4ucycling

In today's world less and less time is spent on our health. Exercising has become a very small priority in many of our lives. We all know that we should exercise and while many of us want to, we feel that exercise just simply would not fit into our current life style for various reasons. Exercise is particularly important when trying to lose weight. I bet you know this and the other benefits of exercise as well as the next person. We all do. However, the majority of people continue to either do the least amount of exercise they can or simply do none at all. If we all know the benefits, then why are we not doing enough exercise? Let's consider four common excuses and what we can do about them. No Time to Exercise? This is one of the main reasons for lack of exercise. However, it is not about the amount of time we have available but how we use it. Look at what your do on a daily basis. Could you get up half an hour earlier and fit something in? How about the hour or s...

Hello and welcome to "5 Great Exercise Routines", the aim of this article is to give beginners (or re-starters) to regular exercise some good options to consider before getting into it. I have only included types of exercise with which I am personally experienced, this way I can highlight both the major benefits and potential problems, this knowledge will allow you to take the good and leave the bad from whatever exercise routines you decide upon. First up we are going to have a close look at boxing, now before you recoil in horror from this violent and challenging sport please understand that I'm not suggesting you jump in at the deep end with sparring sessions and fights. That part comes later if you personally decide it should, what we are looking at in this article are the sometimes overlooked benefits of regular boxing exercise. The first is greatly increased stamina, after a few regular training sessions (and especially if you stick to it) your lung power wi...

Sodium is the most important mineral that is lost in sweat during prolonged exercise. Marathon runners are particularly susceptible to hyponatremia, a deficiency of sodium. Other important electrolytes include magnesium, potassium and calcium. In addition to electrolytes, several key vitamins that are important for energy metabolism, including vitamin B3, B5, B6, B12 and folic acid. Zinc and chromium are co-factors for the enzymes involved in energy production. Vitamin C and zinc are antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress that occurs after strenuous activity. Recent studies have shown an increase in plasma homocysteine in athletes after strong physical activity. Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid help reduce homocysteine levels. Calcium, vitamin C and Aloe vera may also aid in recovery after strenuous physical activity. Calcium Calcium participates in muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Calcium is a component of bone, and is particularly important for female a...

A lot of people take up sports to get into shape. Indeed, someone may feel that they are not getting enough exercise and will want to get fit to improve their health and their body. Playing sport allows muscles to relax and gets your body fit. The key improvements of fitness that sports provide are cardiovascular and strength. Cardiovascular involves the improvement of stamina and improves lung capacity. Strength comes from the muscles shaping patterns during heavy movement. Both are evident in many sports that help with fitness and below are five top sports that you can take up to make you more fit: Running is a good sport to take up for fitness. Many health clubs have running clubs you can join - they not only give you an incentive to keep it up but also to start you off slowly and as you get more and more into it to get faster. Others enter marathons and fun runs. Running helps build up stamina and your cardiovascular system, as well as being good for your heart. This is because a...

Every day I hear from people who try really hard, and just can't seem to lose weight. There are a number of "hidden" reasons this might be happening to you. A woman's weight can be traced to her emotional well-being, with diet binges occurring during courtship and in the lead-up to weddings, according to a British survey. There's a great many reasons why a woman's weight may fluctuate. Some might say it's a hectic work schedule preventing them from getting to the gym. Others may suggest it is the temptation of the office chocolate machine. But the research suggests that there's only one real reason - their men. A study into the ups and downs of the female weight-cycle showed happiness - or the lack of it - in a relationship is the biggest factor. The report found early courtship usually brings with it a strict diet regime resulting in the loss of around 5lb. After women enter Stage 2, which is the comfort zone, when they feel secure enough to...

