WHAT'S YOUR SWINE FLU RISK? A few simple steps can cut your chances Before you throw out all the pork in your freezer, buy face masks, and quarantine your family, take a deep breath. The swine flu situation is serious, but it's too early to predict what will happen. |
A new study reveals that running is the best way to keep your bones stronger, longer
Muscles get a lot of attention—so it’s easy to find a workout that adds inches to your arms or carves a rock-hard six-pack. But what about the stuff beneath the brawn? Strong bones not only keep you out of a nursing home, but they also help you avoid injury and stay active.
A new study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that high-impact activities like running are best for increasing bone strength in men. Researchers at the University of Missouri measured and compared the bone densities of cyclists (19), runners (10), and resistance-trained men (13) to find out which activity has the greatest positive effect on bone strength. All athletes performed at least 6 hours of cycling, running, or weight training per week during the previous 2 years.
The result: The men who ran and resistance trained had stronger, denser bones than those who only cycled. However, the positive effect of running on bone strength was 3 percent higher than resistance training. The results support an exercise prescription of running and weight training that targets all major muscle groups. Stronger bones mean a lower risk of fractures, of course, but they also lessen your risk of lower back pain and an abnormal walking pattern, which could have a negative impact on training, says R. Scott Rector, Ph.D., author of the study.
Running does a lot more than just bolster your bones: It incinerates fat, keeps your heart pumping strong, melts away stress, and makes you a powerhouse in any sport. Problem is, most guys don’t run the right way to reach their goal. If you want to lose weight, 15 minutes of interval training will blast more fat than grinding away on the treadmill for an hour. If your aim is to dominate the basketball court, this classic “suicide” routine will bring you back to your high-school days and improve your performance.
Few (if any) men run just for the sake of pounding pavement. Tell us your goal, and we’ll show you the running plan to get there—faster.
Legislation in NY
Today, Governor David Paterson (D-NY) introduced a bill that would create same-sex marriages in the state of New York. It is the same bill that died in the Republican-controlled NY Senate in 2007.
Paterson is behind in the polls for the upcoming NY Gubernatorial primaries. Some people are saying his move today is a political risk. I can’t see how it would be; NY Democrats favor the bill, and this move is likely to be embraced by his would-be Democratic primary challengers. Others are saying it is a move made out of desperation; that if he were in a stronger political position in the state (after all, he was appointed Governor on the heels of a scandal) he would not extend himself into this arena, instead keeping a more “moderate” stand on the issue heading into a campaign against a GOP opponent.
Personally, I couldn’t care less as to what his political motivations are. He has introduced a bill that will give gay people equal marriage rights under the law in the State of New York. That’s all I care about. Moreover, whatever his “true motivations are” (let the tealeaf readers/tea-baggers divine that if they want), his words speak for themselves:
"Rights should not be stifled by fear. What we should understand is that silence should not be a response to injustice. And that if we take no action, we will surely lose"