National Athlete of the Month | Leonidas Katsetos | September 2010

On Dec. 5, 2003, after experiencing numbness and tingling in his lower extremity, as well as coordination problems, Leonidas Katsetos was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He continued to live a normal carefree life, and the disease ended up in remission. But in Sept. 2007, he woke one morning to stroke-like symptoms. Katsetos had lost motor control on the left side of his body. He could not utilize his left arm and properly control his left lower extremity without the use of a noticeable limp. He was struggling to walk. In Dec. 2007, Katsetos regained full function of his extremities and decided to make a change in his life. Once he did, he never looked back. “I have MS,” Katsetos told StrengthUSA.com. “It doesn’t have me.”

Through a healthy lifestyle, Katsetos lost over 45lbs. of unhealthy weight and began to rebuild his body. He started running 5K and 10K races in hope of working toward a triathlon. In Sept. 2009, Katsetos competed in his first sprint triathlon, only after learning how to swim three weeks prior. He was hooked, and a mere two weeks later, Katsetos competed in another sprint triathlon. “I was bit by the bug,” he said. “I was addicted.”

So far this year, Katsetos has completed three more sprint triathlons and one Olympic distance. On Aug. 21, Katsetos finished the grueling Ironman 70.3 Timberman in New Hampshire, consisting of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run. Katsetos, who plans to continue training and competing in triathlons, anticipates a future in completing a full Ironman‘s 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.

After growing up in the small town of Chincoteague Island, Virginia, Katsetos spent his whole childhood and high school days playing sports. Appropriately, he is currently in his 10th year as the Associate Head Athletic Trainer at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Katsetos is responsible for the prevention, recognition, rehabilitation and treatment of injuries for athletes involved in all 32 intercollegiate sports at the university.

“My diagnosis was a blessing in disguise, a gift that would allow me to help others,” Katsetos said. “I needed to make a difference with my own life in order to make more of an impact on others with this disease, because after all there is no changing the cards that I have been dealt.”

Exercise of the Month | Forward Lunge | September 2010

The forward lunge does not require any equipment. The lunge works your legs, hips and core muscle groups. To perform the lunge, you should begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a step forward, landing with your heel first. Your knee should bend to 90 degrees and stay directly over your toes. Continue bending your knee slowly until your back knee is almost touching the ground. Hold this position shortly, then return to the starting position by driving upward with the front leg.

The lunge can be performed without weights and on flat ground for beginners, but for those who want to push themselves, you may hold appropriate weighted dumbbells in your hands while you perform the exercise. You can also lunge up onto a step, or down from a step, to increase the difficulty. As with all exercises, make sure you warm-up prior to any routine, and seek professional assistance with any exercise you are not comfortable performing.

Muscles used: Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis, Vastus Intermedius, Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus and the Gluteal muscles.

Weekly Training Article | Pool Exercises to Help Back Pain | 9/27/10-10/3/10

By Heath Gallentine

Being the 2nd most common neurological disorder in the US, back pain affects almost every individual's life in some way or another. Whether you're an office worker or a house wife, back pain can interfere with your normal lifestyle. The worst part is the fact that it can sometimes be highly frustrating for both you and your doctor. As far as the causes are concerned, back pain may result from an internal injury in the bones or muscles, spinal problems, abnormalities in certain abdominal or pelvic organs, issues related to the kidney or ovary, different forms of infections and several other health-related problems. Recent surveys have revealed that about 80-85% of individuals suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, making it rank as the third most expensive treatment in America.

No matter what causes the pain, getting rid of this awful condition is extremely important to live a normal life. Now, there are a variety of treatment approaches to relieve pain in the back that commonly involve chiropractic, bed-rest, use of medications, ice or heat therapies, exercises and, lastly, surgery.

