Austin, TX (PRWEB) September 29, 2010

VidaOne Inc, a global leader in health and fitness mobile software, announced today that its fitness application MySportTraining is now available for Android phones. In addition to tracking every detail of cardio and strength workouts, it fully synchronizes with VidaOne Diet & Fitness for Windows PC. MySportTraining has been available for 10 years and now runs on Android, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Windows Mobile and Palm OS.

MySportTraining is a fitness application specifically designed for Android phones that includes all the features required to track every detail of cardio and strength training workouts, plan them using an integrated calendar, and analyze them using various charts. It’s a full-featured fitness app: it can record outdoor workouts using GPS tracking (including manual or auto laps), or provide a muscle chart to help choose exercises at the gym. It can track routes, locations, exercises (sets, reps, weight, rest, exertion, equipment), intervals (sets, duration, recovery, max heart rate, exertion), heart rate (with training zone) and workout gear, It can easily be configured to include personalized activities, exercises, intervals, routes, etc. Other useful fitness features include an activity filter, a list of the “personal best” workouts, automatic workout gear tracking (for example, to track the current mileage of a pair of running shoes), a heart rate training zone calculator and an integrated search.

“We are very proud of offering MySportTraining for Android” said Jean Louis Gareau, president of VidaOne. “A significant portion of our customer base are now using Android phones and were awaiting MySportTraining, especially with its capability of synchronizing workout data with our Windows PC application VidaOne Diet & Fitness”. The data synchronization is done via Wi-Fi and ensures that all the workout data entered on the phone are available on Windows PC and vice-versa. Using a Windows PC in addition to an Android phone not only makes workout analysis much easier, but it also prevents the loss of information stored on the device in case the phone is lost, replaced or upgraded. And because MySportTraining is also available for iPhone, Windows Mobile and Palm OS (BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 versions are in the work), people can still review their workout history even if they switch to a completely different phone.

“MySportTraining was initially released 10 years ago on Pocket PC. Thanks to customer input, it has over time grown to the most complete fitness tracking app available today, and is very well suited for Android” noted Gareau. “And thanks to the synchronization with VidaOne Diet & Fitness, I not only have my last 10 years of workouts on my Android phone, but I also have every single detail I entered for every workout.”

For more information about MySportTraining, please visit VidaOne web site at http://www.vidaone.com/mst_android.htm.

Related Outdoor Workouts Press Releases

‘Go Workout Apparel’ Launches On-Line Fitness Clothing Store

Gilbert, AZ (PRWEB) December 7, 2007

Go Workout Apparel, The New Authority in Performance Wear, has begun on-line sales of men’s, women’s and infant clothing as well as workout accessories at http://www.goworkoutapparel.com/.

“We want to provide fitness enthusiasts with high quality, great looking and comfortable workout clothes. Currently, there is a shortage of quality fitness apparel choices. It’s our goal to change athletic clothing,” said Go Workout Apparel founder Skip Wood.

Many items in the Go Workout Apparel, http://www.goworkoutapparel.com , inventory feature moisture wicking technology to help combat overheating during various types of workouts and outdoor activities. Skip, a Phys. Ed. teacher for the past 10 years, says, “Whether you’re playing golf, doing yoga or power lifting, our line of performance gear certainly gives you a competitive edge. It doesn’t hurt that you’ll look great too!”

Go Workout Apparel has also announced plans for a nationwide fitness model search. One male and one female will be chosen to take part in an upcoming photo shoot and appear in future advertisements. “This is an excellent opportunity for people who work hard to look good to make some extra cash and get great exposure. What could be better than basically getting paid to workout?” asks Wood, who has appeared in numerous ads in the fitness industry including current TV commercials for the popular weight-loss product “Hydroxycut”. Check out the website, http://www.goworkoutapparel.com/ for complete model search details.

“We’re striving to bring a more updated look to the fitness and workout clothing arena. We stand behind all of out items 100 percent. If we would not wear it, we would sell it. As for the infant clothes, people at the gym want their kids to look sharp in the daycare too right?”

Future plans for Go Workout Apparel include expanding existing inventory as well as adding youth, maternity and mixed martial arts lines.

Contact:

Skip Wood

Go Workout Apparel

514 W. Ensueno Ct.

Gilbert, AZ 85233

Web: http://www.goworkoutapparel.com/

Email: info@goworkoutapparel.com

Phone: 480-570-6402

 
More Outdoor Workouts Press Releases

Moms Get Fit While Pushing Strollers to Stroller Workout Video

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) November 4, 2005

Two years ago, while pushing her newborn son in a stroller, Sara Holliday, personal trainer and aerobic instructor since 1992, wondered how she could help moms get back their bodies after having a baby. Knowing from friends the difficulty of finding an opportunity to workout, let alone the worry of putting their babies in day care, Sara developed “Fit Momma,” a Stroller Workout for Moms. Her goals were to develop a fun and challenging workout that would tone a mom’s entire body while meeting other women with common interests.

Sara’s class, Fit Momma, quickly grew to 28 members by word of mouth. Consistent Fit Momma exercisers noticed great strides in weight loss and muscle tone. Fit Momma member, Libby Nelson stated, “I have enjoyed Sara’s stroller workout so much I plan my week around it. I’ve enjoyed the challenging workouts and the results; I’m so much stronger and fit now. The camaraderie with the other moms has been fantastic; I’ve made some wonderful friends who enjoy being active and healthy.”

Sara wanted to continue to help moms all over the world who wouldn’t have the opportunity to take her class. Therefore, she recently decided to produce “Sara Holliday’s Stroller Workout for Moms, DVD/CD”. It’s a DVD that has the same feel as her Fit Momma class.

Sara’s Stroller Workout DVD is the first outdoor stroller workout DVD of its kind. It allows moms the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with their baby while getting fit, and having fun. When she instructs, it feels like she’s right there with the moms, encouraging them to reach their goals.

