A few weeks ago we wrote about the release of a series of training DVDs by Three Legs Cycling (3LC) based on the Isle of Man and the home of Mark Cavendish. 3LC currently has five, one hour long training sessions that are designed specifically for cyclists and take a little bit different approach than other training DVDs. 3LC’s approach is to focus on cadence and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) instead of the watts or heart rate. Being primarily a mountain bike rider and occasional racer who prefers long distance races like the Leadville Trail 100, my best performances on dirt seem to happen when riding at a higher cadence – these DVDs seemed perfect for my winter training needs.
3LC sent three DVDs our way, ‘Road Race’, ‘Sprinting’ and ‘Climbing’. Each of these 50 to 60-minute sessions are designed loosely to simulate the power exertion that can occur while performing each of these activities on a bike. ‘Road Race’ was first picked to review since it featured a little climbing and sprinting that might occur during a race; and in all honesty, starting with ‘Sprinting’ featuring Mark Cavendish wasn’t the physical abuse that I was looking to begin with. The riders in the video are all using turbo or rear wheel trainers. In theory any bicycle trainer is fine to use with this series as long as you can adjust the resistance to a point that you can maintain a cadence of 80 RPMs and lift it to 130+RPMs during various times in the session. Since the mid-1990s, I have been using Kreitler Dyno-Myte rollers (below) and recently added a weighted flywheel to simulate road resistance. This would be the trainer used for our evaluation. Continue reading Hands On: 3LC ‘Road Race’ DVD Training Session
Much has been written about football helmets and whether enough is being done to stop the increasing number of concussions among players? Well, now that football season is winding down, attention is being turned to hockey, which has also seen an increase in the number of professional players suffering from hits to the heads.
Apparently many people have the same idea as we’ve seen numerous attempts at bringing fitness to the office. These have included 
We’ve seen no shortage of water bottles that make all sorts of promises when it comes to getting, and staying clean. Last year we even did a 
Seattleites no longer have an excuse for skipping the gym. Fitropolis, a new fitness-oriented website, is looking to become the TripAdvisor of Seattle gyms cataloging every health club the city has to offer. The website is the brain child of Troy Kaser and Jenne Pierce, both former Expedia execs who are now turning their attention toward fitness. The site has over 250 profiles of Seattle fitness providers from big box gyms like LA Fitness and Gold’s Gym to local class offerings like Rock Body Boot Camp. Gyms, studios, and classes are all searchable by address, zip code or neighborhood. Searches can be as generic as “gyms in downtown Seattle” or as detailed as “gyms with pools and prenatal yoga.”
The chances of you ever having to face an avalanche are slim, but when you hit the slopes you should keep in mind that the risk of being buried by one is real. Survival times are also very limited, which makes rescue efforts even more critical especially when you are with few people. Experienced skiers and board riders who venture into avalanche backcountry are usually prepped in case they have to deal with an avalanche, such as a tracking beacon and shovel, and now they can add another safety tool: the Rotauf MRK5 Avalanche Marking Device. The module is small and can be integrated into your jacket or pants, unlike avalanche airbag systems that require a dedicated bag. 
There are apps to map your ride, and now there is an app for iOS to map your training. At next month’s Consumer Electronics Show attendees will get to see the new Cardio Mapper app, which can connect and read data from Bluetooth Smart (formerly Bluetooth 4.0) , and SmartHRM WiFi.
Combo units are the new name of the game when it comes to getting back to nature. Why fill up that ultra light pack with more stuff than is needed, when a multi-purpose device will serve so much better. One of these is the tw700 from German-based Tak Wak, which includes functionality traditionally seen in a multitude of handheld gizmos including GPS, walkie talkie, camera and tracking system.
Setting sail on December 15th, the maiden voyage of the new British Iglucruise ship was promising to bring skiing to the Caribbean while sailing the open seas. Not water skiing, but a snow-like downhill skiing experience on a slope “situated on the top deck and…made with the innovative Perma-Snow all weather ski carpet and serviced by a button lift.” According to the itinerary, the cruise should now almost be complete. As many websites and blogs, including Yahoo, wrote of this new vacationing option for those wanting to cruise and ski , my curiosity was peaked and I too wanted to see photos and video of this new ship. 
In an effort to provide fit and performance, many workout clothiers forget one thing, we have devices we take along on our run. Kickstarter project Underfuse is a pocket you can attach to your workout gear with an iron.
One of the new Kickstarter programs we’ve seen recently that got our attention was the light-weight camping hammock called Kammok. Designed to comfortably sleep one person, this hammock is made of incredibly strong yet very breathable diamond rip-stop nylon fabric called LunarWave. It is super soft, water resistant and only weighs around one pound, making it easy to bring along. Sleeping while hanging from the trees certainly could beat trying to sleep on the hard, cold ground. 
Carrying a digital SLR camera for long periods of time can be a pain in neck – literally if you wear around your neck. And trying to change lenses on the go while moving can often result in a dropped camera. The Capture Camera Clip from Peak Design solves both problems with a clip that secures to a backpack strap or belt.