Choosing Sporting Good Shoes Is Important Task
Getting the hot body that you want doesn’t only involve dieting. You have to exercise, too. There are a lot of ways to exercise. Walking from your house to the office or simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator are just some examples of exercises.
But if you have more time to spare, why not take up a sport? Finding the right kind of sport will take a lot of time and effort. But all you really have to do is think of what’s best for you. It has to be fun for you to become happily healthy while doing your favorite sport. With a healthy diet and a fun sport, there is no doubt that you’ll have a leaner body after weeks of maintaining it.
For starters, finding the correct pair of shoes is the most crucial part. You should always have to match your shoes with your sport because if you don’t, it could cause injury or worse, accidents could happen. To give you some important factors to look for when looking for the shoe, here is a list of characteristics.
Size. Shoe size should fit well and snug since shoes tend to stretch after strenuous workout. Also, never forget that proportion is important. Always check the mirror for your silhouette. If you’re petite, avoid chunky shoes since it adds weight to your height which will only make you look smaller.
Quality. Without a doubt, this is the most important factor. The quality of the fabric and details matter so much. You wouldn’t want quirky designs falling off and fabric tearing apart with just a little stumble. Usually, the branded ones have the best quality since their company is holding a valuable reputation hence the informative advertisements complete with the scientific breakthrough discoveries just to get your money’s worth, so to speak.
Color. Neutral colors are your best bet. But choosing a crisp white pair will add points to make you look more professional and well-trained. For the adventurous fashionistas, who never fail to impress random people with their style, you can opt for punchy colors, too. Just make sure you have track suits with compatible colors to match them with.
Durability. This need not to be questioned since this is definitely what we need. A durable pair of shoes will help you get through the different vigorous activities that you’ll encounter during your workout session, especially when you have set your eyes on mounting climbing.
Comfort. Comfort is essential since you’ll need a lot of it. What with all the backbreaking and arduous exercises, an uncomfortable pair of trainers will be the last thing you’ll ever need. You’ll be standing on your toes most of the time unless you’re going for Pilates and yoga. So better be ready and get the best shoes that could pamper your feet while you sweat it out.
James Brown writes about http://www.sportfootwearstore.com
How To Run Safely
Susan was a slave to her schedule. Rain or shine, she laced on her running shoes and set out on her daily jog. She left at the same time, ran the same route, and arrived home at the same time.
It was like clockwork. And the schedule that gave Susan comfort gave the mugger opportunity. Susan knew there was trouble the moment he pulled his car beside her on the curb and asked for directions.
She kept running, he kept following. This day belonged to Susan, though. A mounted policeman crossed her path, and she yelled for help.
The car sped off, but was caught two blocks later. The driver was wanted for armed robbery and rape, and admitted that he had singled out Susan because he knew when and where to find her.
On Your Mark
* If you are a new runner, visit your physician for a complete medical examination if you have high blood pressure or lipids; a personal or family history of health problems; or if you are: over 35 years of age; overweight; physically inactive and easily fatigued; a smoker.
* Get fit before starting to run. Consult a medical professional for strengthening exercises and stretches for running.
* Warm up before you run. Afterwards, cool down to enable your body to gradually return to normal.
Plan Carefully
* Choose a safe time and place to run. Walk the route first.
* If possible run on grass or dirt. Knee injuries can occur if you run on hard surfaces.
* Avoid running on roadways. However, if you must run there:
-avoid peak traffic hours.
-run on the shoulder facing traffic at all times.
-obey all traffic signals.
-do not run on snow or ice covered roads.
Automobile drivers have enough distractions.
* Wear light colored clothing at dawn or dusk, and bright clothes in daytime.
* Alter your route. Don’t be predictable, which would allow someone to assume you would pass by at a certain time. Think of Susan.
* If you must run at night or in inclement weather, choose well-lighted, populated areas. Wear highly visible white or reflective clothing. To improve your chances of being seen, carry a flashlight.
