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    Air Force Vet With Parkinson’s Shares Ironman Triathlon Journey

    She’s combatting her disease with exercise.Cleveland Clinic anesthesiologist Sara Whittingham has faced many challenges in her life, from graduating the Air Force Academy to becoming a physician to training as an endurance athlete. But her latest challenge might be her most difficult yet.After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2020, Whittingham began participating in a study that determined how strenuous exercise can (along with medication) help slow the development of her disease. This weekend, she completed the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii, her first triathlon since being diagnosed.“I was pleased because I felt like a real runner again,” Sara recalls. “With medication and exercise, I wasn’t feeling as stiff. I was feeling better overall.” More

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    How Chris Hemsworth Altered Routine to Combat High Alzheimer’s Risk

    The ‘Thor’ star is “making time for stillness.”Chris Hemsworth has revealed he made some significant lifestyle changes after discovering he was at high risk of contracting Alzheimer’s on an episode of the National Geographic and Disney+ documentary series Limitless.“I’ve always been pretty consistent with my exercise commitments, but lately I’ve really felt the importance of taking time for yourself without any outside voice or stimulation and making time for stillness,” the Marvel star told Men’s Health earlier this week.The changes have been all-encompassing, as Hemsworth announced earlier this year that the disease risk has led to him accepting fewer acting roles so he can spend more time with his family. It also dramatically altered the fitness routines with which Hemsworth is synonymous.“My weight fluctuates a lot due to differing roles and also my own interests in regards to challenging my body in different ways,” he told the outlet. “I’m lifting less frequently than I was and I’m incorporating more cardio and endurance workouts which I much prefer than heavy body-building style sessions.”On his episode of Limitless, Hemsworth expressed shock at the revelation that he has two copies of the APOE e4 gene, one from each parent. The gene makes people “eight to 10 times more likely” to contract Alzheimer’s at some point in their lives.Dr. Peter Attia, who specializes in longevity and is the consulting medical professional on Limitless, was careful to clarify the presence of APOE e4 genes wasn’t a diagnosis. One can have the gene and not develop Alzheimer’s, just as one might not have the gene but still contract the disease.For Hemsworth, the information came as a wake-up call. “It made me think about my kids and how they’re growing up and things are changing so dramatically, and I want to sit, I want to soak it in,” he told Attia on the latter’s Drive podcast. “I don’t want to be in a sprint anymore. I want to be right here and appreciate everything that’s in front of me.”Declan Gallagher is a Breaking/Trending News Writer at Men’s Journal.:not(.m-detail-header–title),
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    Lower Your Risk of Cancer With Just 3 Minutes of Movement

    You can work brisk exercise into your everyday routine.It turns out that running to catch a train or bus could have long-term benefits for your health. A new study published in JAMA Oncology found a surprising link between short bursts of intense exercise and the risk of developing cancer.  Researchers examined activity tracker data from more than 22,000 men and women to draw the connection. They found that people who moved fast for at least 3 minutes a day were approximately 30 percent less likely to die of many types of cancer, compared to those who almost always leisurely strolled from point A to point B—regardless of whether or not they exercised otherwise. The team refers to these acts of rushing up the stairs or running to catch a train as Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity, or “VILPA.”Led by Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the University of Sydney in Australia, the group gathered the activity tracker records for middle-aged and older people who said they never exercised. They then used AI to analyze the data and learn when the subjects experienced VILPA in their daily lives. After examining medical records for cancer diagnoses in the subsequent seven years, they were able to determine that VILPA had a correlation to a reduced risk of cancer. As it turns out, just a few seconds of VILPA a day can have a big impact. “The minimum needed to see some risk reduction was well under one minute a day,” Stamatakis told The Washington Post. The research should come as welcome news to the majority of adults who don’t work out. “Our study’s findings are especially pertinent to people who are not keen on leisure-time exercise, which is the majority of the adult population,” Stamatakis continued. “For them, our study suggests that doing a few short bursts of intense exercise as the day goes by may be beneficial.” “The take-home message is that moving more at a higher intensity during everyday living may be a good alternative to structured exercise, and may reduce cancer risk in the long term,” he added. Perhaps being perpetually late and in a rush is actually a good thing.Chris Malone Méndez is a Breaking/Trending News Writer at Men’s Journal.:not(.m-detail-header–title),
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    High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or Endurance Training: What’s Better for You?

