Enter to WIN 5 Yoga Classes

Lis White Yoga is having a photo competition, where the best photo will win a 5 class pass at Altitude Health and Fitness in Wollongong, NSW, Australia!

To enter, simply take a picture of you doing Yoga Practice in the great outdoors. Then Email Lis the picture and a comment of where the picture was taken and the circumstances or inspiration behind the shot.

There is no limit to the number of photos you can submit and the best photo will win a 5 yoga class pass!!!

Entry closes on January 31st 2011

Find out More at http://LisWhiteYoga.com/yoga/Photos.html

Lis White is a passionate Yoga instructor. She traveled to India in 2008 to immerse herself in the study of Ashtanga Yoga. She has since then taught Yoga in the Ecuadorian Andes and the Greek Islands. Lis currently runs her Yoga classes from the Studio at Altitude Peak Health and Fitness in Wollongong, Australia.

Related articles

• No related articles.

Here is a roundup of useful fitness links from across the web:

20-Minute Workout for Stress Relief

Fitness isn’t just about your body, it’s about your mind and spirit too. De-stress and get fit in 20 minutes with this fast yoga-meets-martial-arts Budokon workout that targets your abs, arms, and legs.

“The slower movement and breathing will restore your calm,” creator Cameron Shayne says.

Increase Your Yoga Burn

For a stronger yoga body, just add a fistful of iron. These hatha poses from Anthony Carillo, author of Iron Yoga, incorporate 2- to 5-pound dumbbells to strengthen your body and fry fat. Do each move once on both sides, then move to the next. For best results, repeat the flow for 45 minutes two or three times a week.

The Truth About Protein

If you are what you eat, what does that make a vegan? A string-bean, milquetoast kind of a guy? Of course not—and renowned strength coach Robert dos Remedios, a vegan, is strong evidence to the contrary. Really strong.

But most men eat animal products. And we really do become what we eat. Our skin, bones, hair, and nails are composed mostly of protein. Plus, animal products fuel the muscle-growing process called protein synthesis. That’s why Rocky chugged eggs before his a.m. runs. Since those days, nutrition scientists have done plenty of research. Read up before you chow down.

Hill Reps: A Essential Drill In Your Marathon Preparation

Peter Brett, a marathon trainer from Blackmores, shares his top tips for doing hill reps.
A drill that’s great for improving flexibility, speed and mobility.

In Fitness Roundup, we bring you interesting fitness links from around the web.
If you have a useful article, link or workout that you think Wollongong Fitness readers would be interested in, Send It In!

Related articles

• No related articles.

We all know that some of the best runners in the world are Kenyans. At the recent Gold Coast Marathon (July 2010), the top four runners in the marathon event were Kenyans. The Sydney Marathon, which is held in September each year, was won last year by Julius Seurei, a Kenyan. And at the New York Marathon last year, the second spot was taken by, you guessed it, a runner from Kenya. In fact, Kenya has the most number of world class runners per capital!

Experts have attributed the superior endurance running capability of Kenyans to be due to their diet, the intense training, the altitude which they train in and also the their special genes.

Dr. Owen Anderson, from Gloucester Catholic Cross Country, visited the Kenyan cross country camps on the slopes of Mt. Kenya to interview dozens of elite Kenyan athletes. They provided him with 20 “running commandments” which outline their running success.

The 20 rules of Kenyan running are outlined below and are divided into two categories, principles which you should follow in your own training, as well as a couple of factors which are very difficult for you to control.

1. Avoid distractions.

Compared to Australian youngsters, Kenyan children have fewer toys, watch less television, and hardly go on facebook, so there is a much-smaller chance that a Kenyan young person will become sedentary. Because Kenyan youngsters are so active, they build up a tremendous base of aerobic development, strength, coordination, and speed between the ages of five and 16 and are more than ready for intense endurance competition while still in high school.

2. Don’t run on concrete or asphalt.

Kenyans prefer to carry out their workouts on trails or dirt roads, which simultaneously increase their leg-muscle strength and save their legs from too much hard pounding. Dirt provides more cushioning but usually forces you to work harder to run at a specific speed. Trail and dirt road running produce greater leg-muscle power, with less total damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments, compared with hard-road rambling.

3. Do more race-speed training.

A favorite workout of top Kenyan runners involves a two- to three-mile warm-up and then about 10K of running over very rolling terrain. During the 10K, Kenyans alternate back and forth between about two minutes of fast running (at 10-K pace or faster) and around one minute of easy, relaxed ambling.