As we all know, sports are the best way to keep your body and mind fit. The outdoor and sometimes even indoor games help people to enhance their mental and physical performance. Cycling is the game for youths. Cycling is the best way to build self-confidence of doing something and to make ourselves believe that we can work even harder to achieve results. In this regard, summer time is the best time for the bicycle race. In this game, the majority of participants are youngsters. Cycling can be organized in day time as well as in night time. Just like in any other racing games, the track length in cycling varies from a short one to longer ones. There are some racing tournament that extends from one state to another. Indeed, a test of endurance. Cycling is an international level sport which is also helpful for tuning of the body. In this game, people push the paddle of the bicycle and in that case it's the exact and accurate exercise of the body. People who become obese due to any...

Beautiful people need exercise too. It is rightly said Healthy wealthy and wise all are interrelated and complementary to each other. To work hard and to fight with the turmoil difficulties, a healthy body is required. It is in healthy body where proper mind dwells. In today's world where people are surrounded by so many diseases to keep fit is an essential quality. Exercise is must. It is through proper exercise that we can keep our body fit and to fight with odd circumstances. With proper diet exercise should be part of daily routine. Though it is not possible everyday but at least cycling can be done for half an hour daily. It is cycling alone can help to keep the body fit and fine. Cycling is an overall exercise which keeps the body toned. Through cycling we can actually keep ourselves fit. In many developing countries people started commuting to their offices by cycles. It is not matter of shame or sign of poverty. It is actually part of body exercise and keeping the envir...

Consider the following scenario: Your training schedule includes a weekly track or hill workout. One week, you hit your workout targets right on. You are brimming with confidence. The following week, the identical workout is awful with no apparent reason why. You feel bewildered and discouraged. Knowing where you are in your menstrual cycle can provide valuable insight into your performance. Let's examine why and how to use this knowledge to your training and racing advantage. The menstrual cycle is comprised of three phases. During the Follicular Phase (Days 1-14), estrogen levels are low, except for a spike near Day 14. Ovulation begins on Day 15. The Luteal Phase (Days 16-28) is marked by relatively high but stable estrogen levels. Also, progesterone levels peak, inducing a much-higher-than-normal breathing rate during exercise. Not only does estrogen level affect your cycle, it also impacts what type of fuel is available for working muscles and consequently what type of w...

Parents should provide their kids with fun ways to stay healthy. Kids need tools to help them keep in shape. Too many kids stay inside too much and don't get enough exercise through out the day. There are many fun ways to encourage kids to stay in shape and I will share some of my ideas in this article. Most adults would probably say that exercising is tedious and boring. However kids often times think that it is exciting. I think this is because everything is very new to children and plus they usually have tons of energy just waiting to get out of them. There are so many fun ways for parents to encourage there kids to start getting active. There are tons of outdoor activities like volleyball nets, basketball nets and other fun lawn games. There are many indoor activities too! You can get safe colorful tumbling mats or indoor kids exercise equipment. There are even video games especially made to help kids get healthy. The Fisher Price Smart cycle can actually help kids instead ...

There were 45 of us, brave souls all. Under an optimistic blue sky, we stood with our bicycles on the shores of the Bosporus on the Asian side of Istanbul, posing for the camera, helmets strapped on. The date, August 4th, 2007. In 15 minutes, we would embark on what some regarded as an impossible, even a foolish, expedition -- a 10,700 km journey that followed the legendary Silk Road. A three and one- half month trek across Asia, ending in front of Beijing's Forbidden City. Difficult? Certainly. Foolish? Perhaps. Impossible? Not a chance. Indeed, it was not the first such epic bicycle journey that I had undertaken. In January 15, 2003, I and 32 other adventurous spirits embarked on the inaugural run of the Tour d'Afrique -- from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa in 120 punishing days. That very first day, in the shadow of the Pyramids, the question I posed to myself was: 'can this really be done'? Can we cycle every meter -- later acronymed and defined as EF...

