Man & Machine: Motocross Rider Mike Hibner

“You’re waiting for your race to start, you’re sitting at the gate, your heart rate’s 100 to 105, maybe 110,” says motocross veteran Mike Hibner, describing the intense cardiac demands of an outdoor motorcycle race. “As soon as you hear start your engines, your anticipatory heart rate is anywhere from 120 to 140, before the … Read more

Testing The Athlete’s Brain

There is no doubt: the brain is the dominant performance organ of the athlete. And the brain, of course, consists of many different levels and parts. In sports, a number of tests have been developed for everything below the neck: muscle biopsies, EKG, blood panels, etc. But all of these tell us very little about … Read more

Metabolic Systems: Understanding the Essentials

Metabolic systems are necessary for the supply of energy to all organs. In sport and exercise, we are mainly interested in the metabolic systems of the skeletal muscle. There are two important systems: aerobic and anaerobic. If there is a continuous and sufficient supply of oxygen, the aerobic is our main energy provider. This is the system … Read more

Trust & Exercise: Chelsi Figley

“I would watch the Olympics when I was little and I always wanted to be a part of that,” says Chelsi Figley, a competitive power-lifter who currently holds the national record for her weight class and division in the bench press. “I always had it [the desire to compete], but I needed someone to say … Read more

Back In The Water, by Ashley Twichell

Planning for, undergoing, and recovering from surgery was not how I envisioned spending this past summer. Rather, I’d hoped to be representing the United States in Australia at the Pan-American Games and swimming the 10K open water event. Unfortunately, a chronic shoulder injury had become unbearable (not only to train with, but also to live … Read more

A Healthy Balance: Family, Sport, & Life with John Newman

“I look at endurance sports in general, and especially triathlon, as one big math equation,” says John Newman, a cyclist, runner, and triathlete who launched the Family Sport Life blog in conjunction with his wife, Tara Newman. “You just have to figure it out, and that’s what I’m doing, slowly but surely.” An engineer by profession, John … Read more

The Way of the Champion

The rankings, the records, the odds: none of the numbers suggested that Russian cruiserweight Grigory Drozd was likely to upset Krzysztof “Diablo” Wlodarczyk, a champion who hadn’t been defeated in eight years. On September 27th in Moscow, however, the 35-year-old Drozd did just that, scoring a unanimous decision to secure the WBC title. Perhaps the … Read more

Omegawave Wins First Prize At The Under Armour Future Show

Omegawave has spent years helping elite athletes prepare to be Ready when it counts, and at Under Armour’s Future Show in Baltimore we had our own opportunity to rise to the occasion, earning the contest’s top prize. Covering the intense, real-time competition, The Baltimore Sun described the event as Under Armour’s “annual best ideas contest … Read more

Fighting Shape: A View From Inside Camp

On May 30th in Moscow, Alexander Povetkin (27-1, 19 KO’s) knocked out Manuel Charr (26-2, 15 KO’s) to earn the WBC International Heavyweight title. The 34-year-old Povetkin dominated the fight, with his 29-year-old opponent clinching frequently and showing visible signs of fatigue by the sixth round. While Charr tired, Povetkin continued to snap off crisp uppercuts … Read more

Charlie Brockus: Ironman For Life

“The first two words out of my mouth when I finished were never again,” Charlie Brockus says, telling the story of his first Kona Ironman, back in 1994. “And then when I woke up the next morning, doing the ‘Ironman Shuffle’ to the bathroom, I said I know how I can go faster.” Twenty years later (and … Read more