I’ve signed up for an obstacle race – now what?
Many people have the impression that obstacle races are for elite athletes, when in fact many races accommodate all fitness levels. These types of races are great if you want to give yourself an extra challenge but have a little bit of fun and fitness mixed in as well. Obviously obstacle races are meant to…
The Placebo Effect: Why the mind is a powerful thing
The advancement of sport science and sport medicine has brought many fields to work to together in order to maximize athletic performance. Integrated Support Teams (IST) are the norm of today in elite athletics. Such teams consist of physicians, nutritionists, psychologists, biomechanics, videographers, statisticians, etc. all designed to help coaches and athletes in various aspects…
After concussion: Student-athletes return-to-learn
When a high school age student athlete receives a concussion, it’s important that all adults that interact with that student know how to provide the best atmosphere for them when they return to school. While health care professionals are increasingly being made aware of how to recognize a concussion and the recommendations for care of…
Do fitness trackers live up to the hype?
If you want an easy and convenient way to keep track of your fitness or training goals, fitness trackers seem to be the way to do it. Availability and consistency are key factors in creating a new habit and since most fitness trackers are small and wearable, it’s virtually effortless to incorporate them into your…
Get yourself pumped up with a great playlist!
Many studies have shown that music provides a welcome distraction from discomfort and is a great mood booster. It encourages a person to move with the beat of each song and has the capacity to increase energy and improve physical performance. This is great news for anyone that may have trouble motivating themselves to exercise…
Staying Fit while Pregnant: Tips for a Safe Workout
For the majority of pregnant women (those without an underlying medical condition), regular physical activity is good for the both mother and baby, physically, mentally and socially. Women should aim to participate in some form of moderate intensity aerobic and strength-conditioning exercises in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you weren’t a very active…
Active transportation: the use of human power
Active transportation (AT), can be a great way to get to and from work, school, grocery shopping or simply as a means of visiting friends in your community. It can also be a way of staying active while getting the recommended level of daily physical activity. For those who have busy schedules and feel they…
Sleep: Why is it important during the teen years?
Getting quality sleep is as important to our health and well-being as eating properly and maintaining regular exercise. It is recommended that adolescents’ ages 12 to 18 years get 9 to 10 hours daily; however, teens do not seem to get the appropriate amount due to academic pressures, part-time jobs and extra curricular activities. Add…
Is it possible to have a healthy, active holiday season?
For 11 months of the year we (mostly) watch what we eat and stick to our exercise routine, then the holidays roll around and the wheels fall off. Tempted by wonderful goodies every time you turn around and overloaded by a hectic schedule it’s easy to let your healthy habits slip, overindulge, neglect your workouts…
Suffering from a chronic condition? Exercise can help
The majority of us when we are in pain will typically want to take it easy, stopping all activity that may be the least bit strenuous. While this obviously makes sense in the short term (1-2 days) to allow recovery, a prolonged absence from activity it can actually undermine the healing process. A lot of…