Dos and Don'ts in Running

There are some things you should do to continue running injury free. There are also some things to avoid. Knowing the best way to maintain an excellent workout will keep you active and enjoying your daily run.

Do Start Out Slowly

If you are a beginner runner, it is best to use a combination of walking and running. This way you can build up your endurance without hitting an early fatigue point. Start out walking at a fast pace to warm up your muscles. Next, start running for as long as you can. When you start to feel fatigued, go back to walking. Repeat this at whatever interval works best for you. In time you will need less walking time to fill in the gaps.

Don't Use a Long Stride

Leaping forward is an ineffective way to use your energy. It also puts you at risk of getting an injury. Keep a good posture by standing tall. Lean forward and step just enough to keep you from falling. This distance is your ideal stride, so keep it in mind while on your run.

Do Wear Minimalist Running Shoes

Barefoot running shoes are possibly one of the best shoes for runners. This is because they maintain your natural foot strike. This is the way the foot lands when you run. With a flat sneaker, runners land heel first. This causes a sudden and harsh impact that reverberates throughout the lower body. Barefoot shoes allow you to land on the ball of the foot first. This is a much softer landing, which leads to a more comfortable and injury-free stride.

Don't Run as Hard as You Can

Most people believe the harder we train, the better. But this is not necessarily true, especially if you are trying to lose weight. For fat loss, it is more effective to run at a slower pace for a longer period of time. If you do want to increase your speed, do it by using a heart rate monitor. Set it to maintain a certain pace, and then maintain that pace as long as you can. Your body will adapt, and you can readjust to get a faster time. Running is an excellent way to work out and stay healthy. These dos and don'ts will help keep you on track. Enjoy your run and stay fit!

J Lee Phelan is a martial arts instructor and freelance writer living in New York.

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How To Achieve Your Fitness Goals With 5 Must-Have Fitness Gadgets

Looking for ways to train harder, eat better and reach your goals faster? Let technology help! From recording your progress to recommending healthy places to dine out, boost your fitness plan with these 5 great gadgets.

Rate It

The key to a good cardio workout lies in making sure you are in the right range for your goal. Without a good heart rate monitor, getting and staying in the right zone is close to impossible. There are a range of monitors on the market which all cater for different styles and tastes. The wrist-watch style monitor is fast becoming the must-have workout accessory. Compact and versatile, this handy gadget will not only keep you working out in the optimum range, but will also log your activity, including peak heart rate and averages so you can keep a close eye on your progress.

Stay on Track

Nothing is more motivating than seeing your goals becoming a reality, and a good workout tracker will have a range of great features that will keep you on track for success. The UP Band is the height of style and innovation. A deceptively simple looking band that is worn on the wrist, and keeps track of everything from calories burned and workout intensity to GPS routes and the amount of steps taken per day. It even has a sleep counter, and a gentle vibrating alarm to wake you after the optimum amount of sleep for your activity level.

Tasty Tips

You only get out what you put in, so for those who are serious about optimising their time in the gym, a good healthy eating application is a must. There are countless apps to choose from, but most share a few key features. From detailed nutritional information to low-calorie dinner recipes, a good food app will take the hard work out of eating healthy. Try “Good Food Near You” for healthy places to eat out, “Nutrition Tips” for information on exactly what is good for you and what isn't  and “Lose It” to consolidate your food and workout journal in one convenient place.

Scale it Back

Forget trying to write down body fat percentage calculations and changes in your weight, let your scales do it for you! WiFi scales will not only measure your weight, BMI and body fat percentage, but it will then either email you a copy of your results, or link with your smart phone so that you can track your progress from your pocket.

Crank It Up

Optimise your workout by creating playlists from your favourite songs, then switch it up depending on what you want to achieve. Whether you’re smashing weights or the rowing machine, you’ll be surprised just how much harder you can push yourself when motivated by the right music. MP3 players are prolific, and come in all different shapes, sizes, colours and capacities, so it isn’t hard to find the perfect one for your needs. Nifty arm band holders will keep them out of your way while you work out, and specialised sport headphones are not only waterproof, but specifically designed to withstand a whole range of activities. Don’t just get fit, stay fit and keep pushing yourself to be the best that you can be. With these great gadgets on your side, achieving your fitness goals has never been easier!



