ProLine Sports, Nutrition Blog

5 of the Best Supplements for Joint Pain

Endurance athletes, and active individuals in general, are particularly hard on their joints. Many marathon runners, triathlon winners and dedicated bike riders find themselves with achy, swelling joints at a younger age than their less active counterparts. Taking the right herbal and dietary supplements could reduce your joint pain, whether it's from exercise fatigue or a long-term condition like arthritis. Try a few of these five options with the guidance of a sports nutrition expert and your doctor's approval.

Ginger

Need a mild but effective pain reliever so you can stop taking over the counter NSAIDs that can hurt your kidneys, liver and stomach? Look for ginger extract. It's shown some effectiveness as a pain reliever you can take either on a daily basis or after you notice tenderness. It also has demonstrated the ability to reduce joint stiffness in the morning, making it helpful for both active and retired athletes.

MSM

Methylsulfonylmethane, commonly known as MSM, is a powerful joint supplement with proven benefits but an unknown history of medication interactions. Taking a daily dose for 12 weeks can reduce both pain and tightness in joints regardless of the cause. However, you may find that the treatment interferes with medications you take for other health problems. Talk to your doctor before adding MSM to your daily routine and be prepared to document your own side effects. Most patients in the three completed studies reported few to no side effects.

Turmeric

Ayurvedic doctors have recommended turmeric as a supplement to patients for thousands of years, and modern medicine backs up some of the claims about this herb. The colorful root powder has been proven to reduce pain and swelling in clinical trials, in addition to reducing the body's inflammatory response to common allergens. Plan to stop taking your turmeric supplement before having any surgery performed, though, since it also acts as a mild blood thinner. While blood thinning can be a great treatment for people with heart disease or even just endurance athletes looking for an edge, it increases your bleeding during surgery. Notify the surgeon if you're not able to give yourself a few days to get the turmeric out of your system so the surgery team can plan around it.

Glucosamine

One of the most tested and widely recommended supplements for joint pain is glucosamine. Your body is supposed to produce this compound naturally to rebuild your joints as they're damaged, but your supply of it diminishes as you get older. Taking a daily dose of it now can prevent joint deterioration, but it also works when you already have arthritis.

Stinging Nettle

Finally, don't forget about the humble stinging nettle. The same compounds that are so irritating to your skin when you brush against its needles are quite soothing to joint pain and other forms of internal inflammation. It's often combined with other herbs like turmeric to make a broad spectrum joint supplement, or it can be taken separately.

Looking for more information? Visit us today at ProLine Sports Nutrition for customized recommendations on supplements. 

Staying Hydrated is Crucial to Your Health

Hydration is essential for everyone, but it is especially important for athletes. Hydration affects your muscle growth, recovery and weight loss, so dehydration can have a significant impact on an athlete's performance. 

One of the most important sports nutrition supplements your body craves is water. Your body requires water to flush out toxins, help you feel full, absorb nutrients and to perform many different metabolic processes, several of which have an effect on muscle repair and recovery. Summer is coming, so it is especially important to be aware of not only hydration, but the other essentials an athlete needs to maintain his or her overall general health.

Warning Signs of Dehydration

Whatever type of sport you participate in, staying hydrated is critical for your health. Without the appropriate amount of water, vitamins and supplements, you can become dehydrated. Dehydration can be extremely dangerous, even life-threatening if not caught and treated immediately. Some of the warning signs of dehydration include:

• Heat cramps, which is a common condition in extremely hot weather or when doing heavy physical activity. Symptoms of heat cramps may include fatigue, excessive sweating, thirst and cramps (usually in the arms, legs or stomach). Heat cramps can usually be treated quickly by drinking water or sports nutrition drinks and resting in a cool spot.
• Heat exhaustion, which occurs if you do not react to the symptoms of heat cramps. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, headache, nausea and muscle cramps. It can usually be treated with cool beverages, taking a cool shower and getting into an air-conditioned area.
• Heat stroke occurs when your body temperature is 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Your skin will feel dry and hot to the touch. However, if your heatstroke has been brought on by strenuous exercise, your skin will feel moist. You will also feel sick to your stomach, your breathing may become rapid and shallow, skin will turn red and you will experience a throbbing headache. In severe situations, you may hallucinate, have seizures and/or have difficulty speaking.

