 |
The Baby Boomer Athlete
Are you a Baby Boomer? If you were born between the years of 1946 to 1964, you are part of the 79.1 million Boomers, comprising 29 percent of the total US population. According to the AARP, every seven seconds a Baby Boomer turns 50! And, about one-third of Americans who take part in sports activities are Boomers. As this generation grows older, they are working harder to keep their youth and vitality, are staying active with physical activity, and unfortunately are experiencing more injuries than the generation before them. A US Consumer Product Safety Commission report states there were 1 million sports injuries to persons between the ages of 35 and 54 in 1998. This is a 33% increase over the same statistics of 1991. While this sounds like distressing news for aging bodies, many sports-related injuries are minor aches, sprains and strains that can be treated or even prevented using self-treatment techniques. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a lifelong athlete, the following suggestions may help you stay limber and relatively pain-free. Warm-up before stretching or an activity. Muscles that are warm through slow-paced pre-exercise such as jogging or walking, will be less likely to tear. Stretching before and after exercise. Stay limber and flexible. Stretching is one of the best preventive measures against injury. Get fitted with the proper shoe. This is a top priority especially for running, hiking, and cross training. Go to a running store with someone on staff who will analyze your walk, arch, and how your foot turns in or out during activity. They will then fit you with a shoe having the right amount of support or cushioning for your particular body type. This alone can substantially reduce the incidence of injury. Start daily conditioning. Do some type of activity every day to help condition your body for more strenuous weekend exercise. Try adding low-impact activities to the mix. Such as: Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Elliptical Trainer, Recumbent Cycling, Spinning. Add strength training to your weekly routine. Stronger muscles mean better joints and a more energized body. Create a workout program with balance. Combine stretching, strength training and cardiovascular exercises to keep your body in balance. Use R.I.C.E. If pain does creep into your body after an activity, use the technique of R.I.C.E. immediately to reduce inflammation. Never use heat in the first 48 to 72 hours after an injury occurs, as this will increase swelling and bruising. Rest-Ice-Compression-Elevation can make the difference in a fast, effective recovery from a sprain or strain. Try massage. For tight, stressed muscles, massage therapy can be a relaxing and helpful treatment for minor pain. Self-message is easy to do on legs, ankles and feet. Give cognitive behavior therapy a go. This therapy works on the concept that you can reprogram your mind to increase performance or decrease pain triggers, incorporating relaxation and other visualization techniques. Professional athletes have been using it for some time to rehearse a perfect performance in their mind before an event. Physical activity may produce its own set of challenges for Baby Boomers. But inactivity itself is a threat to health. A sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, stroke and some cancers. Regular physical exercise helps Boomers strengthen muscles, which in turn stabilizes joints, increases flexibility and keeps age-related diseases at bay. Better to be a buff Baby Boomer than a middle-age couch potato! This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury. About The Author Louise Roach is the editor of an on-line health and fitness newsletter. She has been instrumental in the research, testing and development of SnowPack, a patented cold therapy that exhibits the same qualities as ice. Her injury prevention and treatment articles have been published on running, walking and fitness websites. For more information visit: http://www.snowpackusa.com or NewsFlash*SnowPack at: http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash. Louise Roach can be reached at: info@snowpackusa.com
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Build Muscle Memory on the Go with PocketstringsThe GadgeteerThe idea is to work on chords and build muscle memory, not to mention some handy calluses, in places where having an actual guitar would be inconvenient. There is no way to strum though and no prerecorded “correct” chord sounds, so it's truly only a ... |
|
Burn fat, build muscleCincinnati.comThree local lawmakers will “wait upon the governor” as part of the State of the State address Tuesday in Steubenville. The ceremonial role includes members... After faxing seven national letters of intent for Lakota West football players, ...and more » |
|
Burn fat, build muscleCincinnati.comTrainer Trisha DeHall helps her clients, many of them middle-aged women, lose body fat and gain muscle through a system she calls “controlled confusion.” Her specialty at Fit Body Boot Camp in Blue Ash is a 45-minute structured, group session that ...and more » |
Hotelier Middle East |
Moevenpick Bur Dubai launches fat-burning menuHotelier Middle EastFood for Life is a new series of dishes included in the hotel's breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets which will help build muscle, improve digestion and increase metabolism, according to the hotel. The range of 'Fat Burners' on the Food for Life menu ... |
|
Everything You Need To Exercise Without Getting Off the CouchGizmodoMany will try and tell you that heading to the gym and using complicated workout equipment is the only way to build muscle and tone your body, but those are lies. We've put together a list of gear that will not only help get you in shape, ... |
Google News
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Anabolic Hormones - A Two-Edged Sword
When I was a young boy, emerging muscles were the coolest thing. If a vein popped out a little, that was even more awesome.
