Music in the Gym

Music plays a huge role in workout routines here at the SFA Rec Center. You can’t go 2 feet without seeing someone with their headphone on, jamming with their music. Why is this the case? What makes music so valuable to a person’s routine that they have to carry little music devices around their arms or waists?

After talking to roughly 50 people at the Rec Center, I have found three common themes involving people listening to music during workouts.

1.)  Use different genres of music for different workouts.

2.)  Music helps tune out the rest of the world.

3.)  Listening to music helps the workout.

One person I talked to explained her choice of music to me. She used classical music for yoga and stretching exercises, Rap or Rock for weight lifting, and Pop music for cardio. If you look at her choices, they all have something to say about how music affects workouts.

It turns out that your brain waves resonate with the beat of music, which can cause your breathing and heart rate to try to match the beat of that music. This is why we tend to listen to more upbeat music when working out or doing cardio.

An abstract from a book by Mark H. Anshel indicated that, “music, particularly if synchronized to physical movement, had a positive effect on the ability to endure the task and that male subjects endured longer than female subjects.”

So ladies, don’t be surprised if some guys take the weight room more seriously than they should. They’re just in the zone.

 

Speaking of the zone, Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D. from Brunel University School of Sport and Education said, “[Music] can reduce the perception of effort significantly and increase endurance by as much as 15%.” So that explains why it seems like you can run for days on the track with music. The music gives your mind something to think about, other than the pain from your legs.

One thing to keep in mind; listening to sounds over 95 dB can reduce your mental and physical reaction time by 20%. To get a feel of how loud that is, clubs typically have their music playing at 120 dB. Though it’s good to be in the zone and have your music, you don’t want it to be too loud. You want to maximize your efforts.

Enjoy your music people! And remember to stay fit!

-Just a thought, Devonte Hill

Resourses:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10671315.1978.10615514#.U0W3ycc16L5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-X7ptXN-Cg

http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/805/

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/rev/86/4/361/

The Beauty of Trails

The weather is amazing outside! Finally we can enjoy some fresh air. I’m a huge believer in that outdoor and trail hiking is the perfect way to spend time outside of your room. Here’s a list of some of the best trails in Nacogdoches:

Lanana Creek trail:

Originally an Indian footpath, this 3.5 mile trail weaves through beautiful trees, historic sites, and the Lanana river. It’s the largest trail system in Nacogdoches. Starting from the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, this trail will take you through the Aboretum, Ruby Mize Azalea Garden, Pecan Park, Zion Hill cemetery, Fr. Margil Historic site, Demonstration Garden, and many more landmarks. I’ve personally hiked on this trail many times and it’s always a new adventure. It’s one of my favorites trails to hike on. You could spend hours out there. If you decide to hike the trail, I recommend bringing a ton of water.

SFA Recreational Trails

Managed by SFA Outdoor Pursuits, this trail system includes more than 8 miles of mountain bike trails. The trails bring a good mix of challenge and excitement. Some features include steep climbs, rooty sections, tight and twisty routes, smooth and flowy single-tracks, jumps, and wooden turnpikes. It’s a great place to enjoy some biking time with friends. If you don’t own a bike, you can rent one at the Outdoor Pursuits Center at the Rec.

SFA Interpretive Trail:

A part of the SFA Experimental Forest, this trail borders the Angelina River and the Alazan Wildlife Management Area. Unique in its concept and design, this trail features the first major trail in this region designed and constructed for universal accessibility. Two separate loops (the Jack Creek Loop and the Management Loop) spanning a distance of 2.8 miles, take visitors into some of the most dynamic and scenic areas of the Forest. 150 species of birds and 80 species of butterflies may be seen on the trail. 

Make sure to bring your binoculars!

Whatever trail you decided to hike on, make sure to practice good safety. Stay hydrated, be aware of your surroundings, and try to avoid hiking at night. Most importantly, make sure to have fun!

By: Devonte Hill

http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/3285453

http://www.traillink.com/trail/lanana-creek-trail.aspx

http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/4159/forests/austin-trails/

http://www.nacogdoches.org/page.php?cat=avisit&id=21

Valentines Day: Male Point of View

For some, Valentines Day is a wonderful holiday full of love and romance. For others, it’s a stressful occasion that’s full of spending money on pointless cards and flowers. Whichever way you look at it, every person has a story to tell during this day.

