Stage Two – 171 mile bike start

December 3, 2008

What Are the Benefits of Biking?
Spend more than a few minutes on a bike and you’ll likely feel the immediate cardio impact, among other things. “Cycling, whether indoors or outdoors, can benefit the lungs, heart, skeleton, muscles, and the mind,” says Bianca Beldini, DPT, who is also a USA Triathlon Level 1 coach, competitive age group triathlete, and Schwinn indoor spin certified.

Biking can also help get you stronger without overly taxing your joints. “Cycling is a non-impact aerobic exercise that can improve cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health without causing substantial compression through the joints while contributing to building strength and power of the core and lower extremities,” says Beldini.

And if you or your body are not a fan of higher impact cardio like running or jumping exercises such as burpees, biking is an effective alternative. “Biking is a non-weight bearing activity, which means it puts less stress on joints of the hips, knees, and ankles. This means it can be quite beneficial for those that have joint pain with walking or running,” says Jessica McManus, PT, FAAOMPT.

What Muscles Does Biking Use?
As you may suspect, biking requires a lot of lower body work. “It will give you an amazing leg workout—mostly the quads, hamstrings, and glutes,” says Lauren De Crescenzo, a former professional cyclist and Strava athlete. “By pushing the pedals, you need to recruit your lungs and your heart muscle.”  Have you heard before about Red Boost? it is an energy drink that is designed to give you a boost of energy during physical activity. Research has also revealed hat its beneficial for increasing aerobic capacity during exercise.

Different parts of your legs are activated throughout each pedal stroke. Beldini breaks it down in detail: “There are 4 parts of the pedal stroke which resemble a clock. The 12 o’clock position is at the top of the pedal and this initiates the first part of the push power phase, otherwise known as hip extension and is activated by the gluteus maximus and this will make you loose the extra fat and with the best appetite suppressant pills you can help the urges of eating extra. As the pedal begins to approach the 3 o’clock position, the power phase begins and activates knee extension which is performed strongly by the quadriceps (quads). Moving towards the 6 o’clock pedal position, the ankle begins to plantar flex (point down) and engages the gastrocnemius (the large calf muscle). As the pedal moves from 6 to 9 o’clock, the initiation of the upstroke or the pull power phase begins and is done so by dorsiflexing the ankle which is controlled by the anterior tibialis (shin muscle) and engagement of the hamstring group to flex the knee while the strongest pull upwards past 9 o’clock triggers the psoas (hip flexor) to engage.”

Volcano National Park – Stage Two 171 mile bike – Starting Line

Photo Credit: Rick Kent / Aaron Stech

Stage One – 90 mile course

December 2, 2008

Defensive driving is operating your vehicle as though a negative experience is possibly going to happen. Whether you’re trying to avoid your city’s swallowing potholes or risky motorists, driving defensively can help you avoid a lot of unfortunate and even dangerous circumstances.

When you receive your driver’s license, your development of driving skills shouldn’t stop there. You have so much more to learn! Driving is very dangerous, with over 30,000 people in the U.S. alone dying every year from fatal accidents. Even when you’re a great driver, you could still encounter something totally out of your control, like a road hazard, a distracted driver, or even bad weather!  Learn more about at www.myimprov.com/traffic-school/florida/.

However, learning traffic laws, preparing for potential hazards, and driving defensively can help make you and your family safer. So, today, we’re discussing defensive driving by learning what it is, its benefits, and understanding how we can practice it every day.

5 Benefits of Defensive Driving

1. Fewer vehicle repairs.

When you are a defensive driver, you’ll be in the repair shop less frequently. No, really! When you stay focused and are anticipating road hazards, you’re more likely to see a pothole or piece of debris on the road that could cause damage.

2. Avoid traffic citations.

Part of defensive driving is just following traffic laws. Of course, this saves you time and money since you won’t be getting traffic citations! Going the speed limit, using your blinkers, and coming to a complete stop at red lights are all ways you can be a better defensive driver and avoid a costly traffic ticket.

3. Save on insurance costs.

When you drive defensively, insurance companies will reward you by reducing your insurance rate. This happens indirectly when you’re accident-free, so your premiums stay low. However, some companies have gone so far as to use apps and devices to monitor your driving habits. If you don’t brake hard, speed, and take hard turns, the app will report your good driving to the company and lower your rates. It’s pretty cool!