I am off to buy a new bike today after my last one was 'borrowed' by an unknown party. So, I thought it would be a good time to talk about the benefits of cycling. I did not grow up with a bike, so for me cycling is not something that comes naturally at all. However, now that our roads are becoming safer and dedicated bike paths are much more common, there are some great reasons to get in the saddle... 1. Simple to get started The great thing about cycling is that you can decide how much you want to invest. Unlike a gym or other fitness activities, there is no monthly fee or regular outgoings. There is a lot of equipment to choose from, but if you keep things simple you can get started for a very reasonable cost. My tips include buying a second hand bike or keeping an eye out for the end of season sales. You will find some great discounts this way. Once you are committed to the sport, then you can decide what added extras you want to invest in. My favourite is the ...

Alongside learning how to use your gears correctly, learning how to brake correctly is a key part of cycling safety. Whether you need to stop suddenly or simply control your speed on a descent, knowing how to brake properly can make road cycling far more comfortable. Whilst your instinct may be to slam on the rear wheel brake whenever you need to stop quickly, locking the back wheel can cause skidding and loss of control. On the other hand, slamming on the front wheel brake could well send you flying over the handlebars! Instead of using one brake, therefore, if you are looking to improve your cycling safety and minimise your chances of suffering a serious injury it is generally best to try to use both evenly, as this will produce a more balanced and controllable stop. Unfortunately, there are many amateurs out there who are fairly slapdash when it comes to cycling safety and travel tremendously fast when descending. However, unless you have a contract with a professional team, it...

ecades ago bicycles lost their place as a primary mode of urban transport  in many cities from Los Angeles to Beijing, with a few exceptions such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Now, with the boom in bike-sharing, the bicycle is coming back to take its well-deserved role in cities. Unless we screw it up. Since the early 2000s, bike-share systems started to pop up around Europe. China is now  host to most shared bikes thanks to public incentives in last 5 years. Recently, 3 bike-share companies in China, Mobike, Ofo and Bluegogo, have raised collectively $1 billion, igniting a bike-share boom around the country. In most metropolises of China there are now several networks of bike rental providers one can choose from, with tens of thousands of bikes belonging to each. Until only two years ago, bike-sharing was not considered profitable without public subsidies due to expensive technology. However startups like Donkey Republic have managed to change that perception. It is likely...

 The 24.8-mile (40-kilometer) bike segment of an Olympic-distance triathlon, sandwiched between the swimming and running portions, is the longest of the three disciplines—and the most critical to winning the overall race. It’s where you can make up or lose the most time. For performance-optimizing tips, National Geographic Adventure asked Susan Williams, 2004 Olympic bronze medalist in triathlon and the only American to medal in the sport to date. During her race in Athens, Williams suffered a crash near the end of the bike course and was passed by a handful of cyclists, but got back in the saddle quickly and chased down the competition for a spot on the podium. Here are Williams’s tips for mastering cycling for triathlon. 1. ADD AERO BARS Triathlon-specific time trial bikes are different from traditional road bikes in that they have tighter geometries: A triathlon bike has a more compact frame to get your body in an aerodynamic position to cut down on drag. But they...

“Where do I start if I want to lose weight?” I think I have heard this question hundreds of times over my last 10 years in the fitness industry. While everyone’s blueprint for weight loss will (and should) be different, there are definitely certain starting blocks that work for absolutely everyone. You’re not alone if you don’t know where to start. There are tons of people just like you and you should not feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask this question. But hopefully this posting will answer this question and you won’t need to ask it anymore – that’s my goal! Where to start for weight loss: 1. DECIDE! This is the #1 most important thing ever. YOU have to decide that you’re sick of the way you’ve been living and it’s time for a change. YOU have to hit that point – no one will be able to force you to do it. YOU have to put in the work every day, so this commitment and decision have to come from YOU! I’ve worked with people before who hadn’t fully decided but hired me as a trainer any...