4. Make sure that outstanding running performances are rewarded with substantial financial bonuses.

For Kenyans, the prize money they receive from winning competitions can allow them to retire for life. Needless to say, this kind of financial-reward system intensifies young Kenyans’ interest in running.

5. Have great role models.

In Kenya, their world class athletes are out on the street – where everyone can talk with them. With so many great runners providing encouragement to up-and-coming competitors, young Kenyan runners begin to believe that it is normal – and almost routine – for Kenyans to win major international competitions.

6. Eat cheap, simple, healthy foods.

The Kenyans’ high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet revolves around ugali (corn-meal porridge), delicious vegetable stews, beans and bean soup, greens, plantains, passion fruit, cabbage, and rice. All of these foods are filling and satisfying and contain rich lodes of vitamins and minerals. Contrary to popular belief, Kenyan-runners’ diets are quite adequate in protein, provided by complementary combinations of grain and vegetables as well as sprinklings of lean chicken, goat, milk, and an occasional egg. Overall, dietary fat, especially saturated fat, is as sparse as slow race performances.

7. Be part of an excellent running team.

The Kenyan cross-country teams are true teams – not just collections of people thrown together for a competition. They train together for several weeks prior to the world championships, and everyone completes the same workouts.

8. Train with a very accomplished runner.

At the Kenyan camp, young Kenyans worked out with world class athletes. Fledgling runners learned exactly what it took to win and found out that they could handle the workouts carried out by their illustrious peers. Young runners – at first unsure about their abilities – gradually developed an attitude of “I’ve got what it takes to win, too.”

9. Take regular, prolonged breaks from training.

European, American and Australian athletes tend to think, “If I don’t train strenuously all the time, someone may get ahead of me,” but the Kenyan maxim is, “I work so hard that my body periodically needs a great rest.” Five-time world-cross-country champion John Ngugi trained very, very lightly at various times during the training year, and Moses Kiptanui, former world-record holder in the 3000-meter steeplechase, 5K, and two-mile run, was known to take four- to eight-week breaks during which he carried out no running at all. Such recovery periods allow the muscle-rebuilding process – an essential part of any training program – to be optimized and completed fully and leave runners highly motivated and mentally fresh for subsequent, intense training.

10. Carry out some of your training at altitude.

Altitude training is great for you mentally. Altitude makes every workout feel tougher, so you can develop a higher mental tolerance for pain. As veteran Kenyan runner Ondoro Osoro said, “When I come down from altitude, competition at sea level feels no more difficult than sitting in a rocking chair.” The altitude training must be completely wisely, however. At altitude, the Kenyans like to practice running at the precise pace which will be needed to win an upcoming race at sea level. When the sea-level race takes place, the required pace seems fairly facile, because it has been practiced under much-more stressful conditions – at altitude. Don’t forget, too, that a three-week residency at altitude can boost the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity.

11. Take chances.

Kenyans occasionally go to extremes, including running unbelievably tough schedules (with a high frequency of fast intervals, hill repeats, and scalding fartlek sessions) for about three weeks at a time. These “crash cycles” of training seem to push fitness to extraordinary levels. Naturally, it is important to monitor oneself during these periods to make sure that the risks of overtraining and injury are kept low.

12. Warm up thoroughly at the beginnings of workouts, and spend lots of time stretching after workouts are over.

Even the very best Kenyan runners begin most workouts by completing a couple of miles at a leisurely, eight- to nine-minute per mile pace. Kenyans settle into fast training speeds only when their muscles are warm and blood vessels leading into their hearts and leg muscles are full-bore open. Kenyans do not do much stretching before they run, so the initially easy ambles also unkink tight muscles. A diverse array of stretches and calisthenics are carried out for 15 to 30 minutes after almost every workout and help prevent muscles from “locking up” in between training sessions. The post-workout stretching also “opens up” leg muscles to incoming carbohydrate, so that more glycogen can be stored between workouts.

13. Get your local schools involved in fitness.

In Kenyan high schools, 10 to 12 weeks are sometimes devoted exclusively to physical education. Phys-ed programs teach young people appropriate exercise techniques and help to create and maintain a large, highly fit “pool” of young individuals, from which nationally and internationally successful athletes can emerge.