Add Minerals

Water is good, but it is also important to drink sports nutrition drinks that contain electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. These minerals are absorbed quicker by your intestines than pure water, so it puts the water into the blood quicker. Be careful not to overdue the salts, though, because too much in the drink will cause your intestines to dilute intestinal contents before they can be absorbed. On days that are extremely hot and humid, consider rotating beverages — drink one sports nutrition beverage for every three glass of pure water.

Consume Protein

It is important to keep in mind that following any kind of exercise there will be cellular damage, which causes an increase in the breakdown of protein. The majority of disruption in the cellular process begins to be repaired as soon as the stressor is removed, so as soon as the activity stops, repair begins. Consuming endurance supplements and other sources of protein during exercise will help to speed up the recovery.

Don't Forget Your Vitamins

Next to water, vitamins are one of the most important things your body needs. Oxygen radicals, a byproduct of metabolism, causes some tissue damage during exercise. However, like the cellular process, the damage begins to repair itself when exercising stops. To increase the recovery rate, it is essential that you have sufficient amounts of vitamins C and E, which help minimize free radical buildup.

It is important to keep in mind that the longer you are training, the more water you should consume for your cells to keep up with demand. When competing in extreme temperatures or high altitudes, you will need extra hydration as well as an increase in protein and vitamins.

Please contact ProLine Sports Nutrition if you need more information about proper hydration or to visit us for quality vitamins and protein supplements from our vitamin and supplements store. Right now, when you spend $50 or more in Gatorade® products you will get a free Gatorade® sideline towel. 

The Importance of Recovery in Your Fitness Routine

There is a misnomer in the health and fitness world that the secret to increasing strength and/or endurance is formulating an eccentric, state-of-the-art exercise routine. The reality is, the type of exercise a person does has virtually nothing to do with aerobic and anaerobic development.

Of much greater value is how a person exercises and how he or she recovers. Increases in aerobic or anaerobic maximums occur in direct proportion to how much damage — damage being much different than injury — to their muscles and how a person proactively encourages their body to recover. 

Effects of Exercise on Muscles

In all cases, exercise damages muscles. The only variant is the degree to which the damage occurs. The damage occurs as microscopic tears in the muscle fibers and the lining of the muscle fibers. The thicker the lining of the fibers of a muscle, the harder a person must work to generate the micro-tears in the fibers. If damage does not occur, the body is not prompted to rebuild, which means the development and strengthening of the muscles do not occur. 

Regardless of how en vogue an exercise routine or contraption, if it does not stress the muscles to the point of damage, no growth will occur. The old adage still applies — "no pain, no gain."

Muscle Fiber Rebuild

In order for muscle fibers to rebuild, the body needs two things: the right nutrition and recovery. The word "recovery" is a concept that the vast majority of people, even those in the heath and fitness industry, do not understand. But understanding recovery is far more important than choosing the right exercise plan. 

Plateaus in strength gains, the inability to move the endurance wall, chronic fatigue after exercise and loss of aerobic and anaerobic output performance are all symptoms of poor recovery techniques and methodology. 

But, recovery is not a complex concept. There are only two premises an athlete or exercise fanatic must understand: nutrition and metabolic state. 

Recovery Concepts 

Nutrition

The body requires amino acids, fats, minerals and vitamins to rebuild muscles. In addition to tearing muscle fibers, exercise also depletes the body of these building-block essentials. It is critical to provide the body with these essentials within 1/2 an hour of finishing a workout because while the body has states in which it recovers most productively (e.g. when it is not under stress) the body is always rebuilding.

