Eating Soon After Exercising Is Even More Important

Several studies have now shown that eating soon after exercising is even more important in preventing the counterproductive effect of breaking down muscle tissue. This is especially true after weight training, when both muscle breakdown and rebuilding are going on at a higher rate. A Finnish study found that this rebuilding process increases by 21 percent up to three hours after weight training exercise, whereas muscle breakdown increases by 17 percent. These devices do not just simply increase the load on the body. They help improve balance, coordination, and blood pressure regulation. By now, I think I’ve made it clear that there are many different ways one can increase or decrease the gravity load and acceleration stimulus on the whole body and on different parts of the body. Gravity is fast becoming a recognized buzzword in the fitness arena, and as a result, equipment and activities have come on the market, claiming their effectiveness through the benefits of gravity. Whether or not they are actually effective depends on what they are compared with. You may enhance the benefit on bone, and probably muscle and circulation, if you apply some vibration to the soles of the feet as well. A computer attached to the device calculates optimum parameters, assesses stabilizer performance, and provides auditory or visual feedback to the operator. Tests have confirmed that the movement provided by this device does indeed recruit stabilizers. Since these are the first muscles to atrophy with inactivity, age, or in people with movement disorders, this approach could make a significant contribution to basic health.

Coming In From The Cold

Jump up and down on a scale and the needle will swing wildly, reaching far beyond the line that indicates your normal weight. Go on a whirling ride at an amusement park and you will find yourself pinned to the back of the seat. You will not fall, even if the floor is temporarily removed. That’s acceleration and hypergravity. A small amount of acceleration can be achieved by walking, a little more by running or swinging on a swing, and even more by jumping. An adrenaline surge, an endorphin high, a host of other hormones, deeper breathing, faster pounding heart, all these and more come pouring out, followed by a wonderful sense of relaxation. Let’s evaluate the benefits of some gravity machines. They provide intermittent higher and lower gravity exposures to acceleration as you roll down and deceleration as you climb up. Everyone squeals with delight! A study from the University of Lapland designed to make activity more fun for young and old encouraged 40 persons between the ages of 65 and 81 to use a specially designed playground. After three months using climbing frames, swings, and seesaws, the participants built muscle, lost fat, and showed improved balance, coordination, and speed of motion. You probably never thought of a trampoline as a gravity machine, but it is a most effective one.10 Traditionally enjoyed by children, trampolines are available with safety rails for adults and seniors, as well as for home gyms.

Some Good Things Never Last

Any vertical acceleration also improves bladder control. Skipping rope, playing hopscotch, or dancing the polka are also of great benefit. Those who have learned how to ride know how fit they must be to do so and how, in turn, riding keeps them in shape and alert. You slouch on a horse at your peril. The mere act of being at one with a moving horse and maintaining balance helps to tone, stretch, and strengthen the rider’s back, abdominal, and leg muscles, the very muscles used for walking. And, oh, what joy it is to gallop through the countryside, breathing in the fresh air! These range from a child’s rocking horse to those that shake and toss you about to give the feel of riding a bucking horse. Remember those machines outside supermarkets for children who graduated from a rocking horse to riding in a saddle for ten cents? Not unlike the children’s saddle ride, this adult version is attractive because it does not require much effort. Other manufacturers, like Panasonic, have developed similar machines. As on horseback, joba riders must tighten their abdomens to maintain balance and squeeze their thighs to prevent themselves from falling off the saddle. Stimulating these receptors is beneficial in sharpening balance. The bumps stimulate the soles of the feet as well. Try to stand on such a disc.

Unspoken Words

Support yourself lightly at first, using a chair back until you can balance yourself for as long as possible. You can challenge yourself further by holding your balance while lifting one leg at a time. You get a bonus from the stimulating massage of the soles of your feet through the protrusions on the disc. I use my disc to sit on, especially when I am working at the computer. The mild instability it generates encourages good posture without being distracting. It is also relaxing to sit on during long drives. It forces balanced sitting, preventing fatigue or back problems. The manufacturers encourage wearers to work up their usage of these products gradually, and eventually you can wear them all day long, indoors and out. Designed to mimic the way the human foot moves when walking on soft, uneven ground, they massage the foot, while special inserts in the sole of the shoe generate mild instability that forces continuous and spontaneous balance adjustments. This makes the muscles, joints, and bones work, too. Improved posture can be noticed immediately. So she bought a pair and was so happy with them she bought another pair. Now she is talking my youngest daughter into these and because she is a poor, starving vet student, I might get to buy those too. Orthotic inserts in my shoes had been of only limited help. I was told by the orthopedic surgeon that I would have to live with this painful handicap for the rest of my life. They must be working by targeting stabilizer muscles. In Bermuda, where you cannot rent a car, the only way to get around the island is by renting a motorbike.