Heart Rate Max-- Is there a true basis?

P.E. Focus on Exercise, Not Team Sports

(AP) Tabitha Ashley, 12, left, and Mayra Trevizo, 12, jump during a physical education class at... Full Image RICHARDSON, Texas (AP) - With music pumping in the background, the kids in Terry Wade's physical education class are in constant motion, going from sit-ups to jumping jacks to curls with light weights. After their 45-minute session, the sixth-graders who are sweating the most, or as Wade calls it, "burning butter," get stickers. "My main goal and emphasis is getting these kids up and moving," said Wade, who teaches at Northrich Elementary in the Richardson school district in suburban Dallas. "It's 'Can this kid do this for a lifetime?' I don't care how good they are. I care if they're having fun." Instead of team sports, Wade and other physical education teachers across the country are focusing more on individual activities that students can incorporate into their lives long after their school days are over. Click Here! Experts say the shift also helps gym teachers include children who are struggling with their weight. With individual activities, overweight students can work at their own pace, and not be left on the sidelines. And they can take part in lower impact activities like weightlifting, yoga or martial arts. "Now we organize our classes in such a way where no kids are sitting," said Susan Henderson, coordinator for physical education and health for the Dallas-area Mesquite school district. She said that even if the lesson is about a team sport like football, they focus on skills like passing the ball. "Nobody is waiting their turn," Henderson said. Steve Jefferies, head of the department of health, human performance and nutrition at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash., is a fan of treasure hunts and other activities that students can do without realizing they are getting exercise. That shifts the focus to finding things, not the half-mile walk to get there, he said. (AP) Jacqueline Interiano, 11, runs as other children do individual activities during a physical... Full Image Jefferies suggests teachers wear a weight belt to get an idea of what an overweight student experiences. "You've got to find something that each individual person enjoys," said Jefferies, who also runs a Web site to help physical education teachers keep up with the latest developments. Gym teachers also are placing a greater emphasis on general health and nutrition, said Craig Buschner, president of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. "This field had to make changes. It's not about dodge ball and it's not about duck-duck-goose," said Buschner. He added that the obesity epidemic has helped educators make a case that students need more physical education time. How to deal with overweight children in class is something that's on the minds of future gym teachers, too. "My undergraduates are asking 'What do I do?'" said Josh Trout, of California State University, Chico, who has written a book set to be released in February called "Supersized PE: A Comprehensive Guidebook for Teaching Overweight Students." Wade said she walks a fine line when instructing her students: "I don't want to push anyone past what they're capable of doing, but I don't want them to take it too easy." As the morning light poured in from the windows in her gym, she asked her sixth-graders: "How are you graded in this class?" A chorus of replies comes quickly: "Effort."

WHEY PROTEIN UPDATES

Whey Protein: Not Just for Bodybuilders
By Matthew Kadey

Any trip to a supplement store will reveal no shortage of large tubs of powder with all sorts of fancy colors and eye catching words. There is no denying the popularity of protein powders - especially whey protein - as their lure has expanded outside the bodybuilding community to the general public who are looking for a quick protein fix.
If properly selected, whey protein can be a very valuable supplement. However, if not correctly educated, any consumer can end up with a tub full of wasted money.

Whey Protein and Lean Body Mass
Whey protein is a type of protein derived from dairy products. (Cow’s milk contains about 6.25% protein with 20% being whey. The rest is casein.) It has the highest biological value (a measure of the ability of food protein sources to deposit nitrogen into muscle tissue) of any dietary protein. The reason for this honorable distinction is that whey boasts an extremely high concentration of essential amino acids and the highest concentration of branched-chain amino acids (20-25%) of any single protein source. This quality of whey makes it extremely useful in repairing muscle following exercise and promoting its growth.
Protein sources with high amounts of branched-chain amino acids, such as whey, are particularly effective in repairing muscle. Therefore, using whey as part of a post-workout shake will help enhance the benefits of an exercise session, especially if it consists of high-intensity weight training.