* Save the safest area of your route for the end of your run. You are most fatigued then and less able to deal with an emergency situation. Reserve some energy for emergencies.
* Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of a car, even when you have the right-of-way.
* Avoid running on narrow, twisting or hilly roads with no shoulders. You are hard to see, and when two cars approach each other, a hazardous situation occurs.
* Carry personal identification, including the person to contact in an emergency, and important medical information, such as blood type or allergies.
* Join a running association to get training tips.
Stay Alert At All Times
* Never run with headphones.
* Avoid running near doorways, alleys, or dense shrubs.
* Always tell someone where you will be running and when you will return. Better yet, run with a friend.
* If you use a jogging path, run during the popular hours.
* Do not wear bright or expensive jewelry. It can attract thieves.
* Ignore verbal harassment.
* Do not daydream. Run with your head up. Be aware of your surroundings.
* Know the places where you could get help if necessary.
* Avoid areas with aggressive dogs. The best way to treat a barking dog is to act as if you are ignoring it, but stay alert for an attack.
* Do not run between a dog and its owner, especially a child.
* If you suspect a car is following you, run the other way. Don’t hesitate to holler “I’m being followed” if you suspect someone is following you. Draw attention to yourself.
John Myre is the author of the award-winning book, Live Safely in a Dangerous World, http://www.thesafetybook.com. It was selected from a field of over 1500 entries as one of the Ten Outstanding Books of the Year in the 2003 Independent Publisher Awards competition.
Will Women Ever Outrun Men in a Marathon?
What is the greatest individual achievement in the history of sport? How about Barry Bonds hitting 73 home runs in a season? Wilt Chamberlain once scored 100 points in a single basketball game. Golf fans will never forget Tiger winning the 1997 U.S. Masters by a remarkable 12-strokes.
Very few Americans will mention Paula Radcliffe or her performance at the 2004 London Marathon, a feat that some are calling the greatest achievement in the history of running.
Forget running. What Paula did should rank with the greatest achievements in the history of ANY sport, especially by a woman. At age 29, 5 feet 8 inches and 119 pounds, Paula surprised nearly everyone except herself by smashing her own world record, finishing 26.2 miles in a spectacular time of 2 hr 15 minutes 25 seconds. That is an astounding average of 5:09 per mile.
To put it in perspective, in 2003 only 9 British and 13 American men ran faster. She finished 16th overall in London, a major international marathon. Could this unprecedented breakthrough be a sign that woman are catching the men?
Closing the gender gap maybe, but most experts still doubt that the top woman marathoner in the world will ever beat the top man. As impressive as this performance was, remember that 128 men from Kenya broke 2 hr 15 min in 2002, including 37 who broke 2 hr 10 min.
If anything, Paulas performance might have been the wake-up call that American and British male distance runners needed. Getting beat by a Kenyan has been no big deal for Americans in recent years, but its another story when you consider yourself a world-class endurance athlete and cannot beat a woman. U.S. men had to either get used to it or figure out a way to run faster.
While not on par with Kenya, marathoning in the U.S. has improved since 2002, with a handful of Americans now capable of placing in any major international race.
Paula Ratcliffe has talent, a tremendous work ethic, and the tenacity of a champion. She was diagnosed with asthma at 14. Running up to 130 miles per week in preparation for London she was hit by a cyclist near the end of a long run. She went down hard, dislocating her jaw in the process. Two days later she was back on the roads.
As a successful professional runner, Paula enjoys luxuries most other runners cannot afford. Its been reported that she gets a 2-hour nap every day on top of 9-10 hours every night. She has a nutritionist tell her what to eat, an osteopath to keep her aligned, a physiotherapist to relieve aches and pains, a coach to tell her how to train, and a physiologist to evaluate her fitness.
Her training program includes weight training, flexibility, plyometrics, and an array of specifically designed drills and exercises. Put it all together with a fast course and perfect weather and you get one of the most spectacular performances in the history of sport.
