Health
Archive
More gear companies are making running sunglasses that are both stylish and functional—to improve your vision and your PR
After an Ironman or an ultramarathon, is it better to take days (or weeks) off of strenuous exercise, or to get right back out there?
To create the next wave of super-athletes, Red Bull has turned to a novel new treatment: trickling a small electric current through the brain's motor cortex. Just don't call it electroshock therapy.
You'll never get close to the ultrarunner's 90-plus podium finishes, but his rules will help you run your best race.
Sports nutrition companies like Herbalife have been hawking health-in-a-pill for years with no evidence that their products work. And despite edging into possibly illegal territory, they're going to continue to get away with it.
An inspirational story about the healing power of wilderness. When Veteran Josh Brandon was a Company Commander, he and his lieutenants taught themselves to climb and found it to be better than any kind of medication or therapy they were getting at the time. Since then, the mountains have become a…
In The Art of Competition, Ironman-turned-author Mark Allen gives insight into the thoughts that helped him race his fastest while living to the fullest.
When my wife and I go on long runs together, she always manages to finish strong while I fall behind. Am I just out of shape, or do women have an advantage in endurance sports?
Plants have long been lauded for their health-promoting antioxidants. But recent research upends that thinking—broccoli is good for you precisely because it stresses your body.
I usually sleep for a full eight hours, but lately my new baby has been waking us up every few hours. Does interrupted sleep still count as sleep?
Featuring two of the most effective but underrated fitness tools: a medicine ball and gravity.
Two brothers and a sister—whose parents are endurance athletes—attempted to swim the English Channel together this month. Does the family factor add any advantage?
When CrossFit denied our request to cover the 2014 CrossFit Games, we decided to look into the organization's long history of bullying anyone who dares to ask the hard questions—or look too closely.
Cycling is known for being low-impact. But does that mean it's bad for your bones?
The most dangerous threat you'll face while working out this summer? The heat. Here's how to beat it.
Having hiked more than 10,000 miles on epic long-distance trails, Liz Thomas is a true expert when it comes to battling blisters.
1,800 CrossFit gyms already offer programs for kids. Should they?
There's more to life than chasing definition in certain muscle groups. Maintaining a healthy weight, for instance.
The "eight-percent rule" ignores the power exercise has to counter time spent on your butt.
You don't need the gym. In less than an hour and with minimal equipment, you can have an intense workout that delivers full-body fitness, without the monthly dues.
You need nothing but a cooling pool for a core-burning, heart-rate-raising fitness session.
Serious careers? Check. Committed to their families? Check. Able to beat the pros at their own game? You know it. Five hard-charging desk jocks who manage to do it all share the secrets of their success.
Over the last five years, a lot has changed in the fitness world. But these four trends will continue to define the way you train.
They want to rethink the way we work out, build our gyms, fuel, and collect data. And they're coming for you next.
Ted King has a secret. The Tour de France cyclist believes maple syrup is a super fuel that's actually delicious, and he wants to bring the sweet elixir to a gel packet near you.
How should I schedule giving blood around my training schedule?
With mega-grocers like Walmart and Target investing big in organics, does the word really mean anything anymore?
Sometimes you have to take your own advice—or suck it up and eat crow.
It may not be coincidence that led host country Brazil to the World Cup’s semi-final round for the first time in 12 years. But if Brazil really did have a home-field advantage, what do we make of the team’s tournament-ending, humiliating loss to Germany Tuesday? While a large…
Our genetic profile only tells one piece of the story, but that hasn't prevented scientists from making some bold assumptions about human performance.
That magic threshold is, well, bogus. And we've known it for years. So why are we still so obsessed with logging 10,000 hours of deliberate practice?
New research and recovery techniques suggest we have more time to restore cognitive abilities after a traumatic brain injury than doctors previously thought.
Ordinary items to get you extraordinarily fit.
