A new study from the kinesiology department at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge suggests that stretching my have more health benefits that previously thought.

According to professor Arnold Neslon, the study’ author, stretching has the greatest benefits for people who are too weak or tired to lift weights or take on more strenuous exercise.

Nelson says stretching works in very similar ways to strength training with weights, but on a smaller scale. Lab results have long showed that stretching offers strength benefits in rats, but this is the first study to show that there is a muscle-gain effect in humans as well.

The study involved 38 sedentary people. They were each divided into one of two groups. The first group did not stretch during the 10-week test period, while the other group was part of program that required 40 minutes of stretching several times per week.

The second group not only demonstrated greater flexibility at the end of the study - as would be expected - but they also increased their overall strength, including endurance and one-rep max on strength-building machines. Their vertical jump increased, as did their standing long jump. Those in the control group did not see any improvement.

Now does all of this prove that stretching can help you gain muscle? We’re not sure. It seems more likely that a greater flexibility in the muscle simply helps it reach its maximum potential. With that said, reaching the maximum potential while weight training certainly would help you gain more muscle.

Tags: fitness

Tags: fitness

According to a recent press release by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Cybex International has recalled 4,700 of their Cybex 400T, Cybex 410T, Trotter 535, Trotter 510, Trotter 525, and CXT+ treadmill models.

According to the CPSC, these recalled Cybex treadmills can catch fire, and owners should unplug them and call Cybex as soon as possible: (888) 678-3846.

Believe it or not, Tea Bo inventor Billy Blanks is the second biggest thing in Japan this year, just under flat-screen televisions and gaming consoles like Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation.

In the fourth spot, just under Billy, is a product featured in our recent article about Weird and Wacky Fitness Gadgets. The iGallop and other “Horse-riding exercise equipment” products seem to be taking Japan by storm. And if you watch the video on that fitness gadget article you might see why. I think I’ll get my wife one.

I find it fascinating that two of the top five products in Japan, according to an advertisement agency survey of Japanese consumers, are fitness-related. What I find even more interesting, is that they are “fun” fitness products. Billy Blanks is super-high-energy, cardio kickboxing that is actually entertaining to watch, even as a spectator. His fitness Boot Camps are serious workouts, but done in a fun way. And the iGallop… well, watch this video and this video to see just how fun and quirky it is.

Want your fitness product to be “Big in Japan”? Make it fun. Make it quirky. And it wouldn’t hurt to drop a few million on advertising while you’re at it.

There has been a blog meme going around the SEO industry lately called “Five Websites I Can’t Live Without“. I have decided to take this concept into the fitness industry, list out five fitness websites I can’t live without, and then tag five more fitness blogs so they can post about their list too. If you follow the trail, chances are you’ll find quite a few new fitness blogs that you didn’t know about before. It’s a great way for us fitness bloggers to get to know each other, share some link love, and introduce readers to new bloggers. Win, Win, Win!

So here is my list of five Fitness Website I Can’t Live Without:

#1 Google News on Fitness

#2 Bodybuilding.com

#3 Anabolex
(Not the steroid part. There are other forums.))

#4 Gaiam Community Fitness

#5 Fitness Business Pro

Here are the bloggers I’m tagging because I’d like to know about their list of fitness websites they can’t live without:

#1 Tracey Lynn: Golf Clothing

#2 Tom Venuto: Natural Bodybuilder

#3 Ken Savage: Diabetes Blogger

#4 The Daily Muscle Blogger

#5 Eartha from Trying Fitness

Today, October 15th, is Blog Action Day, where bloggers from around the world unite to raise awareness of environmental issues. The idea is that we blog about something that has to do with helping the environment. My tip is quite simple really - treadmills suck up quite a bit of electricity, especially when twenty of them are running at the same time in your gym. Unless you power your lights with it, that energy is lost.

So next time you’re about to walk out the door and drive to the gym on Cardio day, think about the gas you’ll be using by driving there, and the electricity you’ll be using while running in place. And then go for a run in the 24-hour fitness center called Mother Earth, which has been a giant gymnasium for hikers, mountain climbers, runners, swimmers and outdoor enthusiasts long before there was a Bally’s.