United Runners

Running is healthy!

Do you to be motivated to start running or maybe convince someone else to start? Then you have ended up in the right place, as in this article we have listed the top 5 health benefits of running.

1. Staying in Shape

Most people take on running as a means to lose weight. If you want to get as much as possible out of your workout you should use a running to lose weight program. Running burns calories, the healthier you eat the faster you will lose the weight. Even after you are at your normal weight, you can continue your running routine to maintain a nice figure. Running also helps tone various muscles in your body, thus giving you an excellent physique.

2. Prevent Heart Disease

Today, having a healthy heart is more difficult to accomplish than ever before. Lack of exercise and bad eating habits only lead to health issues such as heart disease. Most people know that exercising reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. But exactly how does running help prevent these issues? Getting a daily cardio-workout such as running makes the arteries in the heart more elastic. This means that the heart will not have to work as hard pumping blood throughout the body. This is good news for people suffering from hypertension. The heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels may be reduced and kept at normal ranges with regular running.

3. Maintain Healthy Muscles and Bones

Poor bone and muscle health can be a consequence of inactivity. Failure to provide your bones and muscles with the needed exercise to stay fit will cause them to become weak. Running enables the body to increase bone density and strengthen muscles. This form of exercise enables the body to form new bone tissue. For this reason, running is especially beneficial to maintaining physical health as we age. Regular running can ultimately help prevent bone-related disease such as osteoporosis.

4. Fight Insomnia

Another issue most people are faced with today is not getting sufficient sleep. Getting adequate rest is extremely important for our health, yet only a few people truly get the needed sleep. Insomnia affects the body in so many different aspects. People with the condition often experience depression, body aches, and susceptibility to infections. Running allows your body to sleep better and longer periods.

5. Improve Mental Health

How does running help with mental health? Running produces endorphins in your body, which cause a feeling of well-being. People that run on a regular basis report that they feel more optimistic. This is sometimes called a “runners high” because the effect can sometimes be instantly. Self-esteem and happiness is also improved with regular running. This is mostly due to the fact that runners maintain physical health and are content with their appearance.


Tips for Running More Efficiently

• Stretch – It is crucial to stretch before beginning a running routine.
Stretching allows the body to get rid of lactic acid. This is the substance
that is responsible for causing pain in your body after working out.

• Run Quietly – Taking lighter steps will automatically increase your speed and
efficiency. You’ll be running faster without even noticing it!

• Breathe Correctly – Keep a steady breathing rhythm throughout the workout.
Breathing should be done with the diaphragm and not the chest. While there exists exercises to breath better, it will be the best for most people to just let the body do it automatically.

• Relax – Tension only decreases exercise efficiency; make sure to let your arms,
shoulders, and mouth relax.

• Run with Proper Posture – Do not slouch or bend the knees too much. Stand up
tall and try to extend your legs more. This will help build strength in
your body’s core.

The health benefits of running truly go beyond just giving you good looks. It helps prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, insomnia, and many other health issues. Other conditions that can be prevented with regular running include; diabetes, sexual impotence, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. Although running is not 100% guaranteed to prevent you from developing certain health issues, there is nothing to lose. After all, you’ll be working to maintain your body figure and will also gain good health with no extra effort given.

If you’re looking to get fit then running is one of the best exercises you could do. It works every muscle in your body, toning your physique whilst giving you a great cardiovascular workout, but to truly maximize your performance you need to ensure you’re eating the right foods.

Athletes need to ensure they optimize their workouts to reach their peak, and they, like you, have taken diet extremely seriously. If you don’t eat the right foods before, during or after your urn then you simply won’t get the best out of your body and you many, in fact, harm your performance, causing yourself discomfort on numerous levels.

Before Your Run

Before heading out for your run, whether it’s a daily routine or a professional training session, you must remember that the best fuel for your muscles is carbohydrate. Luckily, carbs come in may shapes and forms, many of which are specifically designed for physical exercise. There are hundreds of energy bars, drinks, gels and other easily digestible, non-heavy foods and drinks out there for you to consume, ensuring your body remains light whilst your muscles feed, preventing you from depleting your energy stores too quickly.