Metabolic State

The most perplexing concept of the premises of recovery, corporal state is quite simple on the surface. The body only has two metabolic states: anabolic and catabolic. The anabolic state is that in which the body is working and therefore breaking down. The catabolic state is the recovery state in which it is metabolizing food and sending it through the circulatory system to repair muscles and tissue.

While there are only two metabolic states, there are degrees or phases of each. The most productive catabolic phase occurs while a person is sleeping, during REM sleep specifically. In other words, the recovery rate is at its maximum when a person has a combination of proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins in their body and they are in the REM sleep stage. 

To find out more about how nutrition and rest prompt recovery, visit ProLine Sports Nutrition! Our expert staff can guide you on your workouts and your recovery routine, as well as help you find the best vitamins and supplements to fuel your body. We're currently offering a promotion where customers can receive a free Gatorade® sideline towel when they purchase $50 or more worth of Gatorade® products. 

Supplements for Runners Part 2: Whey Protein and Calcium

Protein is the name of the game when it comes to endurance. This building block is a very important piece of a healthy runner's puzzle. So is calcium, which is key to building strong bones.

Protein and calcium are two of the most powerful substances in our bodies and are found in each and every one of our cells. When calcium is combined with a high-protein diet, absorption is increased and bones stay stronger. 

Endurance runners may not be getting enough of these two nutrients in their diets and should add whey protein and calcium supplements to their daily routine. This is especially true for athletes running long distances, training for a special race, or amping up endurance.

Here's how whey protein and calcium can benefit runners.

Whey Protein

Protein keeps the immune system at tip top shape as well as so many other bodily functions. Runners need much more protein in their daily diet than they can get from food, so whey protein is an excellent supplement choice. 

Whey protein is absorbed by the body more quickly than a food source, and it is lower in calories, fat and lactose. Whey protein also replenishes all the proteins the body uses while running and aids in overall muscle recovery. Another benefit of whey protein is that it has high levels of amino acids that support the immune system. 

If runners don't get enough protein in their bodies, they can become fatigued quickly, be more prone to injuries and eventually lose important muscle mass. Most runners should add approximately 40 to 60 grams of whey protein per day to their diet. 

Runners who would like to lose a few pounds before running a big race should double up on protein. Protein's "thermic effect" aids weight loss. As we digest protein, our bodies amp up calorie burn faster than if it were digesting high-fat or carbohydrate-rich foods. Plus, protein is perfect for keeping us satisfied longer, so we are less likely to binge eat.

Calcium

Many runners do not get enough vitamins and minerals to support their bodies. One of the most overlooked minerals for endurance running is calcium. Most of us already know that calcium is the key to protecting and strengthening our bones and preventing osteoporosis and stress fractures. 

Runners should pay special attention to make sure they are getting enough (and absorbing enough) calcium while training. This is especially important for runners with low body fat counts. Calcium plays an important role in strengthening and repairing the bones after long, hard run.

This important nutrient can be found in foods like dairy products, baked beans, tofu and broccoli, but calcium supplements are a great way to ensure you are getting the right amount. Experts recommend that adult runners consume at least 800 mg of calcium each day. It's much easier to measure this amount with calcium supplements. 

In addition, calcium needs ample amounts of Vitamin D to be absorbed by our bodies, so a combination of calcium and Vitamin D supplements is essential to a runner's health.

Getting enough protein and calcium and knowing how it helps your body is necessary for everyday living and vital during extensive training. Get more information about whey protein, calcium supplements and other valuable tips to keep your body running at ProLine Sports Nutrition's blog. Don't forget to stop by the shop to get all the supplements you need to fuel your training.

Supplements for Runners Part 1: Caffeine and Creatine

If you are interested in or heavily involved in endurance activities, you know the importance of good nutrition to build your body, promote stamina and develop your speed. While most people get the protein and vitamins they need from their daily food consumption, endurance athletes have special nutritional needs.