Recently, “Sara Holliday’s Stroller Workout for Moms DVD/CD” and “Fit Momma” class were featured on a local television station, KUSI, Channel 9. The news clip can be viewed on Sara’s website at the link: http://fitbysara.com/preview.html. Sara continues to present a monthly fitness topic on KUSI Channel 9.

Sara’s Stroller Workout for Moms incorporates intervals of cardio exercises (i.e., walking or jogging), with intervals of kickboxing, lunges, squats, pushups, and tricep dips. As an added bonus, the DVD includes toning for the inner and outer thigh, plus yoga. Sara’s DVD also includes an audio CD so moms can do the workout outdoors.

Although the DVD was just released on October 17, hospitals have already taken an interest in distributing her DVD to new moms. Marketers are looking into the possibility of attaching Sara’s DVD to a stroller.

Sara’s ultimate goal is to help as many moms as she can to look and feel their best. “Sara’s Stroller Workout for Moms DVD” appears to be the ideal solution.

You can find more information about Fit Momma and Sara’s Stroller Workout for Moms DVD at http://www.fitbysara.com or call 1.800.568.3820.

Interview Contact:

Sara Holliday, Owner of “Fit Momma”, Producer of “Sara Holliday’s Stroller Workout for Moms DVD/CD”

Telephone: 858.354.5963

http://www.fitbysara.com

information @ fitbysara.com

FITBYSARA.COM

P.O. Box 714, Poway, CA, USA 92074

Voice 858.354.5963 or 800.568.3820 Fax 858.883.2168

It is a provided fact that we must acknowledge the importance of eating healthy meals for us to stay healthy. Actually, youngster today are much expose to several kind of foods, from candies, hamburgers, fries and others that one are available in any store.

Staying healthy is easy to be said than done, the fact we already know some great benefits of being healthy and yet many of us find it hard to accomplish it.

Possibly because people today especially the young ones has the tendency to enjoy their lifestyle, not thinking about their particular health. All of us went to that stage therefore i think we can understand that and could relate along with it. But being a responsible person, I would like to emphasize here the worth of eating healthy foods.

There are many steps for one to follow if he or she is determined to have a healthy life. But these actions are without the usual calorie counting, because it only takes away the fun when one have to count the calorie he had take when he eats. The schedule becomes a boring one for him and makes him stay away from these plan. Having a balance meal is the foremost move to make, separate the low high quality foods from the quality ones. It is a “must” for one to know the nutrients he is getting from the foods he is eating.

Foods that are low in nutrients is unhealthy so better to avoid this type of food and instead look for those foods that are natural along with fiber rich foods. Try eating food inside small portion in your every meal, for balanced diet means feeding on in moderate. Too much intake of anything at all is bad for your health.

Eat more as often you can, as long it is in small servings only. In this way, your metabolic rate is keep on being high which will result in releasing your excess fat in safely along with healthy manners. However it is also advisable to eat a heavy breakfast which is the most important part of the day. We need our energy in high soul and our sugar level in place. Missing eating a breakfast will make you hungry as ever and will make in order to crave for any meals that is available within your reach.

Eating healthy also means watching your food intake, the idea of skipping meals is just not good for it will only make you to be starving and there is the tendency that more calories will be used by your body within your next meal. When you are eating, whether you are in a rush, make sure you chew your food properly. Because eating your food fast can affect your digestive system which is not good for your whole body. Last on the list is to have a plenty of fruit juice intake. Water and fruit juices are important because our body is composed of 70% of water, so drinking plenty of it will keep hydration levels with normal stage. And besides, it could also helps in eliminating toxins out of your body.

Eating healthy can be related in viewing your weight, because like this, you are conscious from the food that your body is taking. The habit involving eating anything with your way will result in developing excess weight that is not advisable for to have. There are lots of fitness programs you may encounter with a offer of giving you a healthy body, but these programs would only cost you money and your time…the best way to achieve that healthy body is just by simply changing your eating habits to a balanced eating habit.

More Benefits Of Eating Healthy Articles

The importance and benefits of eating healthy during pregnancy

If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, you know that now it is more important than ever to follow a healthy diet. The benefits of eating healthy during pregnancy have been well documented. Pregnancy is very demanding on a woman’s body and the early months of pregnancy are a key time to begin nourishing yourself and your baby. Studies have shown that what you eat during the months prior to conception can also greatly impact the future health of your child.

Fetuses born to mothers who have unhealthy diets may be premature or have other problems at birth. In addition, recent research indicates that what a mother eats during the early months of pregnancy may determine her unborn child’s predisposition to certain diseases, such as diabetes and cancer.

So how can you make sure that you are getting all the nutrients you need during your pregnancy

Use the Food Pyramid as a Guideline

An easy way to make sure that you eat a balanced diet during pregnancy is to follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food guide pyramid. The food pyramid lists the USDA’s recommended daily food allowances. Currently, the USDA recommends that healthy adults eat 6 to 11 servings of bread and grains, 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 to 3 servings of dairy, and 2 to 3 servings of protein every day. Fats and sweets should be used infrequently. As a pregnant woman, you should try to eat at the higher end of the pyramid guidelines to ensure that you are providing your baby with adequate nutrition. While the phrase “eating for two” is commonly used during pregnancy, in truth a pregnant woman should try to consume about 300 extra calories per day.

Important Nutrients That You Need

Folic Acid– One of the most important nutrients that you need during early pregnancy is folic acid. Folic acid helps to prevent neural tube birth defects. In fact, folic acid is so important that many physicians recommend that all women of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. Folic acid is found in most brands of prenatal vitamins, but you should also supplement your vitamins with folic acid found in food sources. Orange juice, broccoli, leafy greens, and fortified whole grain breads and cereals all contain folic acid. If you are not yet pregnant but plan to become pregnant, you should try to begin taking folic acid supplements several months before you conceive.

Calcium— Calcium is important for baby’s developing teeth and bones as well as to maintain your own bone density during pregnancy. Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, calcium-fortified orange juice and beans.

