New Year, New You

Dec 10, 2011 by admin

New Year, New YouAs soon as midnight strikes on New Year’s Eve many of us will be making resolutions, but come the end of January all good intentions will be lost. But this time it shouldn’t just be about making one resolution and trying to stick to it, now’s the time to make some big decisions and welcome in the New Year with a new you.

Here’s a few tips to help you do just that:

Change your career direction

Are you stuck in a rut in your current career? Are you struggling to find your dream job? What many of us overlook is the potential to turn your hobby into a career. If fitness and training is part of your daily life, consider making this your working life too. With many accredited personal trainer courses throughout the UK as soon as you enrol on a course you’ll be on the first step to your new career. So while the gyms and fitness centres fill with good intentions in the New Year, you can rest assured that the career of a lifetime is just within your grasp.

Get a hold on your finances

After Christmas and New Year we can often be left with a huge dent in our wallets. Added on top to some of the debt that many of us have, we can be sometimes fear the worst come the start of January. But there’s never a better time to get a hold on our finances and start to reduce some debt. Can you start to make a dent in your credit card bill? Are you able to cut out needless spending or can you do without those luxury items? If you stick to it, it’s a promise that will continue to repay itself throughout the year.

Learn something new

Whether you want to improve your computer skills, learn a new language or pick up an instrument, now’s the time to start. With various courses available both in your local community and online for all kinds of skills, this can be a great resolution to really stick to. You’ll find the new you in no time.

See some of the world

We all look forward to our time off work and all enjoy some rest and relaxation while on holiday. But a summer holiday doesn’t have to mean a package holiday to the sunshine destinations in Europe. Why not head to Thailand for some jungle trekking, go bungee jumping in New Zealand or dance the samba at the Rio carnival? Choose a destination early in the year and work towards it. It could be the trip of a lifetime.

Whatever changes you make, the new you is just around the corner.

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If the Shoe Fits: Choosing a Walking Shoe

Nov 3, 2011 by admin

Not everyone is so enthused about exercising that he has memberships to three gyms, has exercise equipment in the corner of his family room and has three-, five- and ten-mile running routes mapped with alternating terrain challenges. Most of us fall far below that level of commitment, and for those of us just starting an exercise program, walking is an excellent starting point that often becomes the foundation of a regular routine. However, even the most dedicated newbie can suffer injury and become discouraged quickly if he wears the wrong shoes while walking.

Picture someone in shorts and a t-shirt on a warm day. He has his towel, watch, sunglasses and wallet tucked safely away, and off he goes. By the time he reaches the first corner, he has a blister; his ankles are sore, and he’s sure his arches have fallen.

Who knew wearing high heels was bad for walking for exercise? The right—or wrong—shoe makes a difference!

When you are beginning a walking exercise regime, don’t buy the most expensive walking shoe you can afford. They should be a separate pair of shoes from your everyday pair, but you don’t have to clean out your bank account. Determine your budget and start looking about mid-range.

You want to look for certain construction elements, comfort and fit. Your first pair of walking shoes may not last very long: You might change your mind or determine you like it so well that you want an even better pair. But look for support first.

Walking ShoeWalking shoes have wide sole bases. Some models have soles as wide or wider than the actual shoe material that covers your foot. That wide base steadies and supports your stride, and it’s very important.

Next, look for cushioning in the sole. Walking doesn’t present as high of impact on your bones, joints and muscles, but there’s more than what’s experienced just sitting on the couch playing video games. Give yourself that bit of ease and comfort.

Make sure there is adequate arch support. Even if you don’t have fallen arches naturally, what support you can provide the bone structure in your foot can only benefit you—so long as it’s still comfortable enough when you’re walking. If there is inadequate arch support built into the shoe, purchase separate inserts that provide it.