Whey Protein and Immunity
Whey protein contains a high concentration of the amino acid cysteine, which occurs in whey linked to another amino acid called glutamic acid. This link forms glutamylcysteine (rare in food protein) and appears to be unbreakable by digestive enzymes.
Glutamylcysteine is found in whey as part of the biologically active peptide microfactions, beta-lactoglobulin, serum albumin and lactoferrin.
Once in circulation, cysteine is used to make a very powerful water-soluble intracellular antioxidant called glutathione (GSH) within the human body. As an antioxidant, glutathione serves to protect cells from free radicals species including carcinogens (cancer promoters), peroxides and heavy metals.
Glutathione also functions to help keep the antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E active so they can continue fighting disease-causing free radicals.
Whey protein is considered a very viable cysteine donor since more glutathione production seems to occur when cysteine is delivered linked to glutamic acid than just free cysteine. This important immune boosting characteristic of whey has its potential usefulness in conditions such as AIDS, atherosclerosis, Hepatitis B, Alzheimer’s and cancer being researched. Typically low levels of glutathione are found in those with these diseases.
In addition, intense exercise typically generates more free radicals as a result of improperly processed oxygen molecules, and therefore, the antioxidant boosting properties of whey protein would be useful.
Whey protein may also stimulate antibody production since 10% of whey’s protein is composed of immunoglobulin antibodies and is therefore a useful supplement for diseases such as AIDS in which improving the immune system is crucial.

Whey Protein and Fat Loss
A recent animal study showed that whey protein was more effective for weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity compared to the same amount of protein from red meat.
Perhaps recent studies showing that dairy products such as milk and yogurt can aid with fat loss has something to do with the whey protein they contain?
Microfiltration and ion exchange are the techniques by which proteins are extracted according to their specific size and electronic charge. Cross-flow ultrafiltration and advanced microfiltration extraction methods can now produce a whey isolate that is 99% pure, leaving less than 1% fat and lactose.
In contrast, whey protein concentrate can range from 30-85% pure protein and thus, contains more non-protein substances such as lactose. As a result of this discrepancy, whey protein isolate is considered superior to whey protein concentrate for muscular repair following exercise since it can work much quicker and contains more pure protein than concentrate.
Whey isolate is also less likely to cause adverse gastrointestinal problems such as bloating in response to lactose intolerance.
To purchase the best whey protein powders:
1. Find a product with mostly whey isolate. To obtain the muscular repair and antioxidant boosting properties of whey, it is important to find a product with more protein isolate than concentrate. This means whey protein isolate must be the first ingredient. A protein powder supplement that says “97% whey protein isolate” on the front label does not necessarily mean the product is 97% isolate – the whey isolate they are using just happens to be 97% pure protein. Isolate may be the third or fourth ingredient in a blend of different proteins.
2. Ignore proprietary blends. Many companies will come up with a name for their protein blend and then trademark it to make it appear better than the rest. In the ingredient list, you will see this protein blend, and in brackets it will state what makes up this blend. Since ingredients are listed in order of quantity, if concentrate is the first ingredient in the bracket and isolate is the second, then you are getting more concentrate. Companies will use more concentrate because it is much cheaper.
3. Choose a whey protein that has been processed using low heat. Since cysteine is easily destroyed by excessive heat, low-heat processing will ensure the whey isolate protein can fully donate cysteine to produce the antioxidant glutathione within the body. These protein isolates are also known as un- or non-denaturated. A protein powder with un-denatured whey isolate as the primary protein (first ingredient) is a high-quality supplement. Cold processing will also ensure that the powder maintains its high biological value.
4. Check serving size. The best whey protein supplements will be mostly protein with very little other stuff (e.g., sugar, fat, preservatives). This is not supposed to be a meal replacement powder, so the calories should not be very high - between 80 and 125 calories is ideal. To determine protein quantities, take the number of grams of protein per serving and divide this by the total serving size. This needs to be as close to 100% as possible. There are now whey protein powders available that contain only one ingredient: whey protein isolate. This would bring the percentage to approximately 100%. Whether someone is a bodybuilder, suffering from chronic disease or just concerned about overall health, whey protein isolate should be part of any supplement regimen and included as part of a healthy diet.

