Training & Performance
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Sometimes you have to take your own advice鈥攐r suck it up and eat crow.
It may not be coincidence聽that led host country Brazil to the World Cup’s semi-final round for the first time in 12 years. But if Brazil really did have a home-field advantage, what do we make of the team’s tournament-ending, humiliating loss to Germany Tuesday? While a large…
Our genetic profile only tells one piece of the story, but that hasn't prevented scientists from making some bold assumptions about human performance.
New research and recovery techniques suggest we have more time to restore cognitive abilities after a traumatic brain injury than doctors previously thought.
Ordinary items to get you extraordinarily fit.
Bet you didn鈥檛 think this would come up in your fitness regimen, but your esophagus needs love during training, too. Intense exercise can contribute to heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), and there’s a good chance that ramping up your routine may be causing your symptoms, says…
How do we put this nicely? If you’re anything like the participants in a recent Canadian study, you鈥檙e probably wrong about your workout intensity. (And yes, you probably are like them, considering that the group contained both men and women of different ages, ethnicities, and BMI classes.)…
Endurance coach and author Ben Greenfield guarantees your brain, guts, and groin will thank you
What鈥檚 one thing college kids and health nuts apparently have in common? Butt chugging. And a total lack of common sense.
Think of those tough spots as badges of honor! “Callus formation is a natural response to friction and pressure,” says podiatrist Megan Leahy of the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. “Because runners obviously take more steps than non-runners, calluses may occur more readily.” Calluses can be harmless,…
Studies and experts suggest that nasal strips like Breathe Right don鈥檛 improve athletic performance in adults in any measure鈥攏o improved VO2 max, ventilation, maximal work rate, lactate threshold, or lowered ratings of perceived exertion. And it appears the same goes for horses. 鈥淓quine nasal…
After 100 races he just keeps going and going
Climbers typically have little understanding of basic training principles. And changing that will unleash a whole new breed of alpine expert.
This may not be the answer you’re looking for, but it’s the truth: The most effective way to get back into shape (and stay that way) isn’t by just doing one magic move over and over. The good news? You may not have to work out more than or…
The multisport athlete wins at the GoPro Mountain Games for the eighth consecutive year
When Matthew Inman shared his running motivation with the Internet, the creator of popular webcomic The Oatmeal started a fitness sensation.
Why Clint Dempsey is the perfect player to shoulder Team USA's daunting World Cup campaign
On a sprawling farm in Vermont, Spartan Race founder Joe De Sena runs a business and a fitness crusade. He'll train anyone who shows up, with one major caveat: You must submit to his every cruel and unusual whim.
Depending on the school of thought you’re following, meditation can be practiced in a number of ways鈥攕itting cross-legged in a dark room, while on a long run, or even on a crowded bus with the help of a smartphone app and a pair of headphones. In general, though,…
A "#fitness" selfie now qualifies as a training tool. Go ahead and be vain. (You probably think this story's about you, don't you?)
Vitamin B12 shots have been around for years, and they’re often marketed as a miracle cure for everything from fatigue to depression to those stubborn extra pounds you can’t shake. And while it’s true that a B12 deficiency can contribute to those things, there is…
In an age of whiz-bang techno-training, it鈥檚 way too easy to lose track of what made us fit in the first place: quality movement, good food, and high-intensity common sense.
What do you get when you cross three former Navy SEALs, an attorney, degrees from Harvard鈥檚 business and Kennedy schools, and passion for the mountains? A brand new breed of eco-friendly obstacle race.
An inside look at how professional climber Angie Payne trains for big time bouldering competitions. She's placed 11th at the Toronto World Cup, and is slated to compete at the GoPro Mountain Games World Cup in Vail.聽…
New Healthkit app displays live fitness data, connects doctors and patients in real-time
A new report details the factors behind our surprising speedskating failure in this year's Olympics鈥攁nd any athlete can learn from its findings.
What you can do beforehand, at sea level and once you hit the mountains
They say that showing up (or, in this case, putting it in writing) is half the battle鈥攕o for that, congrats on a big first step. Now, for your question: Science says that at 40 you are definitely not too old to benefit from a regular exercise routine. Great news, right?…
The fitness giant works hard to polish their public image鈥攖o the extent of confronting or even suing those who criticize CrossFit on social media. What gives?
