Practicing fitness religiously comes highly recommended, but it's important to remember to introduce new activities into your every day routine. Part of living a healthy lifestyle means trying new things, mixed
martial arts included.

I'm guessing for most of you it's the same: wake up; go to the place that you love the most (work), followed by a visit to the gym where you supplement your day with even more routine. Next, you go home to prepare a freshly cooked meal, similar to what you ate the day before. And before you tuck yourself in, you stare in the mirror asking yourself why you didn't try something new today?

Sure, it's difficult for some to simply switch their lifestyle, whether it is job, diet, fitness, or relationship related. Although most of these variables are fixed or very difficult to change, it's important to stimulate your health and standard of living by engaging in new and different things.  The easiest is typically your daily exercise routine, starting with your visit to the gym.

For a majority of people who practice exercise, taking a trip to the gym 3 or 4 times a week is quiet ideal, and will do the trick. But after a while this can get old, especially if you are following the same routine. And some gyms, although affordable, don't have the necessary equipment to diversify your workout. What I mean by this is that athletic centers contain things like rock walls and punching bags, while your standardized gym merely has treadmills, ellipticals, machines and free weights/barbells. It's true that some places even contain swimming pools, tracks, tennis courts, basketball courts, aerobic centers, and house personal trainers.

For the population of people who visit the gym with fewer options, I strongly suggest Mixed Martial Arts as a form of exercise. Highly aerobic and calorie-shedding, MMA is a full contact combat sports that permits a large variety of fighting methods. It's derived from a mixture of martial art traditions and non-traditions. Traced all the way back to the early 1900s (Europe and Japan), MMA has been around for over a century now, and continues to draw large crows in the USA through venues like The UFC.

Although it may seem unlikely, there are many training centers – ones that you didn't even know existed in your hometown. Typically, training centers that specialize in Jiu Jitso and/or Karate will also provide classes for MMA. Also, there are some well known gyms that offer this type of combat training, subject to their own practices and facilities.

MMA relies heavily on achieving superior body positioning skills, allowing you to control your opponent both standing, and on the ground. Therefore, there are a number of workouts/routines involved in becoming an MMA expert. It's true that most confrontations end with a clinch on the ground; MMA gives you the ability to defend yourself against larger, more powerful attackers, while providing a full body workout. All in all, the practices taught will lead you to a healthier lifestyle, while separating you from your mundane exercise routine.

Brent Jacobs is a representative of MMA Industries. Visit the MMA Industries website to learn more about Mixed Martial Arts. MMA is a distributor of MMA T-Shirts, MMA Training Equipment, and more…

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The first time I heard someone talk about Plyometrics was in relation to basketball. It was a school friend who brought it up, saying that Plyometrics could improve our vertical jump. Naturally I had instant visions of sailing through the air, dunking over the 6-foot-6 monsters that stood in my way. Where do I sign-up?

Unfortunately that was as much about Plyometrics as my friend knew, just the name. To think, what could have been!

So, what exactly is Plyometrics?

Plyometrics is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in a specific sport. Such as jumping…….

The specialized, high intensity training techniques are used to develop athletic power.

The key elements to athletic power are:

1) strength

2) speed

A person who can perform a specific resistance movement, such as jumping, bench press etc., the fastest would be said to have more power in that movement. So what we are looking at is not just the contraction of the muscle (strength), but how fast will it contract (speed).

Plyometrics decreases the time it takes for the muscles to contract, resulting in more power.

Plyometrics might sound technical and scary to some, but the exercises can be used to improve your explosive sprinting power.

Plyometric Exercises

Incorporate some of these plyometric exercises into your training:

1. Tuck Jumps

Action: Squat down and then explode off the ground as high as possible. While in the air, the goal is to “tuck” your legs into your chest as high as possible before landing again. Immediately upon landing, quickly squat down and explode off again. There should be a constant and smooth transition throughout all the jumps.

2. Rocket Jumps

Action: These are similar to tuck jumps in the initial phase. however the point is to get a full stretch from the tips of your fingers to your toes. While in air, your body will look like a straight line. Immediately upon landing, quickly squat down and explode off again.

3. Lunge Jumps

Action: Begin in the “lunge” position and then explode off the ground. While in air, your legs will cycle so that the front leg is now behind you and the leg that was behind you is in front. The goal is to get as high as possible and to land in the lunge position with the legs that were switched in air. Repeat.