    Exercise is generally separated into aerobic/endurance training and power/strength activities. Long-distance running is an example of aerobic/ endurance, whereas high-intensity interval training (HIIT) falls into the power/strength category.(1)Are long, continuous endurance runs better for your training, or should you focus on high-intensity workouts? The answer largely depends on your training goal, fitness level, and enjoyment.Table of ContentsWhat Is Endurance Training?Endurance training is also known as “prolonged exercise training.” It is classically performed at a relatively low intensity over a long duration. Long slow distance training is one type of endurance workout. During long slow distance training, an individual sustains a submaximal workload for a longer time.(2)Classic endurance training results in enhanced cardiac output, maximal oxygen consumption, and the development of new cells. The result? The ability to maintain cardio exercise for longer distances and times with ease.(3)What Is High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?HIIT is performed with a relatively high load or intensity at a short duration. Typical HIIT workouts qualify as strength training exercises. You perform repeated bouts of work at close to maximal power for a short period.(4,5)But, just because you’re doing interval training doesn’t mean you’re doing HIIT. For it to be high-intensity training, you’ve got to push yourself to your max with every interval. Studies show that most people overestimate their exertion levels.(6) Be honest and continuously adapt your workouts for progressive overload.How Does Endurance Training Compare With High-Intensity Training?Endurance training and HIIT demonstrate a similar energy consumption (i.e., they burn an equal amount of calories during the workout).(8) But how individuals adapt to the training depends on many factors, including:geneticsgenderagenutritiontraining historyenvironmentFurthermore, it’s rare for a workout to be purely endurance or strength training. Most activities combine endurance and strength.(9) Even cardio-focused HIIT, like cycling intervals, will likely develop strength.Ultimately, both HIIT and endurance training make you stronger, increase your stamina and cardiac output, help you lose weight and fat, and positively impact your fitness.Studies show that short-term, intense exercise can lead to endurance adaptations. Inversely, low-load training approaching failure can lead to strength adaptations. If you challenge yourself, you’ll see results, no matter the type of workout.(10)Thoughtful Workout ProgrammingWhen planning your HIIT and endurance exercise routines, the adage of “too much, too soon” holds. Studies show that simultaneously increasing strength and endurance training volume impedes progress.(11,12,13)Goals-Based Training ProgramNow that you understand how endurance and interval training at high intensities affect your fitness, it’s time to set some goals! Find your objectives and how to achieve them in the list below. Then, use the Find the HIIT series on the adidas Training app!Goal 1: Get StartedDo This:Lower-intensity HIIT and endurance trainingWhy?Have you just taken up running and still find it difficult to run for longer periods of time without stopping? Then you should begin with low-intensity intervals. Try running for short intervals followed by walking rests so you can recover. You can find a good program for beginners in our blog post, Go from Walking to Running with These Expert Tips!Goal 2: Improve Race TimesDo This: Endurance training and HIITWhy? An effective training program for improving your race time is built like a pyramid:The stable foundation is composed of longer runs to build your aerobic capacity.You can enhance your base by improving your running form and performing strengthening, stabilizing, and stretching exercises.The top of the pyramid consists of race-specific maximum efforts like tempo runs and high-intensity intervals.Goal 3: Run Half Marathons And Longer RacesDo This: Endurance training*Why?If you want to finish a half marathon or longer, you