Long Distance Running - Five Strategies to Preparing for Successful Runs

There are five main factors to take into consideration when preparing to run long distances. From the off set, you will need to make sure that there are a few things which you take into consideration when starting long distance running.

It's all in the Mind!

Initially, it is a mind-set and mentality. Although it is important to know the route which you are going to run, do not worry about being anxious of the distance, in time this will be something less daunting for you to achieve. This is especially true if you are not use to long distance running and are only starting out in this hobby or sport. Motivation is key to your success. This will mean that there will be days which you will feel unmotivated, for example in winter, when it's cold and dark. The best way to motivate yourself during your training is to have your music to hand, and layer up with thin layers as once you start running you will not want to be lugging thick clothes with you. If you prefer some company, try pairing up with a friend.

Staying hydrated and eating healthily

As part of your preparation, it is extremely important to keep yourself hydrated. This is not only during the run itself, but during your normal day. The best way to achieve this is to pick yourself up a water bottle. Making yourself disciplined to keep yourself hydrated will help your body function during your run and in the training leading up to it. Your diet will also play a significant role. High protein and carb snacks and meals will assist in your energy levels. Such snacks as bananas, peanut butter and oats are some great examples. In turn helping you with your training and pre-planning your exercise regime. Many individuals additionally use supplements and protein shakes.

Wear for comfort not for trend

The garments you wear, especially your footwear shall be an important factor in your success to running long distances. Dependant on the terrain you choose to run, there are two may types of running shoes. Trail shoes offer good support on rough terrain, such as woods or parks. Running shoes however, are better suited to the road. Although it is great to look nice and stay on trend, be sure to remember that your main goal is to achieve your personal best in your running. The most fashionable pair of trainers may not necessarily be the best suited to the task in hand.

Keeping your pace and warm up preparation

When you initially start your training, always make sure that you stretch all of your muscles. This maybe something which is obvious, however, you would be surprised how many people forget; often later resulting in injury or pain. The limbering up of your body will help get your muscles and joints ready for the running you are about to take on. Make sure that you set a steady pace during your training, it is not a race. In order to not burn yourself out, before your end goal make sure that you take your time. During your training, it is always good to have a short break, until you have built up the stamina to go all the way. In addition, if you are struggling to run the distance, it may be advised to break up the entirety of the run into smaller sections.

Take a rest and post run recovery

After you have achieved either your training or your long distance run, you will need to make sure that you look after yourself properly. Take the time to stretch any sore and tight muscles, without doing this you will increase the potential of further injury to yourself. Eating a small meal to include carbs and protein will assist your bodies' energy levels to recover back to normal. Drinking lots of fluid after your run shall also help with any dehydration which you may have suffered during the run. If your body is extremely sore, then a good way to assist with recovery would be an ice bath.

For running shoes, sporting goods and athletic wear be sure to visit Keep Fit Sporting Goods, where you'll discover a large range of sporting goods, health supplements, running clothes and accessories.

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When Too Much Personal Fitness Training Is Too Much

The purpose of this article is to pull back the curtain on some of the issues to be on the lookout for when working with a personal trainer. As a personal trainers and a strength and conditioning coach with 10 years of experience, I have encountered many personal trainers, and I have learned many of the things to watch for.

There is one phrase that needs close attention, and that is "scope of practice." Scope of practice is a phrase generally used in the medical field that dictates the boundaries within which doctors and therapists can work. This is applicable to any personal trainer as well, because there are a few boundaries that a trainer should not cross.

The first practice is massage. In most states massage therapists need to be licensed. The title licensed is key, here. The definition of licensure is as follows:

Licensure "is the state's grant of legal authority, pursuant to the state's police powers, to practice a profession within a designated scope of practice. Under the licensure system, states define, by statute, the tasks and function or scope of practice of a profession and provide that these tasks may be legally performed only by those who are licensed. As such, licensure prohibits anyone from practicing the profession who is not licensed, regardless of whether or not the individual has been certified by a private organization."

Certifications, on the other hand, are a voluntary process provided by a PRIVATE organization that states the obtainer has completed preset coursework and a possible exam. This is a very important distinction, as to be licensed means that there is stringent government oversight that dictates the practitioners' ability to perform their trade.

The reason why massage therapists need to be licensed is because giving a massage is an extremely invasive procedure. There is an enormous amount of manipulation of the muscles and body, and there is a certain risk factor with massages, as well.

With the way that muscles are manipulated, it is highly possible for an inexperienced person to cause significant injury to the client. This is why Licensed Massage Therapists spend hundreds of hours studying human anatomy, angles of pinnation, muscle actions, and physiology to understand exactly how to manipulate the body safely.

A lot of personal trainers-- especially the inexperienced-- want to give clients "extra service and attention." Personal trainers will sometimes have a false sense of confidence that they know more than they actually do. This is when inexperienced trainers will break scope of practice, and massage clients to "release trigger points" and alleviate pain. The problem with this is that they underestimate the risk they are putting their clients in.

