Getting recommended amount of physical exercise linked to lower risk of 7 cancers

A new American analysis has found that hitting the recommended weekly levels of physical activity could lower the risk of developing seven different cancers.

Led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the new analysis looked at nine existing studies including a total of 755,459 participants to investigate whether meeting the recommended amounts of physical activity is linked to a lower risk of 15 different cancers.


Updated guidelines recommend that people should aim for 2.5 to 5 hours per week of moderate-intensity activity, or 7.5 to 15 METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) per week. MET measures an individual’s energy expenditure, with one MET defined as the energy it takes to sit quietly. Moderate-intensity activities burn three to six times as much energy per minute as sitting quietly (3 to 6 METs), and vigorous-intensity activities burn more than 6 METs.

After asking the participants to self-report their physical activity levels, the researchers then followed them for 10.1 years.

The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, showed that engaging in recommended amounts of activity (7.5 to 15 MET hours per week) was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of seven of the 15 cancer types included in the study, compared to doing no physical activity. The team also found that the more exercise participants did, the more the risk was reduced.

Of these 15 cancers, physical activity was linked to a lower risk of colon cancer in men (8% lower risk for 7.5 MET hours per week and a 14% lower risk for 15 MET hours per week), a lower risk of breast cancer in women (6% to 10%), endometrial cancer (10% to 18%), kidney cancer (11% to 17%), myeloma (14% to 19%), liver cancer (18% to 27%), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in women (11% to 18% lower risk).

The researchers admitted that their analysis had some limitations. For example, though the total number of participants was large, the number of participants studied for certain cancers was limited. In addition, participants were mainly white, and participants self-reported their level of physical activity, a method that is prone to errors.

However, the authors still concluded that, “These findings provide direct quantitative support for the levels of activity recommended for cancer prevention and provide actionable evidence for ongoing and future cancer prevention efforts.”

“Physical activity guidelines have largely been based on their impact on chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” said study author Dr. Alpa Patel. “These data provide strong support that these recommended levels are important to cancer prevention, as well.” IB/JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Software that can predict athletic performance created by researchers

Researchers in Australia have developed prototype software that studies the impact of fatigue on athletic performance.

Published in the journal Plos One, the study measured athletes’ metabolic and neuromuscular fatigue. The software algorithm developed by the researchers enables athletes’ energy levels to be calculated and predictions to be made about how their level of fatigue might affect their performance.

“Let us say you have a game tomorrow and the model predicts you are going to be very fatigued, that might change the coach’s strategy,” said Dr. Paul Wu, a researcher at Australia’s Queensland University of Technology and the study’s lead author.

While metabolic fatigue requires only a few hours of recovery, the same is not true for neuromuscular fatigue, which can take up to 48 hours or more to recover from.

“In the elite sports setting, athletes often train twice a day, five days or more a week. If you develop neuromuscular fatigue and have training or competition the next day, you will still be fatigued and have an elevated risk of injury,” Dr. Wu said.

Comparing your performance to others


To design the software, Dr. Wu’s team subjected a dozen non-professional athletes to a “countermovement jump” test, which involves standing on a force plate, squatting and jumping as high as possible.

“In our study, we tested the athletes after low, moderate and high-intensity training sessions. We did many jumps over time, from just before training sessions, to right after, and then at regular intervals up to 48 hours later,” he explained.

The scientists then used a statistical analysis tool to process the athletes’ physiological data. “By doing a few jump tests up to 30 minutes after training, and then doing our analysis, we can predict the degree of neuromuscular fatigue,” said Dr. Wu, who also sees it as an opportunity for athletes to compare their performance with others. HM/JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

It’s all in the genes: Why some people stay thin no matter what they eat

JAKARTA — It’s the question we are all dying to have answered: How can some people eat whatever they want and never seem to gain any weight?

We all know that one person. They gorge on cookies, cake, burgers and candy, but somehow manage to maintain their trim figure without lifting a finger in the gym. For those struggling to keep a healthy figure, it can be maddening to watch.

Finally, scientists might have uncovered one of the secrets about that fortunate person who seems utterly blessed in ways you wish you were.

A report by Science Alert has put it down to some people having different genetic coding that helps them stay the same weight for life. For most of us, this is not the case, and we must rely on a balanced diet alongside regular exercise to maintain a healthy figure.

Previous research has linked genetics to obesity, however, this is the first study to look at genes related to genetic thinness.

The results suggest there is indeed a “thin” mix of genes that can be inherited – or more specifically, an absence of obesity-associated genes.

“This research shows for the first time that healthy thin people are generally thin because they have a lower burden of genes that increase a person’s chances of being overweight and not because they are morally superior, as some people like to suggest,” said Sadaf Farooqui, a member of the research team from the University of Cambridge.

“It’s easy to rush to judgement and criticize people for their weight, but the science shows that things are far more complex. We have far less control over our weight than we might wish to think.”

To carry out the study, researchers compared DNA from 1,622 people with a low body mass index, 1,985 severely obese people and 10,433 people of normal weight. The patterns were clear in the coding across the three groups. Lifestyle factors were also considered, ruling out things that could be significantly contributing to participants’ weight, such as eating disorders.

Researchers found that thin people had fewer genetic variants that increase the chances of developing obesity.

Of the naturally thin people in the study, 74 percent had a family history of staying thin and healthy, confirming that the “thin” genes are not unhealthy ones to have.

Of course, the study does not show that thinness and obesity are all based on a person’s genetics. It does, however, show that people gain weight differently, and sometimes genetics can be to blame.

It does seem unfair to some that in terms of weight, we are not all on a level playing field. It is still important to bear in mind the food and lifestyle choices we make, as researchers confirmed that diet and exercise are hugely important to our overall health.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

WATCH: Chris Hemsworth bares ripped abs in ‘Men in Black’ training video

As with the many Chrises in superhero movies, Chris Hemsworth has impressed with his heavenly body worthy of Thor, god of thunder.

The Australian actor continues to maintain his muscular figure as seen in a video he shared while doing an outdoor workout routine in London.

