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VILLAGE FOLLIES
Robert Forster, PT CEO AUGUST 10, 2016
Arrived in Rio yesterday and spent the day getting the lay of the land and figuring out logistical issues to assure Allyson Felix gets everything she needs to shine in her 4th Olympic Games.
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, August 10, 2016 A cold and rainy Olympic morning
The US Track and Field team arrived here Saturday and they have been navigating the Olympic Village and transportation to and from training facilities for their last week of preparation.
Olympic Village Getty Image
Apparently, the media reports of difficulties in Olympic Village have not been exaggerated. While the highest earning athletes have been able to escape The Village and secure other accommodations at their own expense; unfortunately, the rank and file Olympians that are not competing in the money sports must contend with plumbing problems, slow elevators and menus not to their liking.
More on Olympic Village horror stories below.
Article by Tess Koman
Strange Skin Rash Seen on US Swimmers and Colorful Tape on Other Athletes
Robert Forster, PT CEO
The most frequently asked question in Rio is "What's up with Michael Phelp's skin? " By now most have learned these strange circular bruises are the tell tale signs of an ancient therapy called "Cupping".
It's an ancient Chinese therapy in which a heated cup is placed on the skin and as cools, a vacuum is created raising the skin and creating a bruise. It is thought that this activates a process of inflammation and then healing to relieve pain and tightness. Much like the colorful tape adorning the bodies of Women Volleyball players a few Olympics back, and the copper bracelets and necklaces worn by pro athletes. There is no scientific evidence that these "therapies" are any more effective than a sham placebo.
Unfortunately, in an insult to bonafide sport medicine specialists, it is common for athletes to grasp at unfounded treatments to relieve pain, speed recovery, or improve performance, whether or not they are supported by science. For me it is sad that after 35 years working in the arena of competitive sports, even the highest level athletes are still lead astray by these sham treatments. Every four years a new or recycled "therapy" or device is touted as the magic bullet for Olympic success.
Someone said if it feels good and makes them happy, what's the harm? I say it takes time away from science based therapies and it makes athletes even happier when you fix the problem.
In my experience there is no passive therapy that can accomplish what active exercise (therapeutic stretching and strengthening) can. The key to pain free, peak performance, does not come from laying on a table as a passive recipient of care, but more from being an active participant in the process. These passive therapies are thought to increase blood flow, but exercise does that better. Sham practices are reported to increase healing processes and fight pain, but exercise is proven to activate "heat shock" proteins that fight inflammation and release pain reducing endorphins.
When it comes to injury free, peak performance, exercise is the best medicine.
Share this report with a friend (link) and stay tuned for more #GetinsideRio reports.
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| Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro August 10, 2016 Olympics on a cold and rainy morning
VILLAGE FOLLIES
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12 Rio Olympic Village Horror Stories
Stress tests, and fires and gas leaks, oh my.
Tess Koman
August 9, 2016
The past few weeks have brought horror story after horror story about Rio's Olympic villages, the 31 buildings meant to house close to 18,000 athletes, coaches, and staff for the entirety of the games. Though many are "confident" tonight's opening ceremony will be "awesome," athletes complained as early as this morning the villages are still not up to par. Below, some of the strangest and most alarming things that have happened in the Olympic village leading up and during the games.
Australian Room in Olympic Village Getty Image
1. The Australian toilets failed a major "stress test," causing their athletes to move in late. When toilets were flushed on multiple floors at the same time July 25 to see if the building's plumbing could handle several athletes at once, "The system failed. Water came down walls, there was a strong smell of gas in some apartments and there was 'shorting' in the electrical wiring," Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Committee Kitty Chiller said. That was in addition to "blocked toilets, leaking pipes, exposed wiring, darkened stairwells where no lighting has been installed and dirty floors in need of a massive clean." Getty 2. Once the Australians were able to move in, they were robbed. According to CNN, a fire broke out in basement garage of the Australian Villages, and when athletes were evacuated, at least one laptop and several Zika-protective team shirts were taken. 3. Some of the villages' fire alarms were disconnected, including the Australians'. It's unclear how they knew to evacuate during the fire, as alarms did not go off. A few of their athletes even slept through the drill. "I didn't know it even happened, to be honest," Australian shooter Warren Potent told CNN. Chiller said it was "completely unacceptable" the team wasn't even told by Rio officials the alarms would be off. 4. Just last night, the Czech village flooded. It's unclear what actually caused the flooding, but Czech cyclist Zdenek Stybar described the raining in one stairwell like a "new shower in the house." 5. There is no coffee to be found in the villages. Egyptian archer Ahmed El-Nemr told NPR when he asked about the caffeine selection, "they said we are only limited to Coca-Cola products. So..." Coffee is not an official sponsor of the 2016 Olympic Games and it is nowhere to be found. 6. The gas leak smell in the accommodations was deemed "normal" by Brazilian officials. The smell allegedly permeating the entire village and was due to gas connection tests, Yahoo! Sports reports. 7. Because the gas smell and the aforementioned plumbing concerns weren't being addressed quickly enough, several countries brought in their own repair teams. The Italians, in particular, hired massive amounts of manual labor as "a matter of urgency." The Dutch hinted at retroactively charging the Brazilians for the repairs of their village damages. "It is the responsibility of the organizing committee to deliver a safe and well-functioning village," Dutch Chef de Mission Maurits Hendriks told the Guardian. "Let it be clear that we will evaluate this situation with IOC and Rio 2016 after the Games. This applies for example to financial consequences as a result of the measures we are taking and have been taken."
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In this video you will learn:
* The safest and most effective stretches for each part of your body * How to incorporate a safe and effective stretching routine into your active lifestyle * The importance of stretching in developing healthy joints and muscles for life * How stretching aids in the recovery process and helps to prevent injury * The performance benefits of a proper stretching routine in sport and training * How stretching improves your range of motion, improving athletic performance * Forster's progressive resistant strengthening exercises designed to support the larger muscle groups * How to develop strength that positively impacts your power to weight ratio, speed, and performance * How to build resistance to training injuries * Why Forster's joint stability and full range of motion strength exercises are essential for recovery PLUS BONUS FEATURES: FORSTER'S ROLLING PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY SELF ASSESSMENT HOME HEART RATE FIELD TEST FOR METABOLIC FITNESS AND SO MUCH MORE!
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You're not alone! See why our Olympic Gold Medalists endorse Bob's book on Healthy Running! Healthy Running, Step by Step By Robert Forster, PT and Roy Wallack Forster's new book is quickly becoming the standard in science based training and rehabilitation for runners; providing a comprehensive, easy to follow approach to training, nutrition, recovery, injury prevention and the techniques Robert perfected over 35 years treating the world's best athletes. "This book presents a good, honest, common-sense plan gained from years of experience and results at the highest levels of the sport. If you're ready to end the running injury yo-yo for good, you'll be smarter and safer the second you open this book." - Rod Dixon, Three-Time Olympian and New York City Marathon Champion Healthy Running Step by Step |
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