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Play Better

Run faster, jump higher, and raise your game in any sport with the tips and strategies in this blog.

Play Better

How to Train for an Obstacle Mud Run

RockOnAdventures.com

Obstacle mud runs exploded in popularity in 2011. Races like the Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, and Warrior Dash require athletes to display both strength and endurance as they navigate obstacles spread out over courses ranging from 3 to 12 miles. That combination can be a challenge for many athletes. Most runners have no problem completing the distance, but often lack the strength to handle the challenges. Many anaerobic athletes breeze through the challenges, but struggle with distance running. Here are some strategies for not just surviving but thriving in an obstacle mud run:

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Tags: Race, Energy System Development, Training, Outdoor Recreation

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How to Train for Your First Snowshoeing Trip

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Snowshoeing is more challenging than a standard hike. Your feet are weighed down by snowshoes and you have to pick them up out of heavy snow, which requires a great deal of leg strength.

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Tags: Hip Flexors, Outdoor Recreation, Leisure Time

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How to Train for Ski Mountaineering

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Along with avalanche training, a game plan, an experienced partner, and supplies, a fit body should be on your list of essentials for ski mountaineering. If you're not in good enough shape, the trip could be treacherous. Here are a couple keys to focus on:

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Tags: Sports Performance, Outdoor Recreation, Skiing, Snowboarding, Lower Body, Conditioning, Stability

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12 Weeks to Your Fastest 10K

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Even if you’ve been out of running for a while, you can still record a solid 10K time with a little planning and hard work. Below you’ll find the framework for a three-month running plan to help you run great. First, check out this list of definitions to make sense of it all:

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Tags: Outdoor Recreation, Running, Race, Energy System Development

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5 Tips for Tackling a Turkey Trot

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Start a new Thanksgiving tradition this year with a turkey trot. Whether you enjoy running or walking, or if you're just looking to get active, completing a 5K on the most gluttonous day of the year is a fun and easy way to burn some calories and get moving with friends and family before enjoying a delicious meal. Use the tips below to conquer your turkey day race.

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Tags: Outdoor Recreation, Health, Walking, Running, Race

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How to Reduce Back Pain From Cycling

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Lower back pain often results from improper positioning on the bike, so have your bike evaluated by a local pro who can fit you appropriately on your bike. Other common causes of back pain include fatigue and poor hip mobility. When either occurs, your body compensates by flexing your back or pulling harder on the handlebars, which puts stress on your lower back. To overcome this, work on improving your hip mobility and strength with a progression of Romanian deadlifts.

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Tags: Outdoor Recreation, Cycling, Back Pain, Mobility

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How to Loosen Up Tight Hips From Cycling

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Feeling tight after a ride? You're not alone. Even though you’re pumping your legs and working hard, you’re in a seated position, which is why many seasoned cyclists look like office workers who spend too much time slumped over at a desk. This riding position causes the muscles on the front of your hips to become tight. Here are a few tips to loosen up:

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Tags: Outdoor Recreation, Hip Pain, Cycling, Mobility, Injury Prevention, Sports Performance

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7 Exercises Every Bowler Should Know

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As a former professional athlete turned teaching pro, Lucy Sandelin has endured injuries and soreness in her lower back, shoulders, knees, elbows, and wrists. When it comes to creating muscle imbalances, there might be no one-sided sport that’s as potentially hazardous as bowling. In Core Performance Golf, Mark Verstegen and I wrote about how that one-sided sport produces nagging ailments affecting the back, shoulders, and neck. But at least golfers are swinging relatively light clubs in spiked shoes on grass, not 15-pound bowling balls in slick shoes on slippery floors.

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Tags: Sports Performance, Leisure Time

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Your Own Stanley Cup Workout

Rich Lam / Getty Images

With the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks squaring off in the Stanley Cup Finals, it’s worth noting what can be applied from elite-level hockey training to your own conditioning. Hockey, like the NBA, has a marathon postseason. For teams that reach the Stanley Cup Finals, the season lasts more than nine months counting preseason training camp. No wonder hockey players are considered some of the best-conditioned athletes in sports. Here are two key areas where anyone can benefit from hockey training, even if you never lace up a pair of skates.

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Tags: Strength, Build Muscle, Lower Body, Conditioning, Power, Energy System Development, Sports Performance, Hockey

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4 Easy Ways to Lower Your Marathon Time

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Experienced endurance athletes can blast past plateaus with a few tweaks to their nutrition and training. Use these tips to set a new personal record:

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Tags: Training, Energy, Running, Q&A, Race, Energy System Development

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