by Dr. Gabe Mirkin | May 12, 2013 | Fitness
A study from Imperial College in London shows that increased use of helmets by bicycle riders has markedly reduced head injuries (1). Do you know why woodpeckers don’t damage their brains when they peck on wood? Their skulls fit so tightly that they don’t...
by Dr. Gabe Mirkin | May 12, 2013 | Fitness
During the cold winter months when snow and ice are on the ground, it’s too dangerous to ride a bike, so many cyclists run instead. The standard comparison is that one mile of running equals four miles of cycling, but that’s lousy science. Although running...
by Dr. Gabe Mirkin | May 12, 2013 | Fitness
Would you like to become stronger? Pick six to ten weight-machine exercises and do them in three sessions a week. In each exercise, try to lift the heaviest weight that you can lift comfortably ten times in a row without hurting yourself. When an exercise becomes...
by Dr. Gabe Mirkin | May 12, 2013 | Fitness
Walking is one of the safest and most effective sports for fitness, but to become fit, you have to move fairly fast. You should exercise vigorously enough to increase your heart rate at least 20 beats a minute more than when you rest. Walking at a leisurely pace will...
by Dr. Gabe Mirkin | May 12, 2013 | Fitness
Ankle weights do not help you run faster or jump higher. To run fast in competition, you have to run fast in practice. Ankle weights slow you down because they interfere with your coordination and make you work much harder to raise your knees. To jump higher, you have...
by Dr. Gabe Mirkin | May 12, 2013 | Fitness
You sweat more after you finish exercising than you do while you exercise. More than 70 percent of the energy that powers your muscles is lost as heat, causing your body temperature to rise during exercise. To keep your body temperature from rising too high, your...