As great as she is, on any given day a handful of men will always beat Paula. Time will tell if the best woman marathoner with everything going for her will ever outrun all of the best men in a major international marathon. Close maybe, but not likely.
Dave Elger is a well respected authority within the running community having written hundreds of articles on the topics of running and wellness. You can contact him at http://www.daveelger.com. He also supports the Okinawa Running Club at http://www.okinawarunning.com.
Recalling the Mt. Fuji Mountain Race
During my lengthy stay here on Okinawa, I have enjoyed participating in several endurance sporting events. You only live once, right? I
Protect Your Hearing
The last thing I need while running or cycling is music. For me, part of the enjoyment of physical activity is the opportunity it provides to daydream. For me, running has always been that time to generate new ideas or solve old problems.
Occasionally I focus on my workout, monitoring intensity of effort, breathing, speed, foot strike, arm carriage, or pedal rotation on a bike. I like listening to music behind the wheel of a car, but I find it very distracting during a normal workout.
Unfortunately, I may be in the minority. Not long ago, a popular running website published an article featuring the benefits of listening to music while running. It took me a while to realize that this particular piece was actually a paid advertisement sponsored by a well-known company that makes portable music devices.
By coincidence or not, this cleverly disguised ad just happened to appear shortly following a well-publicized story linking hearing impairment to use of portable music devices.
According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, the prevalence of hearing loss in the U.S. has doubled in the last 30 years, affecting more than 28 million Americans. Clinical audiology professor Robert Novak of Purdue University believes a big reason for the increase in Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is the use of portable music devices, which were introduced in 1979. Recently he has been randomly examining college students and finding a level of hearing loss normally seen in middle-age adults.
The extent of NIHL depends on loudness, pitch, and length of exposure to sound. Lawnmowers, motorcycles, jet skis, snowmobiles, power tools, guns, many toys, and loud music pumped through headphones can all affect hearing. The problem is, once you damage your hearing, the impairment becomes permanent.
Sound that is projected through speakers is required to travel through distance and has a chance to dissipate. MP3 players, on the other hand, are made to blast music directly into the ear canal with very little leakage of sound.
Listening to music on MP3s or other portable devices for hours each day has become a trend amoung teens. If and when hearing problems develop, they just turn up the volume to compensate.
This practice worries hearing experts such as Professor Novak, who claims to be seeing more and more patients with older ears on younger bodies.
To protect your hearing, wear earplugs anytime you are exposed to loud noises, and by all means tone it down when you listen to music through headphones. Cut back on the time you spend listening and give your ears an occasional break.
Hearing experts from Boston Childrens Hospital say it is safe to listen to your MP3 player or iPod at 60% volume for 1 hour a day.
Take my advice. Learn to run without music, and let your mind work on something else to avoid boredom. If you must listen to music while you run or workout, keep the volume as low as possible.
Hearing is something you want to preserve for a lifetime.
Dave Elger is a well respected authority within the running community having written hundreds of articles on the topics of running and wellness. You can contact him at http://www.daveelger.com. He also supports the Okinawa Running Club at http://www.okinawarunning.com.
Improve Your Running with Proper Breathing
There seems to be a great deal of confusion these days over the proper way to breathe while running or jogging.
According to the text Physiology of Sport and Exercise by Wilmore and Costill the need to breathe increases in direct proportion to the intensity of work. A mild workload such as brisk walking prompts expansion of the lungs and deeper breathing. As the work becomes more difficult, the rate of breathing also increases.
With the exception of conditions such as asthma, breathing should not limit your ability to run or perform exercise, even at hard efforts. The volume of air entering the lungs is not the problem; it is the bodys inability to extract and use enough oxygen to meet the increased demand that causes you to be out of breath (inspired air contains roughly 20 percent oxygen while expired air has about 16 percent).
Many beginning runners have been misled to believe that the proper way to breathe is to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. While it is true that air is dryer and cooler when inhaled through the mouth, this should not pose a problem unless you are prone to exercise induced asthma.
