RUNNING

RUNNING

1. Frequency of training: three to five days per week

2. Intensity of training: 55/65%-90% of maximum heart rate (HRmax)

3. Duration of training: 20-60 minutes of continuous or intermittent aerobic activity

4. Mode of activity: any activity that uses large muscle groups, which can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmical and aerobic in nature (for example, walking-hiking, running-jogging, cycling-bicycling, cross-country skiing, aerobic dance/group exercise, rope skipping, rowing, stair climbing, swimming, skating, and various endurance game activities or some combination thereof)
Running and jogging are right there, and they count!

What are proper running techniques?
Beginner tips
Sure, you could go out and just run, and there's no evidence to suggest that that won't work just fine. But if you're struggling with running, or something just doesn't feel right, then it might be worth paying attention to your form. The following tips for correct running form are adapted from Runner's World Magazine and Jeff Galloway. I'll start at the top and work down.

Head: You should look forward toward the horizon when you run. To do that, keep your head on top of your spine and do not bend forward or look down at your feet. Your head weighs at least 13 pounds, and you don't want it dragging you down with forward-head posture! The emphasis is on keeping your body erect, because you're fighting gravity when you lean forward (it's okay if you look down at the ground at least 20 feet ahead of you since you won't lean forward to do that). Keep your face and jaw relaxed, too; it's okay if they shake and bounce as you run.

Shoulders: Keep them relaxed and loose. Shrugging, tightening, and creating tension in your shoulders and neck will waste energy and deplete you quickly. Stay loose as a goose!
Torso: As Jeff Galloway says, "Your torso's only along for the ride." Track coaches describe the ideal posture as running tall, which means that you stretch yourself up to full height with no strain from the torso. This will allow you to breathe maximally and put your body in the optimal biomechanical position for moving forward.

Hips: Your hips are close to your center of gravity and will be in proper alignment if your torso and head are aligned. If you lean forward, your hips will tilt forward too and that will strain your lower back.

Legs: Sprinters lift their knees very high when they run, but for distance running, and even shorter distances, keep your knees low. It takes a lot of energy to lift your knees, and even running a mile will be tough if you do so. Instead, quicker ankle action will help you increase your speed.

Ankles: Your ankles are efficient levers that have the potential for great power when you run. Feel your calf muscles and ankles work as you push off on each step.

Arms: Arms should remain close to the body and swing forward and back and not across your body to minimize torso rotation (the exception is Bill Rodgers who had memorably wide elbows when he ran). Your hands should not cross the midline of your body (imagine a line drawn right down the center of your chest). The swing should be held low, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and relaxed. You should do most of the work with your lower arms; the upper arms should not move very much.

Hands: Cup your hands by gently touching your thumb to the top half of your index fingers. It's as if you are holding a small bird that you don't want to fly away but you don't want to squeeze too tight either.

WEIGHT LOSS - WALKING / RUNNING

WEIGHT LOSS - WALKING / RUNNING

To my knowledge, there are no studies to show that runners lose more weight than individuals who do other types of exercise. However, running certainly does burn lots of calories, and if you're running regularly, you might decide not to eat as much figuring why do it if you're putting all that energy into running. But even if you ran a marathon every day, you wouldn't lose weight unless you consumed fewer calories than you burned. The bottom line to losing weight is burning more calories than you consume, no matter how much exercise you do.

According to the laws of physics, you should burn the same number of calories whether you walk or run the same distance. However, there is recent research to show that running one mile burns approximately 30% more calories than walking one mile, and it's true whether you run outdoors or on a treadmill. The research is mixed, and so it's hard to know for sure if you'll burn more calories running than walking. My take on it is that it doesn't matter whether you walk or run during weight-loss efforts because you'll lose weight as long as you reduce your calories enough to burn more than you are consuming, no matter how much, or what type of exercise you do. What is important is that you maintain some type of exercise once you reach your goal weight, because it's generally accepted that exercise is the single best predictor of keeping your weight off. Whether you walk or run won't matter. The key is to do something.

You'll get equally fit running on a treadmill or outdoors. In fact, many distance-running athletes use the treadmill to save their legs from the pounding of roadwork. But there is a slight difference in energy expenditure (calories burned) between the two; outdoor running burns slightly more calories than treadmill running at the same speed due to lack of air resistance on the treadmill. Researchers studying this phenomenon found that setting the treadmill at 1% elevation equals things out. I advise all of my clients to set the treadmill at 1% so that treadmill walking or running mimics outdoor exercise.

EARLY MORNING EXERCISE

The key is getting exercise whenever you can, whether it's morning, afternoon, or evening, but by starting your morning with physical activity, you set the day's pace. You get your exercise in before other distractions can intrude.

When you exercise early in the morning, it jump starts your metabolism and keeps it elevated for hours, sometimes up to 24 hours! That means you're burning more calories all day long just because you exercised in the morning!

When you exercise in the morning, you'll find that because of the increased intake of oxygen and circulation of blood in your body, you'll stay energized for the whole day.

It will automatically put you in a healthy frame of mind. Whatever other things you may have on your schedule, you will notice that you will be eager and energetic to handle them.

Research has proven that people who exercise in the mornings tend to be the ones most consistent in their fitness regimes and diets.

Muscle Strength

Muscle Strength

If you are considering adding some bulk to a thinner frame, and you wish to accomplish this through varied methods it takes some creative thinking on different ideas to start with. Because of this it is necessary for you to know the various advantages that bodybuilding in general has to offer.

Body Building Exercises DefinedDeciding what body building exercises to use can be somewhat challenging due to the fact that there are so many variations available. However, once you figure out which body parts you want to work on you can narrow down your choices quickly.Numerous up and coming body builders are of the mindset that the only real way to build muscles on their arms is to lift weights. This is not exactly the case, since lifting weights is certainly a beneficial body building exercise, it is not a good idea for beginners to do that prior to getting some arm strength through other ways.

Specifically, an ideal exercise to build the back of your arms (triceps) is pushups. Depending on the physical condition of a person prior to starting exercise pushups may be difficult to do, but pushups are an excellent way to begin and at the same time it reduces the chance of injury.

Gradual IncreasesStart with just a few pushups, and as soon as you feel your the muscles in your upper arm begin to burn, stop.If you are not in shape it is wise to start with only two sets of 15 repetitions each. Some even advise starting with as little as 10 repetitions. Gradually you will you will gain strength in the back of your arms.

Pushups also have a strengthening effect on your shoulders due to the movement of the exercise and because you are supporting your upper body weight with this exercise.For strengthening and building your legs the exercises of squats and leg lunges are an effective option. For those just starting out it will tend to be uncomfortable until your body becomes accustomed to it.