Protein– Protein is crucial for baby’s developing brain. Some good sources of protein to consume during pregnancy are eggs, lean meats and poultry, dried beans and lentils. Fish is also a good protein source, but during pregnancy watch your intake of certain types of fish, such as tuna, swordfish and mackerel, due to the high levels of mercury that they may contain.

Iron– Iron aids your developing placenta as well as baby’s cell formation, so be sure to eat plenty of iron-rich foods like leafy green vegetables, dried beans, tofu and lean red meat. Some women experience iron deficient anemia during pregnancy. If this is the case for you, your physician may prescribe an iron supplement for you.

Potassium– Bananas are loaded with potassium, which may help prevent those painful leg cramps that are common during pregnancy. If you experience frequent leg cramps, try eating a banana each day.

Water– Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day during your pregnancy. By drinking plenty of water you will keep yourself hydrated and it will help you to avoid common pregnancy ills such as constipation and hemorrhoids

. In addition, water helps you deliver important nutrients to your growing baby.

Foods to Avoid– During your pregnancy you should avoid deli meats and soft cheeses, like brie and blue cheese. These foods can contain harmful bacteria called listeria, which can be dangerous for your fetus. In addition, avoid unpasteurized foods and try to limit your caffeine intake during your pregnancy. Alcohol should not be consumed at all while you are pregnant.

There are modern diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease that can be directly linked to our diets.  Such diets are high in saturated fats and glycemic load which is another way of measuring the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.  By changing your eating habits you can start to lower the risk of or even reverse many of the problems and disease caused by a bad diet.  The benefits of eating healthy are too many to mention, but here are 5 that I consider to be in the top:

1. Weight Loss and management

A well balanced diet together with physical activity is one of the best ways to lose excess weight and keep it off. Drastic weight loss diets may work at first, but people tend to put it all back on and sometimes even end up with more fat than before they started. So a healthy diet is key to healthy weight loss and weight management.

2. Improved skin tone

When your skin gets all the nutrients it needs from your diet, it becomes supple and has an even tone. A well hydrated, clear and healthy skin is an indication that you are eating a well-balanced healthy diet.

3. Higher energy levels

One massive benefit of eating healthy is having an increased level s of energy. When you eat a bad diet or eat late at night, you will always feel tired because your body is digesting food instead of resting. Eating healthy on the other hand, causes your metabolism to rise and you will have higher energy levels.

4. Better sleep

If you eat healthy foods at night you will find that you sleep better. A badly diet results in poor sleep because your body is busy trying to digest and excrete the toxins instead of gaining rest.

5. Protection from chronic disease

By keeping to a healthy diet you will slowly build up resistance to diseases. You may never realize what health problems you may have developed had you not started to eat healthy.  The benefits of eating healthy include protection from diseases like diabetes and heart problems caused by high cholesterol.

So start today to improve your quality of life. Your health is priceless.

Find More Benefits Of Eating Healthy Articles

The number of obese and overweight people is increasing gradually due to various reasons, in a result of which, a considerable growth in demand of Diet Pills can be seen as they provide an instant cure to people from obesity. The reason why a diet pill has become very popular among all age groups is that it offers people the most convenient and fastest means to get rid of undesired pounds.However, regular exercising is always considered the best to reduce unwanted weight but due to lack of time, people have to adopt some other ways, one of which is consumption of Diet Pills.

Since, taking diet pills is something which is directly associated with health, one should have a detailed idea about each and every important fact pertaining to Diet Pills in order to avoid any future mess. Here is some important information related to diet pills

What are Diet Pills?

Diet pills are anti-obesity medicines or weight loss drugs that reduce or control weight. These drugs reduce weight by either altering metabolism, appetite or in other ways.However; the various categories which can be found of Diet Pills are Prescription Diet Pills, Non-Prescription Diet Pills, Appetite Suppressants, Fat burners, Carb Blockers, Natural Diet Pills etc.Each type of Diet Pill performs a precise function making people lose those undesired pounds by suppressing appetite, burning fat, lowering intake of calories or by increasing the metabolism of body.

Prescription Diet Pills

These are the weight reducing pills that must be taken as per the prescription of a doctor or a physician, hence are called Prescription Diet Pills. However, prescription diet pills are recommended to people who

• With Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and more than that
• With BMI of 27 and having obesity conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure

It is believed that people who wish to lose a few pounds are not entitled to use prescription diet pills. Some of the famous prescription diet pills are Phentermine D or Phentermine Diet Pills or Adipex Diet Pills.

Some of the facts that must be taken into consideration before going to buy Diet Pills are

• Always consult your family doctor first who can suggest which diet pills can be beneficial for you and how to take them
• Do not forget to go through diet pills reviews which are a great source to gather relevant information about a particular diet pill as you can collect the facts and the experiences of people who have already consumed respective pills
• After undergoing diet pills reviews, make sure that you are buying best diet pills
• If not taken properly, diet pills can make you suffer several potential side effects like constipation, excessive sweating, insomnia, drowsiness, dry mouth etc.

So, buy diet pills but don’t forget to consult your family doctor first so that you can lose your weight in a most convenient manner.

When going to buy diet pills, you must consider some important facts pertaining to these if you want to avail actual benefits. Since everything has some pros and cons, diet pills also have the same. Helping millions people in losing undesired weight effectively, Diet pills also pose some undesired results if not taken under proper guidance of doctor. Although, people remain health conscious but sometimes they ignore some factors that can affect their health, in a result of which they are caught in health troubles. One should not forget that health is supreme and any decision which can be vital to health should be taken after consulting with doctor to avoid any probable health risks. However, Diet Pills are considered quite effective to get rid of undesired weight, but taking the prescription of health specialist before going to buy diet pills is a requisite.