If you’re looking to eat a proper meal before your run then the foods that are high in carbohydrates are pastas, fruits, breads, potatoes and rice to name a few.

How much you consume before your workout depends largely on how intense and how long your run will be. If you’re extremely lean and muscly and you train like a professional athlete then your carbohydrate needs will be higher than someone who is out of shape and simply going for a run to get back into shape.

The carbohydrates you consume before your run are stored in your muscles as glycogen in the days leading up to exercise. Fully filling your glycogen stores takes a lot of time, and, crucially, this process is largely affected by what you eat after exercise.

Remember that digestion takes anywhere from 1 to 4 hours, meaning you shouldn’t eat or drink anything that isn’t easily digestible immediately before you exercise. The food you consume will only be useful when it’s been absorbed by your body, and if it’s still sitting in your stomach you’ll find your run to be uncomfortable, possibly causing you to feel nauseous or develop cramps.

During Your Run

Similarly, to sustain your performance during exercise and delay the feeling of exhaustion that many refer to as ‘hitting the wall’ you need to consume carbohydrates. This is because carbs make the body produce more insulin (blood sugar), and this in turn reduces the amount of cortisol that your body creates. Cortisol causes your body to break down proteins much faster than normal, ultimately breaking down muscle to generate fuel for your body. This is what makes you tired and what makes your workout far less effective – after all, you need strong, functioning muscles to perform at your best!

Generally you should be consuming 30-75g of cabs per hour to ensure you’re achieving peak performance. Also, to maximize carb absorption by the body, it’s a good idea to combine the types of foods that you eat. For instance a carb that is rapidly oxidized, when combined with a carb that is slowly oxidized, creates a faster carb absorption process in the gut. This means you should try to combine glucose with fructose for instance.

Aside from carbohydrate, it’s also recommended to consume protein. This is because muscle is generally always broken down during exercise for one reason or another, be it physical forces such as high-impact running, or the eventual release of cortisol within the body. When consuming a carbohydrate PLUS as protein drink or food, the destruction of muscle tissue is far less than when consuming carbs alone.

Generally drinks are the best to consume when running, as solid food takes longer to digest and can make you feel too full, leading to cramps or stomach upsets. If you wish to snack though then the best foods are fresh fruits, dried fruits or whole grains, as well as energy bars or protein bars available on sale at your local supermarkets or health food stores.

After Your Run

If you’re looking to build muscle, lose fat or simply ensure maximum capacity performance when yo next exercise then it’s crucial for you to take your post-workout meal seriously.

To put it simply, aside from water (which you need at every stage of the day) you should be consuming protein and carbs. You should NOT be going anywhere near fat. That’s not because fat is bad for you – it’s because fat slows down digestion, and that means it will slow down your body’s absorption of proteins and carbs, both of which are crucial after a workout!

You should eat your post workout meal as soon as you can, and ideally within 30 minutes of ceasing to exercise. If 30 minutes is impossible then try to get it into your body within one hour.

Although chicken, fish, eggs and other meats are all good, healthy forms of protein, the protein you should be consuming after a workout is in liquid form. This is because it’s easily digestible and quickly consumed, meaning it gets into your body and therefore affects your muscles faster than anything else. Whey protein in particular is the fastest digesting form of protein in existence, so try to get yourself a whey protein shake and take it with you when you exercise.

It’s recommended that you consume 0.15-0.25 grams of protein per pound (lb) of your body weight. So, if you’re 175lbs then you’d be looking to consume 26-43g of protein. If you’re seeking to lose weight then you should use your target body weight as your guideline – not your current body weight!

After protein, the next important thing to consume is carbs as they restire muscle glycogen that was depleted during your workout. The faster digesting carbs are best, unlike throughout the rest of the day, and this means foods like bread (which have a high glycemic index). Ideally though, you want the carbs to absorb super fast, and this is where dextrose can become extremely useful.

Although dextrose is, simply put, sugar, it is perfect for a post-workout meal as it absorbs extremely quickly and doesn’t weigh you down or make you feel full like bread does. Once again you should be aiming to consume 0.25 – 0.4 grams of carbs per pound of body weight, unless you’re overweight in which case, use your target body weight as you did with the protein supplements.

