National Athlete of the Month | David Barra | June 2011

David Barra developed a love for the open water as a lifeguard from 1981-1985 at Brooklyn, New York’s Manhattan Beach (an extension of Coney Island and Brighton Beach). He moved to NY’s Mid-Hudson Valley in 1988 and was fortunate to have several pristine glacial lakes nearby. He would use them to swim for leisure, and to cool down during a long hike or mountain bike ride.

But it would be 10 years later that Barra discovered the Shawangunk Masters Swimming Association -- a workout group of the Adirondack Masters region -- and would start to train and swim competitively. Since then, he’s been competing in open water at the masters level since 1998, mostly in 1-mile through 5k races, often squeezing 2 or 3 events into every weekend of the 4-month season.

But in 2008, Barra’s training was interrupted with the diagnosis of an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). His heart was repaired at Columbia Presbyterian on January 6, 2009 and shortly after that Barra began to focus his training toward long distance marathon swimming. In return, 2010 was a paramount year for Barra as he received the good fortune to complete 7 classics in 8 months. They are listed in the article below by Steve Munatones, The Daily News of Open Water Swimming: Dave Barra Just Can’t Get Enough, 9/2/2011:

"There were rumors that 45-year-old Dave Barra was training hard -- really hard -- during the cold winter months in New York's Mid Hudson Valley. Besides the hours in the pool, he was also reportedly getting acclimated to sub-10 C (50 F) water at nearby lakes and focused on coordinating his travel plans and logistics.

And those plans and hours and hours of training and planning paid off. His accomplishments this year have been nothing short of remarkable.

His season started off in the warm, tropical waters of the Maui Channel between the islands of Lanai and Maui on March 21st when he completed the 9.6-mile (15.4K) channel in 4 hours and 55 minutes.

He then followed that up with a 24-mile (38.6K) second-place finish at the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim in Florida on April 17th where he finished in 10 hours and 49 minutes.

After a rest of 8 weeks on June 12th, Dave continued to hammer away by swimming 28.5 miles (45.8K) in the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York where he finished 15th in 8 hours and 30 minutes -- the first leg of his Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

Then the 21-mile (33.7K) Catalina Channel in California was next on July 20th with a 15 hour and 37 minute swim in tough conditions -- on his second leg of his Triple Crown.

In preparation for more cold-water swims, Dave then competed in the 8-mile (12.8K) Boston Light Swim in Massachusetts on August 14th with a 7th-place finish in 3:00:31 in the 59 F (15 C) water.

Then on September 1st, Dave officially joined the Triple Crown club with a 14 hour and 27 minute crossing of the English Channel. Between June 12th and September 1st, Dave has reportedly completed the Triple Crown in the second shortest time period ever (81 days to Rendy Lynn Opdyke's 35-day record).

But Dave is not ready to rest on his laurels: he has at least one more marathon swim under his belt this year, the 17.5-mile (28.1K) Ederle Swim from New York to New Jersey.

Not since the heyday of International Marathon Swimming Hall of Famers Michael Read and Kevin Murphy has the marathon swimming world been graced by a working man and amateur swimmer so prolific and successful as Dave Barra (129.6 miles or 208K total in one season).

Humble, passionate and committed, Dave represents the good and the positive of the sport." Copyright © 2010 by Steven Munatones.

This summer, Barra will attempt to establish a week long swim odyssey that covers 120 miles of the Hudson River, which attracts the world’s best marathon and adventure swimmers for a test against the majestic river. He will be raising funds for www.cibbows.org, www.launch5.org, and Riverkeeper’s water sampling project.

But Barra’s quest for greatness doesn’t stop there. He’s planning a solo 60-mile swim of Lake Travis in Austin, Texas in November.

"[This] might be a mid-life crisis," Barra told StrengthUSA.com, "but I plan to ride it out as long as I can."

Exercise of the Month | Trail Running | June 2011

As the days get longer and weather gets nicer, more and more of the active population leave the gym and hit the road for their cardiovascular exercise. While road running is a great way to break the treadmill grind, lets step it up a notch and head off into the growing genre of Trail Running.