must first put in the mileage. Long, low-intensity runs make up the majority of your preparation. In particular, this helps your tendons, ligaments, bones, and working muscles get used to sustained impact. This helps to prevent overuse and injury. Long-distance runs increase your aerobic endurance and streamline your running form. *Note: If you want to run a sub-3 hour marathon, you not only have to train at high volumes, but you also need to incorporate speed work and high-intensity interval training into your training plan.Goal 4: Run 10Ks And Shorter RacesDo This: HIIT and HIIT sprintsWhy?High-intensity intervals are crucial for short-distance races like five and ten kilometers. The shorter the race, the more fast-paced and intense workouts you should do. For races of up to ten kilometers, you usually run at or above your anaerobic or lactate threshold. This is the level at which the oxygen is no longer sufficient to metabolize the accumulating lactate (lactic acid) caused by high-intensity exercise.High-intensity interval training and challenging tempo runs at race speed are good ways of building up your body’s tolerance to high lactate levels. This not only improves your lactate tolerance and pace endurance but also increases your VO2 max. Goal 5: Lose WeightDo This: HIITWhy?The best workouts for losing weight are those that help you achieve a negative energy balance (where more calories are burned than consumed). High-intensity intervals burn a high amount of calories in a short period of time. The high intensity of the workout puts a lot of strain on your muscles. The process of rebuilding and repairing your muscle tissue after the workout requires additional energy, and the afterburn effect continues to burn calories post-exercise. HIIT leads to a greater afterburn than endurance training.(14)Is HIIT Making You Hungry?Try endurance training if you’re trying to lose weight but feel extra hungry after your HIIT workouts. Your intense exercise might be dysregulating your appetite. Longer, more relaxed activities may soothe your hunger hormones and maintain a negative energy balance.(15)Goal 6: Build StrengthDo This: HIITWhy?HIIT workouts are more likely to increase muscle mass throughout the body. Muscles get bigger when exercised to fatigue (or very close). Since HIIT aims to train as hard as possible with every interval, these workouts are likely to develop total-body strength.But if you’re new to exercise or returning after a break, any workout will increase your muscle mass. So beginners can use endurance training to achieve their strength development goals. Once you get over the initial training hump, avoid a plateau by adding HIIT.Goal 7: Lose FatDo This:Endurance trainingWhy?Generally speaking, endurance training is a fat-burning activity. When you run, cycle, or exercise at around 60% effort, your body uses fat as fuel. Anything about that switches to glycogen and acid for energy (like when you reach your maximal output during HIIT). After an initial fat loss stage, start incorporating HIIT into your workout program. HIIT workouts increase muscle mass more than endurance training. Muscles increase metabolism, helping you use more fat during the day (even when resting). For more information on the mechanisms of exercise for fat loss, see this blog post: How To Burn Fat Running.It Gets Easier!Tough training sessions are very hard on the body and require a lot of recovery time. The better your base is, the more training your body can handle, and the less recovery time it needs after intense workouts. Or simply put, you can train harder and more frequently.Create Your Workout ProgramEndurance training and HIIT are equally important. Your exact workout plans are dependent upon your goals and lifestyle. Nevertheless, you should incorporate both styles of exercise to profit from the training effects of each.Admittedly, going for an hour-long run requires less planning and knowledge than creating your own HIIT workout. To help, we’ve launched a new high-intensity interval training series on our adidas Training app. Let us guide you: *** More

