A good warm up is essential in training and racing. Now is your opportunity to learn how to warm up correctly, as well as your chance to understand "that those strange people were never trying to push the wall down after all."
Warming up correctly
The reason behind a decent warm up is mainly to assist you in avoiding injuries and the aches and pains that come with exercise. The physiological reason is to assist your circulatory system in pumping the blood carrying oxygen to your muscles. A warm up can consist of a light walk before exercise and if you have a history of poor circulation, then a warm shower will go a long way in assisting your circulatory system. Once you have activated your system, you can further assist it by doing the following warm up routine which consist of a few exercises.
Warm up exercises
Head (neck). Start with your chin in close to your chest and begin rotating your head clockwise and then anti-clockwise. Repeat exercise a few times. Do slowly - don't jerk. Please, note that in some circles this exercise is considered dangerous, so if you have any problems with your neck and vertebrae exclude this from your routine.
Shoulders, arms and torso. Start by shrugging your shoulders. Gently swing your arms, then twist round lightly at the waist, roll your shoulders and circle your wrists.
Now stand with your legs slightly apart with the palms of your hands against the side of your legs. Lean gently to the left running your hand down your leg towards your knee, change to the right side going through the same routine. Repeat a few times.
Legs. Lean forward gently and place your hands against the wall. Keep your rear leg straightened with your heel touching the ground. Then bring your chest closer to the wall by bending your arms. Keep your leg straight and your heel flat on the ground. Hold in this position for 10/20 seconds.
Now concentrate on the foreleg, which is in a bent position. Straighten your leg slowly and push your chest away from the wall by straightening your arms. Hold in this position for 10/20 seconds. Alternate/change legs and repeat the routine a few times. Do the exercises slowly so that you stretch your muscles gently. No bouncing during the exercise.
Do the next exercise very slowly. Balance on your left leg, supporting yourself by holding onto something stable. Bend your right knee slightly, bring one foot up behind you and grasp the ankle/right foot with your left hand and vise versa for quad stretch - this is for a more natural movement of the knee. Pull your heel gently towards your buttocks, keeping your knees together. Feel the stretch at the front of your thigh (quadriceps. Hold for 10 seconds and then change legs and repeat exercise. Please, note that in some circles this exercise is considered dangerous or a high risk exercise, so avoid this exercise unless you are supple (loose) in the thigh (quadricep) area and have no history of injury in this area.
Ankles and feet. Balance on your left leg, supporting yourself by holding onto something or someone for support. Point your right foot/toes forward. Gently rotate to make small circles your foot. Alternate/change legs and repeat procedure.
Lastly, place your feet together. Hold onto a wall or ledge for balance then push up and down your toes for 10/20 seconds.
Always try to do this routine before you exercise and remember do slowly and gently without bouncing.
[*This article is extracted from www.time-to-run.com]
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
How To Start Running With 10-Easy-Steps
This article is written by Cynthia Hayward to assist beginners in making their introduction to running more pleasant and safe.
1. Invest in a good pair of running shoes. You don't have to buy the top of the range, which could set you back several hundred rands. However, it's important to ensure that your shoes will provide sufficient cushioning to protect your back and lower limbs from injury. Buying your first pair of running shoes
2. Walk before you run! For the first four weeks you should have a 5-15 minute warm-up walk before breaking into a trot, followed by a warm-down stroll.
3. Make sure you run/walk at least three times a week. You won't really benefit if you do less than this. However, don't run if you're unwell, as this might increase the time you'll take to recover.
4. Don't run two days in a row for the first two months. Give your muscles and tendons a chance to adapt to running.
5. Run for time, not distance. Your running program should be designed to gradually increase the time you spend on your feet, rather than the kilometers.
6. Avoid drastic increases in time on your feet. If you ran a total of thirty minutes last week, don't increase this by more than ten minutes the following week.
7. Avoid copying top athletes! These runners were born with superior genes that enables their bodies to handle stress loads that ordinary runners cannot cope with.
8. Be patient! Don't be in a hurry to enter road races, etc., no matter how much your friends pressurise you. Wait until you can run at least 30 minutes without resting before lining up for that first 5km fun run.
