Great article from the New York Times on how exercise HELPS PREVENT CANCER!  Share this with all your friends THAT DON'T EXERCISE! Click below for the article.

Exercise Prevents Cancer

Heart Rate Training.  Have you ever wondered, "How do I know how hard to exercise"?  Well, let me tell you, you're not alone.  Click on the link below to get a Heart Rate Calculator that shows you which zones to work in and for what reason.  Keep in mind, if you know your Max Heart Rate, you can simply enter it to get your zones, or you can rely on the formula to estimate your MHR.

Now, a little more insight into Max Heart Rate.

You have only one MHR and it is specific to you.  Simply put, it's the highest HR you can attain while pushing all out.  It's extremely difficult to determine exactly what it is, unless you are under medical supervision, taking a stress test.  There are ways to determine it on your own but it's probably not in most peoples best interest to do so.  Instead, we can rely on formulas. Formulas range from OK, to better to great.  OK would be the old standby of 220 minus your age.  It's very important to note that this does not apply to everyone. In fact, many people fall outside of all of the formulas.  That's not a bad thing, it just means that your max heart rate simply falls outside the norm.  If you are on any meds that have an effect of lowering your pulse, then the formulas are useless for you.  If that is not the case, there are several formulas that you can use to approximate your MHR.

One formula, that you will find under the "useful tools" button on our website is the Kavornen formula.  It is more accurate than the 220-age because it also incorporates your resting heart rate.  Once you find your MHR, you can then determine your various training zones.  Those zones are shown in the Heart Rate Zone Calculator, both the numbers and the reasons why you would want to be in the zones.  Although this calculator and zones are discussing cycling, the zones are actually good for all activities*.

OK, now in regards to that last statement.  Here's one more tidbit of info.

You have only one max heart rate.  It's the highest heart rate you can physically attain.  If you calculate your MHR to be 185 and thru using a heart rate monitor you discover that you have seen 192 while in an all out effort, 192 becomes your max. It's as simple as that.  Now, where do different activities come into play.  Glad you asked.

MHR is typically physically determined by running.  Why?  Because when you are running, you are taxing your body at its highest level.  Simply by standing up, you are fighting the force of gravity so when you're running, you are incorporating all sorts of muscle movement to stay upright and move forward.  When your on a bicycle, you have taken gravity out of the equation because you are now supported by the bike.  If you're swimming not only have you taken gravity out of the equation, your body is supported by the water.  In both cases, it would be next to impossible to attain your MHR because you are no longer fighting gravity.

So now you're asking, ok so do I have a different MHR for cycling.  Well, I suppose it's semantics but no you don't.  As I said earlier, you have only one MHR.  With that in mind, I'm going to call your MHR while cycling your Cycling Max Heart Rate.  This is a number that is typically 5 to 10 beats per minute lower than your actualy MHR.  I PROMISE, I'M ALMOST DONE! 

The last point I want to make is in regards to the Heart Rate Zone Calculator.  If you're using this calculator for running or any other gravity driven aerobic activity like step aerobics, you can use it as is.  If you are using it for cycling, I suggest you key in your MHR at 5 or 10 beats below your actual and use the zones that are given to you for your training.

Any questions?  If not, I'm surprised.  I hope I have given you a little insight into what HR training is all about.

Steve

Oops!  One more comment.   A common misconception is that if you approach or exceed your MHR, something really, really bad will happen.  Fear not.  The only thing that will happen is that you'll adjust your MHR to the new high you just saw......nothing more.  So go ahead and work out....work out hard......it won't kill you!

Keeping Your Brain Fit

There's plenty you can do to slow the effects of aging. Here's how to keep your thinking and memory sharp

Immediately below is a cut and paste from the above article that relates to exercise.   To view the entire article that came from AARP, click here>  Full Article

Sound body, sound mind. Still, the best workout for your brain may be the old-fashioned kind.

As far back as 1999, researchers at the University of Illinois found that older people who started exercising showed faster reaction times and better ability to focus after just six months than did a control group. Now, it's becoming clearer why. In a second study reported in 2006, the same team found that the aerobic exercisers actually increased their brain size by about 3 percent. Last year, researchers at Columbia University found that when people exercised regularly for three months, blood flow increased to a part of the hippocampus, which is important for memory. In studies of mice who exercised on treadmills, increased blood flow to the same part of the brain corresponded with an increase in the production of new brain cells.

The power of exercise seems far more impressive than that of brain-training software, says Sandra Aamodt, editor in chief of Nature Neuroscience, a scientific journal on brain research, and coauthor of the forthcoming book Welcome to Your Brain. A recent meta-analysis of numerous exercise studies found that, on average, faithful aerobic exercise might boost someone's cognitive performance from average—say, from 10th place out of 20 people tested—to notably above average—say, to No. 5. But cognitive training would boost the same person to eighth out of 20.