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    11 Muscle Building Tips for Huge Gains

    These 11 muscle building tips can help beginner athletes get started with their muscle building journey. These muscle growth methods can also enable advanced athletes whose muscle growth has plateaued. Muscle building is a complex physiological process that takes significant time and commitment. At the same time, there is a lot of wrong information about building muscle best. Cut through the noise with these 11 muscle building tips to start building bigger muscles today!SummaryMuscle building tips from workout structure (like sets and reps) to how much protein to include in a muscle building diet. Clever ways to build muscle and reduce total workout time with muscle building tips on supersets and pushing to failure. Learn how to increase lean muscle mass ratio.Muscle Building Tip 1: How much weight is best for building muscle?Numerous studies have shown that a weight you can lift a maximum of 8-12 times produces the most significant gains in muscle size[1, 2]. Depending on the exercise and your fitness level, this is equivalent to 60-80% of your one-rep max (the maximum amount of weight you can lift in a single repetition).Many people mistakenly think that the only way to trigger muscle growth is by lifting heavy weights in a gym.You can build bigger butt muscles, a strong core, a massive chest and even a super strong back with bodyweight exercises (or resistance band exercises) you can do at home or wherever you are!Heavy weights are only necessary if you want to have a bodybuilder’s physique. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean having the type of strength athletes need to compete, which translates to everyday health and fitness.Fact:Muscle growth is mainly due to an increase in the size and not the number of muscle fibers.Muscle Building Tip 2: How many sets per exercise are right for you? Single vs. multiple set trainingA set is the number of times you complete a certain movement (reps) and its recovery period. For example, 3×8 push-ups would be 3 sets of 8 push-ups each. The rest interval is usually 1-3 minutes between sets (more on that below).The optimal number of sets is a hot topic in the strength training world.There are big differences here depending on your fitness level.In the first weeks, novices and beginners show the same gains with single set training as they do with multiple set training.More advanced athletes achieve significantly better results with multiple set training because the training stimulus with single set training is too low to stress the muscles to adapt. Therefore, multiple set training is recommended in this case.Beginners should stick to two or three sets, whereas more advanced strength trainers can do 3-5 or more sets.Good to knowPerform as many reps and sets as you can before your form or technique fails. Continuing to push even though your form has collapsed can lead to injury. Always be in control of your movements and respect the limits of your body and fitness level. One of the biggest challenges is knowing when enough is enough, and this comes with many years (decades) of practice. Skip straight to Muscle Building Tip 7 to learn more about pushing to failure.Muscle Building Tip 3: Reps Per SetHow many repetitions (reps) per set depends on the specific exercise and fitness goals. For example, it would be reasonable to do 30-60 jumping jacks; however, that would be far too many push-ups for most people.Stick to a rep range of 6-12 repetitions of the same exercise if the focus is on building muscle. Once that many reps of an exercise is possible with good form, go all the way to 20 reps for exercises like push-ups, rows, squats, etc. Once 20 reps with good technique are doable, add another set and drop the reps back down to 6-8 reps per set. Add more reps again once you can complete all sets with good form.Muscle Building Tip 4: Rest Between SetsRest between 90 seconds and 3 minutes between individual sets.Add an aerobic component to the workout or if short on time by doing circuit training or supersets[3]. Circuit training means skipping the recovery intervals and going straight into the next exercise. This method of training works the cardiovascular system more than strength training alone.On the other hand, basic supersets involve doing exercises that oppose the same muscle or muscle group—for example, doing a set of push-ups and then going straight into a set of supermans. The two exercises oppose the same muscle group (think pushing versus pulling movements). This means skipping the recovery interval while still pushing hard in each exercise. Check out the below videos to see how push-ups and supermans work opposing muscle groups (known as an antagonist superset):  Be careful with supersets because they can leave you with DOMS for days because they work muscles to the limit! Make sure you understand the benefits of super-compensation and the difference between overtraining.Important:Make sure you perform all the exercises at a steady pace and with proper form.Muscle Building Tip 5: How many times a week for you do strength training?Soreness related to strength training is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). It is vital to return or begin strength training very conservatively. Aim for the minimum amount of reps and sets if one hasn’t strength trained in a while (or ever). DOMS may occur one to two days after the initial strength training session. Even if soreness persists, another strength training session two to three days later can help alleviate DOMS and is a good idea for experienced athletes. Athletes who have never strength trained before should do one day of strength training their first week, then try adding a day the next week and see how their body reacts.RememberBuilding muscle is a long-term process. Rushing muscle building will lead to injury eventually, which will cause serious setbacks. Trust in the process, go slow and be patient. Always leave one or two reps “on the table.” When in doubt, leave it out.For beginners, two strength sessions a week is enough. An all-around program that works all the major muscle groups is best. These are often called “fully-body workouts.” Some examples of full-body