Today I’m mainly going to focus on the male point of view of Valentines Day. I asked 10 guys about their thoughts and experiences. Don’t worry guys; I’m not going to mention your names. I’m not trying to get anyone in trouble, especially today.

As I conducted my interviews, I noticed that some of the younger males didn’t care for the holiday. The ones that did, were experiencing their first Valentines with a significant other. You could see the excitement on their faces.

If you’re a newbie, Valentines can be really exciting. I remember for my first Valentines, I wrote a poem and glued it into a homemade card with our first picture we took together. Then I made a homemade bag and filled it with her favorite chocolates. I even sought help from some girls to get the designs right. It was all worth it when I saw her face.

Not everybody sees this experience. Some see Valentines as a stressful time where they feel obligated to buy something. This isn’t an uncommon feeling. A lot of women see this day as a day where they are entitled to gifts and fancy dinners. This creates a standard by which some guys feel they must meet. This standard causes stress and anxiety. Companies take advantage of this by producing extra cards, flowers and other gifts. One woman said, “I heard if a man buys you perfume, it’s because he forgot to get something for Valentines.”

So why is this the case? Well, if you ask most guys, they will tell you that this is strictly a woman’s holiday. To be fair, women make it a big deal and since it’s a big deal to them, it’s a big deal to guys. This causes some guys to go out of their way to do things they don’t want to do. Some women say they don’t want anything for the holiday, but react a certain way when they don’t get something. Men aren’t dumb. We can tell if you really care about the holiday or not. It gets so bad sometimes that people actually get into arguments with their significant other with small things like where should they go to eat.

All is not lost for those who find themselves in this situation. Like a lot of things, it starts with communication. Having honest conversations about how each other feels about the holiday will help decrease the level of stress for guys. If you’re a type of guy that hated the holiday and you’re with someone who loves it, it’s important to know that. The girl could then be more understanding and know even the simplest of gifts from him would be special.

If a guy is going to buy something for a girl, it helps if the girl gives a gift in return.

In a world where genders are becoming more equal, some things don’t add up. We’re all supposed to be equal now, yet women want men to treat them special. I’m all for that, but let’s be consistent. Guys would like to get stuff too. I’m not talking about flowers and teddy bears, but something so that it levels the playing field. In general, people are more willing and excited to buy gifts if they know they’re getting something in return.

 

I’m lucky enough to be with an understanding person. I shared with her my feeling towards this holiday and we reached agreements. I’m receiving one the best Valentines gift this year: a Seahawk Superbowl shirt!! It is awesome. Also, we decided to do more quality activities like walks, movie nights, and even camping. These experiences have proven to be more fun than fancy expensive dinners.

Another thing that would help guys out is if women took away the pressure of the holiday. When you take away the pressure, Valentines can be really fun. You tend to do things because you want to, not because you’re obligated to. Yes there is a standard, but we can personalize this standard. Valentines can be a day where you just spend time with people you care about. This is something that both non-single and single people can enjoy. If this is truly a holiday of love, then it should be about love.

 Just a thought - Devonte Hill

It's Here it's Here!!

Week 1 IMS Basketball Report

 Devonte:

Last week kicked off an amazing start to the spring 2014 Intramural Basketball season. 52 teams stepped on the court to make a statement. They will spend the next 6 weeks competing for glory, bragging rights and the champion’s shirt. Intramural basketball is big here at SFA. Anticipation is high and the trash talk is in full effect.

 

Let’s go to David Fletcher for Monday and Tuesday’s highlights.

 David:

Thanks Devonte. The season started last week on Monday with five games. Team "Glory" and team "Uh-Oh Oreos" headlined the night as the latter edged out a 52-49 victory.

The amount of games increased the next night, and so did the atmosphere in the HPE. Lots of Lumberjacks showed up to watch friends play in their first game of the season.

Tuesday had its share of good games, but the game that drew the most interest was "Goon Squad" Vs "Team Air."

Students watched as swift possession changes and turnovers finally gave "Goon Squad" their first win 66-46, making them the team to watch going forward.

Other teams to watch are: “M.O.A”, “Troopers”, “Strokin 3’s”, “Fundamentals” and “KA Gold." Now back to Devonte for Wednesday’s and Thursday’s highlights:

 

 

Devonte:

Thanks David. Wednesday's games were full of turnovers and teams not capitalizing on possessions. The game that stood out the most was “Sammy” vs. “Snakes”. It wasn’t much of a game with “Snakes” destroying “Sammy” 55 - 15. “Snakes” dominated both sides of the ball throughout the whole game. Let’s see if they can keep up that level of play moving forward. I was more interested in the really close games.