Why is exercise so good for the brain? Maybe for the same reason it's so good for the heart: its beneficial effect on blood vessels. "It may be that a pretty significant amount of deterioration in brain function relates to disruptions of the cardiovascular system by microstrokes," in the tiny vessels in the brain, says Aamodt. Exercise may help prevent them. It also stimulates the production of proteins called growth factors, which promote the formation and growth of brain cells and synapses.

Continuing on with our last article by Liz Dolby, P.T., on stretching, one of our members pointed out the following article that recently appeared in the NY Times.  It's a great article on warming up and stretching.  Again, if you are unsure about the content of the article, you can always check in with TBS staff or  Lynnette and Debi our personal trainers.  Click on the following link to be taken to the article:  NY Times Stretching

This stretching picture and the associated comment is a sample of what the article has to offer.

Do I really have to stretch: 

                              By Liz Dolby,  P.T. and co-owner of TBS-OPT

Stubborn Fat and How to Beat It

Author: Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, author of the #1 best-selling e-book Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle

Q. I know that to be able to see your six pack, you need a low level of body fat. But I've hit a plateau and I can't seem to lose any more fat from my belly. What do I need to do to break the plateau and drop the last 10 pounds of fat? Should I do more cardio, more weight training, or change my diet?

Click here>stubborn fat, to view this excellent article

Ice Or Heat when injured? 

Jumping into a jacuzzi always sounds so soothing when you've sprained, twisted or wrenched some part of your body. There's just something about the warm, whirling water that makes you feel as if the hurt will be all better.

There's just a little catch to that moment of pleasure: The soothing warmth -- of jacuzzi water, heating pads or hot baths -- can actually prolong the pain and extend your recuperation.

How does this stranger-than-truth concept work when heat can feel so yummy? Injuries, you see, result in swelling. You can observe the area puff up with severe twists, while minor pulls bring on swelling in soft tissue that you can't really see.

What you want to do -- immediately, if not sooner -- is stop or reduce swelling. That's because any swelling causes damage to tissue cells which slows healing and makes movement of the hurt body part impossible or painful.

Without movement, you can't maintain strength or flexibility, not only in the hurt part but in adjoining muscles that are also forced into inactivity. Once the swelling goes down, you'll have more strength and endurance to catch up on.

Losing the fitness you worked so hard to gain can be frustrating. Watching from the sidelines isn't any fun either. Regaining your workout motivation can be really tough.

Heat actually increases the amount of demon-swelling that will sideline and frustrate. Ice, as much as it makes you cringe, is your best friend.

Even the tiniest twinge or pain will get numbed out from ice packs. Aggressive athletes can use ice after nearly every intense workout because when you push that hard, you invariably tweek a few muscle fibers. Once you get used to the initial sting of the cold, you'll love it. Or most of you will. Some people have zero tolerance and will never get used to the deep freeze.

Here are the guidelines:

Choose crushed ice because it molds well. Or add a little water to a bag of cubes. Chemical packs can get too cold. Bags of frozen peas or corn are convenient and moldable, but may not be cold enough.
Ice as soon as possible after an injury and continue for 48 to 72 hours. For chronic strains, ice after every workout.
Apply ice two to three times a day, for 10 to 20 minutes each time.
Don't put ice directly on your skin unless you are moving it to massage the area.
Use heat only after the first two to three days of ice treatments. Taylor suggests icing after a workout, then using a heating pad at night. To avoid burns, don't turn it on high or put it directly on your skin.
Heat can be appropriate to relax simple muscle spasms or cramps. But, if in doubt, ice, ice, ice.

Preparing for a hilly century bike ride

Here's a great article that Becky found on Active.com.  It's on how to prepare for a hilly century.  Whether it's your first century or you have many under your belt, it's got some great advice.  Click on the following link to read the article:   Training for a hilly century.   

You Name It, and Exercise Helps It

“The single thing that comes close to a magic bullet, in terms of its strong and universal benefits, is exercise,” Frank Hu, epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in the Harvard Magazine.  This is a great article that was pointed out to me by two members.  Pretty to the point.  Read it over and pass it on to your friends that don't exercise.  Maybe it will make a difference.  Click on this link> The Magic Bullet, to see the print version of the article.  If you want to go to the article itself, on the NY Times website, click on the following link>NY Times

Ultrafit.  Large Fella on a Bike.

If you would like to read an inspirational story about a 500+ pound man with a "you'll be dead in 6 months" statement from his doctor hanging over him, click on the link below.  Scott Cutshall decided he wanted to live.  He went on a mission to lose weight thru cycling and proper eating.  The next time you're thinking it's impossible to lose weight, think again and read this article.

Large Fella on a Bike