Sports Fitness: Get Buff in 6 Min./Day?

Read an interesting article in the New York Times about a study done on rats regarding changes in muscle tissue with two groups of rats. One group was worked in lengthy swimming sessions, two sessions of three hours each. Another group was worked more intensely for shorter bouts: each session was about twenty seconds with a ten-second rest, but while carrying a weight. The two groups of rats had very similar changes in muscle tissue despite the very different training regimens.
Rats have similar muscle tissue to that of humans, so the researchers extrapolated that humans did not necessarily have to exercise for hours in order to develop endurance.
You can read the story about the study at http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/can-you-get-fit-in-six-minutes-a-week/?em
My concern is that athletes who go full bore into an intense weight-training session are probably more likely to get injured. Start with those stretching and limbering exercises first before intense bouts. Muscles need to be warmed up adequately before you stress them with anything that intense.

Massage Was Key to Olympic Swimmers' Success; Massage Even Helps Rabbits!

Can you believe it? A study used rabbits to test the benefits of massage on athletic recovery. The rabbits were exercised on a device that simulated running downhill. Afterward, one group received Swedish massage while the control group did not (but did receive rest). The massaged group had improved function, less swelling, and less inflammation than the non-massaged rabbits.

Just so you know, rabbits are not the only ones getting massage. I wrote earlier about the massage schedule for the swim team in the Olympics. Champ Michael Phelps received two massages a day while in Beijing. Dara Torres had massage therapists on standby.

More than half of the team members of the St. Louis Rams seek massage either for pre-event or post-event therapy, or both. Unfortunately the team does not have staff massage therapist, and the players must seek out their own professionals.

To quote a recent article, 'Before athletic events, a massage therapist can help athletes warm up by jostling and stretching the muscles and using circular friction and simple compression on specific body parts. This can continue, only more gently, during competition when the muscles are fatigued. And after an event, Swedish massage is best, Riberio said.'

To read the complete article from St. Louis Today, go to http://preview.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/0/cdfd36120bc39359862574c50072ca54?OpenDocument&Click=.