Hiking is a wonderful way to relax, enjoy the outdoors, get and stay fit. But if you set out on the trails improperly prepared, hiking can turn out be a less than enjoyable experience. First, you need to be physically prepared to hike, and the training that you do will be primarily determined by the duration and terrain of the hike you are planning. For a simple day hike on a relatively flat trail, daily walking around a track or on a treadmill would be sufficient. For longer trips, and hikes on rougher terrain, it is important to plan...

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As you get ready for your next hike, you'll want to make sure you pack plenty of water, dress appropriately, and bring some good music.  Check out our suggestions for the perfect pairing of music and...

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This weekend I took the time to travel back to New Hampshire with some of my fellow co-workers. We are all Orientation Leaders, so we are energetic people who are not afraid to break out random icebreakers or play name games wherever we go. I was lucky enough to have parents who wanted to house these other orientation leaders for the weekend. On Saturday I drove a minivan worth of people to Rumney, New Hampshire. There I met up with my friend who is an insane rock climber. She has won so many competitions and has been first in the nation,...

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Summer is here, and you are ready for a great workout. Yesterday we shared some ideas for warming up and cooling down during summer workouts.  Today we have some suggestions from Trent Nessler, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Tennessee, for exercising when it is hot outside. The first thing that Mr. Nessler noted was that workouts need to be planned according to the weather, "Depending on the heat index, your workouts should be tailored accordingly.  This may mean exercising early in the AM or in the evening when the heat index is much lower.  Or, it may mean that...

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Have you ever noticed that you gain faster results when you workout with another person?  Why is it that the same exact workout plan when done in a group is much more effective than on your own?  The answer is truly mind over matter. When we workout with another that person is there to push us, and we have a sense of peer pressure not to whine or try to avoid a certain exercise.  We also don't have the tendency to lift lighter weights or not do the total reps. By ourselves, there is a different story.  If we don't feel like...

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