This is the exact reason that experienced trainers teach their clients to use self-myofascial release. Self-myofascial release consists of things like foam rolling, where a client can work on releasing trigger points, and loosening tight muscles, without ever needing a trainer to put hands on them.

Stretching is another place where trainers can get a little too invasive. A side effect of resistance training is the tightening of muscles. So, stretching is absolutely necessary for maintaining loose muscles and protecting range of motion. Again, with an inexperienced trainer this can lead to injury.

Stretching is definitely within a trainer's scope of practice, BUT it needs to be done responsibly. Overstretching a muscle or stretching a muscle in the wrong direction can lead to muscle or tendon tears. Not following proper protocols for stretching can also lead to injury. Stretching should always be done after a workout; never before. This will protect the client during the workout.

Stretching should ALWAYS be done with muscles that are warmed up. Muscles function almost identically to rubber bands. If you have ever tried to pull a rubber band that is extremely cold, you notice that it is brittle and snaps. Muscles work the same way; if they are cold and the trainer tries to stretch them, there is a risk of them snapping.

This is extremely important when using advanced stretching techniques like PNF stretching, where the muscle is stretched, contracted, and stretched again to create a greater stretch and range of motion. This advanced stretching can easily lead to injury.

It is also key to have great tactile awareness. Your personal trainer in basically where ever you look in Connecticut needs to be experienced enough to know exactly how far to stretch the muscle without going too far.

A knowledge of anatomy and muscle action is also imperative. Muscles move in certain patterns based on their angle of pinnation. If you try to stretch a muscle against the pattern, you are putting the client at risk, or will no longer be hitting the right muscle.

Knowing muscle action is also very important for stretching. Whether a joint is flexed or extended will determine whether certain muscles are contracted or relaxed. It is very easy to teach a client how to stretch themselves properly, which will allow them to control how far and how much pressure is applied. This is a far safer method when supervised by an experienced personal trainer.

Don't forget about the comfort factor for a client. A personal training relationship should be a safe and comfortable one. A personal trainer like where I am located or where ever you are looking should NEVER make a client feel uncomfortable with conversation or "too much" touching. Touching should really be kept to a minimum. The only time a client should ever be touched is to make quick positional adjustments, or in an effort to assist with stretching. This touching should be as minimally invasive as possible, and there should always be consent from the client.

In my 10 years as a very successful personal trainer, I have never had to touch a client for more than a brief position adjustment, to emphasize where the focus of the work should be, or to assist with light stretching, when asked to do so. I have never had an issue with clients being unable to learn how to stretch themselves, or to use self-myofascial release. As personal as this industry is, there is such a thing as too personal!

Finally, the biggest sign of an inexperienced or insecure trainer is over-compensation. I've found the loudest trainer in the room tends to be the one that needs to overcompensate for their lack of knowledge and confidence. These are also the trainers who tend to be the ones to learn a new "skill," and that is all they do until they learn the next one. These trainers have the need to show how much they know by using "parlor trick" exercises or "new" methods, but they do so without any rhyme or reason. The best trainer is the one who can quietly get a client the results they desire for their specific goals, without shouting about it, and without boring the client with information they, honestly, usually don't care about.

The majority of clients don't necessarily care about the how; they just want to reach their goals. It is up to the trainer to have all the tools necessary to help the client achieve those goals. The best trainers I've ever met know a lot about a lot... But you may never know because they don't have the need to prove that they are better than any other trainer. Their sole purpose is to help their clients reach their goals. A good trainer never overdoes new tricks that they learn. Instead, they cherry pick from their bag of knowledge to find the best methods for the right clients!

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Five Benefits of Sprint Training

The main aim and focus of sprinting is to run at your fastest pace for a shorter and more focused amount of time. The easiest way of doing this is by increasing your stamina. Sprinting is a great cardiovascular exercise and is brilliant at increasing your metabolism, even after you have finished your workout. Here are six reasons as to why we would suggest you taking up sprinting over long distance running or jogging.

The overall benefits of sprinting

Firstly, you should consider the active-aging benefits. As you age, the loss of muscle mass can be contributed to by the loss of type II muscle fibres. Doing high-intensity training and workouts such as sprinting is a great way to improve your bodies' type II muscle fibres and maintain your muscle mass through aging. Not only is sprinting great for this, but it will also result in you sculpting your legs with further definition. Besides helping with muscle mass, it is a great way in which you can low your blood pressure, through the build-up of muscles assisting with your heart function. The extra work from sprinting results in your heart work harder, pumping faster and improving circulation around the body. During long distance running your body can increase levels of cortisol, which convert the protein in your body to fuel. By doing this, it reduces the body's ability to build new muscle tissue. However, when you start sprinting, your body promotes the hormones which in turn assist with building muscle. By adding sprinting to your workouts it can help you maintain and increase your levels of lean muscle mass, help tone your glutes, abs and legs, as well as calorie burning, which in turn helps you achieve a more youthful appearance.

Feeling the burn

If you are familiar with HIIT workouts, then this series of sprints is a very effective way to achieve the benefits of these high-intensity intervals training. With your body accelerating at a quicker rate, your heart rate will increase at a higher rate. These styles of exercises help you burn lots of calories in a relatively short amount of time. This also works to help your body burn calories even after you have finished your workout has finished. When you are starting your sprint, the speed of your run will increase the more you do.

