National Athlete of the Month | Jessica Cosby | September 2011

High School: Grover Cleveland (Reseda, Calif.) HS '00
College: UCLA '05

Career Highlights: Four-time USA Outdoor champion ('06, '08, '09, '11); 2007 NACAC champion; 2004 NACAC runner-up; 2004 NCAA runner-up; 2002 NCAA Outdoor SP champion; 2001 USA Junior SP and HT champion

After a second-place finish at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships, Jessica Cosby, 29, regained her spot atop the ranks of American hammer throwers with a victory at the 2011 Championships. With the win, she earned a spot on her third World Outdoor team. Cosby, who was also the 2009 US champion, won her the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, topping the field with an Olympic Trials record throw of 70.72m/232-0 and followed it up with her third in winning the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships. Cosby claimed her first national title at the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships when she upended the American record holder and defending champion, Erin Gilreath. Cosby threw a personal-best 70.78m/232-3…In 2003, Cosby continued to improve with her fourth-place finish at USA Indoors, and by setting a personal best in the hammer throw of 61.15m/200-7. Placed second in shot put with a mark of 15.33m/50-3.50 (prep personal best) at the 2000 USA Junior Championships…four-time Los Angeles City shot put champion (1997-2000)… placed second in shot put at the 2000 California State Championships (14.95m/49-0.75) and Golden West Invitational (14.86m/48-9)…placed ninth at World Junior Championships in Santiago, Chile with a best of 14.93m/48-11.75…at the 2001 U. S. Junior meet, Cosby became the first athlete in history to win both the shot put (16.68m/54-8.75, personal-best, No. 7 in school history, No. 8 on the World Junior list, No. 9 on the 2001 U. S. list) and hammer throw (55.72m/182-10, personal-best, #5 in school history)…voted #3 prep shot putter in the nation in 2000 by Track & Field News, earning All-American status…Cosby serves as the volunteer throws coach for the Bruins.

2011: USA Outdoor champion (71.33m/234-0)... 1st at Oxy Invite (72.65m/238-4PR).

2010: 2nd at USA Outdoors (71.24m/233-9).

2009: USA Outdoor champion (72.04m/236-4PR)...3rd at Nike Prefonatine Classic (70.68m/231-10)...1st at Oxy Invite (71.15m/233-5).

2008: Olympic Trials champion (70.72m/232-0)...no mark in Olympic Games qualifying...1st at JJK Invitational (67.79m/222-5)...ranked #1 in the U.S. by T&FN...best of 70.72m/232-0.

2007: 3rd at USA Outdoors (68.21m/223-9)…8th in qual. at World Outdoors (67.90m.222-9)...NACAC champion (65.15m/213-9)…1st at Westwood (68.34m/224-2)…3rd at Mt. SAC (68.26m/223-11)…ranked #3 in the U.S. by T&FN…best of 68.34m/224-2.

2006: USA Outdoor champion (70.78m/232-3)…1st at USATF West Region Champs (69.50m/228-0)…2nd at Tucson Elite Classic (66.87m/219-4)…ranked #2 in the U.S. by T&FN…best of 70.78m/232-3.

2005: 5th at USA Outdoors (66.81m/219-2)…3rd in HT and SP at NCAA Champs…NCAA West Regional HT champion (65.20m/213-11)…Pac-10 HT and SP champion (66.09m/216-10, 17.11m/56-1.75)…ranked #5 in the HT and #7 in the SP in the U.S. by T&FN…bests of 66.81m/219-02, 17.63m/57-10.25.

2004: 7th at Olympic Trials (64.50m/211-7)…NACAC U23 Champs runner-up (63.70m/209-0)…NCAA Outdoor HT runner-up, 11th in SP (66.88m/219-5, 16.17m/53-0.75)…NCAA West Regional HT champion, 3rd in SP (65.46m/214-9, 16.57m/54-4.5)…Pac-10 HT champion, 3rd in SP…ranked #8 in the U.S. in the HT by T&FN…bests of 66.88m/219-5, 17.25m/56-7.25.

2003: 4th in shot at USA Indoors (16.51m/54-2)…2nd in shot at Salinas (17.01m/55-9.75)…2nd in shot (16.66m/54-8) in Seattle…4th in hammer at Home Depot invitational (61.15m/200-7PR)…bests of 17.01m/55-9.75, 61.15m/200-7.

2002: 1st at NCAA Outdoors (17.38m/57-0.25)…did not compete at USA Outdoors…6th at NCAA Indoors (16.42m/53-10.5)…2nd at Seattle (16.94m/55-7PR)…ranked #3 in U.S. by T&FN…best of 17.38m/57-0.25PR.

2001: 1st at USA Junior SP (16.68m/54-8.75) & HT (55.72m/182-10)…bests of 16.68m/54-8.75, 55.72m/182-10.

2000: 2nd at USA Juniors (15.33m/50-3.5)…9th at World Junior Championships…2nd at Golden West Invitational…best of 15.33m/50-3.5.

