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Strength Training With Best Body Fitness

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

After our squats and lunges post we realized that you all love cross training. This week we have another cross training post with runner and trainer Tina Reale.

Tina Reale is a NASM certified personal trainer and owner of the personal training site and blog Best Body Fitness. Tina offers affordable online personal training programs and virtual boot camps while also sharing workouts and fitness motivation through her blog. Tina recently completed her first marathon and looks forward to continuing her quest for a healthy, balanced life as she raises her two small children.

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As a runner, you have likely “heard it once, heard it a thousand times”. Strength training is an important component of a runner’s weekly training. Runners should regularly incorporate strength training. Then comes the dilemma –I can only handle so many squats and lunges. Does strength training really make a difference? WHAT should I even do for strength training that will truly help my running?

I can attest that hitting the weight room does help running performance. In order to run harder or run stronger or simply help prevent injury, strength training can help by:

Increasing lean muscle mass to power the body through challenging runs
Correcting muscular imbalances or weaknesses that affect injury
Strengthening bones by building up bone density
Improving running form over endurance training as the core/glutes/hips/etc are stronger and fatigue less easily
Providing a low-impact, yet challenging, cross training activity runners can enjoy

A wide variety of exercises exist that can greatly complement running, squats and lunges among them. However, what other exercises can a runner include in their cross training gym days? The three moves below will target weak areas for runners while training multiple body parts at once for a more effective workout. Incorporate one or all of them into your next workout!

Single Leg Deadlift – For Glutes/Core and Stabilization

Stand with feet shoulder width apart while holding a moderate weight dumbbell or kettle bell in front of you. Step one foot back with your toe lightly touching the ground. Keeping shoulders back, abs tight, and back flat, tip from the hips to lower the weight toward the ground. Either keep the rear foot on the ground with toes lightly touching or, for a stabilization challenge, let the rear leg lift upwards behind you as you lower. Make sure the back remains flat, abs tight, and hips squared during the movement. Slowly return to start. Complete 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg.

Works: Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Abdominals

Push-Up & Row With Rotation – For the Entire Upper Body & Core

Holding light to moderate weight dumbbells, start in a prone plank position balancing on your hands and toes. Keep your abs drawn in and your body in a straight line from head to toe. Lower your body down into a push-up. As you return to the top of the push-up position, slowly draw one arm straight up towards your rib cage. From there, slowly rotate your torso away from the floor into a side plank as you continue to extend the arm above your head in a straight line. Slowly lower the dumbbell and return to start. Complete 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per side.

Works: Shoulders, Chest, Back, Abdominals, Lower Back

Side Walking Squats with Resistance Tubing – For Glutes & Hips

Loop and tie a light to medium resistance band of resistance tubing around your ankles. Lower into a squat position. While holding the squat, take continuous steps while keeping tension on the band to one side. After completing a set of steps to one side, switch directions and return to start. Remain in the squat the entire time and try to keep constant tension on the band. Complete 2-3 sets of 20-50 total steps (make sure to do an even amount in each direction) per set.

Works: Gluteus Medius

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Thanks Tina! If you’d like even more help from Tina you can join her next Best Body Bootcamp.

Tina’s next 8 week fitness program starts on July 23rd. It’s for all fitness levels and there are CASH PRIZES for reaching your fitness goals. Visit the Best Body Fitness site for all of the details.

Tags: best body fitness, cross training, deadline, plank, resistance band, squats, strength training, strength training for runners, tina reale
Posted in Fitness | 4 Comments »

Offseason Training Tips

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

Baby it’s cold outside! (Well not where we are, we’re in Florida but trust me, I at least wish it were cold. I really do. I’m not even lying.)

But for most of you, it’s cold and if your races are done for the year, you are on the “offseason.” And you might be spending more time indoors.

What will you do with all that time (i.e. how will you continue to burn holiday calories while you’re not training for something?)

We have some tips for you!

First of all, it’s ok to take a brief time out for yourself. If you’re like me, you needed to hear someone else say that, so we’re saying it.

Go ahead, take a break.

Go light. Maybe a week, maybe two depending on how busy you were during the year training and racing. If you had a busy running or triathlon season, your body needs to catch up and heal from all the stress you put it through during the season. Just remember, if you lay off the exercise a little, eat better so you don’t add those calories back on.

OK, break’s over.