Experts believe that exercise serves as the most successful approach to speed recovery from back pain, and water exercises, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular in relieving and relaxing people suffering from the condition. By providing the safest conditions for healing back injuries, water can significantly reduce the stress in the back while supporting the weight of the body. Pool/water exercises have proved to be an excellent way of strengthening the back muscles without causing additional inflammation or pain. Here are a few back pain exercises that have proved to promote successful recovery in a considerably shorter period.

Warming up before performing any kind of pool exercise is essential, as it lets the heart rate and body temperature adjust to the level required for the exercise. The warm-up session normally takes approximately 5-10 minutes and usually involves performing the planned exercise movements in a slow manner. Remember, there are various forms of pool exercises and no matter which exercise you go for, missing the warm-up session can be a big mistake.

You can start your session with a simple pool exercise by standing in water at the mid-chest position. For around two seconds, stand on the tips of your toes and then return to your original position, followed by standing on the heels for approximately 2 seconds. Repeat the two movements 20 times.

There's another simple pool exercise that involves standing at a distance of around 12 inches from a side wall, having the toes and heels separated from the wall, and your back facing the wall. Try to adjust into a sitting position with the back leaning against the wall, hold for a few seconds, and then return to the starting position.

You may also consider performing an unusual yet effective form of exercise. Stand with your body immersed into the water up to chest level, lean forward in a slight manner and start running for approximately 5 minutes.

Some pool exercises also use the float belt, which helps in holding your body upright while keeping you from sinking. There's an effective exercise that requires you to pedal the legs, in the pool, in a bike-riding manner. You need to bicycle for approximately 5 minutes in each of the two directions ... i.e. backward and forward.

When performing back pain exercises, working the abdominal muscles is highly recommended. To fulfill this requirement, you may consider a simple exercise that requires you to bring your knees up to the chest, hold briefly, and then return to your original position. Performing this exercise 10 times can significantly help relieve pain in the lower back.

Once you've performed these exercises, don't forget to cool down by walking slow within the pool for at least 5 minutes. Remember, stretching your legs and hips is necessary for readjusting the back muscles to their usual resting positions and preventing additional soreness.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | Physical & Mental Benefits of Rock Climbing | 9/20/10-9/26/10

By Kris Koonar

Rock climbing is seen as the most challenging adventure sport these days. More and more people are getting attracted toward this sport. The reason for this is because it allows people to challenge themselves and get exercise with the benefits of enjoying fresh and clean mountain air.

The advantage of rock climbing is that it can be done both indoors and outdoors. For the nature lovers, outdoor climbing is the way to go. And for those who do not like getting dirty, indoor climbing is the solution. The advantage of it being an indoor and outdoor sport is what makes rock climbing a popular and year-round sport. Remember, climbing is not for the faint-of-heart. -- It's for those who do not mind taking risks and overcoming their fears.

Physical benefits of rock climbing

One of the main reasons people take up climbing is because of its physical benefits. Some people are very health conscious and fitness is a big deal to them. So if gymnasiums get boring, then rock climbing is the best option for you.

Most people think rock climbing is a sport for men; this is not true, at all. More and more women are taking up this sport to enjoy the outdoors and challenge herself in a (previously thought of) man's world.

Rock climbing involves a lot of stretching. This is because when you are on a rock or crag, you will have to stretch and reach out to a hold to pull yourself up. Stretching is a great way to improve physical conditioning and flexibility. When you are indulging in climbing you also get the benefit of improved balance and hand-leg coordination.

Rock climbing helps you stay in shape. It helps you:

*Develop muscle tone

*Improve flexibility

*Ensure balance

*Improve coordination

*Enhance physical focus

*Burn calories

Remember, before you start climbing, do some warm-up exercises. Warming up is of utmost importance, because without it you are prone to injury and harm.

Mental benefits of rock climbing

We all know that exercising makes you feel good. The reason for this is the happy hormones (endorphins), which are released when you exercise. Climbing is a another sport that makes you feel good about yourself. It is a challenging and difficult sport, and when you reach the top of a rock or crag, the feeling of accomplishment is unbeatable.

