Drinking water. Who would have thought something so simple could be the cause for so much conflict and confusion? I’m talking about the debate over whether we should drink cold, or body temperature water. Growing up I preferred cold water. I never questioned why. It tasted better than warm, and that was good enough reason for me. It wasn’t until I started my tertiary studies that the “best” way to drink water was brought in to question. Here’s a quick summary of different opinions I have gathered over the years, and my own take on their validity, although I encourage you to make your own.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that water be consumed between 59°F and 72°F—a relatively cold beverage when compared to the average body temperature of 98°F. This recommendation is made on the assertion that people simply prefer drinking water cold. Still, this does nothing to prove if one temperature is better than the other, only that we prefer the taste of cold. Some believe that by drinking cold water they burn more calories, a theory based on the idea that the human body uses energy to bring cold water up to body temperature before metabolizing it. I can think of many more effective and efficient methods of burning calories, but I digress. Others say that cold water can help cool us down during exercise. This makes sense to me, but some sources argue that the water is raised to our bodies preferred temperature BEFORE it is distributed into the blood stream. Yet another theory states that due to the increased density of cold water, it can pass through the stomach and into the small intestine quicker, therefor providing expedited hydration delivery. I found little to no evidence to support this point.

So what justifies drinking warm water?
The case for drinking warm water hinges on the fact that it is already body temperature, and therefor can be metabolized more quickly. This is a good point, but still needs further research to prove or disprove it’s validity. Besides this, there isn’t a whole lot to support the drinking of warm water, besides the myth that drinking cold water solidifies undigested fats in the stomach. Supposedly the solidified fats then line the intestinal walls and lead to an inhibited metabolism and increased risk of cancer. Barbara at snopes.com does a good job of falsifying this rumor.

Obviously, we’re a little confused, and so, it seems, are the industry professionals. So what should we do, faced with such vague reasoning and limited research? I suggest sticking to which ever you prefer. Forget the temperature debate, just make sure you’re staying hydrated throughout the day. If you don’t like sipping on room temperature water, then drink cold, and vice versa. Either way, it’s not going to hurt you. Bottom like: Stay hydrated.

Do you have an opinion, or can you point us in the direction of a legitimate thesis on the subject? Lets hear it in the comments.

I recently finished a great book called “Born To Run” by Christopher McDougall. In his book, Mcdougall travels to the Copper Canyons of Mexico to learn from the Tarahumara Indians of South America, a culture of champion endurance athletes. The Tarahumara idea of a good time involves running anywhere from 24 to 48 hours at a time and covering up to 100 miles in a single sitting. In his book, Mcdougall explores another mostly unheard of running phenomenon, barefoot running. Members of this school of thought believe that running barefoot is the most natural and enjoyable way to run. They also think that rather than helping runners avoid injuries, wearing running shoes increases the chance of damage to our bodies.

Although it might seem far fetched, the barefoot runners have significant scientific evidence to back their claims. A compelling case for barefoot running has been made by Daniel E. Lieberman, a Harvard professor of biology who, along with other Harvard scientists, has performed numerous studies on how shoes affect a runners gait. Their findings are well illustrated in this short youtube video documentary. The gist of the barefoot runners thesis is further incapsulated by the aptly named Amby Burfoot of RunnersWorld, who explains: “When you run barefoot, your body precisely engages your vision, your brain, the soles of your feet, and all the muscles, bones, tendons, and supporting structures of your feet and legs.” The proprioceptive response Burfoot refers to is hampered by running shoes, which substantially affects the way people run, changing them from primarily fore and midfoot strikers to the more jarring heel striker.This dramatic, and sometimes traumatic change to a persons gait can be seen here.

With the backing of reputable scientists like Dr. Lieberman, the shoe industry has started taking notice of barefoot running and have posed themselves the question “how can we make money out of people who want to run barefoot?” You can see their first attempts at an answer with shoes like the Nike free and Vibram fivefingers, which curiously have you paying as much, if not more for literally less shoe! The jury is still out on these minimalist shoe offerings.

Even if running barefoot does carry all the benefits it’s advocates proclaim, the stress on muscles of the foot, ankle and leg are substantially different from those “shod” runners are accustomed to. Therefore, the body would probably benefit from having time to adjust from running with shoes to running bare. If interested in giving it a try, I would suggest a structured progression plan. This might include a transition stage, in which you perform a short barefoot run as compliment to your regular running regime, then incrementally add more barefoot running as your body adjusts.

If we put aside personal opinion and bias, the barefoot running movement has a whole lot of common sense and some decent research to back it. I see barefoot running progressing from an oddity to a respected niche market in the very near future.
If you’ve ever tried it, or plan to, let us know in the comments.

Applied correctly, stretching can warm you up, cool you down and help avoid exercise related injuries. Beyond decreased risk of injury, stretching also helps improve posture, create more efficient movement patterns and boost circulation. Despite all the benefits, a back seat approach to stretching is still the norm. The majority of people I know stretch as an after thought, if at all! The only people wise to the importance of stretching seem to be those who have suffered injuries and been forced to see the errors of their ways. “If only I’d stretched (insert injured body part here)…” they say. But why wait until you mangle a shoulder, hip or knee? Let’s look at two different types of stretch and how you can utilize each more effectively in your exercise routine. 

Static stretching is the most common, and involves stretching a muscle to it’s near maximum length, then holding that position for a set time. In order to have any lasting benefits, a static stretch should be held for a minimum of 1 minute. Static stretches are great for releasing tension and returning tight muscles to their natural length after a hard workout. Post-workout, take 10-15 minutes to perform a few static stretches. Be sure to focus on the areas you’ve worked. For example, if you’ve just run, take time to stretch your hips, hamstrings and calves, which can take a real beating on the treadmill. Static stretches aren’t ideal before a workout. They relax and loosen your joints, which can increase your risk of injury during exercise.

Dynamic stretching also involves stretching a muscle to a taunt position, but adds movement (e.g. swinging your leg back and forth to stretch your hip and hamstring.) Dynamic stretching is a great way to fire up muscles, gently increase heart rate and prepare both physically and mentally for your workout. Set aside 5-10 minutes pre-workout for dynamic stretches.

Both forms of stretching are important and should be included in your workout routine, but as suggested above, different stretches should be used at different times. Learn how to stretch appropriately and your body will thank you for it.

If you have any questions or comments about stretching, or would like help choosing stretches, go ahead and post a response below. I look forward to your thoughts!