Sports & Fitness: Performance Training, Rules & Recovery

Elite athletic performance and general fitness are sustained through structured hypertrophy strategies, sport-specific conditioning, and rigorous adherence to injury prevention protocols.

Sports injury - thigh muscle pain

Outer Thigh Soreness

A number of interrelated factors, including muscular overuse, knee injuries, joint disorders and back injuries, may trigger pain and soreness in the upper, outer portion of one or both of your thighs. Before you attempt to alleviate the muscular soreness, ask a doctor to diagnose the source of the pain.

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Ski family in Moountains

The 5 Muscle Groups Used in Skiing

Skiing demands a series of complex interactions between your upper- and lower-body muscles and your central nervous system. Your muscle groups work in concert to perform the primary skiing movements designated by the Professional Ski Instructor's Association.

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Skier, skiing down slope

My Knees Hurt After Skiing

Alpine and cross-country skiing are exhilarating sports, but the exhilaration may mask a muscle strain or injury. Knee pain may occur hours after skiing. Poor technique, improper equipment, muscular overuse and fatigue and injury are factors that contribute to post-skiing knee pain.

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gym  treadmill

Rehabilitation Exercises for Vastus Lateralis

The vastus lateralis is one of the four muscles that make up your quadriceps or frontal thigh muscles. The muscle originates at the outer section of the quadriceps, near the hip joint, and inserts at the outer part of your knee. The vastus lateralis assists the other quadriceps muscles in leg extension.

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Senior Woman Suffering From Backache Getting Out Of Bed

SI Joint Exercises

The sacroiliac joint, also called the SI joint, sits at the bottom of your spine and makes up the rear portion of your pelvic girdle. The human body actually has two -- one sits at the left side of the pelvis and the other sits on the right. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a possible cause of lower-back pain.

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bosu with coach

Drawbacks of the Bosu Ball

The bosu resembles a stability ball that has been cut in half. The device, which has a dome side and a flat side, combines the benefits of a stability ball and balance board training. The bosu is an efficient type of balance-training and sports-conditioning equipment. It does, however, have a few significant drawbacks.

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skier on an untouched ski track

Sore Calves From Ski Boots

The calf pain associated with stiff ski boots is enough to make you consider snowboarding. Fortunately, the pain-killing endorphins produced while soaring downhill at exhilarating speeds usually override the pain.

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Young Man Performing Barbell Squats Exercise For Legs

How to Correct Kyphosis With Weightlifting

Postural kyphosis describes a syndrome that affects the neck and upper back. People displaying this type of posture typically have a rounded or hunched upper back and a forward head position. Congenital spinal deformities, tumors, paralytic disorders and arthritis may cause kyphosis.

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young woman shopping for ski boots

Difference Between Ski Boots & Snowboard Boots

Skiing and snowboarding are both snow sports but use different types of foot and ankle movements. The boots worn for these sports have only one thing in common: both attach to the bindings of snow sport equipment. Otherwise, the two types of snow-sliding boots look and feel completely different.

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gym people on x-trainers

Benefits of an Exercise Ski Machine

Edward Pauls, a Minnesota Nordic skier, created the first ski machine in 1975. While Pauls marketed his machine to Nordic skiers, he had perfect timing. Kenneth Cooper and Jane Fonda were singing the praises of aerobic exercise. Americans listened. Some became runners, while others joined aerobic dance classes.

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Senior woman doing exercise with her personal trainer

Turbo Charger Exercise

Whole body vibration training machines have a vibrating platform, upon which you can stand, sit or lie down. This device, which originated in Europe, supposedly strengthens your muscles, increases blood circulation and hastens weight loss. When news of these "good vibrations"

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Lack of Energy After Exercise

Exercise should be invigorating, but if your workout causes fatigue, a number of factors may be at play. Post-workout fatigue is a symptom, not the problem.

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What Muscles Does an Elliptical Trainer Work?

The hamstrings, located on the back of the legs, are involved in leg flexion movements. Leg flexion and extension play a major role in elliptical aerobic exercise. Some elliptical exercise machines have a mechanism that allows you to increase its incline, which simulates hill climbing.

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Girl doing crunches on gym ball

Postural Exercises for Lordosis

Postural lordosis is characterized by a curvature of the lower back. A number of factors contribute to this postural misalignment. These include weak core muscles, tight hip flexors, poor exercise form and weak gluteal muscles. Some of these conditions may be corrected with exercise.

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Speed & Agility Training for Kids

Agility, as defined by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, is the ability to change directions and gain speed without losing motor control. It is directly related to speed, balance and coordination skills.

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Chiropractor massaging a woman's knee

Knee Stabilizing Exercises

Whether you're an athlete, a fitness enthusiast, or just a regular Joe, knee injuries can take you out of action and put you on the bench. A good stability training program for your knees will help prevent injury and optimize your knee function and performance.

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ThighMaster Exercise Instructions

Actress Suzanne Somers popularized the ThighMaster, an inner thigh toning device, during the 1990s. The V-shaped, rubber-coated ThighMaster adds resistance to easier exercise and enhances body awareness during more subtle movements. The company now makes two models.

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Lower Triceps Exercises

The triceps, located in the back of the upper arm are responsible elbow extension. They are composed of the long head, the lateral head and the medial head. The medial head, often called the lower triceps, is often harder to tone than the lateral and long head.

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