References:
1. Belobrajdic D.P. et al. (2004) A high-whey-protein diet reduces body weight gain and alters insulin sensitivity relative to red meat in wistar rats. J Nutr. Jun;134(6):1454-8. 2. Belobrajdic D.P. et al. (2003) Whey proteins protect more than red meat against azoxymethane induced ACF in Wistar rats. Cancer Lett. Jul 30;198(1):43-51. 3. Borsheim E. et al. (2004) Effect of an amino acid, protein, and carbohydrate mixture on net muscle protein balance after resistance exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. Jun;14(3):255-71. 4. Bounous G. (2000) Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and glutathione modulation in cancer treatment. Anticancer Res. Nov-Dec;20(6C):4785-92. 5. Bounous G. et al. (1991) The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clin Invest Med. Aug;14(4):296-309. 6. Burke D.G. et al. (2001) The effect of whey protein supplementation with and without creatine monohydrate combined with resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscle strength. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. Sep;11(3):349-64. 7. Chromiak J.A. et al. (2004) Effect of a 10-week strength training program and recovery drink on body composition, muscular strength and endurance, and anaerobic power and capacity. Nutrition. May;20(5):420-7. 8. Ha E. et al. (2003) Functional properties of whey, whey components, and essential amino acids: mechanisms underlying health benefits for active people (review). J Nutr Biochem. May;14(5):251-8. 9. Lands L.C. et al. (1999) Effect of supplementation with a cysteine donor on muscular performance. J Appl Physiol. Oct;87(4):1381-5. 10. Low P.P. et al. (2003) Effect of dietary whey protein concentrate on primary and secondary antibody responses in immunized BALB/c mice. Int Immunopharmacol. Mar;3(3):393-401. 11. Marshall K. (2004) Therapeutic applications of whey protein. Altern Med Rev. Jun;9(2):136-156. 12. Middleton N. et al. (2004) Whole blood and mononuclear cell glutathione response to dietary whey protein supplementation in sedentary and trained male human subjects. Int J Food Sci Nutr. Mar;55(2):131-41. 13. Micke P. et al. (2001) Oral supplementation with whey proteins increases plasma glutathione levels of HIV-infected patients. Eur J Clin Invest. 2001 Feb;31(2):171-8. 14. Watanabe A. et al. (2000) Nutritional therapy of chronic hepatitis by whey protein (non-heated). J Med. 31(5-6):283-302.

CORRECT EXERCISE EXECUTION

CORRECT EXERCISE EXECUTION:

1. UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN ANATOMY FIRST.
2. COMPOUND OR ISOLATION— What is the objective?: Power, Tie-Ins, Attention to Details?
3. FAST TWITCH OR SLOW TWITCH— What end results do you want?: Size or Endurance.
4. HEALTH FACTORS— Less intense choice of exercise to avert attacks.
5. INJURY FACTORS— Avoid the ones that may aggravate.
6. FLEXIBILITY & RANGE OF MOTION LIMITATIONS
7. METABOLISM FACTORS— age/sex/ecto/meso/endo/combi – Lifestyle & Program Change to match.
8. OTHER SPORTS FACTORS— training for strength, power, endurance, will it affect skills?
9. GOAL FACTORS— toning/weight gain/weight loss/rehab?
10. LIFESTYLE (STRESS) FACTORS— sleep/recuperation/vices?
11. Choice of equipment: YOUR SIZE AGAINST THE EQUIPMENT SIZE?

12. WARM UPS & COOLDOWNS—
12.1 The importance of getting a good workout ahead.
12.2 The importance of gaining from that good workout.
12.3 The importance of not getting injured.
12.4 The importance of calming down & retrospect to return stronger.

13. BREATHING PATTERNS
13.1 YOU ARE NOT SWIMMING, BREATHE PLEASE!
13.2 FOLLOW YOUR COMFORT BREATHING ZONE.
13.3 DOUBLE, TRIPLE BREATHE WHEN IT GETS TOUGH.
13.4 CHECK YOUR TARGET HEART (PULSE) RATE (220 minus your age is your 100% Heart Rate Maximum)

SYMMETRY OVER MASS

Developing a Champion Physique doesn't require too much mass, in fact the picture here shows you what a GREAT SYMMETRICAL BODY can do, the illusion of beauty takes over the need for great size ( which usually comes with taking steroids or growth hormones-- which is unhealthy )... On the other hand, the degree of difficulty in getting a sought after GREAT SYMMETRY is VERY HIGH, the reason lies in the fact that you have to prioritize your workout program to improve your weaknesses while putting your ego aside by training your strong points last. And to alter your God given genes into perfection is already a Science by itself!

So be wise, train with health in mind, with art as motivation, your SYMMETRICAL PHYSIQUE as inspiration to others and with pride as your trophy!

Character Development or Winning At All Cost?