Supplements may be able to provide you with the edge that you are looking for and compensate for elements that you do not receive from food. It is important, however, that all supplements be researched and taken according to the manufacturer’s direction. In some cases, over consumption of supplements can be harmful, so pay attention to all guidelines.

There are many common nutrients ingredients that support the activities of endurance athletes. For example, iron, calcium and whey protein each provide benefits to runners. Two of the most popular choices, however, are caffeine and creatine. 

Caffeine

Caffeine is a valued supplement for many athletes. In fact, recent studies have shown that more than two-thirds of Olympic athletes use the benefits of caffeine to enhance their performance. 

The most recognized advantage of caffeine is its ability to heighten mental alertness. This is great in the morning to get you moving, but it works equally well in the evening to stimulate performance after a hard day. Another benefit, perhaps of most importance to long-distance runners, is that caffeine improves the body’s ability to use fat as fuel. In doing so, it conserves glycogen, which is essential for high functioning in the last leg of a marathon. 

Caffeine, when used in combination with carbohydrates, has been shown to aid in recovery as well. Researchers discovered that athletes who consumed a combination of caffeine and carbohydrates following a workout had 66 percent more glycogen in their muscles after four hours than athletes who consumed a drink with just carbohydrates.

Moderation is key to determining the amount of caffeine you should consume. The recommendation is about 550 milligrams per day which is equal to roughly five cups of coffee. 

Creatine

Creatine as a performance enhancement supplement has been used by athletes to improve muscle strength, size and power. These are terms that are not often used when considering a supplement for endurance athletes, however. 

Creatine aids in muscle recovery. When used correctly, it can benefit endurance runners as well. While using creatine before or during a race event is not recommended, it can provide runners benefits during training. 

Long distance runners use interval training to build running speed and performance. This is where creatine can help. During high-intensity training sessions, it can improve speed and efficiency. It can also decrease the amount of recovery time needed. These improvements during training translate into improvements on race day. 

ProLine Sports Nutrition can give endurance athletes the edge they need to perform at optimal levels. Visit our website today for more information on specific products and ongoing promotions. 

Whether you are an amateur, professional or elite endurance athlete, ProLine Sports Nutrition has the information and supplements to help you perform your best. 

Check back soon for part 2 of this series on supplements for runners!

Follow These Tips to Become a Faster Runner

Whether you’re just starting out with running or training for an upcoming marathon, building up your endurance is an important goal. As an endurance athlete, your performance depends on your ability to keep going, but it’s also about speed. In addition to being able to run for longer periods of time, you can also work on being able to run faster. 

The following tips can help you improve your speed while running. 

Increase Your Distance

One of the most effective ways to run faster is to gradually increase your mileage. Running for longer distances helps you build up your endurance, which can also help improve your speed. 

It’s important not to overdo it, though, or you could end up hurting yourself. Instead, plan on adding low mileage to your running routine at first, then slowly increase the number of miles you run at a time. 

For example, begin by adding just a half mile to your daily run, then work up to adding 1 or even 2 miles once you’re comfortable covering this distance. You’ll notice that you’re also building up speed slowly, and eventually, you’ll be running at a faster speed overall. 

Include Off-Road Running

Running on sidewalks or other smooth, paved surfaces might seem like the easiest way to improve your speed, but heading off-road is a better plan. Running on off-road trails doesn’t put as much stress on your body as constantly hitting a hard surface does. 

Off-road trails also provide you with a change of scenery that can inspire you to keep going faster and faster. Your body will also be using different muscles or using the same muscles in different ways in order to handle the changing terrain, which helps you build endurance.

Head to the Hills

Running up hills is a challenging and highly effective way to boost your speed. You can either do quick spurts of shorter steps while going up steeper hills or take longer strides while going up hills with a more gentle slope. 