However, diet pills have earned today great reputation being the easiest means of reducing weight, but still, the purchase of diet pills always requires serious contemplation on the part of the consumer as there are a variety of diet pills available in the market and not all are meant for everyone. The decision to buy diet pills cannot be taken in an instant and the buyer must possess some prior information and knowledge about the pills that he is willing to take for getting rid of excessive weight effectively. Diet Pills Reviews offer in this regard detailed description of the experiences of users and also, the variable facts pertaining to such pills. The Diet Pills Reviews generally contain all relevant information about the different types of diet pills and are considered a best and reliable source of information

How Diet Pills Reviews can help?

• They give ample information about all types of diet pills including the ingredients, chemical components, probable functions , price, expected results, terms of use , potential side-effects etc.

• Rating is done by users and experts with regard to effectiveness, cost and results attained

• Comparison is done between various brands and similar pills

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In other words, Diet Pills Reviews help new users to determine which pill can work for them.However, Diet Pills are classified into two broad categories i.e. Prescription Diet Pills and Non-Prescription Diet Pills.

Prescription Diet Pills are those which should be taken under the complete supervision of doctor or physician .These pills are meant for the people who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more than 30 and are diagnosed as obese. Most of the prescription diet pills such as Adipex or Phentermine act in nervous system of the body and suppress the appetite. Although, some act as fat blockers as release the fat as soon as it gets blocked.

The adverse effects that one can experience during the course of consumption of these pills can be anxiety, dry mouth, nervousness; constipation etc. It is strictly recommended that the pills should be taken in the combination of proper exercise and balanced food intake.

Apart from all these, first and foremost thing which all should do before going to buy diet pills is to consult with family doctor because he is the person who can better suggest which pills can be ideal to buy.

The present article informs about the hype diet pills have recently experienced among enthusiasts seeking for effective and safe weight loss and related important facts pertaining to diet pills.

Obesity is a major health concern that is taking toll of a large section of society in current scenario. Changing lifestyles and eating habits are all culprits for this trend becoming a threat now. What is thus required is taking strict steps to combat with the problem and take effective measures to regain the lost health.

The health industry is presently noticing a boom with many new products making way and offering promising results. But, something that is backed with authenticity and results just the way they are promised is what diet pills portray. This is the primary reason that more and more obese and overweight individuals are likely to buy diet pills with the desire of losing weight.

Basically, Diet pills are classified into two major categories, Prescription Diet Pills and Non-Prescription Diet Pills. Prescription Diet Pills are those that can be taken under the supervision of doctor only, however, Non-Prescription Diet Pills do not require doctor’s prescription and can easily be bought from any health store. Some of the widely-used Prescription Diet Pills are Adipex and Phentermine. Apart from these, Diet Pills are also regarded with some other names as well such as appetite suppressants, fat burners, fat blockers, carb blockers etc.

With the availability of several types of Diet Pills available in the market, it is obvious for people to get confused as to which diet pills will be ideal to get effective results. In this regard, Diet Pills Reviews are very helpful to give required information about some of the well known diet Pills. Usually, these reviews contain essential facts about a particular diet pill like its chemical composition, terms of use, potential side-effects, effectiveness etc. One of the big advantages of these reviews is that one can easily read them online over the internet.

In other words, the Diet Pills Reviews provide the required adequate guidance for selecting the best diet pill to meet the weight reduction needs. In addition, one thing which nobody should forget is that not all diet pills are meant for all as every person has his/her own medical history or present health condition. This is why, it is always best to consult family doctor or health specialist before going to buy diet pills in order to avoid any probable health risks. Simply relying on just Diet Pills Reviews is not enough, consulting with doctor is also essential.

Thus, it can be said that there are many unexamined reasons that lead to weight gain in life of individuals, varying responsibilities in different phrases of life, all contribute to this gain significantly. But, now combating weight gain that may have occurred due to any underlying reason seems achievable with diet pills as your companion to good health.

So, get a solution that is doable and convenient with results that are no less than astounding with best diet pills, offering you best results. Buy Diet Pills and settle for nothing but the best for your health and wellbeing.

Physiological Principles of Exercises & Sports
– A brief discussion

Sport life is full of challenge &competitions which only increases day by day. Players should therefore keep regularly update themselves with the most recent advancement & scientific training methods, equipments etc. Equally important is the basic knowledge of human anatomy, exercise physiology along with diet & nutrition etc. Given below is the basic physiology of exercise & sports which both a trainee & trainer should know, the details are not discussed here.

The knowledge of sport physiology helps us to understand the ultimate limits to which several of the bodily mechanisms can be stressed. Exercise, as we all know, is just like a double edged sword, which might proved lethal if some of the extremes of exercise were continued for even moderately prolonged periods.

Muscular physiology in exercise

Understanding the physiology of muscles in exercise is very important. The most important determinant of success in sports depends upon three qualities of muscles- Strength, Power & Endurance. 

The strength of a muscle is determined mainly by its size, & resistance training which it received (which also increase a muscle size) & to some extent on hereditary/genetic & other factors. Males has a relative greater muscle mass in compare to females, thanks to the male hormones, testosterone which has a powerful anabolic effect & causing greatly increased deposition of protein everywhere in the body, specially in the muscles. Female hormone, estrogen on the other hand causes mainly deposition of fat specially in the breasts, hips & subcutaneous tissue.

This does not mean that females will always lag behind males in every sports, in some events like swimming in cool water for long distance, women have at times held records, which may be due to the availability of extra fat, providing heat insulation, buoyancy & the extra long-term energy.

The contractile & holding strength of a muscle depends upon its cross sectional area- maximal contractile force: 3-4 kg/cm sq. of cross sectional area & maximal holding force: 4.2-5.6 kg/ cm sq. of cross sectional area (1kg force means approx.10newton force). This amount of force is large enough to easily damage tendons, joints, ligaments & the muscle itself. As the holding strength is about 40% more than the contractile strength, a forceful stretching of maximally contracted muscle is one of the surest ways to create the highest degree of muscle soreness.

