By Sebastian P December 21, 2015
Have been in this shop for camping equipment and now I am ready to take on new adventure. Thank you very much for selling wonderful products. ...read more
By scottm984 at Citysearch June 08, 2012
The selection of ski and snowboard gear is huge and the sales people were very helpfull. ...read more
By StevenV128 at Citysearch January 30, 2012
I surprised my girlfriend and bought her a snowboard. Sadly she wasn't interested to learn. I brought the unused board back with a receipt and they denied me a refund because it was 2 days past the return window. My girlfriend was on a business trip for 2 weeks and I didn't think it'd be a problem since it was unused. I explained all of this yet they refused to refund the board. The manager was all nervous and I can tell he didn't know how to handle this situation. They were not being helpful at all. I normally purchase my equipment and gear there but I think I will take my business elsewhere and also let all of my snowboarding buddies know of the terrible customer service. I was speaking to other customers waiting in line and they were in agreement with me. They felt and understood my frustration. I think their business will hurt more now... DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER! ...read more
Proper nutrition can fool Mother Nature and Father Time You can influence the rate at which you age. In fact, 70 percent of aging symptoms is under your control … by what you do and don’t do. Choosing great foods helps you start slowing down your aging process. Next month we’ll talk about other aspects of aging. Heart-healthy nutrition The following heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory foods are a few that slow your rate of aging. Focus on fruits and vegetables You’ve known it for years … and now it’s time to really pay attention. Some foods are great for your heart because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Focus on fruits and vegetables – especially onions, tomatoes, red grapes, and cranberries. Add a dash of garlic The National Cancer Institute says there’s “compelling evidence” that garlic inhibits the growth of cancer. And though garlic is still the subject of medical research, studies suggest a clove of garlic a day may help thin your blood and lower your blood pressure. Use extra-virgin olive oil Extra-virgin olive oil contains nutrients and fats that increase good HDL cholesterol. About a fourth of your diet should come from healthy fats – fish oils, avocados, nuts, – especially walnuts – canola oil, and olive oil. Eat fish three times a week Fatty fish – such as mahi-mahi, catfish, flounder, tilapia, whitefish, and wild salmon – contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for reducing triglycerides in your blood, slowing plaque buildup, improving mental functioning, and lowering the risk of arrhythmia after a heart attack. In addition, Omega-3 fatty acids decrease blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. Eat foods with magnesium Magnesium keeps your heart rhythm steady and promotes normal blood pressure. Eating a wide variety of nuts, legumes, whole grains, and vegetables will give you the magnesium you need every day. So keep your arteries clear with magnesium-rich foods such as halibut, almonds, cashews, peanuts, peanut butter, spinach, whole-grain breads, oatmeal, cereals, soybeans, lima beans, avocado, wheat bran, beets, potatoes, yogurt, and raisins. Take care of your bones Most of us don’t get enough calcium to keep our bones strong. So aim for 1,500 milligrams (mg) a day from foods or supplements. Here’s a tip: Get chewable calcium-citrate tablets, put them in the car, and take one every time you put the key in the ignition. Also take 1,000 IU of Vitamin D and 500 mg of magnesium along with the calcium. But do not try to take all your calcium at once – you can’t absorb more than 600 mg in any four-hour period. Drink water and eat fiber Water is great for lubricating your skin and for helping suppress your hunger. Fiber works with water to keep your digestion running smoothly. The combination also helps you feel full so you’re less likely to overeat. Get fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oats, beans, and some cereals. Shoot for 25 grams a day for women and 35 grams a day for men – and don’t forget the water! The easiest way to tell if you’re getting enough water is if your urine is clear. Incorporating the right foods in your diet will not only improve your health, but it will also make you look healthier and more youthful. ...read more
By Complete Core Performance February 12, 2008