9. Find a like-minded friend to run with. Some of the greatest friendships have been formed during training runs.
10. Enjoy your running! It's nice to be competitive, but not if the pressures are going to impact on your health and general life style. Avoid getting into the trap of entering a race every week, come what may, because this is the surest way of becoming injured.
[*This article is extracted from www.time-to-run.com ]
1. Invest in a good pair of running shoes. You don't have to buy the top of the range, which could set you back several hundred rands. However, it's important to ensure that your shoes will provide sufficient cushioning to protect your back and lower limbs from injury. Buying your first pair of running shoes
2. Walk before you run! For the first four weeks you should have a 5-15 minute warm-up walk before breaking into a trot, followed by a warm-down stroll.
3. Make sure you run/walk at least three times a week. You won't really benefit if you do less than this. However, don't run if you're unwell, as this might increase the time you'll take to recover.
4. Don't run two days in a row for the first two months. Give your muscles and tendons a chance to adapt to running.
5. Run for time, not distance. Your running program should be designed to gradually increase the time you spend on your feet, rather than the kilometers.
6. Avoid drastic increases in time on your feet. If you ran a total of thirty minutes last week, don't increase this by more than ten minutes the following week.
7. Avoid copying top athletes! These runners were born with superior genes that enables their bodies to handle stress loads that ordinary runners cannot cope with.
8. Be patient! Don't be in a hurry to enter road races, etc., no matter how much your friends pressurise you. Wait until you can run at least 30 minutes without resting before lining up for that first 5km fun run.
9. Find a like-minded friend to run with. Some of the greatest friendships have been formed during training runs.
10. Enjoy your running! It's nice to be competitive, but not if the pressures are going to impact on your health and general life style. Avoid getting into the trap of entering a race every week, come what may, because this is the surest way of becoming injured.
[*This article is extracted from www.time-to-run.com ]
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Many Benefits Of Running
There are a number of different benefits which an individual can gain from running on a regular basis. There are some runners who run simply for the joy of running but there are others who run because they realize there are a great deal of benefits which can be gained from rigorous exercise such as running. Some of these benefits may include weight loss, improved cardiovascular health, improved bone health, improved mood and better coordination. This article will briefly describe how running can result in each of these benefits.
Those who are looking to lose a few pounds often find running to be one of the most effective forms of exercise for helping them to achieve their ideal body weight. Running is an excellent form of exercise for losing weight because it requires a great deal of energy. This energy requirement means the body burns a large number of calories while running. The number of calories burned while running is typically significantly more than would be burned during less taxing forms of exercise such as walking or doing yoga. The simplest formula for weight loss includes burning off more calories than the individual consumes. When this type of calorie deficit is created, the body begins to shed excess weight in the form of fat. In order to lose one pound of body weight, the body must create a calorie deficit of 3500 calories. This is equal to burning 500 calories per day. Most runners can easily burn off this many calories in less than one hour of exercise. The number of calories burned while running depends on a number of factors including the individual’s weight, the intensity of the workout and the efficiency of the runner.
Improved cardiovascular health is another benefit of running. Some of the benefits of running include lowering the blood pressure and helping the arteries to maintain their elasticity. While runner, the arteries expand and contract approximately three times as much as they do when you are sedentary. This means you are not only working out to improve your physical appearance but also the overall function of your body. In doing this the risk of heart attack and stroke becomes diminished.
Running is also beneficial for slowing down the aging process. Those who run regularly are less likely to experience bone and muscle loss as they age at the same pace as those who do not run regularly or at all. The bones grow and become stronger by responding to physical demands. Those who lead a rather sedentary lifestyle do not put this type of demand on their bones and as a result the bones may become weaker. When this happens the individual is more likely to be susceptible to osteoporosis as they age. Conversely, those who run on a regular basis are continually taxing their muscles and their bones so the bones are stimulated to remain stronger and do not as easily weaken with age.