Trail running encompasses running on gravel, dirt, rock or sand paths with varying gradient and surface composition. Due to these various conditions, it is important to have the proper gear. Trail Running shoes are generally stiffer than regular running shoes, as the soft ground provides the shock absorption. Knobby or gripping soles are important for traction as well. Other items such as proper clothing, insect repellent and proper hydration -- such as a water bladder in a backpack -- are also essential.

Trails for running can be found in local and national parks, as well as along the beach. Before setting out on a trail it is imperative to look over the route and notify a friend of your planned route and expected time of return. Unlike roads, the trails are uneven and unpredictable. Even a trail you are familiar with can change over night with a heavy rain. These uneven surfaces add a challenge to your ankle stabilizers during the workout.

As with all exercises you must ensure a proper warm-up and stretching routine prior to activity. Have fun!

Weekly Training Article | Types of Diabetes: Type 1, 2 and Gestational | 6/27/11-7/3/11

By Dr. John Anne

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that is caused when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to naturally turn sugars ingested into your body into energy. There are three major types of diabetes.

Type-1 Diabetes

This type of diabetes is an autoimmune disease -- which is a result of the body’s failure to fight infection. As a result, the body begins to attack its own cells -- in this case the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. The body destroys the beta cells and no insulin is produced. People with type-1 diabetes have to take insulin shots daily in order to live.

The causes of type-1 diabetes are not known, however autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are believed to play a role in the onset of type-1 diabetes. This type of diabetes can affect people of any age, but most often is found in children and young adults. Symptoms of type-1 diabetes include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, blurred vision, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. An early diagnosis of type-1 diabetes is very important. Without daily injections of insulin, a person with this type of diabetes is at a high risk of lapsing into a diabetic coma, a life-threatening condition.

Type-2 Diabetes

This type of diabetes is the most common type. Type-2 diabetes usually affects adults who are obese, have a family history of diabetes, or have a previous history of gestational diabetes. Type-2 diabetes is not caused by the body’s inability to produce insulin, but rather by the body’s inability to use the insulin it creates effectively. This causes the blood to have higher levels of sugars than normal.

The symptoms of type-2 diabetes include frequent thirst and urination, nausea, unexplained weight loss, frequent infections, wounds and sores heal slowly, and fatigue.

This type of diabetes can often be prevented or controlled with certain lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and regular exercise. Some patients need to take medications and many use natural treatments to effectively control the symptoms of type-2 diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes

This type of diabetes occurs in pregnant women and is caused by an intolerance to carbohydrates, which causes blood sugar levels to increase. It is very important for a woman who has gestational diabetes to control the disease in order to prevent the baby from being affected at birth. If the blood sugar levels in the pregnant woman are not under control, there is a risk of the baby going into insulin shock at birth.

Gestational diabetes risk factors include a family history of diabetes, increased maternal age, and obesity. While the symptoms of gestational diabetes usually disappear after the birth, there are significant risks to both the mother and child. The mother is at a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes at a later time and the child is at a higher risk of being obese or developing diabetes later in life.

Preventing the Onset of Diabetes

Many times, diabetes can be prevented or the onset can be delayed.

All three types of diabetes can be controlled effectively by changes in your lifestyle. A healthy diet is the most important change -- eating healthy foods on a normal schedule allows your body to perform the tasks necessary to sustain life. A healthy diet should consist of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Once a person has been diagnosed with any type of diabetes, the intake of carbohydrates should be monitored and the intake of sugars should be greatly reduced.

Regular exercise is also important for your overall health. Keeping your body in good working order by keeping muscles toned and blood flowing correctly also helps your body to perform its normal tasks. It is important for early diagnosis and effective treatment of diabetes in order to avoid more serious illnesses and diseases that can be associated with diabetes, such as heart disease and stroke. Diabetics are at a higher risk of developing many other diseases and illnesses, but the most important thing to remember is that if you work with your body, your body will work for you.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | LDL, HDL Cholesterol: The Good and Bad | 6/20/11-6/26/11

When your doctor spouts off your cholesterol levels in terms of LDL and HDL, does your brain shut off? You know in the back of your mind that one is good and one is bad, but which is which? And why is one better that the other? In order to understand the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol, you need a basic understanding of how cholesterol works with and affects your body chemistry.

