Assessing & Improving Your Running Posture

Running may sound simple, but actually, there's more to it than you might think. How you run has a direct impact on how much energy you use when you run. It also affects your risk for potential injury. Improving your running posture and form can help you run further, faster, and easier.

Assessing Your Running Posture

This is a two or three step process. The first step is to pay attention to your posture on your next run. Here are some things to assess:

Poor posture (Photo credit: midwestnerd)

* Are you bent at the waist, standing up straight or leaning forward from the hips?
* Are your shoulders scrunched up or relaxed?
* When you run up hill do you shorten your stride, lengthen your stride or keep it the same?
* When you swing your arms do they move parallel to your body? Do they swing in front of your body? Do they move at all?
* Do you clench your fists or are your hands relaxed?
* Is your chin tucked down, tipped toward the sky or looking straight ahead?

When you’re running try a few different things and see how it feels. For example, scrunch your shoulders then relax them. What feels different? Now lean forward at the waist and run for a minute. Now straighten and run for a minute. Now lean forward at the hips and run for a minute. How did each change feel? How did it affect your running and your effort level?

Now it can be difficult to assess your posture by yourself. The next step is to ask a friend to video tape you running. Try to run naturally without making any changes or adjustments. Tape yourself for a few minutes. When you review the video you can assess yourself based on the questions listed above.

POSITION OF SKELETON IN GOOD AND POOR POSTURE -  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What to Aim For

Ideally, your upper body including your shoulders, arms and hand will be relaxed. Your arms will move from side to side and match your stride. If they cross your body it causes your torso to rotate which takes energy. This energy is better spent in your legs.

Imagine a string running from the top of your head down to the center of your belly. This string keeps your head, neck and back in alignment. When you need to increase your speed, lean forward from the hips just a touch. You’ll notice that you gain momentum by changing gravity here. Stand up straight and you slow down. Think about how you run when you’re going downhill, you automatically lean back bit right? And when you’re running uphill you lean forward. It’s a natural instinct. Make sure you’re leaning from the hips instead of your waist for maximum efficiency.

Finally, your feet will ideally stay under you. If your leg reaches too far forward it causes your heel to strike the ground first. This impact can cause injury to your knees, shins, and hips. This may mean you need to start with a shorter stride. You can make up the speed by increasing your turnover or the number of steps you take in a specific amount of time.

Good posture makes a huge difference in the amount of energy you expend when you run. The more efficiently you can run the less energy it takes to complete a run. It may take time to correct your posture but it’s worth it - less effort, better results and fewer injuries.

Video: Qigong Exercises for Energy & Stress Relief

I have been practicing Qigong (pronounced "Chi-Gung," or "Chi-Kung" - basically meaning energy mastery, or energy practice) for a couple of years now. It is a great stretching workout that takes your muscles, bones, and joints through their full range of motion, so it's great to do every day, or as a warmup for another workout.

But don't think of it as just your typical "workout"; like TaiChi, Quigong was designed as energy work, and it challenges the mind as much as the body. It is excellent for reducing stress and increasing your energy. Try this short exercise series anytime you need a quick pick-me-up, or use it to warm up or cool down after your favorite workout. It may just become one of your favorite parts of your day!

This short video demonstrates several different Qigong exercises, so you can see what it's like. If you enjoy these exercises, you can pick up my favorite DVD set on this unique method of physical and mental exercise at www.rocksolidvitality.com.

Qigong Workout
Qigong teacher John Du Cane, of DragonDoor.com, demonstrates the stress-busting workout he designed for the October issue of Experience Life. Watch as he sho...


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5 Safe, Simple & Natural Ways To Boost Your Energy Levels

Our increasingly busy lifestyles both in and out of work are placing more demands on us than ever. All of this extra strain can really wear us out, and people are complaining of low energy levels in ever-growing numbers. Around the holidays, with all the extra activity, it can be especially tough!

(Photo credit: ultimatephili)

If you’re one of the many people who feel affected by low energy levels, then no doubt you’ll be wondering if there’s anything you can do to change this. Although doctors can offer medication to help with some energy level problems, and if your adrenal glands are depleted from too much coffee and lack of sleep supplements may help, but there are actually natural ways of improving your energy levels that don’t require a trip to the doctor or any special drugs or pills.