People are social beings; we do things in pairs or groups. The feeling of being a social person, combined with the fun and experience of climbing, helps relive stress.

Rock climbing makes people confident and builds their self-esteem. If you can climb the difficult and almost impossible rock you never thought you could, you can do almost anything else in the world. This makes you feel capable and self-assured.

Rock climbing also makes the climber more responsible and helps build trust. Responsibility comes with understanding the dangers and risks involved in climbing, and by respecting nature. The climber has to be responsible enough to take his own safety into his hands.

Also, trust comes with trusting and putting your life and safety into the hands of the instructor, initially ... and later by trusting the rope and climbing gear. Trust is a major part of climbing.

Rock climbing can be fun and exciting if you go about it the right way. Learn about the dangers of climbing and you should be fine. Remember to warm-up, as you would before any sport, as this will help protect you from harm and injury.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | Cross Over to a New Dimension | 9/13/10-9/19/10

By Melih Oztalay

Cross-training is a method in which you blend a series of different activities into your workouts. For instance, instead of running or biking every day, cross-training allows you to dive into a variety of exercise routines.

These different activities can vary from day to day, or even from minute to minute. Instead of devoting an entire workout to one particular exercise, such as stair climbing, cross-training allows you to blend in several exercises during the session.

Devote 15 minutes to the treadmill, perhaps another 15 on the exercise bike, indulge in light weight training for another 15 minutes, and then take on an aerobics class. That's cross-training. The possibilities and the combinations are endless.

Along with cross-training comes a slew of fitness benefits. The variation you throw into your workouts can trigger faster, more satisfying results. When you're partaking in the same old exercises day in and day out, you're body becomes accustomed to the regular routine. Thus, the gains will come to a standstill.

Cross training initiates the change-up that your workouts may need by shocking your body with different exercises. If you're used to swimming five days per week and suddenly you substitute a swim for a jog through the park, your body will recognize the difference.

Also, cross-training may be a better option for avoiding injuries. While a constant strain is put on certain joints if you're running every day, other joints will be used in exercises like weight training or rock climbing, for example.

There's one more useful function of cross-training: It'll kill the boredom.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | Introduction to Mountain Biking | 9/6/10-9/12/10

By Andrew Manifield

Mountain biking is a great way to explore the outdoors, stay in shape or just have fun. Racing down the side of a mountain is a lot of fun, although it can also be quite dangerous. But even though it's dangerous, if you ride with caution, it can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Styles of mountain biking are characterized into three different styles -- downhill, free riding and cross country. Even though the different styles are similar in some ways, they still require different skills. The style that you pick will determine the type of bike you get.

Locations for mountain biking: The sport can best be thought of as biking on an unpaved surface. Many areas throughout North America have specific locations designed for mountain biking. Before you decide to go down a trail, you should always check with your local park to get the routes, regulations and rules.

You can also find groups that have mountain bike rides and competitions. Look on the Internet, or even in a local paper, and see exactly what's available in your area. You may be able to find groups for more advanced riders, as well as beginners.

Endurance and stamina are a must for a great mountain biker. It will also take ambition and practice to succeed and conquer the courses. Like all other sports, it takes time and practice. Those just beginning will have to get past the bumps and bruises from falling off the bike.

Selecting your mountain bike: The bike you select is more of a personal choice and a big determining factor on the type of riding you will do. Bikes come in all styles, shapes and prices, which will make selecting one for yourself very difficult.

You should use the Internet to help you shop for a bike and perform price comparisons before you make a purchase. Before you buy a bike, always ask to try it out, first. A great mountain biker will become one with his or her bike. When buying, make sure you check for comfort, how it fits and even how it's geared.

Staying safe when riding: Mountain bike riding on unpaved roads can be very dangerous. Anytime you're riding you should wear a helmet, along with knee and elbow pads. If you're following a group, or riding in the woods, you should strongly consider a pair of goggles. Safety should be your top priority and never taken lightly.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net