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As of September 2017, new Sweat Science columns are being published at www.outsideonline.com/sweatscience. Check out my bestselling new book on the science of endurance, ENDURE: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance, published in February 2018 with a foreword by Malcolm Gladwell.
- Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience)
Back in 2010, researchers at Florida State published a study showing that trained distance runner became about 5% less efficient and covered 3% less distance in a time trial if they did static stretching before the run. This was significant because, after a long series of studies showing that stretching compromises strength and power, it was one of the first to look at endurance performance.
Now the same researchers have published another study, in the current issue of Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, this time looking at "dynamic" stretching instead of static stretching. Other than the stretching routine, the protocol is exactly the same. The runners spend 15 minutes stretching (or sitting quietly, during the control condition), then run for 30 minutes at 65% VO2max for a running economy measurement, then run as far as they can in the next 30 minutes.
This time, stretching had no significant effect on the distance covered in the time trial: stretchers covered 6.1 +/- 1.3 km, non-stretchers covered 6.3 +/- 1.1 km. On the other hand, the dynamic stretching did increase range of motion in the sit-and-reach test just as much as static stretching (from 32.3 to 37.6 cm). So the basic conclusion: if you're really into stretching before a run, dynamic stretching will allow you to work on your flexibility without hurting your running performance.
One subtlety, which you pick up if you look at the individual results:
The dynamic warm-up routine takes a fair amount of energy (more details on that below). So you might wonder: for the less fit runners in the group, is it possible that they're just tired out? The researchers do allude to this possibility:
[I]t is interesting to note that our top 2 performance runners both increased their performance under the dynamic stretching condition with the top runner seeing the largest increase in distance covered in the dynamic stretching condition of 0.2 km. Furthermore, the 2 runners in our study who covered the shortest distance performed better during the nonstretching control condition with the worst performance runner seeing the largest decline in performance after the stretching condition (i.e., 0.6 km). It is possible that elite endurance runners need a warm-up protocol of greater intensity and duration than do recreationally trained runners.
Looking back at the data, it actually looks to me like the top runner was better in the non-stretching condition, but maybe that's just an artifact of the line thickness they used in the graph. Either way, the differences are pretty small in all cases. To me, the moral of the story is: if you're an endurance athlete, you may have many reasons for why and how you stretch, but "going faster" shouldn't be one of them.
As an addendum, here's the stretching routine the study used:
A total of 10 different movements were used and completed in 15 minutes by performing 2 sets of 4 repetitions of each movement. The dynamic stretching movements were performed in the following order:
(a) Toe and Heel Walks: In these exercises, the subjects walked on their toes for 4 steps followed by walking on their heels for 4 steps to stretch the entire calf complex.
(b) Hip Series: The subjects performed a dynamic stretch of the hip flexors and extensors by placing their hands on a wall with their arms fully extended so that their body was at a 45 angle. In this position, each subject lifted his leg off the ground while bringing the knee to the chest and stepping over a hurdle placed laterally before returning to the starting position.
(c) Hand Walks: The subjects stretched their calves and hamstrings by beginning in a pushup position and walking their feet as close to their hands while keeping their heels flat. As soon as the subjects' heels came off the ground, they walked with their hands back to a pushup position.
After the hand walks, the subjects performed a series of walking lunges, including (d) rear lunges, (e) lateral lunges, (f ) forward lunges, (g) a knee pull to a lunge, and (h) an ankle pull to a lunge to focus on the quadriceps and gluteus maximus.
(i) Walking Groiners: The subjects began this movement in a pushup position and then brought 1 foot next to the same side hand as to perform a groiner. Instead of holding this position, the subjects walked their hands out to return to the starting position before performing the action on the opposite leg.
(j) Frankensteins: The subjects stood with their feet together and their arms extended straight out in front of them so that their arms were parallel to the ground. While walking, the subjects were instructed to kick 1 leg up to touch the opposite hand to focus on the hamstrings. Every time a step was taken, a kick was made.


