Fitness And Health

Pre-workout powder can run the gamut. One of the most popular supplements on the market today (most common among gym goers), it’s an estimated $13 billion market and projected to reach well over $20 billion by 2027, according to recent reports . Pre-workout powder can also be one of the most confusing supplements to buy, with seemingly endless options. The biggest challenge is sorting through marketing claims, exaggerated performance benefits, and the opinions of every guy (or salesman) who’s ever taken one to find the best pre-workout powder for you. The best way to figure out which pre-workout supplement is best for you is to evaluate which ingredients will actually help when you exercise, knowing the right dosage of those ingredients (if it’s even listed on the label), and making sure they’re not banned substances for any particular sport or competitive activity. First, let’s take a quick look at some of the evidence-based ingredients that can amp your workout performance. Fo...

We often think about what we need to consume before and during a workout in order to crush it, but the foods we consume after can have a huge impact on recovery . Let’s say one of your goals this year is to run your first marathon . Refueling your body after a long training run is vital for swift recovery and helping you hit those important day-to-day goals without hitting the wall. The best fuel for that job: carbohydrates . Yeah, we know, carbs like bread, pasta, and rice, which our body digests into glucose (causing a spike in blood sugar) have gotten a bad rap in some diet circles. But they’re important for our body’s immediate energy needs—from breathing, thinking, and walking to running and training. Plus, when we don’t use all that glucose in the blood for immediate energy it converts to glycogen—a form of sugar that can be easily stored by our muscles and liver for later access whenever we aren’t in that “fed” (absorptive) state. The 10 Most Adventurous Destination Ra...

Looking for a unique tool watch that won’t break the bank? The new Esercito Italiano collection from Unimatic, a relatively young Italian watch brand, deserves a place at the top of your shopping list. The collection includes three timepieces, each one a limited-edition version designed in tribute to the Italian armed forces. The watches are revised versions of Unimatic’s existing U1 dive and U4 field watches, but they come with a few unique aesthetic and functional features that really set them apart. The two U1 models in the collection, the U1-PA (a limited edition of 300) and the U1-PAN (limited to just 150 examples), are both an homage to the Paracadutisti , the paratrooper corps within the Italian army. The logo of the corps, a parachute between a pair of wings, is stamped proudly on the bottom half of the dial on both watches; the logo is engraved on the case backs as well. Quick Reads: 15 Short Books You Can Read in a Day Read article The watches also received a nota...

The professional golf season is a nearly year-round affair, but the most exciting stretch is fast approaching. The mid-February Genesis Open in Los Angeles was the first big PGA Tour event of the year; up next are the Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 3) and The Players Championship (March 10), both in Florida. Then things really heat up when The Masters begins April 7. Lately, much of the big news around the tour has not involved actual golf, but rather a (flailing) Saudi Arabian government attempt to sign some of the PGA Tour’s best players. That has not gone off well, and almost all the world’s top golfers will play in the same fields over the next few months. It’s an exciting time for another reason: Men’s golf is in the latter stages of transitioning to a youth movement. Most of the best players in the world are in their 20s and staring down long, successful careers. But there are only four major championships every year. Two of the world’s top four players, three of the top s...

Tim Kennedy has worn many hats. Among the most notable is the Green Beret—he’s an active duty Master Sergeant within the U.S. Army Special Forces . He happens to be a successful MMA fighter , with a decades-long career in the UFC, Strikeforce, and other promotions. And he’s starred in multiple TV shows, including Discovery’s Hard to Kill series. What do all those jobs have in common? He has to be in great shape to do ’em . As part of our Everyday Warrior series, we recently caught up with Kennedy in the gym to break down his “ABC Workout,” a full-body circuit that’s perfect for building muscle from head to toe. This workout gets its name from its three parts, labeled “A,” “B,” and “C” (plus a warmup). It’s designed to work the full body with movements that alternate in a push-pull fashion. Spoiler alert: It’s brutal. But would you expect anything less from a guy who served as an active duty special forces warrior and a pro MMA fighter at the same time ? 30 Best Chest Exercises ...

NFL futures betting is not for everyone, and it is far from the most efficient way to make money, even by the highly uncertain standards of sports betting . Observers struggle to understand the present in sports, much less predict the future , and even successful futures bets require the bettor to let a sportsbook hold their money for extended periods. That’s time that could be spent putting your money to work in various other ways. On the other hand, NFL futures betting is fun. To the extent that gambling on a sport can provide a thrill, nothing beats having something pegged months in advance and watching it pay off. I recommend it only in small doses and as a way to give yourself something to keep track of over the course of a season or even offseason. The best futures strategy, I’ve always found, is to spread money around on a couple of intriguing prospects and see what happens—while keeping your expectations limited. With that attitude in mind, here are a handful of early NFL fut...