The following 5 ways of increasing your energy levels are all simple and natural. None of them is a guaranteed method, but there’s a good chance that by using all of these approaches you’ll experience at least some benefit.

1) Sleep: It might seem completely obvious, but getting enough sleep is essential to having good energy levels. What many of us may think is good sleep is often actually inadequate. Although the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, for most the optimal amount of sleep is 8 hours. This period of sleep should be as uninterrupted as possible. There are many ways of improving the quality of your sleep which you can easily learn about through searching online - or on our blogs.

2) Exercise: You might think that exercise simply tires you out, but getting regular exercise can have a profound effect on your energy levels. By engaging in regular exercise, you improve your physical fitness, giving you greater stamina which means you can carry out activities for longer without getting tired as quickly. (For lots of fun ways to get that workout in, be sure to check this blog regularly!)

3) Meal Skipping: One of the worst things you can do for your energy levels is to skip meals. Your body gets its energy from the food you eat, so eating less food means having less energy. And if you really must skip a meal, make sure it’s not breakfast. By the time you wake up in the morning it will already have been a long time since you ate dinner, and skipping out on breakfast only increases this. That’s a long time to go without a source of energy for your body!

Regular exercise relieves stress & boosts energy. (Photo credit: servantofchaos)

4) Stress: Another big factor in energy levels is stress. Feeling stressed can drastically decrease your energy levels making it difficult to stay focused or even awake. Find ways to reduce your stress and you will almost certainly see an improvement in your energy. Exercise is one great way to reduce stress levels. Another useful stress-busting tip is to make lists of the things you need to do tomorrow not long before bed. It can help clear your mind of unnecessary thoughts and worries.

5) Eat Small: Although it’s important not to miss meals, in order to keep your energy levels at their peak it’s actually better if you don’t have 3 big meals per day… Instead, you should eat more than three meals of a smaller size throughout the day. This gives your body a steadier energy supply, preventing the yoyo-ing of energy levels that we’re all familiar with.

By following these 5 simple tips, you can reduce your stress levels, improve your health, and have plenty of energy for all the holiday activities you've got going on this season!

Cross Training for Fitness & Fat Loss

Although it may fly in the face of conventional "wisdom," the numbers on your scale do not indicate whether you are fit or fat. Far more significant than your total body weight is the composition of your body tissue. If a man’s fatty tissue is more than 14% to 15% of his body mass, or if a woman’s is more than 20% to 22%, he or she is overweight, or more precisely, overfat.

A small amount of fat is needed for padding the internal organs and as insulation under the skin. Fat also makes up most of our brain tissue, and cell walls, so some fat is important for good health. However, excess fat leads to such diseases as diabetes, gout, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and gallbladder problems.

The problem with most people who want to lose weight is that they focus on the numbers on the scale, and not on achieving the proper fat-to-muscle ratio for good health.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It would be more accurate to think of the human body as a heat-exchange engine that works on the basic principles of energy physics. Caloric balance equals the total calorie intake minus the total calorie expenditure. Some of the calories people ingest are used for basal metabolism. As people get older, their bodies require fewer calories for this basic upkeep. Some calories are excreted as waste products. Some go into “work metabolism,” the energy expenditure required for any physical activity.

Hence, if people take in more calories than are used by these functions, there is a definite caloric excess. By the laws of physics, energy is transformed rather than destroyed. In this case, each excess of 3,500 calories is changed into a pound of fat. If people want to reverse this process, they have to burn up 3,500 calories to lose a single pound.

Winning the War Against Fat

When you think of fighting fat with exercise, you probably think of hours of hard, sweaty exertion. If this is the case, then, you will usually not get any farther. This is because if you always focus on losing more by exerting more effort you'll tend to get bored and "burn out" before you ever reach your goal.

Then you give up, stop doing your routine exercises, and end up sulking in the corner with a bag of chips! Sound familiar?

Okay, so what is the answer?

While different methods may work for different people, my favorite is cross training.

After some intensive studies and experimentation, health experts came up with the concept of cross training in order to overcome or break the monotony or dullness in an exercise program.

