Should Athletes try the Paleo Diet?

The Paleolithic Diet is hugely popular right now with its proponents touting its benefits through books, websites, personal blogs and health and fitness magazines. Athletes are always striving to gain an edge so it's not surprising that many are turning to this diet in the hopes that they will improve their race performance. What's the appeal? Many people are attracted to the diet because on the...Read more
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Paleolithic Diet
Elimination Diet
athletic performance
Nutrition
Vitamins
minerals

Recruit a friend! The benefits of a workout buddy

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Sometimes motivating yourself to workout can be tough and even the most dedicated person has days where they would rather sit on the couch and watch a movie. That's why recruiting a workout buddy to join you in your chosen activity is one of the smartest moves you can make and may be the difference in whether or not you succeed in your goals. When you are first choosing a partner to train with,...Read more
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Training
Motivation
Physical Activity
Competition
Goal Setting
Fitness

Are compression garments effective for exercise recovery?

The use of compression garments has become increasingly popular in recent years, mostly in a post-exercise role where compression tights, arm sleeves, socks and boots are used as a means to speed up recovery. Types of compression garments vary where they can be worn via the upper, lower or full-body and are generally made from nylon or spandex. Originally used in the medical profession,...Read more
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compression garments
Recovery
DOMS
Ultraendurance Sport
Training
Placebo effect

Becoming a Youth Sport Leader

There is no arguing the inherent value of sport and its positive effects on today’s youth. Sport offers the opportunity for so many things, social interaction, the value of team work, building confidence, not to mention the healthy lifestyle that is closely associated with sport and physical activity. This summer, if you know a young athlete that is looking to take the next step to becoming a...Read more
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adolescent
child
sport
participation
Leadership
camp
Recreation

Want to have a good quality sleep? Try Exercise!

Poor sleep quality is a common issue for many people, in fact, one in four people experience sleep difficulties. This includes trouble falling or staying asleep, early morning waking, sleeping too much, or experiencing a restless sleep. Experts agree that regular exercise helps improve sleep quality but recent studies suggest that the combination of sleep and exercise may be more complex than we...Read more
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Exercise
physical fitness
Sleep Deprivation

Getting involved: How do I recruit youth volunteers for my sport program?

According to recent reports, over 40% of young Canadians will volunteer in the culture, sport & recreation sector - this is great news for sport leaders! The majority of young people who volunteer use it as a way to build skills, establish work experience and network in order to improve their job prospects in the future. So how do I go about finding people to recruit? The first option that...Read more
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volunteer
recuitment
participation

Exercise Associated Muscle Cramping

Muscle cramps are a common occurrence in sports and numerous other physical activities, where even highly fit athletes can experience slight to very painful muscle spasms. Any muscle can be affected but it commonly occurs to the legs, for athletes this can be debilitating and require some time off from training and competition. Theories are mixed in the scientific community as to why muscle...Read more
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Muscle Cramp
fatigue
treatment
Hydration

I’ve signed up for an obstacle race – now what?

Many people have the impression that obstacle races are for elite athletes, when in fact many races accommodate all fitness levels. These types of races are great if you want to give yourself an extra challenge but have a little bit of fun and fitness mixed in as well. Obviously obstacle races are meant to test you mentally and physically so it’s good to have a decent baseline of fitness before...Read more
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obstacle course
Performance
Training
Running
Hydration
Nutrition

The Placebo Effect: Why the mind is a powerful thing

The advancement of sport science and sport medicine has brought many fields to work to together in order to maximize athletic performance. Integrated Support Teams (IST) are the norm of today in elite athletics. Such teams consist of physicians, nutritionists, psychologists, biomechanics, videographers, statisticians, etc. all designed to help coaches and athletes in various aspects of training...Read more
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Placebo
Kinesiology
Caffeine
athletic performance
sport medicine
sport science

After concussion: Student-athletes return-to-learn

When a high school age student athlete receives a concussion , it’s important that all adults that interact with that student know how to provide the best atmosphere for them when they return to school. While health care professionals are increasingly being made aware of how to recognize a concussion and the recommendations for care of a concussed patient, teachers, principals, guidance...Read more
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Concussion
Return to Learn
student-athlete
Teacher Training
Coaching