workouts in adidas Training are: Full Body with Weights (use dumbbells or water bottles as weights), 8-Minute Fully Body Workout, 10-Minute Tabata HIIT, and so many more! More advanced strength trainers can work out three to four times per week.Split training is a good way to make sure there is enough time for muscle recovery. Each major muscle group will work twice a week if you do a two-body-part split four days a week. The most common types of split training are dividing your workout into upper and lower body or push and pull exercises.Advanced athletes can consider building their workouts with the adidas Training Workout Creator. This feature enables athletes to choose specific muscle groups, difficulty, workout duration and equipment. A common way to use this feature to split workouts would be to target legs and lower body one day of the week, then target arms and upper body the next day, then go back to lower body. This type of training is only for advanced athletes because it adds significant training stress, which is needed to promote further muscle growth due to the principle of progressive overload[4].Muscle Building Tip 6: How many weeks to see visible results?When starting strength training, strength increases, but your muscles won’t look any bigger.This is because the strength gains at the beginning are due to improved intra- and intermuscular coordination (improved activation and interaction between muscles). Training blocks should last between eight and twelve weeks, including a recovery week every third or fourth week depending on experience level and injury propensity.Muscle growth requires continuous additional training stimulus. Muscle Building Tip 7: Push Muscles to Failure Pushing to failure sounds dangerous (and it can be). Pushing muscles to failure is also a great way to induce muscle growth. Pushing to failure means one could not complete another rep with good technique. If one completes that final rep with poor technique, they have pushed past failure, which can quickly lead to injury at worst and is counterproductive at best.An excellent way to push to failure for bodyweight exercises is simply doing as many reps of an exercise until technique suffers. For example, do as many push-ups as possible and stop when hips and/or shoulders sag towards the ground. Rest for a minute, then do another set and note down how many reps are possible. Try to do more reps and/or sets in the next workout to build muscle. The key to this tip is to push just until it is almost too much and then stop. It’s never productive to get injured, so be very careful. Beginner athletes should focus on developing perfect technique before attempting this training tip.For example, here are 9 of the most common mistakes for the most common exercises to watch out for when pushing muscles to failure.Muscle Building Tip 8: Cut Cardio (If Muscle Building is the Only Goal)Cardio or aerobic exercise can impact the body’s ability to build muscle. If big muscles are a primary goal, cutting cardio is required. However, beginner athletes will likely realize significant gains fast if they do strength training and cardio workouts. Being able to climb stairs without getting winded is good for overall health! Plus, muscle growth will happen in a functionally natural way. For example, including running workouts will develop important leg muscles and work the cardiovascular system.The bottom lineUnless bodybuilding is a goal or muscle growth has plateaued, include cardio workouts in training.Muscle Building Tip 9: Muscle Building NutritionBuilding muscle requires fueling muscle growth. Cutting calories to lose weight is counterintuitive to building muscle. Additionally, calorie needs will increase as muscle mass increases.Protein Intake for Muscle BuildingProtein is essential for muscle building. Adequate protein intake doesn’t mean cutting out the other macronutrients of carbs and fat. It also doesn’t mean consuming more than 25g of protein an hour (the maximal protein absorption rate for humans). Supplements that have hundreds of grams of protein are a waste of money. Use this protein calculator to quickly and easily figure out how much protein is needed to build muscle. Carb Intake for Muscle BuildingMany people falsely believe that cutting carbs is an excellent way to promote muscle growth. The body prioritizes carbs as its primary fuel source during very intense exercise (like strength training or sprinting through the physiological process known as glycolysis). If the body doesn’t have enough carbs to fuel the exercise, it breaks down protein in muscles and converts protein into glucose to cover the energy expenditure of the training. This has the negative effect of breaking down the very muscles being built!Eat enough carbs to cover the energy cost of the exercise. Find that out using this carb intake calculator.The bottom lineInstead, eat a balanced diet of protein, carbs and fat. Get protein from the diet, not supplements.Muscle Building Tip 10: Lose Weight and Build Lean Muscle MassIt is possible to use strength training to increase the ratio of lean muscle mass while losing weight [5]. Muscle mass may not increase (and may even decrease) during weight loss. However, increasing protein intake and maintaining strength training while cutting carbs and fat can help one maintain or increase their ratio of lean muscle mass. Think of it like this: if total bodyweight drops but muscle mass stays the same, the ratio of muscle to body weight has increased despite muscles not growing. In other words, lean muscle mass has increased.Muscle Building Tip 11: The Role of RestMuscle doesn’t get built during workouts: they break down. Muscle grows during rest because rest allows the body to repair broken muscle tissue stronger than before. Get eight to nine hours of sleep every night, especially during heavy training. Napping is also critical for serious muscle growth.ConclusionThe most important thing for effectively building muscle (as well as for every training goal in general) is that you continue to work out regularly.If you stay consistent, all the hard work will pay off and you are guaranteed to see visible results.Are you ready to get in shape and build strength? Get the adidas Training app and join a challenge!*** More

