31st January 2012

Are there any advantages to running barefoot?

Running barefoot, you’d have to be crazy right? Not necessarily. An increasing number of runners, sports physicians, biologists and podiatrists are promoting the benefits of barefoot running.

So what exactly are the advantages of running barefoot – without any cushioned, comfortable and arch-supporting trainers?

The contemporary fashion for running barefoot dates back to the ancient tribes of Mexico. In his book “Born to Run”, Christopher McDougall tells a story of his time spent with the Tarahumara tribe of Mexico, who run barefoot extremely long distances whilst maintaining a fast pace and never pick up the injuries many runners are afflicted with in the developed world.

Those in support of barefoot running believe that running ‘naturally’, without any cushioned and supportive shoes, encourages runners to land on the most padded part of the foot, which is at the front on the ball of the foot.

Running with shoes, barefoot runner advocators assert, can cause ‘sloppiness’ in the way that we are more inclined to strike the ground with the heel.

According to a study published in the ‘Nature’ a scientific journal last year, Daniel Lieberman, an evolutionary biology professor at Harvard University had researched how our ancient ancestors had managed to sustain running and hunting for millions of years barefoot.

Lieberman studied runners from both Kenya and the UK who had either always worn shoes but had recently abandoned their shoes, compared to those who had never worn shoes.

The analysis proved that the barefoot runners had a springier step, used their calf muscles more efficiently and were inclined to run with a ‘fore-foot strike’, and by doing so caused less impact or collision forces” to the foot. This compared to the shoed runners who tended to have a ‘rear-foot strike’, which causes a greater impact to the feet and legs.

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20th September 2011

Where does our marathon race money actually go?

With the average marathon entry fee in the U.S now costing $85 and even a comparatively low attended 5 kilometre road race in Britain costing £8 to enter, you might be asking where does our marathon race money actually go?

Participating in running races can be an expensive affair, and one that is increasing, leaving many a disgruntled runner bemused about where their money goes and what it is used for.

Trion:Z explores what exactly your hard-earned cash, just to literally be subjected to pain and hardship, is used for, and whether you are actually getting your money’s worth.

According to Sean Ryan, race director for the Green Bay Marathon, runners are more than getting their money’s worth when they participate in marathons, and that, “variable costs for shirts and goodies are dwarfed by fixed costs.”

If, for example, you pay $75 to participate in a marathon in the US (a price that is similar for marathon runners in the UK) $4.95 will go on advertising, just over £11 will go towards the food and drinks supplied during and after the race.

Almost $7 on course expenses, such as signs along the route, porta-toilets and timing devices, almost $15 will go towards the participant expenses, including T-shorts, medals and prize money, almost $7.50 will go towards the cost of security, such as the police monitoring the area, as well as the rent for the office space and telephone lines, etc.

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18th May 2011

Is cheerleading a sport?

Is cheerleading a sport? It’s a real divider this one!

Cheerleading is becoming ever more popular, but what exactly is cheerleading? Is Cheerleading a sport, or is it entertainment, or both?

The dictionary defines a sport as ‘an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment’.

So how does cheerleading fit into this definition of a sport?

Many people feel that cheerleading is not a sport, but merely entertainment. The part of the sport definition that is highlighted to support this is the competitive element.

Cheerleading rarely involves teams competing against each other. In America, there are various cheerleading competitions where cheerleading teams do compete to win a prize, but on the whole cheerleading is done with one team performing to the audience and not directly competing with any other team.

The debate revolves around the primary purpose of cheerleading.

Is its primary purpose that of competition or entertainment? It would seem that in most cases cheerleading is done for entertainment purposes and not competition, pointing towards cheerleading not being categorized as a sport.

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12th January 2011

Does magnetic therapy work?

Does magnetic therapy work? OK, Here’s the science bit. Magnetic therapy benefits explained.

 

Magnet  therapy (or magnetic therapy) is a commonly used therapy involving the use of magnets to treat a wide range of health conditions. It is a totally natural therapy and is frequently used to relive pain, improve sleeping patterns and boost energy levels.

The first recordings of magnets being used for treating health issues date back thousands of years, yet today magnet therapy still struggles to be officially recognised by many medical councils.

But does magnetic therapy work? Well, the theory behind magnetic therapy is that when a magnet is placed around a specific joint or body part, more blood is attracted to that area, leading to an increase in oxygen and nutrients.

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17th December 2010

Ignore five of the most popular ‘deadly food sins’ and lose weight

To maintain a healthy diet, the food we consume needs to be varied and balanced. Whilst five portions of fruit and vegetables are recommended each day, our diet should not be confined to natural produce alone.

Contrary to popular belief, the foods we consider to be the ‘ultimate’ sinners can actually have beneficial effects on bodies.  Below are five foods commonly mistaken for being the definitive diet felony.

A Full English breakfast

Whilst this delicious plate of food is often described as being a ‘heart attack on a plate’, according to a study found at the University of Alabama, a breakfast of bacon and eggs, whilst it is high in fat, it actually kick starts and programmes the metabolism for the rest of the day.

The research revealed that mice feed on high fat food on waking had normal metabolic rates, whilst those fed on a food high in carbohydrates showed increased weight gain. By eating carbohydrate-rich food first thing in the morning, bodies are less able to deal with different types of food consumed later in the day and subsequently weight is often gained.

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