Don’t Get Tied Up In Knots – Try Rope Training

Perfecting a good workout routine that balances aerobic, anaerobic and strength training is a great goal for all around fitness. However, sometimes your body settles into a rhythm and fewer gains are seen. Changing up your routine and incorporating different styles of workout are a great way to stimulate your systems. Unconventional workouts add a shock to your body by getting out of your normal...Read more

Variable resistance training: Adding a link to the chain!

Strength training has been a staple part of any athlete’s training program for years and there are many variations that can be applied to standard strength training scenarios to capitalize on building strength. Where strength training can sometimes be seen as one dimensional, efforts to expand on this training to a multidimensional development of strength, power and speed have instigated the...Read more

Plyometrics – Bridging the Gap between Speed and Strength

Plyometric training (often termed jump training or plyos) is a combination of sport-specific exercises that combine power, speed, and strength in order to enhance performance. While this type of training can work for any athlete, sports that have a lot of stopping, starting, frequent changes in direction, sprinting, and jumping will tend to see the most benefits; soccer, volleyball, basketball,...Read more

Beach Running – Your Summer or Vacation Workout

SIRC Blog

Now that summer is officially here, our thoughts are with sunshine, barbeques, and days spent on the beach. Beach running offers many benefits to a runner that wants to up the challenge a bit. Breathing the air, taking in the scenery and the people, not only does it feel good, it can be a great way to boost your fitness levels. Running on sand requires 1.6 times the energy that running on a hard...Read more

Strength Training Recommendations for Soccer Players

The kickoff for soccer’s FIFA Women's World Cup starts this week with Canada as a proud host. Six cities will be involved in the tournament: Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Vancouver and Winnipeg. Soccer is a high intensity game and the athletes competing are in top physical condition, but they don't get that way just by accident. Intense preparation is involved and requires a training...Read more

3 Key Training Elements for Masters Athletes

Masters athletes is a term that encompasses a wide range of active men and women over 35 who compete in sports at a very high level; they can range from the weekend warrior to elite competitor. Baby boomers are a large part of the growing number of older adults who are either picking up a new sport or continuing to train and compete over the course of their life. Not surprising that these...Read more

How do you choose a medicine ball?

Many variations of medicine balls have come and gone throughout history but one thing remains constant, they are an excellent training tool for athletes. Medicine balls are essential for building the explosive strength that many athletes need to perform at their best. It’s a unique tool that has the ability to force the body to work as a total unit rather than specifically focusing on one area...Read more

Two Wheeled Winter Escape

by Leigh Cove Algonquin College Sport Business Management Intern Once again winter has settled in, and even though it’s just started people are already counting the days until spring. A lucky few will get to escape and fly somewhere not coated in ice and snow, while the rest only get to daydream. If you are planning a vacation this winter and are looking for a unique experience growing in...Read more

Strength and Conditioning

SIRC Newsletter: Strength and Conditioning http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/November13/index.html Successful performance in sport requires that the athlete possess some combination of strength, power and speed. Strength training is a key component of overall health and fitness, and it provides an important balance to aerobic workouts. When done properly, strength training will help an athlete...Read more

Why should women try powerlifting?

If someone said to you that they knew something you could do that would be empowering, challenging, engaging and would change your body composition - would you consider it? Powerlifting , often confused with Olympic lifting, is an individualized sport in which competitors attempt to lift as much weight as possible for one repetition in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. For women, powerlifting...Read more