Cross training refers to the integration of diverse movements or activities into a person’s conventional exercise routine. The main purpose of incorporating cross training into an exercise program is to avoid overdoing the same exercises (which can damage your muscles), and to put a stop to imminent boredom.

swimming (Photo credit: Jim Bahn)

Three of the most commonly used activities in a cross training program are swimming, running, and cycling.

In cross training, distance is one way to extend your activity as your condition improves. For this reason, you need to traverse a measured distance.

If possible, swim the course and measure the distance. If you will be using a running track, such courses usually are a quarter-mile per lap for a complete circuit.

Cross training offers a variety of benefits for fitness and fat loss. It builds up the strength and endurance of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. It has also some tranquilizing effect on the nerves, and it burns a lot of calories in a fairly short period of time, due to the varying intensity and activities, which challenge your body in different ways.

Cross training has three basic components:

1. Endurance exercises to condition the heart, lungs, and blood vessels and to induce relaxation. These begin with a carefully planned walking and jogging regimen, depending on fitness level.

2. Exercises to strengthen the muscles, particularly those important to good posture. These include a variety of activities that are selected to encourage some people who are already burnt out with a particular routine.

3. Exercises to improve joint mobility and prevent or relieve aches and pains. These consist of a series of static stretching positions that are safe and effective for most people who wish to try to lose some fat.

Indeed, cross training is a great way to modify the concept of exercising and losing fat without having to endure hours of one monotonous activity. In fact, the idea behind a successful exercise program is to like what you are doing. With cross training, you may find yourself enjoying your workouts so much, you'll lose weight without even realizing it!

When you boil it down, cross training is a great way to have fun while exercising and reaching your fitness and fat loss goals.

Re-Energize Your Motivation With a Crisp, Autumn Stroll

For most, the season for long summer days and sweltering heat has passed. The days are becoming shorter and the temperatures are dropping. As you wind down from a busy summer you almost instantly have to gear up for the holidays. It can be exhausting!  A crisp, autumn stroll is a great ways to catch your breath and re-energize, and refocus on your health goals.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Perhaps you live in a part of the country where the summer temperatures were oppressive. You’re looking forward to the cooler breezes that arrive with autumn. You may also be eager to see the beautiful changes in the foliage and the knowledge that soon the holidays will be here.

Now is the perfect time to get back on track with your health goals that were set aside for the warmer months. You’re back to a routine now that school has started back, isn’t it time to get back outdoors and take care of you without waiting for the New Year? You can do that now by enjoying reinvigorating walks in the crisp, autumn breeze.

Take advantage of the new season by making new goals that can have a huge impact on the remainder of your year. Recommit, re-energize and refocus with the following steps:

• Make a decision to spend time outdoors this fall. Get the family together at least once a week to go for a stroll at a local park. You can also look for hiking trails which will enable you to get more of a workout than simply walking. Don’t let excuses get in your way. Make a commitment to spend time exercising out in nature and stick to it.

(Photo credit: Neon Tommy)

• Begin now to set in motion specific habits that can carry you through the holidays. If you start walking now, you can also start being more careful about what you eat. And, even though the holidays are almost here, you can be strong and choose healthy foods for your holiday meals.

• Enjoy your time in nature. Cooler temperatures make it easier to enjoy yourself. Kick up the leaves and listen to them crunch under your feet. Feel the crisp, cool air that can make you feel more alive and energized than you may have felt in a while, and motivate you to keep up with your exercise goals through the end of the year.

• Take a camera along with you to take pictures as you stroll through the park. The scenery in the fall is breathtaking with the leaves turning from green to gold, orange and red. Of course, the weather in the fall is unpredictable so it is best to be prepared.

If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, the fall months are the perfect time to get out of it. Not only will you feel refreshed, you can greatly influence the rest of your year. Make the choice to spend as much time outdoors as you can. Find a park to stroll through or hiking paths that will be more challenging. Enjoy your time outdoors and recommit yourself to keeping in shape throughout the holidays.

