fashion, running

Live Broadcast: Why Wear Minimal Shoes?

If you do any sports that involve running, please tune in to my live broadcast on minimal shoes, Thursday, Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. PST/ 8:30 p.m. EST on Zubia.

I will explain how minimal shoes can help prevent joint pain. I’ve been using them for a few years, and they allowed me to run again after years when my knee hurt to much. But if you’re not careful, minimal shoes can cause other kinds of problem, so I’ll explain how to avoid that as well.

For iPhone users, click here from your iPhone:
https://12vn.test-app.link/tFMCPpCdUz.
Once you download Zubia (for free) the link will take you to the broadcast to add to your calendar. Or you can search at the top of Zubia by typing in “running” or “minimal running shoes” and the broadcast will appear. If you use an iPhone, you can ask questions during the broadcast.

People without iPhones can view the broadcast from a desktop here:
http://web.zubialive.com/signup.
Once registered, you can then scroll for upcoming broadcasts and see mine at 8:30 EST/5:30 PST on Thursday. (There is no app for the Android operating system on Zubia yet.)

Laird Harrison, CPT

Technology, weight control

Activity Monitors Inaccurate for Weightlifting

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If you’re trying to lose weight, an activity monitor can help by telling you how many calories you’re burning.

Some are more accurate than others, but in general the monitors work pretty well for walking and running.

If you want to compare activities on the other hand — say weight lifting versus running — you may be out of luck. Continue reading Activity Monitors Inaccurate for Weightlifting →

fashion

Bloke Undees: Snug and Colorful

This will be a brief review. After all, how much can I say about underwear in a sports performance newsletter?

Just a few main points. First, I’ve been wearing Bloke Undees when I play soccer or run. And second, this is a departure for me.

I grew up wearing jockey shorts, also known as briefs. Then a funny thing happened the night before my wedding. As a gag gift, one of my groomsmen gave me a pair of boxer shorts with a fruit pattern. “They’re fertility shorts,” he explained. He accompanied them with a sperm-shaped candle, which I was supposed to light while wearing the shorts on appropriate nights. Continue reading Bloke Undees: Snug and Colorful →

weight control

Exercise or Diet: Which Works Better?

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I spent last week canoeing. We puffed and sweated, paddling across lakes, then carrying our gear and canoes to other lakes, then paddling across those lakes.

“Days like this I feel like I can eat as much as I want,” said one of my friends.

That may be true – provided he doesn’t want to lose weight. Among the items we were hauling from one lake to another was a jumbo-sized bag of M&M’s. Continue reading Exercise or Diet: Which Works Better? →

general fitness

Can You Exercise Yourself to Death?

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It’s pretty hard to exercise too much. That’s the conclusion from a new analysis of physical activity published in June in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

The authors combined results from six studies with a total of 661,137 people.  In each of these studies, the researchers asked participants how much of their leisure time they spent exercising. Then the researchers kept track of who lived and who died.
Continue reading Can You Exercise Yourself to Death? →

supplements and nutrition

Beta-Alanine Energizes Female Master Athletes

I normally don’t take or recommend any supplements. But when I was at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) annual meeting, a bunch of presentations on beta-alanine made it seem relevant to middle-aged athletes – particularly women – looking for a performance boost.

Also this month, the International Society of Sports Nutrition issued a position paper, saying there is strong evidence that beta-alanine supplements work, and that the risk is modest. Continue reading Beta-Alanine Energizes Female Master Athletes →