Archive for the tag - jogging

5 Treadmill Mistakes You’re Probably Making!

July 30, 2014 By

653_1Treadmill walks, jogs, runs or sprints can be a great way to get your heart rate up and your blood pumping. But there are a lot of mistakes that even avid gym-goers make.

Here are 5 common treadmill mistakes:

  1. Spending too much time. When it comes to time on the treadmill, more isn’t more. If you’re spending 30 or 45 minutes or more on a treadmill, you may be cannibalizing your results. Longer cardio sessions result in the release of an anabolic hormone called cortisol that reduces protein synthesis, facilitates the conversation of protein to glucose and stops tissues growth. It’s also associated with increases in fat stores around the body’s midsection. Instead of a low intensity, long cardio session on the treadmill, challenge yourself. Do more in less time. Maybe even try high intensity interval training.
  2. Holding on. Please, stop holding onto the treadmill. By holding on, you’re negating the intensity of your workout - especially if you’re using an incline. In fact, it’s estimated that holding onto the treadmill reduces calories burned by 20% - 25%. It also worsens posture, balance and doesn’t translate to real world gains. If you’re running on a street or track, there’s nothing to hold on to. Let go.
  3. Static stretching. A lot of runners engage in static stretching before their treadmill session. It’s the type of stretching wherein you hold a pose for an amount of time - like touching your toes. However, recent studies suggest that static stretching decreases strength and power and increases injury risk. Replace static stretching with dynamic stretching like jumping jacks or arm circles.
  4. Not using the incline. Many runners ignore the incline - mostly because it makes the workout more challenging. But that’s exactly why you should love and use it! For every 1% increase in the incline, you expend 4% more energy. This is especially useful if you’re not able to increase your speed, but still want an extra challenge. It also shifts muscle use upward - and can give you a great butt workout.
  5. You’re on autopilot. Doing the same workout every day gives you the same results. Most cardio exercisers cruise through their workout session. Some are even able to talk on the phone or text while exercising. I’ve got news for you: If you can text while running, you’re not running fast enough. If you want enhanced results, you need to increase the intensity of your workout; you will always get out of your workout what you put into it. So instead of doing the same old treadmill workout, do something that’s intense and challenging. And then keep pushing yourself.

What other mistakes do you see people making on the treadmill? Share them in the comments below!

Filed Under: Cardio, Tips Tagged With: , , , ,

Should You Jog In Place At A Red Light?

May 22, 2014 By

dont-walk-signI’m sure you’ve seen it before. You’re driving along and someone is running on the sidewalk. They hit a busy intersection and the light is red; to avoid cooling down, the exerciser jogs in place. And you have a chuckle because they look ridiculous.

Most trainers will note that jogging while jogging in place burns more calories than sitting on the couch, the red light dance that most joggers perform doesn’t accomplish much. In fact, there are a few other strategies to try that are far more effective.

If your goal is to have a long, steady-pace run (for example, if you’re training for a 5k or marathon), then you shouldn’t stop running at all. Instead, turn right or left and go down a different block. Zig-zag along your running route and cross when you’re able. Double back if you need to - but don’t break your stride.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to incinerate some calories and body fat, opt for some high intensity interval training. As I’ve said before, it’s the type of cardio that burns fat without muscle - and it’s what I often use in my own workout. It creates some serious results. To make your run into a high intensity interval workout, sprint as fast as you can until you reach a red light. Catch your breath. Then, sprint to the next red light. It’ll kick your ass, but they don’t call it high intensity for nothing.

Another option is using red lights to strength train. When you reach a red light, drop and do push-ups until it turns green. Or, for a real challenge, perform burpees.

Alternatively, you can use red lights to perform dynamic stretches - especially if stretching is something that you usually skip. Dynamic stretches are stretches that you perform while moving, like swinging your leg out or lunging forward and lifting your heel repeatedly.

Or you can just keep doing the red light dance to the delight of passersby. 🙂

Filed Under: Cardio Tagged With: , , ,

6 Tips to Run Longer!

May 15, 2011 By

Hey Davey,

I’ve always loved running but I tire out quickly. How can I run longer distances (more than a mile) without slowing to take a break?