Relieve Stress and Anxiety with Exercise

In your busy, stressful life full of deadlines and meetings, it’s hard to find time to get to the gym every day.  Well, what if I told you that not only will daily exercise make you look better and even lose some weight; it can also make your life less stressful?  Getting aerobic exercise can actually reduce anxiety by up to 50%.  Imagine having half the stress you normally do, just because you took a morning run.  While a workout can’t get rid of all the things you need to do during the day, it can help you cope with your stress better.  Here are some of the many reasons exercise is great for lowering your stress and anxiety.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Exercise improves your mood.  Aerobic exercise produces chemicals that make you feel happier and more ready to face the day.  It also increases blood flow to the brain; furthering this happy, energetic feeling.  The better you feel about life, the less stress will weigh on you and get you down.

* Exercise gives you more energy.  Stress makes you feel run down and tired during the day.  If you exercise in the morning, you’ll get a great energy boost to keep you going in the late morning and afternoon.  You may feel fatigued during the first few weeks of exercise, especially if you haven't been exercising regularly before.  Be persistent and the energy will come. 

* Exercise helps you sleep.  There is nothing that reduces stress more than a good night’s sleep.  Sleep not only recharges your tense, achy muscles; it also refreshes your mind and allows you to process information from the day.  Getting more, higher quality sleep on a regular basis will help you cope with the stresses of everyday life.  Just remember to do aerobic activity well before bedtime.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Exercise gives you time to think.  A lot of the stress we face is from our own mind.  Instead of doing work and fixing problems, we’re worrying about doing work and fixing problems.  Exercise gives you time alone to focus on your thoughts and clear your head without a bunch of distractions.  That way, after your work out, you can get to work on fixing a problem instead of worrying about it. 

If you can’t do an aerobic workout, or just don’t think it’s enough; try yoga or stretching.  These exercises are great for soothing sore, tense muscles, clearing your mind, and relaxing you.  Plus, if you have no free time in the morning, these exercises can be done at night without keeping you from your sleep (they’ll probably even help).  Just find a book or DVD (we review and recommend many on this blog), or take a class.  You should be able to find poses and movements that relate specifically to stress reduction and relaxation. 

So make a plan and start a regular workout routine.  If you stick with it, you’ll start feeling less stressed, less anxious, and more relaxed - plus your body will be healthier and less prone to pain and injury.

For ideas on fun ways to exercise that can help relieve stress, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.

The Benefits of Exercising Well

There are two main types of exercise that you can do - aerobic and anaerobic. The first one, aerobic, means with oxygen. Aerobic type exercise has an important distinction, it burns fat as the main fuel.

Image via WikipediaAnaerobic on the other hand, burns sugar as the main source of fuel. Despite common myths, exercise doesn't have to be drastic in any way to provide massive benefits. Even if you choose light exercise, you will still burn fat.

Light exercise will clear out lactic acid, which is a waste product that accumulates in your muscles, and stimulate your cells to regenerate. To be sure that you are burning fat rather than sugar, it's very important to make sure that you are doing several things as you exercise.

The most important thing you can do as you exercise is breathe deep. You should always breathe in deep into your stomach through your nose, hold it for a few seconds and then exhale hard through your mouth.

Second, you should make sure that you exercise at a comfortable level. You should exercise at a level of 7 out of 10, and still be able to carry on a normal conversation while you exercise. You should do this for 45 minutes or so each day, then you'll begin to notice just how much your energy will explode.

Even if you don't think you have the time to exercise, rest assured that there is always time. If you have to, use some of the time that you would normally spend sleeping. When you exercise regularly, you'll have more energy and will actually need less sleep than before.

You can also use the time of your lunch break to exercise as well. The increase in productivity will have you more on the ball, and you can save your time through the dramatic increase in your overall productivity.

Cellularise, or rebounding, is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise there is. If you have access to a rebounder, you shouldn't hesitate to use it. Use any break you have at work to engage in some type of movement and deep breathing.

Image via WikipediaAny type of exercise you do will strongly benefit your heart. It will make it a stronger and larger organ. Deep breathing will help your lungs become stronger and larger as well. There is research now that links exercise to helping prevent almost each and every type of disease or ailment.

Movement of the joints will promote proper blood flow and create energy, as sitting down all day will rob your body of much needed energy. If you spend most of the day sitting down at your job or in school, it's very important that you promote blood flow, circulation, energy, brain flow, and the strength of your heart. With just a little bit of your time devoted to exercise, you'll find yourself healthier than you have ever been in the past.

For some fun exercise tips and ideas to keep you motivated and exercising regularly, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.