Exercises for Stronger Hips and Knees

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exercise, hips, knees, sportx

NOTE: If you are one of the many who suffer from knee and hip problems, you may enjoy reading this article. But do not just read it, include it as a part of your daily exercise routine. You do have one, don’t you? (lcr) Build hip and knee stability with a few basic exercises By Elizabeth Quinn Sports Medicine Expert Updated July 04, 2015 Do you do specific exercises for your hips and knees? Do you work your hip through the entire range of motion and engage the abductors and adductor muscles? If not, maybe you should. The abductors and adductors are critical for providing integrity of the hip joint and create a strong, balanced link between the lower body and the torso. They also need to be exercised through an entire range of motion. If you work these muscles only in one direction (forward and back) by walking, running or using common cardio machines then you are not building structural integrity of the hip, or the entire lower body. These muscles, along with the quads and hamstrings, play an important role in allowing the patella (kneecap) to track properly as the knee joint bends. If the abductor and adductor muscles are not strong, flexible, and balanced, knee pain such as patellofemoral syndrome, and injury is more likely. Strong Muscles Support Joints Strengthening and balancing the muscles that surround the knee can take the pressure off the joint and decrease the amount of total weight absorbed by the ligaments, meniscus and cartilage in the knee. Because the knee is a hinge joint and only moves in one direction, it’s important to maintain both strength and stability. The hip joint, on the other hand, is a ball and socket joint that works best when it has mobility as well as strength. The hip is a much more complicated joint, and needs to be exercised in a variety of directions, including rotation, in order to increase overall stability. If the muscles that support the hip joint (quadriceps, hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, and even the core muscles) are strong and allow appropriate mobility, the amount of pressure and wear and tear on the hip joint, as well as the knee joint, decreases. Proper Alignment Reduces Pain The soft tissues of the body (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.) help maintain proper alignment of the bones during movement. If bones aren’t properly aligned when they move through a range of motion, there can be a great deal of friction, a lack of stability, decreased mobility and compromised function. This can set an athlete up for a variety of injuries. The best way to maintain biomechanical integrity during movement is with the proper balance of strength and flexibility around the joint. Muscles work in pairs (extensors and flexors) and maintaining the proper balance of strength in these muscle pairs can go a long way to prevent joint pain and injury. Begin with a Functional Warm Up Consider using the core workout as a warm up before strength training. This routine activates the core stabilizers as it warms up the larger muscles to prepare for more powerful strength training exercises. Also see: Glute Activation Routine Why Warm Up? Exercises for Strong Hips and Knees This list offers some great exercises that athletes from all sports can incorporate into their training routines to help keep the hips and knees properly aligned, strong, flexible and able to withstand the rigors of sports. Beginner Exercises 1. Clam Exercise A basic glute medius strengthening move. 2. Bridge Exercise A hamstring and glute strengthener. 3. Plank Exercise This basic strengthening exercise can improve overall core biomechanics. Intermediate Exercises 1. Side Plank This basic hip abductor strengthening exercise can improve alignment. 2. Lateral Mini Band Walking This simple exercise can improve the strength of the glute medius, which helps pelvis and knee stability. 3. Single Leg Bridge A bit more advanced way to build stability. 4. Lunge with a Twist Adding a twist to the lunge improves core stability. 5. Weighted Step Ups This simple and effective exercise improves strength and power without excessive stress on the knees or hips. 6. Squat The basic full squat is the overall best lower body strengthening exercise. Just be sure to do it correctly. Advanced Exercises 1. Walking Lunge Walking lunges, with or without weights, can improve strength and balance. 2. Lateral Plyometric Jumps Side-to-side moves to improve hip mobility and strength. 3. Weighted Adductor | Weighted Abductor Exercises Deceptively difficult exercises for athletes. 4. One-Leg Squat and Reach This exercise builds strength and stability in both the lower body and core. 5. Overhead Lunge Increase the difficulty of the lunge and add core stability by holding weight overhead. 6. Plyometrics Plyometrics build explosive strength and help reduce the risk of knee ligament injuries when performed correctly. Real Life Exercises for Hips and Knees When it comes to preventing injury, using compound or “functional” exercises that use a variety of muscles and simulate real life movements are generally considered the ideal way for athletes to train. Such movements include exercises like squats, lunges and lateral movements. Exercises that isolate a specific muscle (such as a leg extension or biceps curl) do have a place in athletic training, but are often reserved to help isolate and rehab a muscle after an injury or to recover after a surgery. (Read More: Compound vs. Isolation Exercises) Basic Knee and Hip Exercises If you are starting from zero or getting over an injury, you can begin to build strength and stability in the hip and knee joints by going back to basics and using these simple exercise routines. Basic Knee Exercises Basic Hip Exercises Related Articles Best Butt Exercises For Athletes Lateral Band Walking Exercise Strength Training For Endurance Athletes Best Exercises for Women Exercises for Injury-Free Throwing Overhead Lunge Exercise Works Nearly Every Muscle Group Our Expert Recommends Compound or Isolation Exercises The Best Core Exercises Are More Than Just Abs Hip Anatomy and Physiology Joint Stability Exercises for Injury Rehab Five Exercises You Must Do Preventing Knee Pain Strength Training Plateaus Runner’s Knee and Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Hip and Lower Back Stretch Source URL: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/hipandgroininjuries/a/Best-Exercises-For-Hips-And-Knees.htm?utm_source=cn_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=list_seniorhealth&utm_campaign=boomers_health&utm_content=20150731

