Be a Better Athlete

Along with professional athletes Luke Schenn of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Steve Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Andrew Cogliano of the Edmonton Oilers was in Toronto recently to launch Nike SPARQ Training. This digital experience gives amateur athletes tools to build a personalized training program using video demos and instruction from master trainers and receive the same training as the professionals. Combined with a testing and conditioning regime, such training tools as reaction balls, cut-react belts, parachutes, balance boards, speed ladders, medicine balls, hurdles and cones can develop your speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness for almost any sport you love and put some zing back in your sporting fling. Go on. Steal some killer core moves -- they're FREE. Read more about SPARQ or visit the Nike SPARQ training website.

Are You Game for Fitness?

With sales of more than seven million copies of Wii Fit, fitness gaming companies are chasing the market. Now there's another new player muscling in on home workout video games. In a partnership with Nintendo, EA Sports launched EA SPORTS Active, a custom, interactive home workout that lets you choose the intensity of your workout, duration and select from a library of 25 exercises or sports drills and get feedback from your virtual trainer. UK TV star Alesha Dixon and olympian Victoria Pendleton box, run and play tennis showing you how much fun fitness with friends can be using the game's split screen, multi-player mode. Ellen DeGeneres added EA SPORTS Active to her workout regime. Alison Sweeney, host of The Biggest Loser, maintains a blog at the site where you can get tips and access the motivation centre. To keep you accountable to your goals, follow Kathryn Peck on Twitter. She's EA SPORTS Active's community leader for the 30-Day challenge that starts June 1st.

Cheer Up Your Fitness Profile

Let friends and colleagues know where and when your next big run is so they can cheer you on. Get the Adidas countdown widget and add it to your training blog or community profile. Get your own countdown widget then enter run name, date and copy widget code to your blog or profile.

Which Protein Do I Need?

4 Types of Protein for Shakes and Smoothies

“What protein powder should I buy?” is the question that I’m asked the most after “How do I get flat abs?” When grocery aisle are replete with competing brands, choosing one can be confusing. Fiterati introduces you to four types of protein with this simple primer so you can pick the right protein powder for your needs. (This slideshow produced by the New York Times reviews ready-to-drink shakes.)

Read more about protein powders.

Workouts to Go

Earlier this year you were introduced to GymTechnik, a website and mobile phone application that lets you select and record your fitness and more. GymTechnik has just improved upon their offer of free basic service. Check out the Workouts for Women, Take Them On the Go and Track My Journey tabs on the company's site where you'll find new routines available within the library with the added bonus of a new section "OxygenFit for Women". These workouts are designed especially to target a woman's most exercise resistant body parts and they're paired with an OxygenFit fitness training tool so you have everything you need to see results fast. Select your workout, take them to the gym, cottage or access them anywhere through your smartphone's browser. Now you're dialed in.