Shorter steps help build up your leg muscles. Longer steps help you achieve a higher speed and improved endurance. Whether you plan on running up steeper hills or more moderate ones, it’s important to maintain the correct posture while moving in order to reduce strain on your muscles. 

Follow the 80/20 Rule

Studies have shown that runners build up their speed most effectively when they spend 80 percent of the time doing low-intensity running and 20 percent of the time doing high-intensity running. 

Spending a smaller amount of time doing high-intensity running allows you to gradually improve your speed without putting too much strain on your body, while low-intensity running helps you build up your endurance. Having more endurance gives you the energy you need to run faster. 

Endurance supplements are another great way to improve your running performance. ProLine Sports Nutrition, we offer a wide range of vitamins and other nutrients in supplement form to help endurance athletes with their training.

What Effect Does Iron Have on Endurance Training?

Iron is among the most important nutrients every endurance athlete needs to keep energy levels up and improve their athletic performance. When your blood doesn’t have enough iron, it can cause health issues that have a negative impact on your performance. 

Learn more about why your iron level is important, how it affects endurance training and what to do if you don’t have enough of this nutrient. 

Effects of Iron on Endurance Training

Your iron level can have a significant impact on how well you perform. Your body needs this nutrient in order to maintain enough energy for endurance training. 

When you have a low amount of ferritin, a protein that stores and releases iron in your blood, you can end up suffering from symptoms that affect your performance, such as fatigue. This makes it more difficult for you to continue building endurance. 

It also makes it harder for your body to recover after training. Raising your iron level helps ensure that you have plenty of energy for training and that you’re able to recover in a shorter amount of time, which can improve your performance. 

Increasing Your Iron Level

If you have a low iron level in your blood, you can increase it by eating foods that contain this nutrient and by taking supplements with iron. Foods that have iron include spinach, fish, meat and poultry, but keep in mind that your body might absorb this nutrient at a low rate. Including vitamin C in your diet by eating certain foods, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, can help your body absorb more iron. 

Endurance supplements provide another way for you to build up iron in your blood for an improved performance. These supplements, such as EP-NO, are designed to be easy for your body to absorb the iron in them. 

Iron Level Measurements

Having your iron level measured before taking endurance supplements is crucial. Taking these supplements when you have adequate supplies of iron in your blood can have serious health consequences that could be life-threatening. 

These health problems can occur if your body ends up absorbing too much iron. See your doctor to have your iron level measured, and only take supplements with iron if you have a low level. 

Your doctor can check your iron level with a blood test that measures ferritin and hemoglobin. If you have symptoms of iron deficiency or if you’re at a higher risk of being iron deficient, such as if you’re a female endurance athlete, plan on having your iron level checked from time to time to make sure you have an adequate level of this nutrient.

If your iron level could use a boost, ProLine Sports Nutrition has what you need. We offer endurance supplements to help you improve training and reduce the time it takes you to recover. 

Keep in mind that during April, we’re offering 10 percent off on EP-NO Blood Builder, which contains iron and other important nutrients that are easy for your body to absorb.

Great Smoothie Options for Endurance Athletes

Endurance athletes are in it for the long haul. And when you're training like that, you need to fuel your body with high-quality foods that are nutrition dense, don't weigh you down, and provide long-lasting energy without a crash. It isn't always easy to accomplish, though. Sometimes you are in a hurry. If you train in the early morning you may not have the time or the desire for a big breakfast. Maybe you get your training in somewhere between work and home, which means you might not have anything eat from between your lunch at noon and dinner at 7 p.m.  If you need some nourishment and fast, consider whipping up a smoothie. 

Most smoothies you get in a commercial smoothie shop are filled with sugar, and although they may provide some nutrition and short-term energy, they simply aren't suitable for an endurance athlete like yourself. You need something with more substance and less fluff. Fortunately, you can easily create smoothies at home, customizing them to meet your own unique nutritional needs, your schedule and activity levels.

