Steve Haywood Health & Fitness

Of all the weird and sometimes not so wonderful inventions that find their way into the gym and home environment the humble ball stands out unchallenged as the most versatile and useful piece of kit.

It has various trademarks but is probably best known Read the rest of this entry »

As a Personal trainer I have found the Garminâ„¢ has added a new dimension to training my clients. I can now give accurate measurements of distance, running speed, heart rate and much more if required. Data can be downloaded to your computer to give a full analysis of your training sessions which can then also include the climbs you have run. Read the rest of this entry »

For those embarking on a personal training program, it is useful for both the trainer, the client and, sometimes, associated medical professionals to have the following information. Fill this form in and take it along with you to your first training session. Read the rest of this entry »

Generally speaking, BMR uses 11 calories for every 500g of a woman’s body weight and 12 calories per 500g of a man’s. For example, the BMR for a 60kg woman would be as follows: (60 x 2) x 11 =1320 kcal.

PAL levels are as follows:

• Mostly inactive or sedentary (mainly sitting): 1.2
• Fairly active (including walking and exercise once to twice a week): 1.3
• Moderately active (exercise two to three times a week): 1.4
• Active (exercise hard more than three times a week): 1.5
• Very Active (exercise hard every day): 1.7

To work out you daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by your PAL.  For example, for an active 60 kg woman = 1320 x 1.5 = 1980 kcal. That’s the number of calories that you need to burn daily to maintain your weight.

The Percy Pud is held in Loxley on the outskirts of Sheffield -formerly the haunt of the legendary Robin of Loxley -or, Robin Hood. It is a well established and popular route that is often booked up three months in advance. The 2007 event was organised by Steel City Striders and Andy Thake (Hallamshire) won the race this time around. It took place on Sunday 2nd December 2007 at 09:30am. Read the rest of this entry »

Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)

Many health benefits are associated with regular exercise, and the completion of PAR-Q is a sensible first step to take if you are planning to increase the amount of physical activity in your life.

For most people, physical activity should not pose any problem or hazard. PAR-Q is designed to identify the small number of adults for whom physical activity might be inappropriate or those who should have medical advice concerning the type of activity most suitable for them. Common sense is the best guide in answering these few questions.

Read the rest of this entry »

An article by Rob Scott © 2007 Steve Haywood Health & Fitness

Sports massage is a form of massage which involves the manipulation of soft tissue. This is primarily for people involved in regular exercise or physical activity. Soft tissue includes skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Sports massage is designed to help correct problems within soft tissue that are caused by repetitive and strenuous physical activity and trauma.

The application of sports massage before and after exercise or physical activity can enhance performance, aid recovery, and prevent injury.

Where did Sports Massage Originate? Read the rest of this entry »

During the week before a competition, your two main aims are:

1 to fill your muscle and liver glycogen stores so that you compete with a ‘full’ fuel supply.

2 to keep well hydrated.

Depending on the length and type of event you are competing in, you may benefit from special eating plans, such as carbohydrate loading and/or a reduction in fat intake -as you rest and taper your training before the event. Ask your coach or personal trainer for details on the correct eating plan.

Supplements

Advice to UK athletes on the use of supplements, taken from The Global Drug Information Database:

In light of concerns about contamination and poor labelling of supplements, UK sport, the British Olympic Association, the British Paralypmic Association, National Sports Medicine Institute and the Home Country Sports Council have issued a position statement on supplements. They advise UK athletes to be ‘extremely cautious’ about the use of any supplements. Anti-doping rules are based on the principle of strict liability and therefore supplements are taken at an athletes risk.

Several studies suggest that a well-balanced vegetarian diet is compatible with successful athletic and exercise performance.It is important for vegetarians to achieve a good mix of proteins. Some recipe ideas include;

• Tortilla or wrap filled with re-fried beans
• Bean and vegetable hot-pot with rice or pasta
• Quorn chilli with rice
• Peanut butter sandwich
• Lentil soup with a roll
• Quorn korma with naan bread
• Stir-fried tofu and vegetables with rice
• Tofu burger in a roll

Dehydration has an adverse effect upon performance in exercise and sport. A loss of 2% in your weight during exercise (indicating loss of fluid) would correlate to a loss of 10-20% in maximal aerobic capacity.

A good indication of hydration levels is the colour of a participant’s urine. ‘Pale yellow’ or ‘very pale yellow’ would indicate a participant is within 1% of optimal hydration.