Outdoor session in London for MIB!! Cheers to @zocothebodypro for posing as an alien and letting me beat up on him. Sorry for the boot in the face  #MenInBlack pic.twitter.com/lFP3sZBYkK

— Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) July 27, 2018

Hemsworth, 34, showed off his swift punches and some kicks with personal trainer Luke Zocchi, who also got the actor ripped as Thor in the Marvel movies.

According to an interview with Elite Daily in April 2016, Zocchi revealed that Hemsworth would do heavy weights six days a week and pack in 3,500 calories a day, which has translated to 20 pounds of muscle. The workouts are not more than hour-long as he does high intensity training.

“Men in Black” is set for a spinoff to be released in 2019, over 20 years since it first hit theaters in 1997, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The movie will feature new characters and a cast that includes Hemsworth, his “Thor: Ragnarok” co-star Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson and Kumail Nanijani. Emma Thompson will reprise her role as chief of the Men in Black Organization. Production was scheduled to begin this month in London. JB


source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Back to the gym time? 5 tips for getting motivated

When it’s back to school time for the kids, that means back to the gym time for some of us adults. However, after taking a break from our regular routine to relax on vacation, it might be hard to find the motivation needed to get back into a workout schedule. Here we round up five ways to get back into the swing of things and hopefully keep your fitness regime going all year long.

1. Find a friend

Finding a workout buddy is one way to keep going with your fitness schedule, as making plans to work out together will make it harder to cancel and make you both more accountable. Exercising with a friend or partner can also help you both stay motivated by congratulating each other on a workout well done and any goals reached. You could also make exercise more of a fun, social event by organizing to grab a post-workout brunch or smoothie together.

2. Update your workout wardrobe

The end of summer may mean back to work and back to real life, but it also means the start of the new season sportswear collections. Adidas, Monreal London and Bodyism are just some of the brands who have already unveiled their new fall collections, so if you’re struggling to get back to the gym, buying some new sportswear to show off might help. Alternatively, make a new purchase a well-deserved treat for hitting your exercise goals. It will help give you something to work towards.

3. Try a new class

Why not learn something new yourself and sign up for a new class? Not only will a new sport or workout give your fitness regime a shake up, but it could also teach you some new skills and help you make some new friends. If you’re always running, why not try a Body Pump class for some resistance training? Already love resistance training? Stretch it out with some yoga. If you always swim breast stroke, book in with an instructor to teach you front crawl. The possibilities are endless.

4. Set a new goal
If you’ve taken a break from the gym while on vacation, you might be feeling back to square one. Setting a new goal now that you’re back is one way to get yourself more motivated to start again, and to push yourself further. Try signing up for a run or sponsored swim, set yourself a new amount of steps to walk each week, or increase your workouts from three per week to four. It doesn’t have to be too far or too much to start with, just something that is a challenge but also fun for you. Once you’ve achieved this goal, you can push yourself even further with another.

5. Keep track of your progress

Even if you’re not working towards a goal, keeping a track of your workouts will show you how far you have progressed and help keep you going. Invest in a fitness tracker as part of your back to the gym kit, a bit like updating your stationery for school, and make sure you’re wearing it daily to track all your activity as well as other important factors such as sleep. Alternatively schedule workouts into your diary to keep a track of how many you make it to and what you achieved. JB

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

9 things I learned after wearing a fitness tracker for a month

The Fitbit Alta HR is the newest model of the fitness tracker that seems to be all the rage these days. More and more people are tracking down the number of steps they take a day and more, thanks to the very many features the Alta has: people are tracking down their sleep, their daily caloric intake, calorie burn, water intake, heart rate, exercise, and number of steps in an hour.

I wore the Alta HR for a month and if I may: It’s almost a lesson on self-awareness. I learned more about myself than all those damn retreats and recollections I was required to attend in high school.

 1. Fat doesn’t mean unfit. I’m not fat but, I pant from just crossing the street! My boyfriend, who is overweight, does the same and doesn't break sweat. Wearing the tracker, I learned that my cardio fitness level was at…poor. I had a score of less than 27.0. No wonder my heart lands in the fat burn zone after just a few steps!

Before using the Alta, you have to download the app, sign up and give them your pertinent details — age, gender, weight. It's how Alta can then score you for all these measures. That’s how the Alta scored the 30-something me.

2. There’s nothing wrong with my chair. A couple of years ago, my lower back started to hurt so bad that I saw a doctor — three actually: A rheumatologist, a nerve doctor, and a PT. I had to get an MRI, a nerve test that felt like how I imagined electrocution would feel like, a take medicines for an epileptic patient. I blamed it on my chair.

Alas, wearing the Fitbit told me it wasn’t my chair. It was me. I sat for too long at a time. Fitbit would have you take at least 250 steps an hour for nine hours of each day. It would send out cute vibrations as reminders for you to get up and stand up. When I heed the reminders, my nasty back pain didn’t show itself.

When I didn’t —as on my third week of wearing the alta because work pinned me down to my desk for hours at a time — Would you believe the pain actually really returned?

3. Doing 5,000 steps a day is easy. Sure, 10,000 steps a day is what’s recommended, but I just started this thing and didn’t want to be defeated too early and life is overwhelming as it is. I didn’t want to pressure myself and I wanted a sustainable fitness thing, so I started small.

My goodness, I soon realized — six hours into wearing the alta — how easy 5,000 steps is. I quickly jacked my goals up to 8,000 steps. It’s still 2,000 steps below what’s recommended, but it’s a good enough goal: It’s challenging enough to make me want to crave and work for it.

Four weeks in, and the 8,000 steps still don’t come easy. Fitbit says I average about 7,300 steps a day. I’ve decided to give myself another two weeks to “master” the 8k before jacking up my goals in accordance with the recommendation of 10k.

4. The stairs at home (or in the office) is an amazing exercise machine. I got a reminder from my Alta at 10:30pm one Sunday: I only needed 2,672 steps to achieve my goal. I whined: 2,672! That’s a lot!

