Clock watching

When you eat may be just as vital to your health as what you eat according to new research undertaken by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Their experiments in mice revealed that the daily waxing and waning of thousands of genes in the liver the body’s metabolic clearinghouse is mostly controlled by food intake and not by the body’s circadian clock as conventional wisdom had it.

Beckham’s asthma not that unusual

Splash News

The revelation that David Beckham has suffered from asthma since he was a child, prompted the player to play down fears that he could struggle in the thin air he would encounter at the World Cup in South Africa, where six venues are 3,000 feet or more above sea level.

The former England captain was photographed using an inhaler on the sidelines bench during the Los Angeles Galaxy’s penalty shoot-out defeat by Real Salt Lake in the MLS Cup final, the first time his condition has been brought to light.

Asthma expert, Dr John Dickinson said ‘Many elite athletes suffer from some form of asthma. The 2004 British Olympic Team had an asthma prevalence of 21% and in 2008 the prevalence was 25%. In some sports such as swimming and cycling the prevalence is closer 50%.”

What causes ‘Runners Knee’?

From professional athletes to weekend warriors, the condition known as “runner’s knee” is a painful and potentially debilitating injury suffered by millions of people – although until now, it has been unclear just what causes it.

But new research from the University of North Carolina has identified what appear to be the main culprits of the condition, formally known as patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The study, published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, is believed to be the first large, long-term project to track athletes from before they developed runner’s knee.

Get a new position

Career Development in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism: A Positioning Approach outlines a step-by-step plan for career development based on the technique of positioning.

In contrast to traditional job search methods, the positioning approach shows how to increase the chances of securing a preferred job by placing yourself close to the person with whom you want to work, the place or organization where you want to work, or the position that fulfills your career goals.

Whether just beginning a course of study or entering the profession, Career Development in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism: A Positioning Approach will help readers develop the skills and tools to get the job they want.

Price: £29.50 I €35.40
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45’s in a spin

Researchers at the University of Houston have identified the age at which the body starts going its most marked decline.

While fitness declines gradually as we age, it’s in our mid-40s when the body is going through a series of key changes that the drop is most pronounced. The scientists discovered that although men reaching 45 are more prone to the fitness slump, it’s also a landmark for women.

People who do nothing to halt the body’s natural decline in middle age are at much greater risk of a whole range of conditions, including obesity, diabetes, raised blood pressure, heart problems, stroke and some forms of cancer.

Understanding Electromyography

The interest in electromyography (EMG)and its applications have grown significantly in recent years. Researchers have found numerous clinical and research uses for EMG, including biofeedback, gait analysis and clinical diagnosis for neuromuscular disorders.

Yet, until now, few sources have been available to help newcomers understand the characteristics of the instrumentation, signal analysis techniques and appropriate EMG applications.

Because it aids in the comprehension of issues ranging from handling noise contamination to the area, slope and variability of the EMG signal, Essentials of Electromyography provides the perfect starting point for those who plan to use EMG.

Olympic ban lifted

Bernard Atha

The UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability (UKSA) is celebrating following the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) decision to allow athletes with intellectual disability to compete in the Paralympic Games, starting with London 2012.

This important announcement ends the 9 year ban imposed after the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.

Bernard Atha, Chairman, UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability said;
“A great wrong has been put right. It has come just in time and I hope will allow athletes with a learning disability access to the training and support available to every other disabled athlete in order to participate in the London 2012 Paralympic Games.”

Source: UK Sports Association
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Reducing injury and improving performance through Ergonomics.

Ergonomics in Sport and Physical Activity: Enhancing Performance and Improving Safety is the first text to provide an in-depth discussion of how the principles of ergonomics can be applied in the context of sport and other physical activities to reduce injury and improve performance.

The text blends concepts from biomechanics, physiology and psychology as it shows how ergonomics is applied to physical activity.

This comprehensive text outlines methods for assessing risk in and procedures for dealing with stress, eliminating hazards and evaluating challenges posed in specific work or sporting environments.

Let your fingers do the running

These are the revolutionary shoes that Italian manufacturers Vibram claim to mimic what it is like to run barefoot and have been used by coaches such as Linford Christie and recommended by osteopaths.

Many experts believe that by forcing the heel to strike the ground first, normal trainers can actually cause problems such as shin splints.

One answer is said to be minimalist footwear that encourages runners to strike the ground with the forefoot and use nerves on the soles of our feet that are designed to send complex signals to the brain, but lie lazy and dormant in cushioned trainers.

A real lifesaver

The beauty and tranquility of nature can be deceptively dangerous for the unprepared. A knowledge of basic survival techniques is as essential as a map and compass when heading off the beaten track.

A sudden change in weather conditions, personal injury, or becoming lost or disorientated, can turn a scenic hike into a life-threatening ordeal.

Outdoor Survival Guide provides you with the essential survival information to help you overcome the most frequently encountered outdoor hazards. This guide offers practical, step-by-step instruction so you can implement the skills and techniques even under the most stressful circumstances.

Price: £13.99 I €15.40
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Reducing neck and shoulder pain of women office workers

Strength training exercises using dumbbells can reduce pain and improve function in the trapezius muscle, the large muscle which extends from the back of the head, down the neck and into the upper back.

The exercises also improve the muscle’s ability to respond quickly and forcefully among women suffering trapezius myalgia, a tenderness and tightness in the upper trapezius muscle. The results are the latest findings from an ongoing Danish study aimed at reducing repetitive strain injury caused by office work.

Reclaim your body with home workouts

Shed unwanted weight, sculpt your physique, tone muscles, reduce joint pain, or simply be healthier and fitter. Women’s Home Workout Bible will show you how and all in the privacy and comfort of your own home.

In Women’s Home Workout Bible, best-selling author and renowned personal trainer Brad Schoenfeld shares his secrets on the perfect home workout regime. Step by step, it identifies the home gym setup and workouts to enable you to meet your fitness goals, schedule and budget.

It shows how to set up a personal home gym for as little as £60, or expand your options with more equipment for £300, £600, or more than £1500. Whatever your budget, with over 160 exercises, there’s plenty of variety, including bands, balls, free weights and fitness machines.

Exercise no risk to healthy older adults

Healthy, older adults free of heart disease need not fear that bouts of rapid, irregular heartbeats brought on by vigorous exercise might increase either the short or long-term risk of dying or having a heart attack, according to a report by heart experts and the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA).

Researchers say such fears surfaced after previous studies found that episodes of errant heart rhythms, more formally known as non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, more than double the chance of sudden death in people who have already suffered a heart attack.

Ultimate Skiing

Renowned instructor, coach and ski technique expert Ron LeMaster takes you to the next level of ski performance by helping you master the mechanics of great skiing as never before – explaining how it’s done, showing how it looks and describing how it feels.

LeMaster has made Ultimate Skiing a comprehensive manual on ski technique. Learn how skis interact with the snow and how best to manipulate your skis, boots and poles on the steepest slopes, in monster mogul fields and through the deepest powder. Technique tips and kinesthetic cues help translate the sensation of each movement.

Powering to success on the ice

Develop explosive acceleration, speed and agility and dominate the ice! Laura Stamm’s Power Skating presents the skating system used by thousands of the sport’s top players and teams to move with maximum efficiency on the ice.

From starts and stops to turns and transitions, Laura Stamm’s Power Skating covers all of the critical components of explosive skating and provides top-level instruction, practice drills and coaching tips.

The great hockey players skate powerfully and are able to get in position to make the key plays. Laura Stamm’s Power Skating will give you that explosive edge on the competition.

Price: £14.99 I €16.50
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