Best Fitness Blog

... By Karli Taylor

One of the newer buzzwords in the fitness clothing industry is “compression”. From socks to swimsuits, compression gear is slowing taking over the shelves. Recently, there have been many different claims made by various companies about the advantages of this type of clothing- some of which have more validity than others. Let’s take a look at the two real benefits of these tight fitting clothing garments.

Regulating body temperature: The main difference between these tight fitting garments and regular clothing is their ability to efficiently remove perspiration from the skin. This is achieved by the use of moisture wicking fabrics and the garments tight fitting nature. Unlike other breathable garments, you won’t get perspiration collecting on the skin. This means that in hot climates your bodies cooling system continues to work efficiently and that in the cold you are not wearing wet clothing therefore will stay warmer.

Reduction in excess muscle movement: Compression clothing prevents your muscles from shaking or vibrating upon impact. Every time you move, your muscles move too. When they do small tears appear within the muscle tissue. By reducing the rate at which this damage takes place we are able to work for longer and experience less pain following training. The principle behind stopping body shake is old and probably the best example is the wearing of sports bras by woman. Now with the elastic properties of compression garments we are able to provide the same sort of support for the rest of your body. This is the reason that your garments must be firm fitting and appropriate for your sport or activity.

You will find other claims surrounding compression clothing. Some companies claim that it increases blood flow to the muscles. Some claim that it will increase the power output of your muscles or increase your stamina. None of these claims have been studied thoroughly enough for me to confidently support them, so I’ll leave the jury out for now.

... by Karli Taylor

As the temperature drops outside, more and more of us are bringing our workouts in from the cold. After walking, running or cycling outside for months, the unchanging scenery from the cardio deck can get boring pretty quickly. Don’t worry, there are quite a few ways to make exercising indoors more exciting until the snow melts next Spring.

If you exercise at home on a treadmill or other piece of equipment, try playing games with the timer. I know that countdown timer can seem daunting when you are stuck indoors, but if you use it creatively, it can make the time pass much more quickly.

The next time you get on that treadmill, walk at your normal pace for 5 minutes. Every 2 minutes thereafter, add one notch on the incline until it gets to its highest point. Since most treadmills have anywhere from 10-20 levels on incline, your whole workout could be complete by the time you reach the top! You do play a similar game with the resistance on a bike or an elliptical.

Speed intervals are also a good way to pass the time. You can use the time for this by speeding up for 30 seconds every 2 minutes, or for 2 minutes every 5. Another way to time intervals is with your iPod or your TV. If you watch TV while exercising, speed up for the commercials. If you listen to music, speed up every time the chorus plays. You get the idea, right?

If you belong to a gym that has group exercise classes, try a few of those. Feel embarrassed that you are uncoordinated or afraid that everyone else will be better at the activity that you are? Stay in the back of the room until you get comfortable or bring a friend who is also a novice. Once the music starts and you start to sweat, all of those worries will go away and the class will be over before you know it.

Finally, if you want to spice up your exercise routine, make an appointment with a fitness professional to learn something new. Challenging yourself to do something completely different will not only keep you from getting bored, it will also accelerate your fitness progress!