Robbins Sports Blog

With my running shoes tied, shorts, and a light long-sleeve shirt, I step out into the crisp, cool air of the new morning light and head out for my morning jog.  I head down the street and through other neighborhoods as the first early cars pass by.  I run almost everyday- usually five to six days a week.

In conversation with friends, who try to set running or exercise goals, I listen to them tell me their morning war with the snooze button or struggle that never quite makes it out of bed, or the unexpected dinner plan or last minute errand which arises and takes place of the workout which goes flying out the window.  There are many reasons why our well-intended goals become easy prey for other things.  It happens to everyone and I wouldn’t be so bold as to say it never happens to me.  But how can we get ourselves out there enough to make it on a regular basis?  Part of it could be attributed to will-power and dedication, but if we don’t have that, is there anything else we can do?  My suggestion would be this: no matter what happens in your day, do something!  Whether it is only thirty minutes, twenty minutes, fifteen, whatever, do something.  Establish a habit.  I have been running so long and it has become such a part of my life that I don’t have to ask myself the question in the morning when the alarm goes off if I am going to get out of bed and run.  If anything, it is a question of how will I run today?  Of course, it makes it easier if you can set aside a certain time during the day that fits the easiest into your schedule, giving you structure that allows you to plan.  Making a consistent work-out plan allows my body to stay in shape and what a wonderful difference that makes in my life.  Of course, I didn’t always run, but how was it for me when I first started out?  Slow.  Another suggestion: set a reasonable goal for yourself and no matter how tired or how hard it gets, don’t stop.  It doesn’t matter how slow you go, just don’t walk- even if you could walk faster than you are jogging; keep jogging.  Over time, it becomes easier and easier and you are training yourself to push instead of give in.  If you are a novice (a beginner), and really have a hard time, another good practice is intervals.  Run five minutes, walk three minutes, run five minutes, walk three minutes, etc, etc.  This can be done in different variations, but eventually- over time- you run more and walk less until you don’t need to walk.

I thoroughly enjoy running.  Of course, there are days when I feel a little sluggish, and there are times when I go through a small slump where it becomes a little bit harder to get myself out to run, but who doesn’t go through that in anything they do?  When I hang in there and get past that, I really enjoy it!

written by Julie Graham

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Nerves on edge, mind focused, elbows out. No, there is nothing quite like a cross country race. Anyone who has seen two hundred plus people lined up at the beginning of a race waiting for the gun to sound so they can push their way to the front knows what I am talking about. Most cross country runner will agree that the beginning of the race is the most important, especially since many courses bottle-neck onto a winding trail. This is what creates the tense mood at the start of the race.

But a lot more goes into this sport than performance at an actual race. This includes carb parties the night before, pre-race rituals such as power bars, walking the course, applying icy hot, stretching, and jogging warm-ups, and most importantly, months of training. Serious runners start training for cross country season long before the first race even begins. This is why a good training schedule is essential. Too many top runners peak during the middle of the season and drop off for the important closing races including district, regional, and state. A good workout schedule can prevent early burnout and provide runners with a chance to do their best when it counts. (more…)

How many hours are wasted in front of the television by kids who are bored during the summer months when school is out of session?  Parents often find it difficult to get their couch potato kids out of the house during the hot summer months.  Their kids’ aspirations of earning spending money by mowing lawns or doing other summertime work quickly too often deteriorates into a migration to the couch for three months of watching movies and playing video games.  I’m sure you’ve seen this situation, and if you’re like me, it can be frustrating to see perfectly capable children rot in front of the television.  A great remedy for couch potato kids is to get them involved in sports.

Unless you live in the far reaches of the wilderness, there are normally plenty of opportunities to get your children involved in one sport or another during the summer.  While I was growing up in Florida, there was always a baseball, basketball, or soccer league around with coaches and teammates eager to have another participant them.  My involvement in those teams provides some of my greatest memories as a kid.

If you are unsure of how to find a summertime sport for your kids, I’d suggest first checking with your town or city Parks and Recreation department.  If you have a more competitive child, you can usually find a league that fits his or her situation.  You may have to ask around among your child’s friends’ parents, or you can do a search on the Internet. For more athletic kids, there are sports camps across the country that help participants hone their skills in anything from tennis to basketball to gymnastics.

But what if my child doesn’t like sports?
Obviously all sports aren’t for all people.  Someone who isn’t much interested in getting hit by a baseball might be glad to try a sport where the ball isn’t moving toward him so quickly, like soccer, volleyball, or basketball.  Truthfully, it’s hard for me to imagine a young person who can’t find some kind of sport that motivates him or her to want to improve physically.  If your efforts to motivate your child to play one sport or another are being met with some resistance, encourage him to find one that interests him the most, and help him go after it.  You may have to think outside the box a bit, and possibly look at sports that aren’t as mainstream, such as rock climbing or golf.

An important consideration here is that habits developed in kids have a tendency to stick around in the future.  If you can encourage your kids to get involved in healthy sports and recreational activities now, especially during the summer when their time isn’t consumed with school and other activities, you may be helping them in the future to avoid the health problems that come with sedentary lifestyles.  Participation in sports is also a great way for young people to develop self-confidence, and it contributes to a more developed personality and increased social skills.

Bodybuilding is a sport that involves building muscles.  Bigger, stronger, and heavy weight is what it’s all about.The great thing about bodybuilding is that you can do it with very basic equipment while training only a few hours each week. If you want to get bigger and stronger muscles you must keep adding more and more weight progressively over time. Building muscle mass is done by a consistent regular training, getting plenty of sleep, proper nutrition, and lots of weight at low repetitions.As a starting any new exercise program, is important a first check with your physician before starting a bodybuilding program. In the beginning is important that you start slow and learn proper technique. Time and time again professional body builders have said that technique is one of most important aspects of getting a good workout. It might be helpful to schedule a session with a professional trainer in the beginning so you start on the right track. If this is not an option for you there are various instructional books on the subject of bodybuilding. Above all take the time to learn proper technique.

Muscles grow when muscle fibers are damaged and repair themselves following a workout. That is why it is very important that each muscle group is giving plenty of rest after each workout. Most body builders alternate muscle groups and never work out the same body part more than twice a week.

You may ask a question about whether it’s best to use weight machines or free weights. This is a common question. All most every professional bodybuilder an expert in the field will tell you that free weights are best for increasing muscle mass. Machines are usually only used for isolating muscles and that is really only something that professional body builders need to do before a bodybuilding contest.

If you want to increase muscle size then the most important thing is that you need to be adding weight progressively. Be patient though because overworking your muscles can actually cause damaging effects. In the beginning you will probably see results fairly quickly but over time your muscle mass gains will seem less apparent. This is common and happens because as your body gets used to the workout routine it knows what to expect. Try alternating your workouts and doing different varieties of exercises. This will keep your body guessing.

Jason Willkinson is the webkeeper and owner of Super Bodybuilding Ltd, which is an oustanding place to find bodybuilding links, resources and articles.

For more information related to this article, please visit: http://www.superbodybuilding.com/