But knowing my goal was already less than the usual 10k, I felt ashamed. So I went up and down the 16-step stairs we have at home. I played a game with myself: four steps down four steps up, eight steps down, eight steps up, and so on.

In less than an hour, not only did I achieve 8,000 steps, I was also able to get a legit 30-minute exercise — which the Fitbit also records, BTW. It has a SmartTrack feature that recognizes movement of at least 15 minutes.

I probably went up and down the stairs for 30 minutes; the next day, my legs were sore but my ass looked nice. So to people who say they can’t afford the gym and therefore cannot exercise: honey, you don’t need to go to the gym. Use the stairs, play a game with yourself.

5. You don’t really hate your job, or your life. If you think you’re stuck at a dead-end or that promotion is taking too long, you may be right. But, you may be just bored, too. Before making any drastic changes, make small ones first. Get a Fitbit and set up little goals. Those hourly 250 steps help tremendously in making you feel unstuck! Excuse yourself and get walking! 

Even if you’re not into this whole fitness brouhaha, meeting them can do wonders not just for your body but for your self-esteem, too! Knowing you have achieved your sleep goals (uh huh, there is such a thing!), is as good an ego boost as, for instance, receiving all those compliments on Tinder.

6. Your body craves for exercise. It’s just your mind telling you you’re lazy. Once you feel the high of a 30-minute walk (and the added dose of good vibes from the confetti Fitbit showers on you when you’ve accomplished them), you’ll want to do it again and again. Pretty soon, you won’t be feeling as bored anymore. And you’ll realize there’s more to learn in your current position, there’s more you can do, and whoops! Promotions are in order in no time.

7. It’s important to measure everything. Fitbit is exactly that: a personalized measurement of what your body is doing and still capable of doing. It’s so easy to fall trap into trends — do this, not that type of thing — even Fitbit has a social aspect to it that will get to your competitive side, but if there’s anything that you’ll learn by having a Fitbit, it’s that there’s no one size fits all solution.

8. There’s a correlation between sleep and everything else. And not just the amount of sleep but the quality of sleep. With the tracker, I noticed my natural sleep cycle, which is why, one time, I got woken up in the middle of a dream – that’s REM for us – I was super lethargic the entire day.

9. You still really have to listen to your body. The Fitbit’s great —I am a reformed non-believer, in fact — but it’s not the end-all and the be-all of fitness. It’s a machine after all. It can’t record that wrist injury. It can get its records wrong. For instance: last week, I had an intense two-hour workout at my climbing gym, but all it said was I was active for just 17 minutes. It said my  heart rate reached its peak zone and it recorded my steps up the wall, but it didn’t record it as a completed exercise (I wanted that star!). So yeah, you still have to listen to your body. — LA/GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

New to running? 5 answers to 5 questions to get you going

With the number of marathon participants around the world growing every year, running is clearly an increasingly popular physical fitness activity. But if you’ve never run before, you need to ease yourself into it. Dr. Philippe Sosner, a cardiologist, sports doctor, and scientific and medical director, has given us his running tips for beginners.

Can you start at any age?

Yes, it’s an endurance sport in which you will make progress, whatever your starting point.

Are there any medical reasons not to run?

Even if you have health problems, running is often possible, but you may need to adapt it to your condition. If you plan to be a regular runner, and to take it beyond a leisurely jog, it’s better to consult your doctor, especially if you’ve been inactive for a while. It’s also a good idea to assess your ability and work out a running plan with a trainer, who will, for example, give you advice on running speed (some will be at ease at 6 kilometers per hour, whereas others will start with a brisk walking pace).

How often is best and how can I avoid injury or giving up?

First of all, you need to set yourself a reasonable target. Your running plan must also take account of what you can do and what you would like to do.

You can start by walking, then picking up the pace and gradually introducing short bursts of running of low-to-moderate intensity. The ideal rate is three times a week, although this can be difficult to maintain because of other commitments. The benefits will increase gradually, especially if you become a regular runner. It’s important to have one rest day after each run.

As a beginner, you could start with a 30-minute session once a week, then increase the number of sessions to twice then three times a week. If you cannot increase the number of runs per week, then you could increase the length of each session, gradually getting up to one hour, and make the run more difficult by introducing interval training or running uphill.

You should always listen to your body. If you experience unusual discomfort, chest pain, palpitations, or breathlessness which does not calm down at rest, then stop and see a doctor.

Do I need to have practiced another sport and should running be supplemented with another sport?

No, if you’re already used to walking, you should be fine. But don’t set overly high goals at the start, especially if you run with someone who is fitter than you. You can also practice another complementary sport if you wish. The ideal would be to combine running with muscle-strengthening exercises for the legs and core. If you strengthen your muscles, you protect your joints.

Any advice about good running shoes?

Good running shoes should not be too heavy, and the sole should not be too thick, so that the foot can move naturally and feel the ground underneath. Opt for a classic-shaped non-fashion pair that is slightly bigger than your usual size, but not so much that your feet are slipping inside the shoes. So-called technical footwear is not always the most suitable for running. If you become an accustomed runner, but your feet feel uncomfortable or their shape changes, talk to a chiropodist. JB

source: sports.inquirer.net

Four great reasons to add high intensity intervals to your workout

From HIIT and CrossFit to spinning and functional training, here are four good reasons to jump onboard the latest trend for high-intensity interval-based workouts that combine short, intense bursts of activity with low-intensity active recovery.

Get great results, fast!

Military-inspired interval training sessions, combining short 30-second bursts of intense activity with short recovery periods, can change the shape of your body in record time by burning fat.

CrossFit combines elements of weight lifting (lifting, throwing, moving objects), classic gym exercises (push-ups, pull-ups, rings) and cardio training (running, rowing, cycling).

Some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) programs use body weight rather than equipment, boosting metabolism with a workout based on a series of standard exercises (squats, wall sits, lunges, planks, jumps, etc.) that work all muscle groups. This type of exercise can burn up to 800 calories in 30 minutes.