Searching for coffee alternatives? We don’t blame you. You don’t need a Tasmanian devil-like personality for a second (or fifth) cup of joe to set you off on a high-octane spinout. While coffee has plenty of health benefits , caffeine constricts blood vessels but surges blood pressure and adrenaline, causing that overstimulated, shaky-Chihuahua sensation, followed by plummeting energy. Avoid the boomerang by reaching for one of these piping-hot coffee alternatives. They’ll keep you laser-focused without the jitters—and you’ll reap some unique health benefits, too. Best Coffee Alternatives: Table of Contents Blume Crio Bru MUD/WTR Laird Superfood Superbolt Tea Courtesy Image 1. Blume If you’re matcha-averse because it’s too dang vegetal (mmm, grass in a mug), try Matcha Coconut Blend. Tea leaves grown in Nishio, Japan, are handpicked then stone-ground with organic coconut milk powder and antioxidant-rich moringa leaf powder (7x more vitamin C than oranges, 1...

Every time I see one of those “No Excuses!” headlines or memes, I want to heave a medicine ball at my computer. These posts send the messages that going to the gym isn’t selfish, kids shouldn’t be an excuse for not working out, and there’s no excuse for not taking care of yourself. I agree, and over the years I’ve made working out a priority. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m., I’m at my CrossFit box laboring away. Flamingo images/Shutterstock Unless there’s a snow day for my kids. Or they’re sick. Or I’m sick. Or the doctor/dentist/teacher/speech therapist/freelance client can only meet with me during my scheduled WOD. Or my freelance work exceeds my babysitting/kids-in-school hours for the week. Most of the time, I can schedule around my workout or move my training to another day. But I won’t feel guilty for the days when I just can’t make it in. I’m tired of being told no excuse is ever good enough . Editor’s note: This article is an op-ed. The views expres...

The NFL has built itself into a year-round eyeball magnet . The NFL offseason supposedly begins after the Super Bowl, but in reality, the pro football machine keeps right on turning. The pre-draft showcase and workout season get underway even before the Super Bowl is over, free agency begins in mid-March, the draft happens in mid-April, and then there’s only a few months of (relative) quiet before training camps open at the end of July. Even with no games on the calendar, the league has a way of generating enough drama to stay top of mind. That said, the NFL does seem to be headed into an unusually wide-open offseason. The greatest quarterback ever just retired, as did another future Hall of Famer. Another one may or may not leave his career-long franchise, and the pecking order of QBs in this year’s NFL Draft is even harder to determine than usual. So what’s going to happen? Below, I’ve called out four key questions that’ll shape the NFL over the next year. Stylish Sweatpant...

After two years where passenger ships were largely kept in port, it looks like 2022 will be the year that cruises make a comeback. And to celebrate that, sailing companies across the board are rolling out all kinds of exciting new itineraries . If you’re thinking about a cruise this year and want to experience something different , consider going on an expedition. Simply put, expedition ships are purpose-built to explore some of the most remote destinations on the planet, ranging from the Arctic and Antarctica to the Galapagos and tiny Pacific islands. While large-scale cruising vessels are characterized by having hundreds (if not thousands) of rooms and a rigid itinerary of sailing from one port town to another, expedition ships are more intimate and have looser itineraries. Their smaller size allows them to stop in places that can’t accommodate massive cruise ships, and the flexible itineraries mean no two trips are ever the same. That might mean tucking into a secluded cove to swi...

While in Ecuador, I learn a new word in Spanish: nudillos . It means “knuckles,” and that’s exactly what a sloth is extending us—all three knuckles—as we hike along a jungle-lined trail from Middle Jondachi River. Most people come to Ecuador to see the Galapagos . For good reason. It’s one of the most pristine marine eco-systems on the planet. But from climbing and skiing volcanos to bird watching in the Amazon Basin , there’s plenty more to do as well. Our trip just so happened to focus on paddling. A lot of it. Seven rivers in seven days, in fact, thanks to the team at Small World Adventures , whose founders have been exploring the region’s rivers for nearly 30 years. After arriving in Quito and overnighting at the Hotel San Juan De Pembo, we’re picked up in the morning by company co-owner Darcy Gaechter. You might know her from her book, Amazon Woman , detailing her 148-day journey in 2013 to become the first woman to kayak the entire Amazon River. Eugene Buchanan On the drive,...