With proper training muscles get hypertrophied (an addition of 30 to 60 %), due to mainly increase in diameter of muscle fibers, & to some extent a little increase in the number of fibers. Not only the muscles enlarged but also their capabilities of both anaerobic metabolic system & aerobic metabolic system (specially increase in the maximum oxidation rate & increase in the efficiency of the oxidative metabolic system as much as 45%) are greatly increased. 

Muscle training is equally important for muscle development & muscle strength. It has been established now that muscles that function under no load, even if they are exercised for hours on end, increase little in strength. This shows the importance of resistance muscle training programs. Also it has been proved that for rapid development of strength in muscles they have to contract at more than 50% maximal force of contraction, even if the contractions are performed only a few times each day.

This leads to a useful conclusion- six nearly maximal muscle contractions performed in three sets 3 days a week give approximately optimal increase in muscle strength, without producing chronic muscle fatigue. 

Another point to note is that muscle strength increases about 30% during the first 6 to 8 weeks of resistive training program but almost plateaus after that time. Muscle training is very useful in old age when most of the muscles get atrophied due to sedentary life style, in whose case often more than 100% muscle strength can be achieved.

Another point to discuss is regarding power of muscle contraction which is very different from muscle strength. It is the measure of total amount of work that the muscle performs in a unit period of time, measured in Kg-meters per minute. A person has the capability of extreme power surges for short period of time (a maximum of 7000kg-m/min in the first 8 to 10 seconds), whereas for long-term endurance events, the power output of the muscles is only one fourth (about 1700kg-m/min in the next 30 min, 1.167 min after starting the exercise) as great as the initial power surge. 

But the athletic performance is not four times (actually about 1.75 times greater) during the initial power surge as it is for the next 30 min, this is due to the fact that the efficiency for the translation of muscle power output into athletic performance is often much less during rapid activity than during less rapid but sustained activity. 

The ability of muscles to deliver extreme amounts of power for a few seconds to a min or so depends upon the percentage of ‘fast-twitch muscle fibers’ present in them, which are specially designed for that purpose. For example, the higher preponderance of fast-twitch fibers in gastrocnemius muscle gives it the capability of forceful & rapid contraction of the type used in jumping.

On the other hand, ‘slow-twitch muscle fibers’ are designed to provide endurance, delivering strength of contraction over many minutes to hours; the greater percentage whose presence in soleus muscle makes it suitable for prolonged lower leg activities. 

Genetics inheritance determines the varying percentages of fast-twitch & slow-twitch muscle fibers in the muscles of an individual, & hence to some extent the athletic capabilities of different individuals. This also explains the fact that some types of sports are most suited to some persons, for example some people are born to be marathoners, others jumpers or gymnasts. Unfortunately, athletic training has not been shown to change the relative proportions of the two types of muscle fibers.

Endurance is another measure of muscle performance. Stamina of a healthy player is largely determined by the endurance of his or her muscles. Endurance can be roughly measured by the time a player can sustain the sporting event until complete exhaustion. Endurance depends upon the amount of glycogen that has been stored in the muscle before the period of exercise.

High carbohydrate diet stores maximum amount of glycogen (40g/kg of muscle) in the muscle than other types of diet (high fat diet in contrast stores only 6g/kg of glycogen, being the least). Also high carbohydrate diet makes full recovery of exhausted muscle glycogen in about 2 days (48hours), in contrast players on high fat, high protein diet or on no food al all show very little recovery even after as long as 5 days.

These lead us to an important conclusion-Players should have a high-carbohydrate diet before a grueling sportive event, also he/she should not participate in another exhaustive exercise or sportive event during 48 hours preceding the previous event.

Muscles require energy constantly not only for contraction (a muscle can shorten up to a maximum of 30 % of its total length during contraction) but also for relaxation, in the form of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate). ATP is supplied to muscles by-stored ATP in muscle itself, Phosphocreatine-creatine system, which can reconstitute the stored muscle ATP (together called phosphagen system); Glycogen-lactic acid system, having the ability to reconstitute phosphagen system & the last, Aerobic System which can provide enough energy to reconstitute all the above system. 

The phosphagen system can provide upto 4 moles of ATP per minute & can provide maximal muscle power for 8 to 10 seconds ;i,e; used by the muscle for power surges of a few seconds. Glycogen-lactic acid system generates 2.5 moles of ATP per minute & can provide 1.3 to 1.6 minutes of maximal muscle activity but the muscle power is somewhat reduced. 

The aerobic system (concerns with oxidation of foodstuffs-glucose, fatty acids & amino acids-to provide energy) on the other hand generates only 1 mole of ATP per minute, but can provide maximal muscle activity for unlimited time (as long as the nutrients last), & hence is required for prolonged athletic activity. 

Most of the combat sports sparring including boxing utilize both Glycogen-lactic & aerobic systems, whereas the performing competition like for kata in karate or poomse in Taekwondo mainly uses Phosphagen & glycogen-lactic acid systems. 

The stored glycogen is metabolized in two steps-1st step with no oxygen requiring & generating energy (4 ATP for each glycogen) & 2 pyruvic acid molecules for each glycogen-this is anaerobic glycolysis; 2nd step with with the oxidation of pyruvic acids in the mitochondria of muscle fibers & release of large sum of energy.When there is insufficient oxygen in this 2nd step, most of the pyruvic acid of the 1st step is converted in to lactic acid (this constitutes the Glycogen-Lactic acid system). 

Also when large amount of ATP are needed for relatively short to moderate periods of muscle contraction, this anaerobic glycolysis is used as it provides ATP 2.5 times faster than the oxidative mechanism of the mitochondria (as we know for rapid muscle contraction Phosphagen system is used which can provide ATP twice as fast as the Glycogen-lactic acid system). The use of this anaerobic system means generation of large amount of lactic acid which can cause extreme fatigue. 

Our body contains about 2.05 liters of stored oxygen which can to be used for aerobic metabolism even without breathing any new oxygen. This stored oxygen is used up within a minute or so in heavy exercise, also it takes a few times for the circulation to deliver the extra oxygen required by the working muscles. 

