http://athleteinthecity.com Get Fit in New York City Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:44:35 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en BBC News has a piece on the anti-aging affects of long-term endurance training that will get anyone to sit up and listen.  They noticed changes at the cellular level as the result of aging that was much slower and less pronounced in athletes with a history of endurance training and ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2010/01/04/endurance-training-more-good-news/ New Years is about resolutions, and everyone is talking about how fit they're going to be in the new year.  I'm all for it.  Here's some more food for thought. In this Scientific American piece - Eat Exercise & Be Merry keeping a weekly journal of what you have to be ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/12/28/new-years-finding-your-new-viscious-cycle/ Found another great article on the link between physical fitness of the body, and brain or mental fitness.  One way to think of it is a lucky side affect of working out the body.  Another way to think of it is there is no real way to separate the two.  ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/12/21/keep-the-body-fit-make-the-mind-fit/ An interesting article at Scientific American asks the question Can Fat Be Fit? Indeed fitness actively improves body composition, increasing muscle mass, while also increasing bone mass.  This increase in body density, if coupled with cardiovascular exercise compounds the improvements to increase overall metabolism.  All of this snowballs to cause ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/12/14/fat-and-fitness-either-or/ The first time I saw pavel the ketel bell russian dude perform these one-arm one-leg pushups I was very impressed.  It's taken a while but I've managed to get them. The progression?  Start with one arm pushups on incline, as high as you need to do them right.  Over many months ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/11/30/one-arm-one-leg-pushups/ I got the idea for these pushups from various places, but the extreme version from a recently posted video of 18 extreme exercises.  You'll get more from the video than my explaining them, but they work the triceps a lot, also the deltoids, abdominal, and stabilizer muscles.  Very good alternative ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/11/23/elbow-step-up-pushups/ Just found this video on youtube and was pretty impressed.  Although I've never had much luck with the human flag, I don't work on it much either.  The straddle planche pushups though, I work at everyday.  Closer but still not there.  All the others I've got pretty well.  So I ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/11/09/eighteen-extreme-exercises/ Don't confuse apps and gadgets for the real workout, but hey if it gets you motivated and helps you with the details, go for it. Here's a great NY Times article with over 10 new apps which can help you keep track of all your data. But remember it's more ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/11/02/fitness-apps/ I've read some of this before, but just saw this article over at the New York Times which is worth a read.  This probably follows somewhat in the recent fad of "barefoot running" which I'm not even going to touch with a ten-foot pole. Never the less the evidence is there ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/10/26/humans-built-for-long-distance-running/ The New York Times has a really interesting article on the usage and affects of ibuprofen on ultramarathoners.  It turns out that 60-85% of marathoners in the noted studies were using painkillers, and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).  It turns out they showed more inflammation and mild kidney impairment.Doesn't sound particularly encouraging. ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/10/19/painkillers-and-training/ A lot of studies have been coming out on calorie restriction.  My personal theory is all this nonsense about how people from certain countries have better genes...  it all boils down to better diet.  It seems a lower calorie diet makes you younger, age better and live longer!NY Times - ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/10/05/calorie-restriction-the-fountain-of-youth/ On and on the debate goes over proteins, although nutritionists have figured it out already.Yes proteins are key to a balanced diet, but in particular the right kinds.  Which ones?  Legumes, Fish, egg whites, and lean poultry.  There are also quite a few food combinations for which the body can ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/09/28/what-kinds-of-proteins/ Another article, this time over at the NY Times, discussing the affects of exercise on what is called neuroplasticity, the ability for the brain to change & grow new pathways through new experiences. What Sort of Exercise Can Make You Smarter?  http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/09/21/exercise-and-smarts/ Here's an interesting story about a woman named Diane Van Deren.  She suffered from epilepsy, had a lobectomy, removal of the right temporal lobe.  What healed her in one way, then also pushed her to become an ultrarunner, but also had certain strange side affects.  All interesting discussion of the ... http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/09/14/brain-surgery-then-ultrarunner/ A fascinating article at Wired discusses the changes in a social group in Framingham MA, and how obesity spread through the population.  The Buddy System:  How Medical Data Revealed Secret to Health and Happiness http://athleteinthecity.com/2009/09/07/obesity-as-phenomenon-of-social-norms/