Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Weight Training In Children

I'm sure some of you wonder if weight children is okay in children. Some of you may have the perception that weight training is a no-no for children because it will harm their physiological build and stunt their growth. According to the Australian Strength and Training Association, weight training in children can be safe if properly implemented. Here are a few training tips that can be implemented when having your child weight train.



Level 1:
For ages 6-9
- Body weight exercises
- Light resistance exercises
- All high reps (15 + reps per set)

Level 2:
For ages 9-12
- Free weight exercises
- Machine exercises (only if appropriate for the child's size)
- 10 - 15 rep max.

Level 3:
For ages 12-15
- More free weight exercises
- Avoid complex lifts like cleans, snatches, dead lift squats

Level 4:
For ages 15-18
- Move towards adult program involving split routines multi-joint movements.


Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (2007) Weight Training In Children.

Monday, June 2, 2008

How To Avoid Sweaty Feet

This is an old trick that seems to work pretty well for many people. Soaking your feet in tea, and other tips and tricks that can be helpful options for sweaty feet.

What to do:
Boil five tea bags (black tea preferably) in a quart of water for five minutes. When the solution cools, soak your hands or feet for twenty to thirty minutes nightly.

Tea contains tannic acid, which is also found in commercial products such as Ivy Dry, Zilactol, and Zilactin. The astringent properties of tannic acid are thought to be partly responsible for its antiperspirant action.

1) Soaking in Tea: Tea contains tannins. Tannins act as astringents. The tea plant has a naturally high tannin content, and when its leaves are steeped in hot water they release the tannins which produce the tart flavor of tea.

To release the tannins from the tea leaves, tea has to steep in hot water. I recommend using ordinary black tea rather than decaf or herbal tea. The best thing to do is to brew some “foot tea” using tea bags steeped in hot water:

a) Find a nice foot soaking basin and add one to two quarts of cool water to the basin.
b) Boil a quart of water.
c) After the water boils, turn off heat and place four or five tea bags in the water.
d) Let the tea bags steep for ten to fifteen minutes—the tea cannot be too strong (the stronger the better).
e) Pour “Foot Tea” into the basin of cool water.
f) Soak feet for 30 minutes.
g) Repeat this daily for a week—Make a fresh batch everyday.


Using this method, you can brew a large pot of concentrated hot tea with multiple tea bags and then pour the concentrated hot tea into cool tap water in the soaking basin. Just make sure the water isn’t too hot—lukewarm to cool is fine. Remember heat causes feet to sweat more.

2) Wear cotton socks: Synthetic materials like nylon, Lycra, and rayon cause feet to sweat more. Cotton and natural materials are absorbent, soft, and tend to breathe better. Choose thicker socks with a high percentage (over 80%) of cotton—the higher the better. Thicker socks are more absorbent and allow better evaporation.

3) Wash your feet: Wash your feet in warm water with a mild soap at least once a day. Don’t scrub too hard, and don’t use a harsh soap as this can cause the skin to react and sweat more due to inflammation.

4) Wear socks: You would think that I had already addressed this issue in number two above, but my point here is different. Wear socks when you wear shoes. Wearing shoes without socks causes increased sweating, and shoes can become very damp and moist. Damp shoes become smelly, and bacteria grow like crazy.

5) Change your socks and shoes: Change your socks and shoes after work or after the gym. A clean, dry pair of socks can make a big difference for sweaty feet.

6) Avoid wearing plastic shoes: Flip-flops look disgusting after prolonged usage for a reason. The plastic causes feet to sweat. If you have sweaty feet and are choosing a sandal, choose a sandal with a leather upper.

7) Alternate shoes: Don’t wear the same shoes multiple days in a row; give the shoes a chance to dry out completely to prevent bacteria and fungus from growing. Alternate shoes at the gym from day to day and don’t keep your shoes in your gym bag. Let your shoes air out and dry.

Finally, if your feet are itchy, cracked, or have red or peeling areas, you may have an infection. Persistent foot odor can also be a sign of infection. It never hurts to have your physician take a look at your feet. Often we overlook our feet at a doctor’s visit, but any concern should be addressed. Furthermore, I always recommend a dermatologist visit to any patient with severe hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) that is affecting their life, work, or personal relationships.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Remember to Avoid These HARM Factors

Immediate injury management from a soft tissue injury.

H Heat: Increases bleeding to the injured area.
A Alcohol: Increases swelling.
R Running: Increases blood flow and can make the injury worse.
M Massage: Increases bleeding. Avoid for the first 72 hours.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

What Is % DI?

Percent DI is percent daily intake. It helps you make informed choices about the food you eat. Daily intakes are based on an average adult.

Recommended Daily Intake for an average adult in one day:

8700Kj

Protein: 50g
Fat: 70g
Sat. Fat: 24g
Carbs: 310g
Sugars: 90g
Sodium: 2300mg

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)

For people > 40:
220 - (present age).

For people < 40:
208-0.7 x (present age).