Circuit-based functional training programs are also popular at the moment. Some use equipment (resistance bands, gym balls, BOSU balls, kettlebells, TRX straps, etc.) while others don’t. Some are held outdoors, making use of benches, tree trunks, railings, etc.

Slow down aging

A study, published last March 7 about Cell Metabolism, found that using HIIT training techniques in aerobic, endurance-based activities like cycling and walking could slow down aging at cellular level. This involves adding short bursts of higher-intensity activity to a regular workout, like a 30-second sprint in the middle of a slower-paced jog, for example. This was found to boost the action of cell powerhouses called mitochondria, whose ability to generate energy declines with age.

Save time

These short but intense exercise sessions can fit easily into busy daily schedules. High Intensity Interval Training or functional training sessions usually last around 30 minutes. CrossFit sessions usually last up to an hour and high-intensity spin classes are 45 to 60 minutes in length. Classes can now be booked online at a growing number of gyms, making last-minute sessions more feasible.

Get tips and motivation from a coach

In this type of class, there’s usually at least one coach for around 12 participants. The trainer sets the program of exercises for each session with a “workout of the day.” They are also on hand to offer personalized tips and advice tailored to individual levels or goals. Exercising in a group can also prove more motivating than slogging it out alone with a screen or an MP3 for company. JB

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

California students getting fitter with age?

PALO ALTO, California — According to multiple 2015 data sets now available on Kidsdata.org, California students are showing improved fitness outcomes as they age.

First, more students are able to meet physical fitness standards as they rise between 5th, 7th, and 9th grades. In 2015, 26 percent of the state’s 5th graders met all fitness standards, compared with 33 percent of 7th graders and 38 percent of 9th graders. The upward trend was consistent across all races and ethnicities.

Second, younger students showed higher rates of obesity compared with older students. In 2015, 40 percent of 5th graders were overweight or obese, compared with 39 percent of 7th graders and 36 percent of 9th graders.

Overweight and obese children are at higher risk for a range of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, asthma and some types of cancer; they also are more likely to stay overweight or obese as adults.

In addition, children with obesity are at increased risk for joint and bone problems, sleep apnea and social and emotional difficulties, such as stigmatization and low self-esteem.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children and adolescents participate in moderate-to-vigorous exercise at least 60 minutes every day. However, according to a 2014 report (PDF), only about one quarter of youth nationwide get the recommended amount of exercise.

According to experts, policy options that could improve children’s physical activity include ensuring that all schools meet state physical education requirements, making school recreational facilities available for use outside of school hours, and encouraging child care and after-school programs to incorporate physical activity opportunities.

Additional recommendations that would reduce childhood obesity include providing access to affordable healthful foods and beverages, and reducing access to high-calorie and sugar-sweetened drinks and foods.

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

New fitness trend ‘Rage Yoga’ lets students drink beer, swear and listen to rock music

Yogis, prepare yourselves for a different kind of ‘Zen’.

A female resident of Calgary in Canada has introduced a new variation to the globally popular exercise, which was dubbed as ‘Rage Yoga’.

Citing reports from the Huffington Post, the unlikely trend combines yoga poses with pints of beer, screamed profanity, and Metallica and Black Sabbath.

Canadian Lindsay-Marie Istace, who added a new twist to the traditional work-out, encourages her students to yell, swear and even burp during sessions, while a variety of heavy metal songs play in the background.

If the stretching is a bit too much, yogis may also take “hydration breaks” or grab a sip of beer or wine before continuing.

Laughter is also heavily encouraged for students finding themselves falling during a tricky pose.

“I think there are a lot of people intimidated by the usual yoga culture”, said Istace.

“Yoga studios are intimidating for people who are just getting into yoga, and for people who are very experienced in yoga they just want something that is a little less serious,” the former contortionist and fire-eater added.

Rage Yoga sessions are only available every Monday and Wednesday in Dickens Pub in Calgary Canada, but Istace is looking to bring ‘Rage Yoga’ to more subscribers online in the near future.

More information about the new exercise-craze is available in Intace’s personal website, rageyoga.com. Khristian Ibarrola, INQUIRER.NET

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Treadmill studio classes put a spin on indoor running

NEW YORK - A New York City fitness studio is following fast on the heels of the indoor cycling, or spin, craze by beckoning outdoor runners to come in from the cold for group treadmill classes.

Equipped with 30 treadmills, lighting evocative of dusk or dawn, and group training designed to hone the skills of marathoners and newbies alike, fitness experts say the Mile High Run Club (MHRC) might do a bit to burnish the image of the most used, least glamorous, of gym cardio machines.

Billed as the first treadmill studio, MHRC is the brainchild of founder and program director Debora Warner, a running coach and group fitness instructor. She said the experience is similar to a group spinning class with many people on treadmills at the same time doing a structured class together.

“You can be very specific about incline, duration, number of reps,” said Warner, 43, “and that helps runners with their pacing outdoors. I don’t see treadmills as a substitute for running, but it’s a great training tool.”

The treadmill is the most popular cardio machine at the gym, used by 40 percent of the over 60 million Americans who utilized a health club in 2013, according to the 2014 Health Club Consumer Report of IHRSA, the trade association of the health club and fitness industry.

Nevertheless, it is viewed as drudgery, believes Connecticut-based exercise physiologist and running coach Tom Holland.

“Running on a treadmill is a pretty horrible experience for most people and they generally don’t maximize their time,” said Holland, author of “The Marathon Method.”

He points out that while there is great value to interval training, steady running has its virtues, too.

“Most running coaches say for every hard workout, you need one or two easier ones,” Holland said.

Although Warner's studio is dedicated to running, she noted that big gyms, such as Equinox, also offer treadmill classes. Crunch, another national chain, has also been integrating treadmill intervals into yoga and boot camp classes.

She offers group foundational and advanced classes. Both rely on repetitions of high-speed or intensity work followed by periods of rest or low activity, bookended by five-minute warm-ups and cool downs.

