May 2017 Archives

03May 2017 by DS News Team

UpDated: “Exercise-in-a-pill” Is Here. What Would WADA Say?

This is what we published about a year ago: [caption id="attachment_3064" align="alignleft" width="300"] Source: Salk Institute[/caption] Good news or bad news for sport? A group of scientists, working at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have published a study purporting to show “ how to fully activate a gene pathway with a chemical compound, mimicking the beneficial effects of exercise, including increased fat burning and stamina.” Developing endurance “traditional way” i.e. through physical training, means being able to sustain an aerobic activity for longer periods of time. As people become more fit, their muscles shift from burning carbohydrates to burning fat. “It’s well known that people can improve their aerobic endurance through training,” says senior author Ronald Evans, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and holder of Salk’s March of Dimes Chair…

02May 2017 by DS News Team

Pellegrino: “It’s like a relaxing spa outdoors”

Leaders, Newsfeed, Trivia

"It's like a relaxing spa outdoors. In this society that goes faster and faster, I recommend everyone to go to the mountains, surrounded by nature, to slow the pace, with a pair of skis" Not, perhaps, what you would expect from the world's top ski sprinter but thus speaks Federico Pellegrino. A 26 year old from Aosta has appeared on the pages on the Italian edition of the Vanity Fair magazine last week to talk about his life and career. https://www.vanityfair.it/sport/storie-sport/2017/04/29/federico-pellegrino-oltre-agli-sci-ce-di-piu There the leader of the Italian cross country ski team talks about his path to the world championship crown in Lahti this year. https://www.instagram.com/p/BTWkdo-g6Yy Pellegrino singles out influence of his girlfriend, a fellow Team Italia sprinter Greta Laurent, as the most important factor in his success: " She straightened…

01May 2017 by DS News Team

Choosing the Most Important Item in XC Skiing

Training & Outfitting

The most important piece of skiing equipment is actually boots. Surprised? Well, consider this: the wrong skis might slow you down, but won't give you foot cramps or frozen toes; a broken pole, although a big nuisance, can be replaced on the racetrack. The first thought that comes to your head when you look at the prices of the xc ski boots is probably: “wow, that's some very expensive stuff”. Well, they are expensive. In fact, top ski boots are more expensive that top skis. The fact of the matter is, almost all mid-level and top ski boots are still designed and crafted in good old Europe, and the price reflects their manufacturing costs. Another reason they are so expensive is because they are remarkable pieces of engineering. The top…

01May 2017 by DS News Team

Nordic Skiing in the US: Explosive Growth of Popularity

Newsfeed, Travel & Mass Sport

Nordic skiing is among the fastest growing in popularity outdoor activities in the United States, along with stand-up paddling and BMX biking. These findings are part of the massive Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline Report, just released by the Outdoor Foundation, a US nonprofit. Nordic skiing has shown a very impressive steady annual growth averaging 13 % during the last 3 years. In 2016, some 4,640,000 Americans hit the cross country ski trail compared to only 3,400,000 in 2013 – a rather whopping hike of 40.3%! Notably, the increase in cross country skiing participation is happening against a backdrop of less snowy winters: a recent Scientific American report declares that “55 percent of the stations showed a decrease in winter precipitation falling as snow", with Oregon, Iowa and New Hampshire being…

Month: May 2017