 

Thursday was full of intense drives down to the wire. It all came down to which team wanted it the most. The matchup between “2tall” and “Nash Potatoes and McGrady” was an all out fight with “2tall” finally inching the win 44 to 42.

 

Intramural basketball is a nice way to take a break from school. The excitement, thrills, and cheers make it a fun environment. This week’s games start tonight at 8pm and 9pm. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to see the next champions in action!

I’m Devonte Hill

And I’m David Fletcher

Stay classy Nacogdoches !

- Just a thought, Devonte Hill
(Ft. David Fletcher)

Trying to get fit for 2014?

 

 New Year's Resolutions

The month of January marks the beginning of New Year's resolutions. The most common is “working out”, “getting fit” or “getting into shape.” In the past 3 days the Rec Center had over 5,000 people working out or taking part of our other activities. Roughly 35%-40% percent of these patrons are newbies trying to fulfill their New Year's resolutions. The idea of New Year's resolutions is a little troubling, considering the majority of people quit after the first month. They want to do or change something, but lack the plan or resources to complete it. Today I’m going to try to help some of these people. The first thing you have to do is define exactly what you want.

If your New Year's resolution is to get fit, you have to define what "getting fit" exactly is. Personally, getting fit for me has nothing to do with weight or how much someone weighs.  It’s all about feeling good. If you can physically do the things you want to do and feel good while doing it, you’re in good shape. I’m not a weight room junkie, but if I get invited to a pick-up game or a hike, I can hang with group. I’m not going to fall out and die of exhaustion. That’s what’s important. Another thing to keep in mind is if you’re trying to lose weight, go by measurements and not by the scale. Scales can be misleading. Since muscle weighs more than fat, you could be gaining weight while getting into good shape. Muscle is denser, so it takes up less space.

After you define what you want, the next thing to do is to create plan.  Working out isn’t something you just decided to pick up and expect results right away. It takes effort and commitment. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Sarah Drake wrote a great blog about planning your resolutions and making them realistic. In her blog Reasonable Resolutions she talks about the SMART guideline system. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time based. Here is a link to the blog if you want to go more into depth: http://sfadiningrd.blogspot.com/

It’s a good idea to schedule exact times in your day for workouts. Getting into a routine will help you transition into this new life style.  It’s also important to do research before hand. Here are some things to look into:

Nutrition

Nutrition plays a big part into getting fit and getting healthy. It’s important to get the right building blocks and tools like Carbs, Sugars and Protein into your body to maximize your efforts. Sarah Drake is again a great resource for answering questions you may have on nutrition. The SFA Dining site suggest to:

1.)  Don’t skip breakfast – it’s important for jump starting your metabolism

2.)  Have several servings of fruits and veggies daily – The more colorful the plate the better

3.)  Buy lean meats and low fat percentages

4.)  Drink plenty of water

Workouts

Workouts depend on what you’re trying to accomplish. A rule of thumb is to do more reps/less weight for muscle endurance and weight loss, and less reps/more weight for building muscle. Break up your workout sessions into different body parts. Monday could be arms and shoulders, Tuesday upper leg, Wednesday chest and back, Thursday lower leg, and Friday could be a flex day where you could do something outside or do abs. At the beginning of every workout could be a warm up like jogging on the track and at the end of the work out could be a cool down like stretching or yoga. It’s important to give your body rest days. Do NOT work out the same area everyday. You don’t want to overwork your muscles. Sleep is another valuable thing to get. If you’re not getting enough sleep at night, your workouts are useless.

Whatever you decide to do, you want to make sure that it fits your goals. Don’t do a body building routine if you’re not trying to build muscle mass. There are plenty of resources at the Rec to get you started with your own personalized routine. You could ask any of the fitness staff here, or you could attend the Lady Jack Barbellas events. They can help you develop good technique, and answer questions you may have about working out. For more information on that, visit the Admin desk at the Rec Center.

Well I hope this was informative. Hopefully with the right plan, drive, and resources, you can reach your goals and achieve greatness.

-       Just a thought Devonte Hill

Resources:

1.) Fitness Staff at Rec Center (Rachel, Clayton, Miranda)

2.) http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSSW/StephenFAustin/Nutrition/

3.)Sarah Drake

Phone: 936-468-1022

drake-sarah@aramark.com