[Sportsandrec] Still trying to catch up with everything here...

[Thornbury, Kelly]

I'm saddened, this list was rather quiet in the days leading up to my going out of town, but I was excited to get back and find so many issues/submissions to the Sports&Rec list. 

So, after a long aerobic workout, the metabolism does stay elevated for a couple of hours as the body begins to refuel the muscles and repair the "damage" from the workout (no worries, this type of damage is a good thing, and makes you stronger in the future). As for the bike you put in your trainer, I'm along the same mentality as Ron I think...Could I get away with my 15-year old $100 T400 or my Cannondale V-frame with the full suspension...of course because in the end its about the heart rates and efforts; but, I would much rather put my carbon-fiber Trek with the Dura-Ace 9-speed components and deep-dish Mavic rims. I actually have to work harder on this bike (faster cadence and higher gears) because the drive train is so much more efficient. Its nothing more than an "ego" thing and the warm feeling in my heart for the machine I have beneath me. I'll even occasionally put my old Time Trial (TT) bike in the trainer from time to time...something I began building years ago when I was still sighted, and have continued to update with some of the latest technology...A bike that would never be legal in any racing I know of, is uncomfortable as all get out, has a gear ratio that makes me cry like a little baby (55:11 at the top end)and is fast as holy hell on the road...all to spin my little heart out in the confines of my dorm room :) 

Ashley, most of my friends think I'm just as nuts as I think you are implying. No, its usually just me and the dog out there rolling around in the snow, but they are willing to join me for hot cocoa (with the little marshmallows) later. Playing in the snow might be a "youth" thing, but I don't mind letting my childish behavior out once in a while, and most of my friends see this as defining me more than anything else (like blindness). I'm always that "dummy out playing in the snow in shorts" rather than that "blind guy running around in shorts." And there is nothing wrong with doing the "sighted guide" thing for power walking...sometimes its just the company rather than any reflection on your cane skills...consider it your part to enlighten people on the "approachability" of blind people. Check around at your campus clubs and such, there just might be a "walking club" or something. Or, if your campus has a "classifieds" listing on their website, this may be another source for looking for workout partners. 

JSNM, I would have thought "Ice Ice Baby" would be more appropriate than "California Dreamin" The puppy loves the peanut butter in the Kong too, but that's for really special treats, otherwise she goes for the jar with that "you never feed me" look (hard to resist with those puppy dog eyes) every time I make a sandwich. And, the shorts, sandals, and "no shirt" dress still comes out (when in appropriate places) during the winter...the advantage of "polar sun bathing" is you get double the sun's intensity from the reflecting snow...double the tanning potential. 

Anita- You can put that bike just about anywhere, and move it around from room to room if you like, just be sure it is put back in the trainer securely (more than once I've neglected making sure my bike is mounted properly, and have come out of the trainer and rode across the living room). One thing to make sure of is that your back tire sufficiently clears the carpet while you are on the bike, otherwise you might melt the carpet with friction from the tire. I find placing the bike on a hard floor is better in general, and I place a small piece of cardboard under the front tire to keep from marring up the floors. . You can set the whole thing up so you can watch your favorite TV programs if you like, sometimes it makes the workouts go by quicker. When I'm home from school I put my rig up on the back deck...its that "outdoor" feeling with the wind, rain, or sun that puts me into "another world" as I ride. Where ever you pick your bike from, have a bike shop give it a good once over, this will make you happier and more willing to ride in the long run. 

Haben- Try contacting the local ski schools. A place as big as Mt. Hood probably can put you in contact with an adaptive ski instructor who works with blind skiers. Also try USABA, they may also be able to give you some contacts out west. 

LM- You are right when it comes to burning calories. Muscle mass is the most metabolically active tissue in the body, and a balance of resistance training, cardio, and diet, are important. 

Justin, Kris,  and the "Band Theory"- Bands are an effective exercise tool, but there is an inherent problem with elastic resistance like bands. Any piece of exercise equipment (bands, the BowFlex or CrossBow) that uses elastic resistance applies the resistance in the exact opposite fashion than the muscles of the body are designed to generate force. That is, the bands give their greatest resistance at the end of their stretch, and the least at the beginning of the lift. Conversely, the muscles generate their greatest force at approximately 90 degrees of joint angle (usually towards the beginning of the lift in many multi joint exercises), and the least force when the joints are reaching 180, or 0 degrees of angle. Think of doing a squat where there is almost no weight on the bar when you are in the lowered position, then lifting the weight until you lock out and then adding the heavy weights. Your best gains come from recruiting the most muscle fibers as possible, and the lighter resistance at the beginning of a band movement just doesn't allow for this because once you reach the end of the movement, the muscles have a greater mechanical advantage over the joint and fewer fibers are needed to continue the lift. Bands do have their place certainly, but if you are looking for big improvements, use a variety of exercises and types of resistance. Some trainers swear by using bands for "jump" training...where the athlete has a harness connected to bands and jumps off the ground. All this does is speed your fall back to Earth. At the point of the band's greatest resistance, you are off the ground and your muscles are producing no work at all. You just hit the ground harder when you come back down. There is an eccentric component to this type of workout, but honestly, its not worth the risk of injury, and eccentric specific exercise is best left to those conditioned enough to deal with the DOMS that usually accompanies these types of workouts. . And Justin, you are right on about calorie loss...Basically, to lose calories, don't put as many into the body in the first place. 

Anita again- It sounds like from your post that you are just getting back into working out. Don't forget about other activities of everyday life that can contribute to your accumulation of physical activity...Taking the stairs, parking farther away from the front do or of the store, vacuuming, washing the car, working in the garden (or shoveling snow if you are not in 80 degree Florida), and the like. Exercise is great for increasing performance-related components of fitness, but all these other activities do contribute to the health-related components of fitness too. 

Well, hope I haven't bored everyone. I'm off to the bike and BowFlex...three days at the center with all the good food but without a good workout has got me wired and going through withdrawals!!!

Kelly