I call this nose breathing technique self-induced asthma, since inhaling through the nose severely limits the volume of air that can be delivered to the lungs. I suspect breathing this way has a negative impact on running performance similar to asthma, particularly as speed increases.
Runners should be inhaling and exhaling through both nose AND mouth to a set pattern or rhythm. According to Jack Daniels, a well-respected coach and author of Daniels Running Formula, most elite runners breathe to a 2-2 rhythm. They breathe in while taking 2 steps and out while taking 2 steps. At an easy pace they may switch to a 3-3 rhythm.
2-2 breathing rhythm
Left foot- begin exhale
Right foot- continue exhale
Left foot- begin inhale
Right foot- continue inhale
One problem with this approach is the habit of always inhaling or exhaling on the same footfall, which some experts and coaches believe could lead to side stitches. If you are one of those unfortunate runners prone to side aches, try periodically switching which footfall you exhale on, or even change your breathing rhythm to exhale on alternating right and left footfalls. That gets a little tricky since you will have to adapt an uneven 3-2 or 4-3 breathing pattern (breathing out for more counts than breathing in).
3-2 breathing rhythm
Left foot- begin inhale
Right foot- continue inhale
Left foot- begin exhale
Right foot- continue exhale
Left foot - continue exhale
Right foot- begin inhale
According to DePaul University Track Coach Bill Leach, uneven breathing cycles are effective because pressure in the lung is lower than the atmosphere, causing air to rush in quickly. Take a little extra time to exhale, since leaving residual carbon dioxide in the lungs can impede the delivery of oxygen on the next inhale.
It will help if you practice your breathing pattern while walking before you start running. Carry the technique over to easy jogging and finally during hard race pace running.
Before long your new breathing pattern will become second nature during races and hard training sessions.
Dave Elger is a well respected authority within the running community having written hundreds of articles on the topics of running and wellness. You can contact him at http://www.daveelger.com. He also supports the Okinawa Running Club at http://www.okinawarunning.com.
How You Can Run Fast
You want to know how to run fast. Well I am going to tell you exactly how to run fast and how you can go even faster with proper training. Running is a great way to exercise and stay fit, but if you want to good at sports you need to be a fast runner. The stronger and more powerful you are the faster you will run. Now I will go through some helpful tips and ideas to get you moving even faster than you are today.
Running Technique:
You must have flawless technique and body awareness to run fast or faster. When you run fast or sprint you will use different technique then walking or jogging. When you run fast you want to stay on the balls of you feet and stay on the ground as little as possible. Concentrate on driving the knee up while you spring forward on your opposite leg, then lower the knee and do the same with the other leg. Do not worry about pushing because there is no time; just bring your knees up and down as fast as you can. Use your upper body power to propel you forward by pumping your arms back at a 90 degree angle.
You will feel it in you glutes and hamstrings when you are at top speed, not your quads as much. Practice your technique in your mind and in the gym or track.
How to run even faster with Training:
You need to hit the weights at the gym if you want increase power and strength for running speed. Have you ever seen 100 meter sprinters, these guys are in the gym lifting. Now you must understand how to lift weights to become faster. Always contract your muscles or lift the weight as fast as you can, lower the weight in control. Do heavy weight lifting that you can only lift 5 to 7 times. This is your strength range; you will rely a lot on your Central Nervous System. So you must recover and rest between workouts to see the benefits.
Exercises to Increase Speed:
Everyone can increase force or strength applied to the ground when they run. The more force you push into the ground the faster you will run as long as your limbs still move the same speed. So do exercise that combine speed and strength, and look at your body with your mind not your eyes. The strength of your central nervous system plays a major role in how fast you will be able to run, not how big your muscles are.
Here are some great exercises that can increase your speed dramatically: Squats, Dead lifts, Lunges, Bench Press, 10 Meter Sprints, Skipping Rope, Push ups, Pull ups, Jump Squats. These are compound movements so you will not develop muscle imbalances. Train at least 2 to 4 times a week for 45 to 60 minutes per workout. Work hard and smart.