The best thing about your post-workout ‘meal’ is that it can be combined as powder in a shaker and then, after you exercise, you can simply add some water and consume it on the spot, ensuring that your muscles repair properly and you can perform at full capacity next time.

There is a small segment of runners out there who will stick to the barefoot running technique even if you give them the most advanced or most expensive running shoes for free. This is because they firmly believe that a barefoot is the best designed shoe for the human body, as given by nature. Those who are interested in the barefoot running technique will find some useful information on it below.

Why do some people prefer the barefoot running technique?

The barefoot running technique is particularly preferred by some people who insist that the barefoot allows them to feel the striking of the foot on the ground. Supporters of the barefoot running technique say that this feeling is not felt when one is wearing shoes. Feeling the strike will allow a runner to modify their running technique in such a way that their running form improves. This is the argument you will get from most runners who believe in the barefoot running technique. Some scientific evidence seems to suggest that the barefoot running technique allows the weight of the body to be distributed more evenly across the foot whereas shoes place undue strain on the heel of the foot. However, such studies have largely remained inconclusive when it comes to picking a winner from running with shoes and the barefoot running technique.

Will the barefoot running technique work for everyone?

Once again, the results are rather inconclusive. However, surveys conducted on barefoot runners have almost always seemed to suggest that they enjoy the barefoot running experience. Some say that they are able to run longer while some say that they are able to run faster. However, barefoot running seems to be popular among the younger crowd while the older crowd has problems with barefoot running.

Studies also conclude that barefoot running is better for younger people as they have well shaped arches when they are young. Older people tend to lose structural integrity in their arches as they age and they also develop conditions like hammer toes that will make the barefoot running technique impractical for them.

One will only be able to find out if the barefoot running technique is a fit for them if they tried it out for themselves.

What kind of surfaces are ideal for barefoot running ?

Obviously, barefoot running will not be ideal on all surfaces. Grass is the most popular choice of running surface among barefoot runners. Next to grass, asphalt is a very popular choice although runners will need to make sure that the entire running surface is free of any kind of debris or objects that can hurt the foot.

Do minimal shoes offer the same kind of experience as the barefoot running technique?

Of late, the market has been flooded with “minimal shoes” that promise to provide protection while also allowing the runner to run as if they are running or bare feet. The comparisons are inconclusive although many runners use these minimal shoes to make the transition from running shoes to barefoot running.

Some joggers will inevitably experience some hip pain during their running. After knee pain, hip pain is the second most common type of injury or pain amongst runners. Below, one will find some important information on hip pain that is caused by running and one will also find information on how hip pain can be avoided or treated.

Where does the hip pain usually originate from? 

When hip pain is caused by running, the runner will often feel the pain in the area where the hip and thigh meet. In some cases, the runners might feel that the hip pain is coming from a point that is a little higher than the point where the thigh and hip meet.

How is hip pain caused?

It would be very difficult to provide a general answer for the cause of hip pain as the cause will vary from individual to individual. For example, hip pain can be simply caused because a person is running on a hard surface that puts undue pressure on the hip bone. Hip pain can also be caused by worn out shoes or badly fitted shoes. It can also be caused by poor running form, due to weak core muscles and also by the length of the running stride.

Other conditions that can lead to hip pain are weak muscles in the back and a condition called over pronation where one of the ankles rolls over, much more than the other ankle, creating an imbalance that can cause knee or hip pain. In fact, most runners who suffer from hip pain are those who also suffer from knee pain.

How is hip pain treated? 

For immediate treatment of hip pain, one will need to simply rest or at least reduce their running activities to an intensity level that does not cause any hip pain. One can also use ice, gel packs and massages to seek respite from hip pain.

For long term treatment, one might have to do one of the following, depending on the cause of hip pain in the body.

If the hip pain is being caused by weak back muscles, one will have no choice but to strengthen their back and core muscles over a period of time.

If the hip pain is being caused by imbalances or poor running form, one might have to consider a change in footwear and even a change in their running technique. Many people have managed to reduce or eliminate their hip pain by simply reducing the length of their running stride.

In some cases, one might have to seek the help of a orthopedic expert to see if they will need orthotics to correct their running technique, that can then lead to an elimination of hip pain.

