Bodybuilding blog

Triathlons are deservedly popular as an all-round workout but seem to need a lot of organisation, kit and time. Doing your own in the gym, however, is easy, convenient and doesn’t even have to involve getting wet.

Unlike traditional long-distance events, triathlon breaks up the race into three disciplines that work different parts of the body in different ways. Triathlons also come in different distances, from the demented (ironman) to the positively bite­ sized (super sprint). Even the shortest ones can seem off-putting to newcomers though, since they entail owningltransporting bicycles, and the controlled panic of transitions from one leg to the next. Many triathlons also involve open water swimming - itself enough to make a lot of us nervous. The wonders of the gym, however, mean you can not only try a tri, but compete against your friends, all without buying equipment, or even having to swim.

What distance?

The full Olympic triathlon distance is a 1.5 km swim, a 40 km cycle and a 10 km run, but most people start with either a ’sprint’ distance of 750 m swim, 20 km cycle and 5 km run, or even a ’super sprint’ which is half that distance again. The smart advice says start small and work upwards.

What order?

For safety reasons the swim always comes first (to avoid the risk of tired athletes cramping up in deep water, sometimes known as drowning) but for your indoor triathlon you may want to make the swim last as a way of cooling down. It’s still a good idea to do the cycle before the run as it’s an efficient and non-impact way of warming up.

What do I do?

Having decided your distance, you now have to complete it. First off will be the stationary bike for the distance you have set. Make a note of the time taken but also the resistance level as it will be useful for comparing your performance in the future.

In triathlon the transition times are counted as part of the event, leading to serious scrambles to change clothing and mount/dismount bikes. In the gym that would prove risky so don’t include transition times, but do try to go from one activity to the next as fast as you can. The whole point of multisport races is not just how well you do in each individual leg, but how well you perform in the later ones having already put the effort in earlier.

After the bike should come the treadmill. Since you’re already nicely warmed up you can get stuck in at your normal runnmg speed for the distance you’ve set yourself. If you’re doing this as a way of working up to the real thing you may want to set the incline to 1 per cent to make up for the lack of wind resistance that you would meet in the open air. Again note your time and the incline you used, then off to the changing rooms and into the pool.

Triathlon swimmers race freestyle (i.e. front crawl) but the rules allow any kind of stroke so don’t feel obliged to crawl unless that’s what you’re comfortable with. This is your triathlon: if you declare that the swimming will be doggy paddle, wearing a life ring and floral bathing cap, then those are the rules.

Once you’ve completed your first triathlon you might want to think about racing some friends. They don’t have to be there with you - as long as you trust each other sufficiently for the honour system to apply. Triathletes often arrange gym triathlons against each other in winter, or when their favourite rivals happen to live in different countries and time zones. Of course the more serious the triathlete, the less reliable the honour system.

What is Vitamin B2?

Vitamin B2 is also known as Riboflavin. Riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin. This vitamin involved in vital metabolic processes in the body. It is manufactured in the body by the intestinal flora and is easily absorbed, although very small quantities are stored, so there is a constant need for this vitamin. Riboflavin is not toxic when taken orally, as its low solubility keeps it from being absorbed in dangerous amounts from the gut. Riboflavin also works as an antioxidant by scavenging damaging particles in the body known as free radicals. Vitamin B2 deficiency by itself is uncommon. It usually occurs with deficiencies of other B vitamins in people who have a protein and calorie deficiency.

Benefits of Vitamin B2

1. Because riboflavin releases energy it promotes the production of energy in the brain’s blood vessels. There is speculation, after some research, which supplements of riboflavin may be able to help reduce the number of migraine headaches a person gets.
2. Riboflavin is important for normal development especially over periods of rapid growth. Vitamin B2 is necessary for maintaining a healthy immune system.
3. It is also an important vitamin during pregnancy since lack of it can damage a developing fetus. Not only that, sufficient riboflavin during pregnancy would also relieve pregnancy cramps.

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin B2

1. Symptoms of vitamin B2 deficiency include visual problems, such as cataracts and excessive sensitivity of the eyes to light i.e. photosensitivity.
2. The symptoms may also include reddening of the lips with cracking at the corners, tongue inflammation, skin inflammation, swelling, dizziness, hair loss, insomnia, trembling and delayed mental response.