Sasha is a dietician. Her work has brought her to several continents around the world where she discovers diet secret from the wisdom of the local villagers. She is currently writing her ebook on low calorie dinner recipes. She is an adventurous gourmet traveller and loves to sample bizarre local cuisine.

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Body Strength and Stability While Working Out

Whether it's before bathing suit season in the summer months or after spending a few weeks devouring Christmas cookies, people are often looking to get back in shape. They head to the gym or implement new workout routines at home. While they want to build strength and stability, it's also important to be aware of these two factors during a workout.

Understanding Your Limits
Heading into the gym on your first day, you might be tempted to try to lift the heaviest weights possible or to run super quickly on the treadmill. However, your levels of strength might not be able to handle these intense exercises quite yet. You need to build up strength and endurance before going to the next level.

Progressing Slowly
People seem to want better bodies quite quickly, but getting in shape is a process to which you must be dedicated. If you are consistently able to lift 50 pounds, move it up a notch to 60 pounds. If you are able to maintain stability and run for 30 minutes on the treadmill, aim for 45 minutes the next time that you step on it. Try to add weight and time in increments of 10 and 15 until you've reached your goals. There may be plateaus along the way, during which you will need to wait a bit longer in between levels.

Professional Assistance
Before beginning any exercise regiment, especially an intense one, you should talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to advise you regarding which exercises you can participate in and the levels of working out that your body is able to handle. After speaking with your physician, talk to a personal trainer at the gym. These individuals can tailor exercise programs that are specific to your body and your needs. Additionally, they can help you learn how to use the exercise equipment to maximize your strength and stability. Using exercise equipment in the improper manner is often worse than not exercising at all.

When to Stop
If you are pushing yourself too hard and doing more than you should, your stability may absolutely start to suffer. For example, you could start to feel nauseous or dizzy if you are running on the treadmill at too high of a speed. This is a major indication that you need to call it quits for now and relax. If you try to lift weights that are more than your strength can handle, you could pull a muscle or drop the weight on a part of your body. Do not attempt to drive home if you have been seriously injured at the gym or feel that it may not be safe to drive right now. Ask a member of the staff to call for assistance for you.

Being aware of your own body's strength and how stable you are is a major component of getting a proper workout. You don't want to injure yourself during a time when you are working toward becoming a better you. If you are considering body building, this article titled Ideal Workout Routines for Beginner Body Builders will really come in come in handy as it will provide you with helpful guidelines on how to embark on your body building journey as a newbie.



A love for working out, Kelly Clarke provides this insight on how to maintain your exercise habits. When it comes to the latest in workout gear, she recommends http://www.gymstar.ca/ who provide affordable fitness gear, athletic wear and bodybuilding apparel.

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Hardcore Military Fitness Training Regimes

Military fitness training regimes have grown in popularity in recent years, and they are an excellent way to boost fitness levels, lose weight, build strength and gain cardiovascular endurance. Suitable for beginners who want to start a regular exercise routine as well as those who have been training for years, military fitness training is available in a variety of different ways. There are classes that take place in gyms or sport fields led by professional trainers, but you can just as easily start by yourself in your living room. Strenuous and gruelling, the exercise routines are designed to push physical levels to the limit as they try to replicate the high levels of fitness that are demanded from the military.

Bootcamps

Perhaps the most popular military fitness regime, bootcamps are sessions led by trainers and typically held outdoors. They have a circuit of activities and participants spend about 1 minute on each exercise before switching to the next one. Only short breaks are allowed, as participants move from station to station. Exercising in rapid succession keeps the heart rate high and pushes fitness levels.

The circuit stations are varied and the exercises are physically demanding and totally unlike those found in a normal gym. Tyre flipping, sledge hammer smashes and rope pulling are some of the unusual activities that put participants through their paces. Bootcamp classes are excellent for exercise as they strengthen muscle groups in much more efficient ways than normal cardio and weight-lifting. They are cheaper than personal training sessions, and can cost less than a gym membership. Also, the unique and varied circuits are unlike any exercises that even most professional athletes practice, so they are effective for all fitness levels and are designed to put anyone through their paces.