First, cholesterol in itself -- whether LDL or HDL cholesterol -- is not a bad thing. Although cholesterol is most well known for the role it plays in contributing to heart disease, it is actually a substance needed and naturally produced by the body. For instance, cholesterol is responsible for building cell membranes and for maintaining the fluidity of these membranes. Cholesterol also plays an important part in helping to metabolize fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Scientists also say cholesterol helps in the production of bile, which, in turn, helps to digest fat. Although we hear so much about how bad high cholesterol is for us, we need to keep in mind that cholesterol is a needed component of the body.

Now, let's clear up the question of which type of cholesterol is good and which is bad. What your doctor refers to as "good" cholesterol is the HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol. Actually the term good cholesterol is slightly misleading since there are actually not two forms of cholesterol. It is actually the carrier that is good or bad. In the case of HDL cholesterol, it is carried by a high-density lipoprotein. Some experts believe this type of cholesterol is better for you because the HDL carrier takes cholesterol away from the heart to the liver where it is broken down and passed out of the body. Low-density lipoproteins, on the other hand, actually deposit cholesterol onto the walls of the arteries, thus increasing your risk for heart disease and heart attack.

Generally, your doctor will want your HDL cholesterol levels to stay above 40 mg/dl. Anything less than that puts you at a greater risk for heart disease. Your LDL cholesterol, on the other hand, should stay below 100 mg/dl to be considered optimal. Higher levels of LDL cholesterol puts you at a greater risk for heart disease or heart attack. This is especially true if you also have two or more other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Despite common knowledge, there is no "good" or "bad" cholesterol … there is just cholesterol. The carrier of the cholesterol -- whether LDL or HDL -- is what determines if the cholesterol is harmful to your heart or not. HDL cholesterol is taken away from the heart and therefore is considered "good." LDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is the kind that builds up in your arteries and makes you more likely to develop heart disease. Next time your doctor discusses your good and bad cholesterol levels, you will know what he is talking about.

Source: articlecircle.com

Weekly Training Article | Beneficial Exercises for Asthmatics | 6/13/11-6/19/11

There are forms of exercise that are better for those who have asthma.

Certain forms of exercise will cause more wheeziness or chest tightness than others.

For example, running outdoors is not as good as swimming.

Indeed swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for people with asthma because the swimmer is surrounded by warm, moist air.

On the other hand, if the air you breathe during exercise is cold and dry, then the asthma will be worse.

This tells us why swimming causes less asthma attacks than running, or other forms of exercise.

However, asthma and associated allergies can be complex as some asthmatics suffer worsening symptoms from the fumes (chlorine) in swimming pools.

The amount of time you exercise is important, as it usually takes at least six minutes of continuous exercise to trigger an exercise-induced asthma attack, and exercising for less time than this may not be enough to trigger an attack.

For a few hours after you’ve had the exercise-induced asthma, repeating the same amount of exercise will not produce the same asthma symptoms, and may even produce no asthma symptoms at all.

Some patients are able to avoid exercise-induced asthma by exercising with short bursts.

Therefore, asthmatics are particularly suited to sports and exercise which consist of short bursts of activity with periods of rest in-between.

While long-distance or cross-country running would be a bad choice of sport because they are undertaken outside in cold air without short breaks, others possible good exercises include:

*Football or hockey (or similar sports), as they are played in brief bursts with short breaks and periods of rest in-between.

*Swimming is a great form of exercise for anyone with asthma. The warm, moist air in the swimming pool is less likely to trigger symptoms of asthma.

*Yoga is a another exercise for people with asthma, as it relaxes the body and mind, reduces stress and is often done indoors where the air is warm.

