Sports « Weekly Gravy

A little bit of testosterone cream might help women run faster longer, a new study suggests. Some female athletes have naturally high testosterone levels that are similar to men, and there is controversy over whether it’s fair to allow them to compete against female athletes with normal testosterone levels. There’s a lack of clear evidence on how testosterone levels affect women’s athletic performance. To learn more, Swedish researchers gave 48 physically active, healthy women between the ages of 18 and 35 either 10 milligrams (mg) of testosterone cream or 10 mg of a placebo cream every day for 10 weeks. The researchers, led by Angelica Linden Hirschberg from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, assessed how testosterone levels affected aerobic performance by measuring how long the women could run on a treadmill before becoming exhausted. Average circulating levels of testosterone rose from 0.9 nanomoles/liter of blood (nmol/l) to 4.3 nmol/l among the women given the testosterone cream. There was no increase among the women who received the placebo. Compared to the women in the placebo group, running time to exhaustion increased by 21.2 seconds (8.5%) among the women in the testosterone cream group. The women in the testosterone cream group also had much larger gains in lean muscle mass than those in the placebo group. On average, testosterone levels among women who received the hormone cream… read on >

The most common misconception about weight training is that it adds bulky muscle mass, a fear of some women. While elite male lifters can — and want to — get very developed, for most people the result is simply well-toned muscles. Other benefits are increased mobility, more support for your joints and the ability to stay self-sufficient into your late years. As an added bonus, having more muscle can also help you with your weight goal. That’s because the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate and the more calories you burn. Add a calorie cut into the mix and you’ll lose weight. Muscle is denser than fat and it also takes up less room. That’s why you can look leaner yet actually weigh more than someone without muscle definition. To make the most of strength training, lift heavier weights than you think you’re able to. Yes, challenge yourself, staying within safe limits. You don’t want to try to lift a weight you can barely pick up off the weight rack, but most people underestimate the amount they can handle or fail to progress to heavier weights, according to the American Council on Exercise, and that limits the effectiveness of strength training. Keep in mind, too, that you don’t have to spend hours in the gym. All you need are 20 to 30… read on >

Chemotherapy can be hard on the heart, but an individualized exercise program may mitigate some of that damage, new research suggests. Heart problems are a common side effect in patients with cancer because cancer treatments can impair heart function and structure or accelerate development of heart disease, especially when patients have risk factors such as high blood pressure, according to the authors. They also noted that heart disease and cancer often share the same risk factors, and that cancer patients are often advised to have a healthy diet, quit smoking, control their weight, and exercise. The review paper, published online Oct. 6 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, emphasizes the importance of each patient having an individual exercise plan that takes into account personal history, cancer treatment, response to exercise and personal preferences. The researchers advised that exercise should start as soon as possible after cancer diagnosis, even before starting treatment such as chemotherapy. “Cancer patients are often less active than adults without cancer,” said study author Dr. Flavio D’Ascenzi, a cardiologist from the University of Siena in Italy. “However, exercise is essential for patients diagnosed with cancer who are under treatment, irrespective of the type of treatment. “Endurance training is more effective for improving cardiovascular performance and reducing inflammation, but resistance training may be a better starting point for frail cancer patients,” he… read on >

If you are older and you have heart disease, you might think you should take it easy. But new research suggests the opposite is true. Exercise is especially beneficial for patients who have a physical impairment, the study authors found. “Aging is associated with several factors such as increased inflammation or oxidative stress that predispose people to cardiovascular diseases. As a result, elderly patients are usually less fit than their younger counterparts, and deconditioning is accelerated once cardiovascular disease is established,” said lead investigator Gaelle Deley. She is with Faculty of Sports Sciences at the University of Burgundy Franche-Comte in Dijon, France. For the study, the researchers analyzed the results of 733 patients who underwent 25 sessions of a cardiac rehabilitation program from January 2015 to September 2017. The group was divided into three subgroups by age: under 65, between 65 and 80, and 80 and older. “We found a few weeks of exercise training not only significantly improved exercise capacity but also decreased anxiety and depression. Patients with the greatest physical impairments at baseline benefited the most from exercise,” Deley said. The report was published Oct. 8 in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. “Another interesting result was that patients younger than 65 who were very anxious before rehabilitation benefited the most from exercise training,” Deley said in a journal news release. “A similar result… read on >

