Archive for the 'Workouts' Category

Apparel Tips

1. Wear spandex shorts under your regular running shorts so you don’t chafe “down there.”
2. Cotton socks will only lead to blisters; invest in socks designed for running.
3. Ladies, do not skimp on a bra. Even if it costs more than your shoes it’s still a bargain.
4. Buy running clothes you look good in and that will motivate you to run.
5. Buy new running clothes at the end of the season when stores dump the old season’s line. Think clearance!

Community

6. Join your local running club—check with your local running store fitness center and/or recreation department to find one.
7. Volunteer at a local race—meet runners support runners and connect with your Community.

Manners

8. Remember to say “Thank You!” to race volunteers (e.g. when you get that cup of water at the aid station) and family and friends who support you.
9. Conscientiously share the trail with walkers, bikers and other runners.
10. Always try to balance running with the people you love by making a schedule that involves and is considerate of everyone.
11. Don’t carry loose change. It will annoy those who are running with you.
12. Don’t neglect and irritate your family and friends by spending all your time running and talking about running.

Motivation Tips

13. Sign up for a race as soon as you feel up to it.
14. Find a committed running partner. It is much harder to skip a run when you have someone else depending on you.
15. Remember that you will have plateaus in your progress and tough days along the way.
16. It gets easier.
17. Accept and appreciate the fact that not every single run can be a good one.
18. Be prepared to remove the words “can’t” and “never” from your vocabulary.
19. “Do not compare yourself to others. Run within yourself and for yourself first.
20. Don’t expect every run to be better than the last one; some of them will hurt.
21. Don’t think too much about it or you won’t do it.
22. Even a bad run is better then no run at all.
23. If you normally run with music try skipping it and listening to your feet to hear your pace and your gait.
24. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t experience weight loss immediately.
25. Start a running blog and read other running blogs regularly.
26. Running is not an excuse to triple your intake of doughnuts because runners gain weight too.

Nutrition Tips

27. Buy the powdered sports drink mix instead of premixed. It’s cheaper and more similar to race drink mixes.
28. Each pound you lose makes running a little easier.
29. Hydrate. Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day.
30. If you are running very long distance drink enough electrolytes (e.g. Gatorade).
31. On long runs eat something every hour—whether you feel like it or not.
32. During longer runs if you don’t like to carry water take some cash in your pocket pouch or a shoe wallet. Run a route where there’s a corner store that you can use as a pit stop to pick up your water and maybe use the bathroom.
33. Avoid eating spicy foods before running and the night before your long runs.
34. To aid recovery the most crucial time to eat and drink is in the hour immediately after you run.

Prevention Tips

35. Use Vaseline or BodyGlide wherever things rub. They will help prevent blisters and chafing (guys don’t forget the nipples).
36. Do not increase your mileage more than 10 percent per week.
37. Guys: Band-Aids before the long runs. Your nipples will thank you in the shower afterwards.
38. Log your mileage for your legs and your Shoes. Too much on either will cause you injury.
39. If you are prone to shin splints and lower leg pain try running soft trails for your Training runs and save the asphalt for race day.
40. Do not run two hard days back-to-back.
41. Ice aches and pains immediately.
42. Pay attention to your form. Try to run lightly to minimize impact that could lead to injury.
43. Cut your Training by at least 30 percent to 50 percent every 4th or 5th week for recovery.
44. When trail running don’t forget the bug spray.
45. Neosporin (or another antibiotic cream) is good for chafed areas (if you didn’t use your BodyGlide!).
46. Make sure you cut your toenails short enough so they don’t jam into your Shoes!
47. Put some BodyGlide between your toes on long runs.
48. Be careful about running on paths that force you to run consistently on a slant. It’s hard on the hips knees and IT bands.
49. Don’t stretch before a run. Warm up by walking briskly or jogging slowly for several minutes.
50. Do not ice for more than 20 minutes at a time.
51. Do not use the hot tub after a race. It will increase inflammation and hinder healing.
52. Frozen peas make a great ice pack for aches and pains. A thin t-towel wrapped around them makes the cold more comfortable.

Racing Tips

53. Race day is not the day to try new shoes, eat new foods, or wear brand new clothing.
54. Do not try a marathon as your first race.
55. For races longer than 5k start out slower than you think you should.
56. If you conserve your energy during the first half of a race, you can finish strong.
57. When you pick up drinking cups at aid stations, squeeze gently so it folds slightly and is easier to drink from it while you are moving.
58. A plastic garbage on race day is a very fashionable cheap disposable raincoat.