Best Smoothie Ingredients

If you want to get the most out of your smoothie, you need to put in quality ingredients. Here's a breakdown of what you should be putting in your blender: 

Fruit: Both fresh and frozen varieties will work. Ideally, you want at least one to two 80 gram portions of fruit in your smoothie. Berries, kiwi, mango, bananas and pineapple are all great choices. 

Protein powder: Make sure your smoothies has at least 15 to 20 grams of protein powder in it, which is the optimal serving for muscle recovery. 

Nuts or nut butter: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of nut butter, or 20 to 30 grams of nuts for a dose of fatty acids and some additional protein. You'll get a little flavor out of it, too. 

Milk: Whether it's regular cow's milk, almond milk or some other form, add a splash to your smoothie. It helps keep your smoothie from getting too thick, and it's good for you too. 

Vegetables: There's nothing wrong with getting a little green in your smoothie. Baby kale and spinach are great additions to any smoothie. Avocados are a good choice, too, and will give your smoothie a rich, creamy texture. 

Extras: Other favorites to add to smoothies are Greek yogurt, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil. 

Go-To Smoothie Recipes

Pre-Workout Smoothie

Whether you're working out first thing in the morning or you're hitting up the gym after work, you'll need an energy boost to help get you through it. This Blueberry Honey smoothie is a great pick-me-up to enjoy before the gym. 

You'll need 3/4 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen), 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons of honey and 3 ice cubes. Add a splash of milk if your smoothie is too thick or if you just want it to last a little longer. Drink this 30 minutes before your workout and you'll be golden. 

Post-Workout Smoothie

After you've exercised you want to replenish your body with something that isn't going to be too filling while allowing you to get the nutrients you need. Liquid meals often are a better choice after a high-intensity workout. Enter the Banana-Almond Protein Smoothie. 

Take 1 scoop of whey protein, 1 banana, 1 teaspoon almond butter (or other nut butter), 3/4 cup of milk and 3 ice cubes and blend them until smooth. Drink up!

Everyday Smoothie

Say it's the middle of the day and you're craving something. If you're going to put something in your body, you might as well get something out of it. This is where those green veggies come in handy. Try a Mint Green Smoothie with Chia seeds. 

First you want to make a mini helping of chia pudding. Combine 1 teaspoon chia seeds with 4 teaspoons milk. Soak for a few hours or overnight in the fridge until it resembles a gelatin-like texture. Then, toss the chia pudding into the blender with 1 green apple, 10 fresh mint leaves, a large handful of baby spinach or kale and 1/2 cup of fresh apple juice. Mix and enjoy. 

ProLine Sports Nutrition 

Sometimes you need a little something extra for your workout. ProLine Sports Nutrition has all the vitamins and supplements endurance athletes need to fuel their bodies. Stop by our shop today to stock up on your favorite products and train like a champion. 

Why Endurance Athletes are Turning to Yoga

As an endurance athlete, you put your body through a lot. It can be tough to find that balance between squeezing in your workout, keeping injuries to a minimum and not getting burnt out, both physically and mentally. One way that many athletes are finding that balance is through practicing yoga. This ancient form of exercise and meditation has risen in popularity over the past few years, and it could be just the thing you need to get your body and your mind right. Keep reading to find out how you could benefit from incorporating yoga into your routine.

Build Strength

Despite what some people think, yoga requires and helps build strength. Each pose is designed to test your strength and balance, both of which you'll need to truly master it. Side planks will challenge your arms while warrior pose engages your legs. Once you hold the pose for just a few breaths, you'll see what we mean when we say yoga will test your strength. It can also help you build a strong core, which is the foundation upon which all of your exercise success rests. 

Improve Flexibility 

You might have heard that you need to be flexible to take a yoga class. But that just isn't true. What you will learn, however, is that you will become more flexible as you develop a regular practice. Endurance athletes know all too well the pain of tight hamstrings, calves, glutes and back muscles. Yoga will help you stretch these muscles, restore proper alignment and create more flexibility in your movement. 