The classes also incorporate about 10 minutes of strength and power training, such as lunges, plyometrics (jumping), and stability training, which are all good for runners. — Reuters

Fitness experts cut to the core to target the center of power

NEW YORK - Whether it is running, swimming, weight lifting or aerobics, fitness experts say the center of all exercise routines is the core—the abdominal, back and muscles around the pelvis—which is the seat of stability, strength and power.

Adding in exercise routines to strengthen the core can help the runner go faster, the basketball player jump higher and the everyday exerciser more easily do routine tasks from loading the car to cleaning the tub.

"The core is everything except for arms, legs and head," said Daniel Taylor, co-author with Greg Brittenham of the new book "Conditioning to the Core."

It is the mainstay of the body, according to Taylor, who is the head strength and conditioning coach at Siena College in upstate New York.

"People need to get away from saying 'I'm going to do abs today' and take a larger view," said Taylor, whose book contains more than 300 exercises, ranging from planks, squats and lunges to medicine ball and kettlebell throws presented in progressive routines.

"A lot of times people get stuck in one or two routines and get good at them," he said. "You've got to make things more challenging to keep progressing."

Taylor said everything is linked to the core.

"If you jump it's transferred to the core. If you want to be a better recreational running, strengthening the core will help because your anchor is better," he explained.

The body's girdle is how New York City-based personal trainer JR Allen describes the core.

Celebrity trainee Allen, whose clients include singer Mary J. Blige, said even the breath is involved in core work.

"It's not about sucking in the stomach but about tightening," said Allen, owner of 2 Day Be Fit. "If you watch a boxer before a punch, he'll make a whistling sound. That's to engage the transverse abdominals [the front and side muscles of the abdominal wall]."

Allen, a former body builder takes a personal approach to training.

"One of my favorite things to do is agility drills," he said. "Squat jumps, alternating lunges with jumps and power skips: those types of dynamic movements target your core."

Taylor said a mere 20-minute core workout, involving as few as four rotating exercises in a circuit, serves as a good warm up for most activities, from lifting weights to playing basketball.

"You don't have to destroy yourself. You don't have to do it for hours, you don't need to exercise for a thousand repetitions. But if you keep doing it you'll be stronger, better toned, with better posture," he said. "And maybe your running times have improved." — Reuters

Soccer’s many moves boost fitness skills, experts say

NEW YORK - Young soccer players may never reach the dazzling athleticism on display at the World Cup in Brazil, but fitness experts say the sport cultivates such a variety of skills that playing it can underpin a lifetime of activity.

From aerobic prowess to foot-eye coordination and the ability to turn on a dime, soccer hones the body so even a young baseball or tennis player can benefit from the sport, said Dr. Michael F. Bergeron, executive director of the National Youth Sports Health & Safety Institute, which advocates for health and safety in youth sports.

"Soccer is a sport that requires lot of different kinds of movements: running forward and back, cutting, changing direction, high-bursts and recovery capacity, that all enhance foundational skills," said Bergeron, who is based in South Dakota.

"The conditioning, body control, recovery capacity and eye-foot coordination skills translate nicely into a variety of sports," he added.

The number of young people playing soccer has risen from 1.6 million in 1990 to more than 3 million in 2012, according to figures from the U.S. Youth Soccer, a member of the United States Soccer Federation.

But Bergeron added there is a dramatic drop-off in sports participation in general by age 15.

Lauren Sesselmann, an American-born Canadian professional soccer player for the Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League, runs youth soccer camps for boys and girls, mainly ages seven to 18.

"I work with the kids on jumping, vertical leaps, how not to be afraid when in the air, how to execute a proper header, and different ways to protect themselves," said Sesselmann, whose Canadian national team captured a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.

"Most of the kids love soccer and want to play," said Sesselmann, creator of "Fit As A Pro" DVDs. "I give them an extra push, a lot of speed training, squatting, lunging, and I make sure they're running correctly. They can fix that at a young age."

Sesselmann said a soccer player can run eight to 10 miles (13 to 16 kilometers) in the course of a game.

Cross training is a big part of Sesselmann's personal routine, as she prepares for the FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada next year.

"I'm outside the soccer field 60 or 70 percent of the time, in the gym doing weight lifting, yoga, agility drills," she said. "Out of season I work on increasing speed, fitness, strength. In camp with the team we do the ball work, tactical work, and technical work. "

California-based exercise physiologist Dr. Mark Kelly thinks soccer is a great sport for youth but added that many players sustain foot, ankle and knee injuries, as well as repeated head trauma.

Sesselmann thinks soccer can be almost as dangerous as dangerous as American football, even though she's been in love with it since age 10.

"Soccer just became my sport," she said. "I loved the running around, the pushing people, the tackling ... and the scoring goals!" — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Ballet-inspired fitness classes tap the inner ballerina

NEW YORK - Ballet-inspired group fitness classes have leapt beyond the traditional wall-mounted barre to include tools like bungee cords and swishy balls for a full-body workout, according to fitness experts.

The classes, often paired with Pilates, aim to channel the inner ballerina, even in non-dancers.

BungeeBallet, created by former New York City Ballet dancer Rachel Piskin, is a group class at ChaiseFitness studio in New York City that puts a fitness spin on ballet moves.

Instead of the traditional ballet barre, the 45-minute class relies on an overhead bungee system that Piskin said sculpts the arms and challenges the core of her mostly female clientele.

"By holding on to the bungees, you can hold second position or first position," she said. "Coming from my background, it was important for me to really stay true to traditional ballet moves."

In both of these basic positions of ballet, the feet are aligned heel to heel, touching in first position, then spaced approximately 12 inches apart in second.

Piskin said the class sculpts the upper body, challenges the core, and works the upper thighs. A series of bungee-assisted petit allegros, or small ballet jumps, keeps the heart rate up.

"The class moves fluidly between one exercise and another and the bungees assist you to jump higher," she said.

California-based Tracey Mallett is the creator of Booty Barre, a fusion class that combines Pilates, dance and yoga techniques using the traditional ballet barre.

Along with cardio, strength, conditioning and flexibility components, the class, which is now available in over 20 countries, involves Pilates-inspired arm work with dumbbells and resistance bands.

