Pro-Sports

Sugar… it’s the new silent killer. That’s the new message that has been slowing making the headlines in recent times. We used to think it was cigarettes and alcohol that we had to be wary of. Now, it seems, we have something even more insinuating in our daily lives that is whittling away at our health – sugar. If you want the full story, you can watch it on Youtube and get it straight from the horse’s mouth. You can also read about it from Science Friday: A Fallacy of Biblical Proportion. Here are the salient points:

• Contrary to popular belief, you can be fat and healthy, or skinny and unhealthy. 
• Exercise won’t help you lose weight but it will help you keep it off.
• A calorie is not a calorie.
• Despite all the media on the dangers of obesity, you don’t die from it, you die from Metabolic disease.
• It all comes back to sugar.

Why oh why did it have to be sugar? Of all the things I could have done without, sugar did not make the list. But it’s time to face the truth that our food is making us fat and even our children are addicted to this junk. If you are also in despair, here’s a book with a plan that will help you take steps in the right direction:

Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease

The focus of this book is not to lose weight but to improve our health. Of course, if weight loss is a side effect of improving our health, then it will be a happy one.

If you don’t want to read the book, here are a few habits you can work on immediately:

• Increase your intake of fruit, vegetables and fiber.
• You should eat your fruit rather than drink it because fruit juice contains even more sugar than the equivalent amount in soft drink. Also eating the fruit means you’ll also be consuming the fiber which negates the negative effects of the sugar in the fruit.
• If you need fluids, stick to milk and water (apparently lactose is okay).
• Reduce your consumption of processed foods. What foods are processed? Anything with a label. So when you’re shopping at the supermarket, your food is only “safe” if it doesn’t have a label.

For the rest of Robert’s advice, I shall leave you to read the book for yourself…

Have you heard of the Insanity workout? If you haven’t, check it out…

What’s the Insanity Workout?

The Insanity Workout is a series of plyometric drills combined with intervals of strength, power, resistance, and core training exercises. It is essentially a modified form of interval training where you do bursts of high intensity exercises interspersed with short periods of rest as you alternate between aerobic and anaerobic exercises.

What’s great about this workout? No equipment or weights are needed and you can do it all in the comfort of your own home because the Insanity Workout comes in 10 DVDs. Apparently, you don’t have to be in extreme shape to do it either but word on the street is that it’s so intense, you’ll be struggling to make it through your first workout if you haven’t already been working out before you start this program.

The promise is a beach-ready body in 60 days (if you follow the plan, that is).

The 60-Day total body conditioning workout DVD program comes with 10 DVD workouts:

1. Dig Deeper & Fit Test: To start, Shaun will put your body to the test and see what you’re made of. (30 minutes)
2. Plyometric Cardio Circuit: Burn fat with intervals of intense lower-body plyometrics and sweat-inducing cardio. (40 minutes)
3. Cardio Power & Resistance: Build lean muscle and upper-body definition with strength-training and power moves. (40 minutes)
4. Cardio Recovery & Max Recovery: Shaun goes easier on you once a week so you’ll be ready for the next round. (80 minutes)
5. Pure Cardio & Abs: Nonstop, extreme cardio workout. (40 minutes)
6. Cardio Abs: Do explosive intervals of cardio and core moves for rock-hard abs. (20 minutes)
7. Core Cardio & Balance: This workout lets you take a break after month 1 and gear up for month 2. (40 minutes)
8. Max Interval Circuit: With MAX Interval Training, this circuit is more intense than anything you’ve ever done before. (60 minutes)
9. Max Interval Plyo: Push your legs ‘til they beg for mercy with power and plyometrics, all at your MAX. (55 minutes)
10. Max Cardio Conditioning & Abs: Get pushed to your limit with this extreme cardio workout. (50 minutes)

To help you along, you will also get their:

• Elite Nutrition Plan: A meal plan specifically designed to fuel your body for these intense workouts.
• Fitness Guide: It’s short and to the point, with just the information you need.
• Insanity Calendar: Allows you to track your progress through month 1 and month 2, set workout goals, and stay motivated the whole time. Plus, the Fit Test Tracker tracks your results as you transform your body.
• Free Online Support Tools: Stay inspired with round-the-clock access to fitness experts and peer support.

No time for the Insanity workout? Apparently there is insanity beyond insanity and it’s called: INSANITY Fast & Furious: 20 Minute Maximum Fitness Results Workout DVD. This DVD takes the original 45 minute Insanity Workout and crams it all into 20 minutes.

For the fitness fanatics, you can take the Insanity Workout one step further with the INSANITY Deluxe: MAX Interval Sports Training & Insane Abs Workout DVDs. What do you get with this? The Insanity Workout with:

• 3 more intense cardio workouts
• Professional-grade jump mat; and
• FREE body fat tester

If that’s not enough, you can get the INSANITY: The ASYLUM Deluxe – 30 Day Sports Training Workout DVD Program with Chin-Up Bar.

And don’t leave the kids out! Shaun T, creator of the Insanity Workout, also has one for the kids (as long as they are 7 years and above): Shaun T’s Fit Kids Club Workout DVD Program with Snack Ideas. The kids will be able to “cool it” and “groove it” with Shaun T, and learn to stay healthy and fit at the same time. It’s so fun, they won’t even know they’re exercising…

What is stemming?

Stemming — Technique in which the hands and/or feet are pressured in opposition far out to each side, as in a dihedral or wide chimney.

Stem – Pressing both feet against opposite holds.

Watch a video on how to perform this technique in rock climbing.

Stemming is not a difficult move. As a child, I would stem door frames and narrow corridors. I used to do this exercise, too (just for fun, not for training).