4. Line Hops

Action: Draw an imaginary line and stand on one side of it with your feet close together. Bounce back and forth across this “line” as quickly as possible while your feet stay close together. To keep a good balance, extend your arms out to the side.

5. Skips For Height

Action: Using the basic skipping motion, spring up as high as possible with each skip. Pump your arms when you explode for each skip.

6. Skips For Distance

Action: Using the basic skipping motion, the goal is to spring forward as far as possible. Pump the arms and really use all of your leg, calf, and ankle muscles.

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You may or may not have heard of plyometric training – especially if you are exclusively a distance runner or recreational runner.  If you haven’t, this is understandable; until very recently, plyometric training was thought to not be useful for distance running.

A recent study from the University of Technology Sydney, in Sydney, Australia, suggests otherwise.

Plyometric training is dynamic exercise designed to build explosiveness and power in muscles by developing muscular strength and elasticity, as well as improving reaction times in the nervous system.  One can see how this is highly useful for most sports, as well as sprinting, but what about distance running?

Researchers at UTS took a group of 17 male runners, who were tested for lower leg musculotendinous stiffness (MTS), running economy, VO2 max, lactate threshold, and 3 km run time, among other factors.  Previously, studies concluded that plyometric training improves running economy; this study was to see if this change is a result of improvements in MTS.

The group of runners were divided into a control group and an experimental group, which conducted regular plyometric training over a six-week period.  At the end of the six-week period, the runners were retested in the above factors.

The study found that the experimental group significantly improved their 3 km run time, by as much as 2.7% on average.  The experimental group also significantly improved their running economy.  The control group, by contrast, saw no significant improvement comparable to that of the experimental group.  No increases in VO2 max or lactate threshold were observed in either group.

The study also concluded that the improvement in run time was more than likely due to an increase in running economy, which was related to an increase in lower-leg MTS.  Therefore, MTS did cause an increase in performance from plyometric training.

What does this mean for you? It is pretty clear from the study that incorporating plyometric training into your running routine can significantly boost your 3 km run time, and possibly have an effect on longer distances as well. If your 3 km run time, for example, is 15 minutes, then you can cut your time by 24 seconds.

That is a pretty substantial improvement, which means that plyometric training could very well be something to consider for intermediate runners.

Spurrs, R.W., Murphy, A.J., & Watsford, M.L. (2003).  The effect of plyometric training on distance running performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 89(1), 1-7.

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Exercise balls are large balls made from rubber and filled with air.  The thick rubber used in the construction of the ball prevents puncture, and the ridges on the balls prevent them from slipping.  Exercise balls are available in several different sizes.  Exercise balls are also referred to as Swiss exercise balls, and stability balls.

Adding an exercise ball to your fitness routine helps you to work a larger group of muscles at the same time.  Regular abdominal exercises usually only work one targeted section at a time.  The ball helps ensure that you are getting the most out of your routine.
When you use an exercise ball you are adding the element of balance, which requires the use of all of your core muscles. 

Back Extension
To being this exercise you need to position the ball under your lower torso and hips.  You can place your hands either behind your head or back.  Slowly roll your body down the ball, while lifting your shoulders off of the ball until your body is in a straight line.  Make sure that your back, neck, shoulders, and head are in a straight line.  Repeat this exercise for 10 to 15 reps.  You should try to complete 3 sets.

Ab Roll
To begin this exercise you need to position your arms parallel to the ball with the ball in front of you.  Slowly roll the ball out as far as you can in front of you, keeping your back straight and abs contracted.  Squeeze your abs tight and push your elbows into the ball to slowly bring the ball back to you.  You should not perform this move if you currently experience back problems.

Ball Twist
To begin this exercise position your feet on either side of the ball, and move into a push up position.  Hold your body up with your hands directly under your shoulders, hips straight and abs tightened.  While keeping your shoulders level, slowly twist the ball to the left and then the right.  Make sure to keep your back straight the entire time.  Repeat 10 to 15 twists.

Ball Balance
To begin this exercise place the ball under your hips with your hands on the floor, and legs parallel to the floor.  Keep your body in a straight line and pull your abs in.  Hold this position for 30 seconds.  While holding this position, slowly lift your left arm out to the side.  Hold for a few seconds and switch to the other arm.