Military Cardio

When most people think of military training, they think of gruelling and exhaustive runs across winding terrains in full gear. Of course, most people don't have access to a drill instructor that can hurl motivating insults, but disciplined early morning runs (weighted backpack is optional) can duplicate the military experience. For those who don't fancy running for miles, Hight Intensity-Interval Training, or HIIT, can get military fitness results in less time. Lasting around 15 minutes, HIIT demands intense exercise intervals separated by levels of medium intensity. For example, 30 seconds of hard sprinting followed by 15 seconds of walking, and then repeated. HIIT workouts are a very disciplined way to exercise, and they condition the body and shred fat.

Military Fitness Smartphone Apps

There are many fitness smartphone apps that guide users through exercises and track activities and performance. Military endorsed apps are available that have been designed by military fitness instructors. 

Offering a choice of different workout routines, users can typically choose whether to focus on cardio, weight lifting or circuit training. The apps feature videos of how to correctly perform the exercises with good form and technique, and they are very similar to what members of the armed forces practice. The apps are designed to give users a military themed workout that demands peak performance and delivers high-fitness results.

Hardcore fitness training certainly require a lot of discipline and hard work. 


If you have got the stamina why not invest in a quality pair of wind proof army gloves from Sealskinz.com.

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Common Running Injuries

While running is an excellent way to keep fit whatever your age, injuries can happen. Although inexperienced runners whose muscles are not used to the strain are most at risk, experienced runners can also suffer injuries. There are five main injuries that are caused by running and each can be prevented or treated.

The Knees

It is perhaps the knees which give runners the most problems. Indeed, most specialists confirm that knee injuries are the most common injury that they have to deal with. Generally speaking, knee pain, or as it is often referred to, runner's pain, is caused by a swelling that occurs under the kneecap but can manifest itself as pain at either the front or the back of the knee.

If you suffer from knee pain it should be immediately treated by placing an ice pack on the painful area. The ice, however, should never be applied directly to the skin. You can also ease the problem by stretching your knees regularly. If the problem worsens you should consult a specialist and take a break from running until it is completely resolved.

The Achilles
Regular running can also have a bad effect on the Achilles tendon. This is a tough, rubbery cord that is located behind the heel or ankle. The symptoms can either be a continuous but minor pain or a sharp and sudden pain. To ease the risk of Achilles injuries you can try putting heel wedges in your training shoes. These can be found in most good sports shops.
If you do experience tendon pains you can treat them with an ice pack or by gently massaging the problem area. If the pain is minor you can start running again once it has cleared, but if the pain is sharper the tendon may be torn and you will need to have it professionally treated.

The Shin
Shin pain or 'shin splints' as it is commonly known, is experienced in the area just below the knee on the front of the leg. If you start to experience pain in this area you should stop running immediately rather than thinking you can simply 'run it off', because serious damage may occur if you continue.
As with the other problems, you can treat shin splints with an ice pack but you must take a break from running for two or three weeks at least. If the problem still persists after three weeks or swelling occurs then you must visit a specialist.

The Heel
Officially referred to as 'plantar fasciitis', heel pain tends to occur when you make a dramatic change to your running routine. For example, increasing the length of your runs or including more uphill running can put an increased pressure on the area of the heel. 

Not wearing appropriate footwear with sufficient support can also add to the risk of damaging this area. Heel pain is generally experienced as a short sharp pain and again can be eased with an ice pack. You should take a break from running for at least ten days and visit a specialist if the symptoms have not improved after the ten-day period.

The Hamstring
Finally, new runners are especially susceptible to muscle strains, the most common of which is in the hamstring. While the majority of strains can be treated at home they can often take a long time to heal. In fact, in the most serious cases those who suffer a hamstring injury are forced to refrain from running for anything up to six months.



Zoe is a fitness and health blogger who enjoys a varied fitness routine using fitness equipment from Reebok. She enjoys running on the weekends, and attending Zumba and Pilates classes during the week to maintain a healthy fitness level.

