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Some full-grown athletes are turning to breast milk—yeah, you heard us—for an energy boost and protein push. If you're thinking there's something wrong with that, you're right.
What do you get when you cross three former Navy SEALs, an attorney, degrees from Harvard’s business and Kennedy schools, and passion for the mountains? A brand new breed of eco-friendly obstacle race.
Every year, the American College of Sports Medicine releases its fitness index. But what does the project do besides give a city bragging rights?
If your everyday routine includes hour-plus sweat sessions, you can probably rest easy, says Brook Schantz, a registered dietitian and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics at Loyola University Medical Center; there’s a good chance your body needs more than the Recommended Daily Allowance of 2,300 milligrams of…
An inside look at how professional climber Angie Payne trains for big time bouldering competitions. She's placed 11th at the Toronto World Cup, and is slated to compete at the GoPro Mountain Games World Cup in Vail. …
New Healthkit app displays live fitness data, connects doctors and patients in real-time
A new report details the factors behind our surprising speedskating failure in this year's Olympics—and any athlete can learn from its findings.
Athletes may win in the medal count, but they lose when it comes to dental hygiene. And this is more than a laughing manner.
It's not just mental. Even mild amounts of anxiety and stress can subvert your performance.
What you can do beforehand, at sea level and once you hit the mountains
They say that showing up (or, in this case, putting it in writing) is half the battle—so for that, congrats on a big first step. Now, for your question: Science says that at 40 you are definitely not too old to benefit from a regular exercise routine. Great news, right?…
The fitness giant works hard to polish their public image—to the extent of confronting or even suing those who criticize CrossFit on social media. What gives?
You’ve been told that gluten-free diets are a fraud, that the science is settled, and that it’s all just the placebo effect. If so, how can the anecdotes be explained? Enter FODMAPs, the underappreciated forms of sugar that may just underpin your wheat, rye, and barley intolerance—and unlock your fitness potential.
Europe banned chemical-covered produce; should we follow suit?
There's no denying the popularity of CrossFit. And there's also no ignoring its TV potential. Enter the NPFL: In a bid to monetize functional fitness, an ex-CrossFit exec has a bold, new plan to attract sponsors and fans. Just don't call him a sellout.
For years, I used to test how far I could go on day trips without eating. I don’t know if it was some unexplainable machismo or just laziness, but that mindset changed about six months ago. I’d gone on a four-hour run with an empty stomach and no food in…
The hit documentary Fed Up is the latest in a litany of articles and documentaries to portray sugar as dietary villain number one. But what if sugar isn't the enemy—and by focusing on its effects, we've ignored the biggest causes of our health crisis and even subverted athletic performance?
How much, what kind, and when? Time to question (only some of) what you know about fueling up.
Shane Niemeyer started exercising in prison after hitting rock-bottom. We talked to him about his path to become a regular Ironman competitor who's now gunning for a spot at the World Championships in Kona.
Harvard and MIT researchers did recently publish a study that found exposure to silver nanoparticles, found in clothing, toothpaste, toys and other products, can cause substantial DNA damage. But before I get to your main question, let’s look at why that news might’ve frightened you. A nanoparticle…
Two-time World's Toughest Mudder champ Junyong Pak, 36, on mastering the mud
A favorite beverage of many athletes, trainers, and nutritionists, juice made from tart or “sour” cherries (the kind you use to make cherry pie) has been shown to reduce inflammation and ease muscles soreness after strenuous workouts. But that’s not the only reason you might want to…
For years, an underground movement has claimed that the very food we eat—by virtue of the pesticides and herbicides we so commonly use—is poisoning us. Until now, they’ve been (at best) ignored and (more often than not) mocked. Suddenly though, it looks like the joke has been on us all along.
You train to race outside. We get it. But to go your fastest—and stay your healthiest—you might just need to enter the gym.
When it comes to performance anxiety, fitness competitions can be a lot like taking the SATs or giving an important speech. And yes, over-thinking or stressing about them beforehand can, indeed, cause you to “choke,” according to a study presented last week at the British Psychological Society’s…
It's exploded in popularity recently, and it's not going anywhere. But can OCR make it to the Olympics?
It's never too late to start training, just keep at it
New high-profile brand ambassador, new CEO, new product—now, Nuun has its sights set on hydrating society.
Study finds correlation between lack of exercise and deficient long-term memory.
That depends how many fish sandwiches you’re eating, says sports nutritionist Lisa Dorfman, RD, CSSD. But aside from mercury levels and other contaminants, there are plenty of other reasons to choose something other than fast-food seafood when you’re out and about. First, the good news: Fast-food sandwiches…
The stopwatch is a big part of CrossFit and other “functional fitness” circuit-training programs: Timed workouts (and WODs, in CrossFit speak) allow athletes to measure their performance against fellow gym-members and their own previous sets. But there’s a time and place for the stopwatch, most experts say, and it’s not…
Outside catches up with the author of Diet Cults to parse the culture of nutritional fads, from the (misplaced?) logic behind the Paleo Diet to the emerging sugary sports drink controversy.
The ideal pre-race meal is high in carbohydrate, relatively low in other nutrients, and easy on the stomach. Our top choices? Racing Weight’s Greena Colada Smoothie and Oat Bran with Cherries and Almonds. Watch and see how to make this delicious pre-workout meal. …
Microbes in your stomach support the multi-billion-dollar probiotics industry, your workout, and possibly even your sex drive.
It’s not necessarily the facility that counts when you’re waking up at ungodly hours of the morning to clean and jerk—it’s the quality of the instructors, and the camaraderie of the friends who join you there. In fact, each CrossFit gym is supposed to be uniquely inviting, whether it's…
"As Seen On TV" equipment may not get you any results—as we've said all along.
