The other day I set out to investigate bone conduction headphones, a technology popularized in the last year by developers at AfterShokz. It touts an “open ear” system to transmit sound through the skull via vibrations that bypass the eardrum for the bones in the little ear. [More]

The semester is winding down and finals week is fast approaching. The stress and anxiety that accompanies this time of the year can affect our sleep and study habits. [More]

If you are like me, spending an hour on the treadmill or elliptical can feel like a waste of time. Not only is it a huge time investment, but I rarely get the fat burning results I am looking for. I have a very stubborn body fat (and metabolism) and finding a cardio workout that is both effective and efficient has been a huge challenge. [More]

RUN@WORK Day is promoted by the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and 2012 will mark its seventh year. The RRCA was started to promote adults engaging in 30 minutes of exercise a day and to encourage employers to be supportive of that goal. WSU is an employer that excels at promoting health and wellbeing for both its students and employees. Are you are interested in participating in the Pullman campus event? [More]

Like many of us around campus, we enjoy getting a good workout in whether it is weight training or cardio. But, if you are like me, finding the energy to run on a treadmill for 30 minutes is extremely hard. Many of the days I would tell myself to do some sort of cardio I would end up jogging a mile, get bored, and go lift instead. That is until my friend introduced me to the cycling, or “spinning,” classes they offer at the UREC. At first I was a bit skeptical, being a guy a “spinning” class does not sound very appealing. Men should lift, not ride stationary bicycles, right? No not necessarily. Through some convincing and a promise from my friend it will be an awesome workout I decided to sign up. Five minutes into the ride I was already dead and wanting to stop, yet there was still 40 minutes left. I rode through it and when the class was over I was exhausted but very satisfied with how good the workout felt. A good workout will challenge you throughout and the cycling class definitely gets the job done. Not only that, but the instructor was very encouraging and the music was precise to the intervals and speed we rode. Plus, riding next to my friend we were able to compete against each other and push each other as well. I strongly recommend a cycling class to anybody who is interested in getting a hard and demanding, but fun and fulfilling workout. You will not regret it.

We can all relate the workout boost we receive when a good song comes on our MP3 player or over the stereo at the gym. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine a pre-MP3 player workout where most people had nothing to listen to while out running or in the pool. I have to admit, that I’ve used forgetting my iPod as an occasional excuse to skip my run. The inspiration we feel when our favorite songs come up is even supported by research, as there are studies showing up tempo music can make us move faster without noticing the extra work we are doing. Some studies report a 15% increase in endurance in athletes who exercise to music. [More]

Appearance is a consequence of fitness--Years ago I had a long time client give me a piece of paper after one of our sessions. On this piece of paper was scribbled the following: Pull-ups x 25, Deadlifts x 50, Pushups x 50, 24-Inch Box Jumps x 50, Floor Wipers x 50, Single Arm Cleans x 50, Pull-ups x 25. “What is this?” I asked. “The 300 Workout,” he replied. “And I want to do it,” he added. “I think if you did this, you might die,” I said. “We might be able to do this over the course of a couple sessions, sure.” “No. This is a single workout that you are going to get me to do, Matt. And you are going to time me doing it.” That was my introduction to the 300 workout... [More]

I love trying out all of the classes that I see at the Student Recreation Center. However, the TRX class seemed a little intimidating. I finally had the opportunity to try out the class and it went great! When I first walked in, there were a bunch of straps hanging from a giant structure in the middle which I had no clue how to use. To my delight, the instructor was very friendly and energetic. He showed me how to adjust the suspension straps for my body (you want the handles to be at upper calf to your knee height) so I was quickly prepared to start the class. [More]

The Rec Center offers Body Composition testing that looks at different measures of fitness.  This got me thinking about what healthy looks like numerically. If I am working out consistently throughout the week, what can I use to benchmark my progress? After a bit of research I came up with three different measures:                 Body Mass Index (BMI): BMI is a way to estimate how much body fat you have. Too much body fat is a problem for a variety of health reasons. You can measure your own BMI online at the American Institute for Cancer Research (aicr.org). It is important to remember that the more muscle you have, the more that this measure may not be an accurate tool because muscle weighs more than fat and you would have a comparatively higher body weight, throwing off the calculation.                 Hip to Waist Ratio (HWR): This measurement is to evaluate where your body is storing its fat. If you are carrying your weight around your mid-section (waist), then you may be at higher health risks for diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary heart disease. It is best if you have your weight on your bottom half, waist, butt and thighs. This measurement is taken by looking at the ratio between your waist and hips. Check your HWR here:  http://www.healthyforms.com/helpful-tools/index.php                 Resting Heart Rate (RHR): Your RHR is a way to evaluate your heart health. A good rule to go by is the healthier you are, the lower your RHR will be. 70 beats per minute or below is a healthy number. The best way to measure your RHR is by taking it first thing in the morning, when your body has been completely relaxed for an extended period of time. Take your pulse with your index and middle finger on either your neck or wrist and coun... [More]

Every semester begins and I remember that I need a few weeks to settle in and determine my routine. Like most, I find that working out is one of the hardest items to find room in my schedule for. Ironically, when working out is done consistently I feel better about all of my other commitments! One way that works for me to consistently be active is by signing up for fitness classes through the Rec Center. By signing up I then feel a sense of commitment both to myself and because I have invested some money as well. Because I need those first few weeks to determine homework and school patterns, it usually works best for me to sign up during the second fitness session of the semester. Right now, I am looking forward to filling the gaps in my schedule with a fun, stress-relieving class.  Currently there are over 100 class sessions offered per week including TRX, Gravity Pilates, Cycling, Turbo Kick, Pilates, Step, Yoga and Zumba. I am confident that between all of these options I will be able to find one that can wiggle its way into my week days or weekends. Right now I have my eye on a morning cycling class complimented by a weekend yoga break. Ultimately I cannot wait to get back into these fitness classes after this early fall break!