Training & Performance
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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
A new report details the factors behind our surprising speedskating failure in this year's Olympics—and any athlete can learn from its findings.
What you can do beforehand, at sea level and once you hit the mountains
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?
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?…
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.
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
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
Study finds correlation between lack of exercise and deficient long-term memory.
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…
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.
Former pro speed skater Apolo Ohno is ready for a new challenge. Here he offers his advice for other aspiring distance athletes.
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.
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.
Why your thoughts go from brilliant to batty on your run
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…
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…
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 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.
More people die from opioid overdoses than car crashes, and Zohydro is one of the strongest yet to hit the market.
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…
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…
It depends what you’re looking to achieve with your planks, says personal trainer and strength coach Jay Wright, owner of The Wright Fit fitness facilities in New York City and San Francisco’s brand-new NEMA community—and, ultimately, which type you’re able to do most comfortably and correctly.
Training and nutrition has been an exciting (if unreliable) frontier for decades. But recent discoveries, combined with field-tested science, have debunked popular myths and established some ground rules for the outdoor athlete. Here's your performance 12-step program.
Skimo racing is one of the fastest growing sufferfests in the U.S., combining grueling big-mountain ascents in the worst kind of winter weather. So, naturally, two inexperienced, undertrained magazine editors couldn't wait to sign up.
We’ve tackled this topic before, but new research suggests that it’s time to revisit the age-old question: If you’re going to do both, should you lift before running? Or run before lifting? Back in 2012, we reported that a short, moderate-intensity cardio workout before weight training…
We've long known that sleep is important to your health, but a new study shows that skimping on your shuteye can lead to a lasting loss of neurons.
A drop of blood may be all it takes to tell if you've suffered a concussion.
You may feel fine hitting the trail or gym after one or two drinks—heck, you may feel great—but there's more going on in your body than you probably realize. “Some research has shown that small amounts of alcohol actually increase muscular endurance and strength output—but these benefits are very short-lived,”…
In one sense, SCUBA diving seems like incredible exercise: You strap 70-some pounds to your body, swim for an hour or so, then haul yourself back up a ladder and onto your boat. Most divers, though, will admit they’re not doing all that much, fitness-wise, while they’re down there.
Used to be, you blew a knee and your options back to action were few—and long. But a fast-growing field of stem-cell therapy is ushering in a new, and much speedier, era of orthopedic recovery.
There’s at least one potential benefit to extreme winter weather: Shivering appears to torch significant calories by converting energy-storing white fat to energy-burning brown fat. In a recent study, National Institutes of Health investigators subjected volunteers to various environments (including some really cold ones) and found that…
As athletes, we are always trying to break walls, but sometime we end up breaking ourselves.
You're slim, but that doesn't mean you're fit. What matters most: staying active.
On a forgotten day in 1811, a scalped head would not only shape the American West but refashion the geopolitical future of the entire North American continent.
Watch George Hein, a financial analyst from Wyoming, start Mountain Athletics training with North Face athlete Kit DesLauriers, as he prepares for a major skin up and ski down in the Tetons. Set your goal and get your workouts. A new series from The North Face’s Mountain Athletics.
An ACL tear is an athlete’s worst nightmare. One of the knee’s main stabilizers, the ACL keeps you upright when you plant and pivot. Reconstructive surgery and months of recovery often follow ACL tears. Yet a new study suggests that surgery isn’t required for almost 25 percent of first-time,…
Unfortunately for cubicle club members everywhere, science says no. Despite the American Heart Association’s recommendation that adults get 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week, or 25 minutes of vigorous exercise three days a week, new research shows that your health depends…
Don't let a bad fall keep you down. Pro freeskier Crystal Wright shares hard-earned tips on preventing and recovering from tough breaks.
As ski-touring season hits full stride, we're here to help take the edge off lung-busting climbs and quad-searing descents.
A growing body of research supports what was once a startling conclusion: vitamins don't help. In fact, they hamper performance.
Doctors have long advised patients to seek rest following a concussion. But a recent study shows that low-level aerobic exercise actually speeds recovery.
Tips from the world’s top-ranked slopestyle skier
Raising money once a year is great. So is pushing yourself to the limit. But today's racing culture is all about the fun.
From fat biking and snowshoe racing to winter trail running, there has never been more opportunity—or more variety—for competing on snow. Here's how to thrive when the mercury drops.
You don't need a gym membership to be ready for race season
A growing list of apps and tracking units allows you to challenge riding buddies and strangers alike.
Finally, more events are offering child-care options for active parents.
What kind of race is right for you?
Gyms are great for building strength and avoiding injury, but you don’t have to throw down $100 a month for that. Instead, do a series of body-weight-resistance exercises that target nearly every muscle, like the following four moves from certified strength and conditioning specialist Paul Hiniker.
Gyms are great for building strength and avoiding injury, but you don’t have to throw down $100 a month for that. Instead, do a series of body-weight-resistance exercises that target nearly every muscle, like the following four moves from certified strength and conditioning specialist Paul Hiniker.
Gyms are great for building strength and avoiding injury, but you don’t have to throw down $100 a month for that. Instead, do a series of body-weight-resistance exercises that target nearly every muscle, like the following four moves from certified strength and conditioning specialist Paul Hiniker.
They help you break falls and climb walls. Here's how to keep them strong.
Dogs are great adventure buddies, but they need to get in shape, just like you.
Can you sense the weather in your joints? Here's why that happens.