Tag: Ankles

Ride the Divide Movie

Late on Friday and Saturday nights I will lie in bed and watch a movie on my iPad on Netflix. It is a nice quiet time for me and I tend to watch stuff that no one else in the house would care about. Last night I watched the documentary Ride the Divide.

Ride the Divide is just about an hour and a half long and it follows closely three people out of 16 people in total that do a bicycle race from Banff Canada to the US-Mexico border. The ride is purely individual although everyone is tracking each other and supporting each other as much as they can. There are no teams, or team support like you see in the Tour De France.

I won’t spoil the result but the winner takes about three weeks and the last take about five weeks to complete this race. Not only is the distance absolutely ridiculous but since the race goes down the continental divide they have to deal with mountains, snow, rain, and crazy elevation changes all the time while trying to ride as far as they can every day. Oh, and lots of wildlife as lots of the riding is not on highways but trails instead.

The riders ride as long as they want everyday and they tend to stop where they can in hotel or tent and eat from gas stations, restaurants, or grocery stores. Early on you would see four or five people riding together and stopping at a gas station to get some snacks to get them going, there was a vegan that was struggling to find food but all the riders are very concious of how many calories and type of food they need to keep themselves going.

As the race goes on the riders definitely get spread out and there are all kinds of emotions going through the ride the divide riders, loneliness, fear, boredom, exhaustion.

And how about the physical toll that these guys go through? One of the riders, Mary Metcalf-Collier goes from strong, to swollen knees and ankles, to better, to worse and back again. I could feel for her everyday of the race as she kept persevering. Another racer Mike Dion left his family for a few weeks to race and had terrible knee problems as well that went away and then came back, while the third racer being followed seemed to have no physical problems at all.

The music in Ride the Divide is great. The scenery is spectacular and the music used compliments it perfectly. for a late night movie Ride the Divide was a fantastic way to spend and hour and a half to see a crazy race with real people competing against themselves and the elements. I know that the maker of the movie has a follow up movie and am looking forward to seeing that one as well.

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Tips for Ab Fitness

For those seeking ab fitness to tone, firm, or lose weight around the midsection, abs are one of the hardest areas to workout. Due to the fact that many people do not work them out properly, and also that it is an area of the body which is prone to high body fat, make sure you know how to workout, and what exercises to do for ab fitness. Here are some things to keep in mind to attain the desired results. These are 7 tips for ab fitness which will help you slim down, and see the results you are hoping for.

DON’T STICK TO ONE EXERCISE

Whether it is crunches, sit-ups, reverse crunches, or planks, you have to mix things up. In order to see the muscle transformation, and in order to workout all muscle groups in the abs, you have to mix things up. Changing up the exercises you do, and throwing in new exercises will help you to see the changes, reduction around the waistline, and the definition you seek.

USE WEIGHTS

In order to build muscle, you have to add weights to your abs routine. You can hold a weight across your chest, above your head, or with your ankles (depending on the routine you are doing) but, adding in weight is going to help build muscle, and will allow you to do more challenging exercises down the road. This will in turn lead to the definition, due to the fact that you are doing new exercises, and working out different muscle groups.

DON’T TRY TO DO HIGH REPS

You will notice that if you do 20 reps properly, with the right weight thrown in, and done from different angles (exercises), you are going to get a much better workout than if you do 200 reps of crunches, where you are simply working the spine. When done properly, you only have to do a small number of reps for each exercise, to see the results when you are working out the core muscles.

PROPER DIET

As with any other workout routine, if you want to see results you have to incorporate the proper diet. So, you are going to want to eliminate refined sugars and carbs, increase protein, and add in the healthy fats like nuts. Additionally, eating super foods like berries, legumes, nuts, etc, you are going to notice you remain fuller longer, due to the high fiber content in these foods. So, you will reduce calorie intake, and the calories you are eating are high in protein and fiber, making for a slimmer midsection. For more on healthy diet see muscle building foods.

ALTERNATE SPEED

Depending on the exercise and muscle group you are using, and on the amount of weight you are including, you should vary the speed of each exercise. This will not only workout different muscle groups, but it is also going to shock the muscles, which is something that is required when you want to see the changes in body composition, and when you want to see the ultimate results with your ab fitness workout.

WORKOUT OTHER BODY PARTS FIRST

Due to the fact that your abs are part of the core muscle group, they take much more effort to work them out. For this reason, you should do cardio, and workout larger muscle groups first (when weight lifting), to ensure you will have the strength you need to complete your workout. Even if an abs routine seems easy, it is more draining than doing squats or bicep curls, because you are working the entire core.

STRETCH

Although it seems trivial, stretching prevents injury, and it helps you to elongate the ab muscles. This is going to make for a more defined look, will help you get the slimmer look you are after, and will help you see the definition in your abs far quicker than with individuals who do not stretch with their workouts.

You may also wish to see the article on top 3 abdominal exercise workouts or also the review on the popular Six Pack Shortcuts fitness program.

Keeping each of these factors in mind, and making sure you know how to do the movements properly as opposed to trying to do hundreds of reps, are some things which are going to help you see the ab fitness results you are after, and will help you attain the best looking abs in a shorter period of time.

Also check out Top 3 Abdominal Exercise Workouts or Six Pack Shortcuts Review

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How to Choose the Best Running Shoes for You

Post author By admin
Post date July 22, 2012
No Comments on How to Choose the Best Running Shoes for You

There are a lot of things to look at when looking for the best running shoes. Running puts a lot of stress on the feet and for this reason runners should choose a pair of running shoes that is comfortable and provides the best support for their feet. When choosing the best running shoes its important to keep in mind that there are different types of feet and different types of shoes. Some people over-pronate when running or walking while others under-pronate. There are people with high arches while others have flat feet. All of these things need to be considered when looking for shoes that will give you the cushioning and support that you need.

Best Running Shoes – Stability

If you are an over-pronator, the best running shoes for you are stability shoes. Over-pronation is when your ankle rolls inward too much when walking or running. It can strain your ankles and lead to injuries. Stability shoes provide extra support to prevent or minimize over-pronation. Among the best stability shoes are Nike Zoom Structure Triax 15, Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12, Mizuno Wave Inspire 8, and Asics GT-2170.

Best Running Shoes – Motion Control

Best Running Shoes

Motion control shoes are stability shoes specially designed for severe overpronators. They have a special sole unit and upper construction that help lock your foot in position. Flat-footed runners will benefit from motion control running shoes like the Brooks Trance 10, Asics Evolution 6, and New Balance 1226.

Best Running Shoes for Neutral Cushioning

Cushioned running shoes are designed for “efficient” runners, or runners with normal pronation as well as those with high arches and mild under-pronation or supination. This type of running shoe provides cushioning to distribute the body weight over the entire length and width of the feet. The midsole is typically soft and flexible, providing medium support under the arch. Neutral-cushioned shoes are usually lighter than other types of running shoes and are great for long distance runs.
Some of the best cushioned running shoes include Mizuno Wave Precision 12, New Balance The 890, and Asics GEL Nimbus 12.

Minimalist Running Shoes

Minimalist models represent the latest trend in running shoes. This type of running shoe is extremely lightweight (less than 10.5 ounces) and typically have a flat out-sole, no visible arch depression, and no mid-foot structure. A growing number of runners have embraced minimalist or barefoot running because it is said to improve your running form.

Among the most popular minimalist running shoes are Merrell Trail Glove Barefoot Running Shoes and Vibram Five Fingers.

Know Your Shoe Type

Keep in mind that the best running shoe is different for every person. Find out what type of running shoe is suitable for your feet. That is the best running shoes for you.