Most of us have experienced neck tension or pain at one time or another. These are often caused by poor posture or degenerative changes to the cervical spine. The result is stiff muscles in your neck and shoulders, pain and limited mobility. Neck tension and pain can occur for several reasons. Causes of neck tension Poor posture: constant strain on your head and neck due to incorrect positions, movements and permanent stress at work, in your daily life or when exercising Mental stress: psychological strain Weak immune system: for example, due to a cold Accidents and injuries: for example, whiplash or a pulled muscle In my opinion, and that of many experts, the main reason for neck tension and pain is often a lack of mobility of the thoracic spine. The thoracic spine is designed to move in the form of rotations (turning), flexions (bending) and extensions (straightening). However, the opposite is often the case in daily life. We have turned into marathon sitters and couch potato...

If your plan is to go live abroad, or if you’re just looking for your next holiday destination – have you ever considered traveling to Icaria, Costa Rica or Japan? Their inhabitants are among the world’s healthiest and oldest populations. In addition, there are even more places you should definitely pay a visit. Dan Buettner, American explorer, educator & author, called them “blue zones.” People who live in those blue zones are said to live a happy and looooong life: Nicoya, Costa Rica Every resident who turns 100 is presented in the news there. In 2012, an incredible 417 people celebrated their 100th birthday in Nicoya. One of their secrets of longevity is sleep. They go to sleep right after sunset, then rise with the sun the next morning. Sardinia, Italy On the island of Sardinia, people still hunt, fish and cultivate their foods themselves. Family-related values are of utmost importance there, leading to a long and happy life. The Sardinians are convinced that a strong, hea...

Are you feeling tired and a bit under the weather? Are you often sick during the cold months of the year? We all know this problem. But if you keep a few simple things in mind, you can greatly reduce your chance of illness. We have put together the seven best tips for strengthening your immune system to help keep you healthy and fit during the winter. 1. Wash your hands & do it right How many times a day do you shake hands, touch doorknobs or handle money? Every day we come into contact with thousands of germs and bacteria. Wash your hands several times a day with plenty of soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds. 2. Clean your tech devices regularly Your devices are also teeming with germs. You touch your smartphone, tablet or laptop hundreds of times a day. Clean them on a regular basis and don’t be afraid to use disinfectants. 3. Eat a healthy and balanced diet (garlic, cauliflower and broccoli are unknown miracle workers) What’s not to like about broccoli and cauliflowe...

According to studies, people who eat breakfast usually weigh less – and those who skip the first meal of the day tend to choose high-calorie foods later for lunch and dinner. Nevertheless, breakfast is not always breakfast! A bowl of store-bought chocolate granola is loaded with sugar and anything but healthy. It all comes down to a balanced meal. Now, it’s time for a reality check: are you guilty of these five breakfast mistakes? Mistake #1: You have breakfast on the go Instead of making breakfast, you hit the snooze button. Then you pick up something quick at the bakery and scoff it down in the car or the train. And you think, “What’s the harm in this?” After all, our body doesn’t care if we eat at a table, on the go or in a rush. But what does matter is how much we concentrate on our meal: people who focus on their breakfast tend to eat more mindfully. The results of a study suggest that walking distracts our brain and therefore we consume more calories when we eat on the go. Pl...

Say Goodbye to Takeaway: Homemade Broccoli and Shrimp Stir-Fry Do you love Chinese food? Then this is the perfect recipe for you. This Asian broccoli and shrimp stir-fry is ready in only 10 minutes. Ingredients (serves 2): 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (canola or coconut oil) 350 g shrimps 350 g broccoli 1 tsp sesame seeds 1 spring onion (chopped) Ingredients for the sauce: 1 Tbsp ginger 1 garlic clove 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp oyster sauce 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp cane sugar 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp cornstarch Instructions: Grate the ginger and press the garlic clove. Combine both with the rest of the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the shrimps and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the broccoli. When the vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes), pour the sauce over the top. Mix everything well. Sprinkle the broccoli and shrimp stir-fry with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions. Serve with rice. One serving (without rice) has 330 ca...