Fit For Adventure

There's a plethora of fitness apps out there today, and many of them have a social aspect to them. After all, it can be motivating to see see what your friends are doing to stay healthy and fit. Do you ever wonder how that super athletic friend stays in great shape? Follow them on a fitness app and find out! Many of these apps allow for challenges and competitions between you and your friends as well, whether it be who gets the most steps, runs the furthest, or bikes the longest distance, etc. In addition, you can often earn some digital bling like badges, virtual trophies, etc. to commemorate your achievements. Garmin Connect  is probably the one I use most often. I use a Garmin Fenix smartwatch to track my fitness activities and it automatically syncs my activities to my Garmin Connect account. I think the mobile app could still use a little work, especially on the strength training side of things. It's kind of odd that it limits you to 1,000 connections as well. But overall,...

Protein Synthesis and Muscle Growth There's a period of time after a workout in which protein synthesis and muscle growth occurs at an accelerated level. If you look at the growth period on a chart, it isn't a rigid spike like the peak of a mountain. Instead, it's more of a gradual curve like a rolling hill. This time period typically lasts from 36 to 48 hours depending on the intensity of the workout, age, genetics, etc. In order to get the most out of this period of elevated protein synthesis, we need to give the body a good supply of protein and amino acids to support this process. My personal strategy is outlined below, but you should discuss your own nutritional needs with your doctor or nutritionist. Protein Digestions and Absorption The protein from our food sources are digested and absorbed over a time line that looks more like a bell curve as well. How tall or wide that bell curve is depends on the foods that we get our proteins from as well. Whey protein is...

All politeness aside, it sucks to get out on a long awaited dive and having your buddy signal to you that you need to end your dive because they are almost out of air when you still have the majority of yours left.  Most divers are air hogs when they are first getting started. I was a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer back in the day, and one of the first things that typically comes up with newer divers is how they can get their air to last longer. There is hope! First and foremost, improve your physical fitness ! The better your cardio fitness is, the longer your air will last. If you are in shape, you won't be breathing as hard as you fin your way through the water. Leg strength and endurance does play into it as well, but cardio is number one. Upgrade your regulators . High performance regulators breath easier. If your work-of-breathing is easier, your air consumption will be less on your dives. In comparison, if you hold a pillow over your face (not recommended) you will have t...

I'm often referred to as a man with too many hobbies... and that is probably true. I love everything from technical rebreather diving to rock/ice/mountain climbing. It doesn't matter if I'm paddling rapids or hauling ass down a trail on a mountain bike, my level of physical fitness has a direct impact on all of my adventures. The impact isn't always as obvious as not running out of breath when riding that gnarly mountain bike trail, but the benefit is still there. Think about it, if my breathing is more efficient when scuba diving my air will last longer and I'll literally get a longer dive than others who are out of shape. If I'm carrying my gear into the wilderness while backpacking, my body will better handle the load and allow me to focus on the beauty around me instead of cursing every step while lugging my pack up the switchbacks. I could go on and on about the benefits, but if you're reading this post you probably already realize there's a relati...