How to Start Running Without Getting Hurt, According to Pros

New to running, or just trying to get back into it after a hiatus? Great. It’s one of the easiest sports to take up—all you need is a great pair of kicks and a sports bra, and you’re ready to go. Plus making your way through miles can help you shed pounds, bust stress, and even lower your risk of getting certain cancers.

Before you head out the door at full speed, though—which will almost certainly leave you injured—consider this: “Running is really hard on your body and you just have to be smart about it,” says John Hancock Elite Ambassador Blake Russell, an Olympic marathoner, physical therapist, and owner of On Track Physical Therapy in Pacific Grove, California. “The key is just starting out really slow.”

Here Russell and her fellow John Hancock Elite Ambassador Bill Rodgers, a four-time Boston Marathon winner, offer five tips for helping newbies run strong and long.

Stick to soft surfaces

While there is nothing wrong with pounding the pavement, it can be harsh on the body, especially if yours isn’t used to the movement or surface. Russell’s rec: start off on softer surfaces (think grass, sand, or even the treadmill). While a softer surface doesn’t automatically equal injury-free, a small study in the journal Research in Sports Medicine revealed that running on grass, for instance, puts less pressure on the foot compared to running on concrete.

RELATED: 13 Causes of Leg Cramps and How to Stop Them

Give yourself time to build muscle

“It takes the body at least six weeks to build muscle,” says Russell, “so give your body time to build that muscle.” In other words, don’t take on too much mileage too soon; that’s a surefire way to end up sidelined. To help your body adapt, and shore up those muscles, consider strengthening exercises, such as planks, clamshells, side squats. (See how to do them here.)

Try the run-walk method

Can’t make it through your miles without stopping? That’s OK. While you are building your endurance (or if you just need a break mid-run), there is nothing wrong with a little walking. Rodgers suggests trying the run-walk method, which is running for a set amount of time, walking for a set amount of time, and then repeating the cycle. We recover when we walk, notes Rodgers, who believes that the 5K is an ideal running distance and that our bodies were made to run around three miles. (If you will be in the Clearwater, Florida, area in December, there is still time to register for the Cooking Light & Health Fit Foodie Festival and 5K Foodie Race. Register here!)

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Don’t run everyday

Don’t be afraid to slip off those sneaks. “Take some days off if you are new to it, don’t feel you have to run seven days a week,” says Russell. When you exercise, you are basically causing trauma to the body by creating micro tears in the muscle. Days off allow the body to recover and those muscles to grow back stronger.

And don’t skimp on recovery

According to Russell, recovery is just as important as training. What you do when you’re off your feet will surely help you make strides while you’re on ‘em. Great practices to employ in your recovery routine: stretching, foam rolling, and massages. This, along with strength moves, will keep your body and joints loose and strong, she notes. And don’t forget to refuel—a 3-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein (think apple with peanut butter) within an hour of finishing your run helps replenish your energy so you can recover faster.

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How to Do a Goblet Squat–and Why You Should

Breakfast for dinner. Outdoor showers. When the gauc *doesn’t* cost extra. These are some of life’s underrated pleasures. Another to add to the list? Goblet squats.

Goblet squats are air squats that are performed with the addition of a dumbbell, kettlebell, medicine ball, or really anything else that’s heavy and compact, like a boulder, Keurig, lamp, massive crate of cheese puffs—hey, get creative! “Goblet squats require you to hold the weight in front of your chest, usually so that your hands are positioned as if you’re holding onto a goblet,” explains certified strength and conditioning specialist Shane Savoy, trainer at New York Health & Racquet Club.

But goblet squats are a little less about the fire and more about the burn. That whole-body burn. “Goblet squats are a full-body movement. They work your quads, calves, glutes, and entire core, and your arms and grip strength because you’re holding onto the weight,” says Savoy.

“They’re an awesome choice for people looking to tone their cores and increase their glute strength at the same time,” he adds. So, if you’re trying to save time in the gym while tightening your abs and lifting your bum, this move is your new go-to.