One can also possibly eliminate hip pain by simply switching their running surface to something that is a little softer, especially if they were running on concrete. In some cases, simply losing a few pounds will allow a person to eliminate hip pain that is being caused by running.

Below, one will find a quick list of beginners running tips that will allow them to get started with running, in the right way. Without much further ado, let us get into some of these basic but important beginners running tips.

Clothing 

Chafing is a big problem faced by many runners, especially down there, in the unmentionables area. One must make it a point to buy good spandex shorts that they can wear underneath their shorts or track pants. Bad socks is another clothing item that can cause a lot of problems for beginner level runners. Cotton socks will just not cut it. One should only try to buy socks that are specifically sold for runners. Women should invest in a good sports bra, even it is fairly expensive, as it will be a very good and essential investment for long term running.

Mingle with a running community

There are very few runners out there who will want to be on their own. Most runners are part of a vibrant community. Make friends in your local running club and try to participate in local races to become a part of the running scene. Friends in the local running community can provide you with beginners running tips that will be quite difficult to find elsewhere.

Buying and using the right kind of shoes 

You must always make it a point to buy running shoes during the afternoon, as your feet are bigger in the afternoon. A double knot is a must for runners. If you do not know how to tie a double knot, it is high time you learned how as you don’t want your laces coming undone when you are running at full tilt. Whatever you do, do not buy fancy sneakers. It is imperative that you only buy running shoes. You must also get your leg fitted and assessed by a knowledgeable person who will be able to recommend you a good shoe that will be compatible with your arch type and even your running technique. Most stores that sell running shoes will have someone who will be able to help you out with the selection of your running shoe. If not, you can look up one of the hundreds of online resources that will be able to offer beginners running tips on selecting the right kind of shoes for running.

Tips to actually begin running

You must always start slow and then move up to longer distances and faster speeds. Stop running or jogging if you are having difficulty breathing or if you are breathing very heavily. It is quite all right to just walk for a few minutes. Don’t be embarrassed about your stamina shortcomings when you start running. It will only get a whole lot better. To attain a very good running form, you will need to perform some running specific workout routines that will strengthen certain muscle groups in the body. You must try to strengthen your quadriceps, glutes and your core if you want to have good running form. Also, make it a point to always keep your hamstrings loose if you want to avoid knee pain, caused by a runner’s knee.

Knee pain from running can hurt!

Many a runner gives up on running because of knee pain from running. However, the fact of the matter is that knee pain can easily be avoided if a person has the right kind of information on knee pain from running.

Below, one will find information on the causes, treatment and symptoms of knee pain from running.

Symptoms of knee pain from running

Many runners who suffer from knee pain will often feel the pain after they have just completed a long run. The pain will usually originate from just behind the knee cap and might feel like a numbing pain rather than a sharp pain. The pain will usually aggravate when a person has climbed a flight of stairs. Other symptoms of a runner’s knee are when a person feels stiffness or soreness in their knees when they have sat down for long period of time. Some runners also experience a slight clicking sound when they either extend or bend their knees.

Causes of knee pain from running

Knee pain for runners is usually caused by a condition that is medically known as patellofemoral pain syndrome. Among the running community, this condition is simply known as a “runner’s knee”. In a vast majority of cases, this knee pain from running is caused by quadriceps muscles that are quite weak, especially when compared to the strength of the hamstring muscles in the same person. Tight hamstrings can also be another cause of knee pain from running. Weak quadriceps and a tight hamstring can also cause the ankles to roll in when a jogger is running. Technically, the rolling in of ankles is known as the tendency to over pronate, that can in turn cause knee pain.

Treatment for knee pain from running

For reduction of knee pain from running, one can simply ice their knees after a run. However, running with pain is not recommended. One must take a few days off when they are suffering from knee pain from running. During those days off, one should try to stretch out their hamstring muscles and also strengthen their quadriceps muscles.

Quadriceps muscles can be easily strengthened with the help of targeted exercises such as lunges and leg raises.

To reduce knee pain from running, one must also make sure that they have the right kind of shoes that supports the arch type in their foot. To avoid knee pain from running, one must also ensure that they never run on worn out shoes. Ideally, shoes should be changed every 350 miles or so. One should also consider buying two pairs of running shoes that they can alternate every day as it will reduce the chances of knee injuries that can be caused by improper cushioning. If one cannot find a shoe that will match their arch, they can consider buying over the counter arch support products that might reduce their knee pain, especially if it is caused by over pronation.