Nutrition and recovery go hand in hand. The nourishment that we provide to the body in the post-workout period provides the raw materials necessary to rebuild and refuel the body. The sports nutrition world is filled with high-tech products designed make this recovery as quick and as efficient as possible, New research on milk suggests that it could be a cheaper and equally effective alternative… At A Glance * The main nutritional requirements of post-exercise recovery are identified; * Recent research on the benefits of consuming milk as part of a post-exercise recovery strategy is presented; * Practical advice is given on using milk-based drinks as an inexpensive alternative to proprietary recovery formulations is given. The words milk and muscle seem to naturally go together. Many of us as children were told by our parents, "drink your milk, so you can grow up to be big and strong!" Then as we grew up, the media bombarded us with messages extolling the virtues of milk, with athletes and other celebrities endorsing its benefits. But does the consumption of milk after a training session really promote muscle growth? Can milk give us what we need to be a high performer on the field or in the game of life day in and day out? Recovery Revisited First, let's investigate the efficacy and importance of a recovery drink when paired with training. There is a host of research to support the benefits of consuming a carbohydrate/protein recovery drink immediately following a training session. When we think about what an ideal recovery drink would look like or be made up of, we have to take a step back and think about what the body goes through during a workout. After a workout your body is in a state of stress and it needs nourishment. More often than not, your body will be dehydrated, your blood insulin levels will be low, cortisol and other 'breakdown' hormones will be high, your glycogen (fuel stores) will be low or depleted, and your muscles will be in a state of breakdown. Your recovery nutrition strategy, in simple terms, should reverse all those things and restore your body to a hydrated, fueled, recovered, and muscle building state (1). Recovery Nutrition: Putting the body back into balance (John Ivy, PhD.) Post exercise environment Converting post-exercise environment from a catabolic state to an anabolic state • Dehydrated • Rehydrate • Blood insulin is low • Increase blood insulin levels • Cortisol and other catabolic hormones are elevated • Lower blood cortisol levels and other catabolic hormones • Immune system suppressed • Strengthen the immune system • Muscle and liver glycogen reduced or depleted • Restore muscle and liver glycogen • Muscle is in a catabolic state with increased proteolysis • Stimulate muscle protein synthesis and tissue repair The Main Components of Recovery Refueling Muscles When the science of sports started to come into its own, fuel (glycogen) restoration using carbohydrate was the name of the game. Studies have proven that taking in carbohydrate will indeed replenish fuel stores, and that the glycemic index (GI) of these carbohydrates is important for enhancing glycogen recovery, with higher GI carbohydrates (carbohydrates that are broken down rapidly) producing more glycogen restoration in the post-workout period when compared with their low GI counter parts. In terms of how much carbohydrate is needed in the post workout period, it is generally accepted that anywhere from 1.0-1.2g/kg body weight is ideal in the post workout period (2). This research leads to our first rule of recovery nutrition: For optimal glycogen restoration recovery, use a high glycemic index carbohydrate source (Ivy et al.) Rebuilding Muscles There's more to recovery than just refueling muscles and scientists soon began to wonder how best to rebuild muscles and promote quick and efficient adaptations to training. The quest to find the perfect post-workout cocktail was now the hot research topic –which protein was best, how much was needed and could you just use amino acids? As an example, US scientists found that as little as 6g of essential amino acids combined with 35g of carbohydrate resulted in muscle building (3). A study in 2004 at University of Texas looked at the effect of two other types of protein on muscle building (4). The point of this study was to compare the response of muscle protein synthesis after exercise to casein and whey proteins. Casein protein is digested and emptied from the stomach at a slower rate compared to whey protein; whey protein is therefore deemed the 'fast protein' and casein protein is considered to be its 'slow brother'. The amino acids from slow protein like casein appear in the blood more slowly, but the response lasts longer when compared with fast proteins. In this study the researchers consumed either 20g of casein, 20g of whey, or a placebo one hour after a resistance-training bout. They found that despite the different blood amino acid response, both proteins resulted in net protein balance – ie muscle gain. In 2006, a study by US Scientists from Baylor University examined the effects of whey protein supplementation on body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and anaerobic capacity during 10 weeks of resistance training (5). Thirty-six resistance-trained males followed a 4 days-per-week split body part resistance training program for 10 weeks. Three groups of supplements were randomly assigned, prior to the beginning of the exercise program, to all subjects: 1. 48g Carbohydrate placebo ; 2. 40g Whey protein + 8g Casein; 3. 