The Ab Workout for Better Sex

Have you even noticed that you sure do use those abdominals a lot when you are in the bedroom? When you are having sex there are a lot of muscles at work but none get as much attention as your abs and core muscles. So it makes sense that if you can improve the strength and endurance in this area that it will pay off in another area, right? Strong abs pays dividends in a lot of ways. To start, they look good, also they help with a lot of motions such as thrusting ones, and lastly they protect your lower back.

Better Sex Ab Circuit

Always perform this circuit before your regular workout rather than after. It makes a great warm-up and you will get a much better work-out when you have the most energy and attention. This is designed as a circuit where you do each exercise for 30 seconds followed by a 10-15 second rest. Repeat the circuit one or two times (work up to three total circuits).

Weighted Jackknifes - Lie flat on your back with a light medicine ball between your ankles. Raise your arms straight towards the ceiling. Lift your legs off the ground and raise them towards the ceiling while simultaneously crunching your upper abs to lean forward with your arms. The goal is to touch the ball with your fingers. Reverse the motion and slowly lower your legs and shoulders down but stop before either touches the ground and go back up again.

Ball-Toss Sit-ups - Assume a normal sit-up position with knees bent, feet flat on the ground, and shoulders on the ground. Hold a medicine ball in your hands with your arms raised above your head (flat on the ground). Now do a sit-up and as you come up brings your arms down so the ball touches your knees. Pause, and then reverse the motion.

Core Planks - Assume a push-up position but with your forearms flat on the ground instead of your heads. Keep your body flat like a plank of wood and hold for 30 seconds. To make it harder rest your forearms on a Swiss/stability ball.

Boxing Twists - Assume a sit-up position while holding a medicine ball in your hands at chest level. Dig your heels down while you crunch up to a 45 degree angle. Pause, then twist to the left and reach the ball out to touch the ground. Twist all the way to the right and touch the ball to the ground. Come back to centre and then slowly recline flat to finish one rep.

Ball Knee-Thrusts - Assume a push-up position on a stability ball with your feet on the ground. Keep your body flat and thrust your right knee forward towards your chest until it touches the ball and then go back to the starting position. Alternate your legs as fast as you can.

There you have it; a serious abdominal workout that also targets the hips and other areas of the core. Do this for a few weeks and you should notice improvements on multiple fronts!



For more great health and fitness information to help invigorate your love life, visit Nutribomb Bodybuilding Supplements. You can also get our updated blog posts at our Google Plus Page.

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Five Fitness Tips for Busy Professionals

If you want to get in shape and increase your fitness level, it won’t be easy. It takes hard work and dedication, and you have to resist the urge to quit. People can make up all kinds of excuses for not getting in shape. It’s especially easy for workaholics to put exercise and fitness at the bottom of their priorities, but they don’t have to. Here are five fitness tips for busy professionals.

Schedule Your Workouts

When you’re so busy with work, it’s incredibly easy to skip exercising because you think you don’t have time for it. If you think you can’t make time for it, you’re probably going about things the wrong way. Instead of hoping to fit in a workout, schedule one ahead of time. 

Actually put it into your daily schedule and block out a set time that is dedicated to exercise and nothing else. Treat your scheduled workout just like a meeting with a client – you’ve set a time and date, and you can’t miss it.

Split Your Workouts
If it’s difficult for you to find a spare half-hour or hour to work out, then try splitting your workouts into smaller parts. Maybe you have 10 minutes free a few times per day, and you can do three 10-minute workouts instead of one 30-minute workout. Try to keep a high level of intensity. These shorter workouts can actually be incredibly effective if you give them your all.

Carry a Pedometer
Pedometers come in very small and compact packages, and you can wear one without anyone being able to notice (if that concerns you). A pedometer is a great way to inspire a busy professional to step things up throughout the day. Walking is so important for good fitness. Setting a goal for a number of steps, and being able to check your progress periodically throughout the day, might encourage you to make the extra effort to walk more.

