THE THOOSA REVIEW

Thoosa reviews the October issue of Body Fit

A health magazine rather than specifically aimed at running, this was actually great to read after a run. Once the exhaustion has evaporated and the mental high kicks in, read this. You will think that you can tackle just about any sport or challenge. And you will be inspired to try many activities that you have perhaps only heard of.

There are fantastic articles ranging from the wonders of aqua aerobics to “Team Trails”, where Laura Jones this month tested out the new craze of a Jukari Fit to Flex class. The Jukari work-out focuses on graceful movements that aim to improve flexibility, coordination and muscle tone. The Jukari band, similar to a resistance band, was designed to enhance efforts in class by providing added tension, and it seemed to work. Laura rated the one hour class 5/5. From a running perspective this sounds like a fun work-out that would complement your cardio exercise and assist you in building up resistance and stretching. As Laura herself points out, these areas can often be neglected from a training perspective.

Amazingly the technique was inspired by Cirque du Soleil and it’s encouraged that whilst exercising you focus on the concept that the work-out is a performance as well as a fitness activity. This apparently keeps you focused on your posture and moving correctly. It definitely sounds intriguing, and certainly makes a change from the yoga-fanatics. If you decide to give this a go apparently you will be in good company, Kelly Brook and Helena Christensen are both said to be fans.

The “Fuel up” pages are excellent. As opposed to regular magazines (that often focuses on the latest diet) it’s refreshing to read health magazines. They seem to identify food as a fuel and identify the nutritional elements of the food, the benefits that you will feel and the obvious knock-on effects that eating it may have on your training.

My favourite fact in this issue is that a recent study suggests that chocolate milk may make a better post-workout drink than sports drink. Thank goodness for William Lunn from the University of Connecticut, the exercise scientist has found that the protein/carbohydrates combination found in low fat chocolate milk drinks are great for refuelling tired muscles, sounds good to me.