Exercise of the Month | Jump Rope | September 2011

In contrast to running, jumping rope is unlikely to lead to knee damage since the impact of each jump or step is absorbed by the balls of both feet rather than the heels. This decreases the ground reaction forces through the patella-femoral joint greatly. Jumping rope also helps strengthen the arms and shoulders. This combination of an aerobic workout and coordination-building footwork has made jumping rope a popular form of exercise for athletes, especially boxers and wrestlers. Individuals or groups can participate in the exercise, and learning proper jump rope technique is simple compared to many other athletic activities. The exercise is also appropriate for a wide range of ages and fitness levels. Jumping rope is particularly effective in an aerobic routine combined with other activities, such as walking, cycling, or running.

Jumping rope is an activity not only suited for competition or recreation, but also for a cardiovascular workout, similar to jogging or bicycle riding. This aerobic exercise can achieve a "burn rate" of up to 700 calories per hour of vigorous activity, with about 0.1 calories consumed per jump. Ten minutes of jumping rope is roughly the equivalent of running an eight-minute mile. Jumping rope for 15–20 minutes is enough to burn off the calories from a candy bar.

Jumping rope can avoid the knee damage which may occur during running, since the impact of each jump or step is absorbed by both legs. Jumping rope also helps strengthen the arms and shoulders. This combination of an aerobic workout and coordination-building footwork has made jumping rope a popular form of exercise for athletes, especially boxers, amateur wrestlers and professional wrestlers. Individuals or groups can participate in the exercise, and learning proper jump rope technique is relatively simple compared to many other athletic activities. The exercise is also appropriate for a wide range of ages and fitness levels. Jumping rope is particularly effective in an aerobic routine combined with other activities, such as walking, cycling, or running. Many badminton players and tennis players around the world jump rope to increase their endurance for competition.

Weekly Training Article | Potassium Rich Foods | 9/26/11-10/2/11

By Sharon Williams

What is potassium? Potassium is taught in chemistry as being represented by the letter K, and actually comes from potash. Potassium is found naturally as an ionic salt, meaning it is found in seawater that has dissolved and is a major part of many different minerals. Potassium is required for all live cells and is found in every plant and animal on earth. Found in much higher concentrations in plants, it is recommended that people eat a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables to get the required amounts for a balanced nutrition.

Potassium rich foods can be found at your local grocery store, and some are much tastier than others. Foods rich in potassium are thought of as the nasty leafy greens or vegetables no one eats. However, there are quite a few foods high in potassium that are great to eat and easy to prepare. Here are a few examples of foods that are tasty and easy to make.

One ounce of raw avocado is worth about 180mg of potassium, while 1 cup of banana is worth 594mg. One cup of cooked beets or brussel sprouts are worth an average of 515mg of potassium, and the same serving of cantaloupe is worth almost 500mg. Since the recommended daily allowance of potassium for a healthy adult is 3500mg, it can be hard to eat as much as you need. Therefore some foods can be used as snacks and also during meals. These include lima beans, which at one cup is worth almost 1,000mg. One whole nectarine is worth almost 300mg, and a cup of orange juice is worth almost 500mg. A cup of prune juice is worth about 700mg, and a cup of dried prunes is worth almost 830mg. A cup of cooked spinach is worth almost 840mg, and a simple cup of plain yogurt is worth almost 600mg. Eating only a few of these foods can help you maintain proper healthy amounts of potassium.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | Factors of Poor Circulation | 9/19/11-9/25/11

By Bradley Smith

Do your fingers or toes constantly feel cold? Or do you experience a tingling sensation in your arms and legs?

If so, you could be experiencing peripheral artery disease, or poor circulation.

Poor circulation results when blood is restricted from flowing through your circulatory system. The circulatory system brings fresh blood to every part of your body, including your brain.

Decreased blood flow to the brain can cause many other ailments including but not limited to:

1. Decreased motor functions like walking, eating, talking, even breathing.

2. Limits to your ability to think clearly and make decisions.

3. The eyes can become weakened due to lack of oxygen and nutrients.

4. The liver and kidneys can't remove toxins from the body.

5. Any amount of exertion can cause dizziness and breathlessness.

Symptoms of Poor Circulation

- Cramping or fatigue in the legs, buttocks or feet during activity. It will usually go away with rest, but will come back as soon as you resume your activity.

- Cramping or pain in your legs while sitting for long periods of time; such as driving long distances, or while on a long flight or bus ride.

- Your legs and/or feet "fall asleep" while sitting or sleeping.

- Tired, aching feet, or swelling of the feet and legs.

- Lower temperature in the legs and feet compared with the rest of the body. (This can also apply to the arms and hands.)

Some of the complications that can come about as a result of poor circulation, if left untreated, include heart attack, stroke, amputation and death.

Treatments for Poor Circulation

It is estimated that 8 to 12 million Americans suffer from Peripheral Artery Disease, or poor circulation.