Using an exercise ball not only helps to strengthen and shape your abs, but can also help reduce back pain.  At the same time you are strengthening your abdominal muscles you are also strengthening your back muscles which can help with back pain.  Engaging all of these muscles at the same time is what keeps you balanced on the ball. 

If you are looking for an exercise routine that takes it to the next level, but is still inexpensive, an exercise ball may be an option.

Written By Arthur Lee of the Insanity Workout Shop, the hot place to Get Insanity from pro fitness trainer Shaun T.

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Bike riding is a wonderful cardiovascular exercise, and gives similar results as running or walking.  Although you enjoy the same benefits as the other exercises, biking is easier on the joints because it causes less strain.  Bicycling also helps to strengthen your core muscles and improve your balance at the same time.  It also helps to get your legs in top shape.  As with any workout routine you should be sure to stretch properly before and after each workout to prevent cramping and muscle injury.  It is also a good practice for your children to learn as well.  Stretching not only helps prevent injury but also increases your flexibility.

Once you and your family have mastered the art of riding your bikes there is always an option to change the workout by changing your riding location.  Along with the challenge of a new terrain, you also get the excitement of a new location.  This will definitely help fight off the ever looming “boredom” excuse.  It is easier to keep your family motivated to exercise when everyone enjoys the activity. 

The proper equipment is very important when it comes to biking.  You want to make sure that everyone has a bike that fits them properly.  The seat should be adjusted so that your legs get the full range of motion every time you pedal.  This will help with circulation in your legs as well as make the bike more comfortable to ride.  You also want to make sure that the bikes are the proper weight for the rider.  A bike that is too heavy can make it more difficult to ride.  Also check the seat to make sure that it is comfortable for the rider.  If you or a member of your family have a bike that is not comfortable to ride, chances are that you will not enjoy the workout.

Safety gear is also extremely important for bikers.  You need to make sure that everyone wears a helmet at all times.  There will inevitably be a few falls, and wearing a helmet can save the life of the rider, especially if they are riding on concrete.  The proper knee and elbow pads should also be worn while riding.  If you plan to ride in an area with automobile traffic, make sure that you are visible to drives as well.  You may want to invest in safety clothing or reflectors.  These items can help to improve your visibility to other motorists.

Bicycling is a fun activity for children and adults alike.  It is a great combination of fun and fitness, and the children probably will not even realize that they are actually doing it for exercise.  With this type of activity it is easy to teach children that exercise can be fun.

Article written by Katie Wilson of Ultimate Fitness Gear, your top source for the Insanity Workout. Get Insanity today.

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How to make your treadmill workout closer to outdoor exercise

By Elizabeth Quinn

Question:
I run outdoors during the summer, but when the weather turns dark and cold I generally run on a treadmill in the gym. Am I getting the same workout?

Answer:
In general, you will get a fairly comparable workout as long as you focus on your effort level (or rating of perceived exertion). There is a slight decrease in energy expenditure when running on a treadmill because of the lack of wind resistance and because the treadmill belt does propel you along a bit. To make your treadmill workout closer to outdoor exercise, simply raise the treadmill incline to 1% and you will expend as many calories as if you were walking or running on flat pavement outdoors(1).

If you are training for an outdoor running or walking event, it is fine to do some of your training on the treadmill, but try to do at least 60% of it outdoors. You will be much more prepared for the demands on your muscles and joints, the weather and the varied terrain if you run outdoors. Additionally, the treadmill doesn't have any way to simulate downhill running, which is important if you are running an event that has varied terrain. Similarly, there aren't turn on a treadmill, which is another thing your body needs to adapt to if you plan to run outside.

Treadmill Running Pros:

• No weather, temperature, or terrain issues
• Can stop anytime you need or want
• Can workout while watching tv if you like
• Smooth, cushioned surface is easier on the joints
• No concerns about personal safety

Outdoor Running Pros:

• You can run anywhere
• You get to enjoy the scenery, get fresh air, notice changing seasons, weather, and enjoy nature.
• It's generally more challenging and you expend more calories
• Possibly more motivating (must complete a distance goal)
• Most people report a greater feeling of accomplishment
• You can take new routes and see something new everyday

Source
A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running.A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running. Journal of Sports Science, 1996 Aug;14(4):321-7.

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Are you feeling down in the dumps by the end of January—after months of chilly, grey skies and snow, snow and more snow? You may have the winter blues, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Here’s support.

