BBC:
Nepal lifts ban on Everest summit. Let the dramas begin.
Washington Post:
Walter Reed Tries Yoga to Counter PTSD.
Times Online.UK:
Summer hiking in the Alps. “At some point in the past 40 years, something happened to the Alps. They became unfashionable in summer. While you can’t move for folk on the slopes in winter, most of us wouldn’t be seen dead on an Alp once the temperature rises above zero.”
YouTube:
Riding rollers with one leg, no hands. Mad roller skills. Roller practice has done more for my riding ... both road and MTB. It enforces an economy and efficiency of motion, which reduces drag and extends capabilities.
No, I can’t do this. Not yet, anyway.
NY Times Travel:
Practical Traveler: Even a Weak Dollar Can Be Stretched. I’d say, get walking and plan to hostel.
NY Times Fashion & Style:
Changing Speeds to Go the Distance. You may hate ‘em, but intervals (what we used to call ’fartlek‘ in the olden days) work. The ice bath is new to me, however.
NY Times Europe:
French Bill Takes Chic Out of Being Too Thin. Diet, you lose muscle. Change the proportions of what you eat (protein, starchy carbs, good fats, etc.) and mix with exercise, you’ll reproportion the way you desire. Stay away from processed foods ... they’re made to go down fast and leave you not just wanting, but craving more.
I always believed
Kreitler rollers were the ultimate. I own a set, with “Killer” headwind fan. Apparently there’s a new kid on the block, with some innovative modifications. At a price.
NY Times Fitness & Nutrition:
Heart rate, observed in a vacuum, actually tells little about fitness. Try breathing through your nose (if it is clear). Nose-breathing has been demonstrated to regulate heartbeat and improve O2 uptake. On a treadmill, I perform better [getting a better workout] staying within my nose-breathing limit. Intervals, you’ll have to mouth-breath, but on recovery, try to get back to nose breathing as soon as possible.
[The best exercise tips I ever learned were those shared from boxers and boxing trainers - the above was one of those tips. I used to work out at a gym in Knoxville where the late Big John Tate and his sparring partners worked out, over on Merchants Drive. He and his partners were friendly as all get-out, willing to share their training knowledge with everyone and anyone. I had a stomach cramp while running, and they advised “Go get a banana from the snack bar.’ Ten minutes later, I was running cramp-free. Something about the potassium in bananas solved my problem. Boxers were also emphasizing ‘core training’ long before overindulgence in the fad began thickening the waists of America. Never had an interest in boxing, but I came to respect their years of training knowledge]
NY Times Fashion & Style:
60-Plus, Ripped, and Natural Competitors. Good that they’re staying fit at that age, but overuse is hanging about, waiting to take a toll. Personally, I prefer useful musculature and aerobic capacity for the sports I engage in. Carry too much chest mass, for instance, your running becomes labored. Hence, I’m beginning to consider adding Crossfit to my regimen. Carefully.
NY Times Fitness & Nutrition:
Yes, Running Can Make You High. Try it at our altitude here in northern NM ... 7,000 feet and higher.
NY Times Travel:
A Famed Alps Resort Schusses Into the Future. Zermatt is one of those places I just have to visit. Fascinated in my youth by Whymper’s exploits.
NY Times Health:
The Unwanted Bounce of Exercise. Many well-endowed women experience painful rebounding while taking part in active endeavors. The kinetics certainly fascinated me when I was a teenager, that’s for sure. No excuse for such collisions today. Some double up on bras, others recommend various specific brands. Title Nine seems popular, but read through all the comments for the full spectrum of options.
Reuters:
“Igor Volodin believes vodka is no more harmful than chocolate. He is proud to be the first Russian to produce the spirit in a special women’s version, designed to be sipped with salad after a workout in the gym.” I’ll be more careful in the gym parking lot from now on ...
Washington Post:
It’s on the tip of your tongue. Can’t recall that name? It’s normal aging, not dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Times Online.UK:
Buried alive, Chinese builder survives for two hours using Buddhist meditation. Just ... wow.
Retrovelo:
Old-fashioned balloon-tire bikes. There’s an English-translation catalog PDF, lower right.
NY Times Fitness & Nutrition:
Does Weight Lifting Make a Better Athlete? You have to optimise for the sport. Carrying too much muscle mass can work against you. Why would a runner or a cyclist build huge shoulders or arms? They need neither the weight nor the drag to excel at their sport. Seek advice. A personal trainer knows the difference between body building and sport-specific training.
“Faster than any other human-powered watercraft” …
The Aqua Skipper. Check out the vids. Obviously, work on those quads before purchase.
Washington Post:
Jump First, Ask Questions Later. “It’s about discipline and training the body in a series of constantly varied functional movements so that it will work in the way you need it to, when you need it to, and then using that body to move through the world in more creative and efficient ways, simply because it can and should.”
Globe & Mail.CA:
No puke, no pain - no gain. “Our training culture is polluted by body building ... [snip] ... It could be a very, very good thing to shift the North American training philosophy to a much more functional one.”
BBC:
Sir Edmund Hillary dies aged 88. Reading climber’s exploits was a staple of my youth (along with classic sci-fi). Thanks for fueling dreams, Mr Hillary. Rest in peace.
NY Times:
Portland, Ore., Acts to Protect Cyclists. Stamp out the ‘me first’ mentality for all operators of vehicles, and you’ll be even further on the road to safety.
SF New Mexican:
Missing snowboarders rescued from three-day ordeal. Knowing how to build a snow cave saved them.
NY Times:
“It is no longer enough to merely look good in spandex (though that’s clearly a requirement), so today’s video fitness stars are selling the idea that their bodies look buff despite their having given birth multiple times. That age has not withered them. That exercise — not plastic surgery or Botox — has given them that youthful glow.”