Discover Mental Clarity 

Yoga is all about moving with the breath. What this teaches you is the power of focus. Your mental health is just as powerful as your physical health in determining your success as an endurance athlete. In yoga, you will learn to quiet your thoughts and become more mindful of your movement. It can help you become more confident and teach you that you are stronger than you think. That mental clarity can then be used to guide you through your workout routine, race or just in life. 

Poses to Try 

Downward Facing Dog: This pose will stretch your hamstrings and your lower back while building strength in your quads, inner thighs and your core. 

Upward Facing Dog: In this pose, you will stretch your ankles, hip flexors and chest muscles. Upward facing dog builds strength in your glutes, hamstrings and spinal extensors. 

Crescent Lunge: This is a great pose if you need to stretch your hip flexors and chest muscles, and helps build strength in your calves, quads and thighs. 

Pigeon: In pigeon pose, it's all about stretching and opening the hips.

Happy Cow Face: Again, you'll stretch your hips here, as well as your triceps and chest while strengthening your hips and glutes. 

Get the Right Nutrition 

At ProLine Sports Nutrition, we offer you a highly complex and proven array of vitamins and supplements that are targeted for endurance athletes like you. Our goal is to make your training more effective and decrease your recovery time, allowing for greater success in your endurance races. Stop by our store today to check out our selection. 

Why Having a Strong Core is Important For Endurance Athletes

Too often, runners think the best way to up their performance and build endurance is to run more, but this isn't the case. Of course, you want to continue training and challenging yourself, but if all you are doing is that, you may be shortchanging yourself and increasing your chances of injury. If you want to make yourself stronger and increase your endurance power, you have to start with your core. 

The Power of the Core 

Something that many runners neglect is their core. The lack of a strong core can hamper your performance, keeping you from achieving your best. A weak core means you have to work harder, limiting your endurance. It also increases the chance for injury. A good core workout doesn't take much time and the results are amazing. Benefits of core workouts include: 

• Improved posture
• Better balance
• Increased endurance
• Reduced aches and pains, particularly in the back
• Better-looking physique

Simple Core Workout

You don't have to have six-pack abs to have a strong core, or spend a ton of time on it. You have other things to do. Some simple, targeted moves performed for just a few minutes each day will give you the core strength you need.

The Plank

This core-strengthening standard is effective and simple. There are numerous variations to increase the challenge. Get into a pushup position, with legs extended, toes on the floor and then rest your forearms on the floor. Keep your body in a straight line, taking care not to "sag" in the middle. Tighten your abdominal muscles and hold the position for 30 seconds or more. Work up to a minute or more. Switch things up by doing a rotating plank, starting with the basic plank, moving into a side plank, coming back to the middle and finishing on the opposite side.

Step Downs

Lie down on your back, keeping one hand underneath your lower back for support. Lift both legs, keeping thighs at a 90-degree angle to the floor then bending knees to a 90-degree angle. Slowly lower your left foot until it is about an inch off the ground. Hold this for a couple seconds, keeping good form. Return leg to its original position and then repeat with the opposite leg. Do this three to five times.

Dead Bug

Lie on your back and lift both arms straight up, pointing at the ceiling. Lift both legs as well, bending them at a 90-degree angle, then slowly lower one arm toward the ground, and extend the opposite leg. Think of your arms acting as a scissor, and your legs are making a giant stepping motion. Do these moves slowly.

Squats, Romanian deadlifts and pushups are also good core strengtheners. A daily core workout will enhance everything else you do. Whether you are training for a race or just maintaining your current routine, a good combination of endurance supplements, diet and targeted core workouts can increase strength, balance, speed and flexibility. Look to ProLine Sports Nutrition to meet your supplement needs. Stop by the store or contact us today!