Feeling exhausted, touchy, or down in the dumps this time of year? It’s estimated that 15% of Americans experience these symptoms of winter blues. “It’s a mixture of short of sunlight, fewer activity, and less socializing that is almost certainly to blame”, says Lewis Davenport, a psychologist in Yarmouth, N.S. Looking to boost your spirits? A few easy guidelines can make a huge difference to your frame of mind.

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By Erin Phelan

Are you confused about stretching? You aren’t alone. Should you stretch? How should you stretch? And when's the best time? There’s a lot of conflicting information out there. So, here’s what you need to know about stretching—and how to do it safely.  

Endurance has a number of dimensions. The presence or the enhancement of athletic endurance will occur in concert with the development of six different aspects of sport training, each of which is a freestanding component of athletic performance. These aspects include speed (defined as distance ÷ time); power (defined as force × distance ÷ time); strength (represented as a weight moved over a distance, force × distance); muscular endurance (which is the development of the muscles or specific groups of muscles to provide muscular strength over time); cardiovascular endurance (which is the stamina to maintain heart rate, blood volume, and circulatory efficiency over time); and mental endurance (which is a subset of the broader study of sport psychology, the mental and emotional toughness or strength of will to complete a set athletic task).

The development of endurance in any of these areas is unlike other types of sport training, in that the typical tools of athletic skill development are not essential. Unlike the honing of techniques necessary to succeed in a sport, such as the building of an effective tennis serve or bending a soccer free kick around a defensive wall, agility, hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and peripheral vision are not required. Attitude and a desire to become stronger and more enduring as an athlete are the most important features of improved endurance, which will be developed using the larger body systems as opposed to fine motor skills.

Genetics and environment also play a role in the ability of particular athletes to excel in sports in which endurance is a particular feature. African runners from countries such as Kenya, which is located in the Rift Valley, have proven to be the most successful middle-distance racers and marathoners in the world. These athletes are raised at altitudes of approximately 6,500 ft (2,000 m) above sea level; they generally possess slim, relatively short, and lean bodies in an environment where the cardiovascular system will be stimulated to produce a greater number of red blood cells to compensate for the lesser amount of oxygen in the air. These factors, coupled with intense training programs, all contribute to Kenyan dominance as superior endurance athletes.

There is considerable evidence that when an athlete trains to a very high level in a particular discipline, the composition of the muscles may also change. Human muscles comprise two types of fibers: fast twitch fibers, so called for their utility in sprint and power functions, and slow twitch fibers, which are predominant in endurance events. Elite athletes such as cyclist Lance Armstrong have been tested over the span of their competitive career regarding the fiber composition in their legs. Examination revealed that Armstrong increased the slow twitch composition of his leg muscles, making him more efficient in long-distance cycling racing, a process that occurred after years of intense training.

The type of sport will dictate when each of the three energy systems of the body will be engaged and to what degree. In sports where energy is required in short intervals of less than approximately 90 seconds, the anaerobic alactic or the anaerobic lactic systems will be utilized. These systems are not themselves endurance sport systems. In sports such as long-distance cycling, running, or cross-country skiing, the aerobic system is used to produce energy. This energy system is the process typically associated with physical endurance abilities. All energy systems, no matter what the sport, require the development of endurance as a recovery mechanism; the ability to physically maintain a particular level of activity will assist the athlete who competes in short, intense intervals to return to the higher, more intense level more quickly.

As with all other physical attributes, endurance is a quality that can deteriorate just as readily as it was developed. Endurance is a type of fitness, and if the components necessary to support endurance are not brought into play, the endurance aspect of the athlete will decline. If a basketball player training for a sport in which the anaerobic lactic system provides the bulk of the necessary energy completes a program of 3-mi (5 km) runs four times per week in preseason, that athlete will have developed a measure of endurance capability he or she did not previously possess. Even though playing or practicing basketball every day once the season starts, if the athlete does not continue with his or her aerobic fitness program, that endurance aspect of his or her conditioning will decline. Just as readily, a return to aerobic activities will rebuild endurance.

No matter how vigorous the athletic effort to develop physical endurance, the mental ability to persevere is a more ephemeral quality. Mental toughness and doggedness of approach are not a constant in any athlete; all athletes will experience high points and depressions in their personal confidence and self-perception as to whether they can truly complete a training assignment or competition. The mental endurance component, while rooted in the concepts of stamina and determination, varies from sport to sport. A weightlifter, who must focus on each lift lasting only seconds as a discrete event in competition, will seek to develop a mental endurance to take him or her through competitions that may last for hours.