During this period of non availability of oxygen, ATP is primarily produced by anaerobic mechanisms (phosphagen & lactic acid system). This causes oxygen-deficit at the beginning of exercise. This oxygen deficit is repaid after the stoppage of exercise in the form of oxygen-dept which is approx.11.5liters (2.05 liters for the storing of oxygen in the body+9.45 liters to reconstitute phosphagen & lactic acid system) & hence even after the exercise is over, the oxygen uptake still remains above normal, at high level for the 1st 4 min & at a lower level for another 52 minutes.

Physical performance or fitness is inversely related to the oxygen-deficit, & physical training & warm up decreases the oxygen-deficit; therefore warm up & physical training increases physical performance & fitness. Also when adequate amounts of energy are available from oxidative metabolism, a large portion of the lactic acid is converted into glucose mainly in liver which replenish the glycogen stores of the muscles; the remaining lactic acid is converted back into pyruvic acid & oxidized to release energy.

Warm up is very important & is essential part of every sportive event. Warm up effects:

(a) Increase the blood flow & nutrients to working muscles.

(b) Increase level of mitochondrial enzymes & energy stores causing lesser use of anaerobic work.

(c)Prevents heart damage during 1st few seconds of heavy exercise; otherwise there will be inadequate blood flow to the heart.

(d) Prevents muscular or connective tissue injuries. 

Physical training is, as discussed above, one of the most important determinant of athletic performance & fitness. Physical training effects:

(a) Improvement in psychology of the athlete, & the decrease in psychic stimuli to vasomotor & respiratory centers.

(b) Cardio-respiratory response reaches a steady-state early with optimal blood flow distribution.

(c) Greater fats are used for energy, sparing glycogen, which lead to increase endurance of the athlete as physical performance is a direct function of the glycogen stores. 
This is due to the decrease in respiratory quotient, RQ, which is the ratio of the volume of carbon dioxide produced by the volume of oxygen consumed during a given time, because of the aerobic training (RQ for 100% fats utilization is 0.7 as compared to 0.83 for proteins & 1 for carbohydrates).

(d) Higher Vo2max.(explained later)can be achieved. This is due to increase in maximal cardiac output; increase in arteriovenous oxygen concentration difference; decrease of peripheral resistance & less increase in both systolic & diastolic blood pressure; less increase in pulmonary ventilation & less stimulation of respiratory centre; & lastly more increase in diffusion capacity of lungs for oxygen due to increase pulmonary capillary density.

In addition to stored glycogen, muscles also utilize glucose from blood (released from stored glycogen in liver) as source of energy. These two are the energy nutrients of choice for intense muscle activity. This also explains the usefulness of glucose solutions given to players during the sportive events which provide as much as 30-40 % of the energy required during the events.

Apart from carbohydrate energy source, muscles also use other source of energy. Muscles use large amounts of fat for energy in the form of fatty acids & acetoacetic acid; they also use to a much extent proteins in the form of amino acids.

Most of the energy of muscles is derived from carbohydrates during the 1st few seconds or minutes of the exercise, but at the time of exhaustion, as much as 60 to 85 % of the energy is derived from fats. Also, the glycogen stores of the muscles become totally depleted in those endurance sportive events that last longer than 4 to 5 hours, & hence fat supplies more than 50 % of the required energy after about the 1st 3 to 4 hours of a long term endurance events.

Respiratory physiology in exercise

Respiratory ability is very important for the maximal performance in endurance sportive events. 

The oxygen consumption & total pulmonary ventilation has a linear relationship with levels of exercise. Both can increase, in a well trained person, in maximal intensity of exercise to 20 times the value at resting state. Physical training is important as oxygen consumption under maximal conditions in a well trained person can be increased to 1.4-2 times the highest for an untrained average person. 

The intense ventilation during exercise results mainly from neurogenic signals transmitted directly into the brain stem respiratory center as a collateral impulse when the brain is transmitting motor impulse to the exercising muscles (much like the stimulation of the vasomotor center in the brain stem during exercise causes a simultaneous rise in blood pressure),& partly form sensory signals from contracting muscles & moving joints. 

This neurogenic anticipatory stimulation of the respiration at the onset of exercise, even before it is needed, is used to supply the extra oxygen required for the exercise & also to blows off extra carbon dioxide. The chemical factor & the thermal factor do the required fine adjustment in the respiration initiated by the neurogenic factor to keep the oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH of body fluids as normal as possible. 

This neurogenic factor is now shown be partly a learned response; i.e; with repeated periods of exercise, the brain becomes progressively more able to provide the proper signal to keep the Pco2 in body fluids (direct function of amount of carbon dioxide) etc at its normal levels. 

This again shows the importance of physical & breathing training. One important thing is that the maximal breathing capacity (voluntary) is about 50% greater than the actual pulmonary ventilation during maximal exercise. This means that respiratory system is not normally the limiting factor in delivery of oxygen to the exercising muscles. 

The rate of oxygen utilization under maximal aerobic metabolism (Vo2max) increases only 10 ter short term athletic training, but may increases more after years of training.Vo2max on the other hand is largely determined genetically-people with grater chest sizes in relation to body size, & stronger respiratory muscles have more Vo2max, & hence such person are more successful as marathoners etc. 

The oxygen diffusing capacity of lungs increases above 3 times during maximal exercise. The maximum diffusing capacity of a trained person is almost 2 times that of a nonathlete during maximal exercise. This lays the importance of physical training, specially the endurance training. Genetics is also an important determining factor of maximal oxygen diffusing capacity.

Cardiovascular Physiology in Exercise

Exercise causes activation of sympathetic system & secretion of large amounts of epinephrine & norepinephrin from the medullae of the two adrenal glands, along with release of stress hormones. Theses lead to vasoconstrictor response of the peripheral circulatory system-both arterioles (increase blood pressure) & capacitative areas of circulation including veins (increase the venous return to heart), & also the heart itself is stimulated (heart rate increases, the pumping strength increases etc.). 