Safety Tips

59. Be aware of cyclists approaching you from behind and try to keep to the right. Try to pay special attention when running with music.
60. Run facing traffic.
61. Never assume a car sees you.
62. Give horses wide berths on trails and walk as you pass them unless you enjoy a hoof to the melon.
63. Always carry I.D. because you just never know.

Shoe Tips

64. Try shoes on in the afternoon when your feet are bigger.
65. Doubleknot your shoe laces so they will not come undone when you run.
66. Buy yourself some actual running shoes from an actual running store because running in junk “sneakers” will destroy your feet and your legs.
67. Get assessed for the right kind of running shoes.

Training Tips

68. In the immortal words of Walt Stack famed senior-citizen distance runner “Start slow … and taper.”
69. At first keep your runs short and slow to avoid injury and soreness so you do not quit.
70. If you are breathing too hard slow down or walk a bit until you feel comfortable again.
71. Pick your route close to home (out your front door)—the more convenient it is the better chance you will have sticking with it.
72. Find a beginner training plan for your first race.
73. Set realistic short term and long term goals.
74. Keep a training diary.
75. Soreness one to two days after a run is normal (delayed onset muscle soreness).
76. No amount of money spent on gadget training programs or funny food can substitute for minutes, hours, days and weeks on the road.
77. There’s no shame in walking.
78. Subscribe to a running magazine or pick up a book or two on running.
79. Four laps around the local the high school track equals one mile.
80. Lift weights.
81. It’s okay to take walk breaks (run 1 minute walk 1 minute then progress to run 10 minutes walk 1 minute etc.).
82. Vary your training routes. This will prevent boredom and prevent your body from getting acclimated.
83. Speed work doesn’t have to be scientific. Try racing to one light post and then jogging to the next.
84. Push through rough spots by focusing on the sounds of your breath and feet touching the ground.
85. Do speedwork after you develop an endurance base.
86. Practice running harder in the last half of your runs.
87. Do abdominal breathing to get rid of side cramps or “stitches.”
88. If you can’t find the time to run, take your running gear to work.
89. Run on trails if at all possible. It will be easier on your body and you’ll love it.
90. Build rest into your schedule. Rest is just as important of an element as exercise in your fitness plan.
91. Forgive yourself. Over-ambitious goals usually lead to frustration and giving up on your fitness plan. If you miss a goal or milestone let it go and focus on the next opportunity to get it.
92. Mix-up your training plan. Make sure your training plan is not too heavily focused on one thing. No matter what level of runner you are your training plan should include four essential elements: endurance speed rest cross-training.

Weather Tips

93. Dress as if it is 10 degrees warmer than the temperature on the thermometer.
94. Wear sunscreen and a hat when the sun is beating down—even in winter.
95. Run early in the morning or later in evening to avoid mid-day heat.
96. Pick up a pair of Yaktrax when running in icey conditions.
97. In the winter dress in layers (coolmax or other technical clothing) and wear a headband over your running hat to cover your ears.
98. For colder climates invest in socks rated to 40 below (usually found in sport/ski shops).
99. To keep cool in hot weather soak a bandana in cold water wring it out a bit and tie it loosely around your neck.
100. For hot weather fill your water bottle about half way lay it at an angle in the freezer and just before you head out for your run top it off with more water.

Flatten your belly, slim your thighs, and firm your butt in 2 weeks—without a single sit-up or squat

Main Move: Toe Reaches: (tones abs)

Return to Windshield Wipers starting position, hands on belly. Keeping abs tight and chin tucked slightly toward chest, lift head, shoulders, and upper back, reaching right hand toward left foot. Lower and repeat reaching left hand to right foot. Continue to alternate until you’ve completed all reps.

MAKE IT HARDER
Stack feet, left heel against right toes. Reach right hand to left side of feet, then left hand to right side. Do the full number of reps on each side.

MAKE IT EASIER
Lift only head and shoulders off floor as you reach toward knees.

Main Move: Wall Scissor: (tones butt, backs of thighs)

From Toe Reaches start position, bend knees to plant feet on wall. Peel back off floor, keeping shoulder blades down, and step feet up wall so body forms a diagonal line from feet to chest. Bend elbows and support lower back with hands; keep shoulder blades, upper arms, and head on floor. Lower left leg toward head as far as you can, keeping both legs straight and abs tight. Return to wall and lower right leg. Continue to alternate until you’ve completed all reps.

