15 At-Home Injury Prevention Remedies for Runners Under $50
For runners struggling with heel pain, very tight calf muscles and Achilles tendon issues, the Strassburg Sock is a comfortable high sock with a fabric strap attached to the top that keeps the ankle flexed to allow the fascia to heal when worn to bed at night. An independent, peer-reviewed study revealed that average recovery time for Strassburg Sock users with plantar fasciitis was 18.5 days, with a 98-percent recovery rate within eight weeks. Use as soon as heel pain begins, and the pain could subside within a few days.
Runner's Remedy products make R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression and elevation) nearly effortless. Users simply need to freeze the reusable ice packs, put on the compression sleeve, slide the frozen ice pack in the pocket, put their legs up, and rest. While the jury remains undecided on the impact of compression on healing and recovery, the research doesn't suggest any negative effects. And those who've used resealable bags filled with melting ice or ice-filled trimmed Styrofoam cups to ice sore spots will appreciate how clean and localized the Runner's Remedy sleeves are.
Another genius, mess-free icing invention, Icy Feet are like ice-cold Birkenstock sandals for your feet. Remain mobile, if you need to, while icing sore feet. Simply strap the Icy Feet to your feet while wearing socks, and put your feet up for 15 to 20 minutes.
Like a mini rumble roller for your feet, the footlog offers deep-tissue massage for the bottoms of your feet. Place as much or as little pressure via your bodyweight on the footlog as you'd like, and slowly roll the log over your arches, heel and balls of your feet. Take the portable footlog with you when you travel to races, and you can even keep one under your desk at work for post-run massage while you work.
Stretching remains the cheapest, easiest and fastest injury prevention tools that many runners don't make time to do. While it's possible to stretch the feet and Achilles without any props, the ProStretch Plus provides a customizable stretch for the feet, heels, Achilles and calves. Place your foot in the removable toe lift to maximize the stretch through the toes and plantar fascia. Place your foot more in the middle of the device with your hands against the wall to get a better stretch through the calf and Achilles. Lean forward with your hands against a wall to get a great stretch in the shins.
Increase flexibility throughout your entire body with the StretchRite rope, which features six ergonomically-shaped handgrips that provide non-cinching hold on the hands. The handgrips allow you to adjust tension during your stretches; as your flexibility improves, you can increase the intensity of the stretch by advancing to the next handgrip position.
Trigger Point Massage Balls mimic the pressure of a thumb (TP Massage Ball) or forearm (TP Factor Ball) to provide localized massage. Ideal for hard-to-reach areas that foam rollers can't reach such as the front of the hips, the pectorals and the arches of the feet, these massage balls help relieve minor muscle aches. The TP Factor Ball is the firmer of the two.
An incredibly flexible kinesio tape that stretches in a way that's similar to the way our skin moves, Trigger Point Rock Tape lifts the skin away from the muscles to increase blood flow to the affected area. The tape purportedly reduces muscle fatigue and promotes proper form by helping athletes coordinate their movements.
If you're going to try compression as a recovery tactic, you may as well get socks that fit you properly. CEP sells knee-high compression socks made of air-permeable knit (a good thing because these snug socks can get really warm) in customizable sizes and a variety of colors. Reported benefits include reduced lactic acid and decreased muscle soreness.
You've seen plenty of runners sporting calf compression sleeves at races and on training runs in the park, and the biggest question non-users have is: Do they work? The answer depends on what you're hoping to achieve by wearing them. If you're looking for calf muscle support during running and at rest, these sleeves deliver. Other possible benefits include shin splint relief and decreased fatigue.
Improve balance, proprioception and intrinsic muscle strength in the feet, ankles, shins, Achilles and calves by simply standing on the anti-slip ridged surface of the stability trainer. Complete runner-specific strength exercises such as single-leg exercises, such as pistol squats, calf raises and hip drives. Place arms or feet on the trainer when completing supine or side planks for a challenging core workout. The stability trainer is a must-have to build the strength and balance necessary to tackle rough, rocky trail terrain.
If you still think vegans have a hard time being fit and healthy, it’s time to get with the program. Whether they’re smashing world records in endurance or weight lifting, winning bodybuilding competitions, or taking home UFC titles, the verdict is in: Muscles don’t need meat.