There's no denying the popularity of CrossFit. And there's also no ignoring its TV potential. Enter the NPFL: In a bid to monetize functional fitness, an ex-CrossFit exec has a bold, new plan to attract sponsors and fans. Just don't call him a sellout.
Shane Niemeyer started exercising in prison after hitting rock-bottom. We talked to him about his path to become a regular Ironman competitor who's now gunning for a spot at the World Championships in Kona.
Harvard and MIT researchers did recently publish a study that found exposure to silver nanoparticles, found in clothing, toothpaste, toys and other products, can cause substantial DNA damage. But before I get to your main question, let鈥檚 look at why that news might鈥檝e frightened you. A nanoparticle…
Two-time World's Toughest Mudder champ Junyong Pak, 36, on mastering the mud
You train to race outside. We get it. But to go your fastest鈥攁nd stay your healthiest鈥攜ou might just need to enter the gym.
When it comes to performance anxiety, fitness competitions can be a lot like taking the SATs or giving an important speech. And yes, over-thinking or stressing about them beforehand can, indeed, cause you to “choke,” according to a study presented last week at the British Psychological Society’s…
It's exploded in popularity recently, and it's not going anywhere. But can OCR make it to the Olympics?
It's never too late to start training, just keep at it
Study finds correlation between lack of exercise and deficient long-term memory.
The stopwatch is a big part of CrossFit and other “functional fitness” circuit-training programs: Timed workouts (and WODs, in CrossFit speak) allow athletes to measure their performance against fellow gym-members and their own previous sets. But there’s a time and place for the stopwatch, most experts say, and it’s not…
It鈥檚 not necessarily the facility that counts when you鈥檙e waking up at ungodly hours of the morning to clean and jerk鈥攊t鈥檚 the quality of the instructors, and the camaraderie of the friends who join you there. In fact, each CrossFit gym is supposed to be uniquely inviting, whether it's…
"As Seen On TV" equipment may not get you any results鈥攁s we've said all along.
You fall, hit your head, and suffer a concussion. How long will it take to recover? It depends.
In his new book, Spartan Race founder Joe De Sena spells out his recipe for success. The main ingredient? Pain.
Former pro speed skater Apolo Ohno is ready for a new challenge. Here he offers his advice for other aspiring distance athletes.
Pairing your running with explosive, maximal strength training primes your muscles for peak running performance. Think loaded squats鈥攏ot bodyweight circuits鈥攚hen it comes to improving race times.
They鈥檒l always be injured but they鈥檒l rarely admit it. That might be changing, though, as bull-riding cowboys begin to think of themselves鈥攁nd treat their bodies鈥攎ore as professional athletes and less as ranch laborers.
Scurvy set into Wilson Price Hunt's party until the Shoshone mega-dosed his explorers on their super-high-C "bush" remedy.
The only fix to tight hips is a good lunge and twist
If you've been fruitlessly spinning your creative wheels you might want to take a cue from Stanford University researchers and try getting out on your feet instead.
If you’re looking for an excuse to hit the massage table more frequently (or to justify the expense if you’re already doing it), you’re in luck. A recent study from the University of Illinois at Chicago backs up what we’ve long suspected: Massage therapy…
You're pathetic. Really. According to the latest research, human fitness has decreased so dramatically in recent years that even the strongest of us would consider ancient men to be, well, monsters.
Drugs that affect hormones have the potential to cause all kinds of screwy side effects in the body鈥攂ut fortunately, there’s not much evidence that medications like birth control or antidepressants will slow you down on the track or impede your progress in the gym. In fact, some research shows…
Reduced-oxygen training room Air Fit opens in Bay Area
Lyme disease is up 21 percent in dogs, but that doesn鈥檛 mean your ultimate adventure companion has to stay in the kennel鈥攕o long as you take these precautions before hiking this summer.