MAKE IT HARDER
As you lower leg, pause and pulse 2 or 3 times, moving it up and down an inch or two, before returning it back to wall. Repeat with opposite leg.

MAKE IT EASIER
Scoot body 3 to 6 inches away from wall so wall supports more weight.

Yes, you. The one feigning to not see me when we cross paths on the running track. The one not even wearing sports gear, breathing heavy. You’re slow, you breathe hard and your efforts at moving forward make you cringe.

You cling shyly to the furthest corridor, sometimes making larger loops on the gravel ring by the track just so you’re not on it. You sweat so much that your hair is all wet. You rarely stay for more than 20 minutes at a time, and you look exhausted when you leave to go back home. You never talk to anyone. I’ve got something I’d like to say to you.

You are awesome.

If you’d look me in the eye only for an instant, you would notice the reverence and respect I have for you. The adventure you have started is tremendous; it leads to a better health, to renewed confidence and to a brand new kind of freedom. The gifts you will receive from running will far exceed the gigantic effort it takes you to show up here, to face your fears and to bravely set yourself in motion, in front of others.

You have already begun your transformation. You no longer accept this physical state of numbness and passivity. You have taken a difficult decision, but one that holds so much promise. Every hard breath you take is actually a tad easier than the one before, and every step is ever so slightly lighter. Each push forward leaves the former person you were in your wake, creating room for an improved version, one that is stronger, healthier and forward-looking, one who knows that anything is possible.

You’re a hero to me. And, if you’d take off the blaring headphones and put your head up for more than a second or two, you would notice that the other runners you cross, the ones that probably make you feel so inadequate, stare in awe at your determination. They, of all people, know best where you are coming from. They heard the resolutions of so many others, who vowed to pick up running and improve their health, “starting next week”. Yet, it is YOU who runs alongside, who digs from deep inside to find the strength to come here, and to come back again.

You are a runner, and no one can take that away from you. You are relentlessly moving forward. You are stronger than even you think, and you are about to be amazed by what you can do. One day, very soon, maybe tomorrow, you’ll step outside and marvel at your capabilities. You will not believe your own body, you will realize that you can do this. And a new horizon will open up for you. You are a true inspiration.

I bow to you.

A 30-minute run leads to awesome mental and physical benefits

In the first few seconds
Your muscles start using adenosine triphosphate (ATP), energy molecules your body makes from food.

That burst of power you feel? It’s ATP converting into another high-powered molecule, adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Muscle cells–expert recyclers–will turn ADP back into ATP after the initial surge.

In the first 90 seconds
In order to unleash more ATP, your cells break down glycogen, a form of glucose fuel stored in your muscles. Cells also pull glucose directly from your blood (one reason exercise is helpful in fending off high blood sugar).

Your body gobbles more glucose, and your muscles release lactic acid–also known as the burn in the age-old workout mantra “feel the burn”–which signals the brain that you’re under physical stress.

In the next few minutes
Your heart starts beating faster and directing blood toward your muscles and away from functions you don’t need at the moment, such as digestion.

To make the best use of glucose, your muscle cells require an influx of oxygen. Cue heavy breathing.

As you hit your stride, your body’s biggest muscle, the gluteus maximus (i.e., your butt), your legs, and your core help keep you upright, control your gait, and extend your hip joints so your feet can push off the ground.

You begin to torch calories (in general, runners work through about 100 per mile), including some that might have been stored as fat.

All this burning of glycogen and oxygen raises your body temperature. To cool you down, your circulatory system diverts blood flow to your skin, lending you a healthy flush. Your sweat glands start releasing moisture to keep you from overheating.

Within 10 minutes
If you’re in decent shape, your muscles and their ATP supply are ample, and your body can efficiently shuttle oxygen and burn-fat and glucose. You feel strong.

If, however, you’ve been slacking on exercise, your ATP supply can’t keep-up with the demand. You can’t suck in or process-oxygen fast enough, and lactic acid starts to flood-your body. Every minute feels “more like a slog.

After 30 minutes
Whew! It’s over. As you slow to a walk, your energy demand falls and your breathing rate gradually returns to normal.