Running can also have many psychological benefits. Most significantly runners typically report being happier and feeling less stressed than their counterparts who do not run or exercise regularly. Running actually has the ability to alter an individuals moods because hormones called endorphins are released while running. These hormones create a sense of euphoria often referred to as a runner’s high and can result in an improvement in the runner’s mood. Running has also been reported to alleviate stress in most runners. There are a number of factors which may contribute to running lowering stress levels. One of the most obvious reasons is the act of running allows the individual to focus on the task at hand instead of being worried or stressed about work, family or other stressors in his daily life. Additionally, running can be very challenging on the body which can result in the individual feeling a sense of accomplishment by completing the run which shifts the focus of his attention from negative stressors to a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Improved coordination is another worthwhile benefit which may be gained from running. This may seem surprising to many who assume it is not possible to gain these types of benefits from running simply because it is such a simple sport. However, there is some coordination involved in running. Trail running which involves running on unpaved trails especially requires a great deal of coordination. The uneven surface combined with obstacles such as rocks and tree roots can make trail running quite difficult. However, runners who regularly run on these types of services, quickly learn to maintain better control over their bodies to prevent tripping and stumbling while running. Even running on a flat surface which is paved can also result in improved coordination because it forces the body to work together to keep the runner upright and traveling in the correct path. Those who run regularly typically move more fluidly than those who do not run or engage in any type of regular exercise.
[*This article is extracted from www.therunnersguide.com]
Those who are looking to lose a few pounds often find running to be one of the most effective forms of exercise for helping them to achieve their ideal body weight. Running is an excellent form of exercise for losing weight because it requires a great deal of energy. This energy requirement means the body burns a large number of calories while running. The number of calories burned while running is typically significantly more than would be burned during less taxing forms of exercise such as walking or doing yoga. The simplest formula for weight loss includes burning off more calories than the individual consumes. When this type of calorie deficit is created, the body begins to shed excess weight in the form of fat. In order to lose one pound of body weight, the body must create a calorie deficit of 3500 calories. This is equal to burning 500 calories per day. Most runners can easily burn off this many calories in less than one hour of exercise. The number of calories burned while running depends on a number of factors including the individual’s weight, the intensity of the workout and the efficiency of the runner.
Improved cardiovascular health is another benefit of running. Some of the benefits of running include lowering the blood pressure and helping the arteries to maintain their elasticity. While runner, the arteries expand and contract approximately three times as much as they do when you are sedentary. This means you are not only working out to improve your physical appearance but also the overall function of your body. In doing this the risk of heart attack and stroke becomes diminished.
Running is also beneficial for slowing down the aging process. Those who run regularly are less likely to experience bone and muscle loss as they age at the same pace as those who do not run regularly or at all. The bones grow and become stronger by responding to physical demands. Those who lead a rather sedentary lifestyle do not put this type of demand on their bones and as a result the bones may become weaker. When this happens the individual is more likely to be susceptible to osteoporosis as they age. Conversely, those who run on a regular basis are continually taxing their muscles and their bones so the bones are stimulated to remain stronger and do not as easily weaken with age.
Running can also have many psychological benefits. Most significantly runners typically report being happier and feeling less stressed than their counterparts who do not run or exercise regularly. Running actually has the ability to alter an individuals moods because hormones called endorphins are released while running. These hormones create a sense of euphoria often referred to as a runner’s high and can result in an improvement in the runner’s mood. Running has also been reported to alleviate stress in most runners. There are a number of factors which may contribute to running lowering stress levels. One of the most obvious reasons is the act of running allows the individual to focus on the task at hand instead of being worried or stressed about work, family or other stressors in his daily life. Additionally, running can be very challenging on the body which can result in the individual feeling a sense of accomplishment by completing the run which shifts the focus of his attention from negative stressors to a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Improved coordination is another worthwhile benefit which may be gained from running. This may seem surprising to many who assume it is not possible to gain these types of benefits from running simply because it is such a simple sport. However, there is some coordination involved in running. Trail running which involves running on unpaved trails especially requires a great deal of coordination. The uneven surface combined with obstacles such as rocks and tree roots can make trail running quite difficult. However, runners who regularly run on these types of services, quickly learn to maintain better control over their bodies to prevent tripping and stumbling while running. Even running on a flat surface which is paved can also result in improved coordination because it forces the body to work together to keep the runner upright and traveling in the correct path. Those who run regularly typically move more fluidly than those who do not run or engage in any type of regular exercise.
[*This article is extracted from www.therunnersguide.com]
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