Excessive Intake of Vitamin B2

The limited capacity to absorb orally administered riboflavin precludes its potential for harm. Riboflavin intake of many times the recommended dietary allowance is without demonstrable toxicity. A normal yellow discoloration of the urine is seen with an increased intake of this vitamin but it is normal and harmless.

Recommended Dosage of Vitamin B2

The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B2 daily is:

• Infants from birth to 1 year - 0.4 to 0.5 mg
• Babies 1 to 3 years - 0.8 mg
• Children 4 to 10 - 1.1 to 1.2 mg
• Pregnant women - 1.6 mg
• Lactating women - 1.7 to 1.8 mg
• Other adult females - 1.3 mg
• Adult males - 1.7 mg

Rich Food Sources of Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 is found mainly in meat, soybeans, milk, yogurt, eggs, broccoli, fish, eggs, vegetables, dairy foods and grain products. The sources of riboflavin also include brewer’s yeast, almonds, organ meats, whole grains, wheat germ, wild rice, mushrooms,  brussel sprouts and spinach. Other sources of vitamin B2 are asparagus, artichokes, avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, dandelion greens, watercress, currants, spinach, kelp, peas, navy beans, lima beans, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, cayenne, parsley, sage and rose hips.

The good workout is the one you keep coming back for… and that means keeping the fun factor high.

They crave something a little more challenging, exciting and above all fun. Gyms are increasingly offering a range of classes that emphasis the play value alongside the carb-burning.

Belly dancing

All the sensual mystique of the East served up in gyms from Peckham to Pontefract. As an exercise belly dancing is a relatively gentle, low-impact aerobic session with great deal of emphasis on hip movements which help tone midsections and in particular the obliques. ‘Much more of a workout than I thought it would be’ was the comment of my researcher. ‘It works the stomach, hips and back. In particular it helps you get in touch with the different parts of the body especially separating out the movements of your upper and lower body since the upper body is nearly still while the hips are moving.’

Pole dancing

Pole dancing is erotic dancing using a small stage and a vertical pole that runs from floor to ceiling. You’ve seen it before because every US TV cop show has a scene in a pole-dancing club. As a workout it’s the answer to those who love dance-based exercise but worry about upper­body strength. Because the pole moves largely involve grabbing the pole and swinging around it, there’s a lot of emphasis on arm and oblique strength. More advanced moves, like swinging upside down and holding the pose, work wonders for core strength and abs. Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie are said to be practitioners, though it’s hard to say for sure whether that’s based on reported fact or wishful thinking. Back in Blighty even Sport England is backing the pole-dancing phenomena: ‘As long as it is safe, we are enthusiastic about new ways of getting people off the sofa,’ commented Sport England’s Chief Executive.

I’m told the atmosphere is a riot. Watch out for friction burns in unlikely places.

Trapeze

This one, I’m reliably informed, kicked off when Sex and the City’s Carrie tried out trapeze work. Trapeze involves a tough upper-body workout but also a great deal of flexibility and stabilising work. The experts at Circus Space in London also swear that it leads to great posture. Mainly, though, it’s a buzz for anyone who’s ever dreamt of flying through the air with the greatest of ease.

Slavercise

‘Mistress Victoria is like Jane Fonda, Catwoman and the hot high school gym teacher we all had a crush on, all rolled into one - with a whip!’ slightly breathless Slavercise fan

It had to happen really. Following on from the boot camp phenomenon where sergeant major wannabes shout insults at you, a US dominatrix has marketed an alternative way to raise your blood pressure as you perform. Get ready to workout, worm. Not as yet a regular in UK gyms.

Kangoo Jumping

when I was a kid the cartoons would regularly feature some character who ended up with springs attached to their feet and the (often unintentional) ability to bounce over tall buildings. If you ever wanted to be that character, then kangoo jumping is for you. The Kangoo boots feature a spring (leaf, rather than coil for the exercise engineers among you) on the sole which gives a bounce to the step. The class is a warm-up followed by aerobic moves with added boing. currently the preserve of the more self-consciously groovy gyms.