14. Don’t keep a log book or follow an absolutely rigid training schedule.

Instead, monitor yourself closely and keep your training “in synch” with how you are feeling. If you keep a log of your running, it’s easy to add up your mileage for the week, and there is a great temptation to run at least that many miles during the following week – even if you are feeling pretty worn-out. There is also a temptation to complete a scheduled workout even though you feel like hell – because it is written down in the log. Attempting to lock step to the dictates of a written training program and working hard on days when you are really tired are guaranteed ways to maximize the risk of overtraining. The Kenyans don’t count miles and prefer to carry out solid amounts of training on days when they feel good and minimal quantities on days when they are fatigued. This can actually involve more discipline than simply following the commands written down in a training schedule, and it is a more effective way to build a training schedule which optimally balances hard work and recovery.

15. Develop a good financial-support system, so that you can concentrate fully on your running.

In Kenya, talented young runners usually join the police or armed forces, where they can train with other topnotch harriers and don’t have to worry about putting bread (or in the Kenyan case – ugali) on the table.

16. Don’t worry too much.

When troubles arise, the Kenyan runners often invoke the motto, “Hakuna noma,” which simply means, “There’s no problem.” Bad things happen to runners all the time, including missed workouts, slower-than-expected races, illnesses, and injuries, just to name a few. The Kenyans simply acknowledge these disappointments and then look forward to better workouts and races in the future. The focus is on gradual progress toward a better future – not on beating oneself up over disappointing events.

17. Train on hills nearly constantly.

Top Kenyan runners carry out almost all of their workouts on very hilly terrain. Hill running transforms your leg muscles from thin strips of sinew into powerful dynamos which can use oxygen at incredibly high rates, when needed, and which can provide incredible, stabilizing support for the body during movement. At the same time, hill training improves running economy, so that you do not need as much oxygen as usual – even when you are cruising along at tough intensities. As a result of their hill training, the Kenyans have huge aerobic capacities but require only puny percentages of those dynamic oxygen reservoirs to keep up with the runners with whom they compete.

The Final Three Commandments You Can’t Follow Now… It’s Too Late

18. Choose ancestors who were pastoral people with a fondness for the “bride-price” system of marriage.

Although there are at least 35 different tribal groups within Kenya, the majority of Kenya’s internationally successful runners have come from a single tribe called the Kalenjins. That’s a bit strange, since Kalenjins make up only about 4 percent or so of the entire population. Historically, Kalenjins lived a nomadic life tending roaming herds of cattle, and a young Kalenjin male was considered suitable for marriage only if he possessed an adequate number of beeves (this was the “bride price”). Since livestock didn’t exactly grow on trees, enterprising young men would raid wandering herds at night (often those belonging to a different tribe) in an attempt to purloin enough hooves to impress the family of the potential bride. This involved running the cattle away from the main herd as quickly and for as great a distance as possible – before the theft was discovered. Thus, a direct link was established between outstanding endurance-running performances and fatherhood, an effect magnified by the tendency of Kenyan males to marry several times.

19. Exercise a lot when you are a child.

Little kids in Kenya really do carry out a lot of aerobic training, but they call it “running to school.” As I jogged on the trails and roads near Mt. Kenya, little folks padded past me, cruising easily at six-minute per mile tempo in bare feet on uneven ground, with heavy school bags draped over their shoulders. The average Kenyan youngster covers eight to 20 kilometers per day just ambulating back and forth between home and school (more Ks are often covered while doing chores around a rural home), and this sole-to-ground mode of transport increases the strength and flexibility of leg, ankle, and foot muscles. Later, when a young Kenyan begins to train seriously for competition, the support system – the feet and legs – can handle the stresses of training with relative ease.

20. Grow up at an altitude of 5500 to 7000 feet.

Maturing at such elevations gives you slightly thicker blood, a stronger heart, more blood vessels per muscle cell, and slightly smaller muscle fibers which can be more easily and quickly penetrated by incoming oxygen molecules.

Read the full article by Dr. Owen Anderson at Gloucester Catholic Cross Country

Related articles

• Running Workouts -A Great Way to Challenge Your Body
• Running and Sleeping
• Beginner’s Training Guide For a Sprint Triathlon
• 5 Beginner Running Tips
• What’s your foot type?

When: 5 September 2010

Where: Sydney Region

The cost is at $200 per team, but I have been told by Brendan Tuck of VO2 Vitality that they have a special at the moment where you can sign up for 2 events at just $300 per team (50% off the second event). That’s a $100 savings!

If anyone is interested in attending, leave a comment or drop me an email and I’ll get you in touch with Brendan.