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Performance Evaluation Tests

A list of:
- Aerobic Endurance: VO2max
- Anaerobic Endurance
- Agility
- Balance
- Body Composition
- Event Time Predictors
- Fitness General
- Flexibility
- Reaction Time
- Strength/ Core
- Strength/ Elastic
- Strength/ General
- Speed & Power
- Talent Evaluation
- Test For Young Athletes

Info:
Brianmac

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Neti Pot: For Sinus

Do you suffer from sinus problems? Why don’t you try using the neti pot?

What is a neti pot?

A neti pot is a device, which looks like a genie bottle or miniature watering can that is used to assist you in cleansing your nasal passage. First you mix lukewarm water with a teaspoon of non-iodized salt. You then pour this mixture into the neti pot, which you use to pour the mixture into your nose. The gentle stream of salt water, the same concentration as tears, flows through your nose, washing away pollens, mucus, viruses and bacteria.

For more information on this, you may read about it on:

and

Or you may also consult your doctor.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

First Aid: RICE

RICE is a treatment that can be done for soft tissue injuries such as sprains, bruises, strains. It also works well on pulled muscles and muscle spasms. RICE treatment reduces inflammation that comes with acute injury, inflammation that causes redness, heat, swelling and pain. The earlier the treatment, the earlier and better the results.

R: Rest
the injured area. If moving the injured area causes pain, your body is telling you to stop.

I: Ice
applied to the injured area will help to reduce swelling. Swelling causes more pain and slows healing. A package of frozen corn or peas makes a good ice pack. It is lightweight, conforms to the injured area, and is inexpensive and reusable. Cover the ice pack with a wet cloth and apply the ice for 10 to 30 minutes intermittently for 48 to 72 hours.

C: Compression
or use of a pressure bandage, also helps to prevent or reduce swelling. Use an elastic bandage. Wrap the injured area with the bandage, but not so tightly that the blood is cut off. It should not be painful. Fingers or toes beyond the bandage should remain pink and not become "tingly."

E: Elevation
means raising the injured area above the level of the heart. Prop up a leg or arm while resting it. You may need to lie down to get your leg above your heart level. Elevation may also reduce the throbbing pain that may be present.

References:
HealthFirst

Friday, March 28, 2008

Skin Fold Test


Measuring body fat is an easy method of finding your correct body composition. The normal percentage of women are higher than men due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Women norms range from 18 - 22% while men range 15 - 17% body fat. Elite athletes on the other hand can range from 12 - 20% for women and 6 - 12% for men. Certain points of the body can be measured by taking the skin fold at selected points.

Procedure:
Measurement of body fat can be from 3 to 9 different standard anatomical sites around the body. The right side is usually measured (for consistency). The calipers are placed to pinch the skin at the appropriate site to raise a double layer of skin and the underlying adipose tissue, without the muscle. The calipers are then applied 1 cm below and at right angles to the pinch, and a reading in millimeters (mm) taken two seconds later. The mean of two measurements should be taken. If the two measurements differ greatly, a third should then be done, then the median value taken.

Measurement Sites:
Tricep: The skin fold is located midway on the back of the upper arm. The arm hangs freely and the skinfold is lifted parallel to its long axis.

Subscapula: The skinfold is lifted vertically and measured below the tip of the scapula.

Suprailiac: The skinfold is located immediately above the crest of the ilium. The fold is lifted at a slight angle to the vertical along the normal fold line.

Abdomen: The skinfold is located to the left of, adjacent to, and in line with the navel. The fold is lifted parallel to the long axis of the body.

Front Thigh: The skinfold is located midway on the front of the upper leg over the quadriceps. The foot is placed on a six-inch step with the knee slightly flexed and muscles relaxed. The fold is lifted parallel to the long axis of the leg.

Chest (Males only): The site is located above and slightly to the right of the right nipple. The skinfold is taken at a 45-degree angle of the horizontal.

Rear Thigh (Females only): The skinfold is located midway on the back of the upper leg. The leg is held in the same position as the front thigh measurements. The skinfold is lifted parallel to the axis of the leg.

For a body fat calculator (to get results): Body Fat Calculator

References:
Yuhasz Skinfold Test

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Waist-To-Hip Ratio (WHR)


The waist-to-hip ratio is important to know because it not only tells you how much body fat you have, but also where your body fat is stored that impacts on your health. People who store more fat around their waists have an increased risk of chronic disease (high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease & stroke) compared with people who have their fat stored around their hips and thighs.

The waist-to-hip ratio measures the proportion of your waistline (the narrowest point; usually around your belly-button) to the widest circumference around the hips (usualy around the bony prominences).

How to calculate:

Waistline (inches) / Hips (inches) =
e.g 24 in. / 34 in. = 0.70 or 70%

Women Norms:
= 0.7 or 70% [correlates strongly with general health and fertility]

Men Norms:
= 0.9 or 90% [shown to be more healthy and fertile]


Dangerous Level:

= 1 or 100%


For an online test go to:
MyNewBody