Mallett, a former dancer and certified Pilates instructor, said teaching an arabesque to a civilian is not the same as teaching it to a dancer; even the barre serves a different purpose.

"[In class] the barre serves as something to hold on to for balance and ... to work on the muscles around the shoulder girdle," said Mallett. "In dance, we use the barre to practice and strengthen muscles for performance."

About 39 percent of gyms offer dance fitness classes, according to a 2014 report by IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association), the industry's trade association.

The ballet-inspired classes at Equinox, the upscale chain of US fitness centers, come with and without the traditional wall-mounted barre.

Depending on the class, light weights, body bars and squishy balls are utilized, often in small, isometric movements, according to Layla Guest, group fitness manager in downtown Los Angeles.

"To work the upper body, we'll do functional arm movements such as bicep curls and tricep kickbacks, but in a small range of motion with two- or three-pound (0.9 to 1.4 kilo) weights," she said. "Instead of just a muscular workout, we're looking at how the muscles move."

Lower body work also delves into ballet technique.

"With one hand on the barre and the other lengthening out to the side, you get that beautiful shape ballerinas have, [and] those ballet postures, plies, little leg lifts and big kicks," she said. "You really get that coordination."

A final segment of Pilates-based core work is designed to work supporting muscles.

Guest said Pilates cultivates those dancer-defining long lean muscles, which lie under the larger muscles prized by bodybuilders.

"The joke is that if you measure yourself before and after ballet or Pilates, you'll grow taller," she said. "Actually, you haven't grown. You just stand taller." — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Exercise video games may add to kids’ activity: study

NEW YORK - Giving children active video games to play while they follow a weight management program boosts their moderate and vigorous activity levels, according to a new study.

Kids who played the active video games also lost more weight than children who only followed the weight management program.

Traditionally, studies have examined what harms may come from children spending long hours sitting and playing video games.

"We thought - if you received active games - maybe we can turn this lemon into lemonade," Dr. Deneen Vojta told Reuters Health.

She is the study's senior author from the UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform and Modernization at the UnitedHealth Group in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

"Wouldn't it be great if instead of beating on kids about screen time we turned screen time into a positive?" she said.

For the new study, the researchers built upon an existing weight loss program for children and their parents that had been found to work.

They recruited 75 overweight and obese Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Texas children who were randomized to one of two groups for a 16-week study period.

Both groups took part in the weight management program at local YMCAs and schools, but one group also received an Xbox game console and two active games.

The Xbox Kinect device captures the child's body movements to operate the game. The games given to the kids in the active gaming group were Kinect Adventures! and Kinect Sports. (Children in the weight-loss program-only group received the same equipment and games at the end of the study).

All the children's activity were recorded using an accelerometer, which measures movement, during the day.

At the start of the study, the children were between the ages of 8 and 12 years old and weighed between 123 and 132 pounds (lbs). About 67 percent of the kids had a body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight relative to height, that put them in the overweight category for their age groups. The rest of the children were in the obese category.

The researchers found that children in the group that received the active games added about seven minutes of moderate to vigorous activity and about three minutes of vigorous activity to their daily routines over the 16 weeks.

Meanwhile children in the group that only took part in the weight loss program didn't experience a significant change in their activity levels or duration.

Although the difference between groups appears to be small, the researchers write in JAMA Pediatrics, the added activity among the game-users group is equivalent to about 4 lbs of fat lost over a year.

They also found a greater percentage of children in the active-gaming group were no longer in the overweight category by the end of the study. The percentage overweight had dropped a little over 9 percent in the active gaming group versus just under 4 percent in the comparison group.

"Sure enough, the outcomes were very, very good," Vojta said.

The authors note in the paper, however, that they cannot be sure the children sustained their weight loss and increased activity beyond the 16 weeks.

The findings are in keeping with results from a 2012 study that found about one-quarter of 1,200 Canadian high school students played active games. That translated to about an hour of exercise two days a week.

Still, other studies have suggested that active games don't help kids meet the daily recommended dose of physical activity. (see Reuters Health story of February 27, 2012 here: reut.rs/1fAOAMj)

Vojta said they are currently working on incorporating the weight management program into a home-based program, for instance, one that would be administered through the game console.

"In many ways, these home-based active gaming solutions solve two problems," she said.

The games give children and adults the ability to build up a tolerance to exercise in their own homes, she said, and they give people who live in rough or high-crime areas an opportunity to exercise safely. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Planet Sports builds fitness oasis for women

More and more women are investing in their health. It only follows that they invest in their equipment. One store they can check out is Planet Sports, which held a special event to showcase their women's selection at their flagship branch in Bonifacio Global City.

Women can choose among several brands, including favorites Nike, Adidas and New Balance. The second floor offers a wide array of footwear, clothing, and athletic equipment.

Fashion and fitness classes

Soon, the branch will also offer fitness activities to those who want to commit to getting in shape.

"For March we're gonna do yoga," said marketing manager JM Mina. "The customers can register here for free. It's gonna last for three months. After that we're gonna do running clinics and in the third quarter [of the year], we're gonna be doing dance. In the fourth quarter, we're gonna up one level and we're doing crossfit."

Present at the event was Kapuso star Bianca King, who is the brand ambassador of Adidas by Stella McCartney in the Philippines.

"A lot of the women, they mix it up," said Mina. "They run on certain days; they do yoga. If you talk to Bianca [King], she'll do it in one particular sweep. She'll run, do yoga and crossfit right after."



The athletic retail company recognizes that Bonifacio Global City is becoming a hub for runners and other fitness enthusiasts.

"The activities we're doing here, it's not just for getting people to come to our store. We encourage everyone to be active. Not even sporty, but active," added Mina.