There is evidence that indicates that gradual exercise can make you less prone to exercise-induced asthma.

But this disease does not automatically prevent a sufferer from enjoying sport at any level.

There have been many Olympians, including medalists, who were asthmatic and suffered from exercise-induced asthma.

However, having the needed medical advice, asthma management, treatment, as well as proper coaching, training and self-discipline that every Olympic athlete needs to have, the asthma problems were overcome.

There are steps to help you help you reduce the severity or number of asthma attacks. …

*Speak with your doctor and make sure that you are properly and safely using your asthma medications.

*Warming up and down to get your muscles ready, as well as your lungs.

*Be aware of the weather and environmental conditions.

*Stay fit. Aerobic exercise helps reduce the effects of asthma and is recommended by doctors for good health.

*One of the triggers of asthma is fatigue. Having strong lungs -- a benefit of exercise -- allows you to avoid the fatigue that brings on asthma attacks.

Source: articlecircle.com

Weekly Training Article | 5 Tips for Skinny Guys to Gain Muscle | 6/6/11-6/12/11

By James Druman

I was always looking for ways to build muscle fast. This article hits close to home for me. I was a skinny guy who always wanted to get ripped, but never was able to. ... until I learned a couple key lessons that I want to share with you today.

In today's day and age, there is so much focus on losing weight and burning fat that often there is nowhere to turn for the skinny guy who wants to gain muscle. Then the skinny guy finds weight gainers and tries them, or some other worthless supplement, and never really understands why he is not big and muscular like the other guys at the gym.

Well, hard-gainers there is hope for you! Here are my 5 ways to build muscle fast for skinny guys:

1) 10 Reps Max

If you are lifting beyond 10 reps then you are actually using more of your slow twitch muscles. Keep your weights heavy and don't go beyond 10 reps. You need to hit the maximum amount of muscle fibers. If your goal is really to get ripped, then you have to get into heavy weight mode.

2) Quick and Intense

Hard-gainer workouts need to be intense. You don't need to spend two hours a day at the gym for your skinny muscles to grow. Your sets need to be done closer together. I generally believe in a 30-60 second rest between sets. Between different exercises, try to get it set up and start your first rep in about 2 min. In the beginning you may feel out of your comfort zone. Trust me, though, this one tip alone will increase your muscle density dramatically over the next month or two.

3) Max Out Only Once Per Muscle Group

You don't have to go to failure every time you pick up a weight. You want to keep your muscles stimulated and in growth mode. You don't, however, want to rip them to shreds so that it takes 2 weeks for them to recoup. This is not effective muscle building and is not one of the ways to build muscle fast. If you take one heavy exercise and go to failure on it, then you aim for about 90% of failure for the rest, you will be doing more than enough to stimulate your muscles. For example, if you are working your shoulders (doing presses and upright rows) in one day -- Pick your presses and go to failure on them. Don't, however, go to failure on your upright rows and whatever else you are doing for your shoulders.

4) Focus On Compound Exercises

You will never build the muscles you want to by doing shoulder shrugs and leg extensions. This is not one of the ways to build muscle fast. Sure there is a time for these but lets face it, you are doing these because they are easier than what you should be doing. Your hard-gainer workouts need to center around the following kind of exercise: Legs -- Squats and Deadlifts (these are the most important of all), Chest -- Bench press and Dips, Back -- Rows and Pull ups or Pull Downs, Shoulders -- Presses.

It's that simple. You can vary these exercises by doing them at different angles and in different orders, but these are the exercises that are going to beef you up. Simple as that.

Want the best advice on exercise that provides the best way to build muscle fast?

5) Put On More Plates

You should be keeping a log, so I suggest that you take a little log book around with you at the gym. Keep a routine and track your reps/sets and weights. You can also put little notes down, like how your muscles felt, etc. This way you can track your progress. You should be trying to increase your weight by about 5% every other week. You simply must keep improving to keep building and stimulating those muscles. ... Especially if you are a hard-gainer trying to get ripped.