Bet you didn’t think this would come up in your fitness regimen, but your esophagus needs love during training, too. Intense exercise can contribute to heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), and there’s a good chance that ramping up your routine may be causing your symptoms, says…
The “Picnic,” or the Grand Teton Triathlon, is one of the most unique endurance challenges out there. The brainchild of a local writer and photographer, the Picnic involves biking from Jackson’s town square to Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, swimming across the lake, climbing the…
How do we put this nicely? If you’re anything like the participants in a recent Canadian study, you’re probably wrong about your workout intensity. (And yes, you probably are like them, considering that the group contained both men and women of different ages, ethnicities, and BMI classes.)…
Endurance coach and author Ben Greenfield guarantees your brain, guts, and groin will thank you
What’s one thing college kids and health nuts apparently have in common? Butt chugging. And a total lack of common sense.
We know— it’s hard to pass up the breadbasket, especially if you know you’re going to burn off all those empty calories. And while athletes need carbs—and have a bit more leeway in the unhealthy foods department—it’s prudent not to make white bread a regular staple in…
Think of those tough spots as badges of honor! “Callus formation is a natural response to friction and pressure,” says podiatrist Megan Leahy of the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. “Because runners obviously take more steps than non-runners, calluses may occur more readily.” Calluses can be harmless,…
Studies and experts suggest that nasal strips like Breathe Right don’t improve athletic performance in adults in any measure—no improved VO2 max, ventilation, maximal work rate, lactate threshold, or lowered ratings of perceived exertion. And it appears the same goes for horses. “Equine nasal…
After 100 races he just keeps going and going
Climbers typically have little understanding of basic training principles. And changing that will unleash a whole new breed of alpine expert.
A diverse diet doesn't necessarily mean a healthy diversity in intestinal bacteria. In fact, it may mean just the opposite.
If you’re the type of person who regularly burns the midnight oil, the thought of waking up for a 6 a.m. workout may be pretty unappealing to you. And you’re not alone: A study presented at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies’ annual meeting last week reported that…
This may not be the answer you’re looking for, but it’s the truth: The most effective way to get back into shape (and stay that way) isn’t by just doing one magic move over and over. The good news? You may not have to work out more than or…
On a sprawling farm in Vermont, Spartan Race founder Joe De Sena runs a business and a fitness crusade. He'll train anyone who shows up, with one major caveat: You must submit to his every cruel and unusual whim.
The multisport athlete wins at the GoPro Mountain Games for the eighth consecutive year
When Matthew Inman shared his running motivation with the Internet, the creator of popular webcomic The Oatmeal started a fitness sensation.
Why Clint Dempsey is the perfect player to shoulder Team USA's daunting World Cup campaign
In a desperate measure to burn surfeit calories, men and women have rushed to stuff their jiggly bits into resistance pants. But can clothing really make a workout any better?
Some good foods contains natural SPF—and you should be eating more of them
Depending on the school of thought you’re following, meditation can be practiced in a number of ways—sitting cross-legged in a dark room, while on a long run, or even on a crowded bus with the help of a smartphone app and a pair of headphones. In general, though,…
Think breakfast helps kick-start metabolism and boosts weight loss? These are widely believed myths not supported by evidence, scientists say. But breakfast does deserve high marks for increasing physical activity.
A "#fitness" selfie now qualifies as a training tool. Go ahead and be vain. (You probably think this story's about you, don't you?)
Vitamin B12 shots have been around for years, and they’re often marketed as a miracle cure for everything from fatigue to depression to those stubborn extra pounds you can’t shake. And while it’s true that a B12 deficiency can contribute to those things, there is…
In an age of whiz-bang techno-training, it’s way too easy to lose track of what made us fit in the first place: quality movement, good food, and high-intensity common sense.
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.
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
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…
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.
What you can do beforehand, at sea level and once you hit the mountains
It's not just mental. Even mild amounts of anxiety and stress can subvert your performance.
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…