When you’re ready to get back at it, here are some things that you can do that will help you burn calories, stay fit and also get you refreshed for the coming year:

-Take classes at the gym unrelated to what you’ve been training for, like body pump, zumba, or kickboxing
-Do yoga or try something new like hot yoga
-Focus on core work
-Focus on strength; do squats, lunges, hill work, etc.
-Reconnect with family members who you might have left in the dust while training throughout the year

-If you’re into triathlon, focus on your weakest discipline
-Run short local races or fun runs
-Join a Master’s swim
-Get a Massage!

The season will be here before you know it and so will your structured training plan! So, do you already have 2012 planned? How are you spending your time until then?

Tags: fitness, running, training, triathlon
Posted in Fitness | No Comments »

11 Things to do on 11.11.11

Friday, November 11th, 2011

Forget New Year’s Day, that comes every year! This is 11.11.11! And it only comes once every 100 YEARS! You probably won’t see another one of these. Unless maybe you’re a toddler but you’re not reading this anyway.

So what are you doing for it?

If you’re into that sort of thing and the perfect alignment of numbers makes you giddy inside, here are a few things you can do with the day:

1. First and foremost, to all you RUNNERS (because we’re all about the fitness up in here), the Rock N Roll series is celebrating by offering $20 off of their marathons and half-marathons! Go sign up!

2. Of course that means you won’t be racing on 11-11-11 which seems sort of cool, but you could start your training today! If 11 miles is too steep to begin your training program (it is, don’t do it), you can run for 11 minutes, 3 times. How does that sound?

3. Orrrr. Go ahead! Run 11 miles! Three times!

4. If you’re more the spiritual type or you’re just plain old sick of your life, then according to The Spirit Voyage, it is the “Cosmic Portal Transit Date.” I don’t know what that is but it.sounds.AWESOME!

Basically, you know that feeling that you get where you say to yourself, “I can’t go on anymore like this!!” ?? It’s time to get rid of allll that.

It is a rare opportunity to release lifetimes of karmic scripting and ancestral entrapment. Entrapment in the sense of the conscious and unconscious habit patterns which have us wondering why we can’t seem to actualize the life we really want to have, and know is possible.

5. For some reason, there is a concern about zombies invading on 11.11.11. But we already covered that here in the “How to Stay Safe” post, so you don’t have to worry. But if you are worried, stay away from the mall today. Zombies like malls. Or so we’ve heard. So number 5 is, avoid the mall if you’re afraid of a zombie invasion.

6. Go see the movie 11.11.11. (Bo-ring!) Let’s think up some funner ones. Then again, seeing the movie 11.11.11 ON 11.11.11 might be the only way to see it. So never mind, go do that. That sounds pretty cool.

7. Write a list of 11 things you want to do and do them. Then if you have time, write down 11 more. And then 11 more. Boy would you get a lot done. Or you could always do the original 11 three times. If things like “riding a roller coaster” are on there, that might be fun. If it’s running 11 miles or doing laundry, perhaps not as much fun to do 3 times.

8. Plan a party! It’s Friday night after all! But whatever you do, don’t postpone the party. Having the party on 11-12-11 just isn’t the same.

9. The last time it was 11-11-11, temperatures dropped drastically in the U.S. I don’t know about you, but have you stepped outside today? It’s 50 degrees! OK so I know that’s not cold for a lot of people, but we’re in FLORIDA! So 11.11.11 means it’s time for me to figure out what on earth a chimney sweep is and how much it costs so I can finally use the vacant Florida fireplace we have. So you can schedule your chimney sweep.

10. Play the lottery! You KNOW it has to be a lucky day. Numbers are aligned! Shouldn’t that mean something?

11. For the rest of the day, make everything you do have an 11 in it. Are you eating? The letter K is the 11th letter of the alphabet. So get some Keebler crackers and wash it down with Kool-Aid (or a Keg), perhaps have a Krispy Kreme and even a Kellogg’s Rice Krispy Treat. However, after that, you might HAVE to run 11 miles to burn it all off. So maybe instead just drive 11 miles and see where it takes you and go there. But make sure you only spend 11 dollars. Even better, bring two people with you and you will all have gone 11 miles and spent 11 dollars and that would be 11.11.11. And when you’re all done with that, get a My Race Ragz shirt to go with your Rock N Roll Marathon/Half Marathon discount because today only we’re offering an 11% discount!