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In the not-so-distant past, sporting success was equated to the devotion of an athlete to the discipline. For an individual pursuit such as running or cycling, devotion was translated into the athlete spending every training opportunity engaged in one aspect or another of the sport to simulate competition. In team sports, the athlete would play or practice at every available moment; where there were no formal practices or games, the striving basketball player, soccer player, or ice hockey player would find a pick up game in their sport to continue the quest for excellence.

Increased popular interest in multi-sport events such as the triathlon in the 1980s, and the appreciation by the wider sport community of the training demands that such sports required, spurred a broader interest in the use of cross training. It became a fashionable approach to physical improvements in a very wide range of sports.

While the triathletes may have popularized multi-sport training regimens, the benefit of placing disparate—and sometimes contrary—demands on the body had its origins well before the Hawaii Ironman event rose to prominence in the 1980s. European sports trainers had advocated variety and intensity in athletic training regimens since the 1940s, usually through the introduction of cycling or an aerobic sport like soccer into an anaerobic training discipline, both for the building of strength as well as an understanding that, for the mental health of a serious athlete, "a change is often as good as a rest."

In the fabled 1972 Summit Series, an eight-game battle between the Russian and Canadian ice hockey powers, the superior skating speed, overall fitness, adept footwork, and balance demonstrated by the Russian players was later attributed to their cross training that included cycling and intense soccer games.

The physical preparation required in American football, a sport highly disciplined in its tactics and regimented through rules that stress positional play, has developed into a cross training emphasis that varies position by position. Running backs and receivers, the fast and powerful players who account for most of the scoring in a football game, have been engaged in high-level interval running, plyometrics, and weightlifting programs for many years.

Long before the development of sport science as a freestanding branch of academic and physical study, running was a common training adjunct to a wide range of sports. The mechanisms by which running generally assisted athletes were improperly understood, but there was a general understanding among athletes and trainers that distance running added strength and stamina to a competitor. Boxers are a notable example of this long-held knowledge; the sport is anaerobic in nature, as the athlete is required to expend significant amounts of energy in short intervals. Running provides the boxer with the endurance that permits a speedier recovery to resting heart rate and respiration levels before the next round in a fight begins.

Today, the principles of effective cross training are well established. Cross training generally is accepted as building a better all-around athlete, while providing a measure of protection for injury through increased fitness, as well as reducing the mental fatigue associated with a lack of training variety. Cross training also permits an injured athlete to continue with workouts and thereby reduce the degree of fitness that might otherwise be lost to injury.

The specific areas of human performance that are addressed in a typical cross-training program include: cardiovascular fitness; power, through increased muscle strength; speed; agility/reflexes; the use of all three of the body's energy systems, the aerobic system (endurance), the anaerobic lactic (intense energy demands of up to 90 seconds in duration), and the anaerobic alactic (short, very intense energy requirements); musculoskeletal flexibility; and mental acuity.

In many sports, the effect of cross training is achieved through simple means. A marathoner will today often augment a training program that involves running in excess of 80-100 miles per week (130-160 km), with a focused stretching, yoga, and weight training series, to assist with general fitness and help the body recover more quickly from the primary activity. Weight training has become an equally common cross training component of virtually every sport, as the science supporting cross training is clear that overall muscle strength is important to general athletic success.

The triathlon and the decathlon are the sports that most keenly bring into focus the principles of cross training. The triathlon, usually made up of swimming, cycling, and running segments that may be variable in length, is popular because it is a competitive sport for hundreds of thousands of participants who enjoy the training variety of the three disciplines. It is impossible to succeed in a triathlon unless the athlete spends significant training time and effort in each aspect. For events such as the Hawaii Ironman, the individual segments are so demanding (the run portion, after the competitor has completed a lengthy swim, followed by a road cycling segment, is a full 26.2-mi [42.2 km] marathon) that the training, which is a cross training schedule, will be very time consuming.

The decathlon presents an even more difficult cross training proposition. The athlete must prepare for ten different sports, each of which will engage systems and techniques that are almost contrary to the others. The 100-m sprint, requiring the short-term power of anaerobic alactic energy system, is a virtual polar opposite to the combined speed and endurance of the 1,500-m race. The high jump, with its emphasis on the takeoff, finesse, and form, has vastly different physical demands than those inherent in the shot put or the javelin.

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