‘Impossible’ rocket drive works and could get to Moon in four hours

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aeronautics, EM Drive, exploration, Moon

The British designed EM Drive actually works and would dramatically speed up space travel, scientists have confirmed

The Em Drive could allow humans to travel to the Moon in just four hours Photo: NASA By Sarah Knapton, Science Editor 6:09PM BST 28 Jul 2015 Interplanetary travel could be a step closer after scientists confirmed that an electromagnetic propulsion drive, which is fast enough to get to the Moon in four hours, actually works. The EM Drive was developed by the British inventor Roger Shawyer nearly 15 years ago but was ridiculed at the time as being scientifically impossible. It produces thrust by using solar power to generate multiple microwaves that move back and forth in an enclosed chamber. This means that until something fails or wears down, theoretically the engine could keep running forever without the need for rocket fuel. The drive, which has been likened to Star Trek’s Impulse Drive, has left scientists scratching their heads because it defies one of the fundamental concepts of physics – the conservation of momentum – which states that if something is propelled forward, something must be pushed in the opposite direction. So the forces inside the chamber should cancel each other out. The EM Drive However in recent years Nasa has confirmed that they believe it works and this week Martin Tajmar, a professor and chair for Space Systems at Dresden University of Technology in Germany also showed that it produces thrust. The drive is capable of producing thrust several thousand times greater than a standard photon rocket and could get to Mars within 70 days or Pluto within 18 months. A trip to Alpha Centauri, which would take tens of thousands of years to reach right now, could be reached in just 100 years. “Our test campaign cannot confirm or refute the claims of the EM Drive but intends to independently assess possible side-effects in the measurements methods used so far,” said Prof Tajmar in anew “Nevertheless, we do observe thrust close to the actual predictions after eliminating many possible error sources that should warrant further investigation into the phenomena.” The EM drive has been likened to the Impulse Drive in Star Trek’s vessel of choice, the Starship Enterprise “Our measurements reveal thrusts as expected from previous claims after carefully studying thermal and electromagnetic interferences. “If true, this could certainly revolutionize space travel.” Shawyer also claims that he is just a few months away from publishing new results confirming that his drive works in a peer reviewed journal. However scientists still have no idea how it actually works. NASA suggested that it could have something to do with the technology manipulating subatomic particles which constantly pop in and out of existence in empty space. Prof Tajmer presented his findings to the 2015 American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Propulsion and Energy Forum and Exposition this week. telegraph.co.uk

Source URL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/11769030/Impossible-rocket-drive-works-and-could-get-to-Moon-in-four-hours.html

Chickens first commercialized in Israel 2,300 years ago, researchers say

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD

07/21/2015 14:58

Poultry farms did not reach Europe until 200 years later.

Cooking pot with chicken wings bones. (photo credit:FACULTY OF ARCHEOLOGY, HAIFA UNIVERSITY)

The world’s first period of industrial growth of chickens and eggs for mass consumption began in Israel’s Judean lowlands of Lakhish 2,300 years ago, 200 years before the practice reached Europe, researchers at the University of Haifa announced on Tuesday. According to a study published by researchers from the university’s Zinman Institute of Archeology in the PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) journal, evidence suggests that chickens were first industrialized in Southern Israel during the Hellenistic period. “Chicken remains found from the Hellenistic period (4th century BC) in the Judean lowlands shed light on the beginnings of this economic revolution, and show the earliest evidence of the western world’s large-scale industrial poultry,” the university said in a statement. “The change was sharp and fast, and within a few decades, chickens were based throughout the Middle East. It seems residents cultivated a new breed of rooster particularly suitable for commercial growth.”