You say that you can’t get to the gym or afford to hire your own personal trainer, but you want a routine made just for you. It might not be mission impossible after all. Why not consider online fitness training with your computer, smartphone or tablet, and a workout pro on the other end? There are almost as many of these offerings as there are exercises themselves. Some websites offer live action, two-way trainer-led workouts with the instructor watching you and able to give corrections. Others offer customized routines that you follow from a video library or with an app. Many will track your progress and update your routine as needed. Some provide monthly consultation phone calls or video chats or feedback when you send in a videotaped workout, and answer your questions via text. As you investigate the choices, check that the trainer is certified by an established fitness organization. Leading Certifying Fitness Organizations American Council on Exercise National Strength and Conditioning Association American College of Sports Medicine Ask for references and read comments on social media, not just testimonials posted on the website. Beware of unrealistic promises. Compare the costs from different companies so that you know what you’re getting for your money. Online training isn’t right for everyone, especially if you’re out of shape or have medical issues. But even then, it… read on >

(HealthDay News) — For many people, moderate-intensity exercise throughout the week is recommended, says MedlinePlus. At the same time, neglecting rest can backfire. MedlinePlus mentions possible symptoms of too much exercise: Being unable to perform at the same level. Needing longer periods of rest. Feeling tired, depressed, anxious or irritable. Having difficulty sleeping. Having sore muscles. Getting overuse injuries. Getting more colds than usual.

Foam rollers are great tools for improving range of motion before a workout and easing soreness as part of the cooldown after exercise. Rollers come in different densities. As a general guideline, choose low-density if you’re a beginner or if you’re rehabbing and need to slowly work to increase blood flow to the injured area. Medium-density rollers often have raised lines to encourage more oxygen and blood to reach the spot you’re working on. High-density foam rollers are made for more advanced athletes. The technique for using a foam roller is simple. Position the roller directly under the muscle or area you want to reach and gently roll back and forth on it. Take care not to roll over any joints. For hamstrings, position the roller under your legs, just above the backs of the knees. Press your hands into the floor to lift your rear off the ground and slowly roll back and forth along the length of your thighs. For calves, move the roller below the knees and roll to just above the ankles and back. For quads, turn onto your stomach and place the roller under your thighs. Prop yourself up on your elbows before you roll back and forth. If you feel a knot or trigger point, stop when you roll onto it and press into the roller for 20 to… read on >

You’ve signed up for your first fitness event and you’ve mapped out your training schedule for success. Now add mental preparation to the plan. It’s essential because the very physical training that gets your body into shape for competition can dull your mental motivation and even bore your muscles, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. So, build in some variety. Instead of your usual stretching, take a yoga class once a week. If you weight train with free weights, try resistance bands. If cycling is your typical cardio, try a rowing or cross country ski machine. Next, add mental exercises, starting with visualization. Take a few minutes each day to run through the event in your mind, from picturing yourself full of energy at the starting line to working with focus during the event to sailing through to the finish. Try to see the image in as much detail as possible — your clothes, the air temperature, the balloons at the starting line. Draw on all your senses to experience the moment. This not only motivates you, but also tamps down any nervousness you might have. Be your own booster squad. Use positive words to encourage yourself, and remind yourself of past accomplishments as you resist focusing on any doubts. Think about the fun element of the activity, why you love the sport,… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule can improve your health and fitness, and reduce your risk for disease, says MedlinePlus. From yoga to weightlifting, there are many types of exercise to choose from. To make the most of workouts, MedlinePlus suggests: Choose activities that work many different parts of the body. Choose activities that you enjoy. Exercise safely with proper equipment. Listen to your body. Don’t overdo it. Give yourself challenging, but realistic goals.

Research published in the Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics highlights two important steps for improving diet and exercise habits. The first is getting practical and personalized tips for making changes that you’ll permanently adopt. The second is developing the inner motivation needed to help make the first step stick. The study recruited adults from a rural area in the South with limited access to a gym and other health-oriented facilities. To help them make positive changes, each had four sessions with a wellness counselor who gave recommendations tailored to their lifestyle. These included making realistic changes to the typical southern diet they normally ate, with an emphasis on how to make better fat and carb choices. They were also given a fitness goal of 30 minutes a day, such as walking at least 7,500 steps at least five days a week, plus information on where to find farmers markets for healthier food as well as local parks and schools where they could walk. Although researchers thought that rural participants would have a harder time making healthy changes than city dwellers, those who lived in the country lost more weight and became more active than those in healthier, more supportive environments. In fact, some became so motivated that the farther they lived from a gym, the greater the number of steps they took. Everyone trying to… read on >