Planet Sports aims to address the varying needs and issues women have to pursue a fit lifestyle:

"We see a lot of men's active wear but actually, women need more comfort, especially with sports bras, with bottoms," Mina said. "We really find that there's a need to provide women with choices. We really want it to be multi-brand. They can choose from Nike, Adidas, whatever brand they feel comfortable with." — BM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Fitness experts differ on benefits of stretching

NEW YORK - Stretching relieves stiff muscles and can boost flexibility in the elderly and inactive but experts are divided on how vital it is for general fitness and preventing injury.

For older adults who lose flexibility through ageing, stretching can improve a range of motion and can make it easier to do everyday tasks such as reaching for items on high shelves.

Flexibility activities can also help reverse the chronically rounded shoulders and hands-on-keyboard posture of office workers tied to their desks.

But Dr. Mike Bracko, an exercise physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine, said research indicates that static stretching, which involves holding a stretch for 30 to 60 seconds, does not reduce injury and actually makes the muscle weaker.

"I would say that flexibility in and of itself is not that important a component of general fitness," he said.

Bracko, a hockey skating coach based in Calgary, Alberta, notes that while activities such as gymnastics and rock climbing require flexibility, others, such as boot camp or cycling, do not.

"A lot of people just doing normal fitness activities don't need a lot of flexibility. It depends on the person," he said, adding that muscles tend to get injured within the normal range of motion.

"The classic example is how sprinters strain hamstrings: the leg reaches forward, at some point hamstrings have to contract fast. That's when the muscle fails," Bracko explained. "[Stretching] can't deal with that."

But he said some studies show that dynamic stretching, which unlike static stretching is not sustained and which mimics the activity to be performed, decreases the risk of injury by preparing the body for the movement to follow.

Stretch Zone Inc, which was founded in 2004 and has studios in New York, Florida and the Caribbean, specializes in practitioner-assisted stretches that are activity-specific and dynamic.

"Nothing is held for more than two seconds," said Miami-based founder Jorden Gold. "All the studies show little correlation between static, long-held stretches and sports performance."

The company includes stretches tailored to golfers, backpackers and officer workers, said Gold, whose clients range from the National Football League to musicians.

"With a sedentary lifestyle, the body picks up slack," he explained. "If, for example, I stretch hip flexors [which move muscles when running and walking], I'll feel lighter because the body is not fighting itself."

He said stretching can lengthen a muscle to 1.6 times its resting length.

But Jessica Matthews, a California-based exercise physiologist formerly with the American Council on Exercise, said the science on stretching is still evolving.

"We all agree on a dynamic warm-up," she said, "[but] research on stretching for injury prevention is still not conclusive enough to make that correlation. There isn't clear-cut evidence to support one thing or another."

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends adults engage in flexibility training a minimum of twice a week.

Matthews believes flexibility training is commonly the most neglected component of fitness.

"Flexibility will increase with flexibility training," she said. "How much is unknown." — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Apps, other fitness gifts help exercisers heat it up and cool it down

NEW YORK - From sophisticated activity trackers and chest-mounted cameras to massage rollers and yoga toes, fitness experts say gifts for people trying to get in shape or stay that way include everything from high-tech toys to basic workout gear.

Marathoners, yoga instructors and other health and fitness pros say there is something for everyone hoping to rev up a workout, or trying to cool it down.

Apps: To boost or fine-tune cardio training, Dr. Mark Kelly, a California-based exercise physiologist, recommends interval training apps, such as Android's Stopwatch or Seconds Pro, which track recovery as well as exertion.

"You can list the exercise you are doing," said Kelly, CEO of Principle Centered Health, Inc., which specializes in fitness assessment and corporate wellness. "HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) formats often come pre-loaded."

Magazine subscriptions: For the tech-averse, Kelly said, a subscription to a health or fitness magazine will provide both a monthly exercise reminder and exposure to the latest workout trends.

Gadgets: "My big recommendation is one of the many popular motion sensors," said Shirley Archer, a Florida-based fitness and wellness expert.

Archer, author of the book "Fitness 9 to 5," has used several fitness bracelets that can track everything from steps walked to miles run or hours slept.

"They do a great job of raising awareness of how physically active a person genuinely is," she said.

Connecticut-based running coach Tom Holland believes a wearable camera, which sells for about $400, would be the ideal gift for serious runners seeking to record their races.

He said the GoPro Black Edition Camera, mounted on a chest harness strap, can record a run up the Empire State Building or through the Grand Canyon.

For the serious cyclist, Holland suggests a Tacx virtual reality cycle trainer, which ranges in price from $350 to $2,000.

"It's a bike trainer that allows you to ride any course in the world. Incredible technology," he said.

Florida-based fitness expert Suzanne Bowen said a good gift for yoga enthusiasts would be gel toe separators, which are designed to strengthen foot muscles, realign toe bones and improve tendon flexibility.

"They stretch your feet," said Bowen, creator of the "BarreAmped" DVDs. "Feet are the foundation of our structure, and we spend too many hours crammed into our shoes."

Basic fitness gifts: Gregory Chertok, a sports psychology consultant for the American College of Sports Medicine, favors basic fitness gifts.

"Simply, I love the hand grip," Chertok said. "It's not a high-tech device, but a strong grip will enhance performance on lots of strength and resistance training programs."

Most upper body exercises, he added, begin with gripping a weight or a barbell.

Dr. Michele Olson, professor of exercise physiology at Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, said a good pedometer is an ideal gift for anyone trying to get fit.

"Pedometers work," she said. "They give sort of neutral feedback and are simple and not overwhelming with technology."

Exercise wear: As a runner used to braving cold New England winters, Boston-based running coach Kelly Flynn said all-weather runners always appreciate light, warm layers of running wear and a good pair of socks.

Flynn, a coach for "Team In Training," the charity sports endurance program from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, also suggests giving The Stick, a massaging roller said to improve muscle circulation, flexibility, strength and endurance. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Exercise helps women tolerate breast cancer drugs

SAN ANTONIO — Exercise might help women beat breast cancer. Researchers found it can ease the achy joints and muscle pain that lead many patients to quit taking medicines that treat the disease and lower the risk of a recurrence.