There are several common treatments for poor circulation: dilating drugs can be used to thin the blood; surgery may be required in extreme cases. A stent may need to be inserted into arteries that inflates to allow blood flow to resume to your outer extremities.

One gentle remedy to improve blood circulation is to bathe in a "circulation bath." This is good for all kinds of circulation problems, and may even fix acne. This is a mixture of birch leaves, rosemary and thyme with essential oils of rosemary, Siberian fir and lavender. This bath is recommend for people who experience feet problems, rheumatism and muscular pain.

If you are looking for a herbal cure, then a natural remedy to fix poor circulation is to use ginger, skullcap and magnesium to reduce clotting. In addition, Butchers Broom used with Garlic and Cayenne can be used as a blood thinner to aid circulation.

Source: articlecircle.com

Weekly Training Article | Treatment: Sports and Weightlifting Injuries | 9/12/11-9/18/11

By Chris Chew

Prevention is better than cure, so prevent sports and weightlifting injuries through proper warm-ups before exercising, and use correct form and techniques when lifting weights.

Many of you who have followed my articles will know that I am a serious advocate of avoiding weightlifting injuries by constantly emphasizing proper warm-ups, and using proper form and techniques during weightlifting. If you think that I am a long-winded nagger, then this article (although it is still about weightlifting injuries) is no longer about avoidance of such injuries, but rather geared toward the treatment of injuries already sustained.

This article will cover the immediate first aid treatment you will need to recover from a weightlifting-induced injury -- assuming that the injuries sustained are not too serious that they need immediate medical attention.

Okay, so sometimes weightlifting exercises hurt. But how do you know when it's a good hurt or a bad hurt?

The good hurt tends to occur after a workout and feels like a dull ache in the muscle. … It’s commonly called "delayed onset muscle soreness" (DOMS). This type of ache usually indicates that you’ve been working on that particular muscle hard enough and is a response to the effectiveness of your weightlifting workout. But this is not always necessarily so. …

The bad hurt, which generally signifies an injury, is usually sharp pain and comes from a specific spot in a joint or muscle. It usually starts as an uncomfortable feeling, which you think will go away. Next thing you know, you’re in full-blown pain! Oh dear, what next?

Treat gym/exercise injuries with "RICE."

The acronym RICE is for the general treatment of minor weightlifting injuries such as sprains, joint pains, tendonitis, pulled ligaments, etc.

R = Rest

I = Ice

C = Compression

E = Elevation

Rest -- Avoid all activities that aggravate your injury. You may even need to skip your gym workout for a couple of weeks. Rest can mean the difference between a long recuperation (and possibly medical invasive procedures) or just a few days or weeks off.

Ice -- Ice helps reduce swelling by restricting blood flow. … 15-20 minutes, three to four times a day is recommended as long as the pain remains.

Compression -- Put pressure on the injured site to help keep swelling down. You want to wrap a bandage or a towel tight enough to feel some pressure but not enough to cause numbness or affect blood circulation.

Elevation -- Elevate the injured area to reduce swelling.

Your condition should improve with "RICE" treatment. Most of the time, you should see some results within 20 minutes of treatment. However, if the pain persists or gets worse, then it’s time to see your doctor or a sports physician as your condition may be worse than what actually meets the eye.

Source: articlecircle.com

Weekly Training Article | The Two Things That Make You Fat | 9/5/11-9/11/11

There are two main causes of all of today's obesity problems. These two evils are sugar and saturated fats.

Sugar is extremely sweet, and therefore addictive and easy to eat a lot of. When you eat sugar, your body digests it so quickly that your insulin levels spike and you receive a huge boost in energy. The thing is that all of the insulin transports the sugar throughout your system very quickly, so after a while your huge energy boost crashes and you are left feeling de-energized and hungry, again, a mere hour or so after eating the sugar. Replace sugar in your diet with good carbs -- whole wheat everything (refined white-bread digests almost as quickly as raw sugar and is just as bad), beans, legumes, etc. Eating better carbs will cause your energy levels to remain stable all day and will keep you feeling fuller longer, making you eat less throughout the day. That's a biggy for losing weight.

The second evil is saturated fats. These fats give all fats a bad name. Unsaturated fats and EFA's (essential fatty acids must be obtained from your diet -- the body cannot produce them), although calorically dense (9 calories per gram compared to 4 for carbs and protein), are good for you and your heart. Saturated fats, on the other hand, raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol, and are very bad for your heart and body. It has also been shown that high levels of saturated fats in your diet can lower your testosterone production, thus lowering your metabolism and increasing your chances of putting on weight.

The easiest ways to cut saturated fats from the diet is to switch to skim milk, eat lean cuts of beef and pork (chicken is extremely lean as it is), make sure all of your dairy products (cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.) are low-fat, and start using olive and canola oil to cook with.

Remember, all fats are not bad but you have to be careful when eating any fat because a gram of fat has more than twice the calories of a gram of protein or carbohydrate. But if you cut out the saturated fats, you'll be sure to improve your health.

Source: articlecircle.com
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