40g of whey protein + 3g branched-chain amino acids + 5g of the amino acid L-glutamine. The Whey/Casein group experienced the greatest increases in lean mass. Significant increases in one rep-max (1RM) bench press and leg press were observed in all groups after 10 weeks. In this study, the combination of whey and casein protein promoted the greatest increases in fat-free mass after 10 weeks of heavy resistance training. Athletes, coaches, and nutritionists can use these findings to increase fat-free mass and to improve body composition during resistance training. From this, we can formulate our second rule of recovery nutrition: For the most complete muscular adaptation, make sure to have a combination of whey and casein protein in your post-workout cocktail. Timing and Ratio In 1988 John Ivy stirred up the world of sports nutrition with his ideas on muscle glycogen recovery and the importance of the timing of carbohydrate. The highest rates of muscle glycogen storage occur during the first hour after exercise due to activation of glycogen synthase (a glycogen building enzyme) (6). The activation of glycogen synthase is actually stimulated by the degree of glycogen depletion (7). Exercise-induced increases in insulin sensitivity and the permeability of the muscle cell membrane to glucose also account for the physiological mechanisms behind post-workout carbohydrate timing (8). Carbohydrate feeding immediately after exercise appears to take advantage of these effects, as shown by higher rates of glycogen storage during the first two hours of recovery, slowing thereafter to the more typical rates of storage. The most important finding of this study, however, is that failure to consume carbohydrate in the immediate phase of post exercise recovery leads to very low rates of glycogen restoration until feeding occurs (6). Therefore, the intake fo carbohydrate in the first two hours after exercise allows a somewhat faster rate of glycogen synthesis than normal. This is the period where you end to take in the recommended amount of carbohydrate, which ranges from approx. 1.0 – 1.5 g/kg body weight. Athletes should ingest sufficient carbohydrate as soon after exercise as is practical to start recovery as soon as possible and maximize the time for glycogen synthesis (9) (see figure 1). If less carbohydrate is consumed, the addition of protein to equal the caloric content of a supplement between 1.2 and 1.5 g carbohydrate per kg of body weight can be ingested. It has been found that the isocaloric content of the combined protein and carbohydrate supplement promotes glycogen storage. The addition of protein to a carbohydrate supplement and its benefits to glycogen synthesis are not conclusive; you should therefore, make sure that carbohydrate is ingested at the level recommended above. However, a combination of carbohydrate and protein still promotes glycogen storage. The addition of protein additionally benefits muscle repair. (10) The best sources of carbohydrate and protein, as well as the ideal carbohydrate to protein ratio will always be hotly debated. However, the consensus of research suggests that the ideal recovery drink should be liquid and comprised of an easily digested carbohydrate and a whey/casein mixture of protein, with the carbohydrate to protein ratio reflecting your individual weight goals as well as training demands. This ratio should increase with the intensity of your training, leaving it to fall anywhere between 2-4g of carbohydrate for every 1g of protein. As it happens, these guidelines remarkably resemble the components of low-fat milk! (1) Recovery drinks have long been associated with supplements and therefore much of the research has been focused on the optimal supplements to use after training. However, over the past few years, researchers have investigated the potential of good old-fashioned low-fat milk as a recovery drink. The results may seem surprising, but when looked at objectively they make sense. Milk Research Several studies have compared the post-training (weight training) effects of milk, soy protein and carbohydrate alone. In each of these studies, the subjects given milk as a post-training recovery drink gained more lean muscle mass than their soy and/or carbohydrate counterparts (11-14). In 2004, US scientists from Virginia Tech published one of the first studies comparing the effects a milk and a carbohydrate electrolyte beverage consumed in the immediate post workout period (11). In this study, 19 men consumed either a milk or carbohydrate electrolyte drink immediately following each workout, during a 10-week resistance training program. The authors concluded that the milk group tended to increase muscle mass, but the magnitude of the gains weren't large enough to be considered statistically significant. They suggested that more prolonged training and supplementation period would expand the trend for greater muscle mass gains in a milk group. Just this year, Canadian scientists evaluated the long-term consequences of milk or soy protein, or carbohydrate (as maltodextrin) on muscle mass gains after resistance training (12). Subjects trained five days a week for 12 weeks and were given isocaloric beverages consisting of either fat-free milk, fat-free soy protein, or maltodextrin within an hour after their training sessions. In the study, they found no differences in strength development between the groups. However, the researchers did determine that type II muscle fiber increased in all groups; moreover, it increased the most in the milk group. Muscle mass gains were also significantly greater in the milk group when compared with both the soy and control groups. They concluded that the consistent consumption of milk after resistance training can promote greater hypertrophy when combined with resistance training. Endurance and Hydration The effects of milk have also been shown to aid recovery from endurance exercise. Scientists from Indiana University suggest that chocolate milk is an effective recovery aid between two