These 33 Vegan Comfort Food Recipes Might Be Even Better Than the Originals
You might even say the question has become not if you can improve muscle and performance on a vegan diet but how. Well, the jigsaw puzzle of sports nutrition has a lot of pieces, but probably none is as important as the post-workout meal. (It’s like that really big corner piece.)
“A 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein has been proven to be really efficient for replenishing amino acids and repairing the muscle that’s been broken down during strength training,” says Rachel Berman, a registered dietician and director of health content at About.com. The basic gist is that during exercise, you use up your glycogen (the energy stored in your muscles). After sweating it out, carbs will help to replenish this energy, and the protein enhances this process, explains Elizabeth Jarrard, a dietician who consults for plant-based supplement company Vega.
But protein and carbs aren’t all we need after a workout. “While exercise suppresses inflammation in the long term, the act of exercise damages your muscles. That’s why it’s always a good idea to include foods that support inflammation reduction, like those rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids,” Jarrard says. “But that said, you don’t want too much fat in the post-workout meal, because it’ll slow your digestion.”
So a lot of carbs, a decent amount of protein (Berman says 6 to 20 grams is plenty), lots of antioxidants, and little fat? If that isn’t what vegans do best, we don’t know what is. The next time you want to feed your muscles right, you can’t fail with one of these recipes.
Photo: Sobremesa Photo: James Ransom Original article and pictures take greatist.com site
12-Minute Full Body Circuit Workout Use this 12-minute full body circuit workout to get in some quick cardio!
The moves we chose for this workout are some of the most effective calorie burners. Burpees, mountain climbers, squats, and push ups raise your heart rate while activating major muscle groups. Your body will have to work hard to keep moving and you’ll break out a sweat in just 12 minutes!
We suggests doing this full body circuit workout before or after weight lifting. The combination of strength training and cardio is a great way to lose body fat. Don’t forget to follow up with a healthy dose of protein and plenty of water.
What You’ll Need: a timer (your phone’s timer should work for this), a set of light to medium dumbbells (5-15 lb.), and an optional mat or towel to lay on the floor
What to Do: Set your timer for 6 minutes. Perform the moves in order as many times as you can for those 6 minutes. Rest for 60-90 seconds and repeat for a total of 2 rounds.
Below, we’ve included videos showing how to perform each move. Using proper form helps prevent injuries and ensures you’re getting the most out of your workout.
Exercises:
10 Burpees
20 Mountain Climbers
20 Squat & Press
10 Push Ups
40 Russian Twists
Burpees
Mountain Climbers
Squat & Press
Push Ups
Russian Twist
Original article and pictures take useast-cdn.skinnyms.com site
A 240-pound linebacker in a yoga class may garner a few quizzical stares, but he and his coach know the secret: The type of strength and flexibility gained by a regular yoga practice helps him perform better on the football field. In addition, practicing yoga can aid recovery by helping to reduce muscle soreness during times of intense training, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in November 2004. Whether you’re a tennis pro, golf guru, soccer star, track champion or a slalom skier, up your game by incorporating the following poses into your training regimen.
Fitness instructor Sue Hollingshead rates Pigeon pose as one of the best for runners because it lengthens the hip flexors, psoas muscles, gluteals, piriformis, lower-back and groin muscles, all of which can become tight with repeatedly pounding the pavement. HOW TO DO IT: Begin on your hands and knees. Draw your right knee toward your right hand. Rotate your right hip outward as you bring your right foot to your left hand and extend your left leg back. Lower your right shin and hip to the floor. Gradually extend your left leg back to find more length in the pose. Keep your hips even and put a block under your right hip for support if it doesn’t come all the way to the floor. Never force yourself to stretch further than your hips will allow, but let gravity pull your body weight down into the pose. Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds then switch sides.
“Every single athlete in the world can benefit from this posture,” says yoga therapist Daniel Hickman. Triangle pose helps lengthen the side body, which Hickman says is especially beneficial for athletes whose sports involve repetitive one-sided motions or core rotations, such as baseball, tennis, ultimate Frisbee and golf. HOW TO DO IT: From standing, take a big step back with just your right foot -- about four feet, depending on your height. Turn your back/right foot 90 degrees out and keep your front/left foot pointing forward, aligning your front heel with the arch of your back foot. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor, slide your torso forward and tilt your arms, resting your left hand on your left shin. Keep your quadriceps contracted and your spine elongated. Hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds and switch sides.