Due to poor vasoconstrictor innervations the coronary (instead during maximal exercise, coronal blood flow increases by 5 times with 100% coefficient of oxygen utilization) & cerebral systems (no change in cerebral blood flow during any grade of exercise) are spared. 

In exercising muscles, however, there is vasodilatation of arterioles due to local chemical changes .Reduction in oxygen is the most important cause- the arterioles walls cannot maintain contraction in absence of oxygen & release of many vasodilators. These are adenosine (most important), potassium ions, ATP, lactic acid & carbon dioxide etc. They cause about 12.5 increases in muscles blood flow during strenuous exercise. 

The moderate rise in arterial blood pressure (usually about 30%) & many other factors (like opening up of dormant capillaries which delivers 2-3times more oxygen & nutrients to exercising muscles) occurring during exercise cause another 12.5 increase in muscles blood flow. But during the muscles contraction phase of exercise, blood flow decreases as intramuscular blood vessels are compressed. This explains the rapid muscle fatigue develops during strong tonic muscle contractions due to lack of enough oxygen & nutrients. 

Muscle work output, oxygen consumption & cardiac output during exercise are linearly related to one other; i.e; the muscle work output increases oxygen consumption, which in turn dilates the muscle blood vessels, thus increasing the venous return & cardiac output. Physical training can increases the maximal cardiac output in well trained athlete about 1.3-2 times that of an untrained person during exercises, & almost 5.4 times the cardiac output at rest. This is due to the effect of training & exercise on the heart muscles. 

In a trained persons heart chambers may enlarge up to 40 %, also the heart mass up to 40% or more. The heart-pumping effectiveness of each heart beat (stroke volume- the amount of blood pumped by each ventricle of the heart per beat) is also 40-50% greater in the highly trained athlete than in a normal person. 

Important point to be noted is that heart enlargement & increase in pumping capacity occur entirely in endurance types, not in the sprint types of physical training. Another important point is that though the heart of an athlete is considerable larger than that of a normal person, resting cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped out by each ventricle into the circulation per minute) is almost the same. This is possible only when there is corresponding decrease in the heart rate of trained athlete at rest (as Cardiac output = Stroke volume multiply heart rate). 

Stroke volume can be increased twice the normal value during exercise. The stroke volume normally reaches its maximum by the time the cardiac output has increase only halfway to its maximum (Cardiac output can be increased to 5-6 times-approx.25-36 liters/min- during maximum exercise).For further increase in cardiac output, the heart rate must increase correspondingly (heart rate increase linearly with increase in physical effort. 

Heart rate during exercise can be used to roughly grade exercise: Grade I/light or mild exercise-below 100/min; Grade II/moderate-100to125/min; Grade III/heavy-125to150/min; Grade IV/very heavy or severe-above 150/min heart rate. Maximum heart rate attainable during exercise is 220 minus age (in years), therefore higher values of maximum cardiac output can be achieved in younger athletes compared to older ones). Hence the increase in heart rate accounts by far for a greater proportion of the increase in cardiac output than does the increase in stroke volume during strenuous exercise. 

During maximal exercise, both the heart rate & the stroke volume are increased to about 95% of their maximal levels, this means cardiac output is increased to 90 % of the maximum that a person can attend. On the other hand, as discussed above, pulmonary ventilation is increased to about 65% of the maximum. 

This leads to the conclusion that cardiovascular system is the one, rather respiratory system, that limits Vo2max., as oxygen utilization by the body can never be more than the rate at which the cardiovascular system can transport oxygen to the tissues. 

Hence athletic performance mainly depends upon the performance capability of his/her heart. And training, as we have discussed above, increases the performance capability of one heart (for example ability to achieve 40% greater cardiac output in trained athlete over the average untrained male) to an optimal level. 

Due to generalized vasoconstriction as discussed earlier during exercise many visceral blood flow decreases, specially during severe exercise, which may damage the system. Athletic pseudonephritis is a condition characterizes presence of proteins, cells & other abnormal substances in urine due to prolonged, heavy exercise.

Body thermal physiology in exercise

The maximal efficiency for conversion of nutrient energy into muscle work is only about 20-25%, remaining 80-75% is lost as heat energy. Also almost all the energy (20-25%) that goes into creating muscle work still becomes body heat because all but a small portion of this energy is used to overcome viscous resistance to the movement of the muscles & joints, & also to overcome the friction of the blood flowing through the blood vessels etc. 

The amount of heat liberated in the body is almost proportional to the oxygen consumption, & as we know that in a well trained athlete, the amount of oxygen consumption can increase almost up to 20 times, the heat generated is tremendous performing endurance sportive events. Also during severe exercise the blood flow in skin is also decreased due to severe vasoconstriction. This coupled with hot & humid weather or excess clothing the body temperature can easily rise to 41-42 degree Celsius, in spite of the sweating mechanism. 

The stoppage of the exercise itself at this level, does not easily decline the temperature itself, due to failure of temperature-regulating system & liberation of still more heat caused by the very high body temperature doubling of all the intracellular chemical reactions. 

This much elevated temperature becomes destructive to body tissues & cells, specially the brain cells- leading to multiples symptoms: extreme weakness, headache, exhaustion, dizziness, nausea, profuse sweating, confusion, staggering gait, collapse & unconsciousness. This whole complex is called heatstoke & if not treated immediately can lead to death. 

At this stage body temperature should be tried to reduce as rapidly as possible. Remove all the clothing, spay cold water on all the surfaces of the body or continually sponge the body with cold water & blow air over the body with a fan. Instead the body can be immersed totally in water containing a mush of crushed ice.

Physiology of Body fluids & salts in exercise

Normally the daily output of water is about 2.3 liters & we should ingest fluid more than 2.1 liters per day (700ml, approx. 2.8glasses of water, as water in cooking; & more than 1.4 liters as the fluid by mouth as water & beverages, approx.> 5.6glasses of water). In prolonged & heavy exercise, the daily output of water increases more than 2.87 times, & therefore the fluid ingested should be more than 3.05 times the normal value (more than 5.7 liters of fluid by mouth as water & beverages, approx. > 22.8glasses of water). 