The study is the first major test of an exercise program for women on aromatase inhibitors. These estrogen-blocking pills, sold as Femara, Aromasin and other brands, are recommended for five years after initial breast cancer treatment for hormone-driven tumors, the most common type.

The pills also increasingly are being used to help prevent breast cancer in women at high risk of it because of family history, bad genes or other reasons. A separate study found that one of these medicines — anastrozole, sold as Arimidex and in generic form — cut this risk by 53 percent. It's the second aromatase inhibitor shown to lower risk that much.

Despite how effective the drugs are, many women shun them because they can cause aches and pains, hot flashes and other side effects. About 15 percent of US women have enough risk to merit considering the pills to prevent breast cancer, yet less than 5 percent take them, said Dr. Powel Brown, a prevention expert at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The exercise study involved 121 postmenopausal women taking various aromatase inhibitors to treat breast cancer who complained of achy joints on a pain survey.

About half were assigned to two supervised strength training sessions a week plus at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. The rest got advice on the benefits of exercise and did their usual activities.

After a year, joint pain scores fell 20 percent among exercisers and 3 percent among the others. The severity of pain and how much it interfered with daily live also declined more in exercisers.

The exercise group improved cardiorespiratory fitness and lost weight — nearly 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) versus a slight gain in the others. Eighty percent stuck with the program, helped by free access to a gym and a personal trainer.

The National Cancer Institute paid for the study, which was led by Melinda Irwin of the Yale Cancer Center and Dr. Jennifer Ligibel of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Dr. Eric Winer, breast cancer chief at Dana-Farber, said the results may help more women stick with the drugs.

"A lot of people will say, 'if it's going to have a lot of side effects, I'm not going to do it.' The truth is, not everyone gets symptoms. Exercise might be a solution," he said.

The other study was led by Dr. Jack Cuzick of Queen Mary University of London and tested anastrozole for preventing first breast cancers. Nearly 4,000 women were given the drug or daily dummy pills, and 70 percent stuck with them for five years, just a little less than the placebo group.

After that time, 40 women on anastrozole had developed breast cancer versus 85 of the others, a 53 percent reduction in risk. That's comparable to how another aromatase inhibitor — exemestane, or Aromasin — did in an earlier study and better than tamoxifen, the longest-used breast cancer prevention medicine.

Women on anastrozole had more joint pain and hot flashes, but these also were very common in the placebo group — more than half of both groups reported these problems, which often are due to menopause and aging, Cuzick said.

Anastrozole users had more cases of a painful wrist condition called carpal tunnel syndrome, and dry eye, but these were relatively rare. Aromatase inhibitors are known to raise the risk of fractures, so many women take bone-strengthening drugs to help prevent that problem.

Besides the British cancer research agency, London-based AstraZeneca PLC, which makes the anastrozole used in the study, Arimidex, helped pay for the work, and some researchers are paid speakers for the company.

Results were discussed Thursday at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and published by the British journal Lancet. In a commentary in the journal, Dr. David A. Cameron of Edinburgh Cancer Center in Scotland wrote that healthy women still may resist prevention drugs unless taking them turns out to save lives, not just avoid disease.

The cancer conference is sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research, Baylor College of Medicine and the UT Health Science Center. —Associated Press

source: gmanetwork.com

Fitness experts extol machine-less workout

NEW YORK - Man versus machines? In the realm of fitness at least man seems to be winning.

Despite a gym floor bulging with weight-lifting equipment, fitness experts said the only thing people need to push, pull and lift is the weight of their own body.

"If more people knew you could get a good physique using your body as a bar bell, they could take matters into their own hands," said Bret Contreras, author of "Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy," a guide to bodyweight-only workouts aimed at everyone from the exercise-challenged to the personal trainer.

Known as "the Glute Guy," Arizona-based Contreras has been resistance training for 21 years. But in high school, he couldn't do a push-up.

"At 15 I was so skinny people used to make jokes," the 37-year old said. "I just got so tired of being made fun of I decided to take charge."

Often thought of as a stepping stone to weight training, bodyweight training can be a complete, whole body workout in itself, Contreras said.

Once the person masters the simpler version of a push-up, squat, or chin-up, a more advanced version can be tackled, often with a little help from the living room furniture.

"Find things in the environment: a table to get underneath, hold on to the sides of and then pull the body upward; a rafter for a pull-up," he said. "To work your glutes (buttocks muscles), all you need is a couch."

Contreras recommends the beginner start with 15 minutes a day and increase over time.

"It doesn't have to be intimidating," he said. "You could do a 20-minute workout three times a week and have an incredible physique, so long as you push hard and keep challenging yourself."

Anytime, anywhere

Bodyweight exercises return people to the way they move naturally, according to Lisa Wheeler, national creative manager of group fitness at Equinox, the upscale chain of fitness centers.

"We squat, lunge, crawl, reach," she said, adding that a bodyweight class at Equinox is called "Animal Flow" because its crab crawls, lunges and swings were inspired by the primal movement patterns of man and beast.

"Bodyweight training is great for mobility, stability and creating movement patterns," she said. "You want to build a strong foundation, be stable around the shoulders, hips and spine."

Because the load doesn't change, progression is achieved by changing the center of gravity of the exerciser or the complexity of the movement.

Another challenge, she said, is getting enough pull to match the push of most bodyweight exercises.

"Bodyweight training can make everything else better," she said. "Dancers, moms, we all live push-pull now."

Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise, said bodyweight training blends with the trend toward functional training, or training that mimics the way we move in everyday life, as opposed to the older bodybuilder model of targeting one muscle group at a time.

"Our body is one kinetic chain, everything moves together, so most everyday exercises will move multiple muscle groups," she said.

Matthews said not only can bodyweight training be done anytime, anywhere, it also works easily into popular interval training, circuit and boot camp workouts.

"Using bodyweight exercises allow more of a cardiovascular component because you can move rapidly from one exercise to the next," Matthews said.

So are machines a thing of the past?

"I think there's a place for everything," she said, "For some people a fixed path might be the way to go. It boils down to having proper joint stability and quality range of movement, then adding load. Form is imperative." — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com