Do You Want to get Stronger, Faster and more Powerful?
For more weight training articles, and tips Sign up for FREE: http://www.weighttrainingpro.com
Track Shoes - Straight Talk From A Track And Field Athlete
If you are into the sports that are part of track and field, it is important to make sure you get the right shoe. Running shoes are the most important piece of equipment a track lover can purchase. It is important that you, like the pros, spend some time checking out shoes until you find the best running shoes for your individual feet. Despite the temptation, it is vitally important that you avoid buying shoes that simply look good. You need to look for shoes that are going to be right for your feet and your track event. Fashion should, at best, be a secondary factor in your decision.
Once you know that it is important to choose the right running or track shoe, you need to know what it is that you are searching for in your shoe. First of all, you have to realize that shoes for a track and shoes for road and trail running are totally different. One type is made for a nice flat track and the other is made to deal with wet, uneven ground.
If you have the wrong shoe, improperly fitting shoes, or any shoe not proper for your activity, you are putting yourself in danger of injury. Track shoes need to be perfect for your feet or they are just a waste of your money.
When your feet touch the ground, they will roll either towards the outside or for some, towards the inside of the foot. You can find out what you do by checking out the wear on the soles of your current shoes. If your shoes wear out on the outside first, you are under-pronating. On the other hand, if you are wearing out the inside of your shoe more, then you are an over-pronator. If your shoes are not worn, have a fellow track runner watch you run from behind to look and see what you are doing. It is important to know what type of pronator you are so that you can get the right track shoes.
Once you do that, you can determine what you need in a track shoe. If you are a neutral pronator you need a shoe with balance and a flexible makeup. If you under-pronate you will need a well-cushioned shoe. If you are a moderate pronator you will need something with heavy stability. Finally if you are a severe over-pronator you will want what are called motion control training shoes.
Once you have sorted out what kind of track running you are going to do and what kind of pronator you are, you have to consider the fit of the shoe. The best way to tell if a track shoe fits well is to try it on and see if it feels good. Always make sure you try on any shoe you are considering buying.
When it comes to track running, the type of shoe you use is of the utmost importance. No matter what you are doing, you should find the shoe that is the best for your foot. It should first of all be able protect your foot based on what type of running you will be doing. Lastly, make sure you try the shoe on so that you get one that fits properly and will allow you to run the track in comfort.
Joshua Poyoh is the creator of http://www.shoesguide.resources-to.com . For more information on Shoes Guide and Tips, visit http://www.shoesguide.resources-to.com
Can You Smoke and Still Run Marathons?
Smoking does not affect running. Yea, right, and neither does 15 pounds of excess body fat, dehydration, or a two month lay-off.
Anyone who has been to a marathon on Okinawa has witnessed a few of the die-hard locals smoking cigarettes before and after their race, but they are usually part of that group just out for the day trying to finish. They feel they can smoke and still go slow for a long time. Maybe even beat the time they put up last year.
Inhaling smoke from tobacco does many things to the body that significantly compromises airway and blood flow, severely limiting the ability run fast and race to your potential. For example:
Smoking a cigarette immediately increases carbon monoxide in your blood. Instead of floating around harmlessly, carbon monoxide poison latches onto hemo-globin, the molecule responsible for transporting oxygen from your lungs to your muscles. This means less oxygen is getting delivered to your muscles during exercise, resulting in early fatigue and oxygen debt.
According to Australian sports physiologist David Pyne, inhaled smoke causes an immediate 2-3 fold increase of resistance inside the airways of the lungs. One primary cause of this resistance is chronic swelling of the mucous membranes due to constant smoke-related irritation.
Over time, another factor that will slow you down is the accumulation of tar. A pack a day smoker inhales about 2 cups a year, so it does not take long for air exchange to become compromised in the lungs. In effect smokers end up with a smaller lung surface area than non-smokers.