Get Fit in Other Ways
Working out will keep you fit, but it’s not the only way to make sure your body and mind are healthy. If you don’t have much time to work out, focus on making other areas of your life healthier. For example, make sure that every meal you eat is nutritious and healthy, and don’t overdo it with dessert or treats. Also, know how important it is to get a good night’s rest. A lack of sleep will affect your fitness, so make it a priority to go to bed at a decent, consistent time for at least seven hours whenever possible.

Get a Partner
If someone else in your office also has the goal to work out more, team up with them and help motivate each other. When you schedule workouts with a friend, you’ll be less likely to cancel because you know that someone else is counting on you to be there. You can help inspire each other when things get tough, and you can encourage each other to push harder and stick to the commitment.



David R writes for Engagement Health. Click Here to learn more.

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5 tips for Working Out When you Don't Feel Like It

Even the most dedicated, passionate exercisers have days where they just don’t feel like getting out of bed, let alone feeling motivated to work out. Just getting started is the most difficult part, and usually just by giving yourself a reminder of how good you feel when you’re done is enough. There are some people who don’t enjoy exercise as much and seem to give into the temptation to miss that healthy dose of physical activity far too easily. 

Eventually, one day turns into several, and the good exercise habit that was developed quickly goes to the wayside. Don’t give up, the next time you try and talk yourself into skipping your work out consider these tips for getting motivated.

Turn up the tunes and commit to just five minutes of exercise

A favorite upbeat song gets many people moving. Tell yourself that you only have to commit to five minutes of movement, and before you know it you’ll feel great as well as motivated to begin your workout routine. Not only can music inspire you to start, it can often help you work out harder and longer.

If you’re an early morning exerciser, consider setting your alarm clock to one of your favorite upbeat songs to get you in the mood; or even better, put that alarm clock far out of reach so you have to get out of bed to shut it off. By the time you reach it, the music may have already done its magic.

Motivational quotes that inspire work outs
Keep a list of motivational quotes easily accessible for days that you don’t want to work out.

• “The stronger you are, the better you feel.” 
• “The hardest step for a runner is the first one out the front door.”
• “The body achieves what the mind believes.”
• “Do not give up; the beginning is always the hardest.”
• “Of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

Get dressed for the part
You can trick your mind to want to get in the exercise groove just by going through the normal actions you would to get ready to workout. Get your workout clothes on, lace your shoes and fill up your water bottle.

Tell your friends
Tell everyone you know, through Twitter or Facebook pages, of your workout plans. It’s a lot harder to skip out when you know there are people you might be inspiring to exercise. When you’ve finished, you can boast about your accomplishments.

Find something new
You might be getting bored with your exercise routine if it’s becoming more and more difficult to get motivated to workout. Try a change of location – a new running route or trail, or check out a fitness class. Any type of physical activity, as long as you get your heart rate up, is productive.


Isaac Sanger is a staff writer from Seattle, Washington and works for Cascade Healthcare Solutions, an online retailer of healthcare supplies for individuals.

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Struggling To Find Time To Exercise? Get and Stay Fit From Home!

If you are determined to raise your activity levels and improve your fitness there are a lot of things that you can do at home without having to fork out a lot of money for a gym membership, which you will probably never use enough times to be able to cover your membership fees. Deciding to do something about your level of fitness is not a decision that you can only make as a New Year’s resolution, anytime is a good time to start looking after your health and well being.

In order to maintain optimal health adults are advised to partake in at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week, and in order to reduce obesity rates research suggest that the amount of activity should be extended to between 45 and 60 minutes. Thankfully the market is flooded with equipment that will allow you to exercise in the privacy and comfort of your own home, and it is also becoming more affordable now than it ever was.

The Nintendo Wii
The Wii Fit has lead a revolution in home fitness, making exercising at home fun, and even a little competitive, giving it a social edge that other TV/DVD fitness programs have lacked. Wii Fit is now one of the top three pieces of home fitness equipment in use today. Having a workout at home every day is great but safety should always be taken into account especially when using the Wii; make sure that you always use the wrist strap on the controller to stop it from flying out of your hand and causing untold damage, and make sure that you leave enough space around you to be able to perform all of the necessary moves without bumping into anything.