You fall, hit your head, and suffer a concussion. How long will it take to recover? It depends.
In his new book, Spartan Race founder Joe De Sena spells out his recipe for success. The main ingredient? Pain.
Does Walmart's new organic foods venture pose a threat to Whole Foods?
Former pro speed skater Apolo Ohno is ready for a new challenge. Here he offers his advice for other aspiring distance athletes.
It's counterintuitive, but when you're training hard, not eating can lead to piling on the pounds.
It seems like every few months, new research comes out heralding a certain type of protein for people trying to build muscle or lose weight. For example, a study published this month found that whey protein provided “body composition benefits” when used in conjunction with resistance exercise.
Pairing your running with explosive, maximal strength training primes your muscles for peak running performance. Think loaded squats—not bodyweight circuits—when it comes to improving race times.
Outside and Greenfield chew the fat about locally sourced food—and learning to grow and hunt your own.
They’ll always be injured but they’ll rarely admit it. That might be changing, though, as bull-riding cowboys begin to think of themselves—and treat their bodies—more as professional athletes and less as ranch laborers.
Scurvy set into Wilson Price Hunt's party until the Shoshone mega-dosed his explorers on their super-high-C "bush" remedy.
The only fix to tight hips is a good lunge and twist
If you've been fruitlessly spinning your creative wheels you might want to take a cue from Stanford University researchers and try getting out on your feet instead.
If you’re looking for an excuse to hit the massage table more frequently (or to justify the expense if you’re already doing it), you’re in luck. A recent study from the University of Illinois at Chicago backs up what we’ve long suspected: Massage therapy…
You're pathetic. Really. According to the latest research, human fitness has decreased so dramatically in recent years that even the strongest of us would consider ancient men to be, well, monsters.
Drugs that affect hormones have the potential to cause all kinds of screwy side effects in the body—but fortunately, there’s not much evidence that medications like birth control or antidepressants will slow you down on the track or impede your progress in the gym. In fact, some research shows…
Reduced-oxygen training room Air Fit opens in Bay Area
Lyme disease is up 21 percent in dogs, but that doesn’t mean your ultimate adventure companion has to stay in the kennel—so long as you take these precautions before hiking this summer.
And add the high-protein critters to your diet, if you can stomach them
Why your thoughts go from brilliant to batty on your run
At last, researchers may have a tool to diagnose the little-understood and controversial post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.
Good news! Your post-race pavement pizzas don’t have anything to do with your lactate threshold. “You’re going to be running your lactate up when you’re doing things more intense, but the two are not directly related,” says Dr. Stephen Simons, Director of Sports Medicine at…
Ah, lucky number seven: You’re referring, of course, to a recent British study in which people who ate the most fruit and vegetables on a daily basis (seven or more portions, as defined by the UK’s Department of Health portion sizes) had a 42 percent reduced risk…
Pieter du Preez overcame a horrific cycling accident, which left him paralyzed from the chest down, to become the first ever C6 quadriplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon. Now a Wings for Life World Run ambassador, this short film highlights his work ethic, his determination, and most importantly his…
Running and triathlon coach Brett Stewart gets this one from clients a lot: Between races that sell out months in advance and things that get in the way of training—like injuries, travel, and plain old busy schedules—it’s not uncommon for athletes to show up on race day…
Three years ago, it seemed like every fitness rag was hyping chocolate milk as the optimal recovery drink. It’s been in the fridge all along! We didn’t even know! The drink’s 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein, experts said, best promotes muscle repair and rebuilds energy stores after a…
You can binge without blowing your diet. Seriously. And it won't make you lazy or too heavy to race. But that crash diet? It isn't going to work.
More is always better, right? Well, maybe not. Ultradistance runners have been warned that their mileage isn’t exactly healthy. But they aren’t the only ones who should be thinking about the long-term ramifications of their training.
An Ohio CrossFit affiliate says an academic study got stats about injury rates in the popular workout program wrong. And it’s suing the researchers behind the data. Should science be scared?
More people die from opioid overdoses than car crashes, and Zohydro is one of the strongest yet to hit the market.
Does a 77-year-old elite athlete hold the secret to rehabbing spinal cord injuries? True Athlete shares a powerful story about life, loss and a transformation rooted in physical fitness. After an accident left Robert Robinson a quadriplegic, doctors said he would “never so much as blink again.” Through his work…
Stillness is something we often forget. Mountain Hardwear‘s latest Days You Remember episode honors what we often love most about the outdoors.
Three-time IRONMAN World Champion Craig “Crowie” Alexander takes you through his core workout routine, and discusses the importance of keeping your core strong. A new video from your favorite Got Chocolate Milk athlete. …
Ah, the ol’ “my resting heart rate is slower than yours, therefore I’m a superior athlete!” argument. Cyclist Miguel Indurain famously had a resting heart rate of 28 beats per minute, and he won the Tour de France five times in a row, so it’s easy to see how…
Runner and national bestselling author Matthew Fitzgerald shares a pizza recipe for runners looking for a tasty boost.
Officially, there is no recommended diet or magic food to protect against osteoarthritis, a condition that affects nearly 27 million Americans 25 and older. (Women and obese people seem to be most affected, but previous joint injuries and repetitive use from sports may also increase your risk.) However, a…
If you're starving to death in the wilderness, your body's on the menu.
Sorry, night owls. Regardless of whether you feel fine during the day, consistently losing out on sleep can have serious consequences to your health and well-being. Case in point: A Chinese study published last week revealed that 18- to 34-year-olds insomniacs are eight times more likely…
Despite what you hear in the media, the science of healthy eating is well-established. Instead of following the fads, rely on the fundamentals: stay away from processed foods and eat lots of vegetables.