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    3 STRETCHES AND EXERCISES: TREAT AND HEAL SHIN SPLINTS

    You want to get off to a flying start and hit the road full of energy and motivation. But right from the start you feel pain running up the inside of your lower leg. Most of the time, the pain goes away while you are running. But frequently the pain lasts for several days and makes it difficult to keep training. “These symptoms are a sign of medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), or what is known as shin splints. Nearly a quarter of all interruptions in training can be traced back to this overloading syndrome. The pain usually builds up for weeks and in severe cases, can make running virtually impossible,” explains running expert and coach Sascha Wingenfeld.The following three exercises help prevent shin splintsThese exercises and stretches will help heal shin splints and decrease the likelihood of them happening to you again. 1. Heel-to-toe raise:3×30 repetitions per dayInstructions: Rock back on your heels and pull your toes up. Bend your knees and roll forward up onto the tips of your toes. Focus on a smooth transition from heel to toe.Benefits:Stretching and strengthening the shin muscles will help prevent shin splints from keeping you from exercising.About 2-3 minutes per dayInstructions:Raise your heel and rest your forefoot and toes on the ball in a relaxed position. Try to slowly stretch your joints as you roll the ball of your foot from left to right starting from your big toe.Instructions:Slowly roll the sole of your foot down the ball and increase the pressure on sensitive spots for about 60 seconds.Benefits: Reduces tension in foot muscles to relieve pain from shin splints. Foot rolling for a few minutes every day is an excellent exercise to keep shin splints from reoccurring. Plus, it feels amazing on your feet—bonus!3. Foot and lower leg strengthening:3×30 repetitions per dayInstructions: Wrap a resistance band around your forefoot and push your ankle down as far as you can. Make sure to extend your foot all the way through your big toe and try to get as much power out of your foot muscles as possible.    Benefits:Strong foot and shinbone muscles are less likely to be injured. They will also help you run further and more often without pain in your shins.  5 tips to recover from shin splintsAct quick once you start to feel pain. Ignoring shin splints will make them worse. They can even limit or even stop your running training for months. This kind of overuse injury is often the result of a combination of different factors in your training program and running technique.The following five tips can help you identify the source of the problem and get you running pain-free again:Tip 1: Recovery from shin splints means restPain is a sign that your body needs rest. Short and very easy runs are fine if your shin pain is not severe. The only thing that can help stop severe pain is to take a few days off from running. You must give the affected muscles time to recover since this is an overuse injury.Tip 2: Use your break for something newJust because shin splints have forced you to interrupt your training doesn’t mean you have to stop exercising. Low-impact sports are a great way to not only recover from injury, but come back stronger than ever. Swimming, aqua jogging, cycling or inline skating offer a welcome change of pace. The Runtastic Training app has workouts to help you build muscle in neglected areas too, which is good when you can’t run anyway.Tip 3: Focus on running techniqueShin splints are a sign that you should work on improving your running technique. Maintaining ground contact too long under the full weight of your body can overload your foot and lower leg. Likewise, if your foot lands too far in front of your body (overstriding). These specific running drills can help you avoid shin splints when you are healed enough to get back to exercising.Tip 4: Strengthen your feetShin splints often affect people that lack foot stability. Overpronation (excessive inward roll of your foot after landing) puts tremendous stress on the muscles of your feet. Choose running shoes with the proper support for your foot to compensate for any potential weak spots.Tip 5: Take care of your bodyAfter the pain from shin splints subsides, calf and foot stretching and strengthening exercises can help you stay pain-free. You should perform these before and after your run. These exercises help to warm up the muscles that keep your foot stable when you run. Running barefoot is also an excellent way to improve foot strength, but be careful.Where does the pain come from?Your leg hurts where your calf muscles connect to your shinbone. In technical terms, the pain occurs at the insertion point where the tibialis posterior and soleus muscles attach to the shinbone via the periosteum, or outer surface of the bone. These muscles are responsible for maintaining proper tension in the arch of the foot—essential for running. The muscle cells around your shins can harden if they become irritated and overworked. This causes radiating pain in your lower leg. This is why it so difficult to describe and pinpoint the source of lower leg pain.How to (safely) return to exercise after shin splintsRethink your training (and cut back)Shin splints tend to occur when you rapidly increase running intensity and/or volume. Focus on recovery best practices especially after long runs and hard workouts. Don’t ramp up training too much for too long. Better yet, follow a training plan tailored to you that balances fitness gains with appropriate recovery.Change your routeThe greatest impact on your body comes from running downhill. Without proper form, the foot tends to land too far in front of the knee (overstriding), which puts a lot of strain on your muscles. This is why you should choose a level surface to run on when your shin splints are particularly bad.Start slowly and carefullyReturn to exercise and training only when the pain from shin splints has faded. Follow a professionally structured training plan tailored to your fitness needs and goals. Incorporate stretches for shin splints and strengthen neglected muscles. You only have one body—take care of it, and it will take care of you.*** More

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    Run For The Oceans: It’s Us vs. Plastic Waste