Along with maximal oxygen consumption, lactate threshold is much lower in smokers compared to non-smokers. Lactate threshold is that running speed when lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood, a sure sign that your muscles are not getting enough oxygen to meet the demand. Anyone who runs knows that the earlier you have to start breathing hard, the sooner you must slow down.
Nicotine in tobacco causes blood vessels to constrict, decreasing blood flow to muscle while increasing in blood pressure and heart rate. The heart of a smoker therefore has to work harder than a nonsmoker in order to deliver the same amount of oxygen to the muscles.
Smoking increases the amount of plaque deposited in the arteries. Eventually vessels become narrower and less elastic, with blood flow eventually becoming restricted. Once this happens, endurance is permanently reduced.
Smokers produce more phlegm and often have irritation of the entire respiratory track, making breathing during fast running very difficult.
All of these factors make running more of a chore for smokers. Sure, some smokers are blessed with the ability to run, but the truth is they would feel a whole lot better and run much faster if they quit. Smokers will never run fast relative to their potential, and as long as they continue the habit you can bet they will progressively get slower.
Some smokers may be able to run, and some runners may be able to smoke, but neither will ever be able to win.
Dave Elger is a well respected authority within the running community having written hundreds of articles on the topics of running and wellness. You can contact him at http://www.daveelger.com. He also supports the Okinawa Running Club at http://www.okinawarunning.com.
How to Run a Marathon in Under 2 Hours 40 Minutes
In my late 30s, I was still running decent times and breaking 16 minutes for 5 kilometers, but had not been doing any serious marathon training. As my 40th birthday approached, I decided to give the marathon a shot, just to see how fast I could go.
It turns out that I was fortunate enough to stumble onto a routine that worked extremely well, and I ran the following times after my 40th birthday:
2 hr 38 min Disney World Marathon 94
2 hr 34 min Boston Marathon 94
2 hr 38 min Disney World Marthon 95
2 hr 37 min Fox Cities Marathon 96
2 hr 39 min Disney World Marathon 97
Here is a general outline of what I was doing, as best as I can recall. The focus was always on 3 key workouts per week during the build-up phase, the long runs, the tempo run, and the short interval workout or 5 kilometer race.
Sun long run. I ran up to 17 or 18 miles at 7
minutes per mile pace
Mon easy recovery. Maybe 5 miles at a very relaxed
pace.
Tues medium long run. 10 miles at an easy pace.
Wed easy recovery. Same as Monday
Thurs tempo run 45 min to 60 min at a fast pace
Fri easy run up to 1 hour
Sat intervals, between 4 and 6 x 800 meters very hard, sub 2:30s or 5K race
Here is the twist. Six weeks before my marathon, I upped the medium long run to another long run, so I was doing 2 x 17 mile runs just 2 days apart. I found that I could handle the workouts and recover faster than running 20-22 mile runs. So I tried to do 8 two hour runs in a 4 week time period.
Here is another twist. As much as possible, I did one or both long runs off the road. I felt my legs could recover quicker after a trail run than running on asphalt, especially after 2 long hours of pounding.
I followed the 2 long runs per week routine for 4 weeks. After that, I did not do anything over 90 minutes, and only once or twice at an easy pace.
Two weeks out from race day I did 2 or 3 tempo runs each week for 5-6 miles, which I felt would prepare me physically and mentally for 6 minute per mile pace without tearing me down.
According to one of those Race Time Predictor formulas, a 16 minute time for 5 kilometers means you are capable of a 2 hour 36 minute marathon, while a 16:20 predicts 2 hours 39 minutes. I believe most runners must have that kind of speed over 5 kilometers in order to break 2 hours and 40 minutes for 26.2 miles.
If you can do that and follow this training program, I know you can do it. I did five times in a row!
Dave Elger is a well respected authority within the running community having written hundreds of articles on the topics of running and wellness. You can contact him at http://www.daveelger.com. He also supports the Okinawa Running Club at http://www.okinawarunning.com.