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European Manuscripts, Post-1500
The Newberry's holdings of modern European manuscripts (post-1500) comprise some 2,000 items, both individual pieces and collections. Principal topics represented include literary works and literary criticism, calligraphy, music, letters and family papers, religious texts, histories, official documents, and military affairs. The principal languages represented are French, Italian, Portuguese, English, German, and Spanish.
The principal guide to the Newberry's holdings of modern French manuscripts is Cynthia Wall's Checklist of Post-1500 French Manuscripts. That list, compiled in 1991, enumerates some 440 manuscripts or manuscript collections, either by a French author, written in French, written in France, or concerning French affairs. Consequently, not all are in the French language and some (for example, music manuscripts) may have little, if any, text. One-third of the manuscripts listed by Wall are in the Wing collection, and most of these are of calligraphic interest, although the Wing collection also includes important documents on the history of printing and publishing in France (including many ordinances and arrêts). Somewhat less than a third of the manuscripts (133) are in the Ayer collection, meaning that they relate to American history and particularly to Indian-French relations in North America. Fifty-seven manuscripts (13 percent) are related to music—such as scores, songs, and treatises. The remaining one-quarter (98 items) cover a range of topics, including history, military affairs, and religion. Three large collections should be mentioned:
- The William M. Spencer Collection devoted to Napoleon and his circle (more than 1,000 items) is fully described and many individual items noted in Ségolène de Dainville-Barbiche, "Histoire d'une collection de documents napoléoniens: la collection Spencer à la Newberry Library de Chicago," Revue de l'institut Napoléon 137 (1981): 90-103. An English version of Mme Barbiche's paper is available in the Special Collections Info. File.
- Papers of Count Valentin Esterhazy (1740-1805, 17 vols.) [Case MS 5002]
- Petitions addressed to governmental bureaus and intra-governmental correspondence (1789-1815, 5 vols..) [Case MS F 393.682]
The principal guide to the Newberry's holdings of modern Italian manuscripts is Cynthia Wall's Checklist of Post-1500 Italian Manuscripts. That list, compiled in 1990, enumerates 378 manuscripts or manuscript collections, either by an Italian author, written in Italian, written in Italy, or concerning Italian affairs—consequently, not all are in the Italian language and some (for example, music manuscripts) may have little, if any, text. Perhaps three-quarters of the manuscripts listed by Wall are related to music—for the most part, these will also be listed in D. W. Krummel's Bibliographical Inventory to the Early Music in the Newberry Library (Boston: G. K. Hall, 1971), pp. 1-20. There are a considerable number of calligraphic manuscripts, including alphabet books, examples of Italian official hands, and writing manuals. Wall's list also includes citations to three collections of Italian family papers which deserve separate mention:
- Archives of the Parravicini family of Valtellina (15th-19th cents.), ca. 3,600 pieces, largely administrative documents
- Papers of the Angelio family of Barga (16th-19th cents.), ca. 65 pieces, literary in character
- Papers of the Strozzi family of Florence (16th-19th cents.), 139 pieces, literary in character
Additional information on these family papers can be found in Maria X. Wells, Italian Post-1600 Manuscripts and Family Archives in North American Libraries (Ravenna: Longo Editore, 1992), pp. 67-68. A calendar of part of the Parravicini archives, "The Records of Abbot Giovanni Parravicini, 1726-1779," is available in the Special Collections Info File.
The principal guide to the Newberry's holdings of modern English manuscripts is Sarah Cusk's Checklist of Post-1500 English Manuscripts. This list, compiled in 1991, enumerates some 395 manuscripts or manuscript collections, written in English or by English or American authors. The checklist was compiled from the shelf lists of the Case, Wing, and Graff collections. The checklist does not include the Newberry's collection of facsimiles of various English manuscripts in other libraries; entries for such facsimiles will be found in the card catalog. The checklist also does not contain English manuscript material in the Ayer collection; these manuscripts are found in the online catalog. The heterogeneous nature of the manuscripts listed is a good reflection of the broad range of topics that can be studied at the Newberry, for example, manuscript copies of early-modern prose romances, letters exchanged between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, and collections of eighteenth century songs.
- Portuguese Manuscripts are found in the Greenlee Historical MSS (420). See also the Luso-Brazilian Collection.
- German Manuscripts (200)
- Spanish Manuscripts (30)

subset: commoncrawl


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2d game inspired in bubble bobble, snow bros and tumble pop
PIX Bros is a platform game inspired in three different historical arcade games: Bubble Bobble, Snow Bros and Tumble Pop. Three siblings end up transformed into their favourite videogame heroes inside the computer. The game allows 3 players simultaneously.
Features: * 3 different characters * 3 simultaneous players * 21 levels * 6 different enemies * 2 final bosses * 3 different levels of difficulty
You can find more about the game on its homepage: http://www.pixjuegos.com
The game has been written by Pablo Navarro, Hector Advila and Javier Arche (PIX Juegos), and is distributed under the GNU General Public License, either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.


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Apryl + Jon were inspired by the stars and their infinite love for each other – how romantic! – for their lovely engagement photos by Maria from Squaresville Studios. Plus Apryl is a sucker for cafe lights like me! Apryl and Jon are also photographers (you can see their work here: Apryl Ann Photography) so they wanted to incorporate their love of taking photographs together with the vintage cameras. Such romantic engagement photos…Congrats to Apryl + Jon!
Aren't the lights just so pretty?! Congrats to Apyrl + Jon on your engagement!
photography: Maria from Squaresville Studios // couch + props: Dallas Vintage Rentals // hair: Lisa Doherty // make-up: Gloria Muniz // Apryl's dress, belt and shoes: Anthropologie // Jon is wearing J.Crew with shoes from Urban Outfitters // location: Trinity University