    For decades we used plastic too selfishly. We wrapped our food in it, made clothes with it, took our groceries home in it, and consumed it without much regard to what it would do to our planet. As a society, we know we have a plastic problem that we need to innovate our way out of (and we can!). But before we roll up our sleeves and get to work, let’s dig into the issue a bit more.From Brazil to Italy: Plastic Is A Global IssueAs of now, the amount of plastic thrown away annually would circle the earth four times. So little of that is recycled, and a lot of it ends up in our oceans. In fact, about one garbage truck full of plastic is thrown into our ocean every minute.We see the impacts of plastic waste around the globe. We asked an adidas Runtastic ambassador in Brazil how plastic waste affects his community. Here’s what he had to share:“In Brazil, plastic production is a huge contributor to deforestation. The deforestation leads to intense flooding during the rainy seasons. We also see so much plastic in the oceans affecting marine life.” – Leo Oliveira, adidas Runtastic ambassador, BrazilAnd he’s right! In Brazil, deforestation surged in 2020 [1]. While Brazil is the 4th largest plastic pollution producer globally, they recycle only about 1.28% of their waste[2]. And these issues are certainly not unique to Brazil. Antonella, an adidas Runtastic ambassador from Italy, had this to share about the beaches in her country.“When I come to the beach, I see kids using plastic and trash to decorate their sandcastles. I hope one day they know what it’s like to find only sand and shells on the beach.” – Antonella Andriollo, adidas Runtastic ambassador, ItalyWe’re not here to pick on Italy or Brazil, in fact, we interviewed ambassadors from around the world and everyone had their own experiences with plastic pollution to share. It’s an issue that affects everyone around the globe.Addressing Plastic Pollution One Step At A TimeSo, the mandate is clear-we need help from everyone, everywhere, to address our plastic problems. We certainly need change at a policy level. We also have to innovate new ways of producing goods, and we should all take steps right now to reduce our plastic waste. In addition, we have to help fight plastic waste and raise awareness around the globe. Every year we host Run For The Oceans, a virtual challenge where participants can run, walk, or wheelchair to help support Parley’s Global Cleanup Network. Parley’s Global Cleanup Operations works to help end marine plastic pollution by intercepting debris from beaches and islands.  We asked our ambassadors what motivates them to Run For The Oceans. Jenny, our ambassador from Germany, shared:“I run to help spread the message about plastic’s impact on our planet. So many people are still unaware of how their consumption impacts our environment. They don’t think about their garbage after they throw it away. I run to help show people-your plastic doesn’t go away. It ends up in the ocean, breaks down into tiny pieces, and stays there.” – Jenny Marx, adidas Runtastic ambassador, Germany Join the Movement!  In 2019, 2.2. million runners from across the world participated in Run For The Oceans. This year, we’re going to reach even further, gathering more runners and more kilometers than ever before. And for every kilometer run and logged in the adidas Running app, adidas and Parley will clean up the equivalent weight of 10 plastic bottles, up to 500,000 pounds, from beaches and islands. Are you interested in joining the challenge? Sign up now in the adidas Running app! Check out the video below for more information on how to join.[embedded content] More

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    Sports and Your Libido: How Exercising (Together) Leads to Better Sex

    Are you looking for a way to boost your motivation to work out? How about this: couples who work out together not only have more, but better sex. Regular exercise also leads to a better sex life for single people. 
    Improve your self esteem and self awareness
    Exercise and sports are good for your body and your mind. If you feel like you’re in shape and are satisfied with your athletic performance, this satisfaction also affects other parts of your life. One study found that regular physical activities and a higher fitness level make people feel more attractive and energetic. Sports boost self esteem which makes people feel more desirable. This can have a positive effect on sexual performance.

    Boost your libido
    The benefits don’t stop at self esteem; exercise also increases our libido.
    Regular exercise intensifies sexual arousal and physical sensitivity. (1, 2) Sufficient blood flow to the genitals is an important part of sexual desire and the ability to reach an orgasm. Overall circulation improves with better cardiovascular fitness. Plus, when you run, your body releases some of the same hormones it does during sex. Endorphins, also known as “happy hormones,” help relieve pain, lower anxiety, and give you a euphoric feeling. And also not surprising, if you feel better about yourself in general, it improves your sex drive. Not only is the quality of the sex higher, but also the quantity – we become more sexually active. (3) 

    Good to know:
    In 2017 a study was published showing too much high-intensity endurance training can lead to a decline in libido for men. One possible reason behind this is overtraining.

    Strengthen your relationship and reignite passion
    Couples can enjoy all the benefits of exercise in their relationship and sex life. Working out together adds variety to your relationship and builds intimacy and trust. Working up a sweat together and celebrating success releases endorphins and brings you closer together. You get to know each other on a different level – both physically and emotionally. All in all, couples who share hobbies are happier long term, which has a positive influence on their sex lives. (4)

    Workouts for better sex
    From theory to practice – check out these workouts for every fitness level as well as fun partner workouts: 
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