Increasing your endurance levels

Sprinting can also help you improve overall aerobic efficiency and your body's ability to use oxygen for fuel. If you are a fan of running in marathons, or long distance, training with the use of sprinting alongside can help improve your aerobic capacity while increasing the total distance you are required to run. When your heart and muscles are working to their limits, this will mean that your body will have to use its reserves in order for your body to continue to function. Sprinting will break down the glucose levels stored and in turn burn an increase level of calories. Therefore the more sprinting which you do the better your endurance shall be, as fatigue levels will set in later after your training.

Range of motion and your joints

When running long distance, you are able to get a limited range of motion. In comparison, sprinting allows for a much large range of motion due to the use of a longer stride, incorporating your ankles, legs, hips and arms to gain the speed you are working towards. If you are a long distance runner you may have had experience of the impact that long distance running can have on your joints. The long distances and running for substantial periods has an increased impact on the pressure put on your joints, such as your knees and ankles. If you are monitoring your running form and are striking with your ball of your foot rather than your heel then you shall reduce the chances of injury.

It's a mind set

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Although sprinting is a hard exercise, especially if you are just starting out, it is important to be resilient and not give up. There will always be set backs, and these are normal for anyone first starting or even if you have lots of experience in doing sprints. Like most forms of exercise, sprinting is a great way of relieving stress; both mentally and physically. This is done when your body releases endorphins into your body, which in turn helps with confidence. By setting goals and reaching these whether it is independently or with a friend you will be able to achieve these and improve over time. Make sure, whatever your long term goal is, to get healthier or to be able to run faster, this is a fun way of getting it done.

There's many great items to help when you begin sprint training, from pedometers to running shoes. Get them all at Keep Fit Sporting Goods.

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Keeping Fit - A Healthy Outlook on Your Fitness and Wellbeing

You are what you eat

Initially there are four main factors which everyone should follow in order to achieve their personal best. The first thing to remember is that your body will only function at its full potential if you provide it with the best fuel to run on. Eating the right foods and banishing junk food, will set your body up with the best start by providing it with the essential nutrition. This requires a balanced diet of carbohydrates, protein and fat, in larger amounts, provides our bodies with energy, helps with growth and maintains our bodies. While vitamins and minerals, in smaller quantities, are also necessary for your body. Water, although does not fall under a nutrient, is essential for healthy living and body function. While eating healthily is important, you should also consider the portion sizes. It is also important that you do not skip meals, as this is in fact counterproductive.

Exercise and fitness

The second most important factor which should be considered is regular exercise. This does not necessarily require intense gym workouts, however, the more exercise you incorporate the best results you will be able to achieve. Most specialists suggest a minimum of an hour of daily gentle exercise, to include walking, jogging and running. Not only will the exercise assist with keeping your lungs and heart, but it shall also keep your blood flowing. If you prefer an activity then both cycling and swimming are good options and cause less stress on joints. This will mean that your muscles are worked and you are able to burn the energy which you have taken in during eating. Although gentle exercise will not particularly target specific muscle groups or help with sculpting or toning, it will help improve general health. Not everybody has the time or finances to be able to go to the gym, however, there are plenty of different exercises and stretches you are able to do in the comfort of your own home.

It's all in the mind!

Having a positive mind set in respect of keeping fit and staying motivated shall make a massive difference to the success of your fitness journey and end goals. It is a lot easier to motivate and gear up to do the daily exercise and the routine needed when the sun is out, but when the weather is dark and dull, it is often difficult to find your self-motivation. Ways in which this can be combatted is to do exercise with a friend, join a class with like-minded individuals, or just listen to your favourite tunes to help get you focused. If you are eating the right foods, then you should have fewer difficulties with energy levels, but the regular exercise will help assist your body performance. This regular exercise will lead to a lot of long term benefits for you both physically as well as mentally. It is known that not only your fitness levels will increase, but exercise helps rewire your brain and reduces stress levels. Therefore, sticking to your plan is always important, and you are the only one in control of your own self-motivation. Another way you could help keep yourself motivated is to set small goals and once you have accomplished them treat yourself to an activity or spa treatment. Do not forget to believe in yourself.

Don't forget to rest

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Fourthly, you are going to need to make sure that the amount of sleep which you get is correct. Sleep is integral to your body functioning properly. In the modern and busy lifestyles which most people have these days, sleep is often something which gets overlooked rather than being made a priority. In turn, the proper amount of exercise will allow you to have better sleep and assist with your energy levels throughout the day. In order to achieve the best outcome for your health, there are in fact optimal times you should exercise during the day. To gain the best results from this, it is better to exercise either in the morning or afternoon rather than during the evening. Exercising at these times shall allow your body temperature to rise and fall just prior to you falling to sleep.

If you're looking to Keep Fit and look after your health, then look no further than Keep Fit Sporting Goods for your one stop shop for all things sport and fitness.

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