The Home Gym
To get the most out of a home gym you need to ensure that you keep up your motivation to use it, or before you know it all of that home gym equipment that you paid a lot of money for will become nothing more than an expensive clothes horses. To save money on your gym equipment avoid the big name brands and go for the lesser known option, the equipment will be of similar quality you just won’t be paying for the name. 

Things like dumbbells can be used just about anywhere in the house, even when you are waiting for the kettle to boil! Not all equipment needs to cost a lot of money either, a skipping rope is probably one of the cheapest pieces of equipment you can buy, it will boost your activity levels, help you to burn off fat and take up next to no room in your home.

Fitness DVD
There is an extensive array of fitness DVD to choose from, from yoga, to aerobics to Pilates to zumba! The interest for fitness videos started in the 1980’s with Jane Fonda and since then celebrities have been falling over themselves to get their own DVD onto the stores shelves. Providing you have the space in your living room to perform all of the actions that you are being asked to you should be fine with a DVD.



Don't forget to get you kids active, too! Visit Puddle Ducks now for swimming lessons for all ages.

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10 Reasons to Take Up Cycling

Taking up cycling may be one of the best decisions you will ever make. Cycling is great if you want to improve your fitness and health levels, save money and save the environment, but it also has many less obvious benefits. The following ten reasons to take up cycling will have you strapping on a helmet and hitting the road in no time.

1. Save Travel Time

If you live in a major city, chances are you have spent a large portion of your life sitting in traffic. Commuting by bike can help you reach your destination in half the time of driving. 

On average, drivers spend about 30 minutes of each hour during rush hour waiting in traffic, going nowhere. The average rush hour speed is just seven miles per hour, but cyclists can whiz by traffic at average speeds of 12 to 15 miles per hour. This means you can get where you need to go faster by bike.

2. Body Benefits

Riding a bike is great for your health. Cycling increases cardiovascular fitness, balance, flexibility, strength, stamina, endurance and calories burned.

3. Stress Relief

A proven stress releaser, cycling is good for your mind. Most cyclists arrive at their destination feeling energized and relaxed because of the endorphins released during exercise. Riding a bike is also simply fun!

4. Taking the Scenic Route

People who rely on subway systems miss out on many aboveground views of their city, and drivers experience the world through a window. Cyclists, in contrast, move in the open air, surrounded by the sights, smells and sounds of their destination. This means that every ride is an adventure.

5. Boost Brain Power

According to a study conducted by Illinois University researchers, the cardiovascular improvements caused by cycling led to a boost of up to 15 percent in mental tests. Cycling boosts oxygen and blood flow to the brain an also stimulates new cell growth in the brain's hippocampus, the region that controls memory.

6. Improved Immunity

Moderate exercise increase the ability of the immune system to fight off infections. A recent study from the University of North Carolina asserts that cyclists who hit the road for a half hour each day take half as many sick days as those who do not bike.

7. Saving the Planet

Everyone knows that bikes produce zero pollution, but bike production also takes about five percent of the energy needed to make just one car. They also don't consume gas, emit exhaust or create noise pollution.

8. Save Money

Depending on the vehicle, it takes up to 30 cents per mile to drive a car. This figure includes costs like maintenance, gas, oil and other expenses that increase the more you drive but does not include costs like taxes, depreciation and insurance. Add in those costs, and the actual cost to operate a car is much higher. Cycling saves you money because the only investment needed is the initial cost of the bike plus routine maintenance.

9. Improved Productivity

A study conducted by the University of Bristol shows that people who cycle to work are more motivated, less stressed and more productive throughout the day.

10. Better Sleep

People who cycle for 30 minutes three times a week sleep better. They fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Researchers believe cycling is especially effective for sleep improvement because it exposes riders to daylight, syncs the circadian rhythms and reduces cortisol in the body, the hormone that can prevent deep sleep.

What are you waiting for? Get your self a bike today and take your fitness to the next level. You definitely can't go wrong!





Jason is Personal Trainer and cycling addict from Brisbane, Australia. He often recommends cycling for his clients who are after a great workout with minimal impact on the body. Jason chooses to ride Merida road bikes because of their comfort and superior build quality.