Adventure Racing is great fun. It is a sport for everyone, from the seasoned veteran to novices and complete beginners. Adventure racing is for those who love the outdoors, love adventure and discovery, and most of all, love a good laugh with their mates.

BlackHeart Events, Australia’s premier Adventure Race organisers, brings you Australia’s best Adventure races.

BlackHeart Events have a large fleet of 2 person sit-on-top kayaks and a fleet of hire bikes, which makes adventure racing more accessible and even more fun than ever before.

BlackHeart Events offer competitors traditional Adventure races, in that they possess all of the key disciplines associated with Adventure Racing – kayaking, mountain biking, and running, with an element of navigation, team work and decision making thrown in.

BlackHeart Events run an Adventure Race suitable for everyone’s ability, skill level and motivation. They range in length from the Sprint Adventure Races up to the super challenging 24hr Adventure races.

Related articles

• Why I run the Comrades Marathon
• URAC City2Surf Training Squad
• The North Face 100
• Team Equinox Completed the Oxfam Trailwalker!
• Sydney Running Festival Entries Now Open

Celebrate 10 years of the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival

Where: Sydney

When: Sunday, 19th September 2010

Events:

• Marathon (42.195km)
• Half-Marathon (21.0975km)
• Bridge Run (9km)
• Family Fun Run (4km)

Lace up the shoes for your once a year chance to run, hop, skip or walk over the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, car free, on your journey to the Sydney Opera House. So sign up today to the “run that’s fun for everyone”!

Enter Now at

http://www.runthebridge.com.au/

Related articles

• Why I run the Comrades Marathon
• URAC City2Surf Training Squad
• The North Face 100
• Team Equinox Completed the Oxfam Trailwalker!
• Sydney Running Festival Entries Now Open

An amazing 14k run through the heart of Sydney, starting from Hyde Park and finishing in Bondi. Known for the famous “heart-break” hill (at the half way point) and fun party atmosphere, this is one run not to be missed. There are participants who dressed up in costumes and there are live performances and crowds cheering you on encouraging you throughout the run! Definitely up there as one of the most memorable runs for most of us here in Wollongong Fitness.

Celebrate 40 years of fun, fitness and fundraising by being part of the worlds largest run and Sydney’s favourite sporting event, The Sun-Herald City2Surf presented by Westpac on Sunday, August 8.

For information about the route, there’s a google map display of the route.

To Enter or find out more, go to http://city2surf.sunherald.com.au/

If you’re in Wollongong and part of the university community, why not consider joining the University of Wollongong’s City2Surf team? It’s free to join and includes a free UOW T-shirt to wear on the day, transport to the event and back, a snack pack, bonus 10 free visit to the university’s health club, a chance to win a free annual membership to the university’s social club and also an opportunity to meet fellow runners from within the community! To find out more about the UOW City2Surf Team, go to http://www.uow.edu.au/conferences/2010/city2surf/whyjoin/index.htm

WIN a Sun-Herald City2Surf runners pack!

To help celebrate The Sun-Herald City2Surf on Sunday 8 August, City of Sydney is giving away a runners pack thanks to Fitness First, The Sun-Herald, New Balance, Rebel Sport and Gatorade.

One lucky entrant will win the package valued at $760 which includes:

• Fitness First 3 month platinum membership
• A pair of New Balance limited edition City2Surf trainers
• Gatorade pack: back pack, sports towel, squeeze bottle and Gatorade Powder
• 1 Adult entry in to The Sun-Herald City2Surf

Enter

To enter, subscribe to the City of Sydney’s What’s On e-newsletter by clicking here.

Entries close 10am, Monday 12 July 2010 and the winner will be picked at random.

Entry is only open to New South Wales residents who are 18 years or over.

Related articles

• 10 Weeks Sydney Half Marathon Beginner’s Training Guide
• Why I run the Comrades Marathon
• The North Face 100
• Sydney Running Festival Entries Now Open
• Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon 2009 – Entries now open

Fitness of a different kind, for all you Wii Lovers out there, there’s the wii 7 in 1 Fitness Bundle for the Wii Fit.

Might not be a bad alternative given the cold winter weather.