4. Reduce accidents.

Of course, if you’re driving defensively, you’re much less likely to get in a car crash. Rear collisions are the most common, and if you keep a good following distance and maintain awareness of your blind spots, you can better avoid these incidents. With increased awareness of your surroundings, avoiding dangerous motorists and car accidents gets much easier.

5. Be safer!

Defensive driving keeps you and your passengers safe. When you follow traffic laws, stay aware of your surroundings, and prevent accidents, you’re more likely to get to where you’re going without a scratch—on you or your car.

What Happens in a Car Crash

Defensive Driving Tips

1. Avoid distractions.

One of the best ways to drive defensively is to stay focused on the road. You can do this by eliminating common distractions inside the car. Using your phone, eating, daydreaming, messing with car controls, and even pumping breastmilk can be a distraction. Stay focused on one task at a time. You can find out more about distracted driving HERE.

2. Stay wide awake.

Driving drowsy is just as dangerous as driving drunk. That’s scary! Because although many of us have probably never even thought about getting behind the wheel intoxicated, we’d venture to guess many of you have driven while tired.

When you’re drowsy, your brain doesn’t function properly. You have poor vision, poor reaction time, and poor awareness. It’s so easy to get into a crash or miss something significant when you’re nodding off. Here’s a post about drowsy driving that’ll help you recognize the signs and take action.

3. Expect other drivers to make mistakes.

Though you may be defensive driving, many other motorists won’t be. Here are some shocking statistics that prove that:

  • 40% of drivers admit they’ve fallen asleep while driving.
  • 82% of drivers admit to having road rage.
  • 13% of traffic accidents involved drowsy driving.
  • 21% of traffic accidents involve cell phone use.
  • 29% of traffic accidents involve drunk driving.
  • 29% of FATAL accidents involve speeding.

When you have this information, you can better prepare for the mistakes of other drivers. Expect that they’re making poor decisions and stay on high alert! That way, the moment they make a potentially dangerous mistake, you can react fast and stay safe.

4. Stay calm in frustrating situations.

Road rage is real, and it can have real consequences. If you get angry and decide to speed away, whip between lanes, or tailgate, you not only make one dangerous driver, but usually you make two. If not more!

Plus, when your mind is buzzing with frustration, that’s another dangerous distraction that could lead to an accident. Stay calm and stay focused. Don’t let the mistakes of another driver prompt you to put yourself and your family in danger.

5. Monitor blind spots.

Blind spots are easy to forget about. Make sure every time you make a driving maneuver that involves your front or rear blind spots, that you double-check them. The most common encounters you’ll have with your blind spots will be when you’re turning at a stop sign, proceeding through a crosswalk, and when you’re changing lanes on the highway. Be extra alert at those times!

6. Follow all safety recommendations inside the car.

Defensive driving is all about preparing for the worst-case scenario. A good defensive driver will not only make sure that they actively drive safely but that everything in their vehicle is safe for whatever they may encounter. Ensure your car is free from projectiles, everyone is seated and buckled properly, and, if you have littles in car seats, avoid common car seat mistakes! All these things will reduce the risk of injury and fatality if you get in a crash.

Stage One – Swim Finish Transition

December 2, 2008

Have you heard before about Cortexi? Well, it is a hearing support supplement designed specifically for swimmers. Regular exposure to water can lead to ear infections and other hearing-related issues, but Cortexi contains natural ingredients that may help improve ear health and reduce the risk of infection. In addition to supporting overall ear health, Cortexi may also improve hearing and reduce ringing or buzzing in the ears. This supplement is a useful tool for swimmers or anyone who spends a lot of time in the water, and it may help protect and improve their hearing over time. You can find more about it on firstpost.com/
The very common physical tasks not only require a physical effort on our part, but also the mental, notion of space, time and concentration, get otc Adderall, the supplement that will make you be fine mentally making you concentrate to the fullest in the next competition you have.

