientist named Mike Davis says there's no doubt about it: The world's greatest athletes, of any species, are the canines who pull sleds at the Iditarod. Now, in a project funded by the Pentagon's research arm, he's coming up with ways to make us more like them.
Going 26.2 miles is a great way to prove your grit—and there's no greater showcase than the world's biggest. Presenting a simple plan to get anyone off the couch and across the finish line.
The videos and pictures showed everything. Search and rescue teams digging through rubble. Haitians praying, then hushing, in hopes of the sound…
K-Swiss and Trek announced today they would sponsor possibly the world's most accomplished triathlon team. Trifuel has the full story. The team is made up of multiple Ironman and Ironman 70.3 champions, including three-time champion Chris Lieto.
Female athletes are far more prone to certain injuries – like to their shoulders and knees – than men, reports Science Daily. But, it doesn't have to be that way. The study, completed by the University of…
Linsey Corbin, who came in second at the Ironman Arizona 2009, offered some helpful swim tips for triathletes over at Trifuel. We often focus a lot on strategies for running, so it was interesting to see ways to…
Due to injuries and exclusions, we've revised this list. Check out the new and improved list of The Top 10 Breakout Players to Watch in the World Cup. Every four years the 32 best teams…
A simple test for diagnosing exercise-induced asthma—previously performed on elite athletes—may now be ready for diagnosing the condition in the general public, according to a study done by the Ohio State Medical Center. The test involves forcing a patient to hyperventilate in…
A quick daily routine to maintain essential muscles for any sport.
The Togo national soccer team has been officially disqualified from the Africa Nations Cup for failing to show up for a scheduled game, reports Reuters. The team had been ordered back to its country by the government following a deadly attack…
A solid way to asses your fitness level is to calculate your VO2max, which is your maximum oxygen consumption during an exercise that gradually increases in intensity, New Scientist reports. The higher your number, the fitter you are. A VO2max test is usually done…
(photo by Jens Mortensen) Thinking of running a triathlon this year? Trifuel has 10 Ways to Enhance Your Sprint Triathlon…
Turns out moderate drinking might not be preventive medicine after all. But that doesn't mean it's not good for you.
Jason Dinant worked out four times a week with a trainer and ate only protein and vegetables during the first half of 2009 and was rewarded in June with six-pack abs, his 2009 New Year's resolution. Dinant was chosen by CNNhealth.com last…
Performance mouthpieces may help reduce stress during exercise and help athletes to breathe easier, says a piece in the New York Times' Fitness Section. We're not talking your generic rubber mouth guard here — you know, the kind that turns you into…
Thanks to an influx of new computerized design tools, there are suddenly more custom ski makers and cheaper custom skis—about $1,300 for a pair of planks crafted to your physique and habits. Now you just need to know what to ask for.
Professional skier Davenport, 37, was first to ski all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks in a single year
By now, you've probably seen ads for Reebok's new EasyTone shoes for women, the shoes that claim to tone your legs and butt by engaging the calf, hamstring, and gluteal muscles. But if you weren't one of the many who bought into the…
UP-AND-COMER The Sundance set will rejoice over the fact that The Canyons, a once unknown Park City resort, now hosts a Waldorf Astoria, complete with a slick new Spruce Restaurant from celeb chef Mark Sullivan. Avoid the glitz by hitting the steep, open glades off the Ninety-Nine…
Need some help getting motivated to stay fit this year? The American College of Sports Medicine has some advice for actually keeping that New Year's resolution. The ACSM says you should plan ahead, determine your barriers, and try to incorporate sports into your…
Michael Feigin, owner of a boutique gym in Brooklyn and frequent traveler, sits down with the New York Times's Frugal Traveler to talk exercise on the go — even when your hotel doesn't have a gym. Feigin offers up some interesting…
Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden have found that young adults who are physically fit score better on their IQ tests, ScienceDaily reports. There is a strong correlation between fitness and logical thinking and verbal comprehension, but the correlation doesn’t stand in…
There are five things you can do to prevent getting sick during the winter season, according to Dr. Gillian Stephens of St. Louis University Medical Center: 1. Make sure you get enough sleep…
ϳԹ's Lab Rat, Nick Heil, shows you how to do lateral jumps, which test your lower body's plyometric strength–the explosive power you need in your legs for ball sports, running, and cycling. –Aileen Torres…
Researchers at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center are developing a surgical technique that uses therapeutic hypothermia to treat serious or multiple concussions, reports Medical News Today. Therapeutic hypothermia helps reduce the risk of tissue injury by…
How strong is your core? Watch ϳԹ's Lab Rat, Nick Heil, teach you how to do the inchworm exercise, and you'll be able to gauge where you're at; plus, build up core strength in the process. –Aileen Torres…
ϳԹ's Lab Rat, Nick Heil, shows you how to do the perfect pull up, with an overhand grip. –Aileen Torres…
ϳԹ's Lab Rat, Nick Heil, shows you how to do the assistedpistol, a low-tech workout that will strengthen your legs for multiplesports. –Aileen Torres…
A couple of years ago, Wired magazine put out a forward-looking article addressing whether paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius's artificial legs (called Cheetahs) gave him an advantage over able-bodied sprinters. After all, at the time he was close to qualifying for the Olympics with prostheses.
The fifth TEDMED conference finished last week, and videos of all the talks will be up in a few months on the web site. TED Talks are always interesting and innovative, and with all that's going on inour country regarding health care,…
The American College of Sports Medicine has released its annual survey of the top fitness trends. Here are the top ten for 2010: 1. Training with certified, experienced fitness professionals2. Strength training3. Children's fitness/fighting obesity4. Personal training5. Core…
“The Colbert Report” has become the primary sponsor of the U.S. Speedskating team after its former sponsor, DSB Bank, went bankrupt, according to ESPN. The name “Colbert Nation”– referring to the legions of fans that regularly enjoy the satirical Comedy Central show “The Colbert…
Ever wonder what breeds make up your mutt? Certain breeds are happier to live an outdoor lifestyle than others are. Rhodesian ridgebacks, for instance, can withstand extreme heat and cold and they love miles-long runs, so they make good companions for distance runners. Chesapeake bay retrievers, on the other…
How can I prevent sore legs during my first long ski weekend? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
Without agility, working out is just bodybuilding.
Medical News Today reports that The School of Psychology at Belfast's Queen's University have been working with the Ulster rugby team by testing the player's visual perception through a range of virtual training scenarios. The testing goes beyond a regular computer…