FEATURES:

• Power Fit – Compatible with Wii Balance Board, powers your Wii Balance Board by USB and has a 12 foot cable for versatility
• 2 Wristbands & 1 Headband – High absorbency bands with embroidered logos
• Remote Holsters – Convenient holsters easily clip to pants, shorts or belt. High quality materials ensure long life and dependability
• One Size Fits all Textured Foot Socks – Increase comfort and prevent slipping
• Jeli Sleeve – Protects the Wii Balance Board from dirt and scratches. Rubberized, textured surface prevents slipping and adds traction for balance
• Fitness Mat – 3 Layered design ensures softness and durability. Also works as a Yoga or Pilates style exercise mat
• High Quality durable nylon Travel Bag – Protects the Balance Board from dirt and scratches

Related articles

• No related articles.

A new type of sport?

Love the Wimbledon and Scuba diving? Why not combine the two into one?

That’s what  scuba divers at the British Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire Oaks did.

The game was played among 3 meter long sharks and giant stingrays. The species of sharks included grey nurse sharks, zebra sharks and sand tiger sharks!

The tennis balls also had to be specially weighted so that it won’t float to the surface.

Unlike the Wimbledon, I can’t see scuba tennis lasting over and hour. There’s probably not too much running/fining around to hit the ball as those fins would make it hard to move. And you might need to watch your back constantly if the sharks take a keen interest in the game… or worse yet… you!

Have you done any interesting forms of sports? Let us know, we love to hear from you!

Related articles

• Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon 2009 – Entries now open
• Susie’s Sydney to Wollongong Swim Appeal
• Now online!
• License Fees for Fitness Operators in Wollongong

Most people in running events like 10K runs, half marathons or marathons run as either a personal challenge or for social reasons.

Ever considered running for a cause and making a difference? It’s easy and it’ll also provide an additional motivation during your training.

Most running events have a list of official charities they support so it’s easy to find one to fund raise for.

The setup process is easy and you usually will have a fund raising page created for you which you can customize and keep track of your fund raising efforts.
It’s also a great way to gain support and let everyone who’s supporting you know how you are going with your training.
Some running events even let you run for FREE if you manage to reach a certain fund raising goal. (One such event is the Sydney Running Festival in September)

So why not make a difference in your next running event and fund raise!
Not sure who to support or where to start, you can first check the event website for the next run you’re doing more information.
Or you can visit one of the following websites below for more information

Cancer Council – Challenge for cancer
http://doyourthing.com.au/race-thing

Go fund raise – making a difference is easy
http://www.gofundraise.com.au

Can Too – non-profit program that matches fitness incentives with a good cause!
http://www.cantoo.org.au

Related articles

• Why I run the Comrades Marathon
• The North Face 100
• Sydney Running Festival Entries Now Open
• Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon 2009 – Entries now open
• Sun-Herald City2Surf 2009 Entries Now Open

2010 MS Sydney to Gong Bike Ride

MS Sydney to the Gong Bike Ride – 7 November 2010

www.gongride.org.au

The Gong Ride is a one of a kind fundraising event. You can pedal 90km from Sydney to Wollongong on any day of the year but it’s only on the first Sunday of November that you’ll experience the camaraderie, fellowship, unity, safety, scenery and sense of achievement for pedaling in support of people living with MS. But be quick because numbers have been capped so places are limited! To maintain the safety and enjoyment of participants, local residents and other road users and in consultation with the NSW Police and the RTA, the event will be capped at 10,000.

Each rider in the Sydney to the Gong Bike Ride is dedicated and committed to fundraising a minimum of $250, which is easy and fun with our easy-to-use online system. Collect $25 from 10 mates and you have already reached your $250 to help support people living with MS! Why not go further?

Your fundraising efforts in the MS Sydney to the Gong Bike Ride are vital to MS Australia and the people/families living with MS. The Gong Ride is more than just an important date on Sydney’s sporting calendar – it is also Australia’s biggest fundraiser for people with MS. Last year over $3.1 million was directly fundraised by riders on the Gong Ride in 2010 we are aiming for a massive $4,000,000!

Because numbers are now capped at 10,000 we know that some people are going to miss out and be disappointed and we want to ensure that the 6,500 people who fundraised through the ride last year get first chance to secure entry. 2009 fundraisers will therefore have priority entry to the ride until July 1.

The event will open to non fundraisers and new Gong Riders, who pledge to raise a minimum $250, on a first come first served basis on July 2.
Enter online at www.gongride.org.au or contact the events team on 1300 733 690. We hope to see you on November 7!

Related articles

• Ride Around the Lake
• Australia’s Biggest Health and Fitness Expo
• 2009 Sydney to Gong Bike Ride
• Why I run the Comrades Marathon
• URAC City2Surf Training Squad