Chances are, you feel energized. Your brain has triggered a rush of the mood-elevating hormone dopamine. The effect of exercise can be so great that it can even decrease chocolate cravings. (Don’t worry–even if you still indulge in the sweet stuff, you’ve created some room in your glycogen stockpile, so those extra calories are less likely to be converted into fat.)

If weight loss is your goal, in order to burn calories and overall body fat, it’s necessary to skip the walks, pick up the pace, and run instead. When you’re first starting out, running feels so hard. Your muscles ache, your lungs burn, it’s hard to breathe, and all you can think about is stopping. Here are five techniques to incorporate every week to help running become easier and more enjoyable.

Pencil It In

In order for your body to become more accustomed to the demands running places on it, you have to run regularly. Instead of fitting in random runs whenever you can or when the weather is nice, it’s imperative to stick with a weekly running schedule that includes running at least three or four times a week. Running often will strengthen the muscles in your lower body and core that are needed to make running feel easier, and it will also build your endurance. Ease into running regularly with shorter runs, and as it begins to feel easier, gradually increase the mileage per workout.

Slow Down

There’s no need to start off running seven-minute miles. Slow down your speed enough so you’re breathing faster than you would if just walking, but not huffing and puffing so much that your lungs hurt or you’re gasping for each breath. Skip the interval training because even though it’s great for targeting belly fat, running at a comfortable, consistent pace is easier than sprinting. Slowing down will allow you to focus on correct running form, which can alleviate common running aches, and you’ll also be able to take in the scenery or have the energy to chat with your workout buddy, all of which can actually make you love going out for a run. As your body becomes stronger, your pace will increase naturally, and you can begin to challenge it with sprinting intervals.

Keep reading for three more ways to make running feel easier.

Make It Fun

If you hate every second of your run, you’re doing something wrong. Find ways to make it fun either by bringing your dog or best friend along, exploring running in new places, listening to your favorite tunes or a book on tape, splurging on new gear, tracking your run with an app, or running near water so after your run you can jump in to cool off.

Hills and Squats

Having strong leg muscles will make running feel like a breeze. One way is to incorporate leg-strengthening work into your runs by adding hills. Running uphill will feel incredibly challenging, but as soon as you get to the top and start running on a flat surface, you’ll be amazed at how much easier running feels. Or you can focus on toning your lower bod when you’re not out for a run with moves like squats, lunges, step-ups, or yoga.

Don’t Just Run

Running regularly will train your body to make running feel easier, but if running is the only workout you do, boredom and repetitive stress injuries can make it unbearable. Mix up your cardio routine with biking, hiking, dancing, or swimming. Doing other types of cardio will strengthen your body in different ways, so every time you lace up your sneaks, it’ll feel easier to head out for a run. But the best part about taking breaks from running is that it’ll actually make you miss it, and if you’re excited to get out for a run, it’ll make it that much more enjoyable.

What promises a healthier body, a sunnier outlook, and the perfect opportunity to catch up? This is no infomercial. Running is one of the best butt-kicking, calorie-blasting workouts around. Still not convinced? Here are 30 big time reasons to hit the ground running.

The Run-Down — Your Action Plan

1. Do it anywhere. Run, that is. Whether on the treadmill or in the park, it’s easy to rack up miles. Even better: Try lacing up the sneakers on that next vacation to explore a new place.

2. Make new friends. Tired of meeting duds at the bar? Check out local running groups or websites like meetup.com to hit the road with other health-minded folks. “Twenty questions” is just as good over a run (boozy brunches optional).

3. Save some cash. Forget fancy equipment or a pricey gym membership. When it comes to running, all you need to get started is the right footwear. (Don’t worry, running spandex is optional.)

4. Visit the doctor less. It’s not only apples that can keep the doctor away. Active people are less likely to develop colon cancer. And ladies, women who regularly engage in intense workouts like running can reduce their risk of breast cancer by up to 30 percent.

5. Eat more carbs. Who doesn’t love a pasta dinner? Now there’s an excuse to slurp up more spaghetti. During intense training like preparing for a race (sorry, channel surfing doesn’t count) increasing carb intake might help running performance and boost mood during harder runs.

6. Keep it interesting. Forget boring laps around a track. Interval training helps boost metabolism and rev cardiovascular fitness. Bonus: Research shows runners who do intervals have more fun while running (really!) and might be more likely to keep it up.

7. Live longer. Who doesn’t want to live forever? Not only do runners have fewer disabilities and remain active longer than their sedentary counterparts, they actually live longer. And even as weekly running times decrease with age, the healthy benefits keep on ticking.