exhausting bouts of exercise (15). In their study nine endurance-trained cyclists performed an interval workout followed by 4 hours of recovery and then another endurance trial to exhaustion. After the first exercise bout, subjects consumed a post-ride recovery beverage consisting of either chocolate milk or carbohydrate and electrolytes. Time to exhaustion and total work were significantly greater for the chocolate milk compared to the carbohydrate electrolyte group. This suggests that in addition to promoting a greater hypertrophy adaptation in a strength training group, a milk recovery drink can also improve performance on a subsequent endurance bout. For athletes performing multiple training sessions a day, the potential of milk enhancing not only recovery and performance is very real. Another study worth mentioning looked at the effects of chocolate milk, a fluid replacement drink and a carbohydrate replacement drink on recovery between two exhaustive bouts of cycling. Chocolate milk proved to be an effective recovery option between rides. It allowed riders to cycle for a longer period of time on their second ride than with the use of the carbohydrate or fluid replacement options alone (15). Research has also shown milk to be an effective rehydration drink. Subjects consuming milk (with added sodium) post-training actually remained hydrated longer than when they consumed sports drinks or water (16). These hydration findings are consistent with the improved fluid retention shown with protein enhanced sports drinks (17). Conclusion Based on this compelling research, low-fat milk is an effective post-training recovery drink. When used in conjunction with resistance training, it produces gains in muscle mass, aids in hydration and speeds recovery. To some this is surprising news! How can something as simple as low-fat milk produce such results? The answer lies in the components of milk. They closely resemble the previously mentioned guidelines for an effective recovery drink. In fact the similarities are startling; milk is first and foremost a liquid, contains easily digested carbohydrate and a mixture of whey/casein protein. In addition, the carbohydrate to protein ratio of milk can easily be manipulated to meet your needs by adding something like syrup, a chocolate stir-in or a wholesome piece of fruit (see table 1). Does this mean that specially engineered recovery supplements are useless? NO! But it will allow younger athletes and those who are on a tight budget to effectively recover and make lean body mass gains without breaking the bank. Table 1: Examples of Milk-Based Recovery Drinks When choosing a recovery beverage, consider the intensity of workouts. The more intense, the greater the carbohydrate demands to replenish fuel. Low to moderate intensity training recovery can be achieved with a 2:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. Higher intensity sessions will need a carbohydrate to protein ratio of nearer 3 or 4:1. For Low-Moderate Intensity Training For Moderate–High Intensity Training 16oz Skim milk w/ 1Tbs Chocolate Syrup 223 calories 17g protein 36g carbohydrate 1g fat ~2:1 Carb:Pro 12oz Starbuck's chocolate milk 190 calories 13g protein 35g carbohydrate 1.5g fat ~3:1 Carb:Pro 24oz Skim milk w/ 1Tbs Chocolate Syrup 309 calories 25g protein 48g carbohydrate 1.3g fat ~2:1 Carb: Pro 16oz Ready to drink non-fat Nestle's Nesquik 320 calories 16g protein 64g carbohydrate 0g fat 4:1 Carb:Pro Glossary Insulin: A hormone whose presence informs the body's cells that we are well fed, causing liver and muscle cells to take in glucose and store it in the form of glycogen. In addition it has several other anabolic effects throughout the body. Glucose: A simple sugar that is an important carbohydrate because the cells uses it for their primary source of energy. The name comes from the Greek word glykys (γλυκύς), which means "sweet", plus the suffix "-ose" which denotes a carbohydrate. Glycogen: Glucose molecules come together in the body and are stored as insoluble glycogen. Glycogen functions as the primary short-term energy storage and forms an energy reserve that can be quickly mobilized to meet a sudden need for glucose. Cortisol: A catabolic hormone with physiological opposite effects to insulin. When cortisol is high, the body decreases the formation of glycogen and promotes the breakdown of glycogen, fats, and proteins. ...read more
By Complete Core Performance January 08, 2008
Always make carbohydrate intake a priority In the early stages of physical adaptation the body will have to, 'learn' how to utilize fat as a priority fuel source. This takes some weeks to achieve with regular practice (gym sessions) on cardiovascular exercise. In the meantime, I advise that from day one you have sufficient carbohydrate in your diet each day to facilitate energy for doing that initial 20-minute session. This raises another crucial point. If there is not enough carbohydrate available each day then you will have to utilize some of your already small amount of lean tissue protein and convert it to simple sugar (glucose) through the glucose-alanine chain in the liver. Sacrificing lean tissue protein stores to enable fat to be burned in the mitochondria in the presence of carbohydrate and oxygen means that you are actually losing lean tissue and gaining a proportionate percentage of fat tissue. This is a scary fact which