Compression Tights

Remember when “support hose” were what your 80-year old aunt wore? Or maybe it was the goofy old guy who mowed the yard in a wife-beater undershirt, Bermuda shorts and long black support socks? Well, support hose have gone uptown. In a big way.

I first heard about using compression tights to aid in recovery and reduce muscle soreness in a review of Skins Compression tights on Bicycling.com several months ago. Shortly thereafter, I also saw a product review in Outside magazine, comparing three different brands of tights.

Compression garments have become very popular over the past three years. One of the most famous athletes to utilize these products has been Paula Radcliffe who is often seen racing in compression socks.

Scientific evidence supporting these products has been sparse and largely anecdotal. As we all know strenuous physical exercise, such as cycling, can induce muscle damage that is often manifested as soreness. Muscle damage can lead to decreased range of motion, swelling and impaired muscle function, all increasing the likelihood of injury.

Compression may be able to reduce the physical impact and damage associated with strenuous physical activity.

Manufacturers in Australia seem to be on the leading edge of the athletic compression gear technology. There are several Australian brands that get glowing reviews, but are not currently available in the US.

The Skins products seemed to be getting universally good reviews, and are imported to the US. When I spotted them at one of our local bike shops, I winced at the price and reached for my wallet. Based on the size guide, I picked up a pair of xtra-small tights, and Phil bought the smalls.

After about 3 weeks we both came to the conclusion that our little chicken legs are just too skinny for those sizes – we couldn’t feel any noticeable compression. So, I picked up a pair of Youth Large Long Tights (and got a smoking deal – being on the midget side of the size chart does have some advantages) and handed my x-smalls over to Phil.

I can’t say they are a miracle cure, totally eliminating the heavy legs associated with lactic acid build-up. But, I do think that they measureably reduce the “next day” soreness I experience after a hard ride. The only downside I see to the tights is the price – all of the brands run about $100 (except for the kid’s sizes – score!).

If you are thinking about giving the compression gear a try, here are links to the top brands:

Skins
Kmeleon
CW-X
2XU
Zoot Sports
Linebreak

Remember – getting the proper size is crucial; if you have the option to try them on before you buy, do it.

Take the Stairs

I work on the 9th floor of a high-rise office building. A couple of months a go one of my co-workers mentioned that he had been taking the stairs up to our office every day. I was thrilled to learn his secret – you see, our building (as many high-rises do) has several locked stairwells. You might be able to go up or down a few flights, but your access back into the core of the building is restricted.

So, I found the secret “all access” stairway, and since then I have made an effort to take the stairs every day. Actually, I even put a reminder on my Outlook calendar that prompts me to do a set of stairs at two other times throughout the day, just to get me away from my computer and phone for a few minutes a day. [Have you ever noticed that the only people who actually get regular breaks at any job are the smokers? So I consider this my “smoke break for a non-smoker.”]

I don’t run the stairs – I just walk them at a comfortable pace and really try to focus on good form. I place my whole foot on the stair, not just my toes – that way my Achilles tendon gets a nice stretch.

Making small changes like taking the stairs, when it is reasonable, can add up over time. Walking up stairs at a moderate intensity should burn 5 calories a minute for a 120-pound person, 7 for a 150-pound person, and 9 for a 180-pound person. Running stairs multiplies the caloric burn and the cardiovascular benefit.

The impact on knees and feet is relatively low, with the pressure equivalent to two times one’s body weight walking up stairs (compared with three to four times when running. The pounding on the body going downstairs, however, equals six or seven times one’s body weight.

That is actually good news for me. The LA Times recently ran an article about a topic I had heard about some time ago - cyclists are at risk for bone loss. Cycling’s low-impact nature isn't conducive to building strong bones. So adding high-impact exercises can ease the risks of injury.

Although cyclists are known for staying on top of their training heart rate zones and pedal cadence, increasing research suggests they should also pay attention to their risk of thinning bones.

Many factors contribute to osteopenia (lower-than-normal bone density) or osteoporosis (very low bone mineral density) in cyclists, but one of the culprits is the nature of the exercise itself.

Cycling is a low-impact sport that puts little mechanical load on the bones. That's great if you have joint problems, but it's the weight-bearing nature of exercise that signals bones to create more mass. Without such stress, bones don't get stronger, making them more prone to injury.

Avid cyclists, both amateur and professional, seem to be especially at risk of bone injuries if they don't do any type of cross-training. The lower spine is a particularly susceptible area, since it gets almost no loading.

A recent study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that competitive male road cyclists had significantly lower bone mineral density in their spines than a control group of men who were moderately physically active while doing other recreational activities. They were also more likely to have osteopenia and osteoporosis than those in the control group, despite the fact that the cyclists had a greater calcium intake.

Further, some hard-core cyclists may not be eating enough to offset what they burn when exercising, depriving their bodies of bone-strengthening nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D.

Even perspiration can be a factor: Cyclists may lose a lot of calcium in their sweat. Even if they're taking in amounts [of liquid] that are seemingly high for the average person, that might not be enough to balance what they're excreting.

Bone loss can't be reversed overnight. Depending on the severity of the loss, it may take months or even years to see an improvement in bone mineral density.

In the meantime, take the stairs. It is a relatively easy way to work in a weight-bearing exercise to help in the battle to keep your bones strong and healthy.

More Movie Reviews

Now that the Academy Awards are done for another year I figure it's time for me to pipe in with my latest movie reviews. In no particular order, these films have been on our playlist during the last several weeks.

Young at Heart - Coldplay, the Clash and Jimi Hendrix will never sound the same once you've heard the Young@Heart chorus, a group of Massachusetts senior citizens who thrill audiences worldwide with their unusual -- and unusually poignant -- covers of rock songs. This humane and heartwarming documentary, which premiered at Sundance in 2008, follows the elderly ensemble as they prepare their new show.