Why your thoughts go from brilliant to batty on your run
Good news! Your post-race pavement pizzas don鈥檛 have anything to do with your lactate threshold. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to be running your lactate up when you鈥檙e doing things more intense, but the two are not directly related,鈥 says Dr. Stephen Simons, Director of Sports Medicine at…
Pieter du Preez overcame a horrific cycling accident, which left him paralyzed from the chest down, to become the first ever C6 quadriplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon. Now a Wings for Life World Run ambassador, this short film highlights his work ethic, his determination, and most importantly his…
Running and triathlon coach Brett Stewart聽gets this one from clients a lot: Between races that sell out months in advance and things that get in the way of training鈥攍ike injuries, travel, and plain old busy schedules鈥攊t’s not uncommon for athletes to show up on race day…
Three years ago, it seemed like every fitness rag was hyping chocolate milk as the optimal recovery drink. It鈥檚 been in the fridge all along! We didn鈥檛 even know! The drink鈥檚 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein, experts said, best promotes muscle repair and rebuilds energy stores after a…
More is always better, right? Well, maybe not. Ultradistance runners have been warned that their mileage isn鈥檛 exactly healthy. But they aren鈥檛 the only ones who should be thinking about the long-term ramifications of their training.
An Ohio CrossFit affiliate says an academic study got stats about injury rates in the popular workout program wrong. And it鈥檚 suing the researchers behind the data. Should science be scared?
More people die from opioid overdoses than car crashes, and Zohydro is one of the strongest yet to hit the market.
Ah, the ol鈥 鈥渕y resting heart rate is slower than yours, therefore I鈥檓 a superior athlete!鈥 argument. Cyclist Miguel Indurain famously had a resting heart rate of 28 beats per minute, and he won the Tour de France five times in a row, so it鈥檚 easy to see how…
Officially, there is no recommended diet or magic food to protect against osteoarthritis, a condition that affects nearly 27 million Americans 25 and older. (Women and obese people seem to be most affected, but previous joint injuries and repetitive use from sports may also increase your risk.) However, a…
It depends what you’re looking to achieve with your planks, says personal trainer and strength coach Jay Wright, owner of The Wright Fit fitness facilities in New York City and San Francisco’s brand-new NEMA community鈥攁nd, ultimately, which type you’re able to do most comfortably and correctly.
Training and nutrition has been an exciting (if unreliable) frontier for decades. But recent discoveries, combined with field-tested science, have debunked popular myths and established some ground rules for the outdoor athlete. Here's your performance 12-step program.
Skimo racing is one of the fastest growing sufferfests in the U.S., combining grueling big-mountain ascents in the worst kind of winter weather. So, naturally, two inexperienced, undertrained magazine editors couldn't wait to sign up.
We’ve tackled this topic before, but new research suggests that it’s time to revisit the age-old question: If you’re going to do both, should you lift before running? Or run before lifting? Back in 2012, we reported that a short, moderate-intensity cardio workout before weight training…
We've long known that sleep is important to your health, but a new study shows that skimping on your shuteye can lead to a lasting loss of neurons.
A drop of blood may be all it takes to tell if you've suffered a concussion.
You may feel fine hitting the trail or gym after one or two drinks鈥攈eck, you may feel great鈥攂ut there's more going on in your body than you probably realize. “Some research has shown that small amounts of alcohol actually increase muscular endurance and strength output鈥攂ut these benefits are very short-lived,”…
In one sense, SCUBA diving seems like incredible exercise: You strap 70-some pounds to your body, swim for an hour or so, then haul yourself back up a ladder and onto your boat. Most divers, though, will admit they’re not doing all that much, fitness-wise, while they’re down there.
Used to be, you blew a knee and your options back to action were few鈥攁nd long. But a fast-growing field of stem-cell therapy is ushering in a new, and much speedier, era of orthopedic recovery.
There鈥檚 at least one potential benefit to extreme winter weather: Shivering appears to torch significant calories by converting energy-storing white fat to energy-burning brown fat. In a recent study, National Institutes of Health investigators subjected volunteers to various environments (including some really cold ones) and found that…
As athletes, we are always trying to break walls, but sometime we end up breaking ourselves.
You're slim, but that doesn't mean you're fit. What matters most: staying active.
On a forgotten day in 1811, a scalped head would not only shape the American West but refashion the geopolitical future of the entire North American continent.