If none of the above treatment methods work, one should seek professional help of a doctor who will be able to advise on custom fitted orthotic installments that will be able to eliminate or reduce knee pain.

While running is easily considered to be one of most wholesome workouts out there, there are many runners out there who are quite unaware of the fact that running needs a certain degree of physical conditioning. In other words, one will have to perform some running workouts that will allow their body to sustain the rigors of running.

Running workouts for glute strength and toning

The glutes are a very important muscle group for runners because the glutes essentially support the pelvic and hip area, on long, grinding runs. It is thus very important to strengthen the glutes. Strengthening the glutes will also usually tone the butt, offering dual benefits for runners who carry out the below mentioned running workouts.


Lunges - This is a very simple exercise that will strengthen the glutes. To do these exercises, one will simply need to go from an upright position to a lunge position. An ideal lunge position is one where the front leg is fully stretched out, with the person resting both their hands on the knee. One should try to hold the position for about 30 seconds before switching legs. These running workouts might be a little difficult to do if your glutes are very weak to begin with although it will become easier with time.

Hip hike – For this exercise, you will need a step up bench that is at least 4 inches tall. Take a stand on this bench in such a way that only one of your foot is on the bench while the other is hanging freely. Keep your hands on your hips and keep your shoulders level. Now, try to hike your hip in such a way that you try to lift the leg that is hanging freely. These running workouts will require you to do about 12-15 reps before switching over to the other side. Once your glutes begin to get stronger, you can add ankle weights to these running workouts to make them more rewarding for you.

Running workouts for core strength and toning

A weak core is bad news for a runner as the knees will take the extra strain of having to balance the weight of the body that will otherwise be supported by strong core muscles. Use the below mentioned core strengthening exercises to tone up and strengthen your core group of muscles.

Russian twists – For these core running workouts, you will need to sit on a floor mat, with your feet off the ground and with your shins parallel to the ground. You back should be angled backwards when you do this exercise. Hold a medicine ball just in front of your knees. Now, twist your abdominal muscles and bring the medicine ball to either side of your body, alternating about 20 reps for each side.

Medicine ball pushups – These core running workouts will make use of a medicine ball to strengthen the core muscles. To do this exercise, one will need to lie in a modified push up position. One will then need to place one hand on a ball and one hand on the floor and perform a modified push up. This will have to be alternated with each hand.

The 4 running workouts above will do a great job of strengthening the core and glutes, priming the runner for a better running experience.

We all know of the little race known as a marathon. It is where people all around registers to run for a specific distance like three to five, and even as high as seven kilometers. These marathon races are known to be popular and good for the health of the people who partake in them. But also, not only do these people get a chance to at least get some exercise; they will also remember all their life that we had partaken in a race that had helped others. Marathons often have fees since they support a certain person or organization in order for them to support others.

Marathons are held on almost every country in the world and are often attended by hundreds or even thousands of people wanting to make a name for them. It’s true that in a marathon you can get the chance to make a name for yourself and even become popular all over the world especially if you do something unique like win it in a short matter of time.  Since then, marathons are very popular since by winning it or having a place, you will certainly get some nice and fascinating prices. Other than medals or any other certificate, monetary prices are often being given to the winner and could go as high as a million dollars.

To join a marathon running race, you would have to sign up and register before running. You will be given a number that will become your identification. Some marathon races allow you to choose on the distance you would prefer to run whether you are only up for three kilometers or you are really ready to go all the way of as far as seven kilometers in the marathon you wanted to attend. Most if not all marathons have an entrance fee and all marathons have a price in stored for the winners of the marathon race. Other than that, a  portion or if not a large percentage of the money collected from the registration or entrance fees are often sent to the certain marathon’s specific sponsored charity group or charity organization. This means that if you join and run on any marathon race, you would have helped a lot of people in need just by being there. Also, the prices are often based on the distance you chose.