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By Editorial Board Washington Post
NEARLY THREE years into his term, Haitian President Michel Martelly has yet to hold parliamentary or local elections. Endless negotiations with a fractured political opposition amid an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and recrimination have produced tentative progress, for which Mr. Martelly was rewarded with an Oval Office meeting with President Obama this month. Yet there is still no agreement on electoral rules or a voting date set in a country whose fragile institutions can ill afford what amounts to a moratorium on democracy.
Mr. Martelly is not exclusively to blame. He is accused of high-handed maneuvering, but his political opponents also have engaged in obdurate gamesmanship. Power-sharing has not featured prominently in Haiti's unhappy political history. The result, which fits that pattern, is an impasse in which a third of the seats in the Senate remain unfilled and scores of mayors have been appointed to their jobs by the president, rather than elected.
Unless the stalemate is broken and elections are scheduled soon, the status quo is a recipe for unrest and violence. Mr. Martelly had to contend with waves of street protests last year and in 2012, and the likelihood for more strife increases the longer elections are deferred. After four difficult years of recovering and rebuilding from the January 2010 earthquake and grappling with the world's worst current cholera epidemic, the last thing Haiti needs is further political upheaval.
One hopeful sign is that talks on setting elections are being mediated by Cardinal Chibly Langlois , a revered figure in Haiti who has the moral authority to nudge the process toward resolution. The Obama administration can play a key role by continuing to insist on progress toward elections.
Mr. Martelly has made definite progress in hastening Haiti's recovery from the earthquake's staggering devastation. Roads and buildings are being rebuilt, the rubble is mainly gone from the streets of Port-au-Prince and some towns, and the number of homeless people living in squalid tent cities, more than 1 million after the temblor, is down to perhaps 150,000 — though many were forcibly evicted. Foreign private investment is still woefully low, but Mr. Martelly has leveraged aid from international benefactors, including unsavory ones such as Venezuela, to create at least a sense of commercial vitality.
He has made a priority of the construction and repair of hundreds of schools to revitalize the education sector, which was left moribund after the quake. Haiti has one of the world's lowest rates of primary and secondary school enrollment, and despite ongoing efforts by nonprofit groups and international financial institutions, too many schools offer low-quality instruction by under-qualified teachers. Nonetheless, that hundreds of thousands of pupils have been able to return to class is important progress.
Mr. Martelly, a popular former carnival singer once known for simultaneously ebullient and vulgar performances, frequently is accused of cronyism and a lack of accountability. He only fuels the criticism by dragging his feet on elections. The sooner a vote is scheduled, the better.


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Texas Heat Wave 2012 - Web Exclusive
22 Years Strong, One of the Nation's Finest Shows Returns to Austin
Related Video
If you consider yourself a part of the custom vehicle scene, odds are you've heard of Texas Heat Wave. Each year, this massive show returns to Austin, Texas, bringing with it many of the country's wildest cars, trucks, and bikes. This year, Heat Wave proved to be a fitting name as temperatures hit triple digits, but that didn't affect the show's impressive turnout. In addition to gawking at jaw-dropping rides, attendees watched the monster truck rally, burnout competition, and hopping competition, observed the tattoo and bikini contests, listened to live music, and of course sampled plenty of tasty fried food. Check out the photos we snapped over the weekend to see what you missed, and for more info on next year's show, head over to heatwaveshow.com.


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Chiquita Lake, Photo Gallery, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Chiquita Lake
Rocky Mountain National Park
Chiquita Lake (11,356') is located in a steep-walled cirque under Mount Chiquita (13,069') in the Mummy Range of Rocky Mountain National Park. A challenging cross-country route follows a social trail up Ypsilon Lake's inlet stream to Chiquita Lake's outlet stream, which it loosely follows on a steep climb through treeline to its source at the lake.
|Related Trails:
|Chiquita Lake
On July 15, 1982 the Lawn Lake dam failed and released 674 acre-feet of water at an estimated peak discharge rate of 18,000 cubic feet per second down the Roaring River valley
Ypsilon Mountain (13,514'), seen here reflecting in Chipmunk Lake, was named for the 'Y' shaped couloir on its east face (Ypsilon is the Greek letter for Y)
The main trail drops to the inlet area of Ypsilon Lake, where you'll find a good social trail running up the south (left) side of the creek
There are several waterfalls along Ypsilon Lake's steep inlet, which is fed by Chiquita Lake and the Spectacle Lakes
After a steep climb and some tricky navigation, travel briefly moderates into a big meadow with useful perspective on the route and location of the Chiquita cirque
Looking down valley from the rim of Chiquita Lake
A cirque is defined as a bowl-shaped depression with steep sides that forms at the head of a valley or glacier
Mount Chiquita (13,069') is accessible by a well-traveled cross-country route from Fall River Road, and one of three summits on the venerable CCY route
Cascades along Chiquita Lake's outlet stream near the confluence with Spectacle Lakes' outlet
Though off-trail distance is modest between Ypsilon and Chiquita, rugged and variable terrain slow travel and force numerous navigational decisions (typically between the lesser of terrestrial evils!)
A waterfall and pool along the Spectacle Lakes outlet stream, just above the (navigationally important) confluence with Chiquita's outlet stream
Even if not aiming for Chiquita or the Spectacle Lakes, it's worth following the social trail above Ypsilon to see the waterfalls - especially during peak runoff
The social trail above Ypsilon Lake is steep but well-formed and easy to follow to the confluence
Ypsilon Lake in the Mummy Range of Rocky Mountain National Park