Just enter the promo code “ELEVEN” at checkout!!

Whatever you do, whether it’s cosmic cleansing, movie watching or just going about your business like it’s any other day, have a great Friday.

Tags: fitness, marathon, runners, running, running in the cold, t-shirts, Things to do on 11.11.11
Posted in Fitness | No Comments »

Twitter Party Announcement!

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Join My Race Ragzand The Biggest Loser Season 11 Contestant

Austin Andrews for a Twitter Party this week, Wednesday, November 2, at 8 p.m. ET.

Austin was on Team Brown with his dad, Ken, and together the both of them lost over 300 pounds!

We’ll be talking about health & fitness with our special guest , and giving away custom dri-fits throughout the hour. So join us!

It’ll be a blast!

Tags: fitness, giveaways, running, t-shirts, The Biggest Loser, training
Posted in Fitness, Giveaways, My Race Ragz | No Comments »

How to Like Running in 6 Easy Steps

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

Not everyone is a runner, in fact I’ve heard people say that they’ll only run if they’re being chased or if they’re on fire.

We, however, love running. But that wasn’t always the case, in fact, I know a few of us (me) had to learn how to like it in the first place, and when you’re not very good at it, it’s hard to like it, let alone keep going.

Sometimes you have to trick yourself.

So here are ways ~~to improvise until you~~ to find yourself, ahem, liking it.

1. Run with Friends. This seems obvious, but it’s true. When you have someone to blab on about things to, the time passes quickly. Or, if you have a friend who’s better than you, then you spend the entire time trying to catch up to them. Also good. You may be too out of breath to talk, but at least you’re challenging yourself.
2. Run for brews. There is not much that a lot of people won’t do if there’s beer involved. Consider the following conversations. Moving someone? (Will there be beer?) Going to a wedding for someone you don’t know? (Will it be open bar?) A run that starts at a brewery and ends at a brewery? Sign me up!
3. Run Wearing Motivation: Sometimes it’s hard to do something when your head’s not in the game. But wearing something motivating is like getting into character. Wear your most motivating ~~shameless plug My Race Ragz~~ shirt, mark yourself up with a sharpie, do whatever it takes to get your head in the game. And then GO!
4. Run Somewhere REALLY Cool: Lots of distractions are GREAT. From running a race at Disney World to going for a run across the Brooklyn Bridge, make your run into a story. If you don’t have anywhere that cool near you (not everyone lives near Disney or the Brooklyn Bridge), find somewhere off the beaten path where local runners LOVE to run. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.
5. Run on HOLIDAYS! Jingle Bell Runs, New Years Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Turkey Trots, Memorial and Labor Days, there are always runs around these days. Go to them! Love them! Get some swag and have fun!
6. If you hate running, KEEP RUNNING! The better you get at it the more you’ll like it and the more you like it the more you’ll do it, it’s a wonderful (evil) circle of running love!

Now if you hit the total jackpot, you could find yourself running with friends wearing something very motivating on a holiday in someplace really super cool with a free beer tent at the end.

That’s my type of race!

And well, if you still don’t like running after all of that, at least you can say you’ve tried.

So. Do you love running or hate it? Do you have any tricks to get through it?

Tags: fitness, marathon, running, stories, t-shirts
Posted in Fitness, Running | 3 Comments »

Ft. Myers to Key West by Bike

Monday, September 5th, 2011

On November 3rd, we’re taking the scenic route to Key West. That’s right, we’re cycling all the way to Key West from Ft. Myers by bike. It’ll take us 3 days to go 280 miles (we know, we’ve already done our research, braved the mosquitoes and done the ride just to make sure!)

Headed out!

And it’s going to be a blast. We’re riding straight into Margaritaville because the ride just happens to be the same weekend as the Jimmy Buffett Parrothead Festival!

The end.

All of the proceeds from the ride are going to the Tiny Hands Foundation, which is holding its 2011 Basket Brigade, providing needy families with a full meal and turkey for Christmas.

Somewhereinbetween

We have 50 spots for riders and we’re already almost half-way full, so join us, won’t you?

Go read about it on the 72 Hours to Key West website and register now!

It’s gonna be awesome. Thanks to Tri Kids Rock for helping us put this event on!

Tags: charity ride, cycling, Florida
Posted in Charity, Cycling, Fitness, My Race Ragz | 11 Comments »