Sports imPULSE

Exercising In The Heat May Help You Eat Less

Exercisers who are trying to cut calories might want to take a run in the sun instead of a climate-controlled gym.  A study conducted by the University of Western Australia’s School of Sports Science found that participants ate less immediately after working out in hot conditions—about 97 degrees Fahrenheit—than in a more moderate, 77-degree environment.

On average, the participants ate roughly 300 calories more when they worked out in moderate temperatures than when they rested in those same conditions.

For the study, which is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers had 11 young, regularly active men make several visits to the exercise lab.

During one visit, the men ran on a treadmill for 40 minutes in 97- degree heat; on another visit, they performed the same workout under 77-degree conditions. On a third visit, they rested in a moderately warm room.

In all three situations, the men were presented with an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet after exercising or relaxing.

Overall, the study found, the men downed more calories after the moderate-temperature workout versus the resting condition, while there was no significant difference when they worked out in the heat.

The researchers then calculated the men’s relative calorie intake—which accounted for calories burned during exercise—and found that the hot workout looked even better. On average, the men’s relative calorie intake was almost 200 calories less compared with the resting condition.

The study also found clues as to why exercising in the heat may dull appetite. After the hot workout, the men typically showed higher blood levels of peptide YY, a hormone produced in the digestive tract that serves a “fullness” signal.

The men’s smaller appetites also appeared to be related to the increases in core body temperature that came with the hot workouts.  The reasons aren't clear, but one thought is that since the act of eating produces heat within the body, food intake is a natural mechanism for regulating body temperature.

There is something to be said for warmer climates.  However, one very important thing to note, exercise should not be performed in overly hot environments due to the risk of dehydration and heat illness.

Big Business For Healthier Video Games

Video games might actually be good for you. the Nintendo Wii is actually changing the way medical professionals are seeing video games and has gained popularity through motion sensor technology and innovation during game play. With the wireless ability, players are encouraged to whip, throw, gyrate, and above all, move with a number of titles.

Now, the Medical Industry has grown interested in the Wii for its health benefits. Nintendo's Wii Fit has grown to become the fifth best selling videogame in history, with over 18 million copies sold as of March 31, 2009.

Using the Wii Balance Board peripheral, a player's weight and body mass are calculated, and they are introduced to over 40 activities such as yoga poses, push-ups, and aerobic exercises.

Future titles by Big John Games' include Butt Kicker, an action-based fight against cigarettes for the Nintendo DSi, and Karate Bears for Wii, which teaches players real karate using the Wii Remote controllers.

Healthy gaming is not limited to households. In January of 2006, the state of West Virginia and game publisher Konami introduced their music series, Dance Dance Revolution, into the curriculum of almost 800 public schools for physical education, which records one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the country.

Now about my golf game...

Tiny Exercise Ball Packed with Power

One of the most convenient pieces of exercise equipment you can own is the Dynaflex Pro Gyro.  It's small and will give you a burn you will not soon forget, plus given the size it's easy to travel with.

The Dynaflex Pro Gyro is being used by physicians and therapists as a rehab tool.  It helps improve coordination while building strength and is a must have for rock climbers or any other athlete that requires control and a strong grip.  This exerciser has also helped in the prevention of repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, tendonitis and others.

The cool thing is the Gyro can reach up to 9,000 rpm and create 25 lbs of torque resistance which helps increase grip strength, increase range of motion, and condition arm, elbow, and shoulder muscles.

Not bad for a little ball.

Freestyler - complete band-based exercise system

The freestyler system is a novel exercise platform using dynabands predominately. The dynabands are attached to various parts of the body which restrict movement while exercising. This can be coordinated into a class routine as per the video here.

The basic premise is Functional Dynamics.  Functional training leads to better muscle balance and joint stability, potentially reducing the number of injuries sustained.  The benefits are incorporated into three dimensional and functional multi-axis movements.