I was really moved by this film. It reinforced my belief that having a passion can give meaning to life and keep you invigorated, adding great quality to your life. Warning - I cried.

Invincible - Average Joe and devoted Philadelphia Eagles fan Vince Papale manages to land a spot on his favorite NFL team in open tryouts. He's just lost his wife and his job as a substitute teacher, but by impressing the coach and winning a place on the field, Papale turns a terrible year into a winner in this inspiring film (based on a true story).

There is nothing original about this film – and that’s exactly why I liked it! It was a predictable root-for-the-underdog story – and has a really groovy mid-70s soundtrack. What’s not to like? (except Mark Wahlberg’s mullet – it’s bad, man!)

Deadwood Season 1- It's 1876, the height of the gold strike, and rebels and outlaws have been drawn to Deadwood, an ad hoc town cradled in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Everyone there, including an ex-marshall, the infamous Wild Bill Hickok and a city boy from the East Coast, is out to make a name for themselves at whatever cost.

Phil and I mutually agreed that one episode was enough. There wasn’t a single likeable character. Even I, who can make sailors blush with my bad language, was a little worn out by the constant barrage of F bombs. Not recommended.

24 Solo and Off Road to Athens are now available from NetFlix – but you have to search by title. For some reason, they don’t come up in a category search under “cycling” or “mountain biking.” Each movie is well worth your time – watch the extra scenes, too.

Office Space (1999) In a film that takes plenty of jabs at the nihilism of corporate life, office drone Peter Gibbons conspires with his cubicle cohorts to embezzle money from their soulless employers. With help and hindrance from those around him -- and the affection of waitress Joanna, Gibbons may just find his sanity … and his revenge.

One of my co-workers consistently refers to the “red stapler” – a joke I never understood until catching up on this classic of corporate cubicle culture. I have worked in cube farms on and off for the last decade, and there were a few too many really recognizable moments! (e.g., "Looks like someone is having a case of the Mondays.") Light entertainment that made our workout time pass quickly.

Chariots of Fire (1981) Fueled by disparate desires, runners Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams pursue a quest to bring Olympic glory to Great Britain in 1924. Liddell -- a staunch Christian -- seeks victory as a tribute to God, while Jewish student Abrahams views winning as a repudiation of anti-Semitism. Based on a true story, Chariots of Fire won the 1981 Academy Award for Best Picture.

I saw this movie when it originally came out (I think I was a junior in high school in fact – that dates me, I suppose) and remembered liking the film. Other than recalling something about one of the lead characters having a problem with running on the Sabbath, I didn’t really remember the story. It is a good film that holds up well nearly 30 years later. [As a fun bonus, the guy who was the lead in “Breaking Away” (Dennis Christopher) has a cameo in this film; something I never would have known if I hadn’t been digging into the backlog of “inspiring sports films” to fuel our indoor trainer sessions. I’m sure that will be a fact I need to know when I am playing “Jeopardy” some day . . .!]

24: Season 2. Anti-terrorism agent Jack Bauer faces another action-packed day in the second season of this "real-time" TV series. This time around, a nuclear bomb is loose in Los Angeles, prompting Jack, the President and a host of other characters to do whatever they can to stop it from detonating. But even if they find the bomb, they may be too late to prevent disaster. . .

Is Jack’s daughter, Kim, really the dumbest human on the planet? Sheesh. These are fun 50 minute episodes to make the trainer time pass. Pure mindless entertainment, but a heck of a lot better than watching the 5 am news on Channel 9.

Klunkerz (2007) This documentary follows a group of cycling enthusiasts who, in the late 1960s and early '70s, tackled the slopes of California's Mount Tamalpais using modified pre-World War II bicycles, planting the seeds for modern-day mountain biking. The pioneering group, made up of world-class road racers as well as hippies seeking a new way to commune with nature, unwittingly developed a sport that is now a multimillion-dollar industry.

Fatty recently reviewed this DVD on his blog. I thought the review was sort of lukewarm, but both the filmmaker and one of the main subjects responded to the review in extensive comments. That piqued my curiosity. So Phil and I watched it during one of our oh-so-romantic Friday night dates. You know, the kind of date where we meet in the basement and ride our bikes for 90 minutes steady in Heart Rate Zone 2? Yeah, you’re jealous. But, I digress. It was interesting to see the back-story on how the sport of mountain biking developed. I also found it interesting how some of the guys who were “living the dream” are still driving 1960s VW buses, and others have become multi-zillionaire business moguls.

Die Hard (1988) Smart-mouthed New York City cop John McClane comes to Los Angeles in an attempt to reconcile with his wife. When terrorists seize her office building, McClane escapes -- shirtless and shoeless -- and desperately tries to stop them.

Sometimes you just gotta watch stuff blow up. Plus, the run-time is 128 minutes – perfect for a 2 hour tempo ride with a moderate cool down. Kind of funny to watch Bruce just light up a cigarette in the middle of the airport without getting arrested. Times have changed . . .Yippee-ki-yay

Six Feet Under: Season 1 (2001) This darkly comical HBO television series follows the members of a dynamic but dysfunctional Los Angeles-based family that operates a funeral home. It has an ironically grim but intriguing premise: Each episode is based on the death and extenuating circumstances of the family's current client.

We just watched the pilot episode this morning. It looks pretty good – we’ll watch a few more episodes and decide whether to slip it into our Sopranos/24 rotation.

There you have it. We can hardly wait for the weather to warm up and dry out so we get less movie time and more outside riding time. But until that happens, my Netflix queue is packed with all kinds of interesting little gems . . .