Dr. James Levine was never big on going to the gym, but he knows the importance of exercise. So Levine,  a leading researcher of NEAT — ”non-exercise activity thermogenesis" put together an alternative to the traditional cubicle — workstations that combine a computer, desk, and treadmill into one unit. The […]

In the age of hyper-lightweight plastic and fiber kayaks, a dory is not the most fashionable craft in which to take on the rapids of the Colorado River as it passes through the Grand Canyon, but river guide Martin Litton is unimpressed with fashion. That may be because at 87-years-old, […]

After decades of studying the performance of youthful athletes, health researchers are turning their attention to an older crowd, using the Senior Olympics as their laboratory. This story in the  Boston Globe reports that what scientists do know about senior athletes suggests that the decline in performance from ages 50 […]

What could go wrong on a climbing route named after a Dr. Seuss character? That’s the question posed by Los Angeles Times writer Michael Ybarra, who with his long-time climbing partner attempted to follow a route called the Cat in the Hat up  the 5,400 pyramid known as Mescalito, a […]

Fast food may be out, but fast fitness is in.  Big time. Just a few weeks ago, the American College of Sports Medicine claimed that  the benefit of 30 minutes of intense exercise was equal to or greater than a full hour of a more comforable routine. Now the BBC […]

Just as we thought the debate over the longevity of slightly overweight people vs. that of people of normal weight was coming to an end, the Danes have thrown the conclusions of a new study into the ring. This one, conducted by the Institute of Preventative Medicine in Copenhagen, finds […]

Thirty-two times a second, a wearable computer called the Bodybugg collects a range of body measurements, including the skin’s electrical resistance and temperature, while an accelerometer monitors body motion. Wait, it gets better. As this piece in the New York Times reports, the data is downloaded wirelessly to your computer, […]

Just when we were wondering what would be the the next exercise craze to come out of Southern California, we found this answer in, of all places, the Times of London. Spy School, it seems is a 30-hour-long course spread over eight weeks that costs $820 and promises to provide […]

One hike takes us through the Hollywood Hills, passing by the famous “Hollywood” sign and trekking through Griffith Park. Another follows a nine-mile up-and-back loop on the Pacific Crest Trail, whose full length follows the coast from Mexico to Canada and passes through seven eco-zones, including low desert, old-growth forest, […]

Here’s another sport that, despite common sense, had to happen. The boards were there, the rapids were there, and the insane people were well, everywhere. It was just a matter of time before the insane people started riding the boogie boards down the rapids. Then the boogie boards evolved to […]