From,
John

Hey John,

As an avid runner myself, I do have some advice for you! Try these 6 tips to boost your running endurance.

  1. Create a goal. First things first, it’s helpful to set a goal. Since it sounds like your goal is distance-based, you may want to target something like 1.25 miles.
  2. Slow down. Reaching your goal may require that you slow down a bit. It’s very difficult to maintain a sprint pace, for example, but much easier to maintain a jog. So, if you’re overexerting yourself - it may be beneficial to take your pace down a few notches.
  3. Decrease breaks. Even after slowing the pace, you may still find that you need to take a break to catch your breath. That’s fine. But once you catch your breath, start running or jogging again. Get back up to your pace speed. Over time, slowly try to take shorter breaks - and eventually eliminated them altogether.
  4. Train regularly. Most importantly, you’ll need to stick with it. Running endurance can be built fairly quickly - but it also fads fast. Make running part of your routine, and you’ll notice that you’re able to build on your gains.
  5. Mix it up. Every now and then, switch up your distance-based cardio workout with something different - like interval training.
  6. Modify goal. Eventually - once you reach your distance goal of 1.25 miles - you may want to work on slowly increasing your pace. Or, you may want to extend the distance to 1.5 miles and go from there. Set a new goal for yourself.

If anyone else has any tips to run longer distances, I’d love to hear them in the comments below!

I hope that helps!

Love,
Davey

Filed Under: Ask Davey, Cardio Tagged With: , , , , ,

Running Inside Vs. Outside: Pros & Cons.

February 6, 2011 By

Matthew McConaughey getting his outdoor jog on.

I’m in Palm Springs for a few days, enjoying a nice little vacation from winter. The lovely hotel at which I’m staying doesn’t have a treadmill, and so I’ve decided to take my cardio out of doors.

Running outside is a totally different beast, and so it begs the question: Is it right for you? The answer depends on a number of factors, and there are pros and cons for each.

Running Inside (Treadmill)

I love treadmill running for one reason: It’s easy to clock speeds and distances. It’s totally measurable. Nothing is left to guesswork, and if you set the treadmill to 9.5 MPH then that is the speed at which you will run. Moreover, the course is entirely customizable. You can add in hills whenever you want. Treadmills give a lot of control to the runner. And, they can be used any time of the day, any day of the year - rain, sleet, snow or shine.

But treadmill running isn’t all sunshine and roses. Many people find it painfully monotonous, even if running with headphones or watching TV. I actually enjoy the monotony; it feels like a meditation to me. But beyond the repetitive nature of treadmill running, many running enthusiasts will notice that the belt does provide some running assistance - and that there is no wind resistance indoors. If you’re training for a running event, you’ll find it much harder to achieve treadmill speeds outdoors. Adding a slight elevation to the treadmill (even 1%) can help overcome the belt’s running assistance and lack of resistance.

Running Outside

I think the biggest advantage to running outside is the ability to enjoy the scenery. But actually. I had so much fun running up and down the desert streets of Palm Springs, checking out the architecture and viewing the landscapes. It was gorgeous - and my cardio time literally flew right by. When running on the treadmill, time tends to stand still. Outside, it’s quite the opposite. In addition, outdoor courses are the real thing. There are hills, ups, downs, turns and wind resistance. If you’re training for a running event, nothing beats actual pavement experience.

Unfortunately, however, it’s much harder to determine running speed, keep track of distance, etc. Unlike the treadmill, outdoors running isn’t measurable - and the runner has little control. And snow, ice, rain or darkness can make for dangerous running conditions.

Conclusion

If you’re just running for exercise, and provided you are not completely bored by indoors running, then the treadmill is probably your best bet. If, on the other hand, you’re training for a competitive running event, there’s really nothing that can beat actual outdoor training - or at least a mix of indoor and out.

Do you run inside or out? Why? Let us know in the comments below.

Filed Under: Cardio Tagged With: , , , ,