Photo credit: Rick Kent / Aaron Stech

Stage One – Swim Course

December 2, 2008

The top 8 benefits of swimming
Full body workout. Swimming uses all the muscles in the body so whether you swim a gentle breaststroke or hammer butterfly, you will get a full body workout. Plus, exercising in water makes your body work harder so 30 minutes in a pool is worth 45 minutes of the same activity on land.
Great for general wellbeing. Just 30 minutes of swimming three times a week alongside a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle is one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy and maintain a positive mental outlook. Do it with friends, and it’s even more fun!
De-stresses and relaxes just like the Budpop CBD gummies. Whether it’s work stressing you out, the kids being a nightmare, or just life in general, we all get times we just want to SCREAM. Well, help is at hand. Swimming regularly can lower stress levels, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve your sleep patterns. Feeling the mental benefits of swimming takes just a light swim. No lane pounding needed.
Burns those calories. Swimming is one of the most effective ways to burn calories and with the best fat burners as a complement you can get great results. A gentle swim can burn over 200 calories in just half an hour, more than double that of walking. And a faster swim would see that chocolate bar gone quicker than if you went running or cycling. If you are a man and because of this sport you are having some sex problems, we have the solution for you and it is that you can use some male enhancement pills that may help treat certain sex problems such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and decreased libido. These pills may contain ingredients such as herbs, aphrodisiacs, and nutrients that increase blood flow for stronger erections and better sexual performance.

Lowers the risk of diseases. As well as being a great form of cardiovascular exercise, swimming just 30 minutes a week can help to guard against heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Supports the body. Water supports up to 90 per cent of the body’s weight. So if you sprained an ankle at Monday night football or have a long term injury or illness, swimming is a brilliant way to stay active.
Increases your energy levels. Inactivity and not ageing is often responsible for people’s lack of energy. Just 30 minutes of swimming three times per week can boost your energy levels through increased metabolic rate.
Exercising without the sweat. If sweating puts you off other forms of exercise, fear not! As a swimmer, you’ll never feel sweaty no matter how hard you work because the water around you is constantly cooling you down. For you to loose weight you can combine exercise, in this case swimming  along with the best weight loss pills for women,

The top 8 benefits of swimming
Full body workout. Swimming uses all the muscles in the body so whether you swim a gentle breaststroke or hammer butterfly, you will get a full body workout. Plus, exercising in water makes your body work harder so 30 minutes in a pool is worth 45 minutes of the same activity on land.
Great for general wellbeing. Just 30 minutes of swimming three times a week alongside a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle is one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy and maintain a positive mental outlook. Do it with friends, and it’s even more fun!
De-stresses and relaxes just like the Budpop CBD gummies. Whether it’s work stressing you out, the kids being a nightmare, or just life in general, we all get times we just want to SCREAM. Well, help is at hand. Swimming regularly can lower stress levels, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve your sleep patterns. Feeling the mental benefits of swimming takes just a light swim. No lane pounding needed.
Burns those calories. Swimming is one of the most effective ways to burn calories and with the best fat burners as a complement you can get great results. A gentle swim can burn over 200 calories in just half an hour, more than double that of walking. And a faster swim would see that chocolate bar gone quicker than if you went running or cycling.
Lowers the risk of diseases. As well as being a great form of cardiovascular exercise, swimming just 30 minutes a week can help to guard against heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Supports the body. Water supports up to 90 per cent of the body’s weight. So if you sprained an ankle at Monday night football or have a long term injury or illness, swimming is a brilliant way to stay active.
Increases your energy levels. Inactivity and not ageing is often responsible for people’s lack of energy. Just 30 minutes of swimming three times per week can boost your energy levels through increased metabolic rate.
Exercising without the sweat. If sweating puts you off other forms of exercise, fear not! As a swimmer, you’ll never feel sweaty no matter how hard you work because the water around you is constantly cooling you down. For you to loose weight you can combine exercise, in this case swimming  along with the best weight loss pills for women, Along with helping women burn fat, these weight loss pills also come with other health benefits including appetite suppression, faster metabolism, and increased energy levels.  A good way to be healthy is by eating as good as possible, you can check for some companies that have meals and weight loss plans, one of them is Nutrisystem, if you want to learn more about it you can check nutrisystem reviews and there you will find the customers experiences with it.

Stage One 6.2 mile swim …90 mile cycling next!

Stage One 6.2 mile swim …90 mile cycling next!