Cyclists spend a lot of time in a hunched position, which can shorten the chest muscles. Sitting on a bike for hours a day also leads to tight hip flexors and abdominal muscles. Camel pose is a big stretch for the entire front of the body, helping to improve posture and counteract the effects of cycling on your upper body. HOW TO DO IT: Kneel with your knees hip-distance apart. Press your shins and the tops of your feet into the floor. Place your hands on your lower back with the bases of your palms on your buttocks and your fingers pointing down. Press through your pelvis and begin to lean back, extending the spine. Keep your neck in a neutral position. Most people can get a deep stretch here. To take it deeper, reach your hands back to grasp the tops of your feet.
The soles of the feet take a beating in many sports, but most athletes devote very little time to stretching them. Although it sounds unappealing, regularly including Broken Toe pose in your practice can help lengthen the thick plantar muscles on the bottoms of your feet, combating plantar fasciitis, which occurs when those muscles become contracted and inflamed. HOW TO DO IT: Start kneeling on the floor with your shins parallel to each other. Tuck your toes under so that your heels are pointing up and sit back onto your heels. “Starting on the knees with both feet can be really excruciating for some people,” says yoga therapist Daniel Hickman. Instead, he recommends coming onto all fours and extending one leg at a time behind you, tucking the toes of your foot and pressing them all into the floor simultaneously.
If you have tight hips and you can’t yet get into Pigeon pose, you can do Thread the Needle instead. Because it’s supine, or done lying on your back, it’s a relaxing way to unwind after a strenuous training session. HOW TO DO IT: To begin, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor hip-distance apart. Lift your right foot and bring it across your left thigh just below your knee. Let your right knee fall out to the side so your right ankle is resting on your left thigh. Clasp your hands around the back of your left thigh and gently pull that leg toward your chest, keeping your back flat on the ground. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then switch sides.
Tight hamstrings are common among athletes in sports that require short, intense sprints and rapid acceleration, such as tennis, baseball and hockey. A simple forward bend can help gradually lengthen these muscles. Personal trainer and yoga teacher Pamella Inveen says that many athletes have trouble achieving the straight-legged version of this pose. Instead, she recommends bending your knees deeply. HOW TO DO IT: Start with your feet hip-width apart then pivot from the hips as you bend forward. Try to get your ribs to touch your thighs, but don’t force anything. Be careful not to round your back forward. Either rest your hands on the floor or put your hands on blocks or on your shins. Lift your hips toward the ceiling to try to straighten your legs without allowing your abdomen to come off your thighs. Make sure you keep a slight bend in your knees and do not lock them.
Athletes in defense sports -- such as mixed martial arts, basketball and football -- will benefit from Cobra pose, which opens up the front of your body, says yoga therapist Daniel Hickman. “There’s a lot of contraction in the body…which can be overemphasized in practice, but also applied and reinforced in competition,” he says. This can lead to overly tight chest and abdominal muscles and postural imbalance. This pose is a great way to counteract that. HOW TO DO IT: To perform the pose, lie on your belly with the tops of your feet on the floor. Place your hands on the ground under your shoulders and hug your elbows to your sides. Press through your hands and straighten your arms almost all the way (keep a slight bend in your elbows), lifting your torso off the ground. Stop before your pubic bone lifts off the floor. Keep your tailbone slightly tucked under and your thighs firm.
A go-to stretch for runners and any athlete whose sport requires running or sprinting, the Low Lunge targets all of the muscles in your legs, especially your hamstrings, quadriceps and hip flexors. HOW TO DO IT: To get into the pose, from standing, take a big step back with your right foot and bend your left knee to 90 degrees. Keep your left knee directly over your left foot. Drop your back knee to the ground and either leave your toes curled or place the top of your foot on the mat. To go deeper, inch your back knee back and lower your hips toward the ground. Keep your torso upright or place your fingertips on the ground on either side of your front foot. Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds, then switch sides.
Racquet sport athletes will benefit from the shoulder-opening power of Cow Face pose. The gluteals, IT band and quadriceps also lengthen and stretch. HOW TO DO IT: Get started by sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Then cross your right knee over your left knee so that your left foot is beside your right hip and your right foot is beside your left hip. Next, bring your right hand behind your lower back with your palm facing out. Bend your left elbow toward the ceiling and place your left palm in between your shoulder blades. Inch your right hand up your back and try to clasp your hands. To modify the pose, extend your left leg and bring your right ankle to the top of the left thigh. Close the gap between your hands using a strap. Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds before switching sides.
