The crisp autumn air has arrived. Now, however, is not the time to rest on your laurels. Make a commitment to maintain fitness you level you developed over the summer! Andy and Jamie have the tips and motivation to keep you working out long into the cold winter months. In this issue, we touch on injury prevention. If you have ever been slowed down by a sport injury, or worry about being injured, this section is for you. Andy and Jamie give some great advice on stretching. And we introduce a new boxing glove from Balazs Boxing. It's going to be a great Fall season! Stay fit!

"Knock Yourself Out!"® The Balazs Team

Rules to reduce the chance of a sports related injury:

1. Always execute the desired movement correctly. Be sure of what you are trying to accomplish with the specific exercise and keep the movement simple and straightforward. Discuss your technique with a qualified instructor or expert if you have any questions.
2. Maintain your posture and body alignment before, during and after the execution of the exercise. If you feel unbalanced or the movement does not flow smoothly, stop the exercise, reposition yourself and then start the movement again.
3. Listen to your body. If an exercise or movement hurts, stop performing that exercise. If an exercise cannot be executed correctly, due to fatigue or other circumstance, stop. Over-use and fatigue are major causes of sports injuries.
4. Warm-up your muscles before exercising. Warming up increases the blood circulating to the muscle groups. Warm up by taking your body through a full range of motion. Do large arm swings, easy squats, walking, knee lifts, running in place, or ride a stationary bike. This will get muscles ready to perform, oxygenate the tissue and prepare the body for the rigorous exercises to come.
5. Finish your workouts with stretches and relaxation exercises. Slow down and allow the body to return the working muscles back to their normal, pre-exercise length. Let the heart work to flush out lactic acid.
6. Proper conditioning for any sport is essential for injury prevention. Adequate rest/recovery time, sports specific conditioning, and stretching are should be considered when designing your workout routine.

Key points to consider for boxing workouts:

* Wear appropriate protective gear and equipment.
Wear hand wraps and protective bag gloves when hitting the heavy bag or working with target mitts. If sparring, always wear an approved headgear, mouthpiece and protective cup.

* Always warm up before working out.
A proper warm up is essential for injury prevention. Warm muscles are less susceptible to injuries. Shadow box for several rounds, or warm up on a stationary bike.

* Stretching: One of the best ways to reduce your risk of athletic injury is by maintaining adequate flexibility. Practicing a few simple stretches can reduce your risk of injury, and help you improve recovery time. Boxing is a total body workout. ; an overall stretching regimen is essential.

* Rest: Rest is a crucial component of proper training. Recovery days reduce injury
rates by giving muscles and connective tissues an opportunity to repair between training sessions. Athletes with consecutive days of hard training, generally have more injuries. Proper rest can make you stronger and prevent overuse injuries.

If you do experience a sports related injury, you may want to consult your physician regarding additional steps for recovery. If pain and swelling persist after an injury occurs, consult your physician as soon as possible.

It is important to stretch your muscle fibers and increase the range of motion of your joint areas, both before and after a workout.  Stretching before a workout can increase the blood flow to the muscle and provide oxygen for the upcoming workout.  Performing stretches after a workout, when the muscles are already warm, assists in increasing your flexibility and range of motion and allows the muscle to cool down and return to normal (non-workout) status.

To begin a pre-workout stretch, increase your heart rate with an easy walk or a light jog to warm up your muscles.  Easy shadow boxing or jumping rope can also be used.  Take a good 10 to 15 minutes to stretch out and warm-up the muscles you will be using in your sport or activity.  Focus on taking the muscle through an optimal range of motion.   Start slow and ease into the stretch. DO NOT OVER STRETCH.  It is not recommended to bounce or force a stretch, as this may cause hyperextension damage and pain. Extend the muscle until you feel some resistance, hold for a count of 10, and then relax for a count of 10.  Return to the stretch position, reaching just a bit more and hold once again.  Take your time and remember to cover all the muscle groups you will be using during the main part of your workout.  Remember to stretch both sides of your body equally. 

Once you finish your workout, stretch again.  This is the time you can really improve your flexibility.  The muscles are warmed up and relaxed.  It is also a great way to cool down the whole body.  Take your time and hold the stretches, even as long as a 30 second count.

Balazs Fitness introduces the newest addition to their line of boxing gloves - the Balazs 'Ultra Glove'™. Designed to be the ultimate in comfort, feel, and protection, the 'Ultra-Glove'™ is great for all workouts as well as sparring.

The supple smooth top-quality leather and sweat-wicking liner makes slipping into these gloves a pleasure. The vented palm will be a breeze of fresh air to the inside while you're working them. The leather easily conforms to your hand and skin with no pinching, and you'll love the feel of the mid-knuckle cross bar to wrap around. Then stretch the 4" wide leather wrist wrap around your wrist and feel the extra wrist and forearm protection these babies give you.

Once you put these on, the layered and multi density padding cushions even the hardest blows protecting your fingers and knuckles. These durable gloves are double stitched and reinforced all over the cuffs, palms and thumb joints. They will last and last and last - oh, and look absolutely awesome.

Black with White Thumb and Red Accents. 16 oz weight. $84.00

For a limited time, they come with a free pair of Glove Dogs, and a Vented carrying bag, so take advantage of the best at the best!!

We hope you enjoyed receiving this mailing. However, if you would not like to be included in future Balazs Boxing mailings, please respond to this email with "remove" in the subject line.

Always consult your physician before starting any physical exercise program. Balazs Fitness and Andy & Jamie Dumas assume no responsibility for the improper use of information contained within this e-newsletter.