From Teachers College Record: It has long been held that participation in sport can build moral character. This is based on the belief that moral values (e.g., honesty, fairness, and respect) are the bedrock of competitive sport and as a result, participation in sport provides a unique medium for instilling moral character among its participants.

However, paradoxically, there is an abundance of anecdotal and empirical evidence to suggest many athletes and coaches favor “winning at all costs” rather than competing with moral character. It is hypothesized that athletes and coaches have been socialized into believing that winning is paramount and competing with moral character is insignificant to getting the win. Because moral character involves critical judgment and reason it is suggested that typical interventions such as sportsmanship campaigns or stiffer penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct are ineffective for developing moral character.

Athletes, coaches, athletic administrators, and even parents must be morally educated to appreciate the moral side of sport.

The belief that participation in sport builds character has long been in existence. Beginning in the late 19th century, the middle-class Victorian and Protestant cultures began to consider sport as a vehicle for developing moral qualities in its participants (Rader, 2004).

Known as muscular Christianity, it was believed sport participation could develop self-restraint from vice (e.g., sex, alcohol, fighting, and other base behavior) as well as develop toughness or manliness (Rader).

Early notions of sport participation as a builder of character have since been advanced by various researchers and philosophers. The general argument has been that moral values such as fairness, compassion, honesty, and respect are the bedrock of any given sports competition (Arnold, 1994; Lumpkin, Stoll, & Beller, 2003; Shields & Bredemeier, 1995). Sport participants are continually in situations in which they must choose to uphold or violate moral values.

For example, each sport is defined by its rules which establish how one is to compete legitimately. When athletes deliberately break the constitutive rules of a particular sport they have violated what it means to compete on a fair and level playing field (Arnold, 1994).

As another example, Clifford and Feezel (1997) have stressed the importance of respect for one’s opponent. They proposed that all competitive athletes need good and challenging opponents to excel. This necessitates that players respect their opponents rather than treat them as a means to an end. Athletes may also uphold the moral value of honesty by not attempting to use performance enhancing drugs deceptively, or they may demonstrate compassion by not intentionally attempting to injure their opponent to gain an advantage.

In sum, these types of examples suggest competitive sport is a ripe environment for developing moral values and moral character.

However, morally idealistic notions of sport as a medium for developing moral character have been glaringly contradicted. Many athletes and coaches appear to believe winning is all that matters even if it means cheating or seriously harming one’s opponent. Trash talking, diving in soccer (pretending to be tripped), steroid use, intentional injury, running up the score, and intimidation tactics (e.g., the “brush back” pitch in baseball) are illustrative of the problem (“A Purpose,” 1999; Dixon, 1993; “Fake or Foul?,” 2006; Fraleigh, 1982; Lumpkin et al., 2003).

Unethical behavior by coaches has been particularly alarming considering the influence they may have on their players (Guivernau & Duda, 2002; Kavussanu, Roberts, & Ntoumansis, 2002; Stephens & Bredemeier, 1996). There have been a number of cases at the college level. In 1999, former Wichita State Pitcher, Ben Christensen, purposely threw at Anthony Molina who was 30 feet away from the plate (waiting on deck) because he felt Molina was trying to time his pitches. Christensen hit Molina and severely injured his eye.

As part of Christensen’s response to the injury, he told reporters the pitching coach taught him the tactic (“A Purpose,” 1999). More recently (2005), former Temple basketball coach, John Chaney purposely sent in one of his players to brutally foul an opposing player. The opposing player ended-up with a broken arm (Wickham, 2005). As well, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has recently placed Savannah State University on probation (three years) after discovering that one of the university’s former football coaches had encouraged team members to purchase steroids and provided free meals and lodging to eight prospective players (“NCAA Penalizes,” 2006).

Win-at-all-cost coaching has not been isolated to the college ranks. Egregious coaching methods at the interscholastic and youth sport levels have also been observed.

A T-ball coach allegedly paid one of his players $25 to hurt an 8-year-old mentally handicapped teammate so that he would not have to put the boy in the game (“Coach Accused,” 2005). Also, in a Little League championship game the head coach for one of the two teams intentionally walked the team’s “power hitter” in order to face one of the team’s weakest players (Cabrero, 2006). Lastly, at the high school level, an assistant football coach was caught on video moving the first down marker during a pivotal play (“No. 8 San Pedro High,” 2005).