As Sergej Petrovic (CEO) says:

"The FREESTYLER™ is designed to efficiently work all muscles of the body. This way of exercising is an improvement upon all the workouts you have seen so far. The FREESTYLER™ exercise system is a revolutionary workout system which is based on over three years scientific research and developed by top exercise experts. The result of this dedicated work incorporates highly methodical, systematic and logical exercise technique called FUNCTIONAL DYNAMICS™ which is the prime feature of the FREESTYLER™".

I kind of get the value proposition, but don't know if this is a tool for the serious athlete.  What do you think?

Same Old Workout Routine? Try ClimbStation - Rock Climbing Indoors

So here we are in mid-winter, some of us doing the same workouts every week:  treadmills, stationary bikes/spin classes, etc.  ClimbStation is looking to shake things up.  With no ropes or harness to put on, and no supervisor needed, the ClimbStation is perfect for amateurs as well as pros.  ClimbStation now makes climbing available to all climbing fans and provides a robust workout enhancing fitness and strength through mulitple muscle groups.

So what does a rock climbing simulator have to do with technology?  With ClimbStation, users begin with a touch-screen, user interface.  A track is selected and away you go.  During the climbing workout, climbing statistics are displayed, such as, time, height, length of route climbed, and calories burned.  at the end of the climb, users can save the workout for future use.   Top scores are recorded on a leaderboard for comparison against others.  Additionally up to six ClimbStations can be linked together for climbing competitions.  Yet another creative application of Sports Intelligence.

Expresso Fitness, With An Extra Shot Of Cardio

Were not talking about coffee but we should be based on the ride that Expresso is going to put you on. As they put it "eye-popping virtual reality with a classic cardio workout". They really put their minds to it and re-thought some of the basic functions that got in the way on other bikes, like a real head phone jack and walk through design.  But the secret java really is within the computer system itself, bringing to life a true virtual reality experience.  Users can choose from over 30 Basic-to-Extreme rated interactive Tours – ride from the California Coast to the Peruvian Mountains, play a game while riding and where it really gets interesting, Expresso.net captures your individual workout data, allowing members to track and analyze performance online anytime, anywhere. Leader boards, personal trend reports and community challenges motivate riders to keep working toward their goals.  This is a great example of sports intelligence.  We've commented on this several times within this blog, but manufacturers are getting it.  Users and athletes really do want to track their data.  Sports Intelligence...yes, really.

Stay Fit With The Nokia 5500 Sport

Yesterday we highlighted how you can burn calories while at work.  The cell phone makers want to make sure their voice is heard (no pun intended).  Nokia has introduced the new Nokia 5500 Sport for the express purpose of reaching the hard core fitness enthusiast.  It's designed to easily monitor your fitness activities and with some easily downloadable software you can begin to analyze, (read, sports intelligence) all those activities.

The handset is wrapped with water proof, dust proof and shock proof casing.  The front section of the handset is made largely of rubber and the keys are built into the rubber.

Of course, what's working out without music.  The Nokia 5500 Sport has a button tht will switch between the built-in music player, the training software and the handset's today screen.  

The preinstalled software includes support for many cardio activities such as, walking, running, cycling, rowing and stair stepping etc. Once you enter your age, height and weight, it can work out (pun intended) calories burned.  Additionally, the software can generate custom programs based on your preferred activity and goals.

I wonder if it can run my marthon for me....

Japenese Kids Getting Fitter, Stronger, Faster

A survey of junior high and high school students has shown that their physical strength and sports skills have increased over the past 10 years according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. 

70,000 people were polled last year between May and October. The overall fitness score for 13-year-olds jumped from 38.87 points to 42.94 out of a possible 80. The average sit-up score for boys went up from 23.45 times 10 years ago to 27.1; and girls' 20-meter shuttle run from 50.28 times back-and-forth to 59.81.

I think it's absolutely great to see kids getting healthier.  Additionally, what's exciting is that Japan attributes this increase to the growth of sports technology and the increase in the sports instructors' knowledge of sports technology.  It's not just for the pros.  We too, can take advantage of these technologies, as many young athletes do, to get fitter, stronger and faster to achieve their goals.