RELATED: 11 Celeb-Approved Workouts for a Toned, Sculpted Butt

How to do goblet squats

Hold a weight at your chest using both of your hands and stand with your feet about hip-width apart. If you’re using a kettlebell, Savoy says you can hold it with the handle facing up or down.

When you’re ready to begin, brace your core, then drop your butt back and down to lower into a squat while keeping your chest up. As you squat, sit back into your heels without shifting your weight forward onto the balls of your feet. Try to get as deep into the squat as possible to maximize glute activation. Then, driving through your heels, come back up to standing and give your glutes a squeeze at the top. That’s one rep.

Savoy recommends warming up with two sets of 10 to 12 reps at a very low weight, and then doing three working sets of eight to 12 reps at a moderate (i.e. challenging, but manageable) weight. For example, if you want to use a 35-pound kettlebell in the workout, warm up with a 12- or 16-pound kettlebell first.

Want to make it harder? Either increase the weight or slow down your descent. Try a tempo of four seconds on the way down and one second on the way back up, followed by a one to two second pause at the top before your next rep.

“Slowing down the eccentric, or downward, portion of the squat increases the amount of time under tension, which increases calorie burn and muscle activation,” says Savoy.

If you need to make it a bit easier, either decrease the weight or find something to hang onto, like a column, TRX band, handle, or door frame.

“Holding onto something while you squat down will help counterbalance your weight, so it will keep you from falling over. This will help you get used to the squat motion while holding onto something,” says Savoy.

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The benefits of goblet squats

Once you get the hang of the goblet quat, you’ll reap these four gains:

A booty pump. “The placement of the weight in the squat allows most people to sink lower into the squat, which means more glute activation than a typical squat,” says Savoy. One study, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, found that when combined with other kettlebell movements, goblet squats helped athletes increase their overall strength and power over the course of six weeks.

A stronger core. “In a front squat, the load is shifted forward, which means the person doing it must maintain a strong and stable back and core to protect the spine,” says Savoy. Basically, the core must work double-time, he says.

Increased core strength means safer daily movements, heavier lifts, a more powerful trunk for your entire body, and a tighter, stronger mid-section. While having a toned or sculpted stomach also comes down to things like body fat percentage, genetics, eating habits, and where you are in your menstrual cycle, goblet squats can help build those six-pack muscles.

Increased mobility. “Because you’re able to sit lower into the squat, when done correctly, the goblet squat will help improve your hip and ankle mobility—two joints that tend to get stiff and tight from too much sitting,” says Savoy. “If your ankles are incredibly immobile, consider raising your heels up ½ to 2 inches with weight plates so that you can squat [more] comfortably. Then over time, reduce the height of the weight plates until you can do them on the flat ground,” he adds.

Fewer injuries. Sure, the exercise sounds otherworldly, but the goblet squat is actually a very natural position for most women because it’s the same position as picking up a heavy object, like a child or a box, which means it’s widely accessible. As an exercise, the goblet squat gives you the opportunity to perfect your form on this everyday position—which helps protect injury in day to day activities, says Savoy.

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Is a tickle in the chest serious?

A tickle in the chest has many possible causes. Colds and seasonal allergies are often behind this symptom, but it can also result from conditions such as anxiety, acid reflux, and arrhythmia. In this article, learn about the range of causes and how to tell if a tickle in the chest is serious enough to need treatment.



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2017’s Biggest Fitness Trends – Health

A new year symbolizes a fresh start—and the perfect chance to reboot your stale workouts with one of 2017’s top fitness trends.

In the upcoming year, wearable tech, body weight training, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) will be huge, according to an annual report published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The 11th annual report surveyed 1,801 fitness professionals, including personal trainers, wellness coaches, exercise physiologists, and college professors.

“We don’t consider items as trends for this list unless they’re sustained over many years,” says report author and ACSM president-elect Walter Thompson, PhD.

Read on to find out more about what’s to come in the fitness world in 2017.

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