slows down any measurable difference in your lean/fat percentage ratio. Always remember that fat loss is all about long-term goals Burning fat takes time, but the more you do it the easier it becomes and the greater the amount of fat burned will be. When performing fat-burning exercise it takes about 20 minutes for an unconditioned person to actually start burning fat. An average conditioned person will take about 10 minutes, whereas an elite Tour de France athlete takes only about five minutes. This is an important fact as it shows that, for an unconditioned person, 20 minutes of fat-burning exercise is not enough. The aim, therefore, is to progressively and safely reach 45 minutes. It takes a fit person about 11 sessions of a 45-minute fat-burning exercise period to burn 1lb of fat, which is 3,500kcal. People new to exercise will always take longer. Never alternate between cardiovascular equipment when performing fat-burning cardiovascular work It is generally accepted that when you come off one piece of cardiovascular equipment and go onto another it is going to take 8-10 minutes before you reach full fat-burning potential again on the subsequent piece of cardiovascular equipment. However, this will depend on your level of fitness and your percentage of red slow-twitch and intermediate-twitch muscle fibers. The fitter you are and the more aerobic and intermediate muscle fibers you have, the quicker you will reach the fat burning zone again. In addition to this, during any fatburning mesocycle of 4-6 or 8-12 weeks you must always use exactly the same exercises during the entire mesocycle so that you ensure maximum muscle fiber recruitment and that the body can learn the most effective way in which to perform this exercise, the most efficient way of processing nutrients and removing waste products, and also the best way of recovering from the demands imposed. The stationary exercise bike without moving handles is the best piece of equipment for performing your fat burning cardiovascular work on, as it keeps the heart rate at a much more stable level. This means that you can get the maximum amount of fat burning possible out of each session by keeping your heart rate in the correct zone throughout the entire session. Never say, 'I cannot eat after 6pm' As the day progresses, the metabolic rate falls. So in the late evening and early hours of the morning, your body is at its most inefficient for processing large quantities of fuel in one go. However, this does not mean that you cannot eat after 6pm, of course you can. In fact, it is essential that you do eat again to make sure that your metabolic rate is kept as high as possible. The only thing that you have to bear in mind is that you must keep this food intake to a snack, whilst making sure that it is of good nutritional value. If you eat nothing from the early evening onwards, your body is essentially in starvation mode until you wake and eat breakfast the next morning. This has two very important implications. The first is that your body thinks that starvation is really a possibility, as it has no way of knowing that you are trying to lose fat. As a result the body dramatically lowers the metabolic rate in order to counter the possibility of starvation and thus conserve as much energy as possible. Secondly, a significant amount of carbohydrate depletion occurs while you sleep. By not eating anything at all from the early evening onwards you will also have completely decimated your carbohydrate stores by the time that you wake again, which will ultimately have a negative impact upon your long-term training goals. Never eat too little It is generally accepted that 1 or 2 pounds is the very maximum amount of fat that you can lose in a week without sacrificing intra-cellular water and lean muscle tissue. In order to achieve this, the maximum amount of calories you can cut from your diet is 1/7. This limited reduction will also ensure that you lose fat without slowing down your metabolic rate. Never choose low in fat, always choose low in calories Low in fat does not equate to low in calories. A lot of these products are filled with sugar in order to make them taste better. Always check the calorie content to make sure that you are in fact buying something that is low in calories. Never exist on pre-prepared convenience foods, buy fresh produce(organic if possible) and make it yourself. You are going to have to face the fact that if you want to lose fat then you are going to have to put in a little effort. Convenience foods are high in chemicals, salt and a host of other harmful substances. In addition, the majority of convenience foods offer little nutritional value. Everyone will use these from time to time, but the more you can do without the better it will be. ...read more
By Complete Core Performance November 19, 2007
When purchasing skis, you must ensure that you have the appropriate size for your feet and height. Otherwise, it will be difficult to maneuver when you are on the slopes. These types of skis are designed with curves on both sides of the skis. ...read more
Water skiing is something that some people find fun to do. If you are thinking about taking up water skiing, then you may be interested in watching videos that teach people how to water ski. Perhaps you are a water skiing enthusiast who just wants to watch cool water skiing videos. Fortunately, water ... ...read more