The researchers said the findings shed new light on the beginnings of the economic exploitation of roosters, and then chickens, tracking its rise from the Mediterranean to Europe. “Hundreds of years of gradual acclimatization of roosters in the southern Mediterranean Levant, along with the gradual adoption of this animal in the Middle Eastern economy, probably created a strain of rooster suitable for economic exploitation,” the researchers concluded. “Globalization that characterized the Hellenistic regime in our region, compounded with developments in international science and commerce, created the right conditions for change in the status of the rooster to generate income, and serve as food.” Chickens were first raised in the Far East and South East Asia 8,000 years ago, reaching the Middle East in small pockets 5,000 years later. At that time, the researchers said the animals were considered exotic, and were primarily used for worship and cockfights.

It was previously unknown when and where chickens became mass produced for consumption. However, Haifa University’s Prof. Ayelet Gilboa and Prof. Guy Bar-Oz, said 2,300-year-old chicken bones from the Hellenistic period unearthed near underground ancient breeding facilities in a Judean settlement in Lakhish indicated that chicken exports played a key role in the community’s economic development. “During this time the chicken was very rare in Europe,” Gilboa said. “Plenty of bones, along with signs of fire and slaughter, indicate that the chickens were also eaten on site. The large quantity of bones reinforces the assumption that some of the major industries used the chickens for export.” Moreover, Bar-Oz said wall paintings and figurines of roosters discovered during excavations in the area also constitute compelling evidence of the importance of chickens to the ancient city’s economy. Additionally, analysis of the bones found at the site determined that female chickens were raised to produce mass quantities of eggs. “In light of these discoveries, the researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of no less than 230 sites in the southern Levant, from the 2nd millennium BC,” the university said in a statement. “The findings showed that during the Hellenistic period there was a dramatic leap, both in the percentage of chickens, and the percentage of chicken sites.” The researchers added that comparable chicken facilities did not reach Europe for another two centuries

Source URL: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Chickens-first-commercialized-in-Israel-2300-years-ago-researchers-say-409671

From the WebMD Daily Bite: Raspberry Bars

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dessert, diet, food, rasberry, rasberry bars, Recipe, tart

From the Daily Bite | Raspberry Bars
Tart raspberry filling is swirled into a low-fat cream filling in these beautiful bars. They’re a festive treat for a summer picnic or party.
Ingredients · 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour · 1/2 cup chopped pecans · 2 tablespoons granulated sugar · 1/2 teaspoon salt · 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces · 2 tablespoons ice water · 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract · 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin · 2 tablespoons water · 3 cups fresh raspberries, divided · 1/2 cup granulated sugar · 4 tablespoons nonfat cream cheese, softened · 2 tablespoons low-fat milk · 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar Instructions · Step 1 * To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray. · Step 2 * Place flour, pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add ice water and vanilla and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Transfer to the prepared pan. Press evenly and firmly into the pan to form a bottom crust. · Step 3 * Bake the crust until it looks set, but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. · Step 4 * To prepare raspberry filling: Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl; let stand, stirring once or twice, while you prepare the rest of the filling. · Step 5 * Reserve 16 raspberries. Puree the remaining raspberries in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and stir in 1/2 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbling. Stir in the gelatin mixture and cook, stirring, until the gelatin is melted, about 1 minute. · Step 6 * Fill a large bowl with ice water. Pour the raspberry mixture into a medium bowl and set it in the bowl of ice water. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of loose jam and is beginning to set around the edges, about 30 minutes. · Step 7 * Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, milk and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. · Step 8 * Spread the thickened raspberry filling evenly over the crust. Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the filling. Draw the tip of a sharp knife or skewer through the two fillings to create a swirled effect. Nestle the reserved berries into the filling, evenly spacing them so each bar will be topped with a berry when cut. Refrigerate until the bars are completely set, about 3 hours. Cut into 16 bars, one raspberry per bar.
Recipe Highlights Prep Time: 25 ·  Lower Cholesterol   Low Sodium   Lower Calorie   Lower Saturated Fat   Lower Carb/Low GI   Dairy Nutritional Information: Makes: 16 bars · 100 Cals | 5g Fat | 6mg Cholesterol | 14g Carbs | 2g Protein | 100mg Sodium
© Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission. For more recipes go to EatingWell.com
Source URL: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/raspberry-cream-bars?ecd=wnl_dab_070415&ctr=wnl-dab-070415_ld-stry&mb=Rtm8zzqoAADhLehufbBRvRXFE73IOX1cv05X0O41DTA%3d