We all know the annual and very popular London Marathon that is currently the record holder of the largest marathon in history. Everyone recognizes it as one of the best and one of the top running events all over the world. Currently it is one of the five highest and top marathons even when against other marathons all over the world. With more than thirty thousand people in attendance, with the hopes of winning the one million dollar price, to their annual marathon, the London Marathons have managed to secure their place as one of the best, most recognized, and most popular marathons of our present time.

For runners, running technique is extremely important. Being able to improve it even slightly can have a big impact on runner’s efficiency, how fast and how long they are able to run and the speed in which they recover. It can also help to limit or ward off over-use injuries.

Many runners, at least serious ones, are concerned with how to improve their running technique. When discussing how to best improve technique, it is important to clarify what a person means. Improvement to some people will mean improved speed, to others, greater efficiency and to still others, fewer injuries. In the interest of focusing on one aspect of running technique we will, in this article, discuss how it relates to speed.

Unfortunately, not enough studies have been done on runners and the techniques they use, particularly distant runners, which is what we will be covering in this article. Conventional wisdom extols running in such a manner that the heal strikes the ground first. Whether or not this true, hasn’t thoroughly been researched, though there have been several decent studies. Below, we will discuss one of the better ones.

A study published in the Journal of Strength of Conditioning, observed runners in the 2004 Sapporro International Marathon using a high speed camera, at the 15 km mark in an effort to determine what running technique were most utilized by runners, specifically at is concerned foot strike. They were able to observe 283 runners. 248 of them were men and the remaining 35, women. Each racer was classified as one of the following, mid-foot, forefoot or heel-strikers.

Researchers found that seventy-five percent of the runners were heel strikers, twenty-four percent were mid-foot strikers and only one percent was forefoot strikers. From the aforementioned results, it might be easy to conclude that the best running technique for long distance running is to first strike with the heel. However, this conclusion wouldn’t necessarily be correct. If a person were to delve further into the study, they would discover that there were a higher percentage of mid-foot strikers in the top positions than any other. Even though there were more heel-strikers, this didn’t translate into better finishing positions for those runners.

Running technique is such an individual thing, especially for amateur runners. Though there are some commonly held theories regarding which technique is best, there hasn’t been enough research on the subject and there are different schools of thought. For now, the best approach may be experimentation. Runners may want to give various techniques a try until they find the one most effective for themselves.

It is hard to learn how to play basketball like a pro. You might allready be good on your high school basketball team. But to be a professional basketball player in the NBA you will probably need way more training. Taylor Allan’s scoring secrets is a guide on how to transfer you from an average to a pro player. It will work for people who want to be professionals but also for people who just play for fun. Click the banner below to check the guide out!

While many sites post tips on how to transform yourself from an amateur basketball player to a good one, it is one thing to write some theoretical tips and another to have them work. This is why most players who are serious on improving their skills have found Taylor Allan’s Scoring Secrets an effective training plan that gives good results. The tips that are discussed in this manual are very reliable and they can also guarantee you a success in building your career as a pro basketball player.

Starting with the basics, the manual explains that the following important tips on how to power yourself so that you can take on fast paced games. Generally, you expect that pros will play fast and effective.

One of the tips on how to play basketball like a pro is that you need to have an effective workout. For most people, when left alone during training without a guide then they are not able to make the most of the training and develop stamina that is required during the game. This can be developed by reading and implementing the complete workout chart that is described in the how to play basketball like a pro guide. While the main purpose of the guide is to improve your scoring skills it also includes lots of other effective workouts.

A complete training video library is a part of the Taylor Allan’s scoring secrets. It contains a step by step guide that enables you to identify the exact muscles to stretch. This is a professional tip that most armature players do not know.

A neglected area that is an important ingredient in developing yourself as pro basketball player is the nutritional care. The energy burn rate is very high when you play professional basketball. Therefore the period before the start of the basketball season should be a period to build your stamina by eating high energy foods. These foods should not lead to increase in the body weight because that will not allow you to move faster.

Playing basketball like a pro is more than just having a good body shape and physical strength. The how to play basketball like a pro guideexplains some tips on how to get interviews with coaches who will help you to sign up for professional games. You skills in human relations and communication will need polishing so that when you meet the media, you do not fumble and loose good image required for attracting contracts with the big teams.

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