Yoga isn’t just about stretching, and any athlete can benefit from moves that help build stability in the core -- the abdominals, hips and mid-back. Yoga teacher Pamella Inveen says that a strong core is especially important for golf, tennis and baseball athletes who need to use their core to power rotation through their mid and upper body. HOW TO DO IT: Start by getting into push-up position, with your hands directly under your shoulders. “The most important thing about plank pose is to engage your abs and tuck your tailbone,” says Inveen. Imagine your body in one long, strong line from the top of your head to your heels. Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds. You can also do Plank pose with your forearms on the ground.
Sports that require a lot of lateral movement, such as tennis, soccer and basketball, can lead to tight groin and inner thigh muscles. Wide-Legged Forward Bend targets both areas and also encourages shoulder opening. HOW TO DO IT: Begin by facing the long edge of your mat and step your feet three to four-and-a-half feet apart -- taller people may require a wider stance. Put your hands on your hips, contract your quadriceps muscles and begin to hinge forward from your hips, keeping your spine straight. Press into the outer edges of your feet. When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and groin, bring your palms to the ground with your fingers pointing forward. To go deeper, walk your hands back between your feet and bend your elbows so that your forearms are perpendicular and your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
Athletes tend to be very focused on achieving a goal, whether hitting a homerun, making a tackle or setting a personal record. However, quality rest is just as important as training, and yoga therapist Daniel Hickman recommends that all athletes practice a constructive rest pose. HOW TO DO IT: Doing this pose is as simple as lying on your back with your knees bent, your feet hip-width apart and your knees angled in and resting against each other. Extend your arms out to the side at a comfortable distance from your torso. “This allows the whole line of the spine to relax, and gravity can do the work here,” says Hickman. “It’s more a posture of undoing.” Stay here for as long as you like -- even fall asleep, he says.
Yoga poses are most effective if you do them regularly, but a full yoga practice can be difficult for many athletes to fit into their training schedules. Even if you only have 10 minutes a day, these poses will help improve your flexibility and performance and reduce your risk of injury. Yoga teacher Pamella Inveen stresses that it’s important for those new to yoga to take it slow and not push themselves into poses they’re not ready for. “Do what you can. It should feel like you’re getting a nice stretch,” she says. “Go about it comfortably.”
12 Barre Moves You Should Try Like Miss Louisiana 2016 The Miss America state titleholders tried out a Gold Barre class at Equinox Sports Club Washington DC during orientation. Photo: Miss Louisiana
There are so many fitness methods out there that you can utilize to achieve your crown worthy body. With the recent trends in fitness classes, barre fitness has taken the cake for the most popular trend in the health world this year.
It looks like Miss Louisiana 2016, Justine Ker, loved her Gold Barre class that the Miss America class of 2017 took during orientation in Washington DC earlier this summer!
With so many different styles and methods to choose from, it can be super overwhelming. Trying some of the moves out at home is a great way to find out if this type of workout is right for you.
According to Fitness Magazine, barre-style workouts are a combination of Pilates, dance and yoga that will tone, stretch, and strengthen your entire body. Keep reading to find out a few moves that you can do at home for a barre style workout.
12 Barre Moves You Should Try
A Personal Trainer can help you create the perfect balance between the gym and the studio to sculpt the perfect pageant body. Talk to one of ours today so you can get started on your crown worthy body ASAP.
Original article and pictures take ygidei-2v0qo9ojrpb5.cloudmaestro.com site
In order to get into shape, you've gotta know what you're doing first. Getting a personal trainer is great, but it's expensive, and going to workout classes is fun, but they can eat up a lot of time. Luckily there are some free and time-saving options right at your fingertips: charts on Pinterest.
Yep, Pinterest isn't just for great DIY crafts. You can find a chart for any type of workout you could possibly imagine within the endless boards of the social network. It can be a little overwhelming to look through them at first, so we did you a favor and put together some of our favorites. Ready to get started?
nourish move love Fitness Republic Lloyds Pharmacy Original article and pictures take www.womansday.com site
