Insanely addictive.
Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise, because besides burning major calories and toning your tush, it costs pennies compared to other sports. If you're a runner at heart, be sure to avoid these three most common mistakes. Wearing Sneakers For Too Long Your trusty old pair was there for you when you shaved two minutes off your 10K time and later conquered your first half, but that Read more
It's marathon season, and FitSugar reader isureamheather has caught the bug. Unfortunately, she's a few weeks into her training program and experiencing those dreaded shin splints. She posted this question about how to deal in our RunningSugar group. Hi all! I'm new to the group (hello!) and hoping some of you might have some advice. I've recently kicked up my running to start a 12-week half Read more
When Spring weather hits, many runners can't wait to wave goodbye to the treadmill and head to the open road. All that fresh air and gorgeous scenery gives the sense of freedom, but it can also cause a painful sensation in the front of the lower legs. Shin splints are a common ailment for runners switching from the treadmill to the road, and if a runner doesn't take certain precautions, that pain Read more
Whether you ran too hard, tried out your first TRX class, or woke up feeling unusually achy after a gym session, muscle soreness after working out is commonplace. While sore muscles are a sign that you're challenging your body, they can also put a damper on fitness goals. Here are seven ways to treat and prevent everyday soreness associated with working out. Massage: If you're looking to relax Read more
Warmer Spring weather inspires many to ditch the gym and run outside in the fresh air and on open roads. Before you make the switch from treadmill to street, avoid these common mistakes that could lead to injury. Doing Too Much Too Soon Between the steep hills, wind factor, uneven or slippery terrain, and not having a belt propelling you forward, running outside is harder than running on a Read more
One of the dreaded side affects from starting a new walking or running routine is shin splints. The pain down the outside of your lower leg may be caused by a variety of issues, but the calf muscle tends to get stronger before the muscles on the front of the shin. While stretching the calves is intuitive post run, strengthening the opposing muscles on the front of the shin is not. A simple Read more
If you run or hike, chances are high that you're familiar with shin splints. These micro tears in the lower leg muscle that attaches to the tibia (shin bone) most often occur from overuse — when you push yourself too hard, too soon. A calf muscle that's stronger than the muscles on the front of your shin makes you prone to this injury too. We recently wrote that Jennifer Aniston pumps up the Read more
Spring running often means increasing the intensity of your workouts, but this vigorous approach can lead to shin splints. Aside from following the 10 percent rule, here are a few things you can do to prevent that nagging lower leg pain. Stretch your lower legs. Keep your calves, feet, and ankles flexible. Stretch them daily, even if you don't run that day. Warm up with heel walks: Heel walks, Read more
I know that I should embrace the incline while I'm running, but most of the time the thought of running hills and trudging along an angled treadmill fills me with unease. The more I think about it, though, the more I realize I should be loving the hills — and why you should, too. Here's why: You'll burn more calories. There's a pretty big difference between a totally flat treadmill and one Read more
Trying to get rid of a stubborn tummy pooch? Interval training is proven to blast belly fat. Here's a 45-minute interval workout you can do on the treadmill (set the incline to one to prevent shin splints) or head outdoors and use one of these running apps on your iPhone to keep track of your speed. Or you can use the RPE column on the right to determine how fast you should be going. You'll end Read more