The Importance Of Creatine In Building Lean Muscle
Creatine monohydrate can rightly lay claim to being the most popular and arguably most effective bodybuilding supplement currently available. The beauty of creatine is that it is 100% natural and occurs in many foods so it's unlikely to be banned from any sports or competitions.
Why You Must Choose The Right Dumbells For Maximum Results Results
Embarking on a dumbbell exercise program? Then examine two
well known dumbbell brands If you are looking for high
quality dumbbells for your ongoing dumbbell exercise and
fitness training program then you should probably consider
Pro Style and Hex dumbbells, amongst others.While you can purchase cheaper no name brand dumbbells from
discount stores, buying the professional fitness equipment
manufactured by well known fitness manufacturers will help
you achieve your fitness goals in the longer term -offering
you safety, durability and reliability.
Planting And Nurturing Your Contacts And Resources
The success level of your bodybuilding endeavors is highly determined by the contacts and resources that you posses and have access to, as well as these that you can offer to the world of bodybuilding.Success is achieved through desire dedication, effort, simplicity, and consistency.
How Long Should You Rest Between Muscle Building Sessions?
In an earlier article we concluded that muscles must be worked to failure if an adequate hypertrophic response is to occur. Whether this involves one or more sets is irrelevant as in either scenario the muscles must be worked to failure and beyond.
Increase Your Training Intensity - Partial Repetitions
You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions, so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.
Tips to Help You Gain Weight
There are a couple of reasons why most people fail in their attempt to gain more muscle mass:A. Improper diet.
Can Growth Hormone Boosters Enhance Muscle Growth?
Many experts feel that supplementation with growth hormones offers exciting possibilities to adult bodybuilders, especially those aged over thirty. They should not be taken by anyone aged under twenty.
Ab Sculpting Exercise - One Of The Most Productive Exercises For Your Abs That Is Hardly Ever Used
Before I talk about one of the most productive and forgotten Ab Development exercises ever developed, you will need to know how your abdominal muscles actually work. I know for a fact, if I don't offer some pretty convincing evidence, it will be very difficult for you to believe such a claim so here is where a little education will go a long way to prove my point.
8 Tips To Building Your Dream Body
Just like routines, this document is not intended to be a
"one size fits all." Take from it what you will, but
please remember that what is most important is your health
and well being.
Muscle Building Workout For This Week!
As experts says, "NO PAIN, NO GAIN." This specially applies to Muscle Building.
How These 3 Basic Elements Can Be Used To Boost Your Own Muscle Gains!
The foolish idea that 'more is better' when it comes to bodybuilding goes directly against the basics of exercise science. When is comes to increasing your rate of muscle gains, more exercise is almost never what is needed.
Exercise The Right Way - The Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuiders' training regimes.
Why You Do Not have Killer Abs or that 6 Pack Abdominal Muscle
Ask any woman what is the most attractive part of a male body and most of the time, they will tell you it's the six pack abs, meaning that your abdominal muscle showing up with beautiful definition. Your abs is considered by many as a sexy muscle and is a symbol of a fit and healthy man.
Build More Muscle and Lose More Fat by Discovering the Power of Training Variables!
Everyone will inadvertently hit a frustrating plateau in their training at one time or another. You're cruising along for a while, gaining strength, losing fat, looking better, and then all of the sudden it hits.
Clothes and Shoes and Stretching
Now that we have a trainer, our next concern is to be equipped with the proper shoes and clothes, so our training experience can be maximized.
If your trying to create a great body you need to start with clothes and shoes that will make you feel good as well as look good! {The reason behind that is if you look and feel good you will tend to be in a motivated state of mind, and in this state we build consistency, this is where results come from.
Exercise The Right Way - The Flat Bench Press
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuiders' training regimes.
Beach Body Abs
With the return of warm weather in the spring, thoughts can never be too far behind of the approaching summer and the many wonderful outdoor activities that we'll often associate with it and among our top favorite summertime activities will always be the trip to the beach. Warm blue skies, refreshing ocean breezes, hot sand, cool waves and the many attempts at constructing the perfect sand castle; you can swear you're almost there just thinking of it.
Want to Do Everything Better? Build A Strong Core
Core strength and stability is increasingly recognized as a vital part of fitness. So what is it and how do you go about getting it? The past five years have seen growing interest in resistance, or weight training programs, aimed at achieving core strength and stability.
Exercise The Right Way - One-Arm Dumbbell Rows
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
|