Research has been supportive of the reported cases of cheating and violence in sport. For example, studies using an instrument to measure moral character called the Hahm-Beller Values Choice Inventory have shown athletes do not support the application of moral values in competition (Beller & Stoll, 1992; Beller, Stoll, & Rudd, 1997; Stoll, Beller, Cole, & Burwell, 1995). Additionally, a large survey conducted by the Character Counts! Coalition with over 4,200 high school athletes revealed many do not care about morality in sport.

Among some of the salient results: 58% of males and 24% of females support inflicting pain in football to intimidate, 47% of males and 19% of females support trash talking, and 30% of males and 16% females support throwing at a batter who homered their previous at bat (Character Counts!, 2004).

It appears the early notions of sport as a form of muscular Christianity are far from appreciated in today’s sport culture. Considered another way, the late sports writer Grantland Rice once wrote in a poem called Alumnus Football:

For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, He marks – not that you won or lost – but how you played the Game (Rice, 1923).

Clearly, for many, how one plays the game is of little concern. Winning is the only thing that seems to truly count and it does not matter if one wins fairly or honorably. As seen in the above examples, coaches and players employ a variety of dubious strategies to win.

The current state of affairs in sport, thus raises the question, does anybody care about character and sportsmanship? Or, is sport simply about feeding egos and the obtainment of extrinsic rewards?

Not everyone in the sport milieu believes winning is more important than fair play. Some have initiated efforts to foster and promote sportsmanship and character. In 2003, the Sportsmanship and Fan Behavior Summit was convened to discuss new strategies for increasing sportsmanship among coaches, players, and fans in college athletics.

Nearly 150 representatives from higher education, athletic conferences, and other constituent groups were present (Report on the Sportsmanship and Fan Behavior Summit, n.d.). In 2005, the NCAA’s Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee met with the American Football Coaches Association to discuss new methods for fostering sportsmanship and character among coaches, players, and referees (Richardson, 2006).

At the local level, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) has instituted what they call the Sports Report Plus to encourage sportsmanship and character. The idea calls for fans to report any acts of good sportsmanship they have witnessed (Semrau, 2007). Also, the Patriot League, a Division I-AA college athletic conference, recently held a sportsmanship summit to discuss strategies for improving sportsmanship and appropriate fan behavior (“Patriot League,” n.d.).

While there are good intentions behind some of these sportsmanship and character development initiatives, there may be some pedagogical shortcomings. This is because the majority of these efforts tend to rely on superficial policies, penalties, and campaigns. Methods as such would be considered by Arnold (1994) as a form of “moral drilling” that is used to cause individuals to mindlessly conform to a set of principles or rules.

However, to the contrary, moral judgment and reasoning are the sine qua non of moral character. Therefore, it is argued, character and sportsmanship development must target individuals’ moral thinking abilities rather than using some form of behavior modification.

Character development scholars have referred to the notion of changing a person’s moral thinking as moral or ethical education (Arnold, 1994; Lickona, 1991; Power, Higgins, & Kohlberg, 1989; Stoll & Beller, 2006).

In brief, moral education is a purposeful process that teaches people how to make moral judgments and apply moral principles to ethical problems. Individuals are taught how to reflect and critically examine their decisions and value system—hence, moral reasoning. Research has shown moral education can increase moral development or moral reasoning (Beller & Stoll, 1992; Power et al.).

Additionally, researchers have noted that the moral environment plays a critical role in positively or negatively affecting character (Lickona, 1991; Power et al., 1989; Stoll & Beller, 2006). Therefore, moral education must be a comprehensive approach that aims to educate not just the athletes, but also coaches, administrators, and parents. One such example of moral education in sport is a program called Winning with Character.

The program uses a specially designed curriculum that formally teaches many of those involved in high school and college athletic programs how to make good ethical choices based on the core values of respect, honor, and responsibility (Winning with Character, Inc. n.d; see also, Shields & Bredemeier, 1995, 2005 for additional examples of moral education programs in sport). In sum, competing in sport does not have to be about winning at all costs. Participation in sport can play a vital role in developing moral character provided athletes are formally educated to appreciate the moral nature of sport.

Too many athletes, coaches, administrators, and parents have been socialized into believing that winning is more important than fair and honorable play. Kretchmar (2005) theorized that this process may lead to the development of “moral calluses” which prevent people from recognizing moral wrong doing.

It is argued that the only way to remove such callousness and refocus sport on moral character development is through the use of moral education.