The Genetics of Fitness
Have you ever wondered what your genetic potential might be in sport? Research suggests that there is a definite link between sporting capabilities and genetic makeup. Ian Craig explains.
Get Moving
Exercise plays an important role in all the phases of life, not just until you pass your driving test! Ian Craig gives some good reasons to get moving, and suggests some exercise options.
Functional Sports Drinks
What do we mean by functional and how does what we consume affect the body? Ian Craig discusses your functional health through the lens of sports drinks.
Nourishing Connective Tissue
We have an intricate network of connective tissue running throughout our body that serves a higher purpose than just holding us together. Ian Craig explains why.
Recovery from Exercise – are supplements a help or a hindrance?
If you ask any sports person what they are most worried about, they will generally respond with one of two possible answers: injury or illness. The consensus of most scientists is that exercise is good for you, but up to a point.
Thin is Fit – or is it?
Yes, it is possible to be thin but unfit! To maintain or increase lean body mass, you need to look at both diet and a comprehensive exercise programme. You’ll not only lose fat, but experience considerable health benefits.
Clean up your Sport – Detox!
Athletes are not typically a group of individuals that you might associate with detoxification programmes and liver support. Should we be leaving that to the overweight middle-agers who have indulged themselves at Christmas? After all, you are a clean-living, highly fit and healthy lot, aren’t you? Or are you? Surely superfit sports people don’t need to detox? Read on, the answer may surprise you.
Where’s My Waist?
Most people believe that doing hundreds of sit-ups or abdominal crunches will automatically reduce your waistline and give you a rock-solid six-pack. Wrong! The reality is that you’ll also need to reduce the layer of body fat covering your midsection in order to see those toned abdominals.
Over Training Slows Us Down
Overtraining can be affected by the sum of stresses in your life, not just the overall mileage that you’re doing - I term this the ‘total load’ concept, and can be summarised by the sum of physical, physiological and psychological stresses in your life. A tailored training and nutrition programme that lies within your personal limits can go a long way to improving your performance.
8 Belly-Busting Strategies
We all hate our belly fat, mostly because it is unsightly; however, scientists also have a special interest in belly fat because it is so different from the other parts of our bodies. The major problem with belly fat is that it is actually its own endocrine organ. It can produce hormones and inflammatory molecules, and it has enzymes that turn testosterone into oestrogen.