During heavy exercise or in very hot weather, water loss in sweat may increase to 1-2 liters per hour or almost 50 times normal value per day. Similarly, in prolonged & heavy exercise, insensible water lost through lungs increases almost 2 times that of the normal value per day. All of this will rapidly deplete the body fluids unless adequately taken. 

More than 70% of body weight (some say-60% of body weight is total body water) is because of the water it has. Loss of water upto 10% of the total body water, makes a person feel extremely tired & fatigued. A more than 20% loss may result in death. As much as 2.268 to 4.538kg weight loss has been recorded in athletes in a period of one hour during endurance athletic events under hot & humid conditions. 

This mainly results from loss of sweat. Loss of enough sweat to decrease body weight only 3% can significantly diminish a person’s performance, & a 5 to 10% rapid decrease in weight can often lead to serious muscle cramps, nausea etc. Hence it is essential to replace fluids as it is lost. 

Sweat contains large amount of sodium chloride, some urea & lactic acid. So, considerable amount of salt is lost through sweating. The sweat glands, however, become acclimatized when an athlete becomes acclimatized to the heat by progressive increase in athletic exposure over a period of 1 to 2 weeks rather than performing maximal athletic feats on the first day (acclimatization to heat: the various physiological readjustments & compensatory mechanisms in the body that reduces the bad effects of prolonged heat exposure). 

This acclimatization of sweat glands results mainly due to increase secretion of aldosterone by the adrenal cortex. The aldosterone increases the reabsorption of sodium chloride from the sweat & urine, & loss of potassium through sweat & urine. 

This leads to an important conclusion-(a) Salt supplementation should be there for all athletes performing exercise on hot & humid days, but once the athletes are acclimatized, only rarely do the salt supplementation need to be considered during the sporting events. Hence there may at many a times be over dose of this salt supplementation which is equally harmful. (b) Some of the supplemental fluids of athletics should also contain proportioned amounts of potassium along with sodium, usually in the form of fruits juices & coconut water etc.

Basic Sport Pharmacology

(a)Caffeine (found in coffee) is said to increase athletic performance, but reliable data are lacking.

(b)Androgens/male sex hormones or any other anabolic steroids. They can increase muscle strength & increase athletic performance. These are banned drugs in sports. They causes hypertension, promote heart attacks & strokes. External male sex hormone preparation decreases testicular function, may lead to infertility & decreases the secretion of the person own hormone. In females, musculinization can take place-hirsutism, bass voice, ruddy skin, cessation of menses, infertility etc. 

(c)Others drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine (a narcotic drug) etc have been said to increase one’s athletic performance, mainly due to psychic stimulant. The overuse can lead to deterioration of performance. Such drugs may interact with the epinephrine & norepinephrine (catecholamines) released during exercise, & may cause over excitability of the heart, leading to ventricular fibrillation which may lead to the death of athletes within seconds. 

(d)Nicotine, present in tobacco smoking, is widely regarded as one of the biggest enemy of an athlete. It causes constriction of the terminals bronchioles of the lungs, increasing the airflow into & out of them. Nicotine paralyzes the cilia on the surfaces of the respiratory epithelial cells that normally beat continuously to remove excess fluids & foreign particles from the respiratory passageways, resulting in much accumulation of debris in the air-passages adding further difficulty of breathing. The irritating effects of the smoke itself cause increase fluid secretion into the bronchial tree, as well as swelling of the epithelial linings. All of these mean that mean that even a light smoker will feel respiratory strain during maximal exercise, reducing his/her performance significantly. 

(e)Alcohol is a neuronal depressant. Any measurable concentration of alcohol produces a measurable slowing of reflexes- performance is impaired, fine discrimination & precise movements are obliterated & errors increases. Chronic alcoholism damages brain neurons.

In small doses, BP is not affected much, but moderate doses may cause mild rise in BP due to increase muscular activity & sympathetic stimulation & also causing tachycardia. This may interact with the exercise induced rise in catecholamines & may produce dangerous results. 

In large doses, alcohol causes direct myocardial & vasomotor center depressant with fall in BP. Chronic alcoholism causes hypertension, cardiomyopathy & cardiac arrhythmias, & megaloblastic anaemia etc. Alcohol is a depressant on respiratory centre, but may transiently stimulate respiration reflexly due to its mucosal irritating nature. Chronic alcoholism also causes muscles weakness & myopathy, & its high doses depress temperature regulating center & deplete hepatic glycogen causing hypoglyceamia.All these mean alcohol should be avoided, specially by competiting athletes & sport persons.

Prolongation of life is possible through sport & fitness

Mortality is shown to be 3 times less among people who maintain appropriate body fitness, using judicious regimes of exercise & weight control, specially between the ages of 50 & 70. These may be due to the cardiovascular protective effect of body fitness: maintenance of moderately lowered blood pressure, & reduced blood cholesterol & decrease ratio of LDL (enemy lipoprotein) to HDL (protective or friendly lipoprotein). 

Another important point is that athletically fit person has more bodily reserves to call on when he or she does become sick. For example an athletically fit old man has twice as much as respiratory reserve (ability to increase oxygen delivery to the tissues in times of need)as a non fit old man, & 50% greater cardiac reserve (ability to increase cardiac output in times of need) than in a non fit old man. 

Hence, understanding exercise physiology & the scientific data thus collected has been used to improve the performance of athletes, sportsmen & military personnel. 

The knowledge of this field also helps a physician in many ways- aiding the diagnosis of heart & lung diseases; pre- & post-operated assessment of cardio-thoracic surgical patients; rehabilitation of cardiac invalids; & screening workers for disability compensation etc. 

For players & coaches also, the basic understanding of sport & exercise physiology will definitely help increase their efficiency & performance.

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