8. Get primal. Turns out Bruce Springsteen was right after all: Baby, we were born to run. It’s what turned us from apes to humans and was used by our ancestors to outrun prey over long distances.

9. Slip into skinny jeans. Running is one of the best calorie burners out there. For a 160-lb person it can burn more than 850 calories an hour. Not like we’re counting or anything.

10. Bring sexy back. Not only can having a rockin’ runner’s bod boost confidence in bed, regular exercise will help flexibility between the sheets — and get you in the mood more often.

11. Boost memory. Exercise has been shown to help keep the mind sharp and could even reduce symptoms of dementia. Hitting the track might also protect the brain against Alzheimer’s, even among those with a family history of it.

12. See the sunny side. Active folks see the glass as half full not only while they exercise, but for up to twice as long after hanging up their kicks than their less mobile counterparts. Talk about “Happy Feet!”

13. Get a natural glow. Believe it or not, working up a sweat can rid the face of gunk that clogs pores and leads to breakouts. A solid sweat session can also boost natural oils, keeping things fresh and healthy. (Just remember to remove makeup pre-workout and wash gently afterward to avoid breakouts.)

14. Improve self-esteem. Need one more excuse to go green? Runners who ran outside and snagged a good view of nature showed increased self-esteem post-workout than those who had only unpleasant scenes to gaze at.

15. Stay steady. Older runners can keep their balance better than non-runners, protecting their knees and tendons in the process. Take that, yoga! Be careful not to overdo it, though: Too much exercise can lead to stress injuries and bone loss.

16. Turn down the pressure. Running is a natural way to keep high blood pressure at bay — and fast. Amping up workouts can help lower blood pressure in just a few weeks.

17. Build stronger bones. Resistance training is awesome, but word on the street is that running might help produce even stronger bones than cranking out reps. As an impact exercise, running helps build the muscle that lower-impact workouts ignore, keeping bones healthier even as they age.

18. Get an energy boost. Feeling sluggish? Try going for a run instead. Just one running sesh can increase energy and chip away at fatigue.

19. Bring the furry friends. Dogs are man’s best friend for a reason — but they can also be man’s best workout partner, too. When it’s time to hit the trail, grab a leash to give your pet a new kind of treat.

20. Carve that core. A strong core improves posture, strengthens limbs, and helps make everyday activities a breeze. And whether we feel it or not, running engages that midsection, strengthening those all-important muscles. Bonus: A solid core in runners can improve performance, too.

21. Sleep better. Runners tend to adapt to set sleeping routines in order to keep running performance high. Even better: Running also encourages higher quality sleep, which translates into better Zzz’s all night long.

22. Do it year-round. Rack up those miles no matter what the weatherman says (dress appropriately, though!). Temperatures still not just right? Jazz up the ol’ treadmill run to get the same health benefits inside.

23. Jam out, speed up. Pop in headphones when running to increase speed and get a little musical boost. We won’t judge your playlist.

24. Check off those goals. Studies suggest that people who set and meet (or exceed) long-term fitness goals are more committed and satisfied with their exercise routines than those who trudge along aimlessly[11]. And who doesn’t feel good about crossing items off their bucket list?

25. Show your heart some loving. Running for just an hour a week can reduce the risk of heart disease by almost half compared to non-runners[12][13]. And for those already hitting the recommended physical activity guidelines, an extra spurt of exercise can lower the risks of heart disease even more. (Just be mindful not to overdo it and cause more damage than good.)

26. Run stress away. Ready to pull your hair out? Instead of tuning in to a reality TV marathon, try running a real one. Not only does running boost the brain’s serotonin levels, regular exercise might actually remodel the brain, making it calmer and more stress resistant[14].

27. Be one with nature. Want to feel the grass tickle your toes? Try minimalist sneakers or nothing at all! Just be sure to ease into this type of running to avoid injuries.

28. Increase stamina. Running regularly will improve stamina, making workouts more enjoyable and productive. And let’s not forget that lasting longer isn’t restricted to the track — it’s useful in… other areas as well.

29. Get there faster. Instead of a leisurely evening stroll, try a jog around the neighborhood instead. It’ll burn more calories in the same amount of time.

30. Sound like a pro. We’ve got the running lingo to get you in the know. Ready, set, go!

Runners, what did we miss? We want to hear what gets you running, whether it’s on the track or on the treadmill.