Ensure you can fasten the shoes comfortably without pinching any part of your foot, yet not allow the foot to “swim” in the shoe at all. Allow the proper size toe box for your foot: Squeezing toes together just to look good while you walk is counterproductive to maintaining a walking exercise routine. If your foot, leg or back hurts when you walk, although you look good doing it, you won’t continue, and you loose all the physical and mental health benefits from this terrific cardio- and muscular exercise.

Make sure your walking shoe fits, and when the shoe fits, wear it often and well as you walk for exercise, fun and socialization!

Article by Holly Miller, who writes for Coupon Croc. Shop online for footwear and save when you use discount codes fromCouponCroc.co.uk.

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Online Walking Resources

Aug 8, 2010 by admin

The sport of race walking is getting popular day by day and more and more people want to know about the sport, as it has good effects on health. If you want to get information about the race walking, you have many options. There are many race walking clubs, working in many areas for the promotion of the sport. There are many online resources, which can provide all the necessary information about race walking. Following are the few of them.Walking

  • Organizations: Many organizations are working to support race walking. Many clubs are members of these organizations. These associations are creating awareness about the advantages of race walking and helping in training. Some are nonprofit organizations, raising funds for athletes and sports. Some others focus on youth programs and provide professional coaching to the young walkers.  Australian Federation of Race Walking Clubs , English Racewalking Association, EroFit, North American Racewalking Foundation, and Racewalking International, Inc. (RWI) are few examples.
  • Individuals: Some individuals, having interest in race walking and past race walkers are also working to support the game. Moreover, some currents walkers have also launched their websites for the advertisement of their upcoming events. Denis Langlois website, Nathan Deakes, and Tim Seaman are the individuals, providing information regarding race walking on the web.
  • Commercial: Information about the sport is also available on commercial level. Healthwalk to Fitness, RunnersGear.com, SnowPack Cold Therapy, Treadmill Reviews and Ratings are few commercial websites, which provide all the information on the sport of race walking.
  • Others: Other than above-mentioned resources, a large number of magazines, online books and clubs’ websites are also available on the internet. Race Walking Record Magazine, Big AOL Racewalking Link List, The Web Walker, Walking.About.com, are the few examples. They provide the list of upcoming race walking events, biography of players and everthing related to the sport.

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Why Race Walking is so healthy?

Aug 3, 2010 by admin

It is a fact that simple walking quickly never equate with race walking in healthiness because there is difference in techniques. Power walkers and fitness walkers do quick walking to remain fit and fine but people do not know that no walking technique is as healthy as race walking. As race walking is, an Olympic game and rules followed to play this enthusiastic game, so if any one violet the rules he/she announced as disqualified.

Many people do race walking but not all do this game for competition. A large number of people play this game to remain healthy andRace Walking fit, as they know the benefits of this healthy game. If you want to know the great advantages of race walking, then here is some information for you.

  • Compare with the same pace of running, race walking is more beneficial to burn calories per mile and higher muscular activity. James Rippe, MD of University of Massachusetts, compare race walking with running as that race walking burns 120-130 calories per mile, which is higher than 100-110 calories burn during running.
  • During race walking, the movement of arms is at very high rate and ultimately your body does healthy workout. This activity helps to strengthen your arms, neck and chest muscles.
  • According to new research conduct in Wayne State University, the competitive race walkers have better health and fitness profile than ordinary runners. They reported that professional race walkers have low body fat and balanced cholesterol level in their body. This is no doubt, a good sign of healthy body.
  • Due to one golden rule of race walking, which is as your one foot always remains in contact with the ground, the strain on ankle, knees and hip joints is less than free style running.

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Injuries and Treatments in Race Walking

Jun 27, 2010 by admin

Though race walking is healthy game and people prefer it than simple running. Race walking is a big source of burning calories and reducing fats in your body. But you know, where there is a game, chances are there to get injuries. Similarly race walking is not free from injuries but treatment is also there to cure these injuries. So advantages of race walking are more than disadvantages.Injuries

Records show that ratio to get injuries by race walking players is less and these injuries are also not traumatic. Some common injuries which players suffer are as below.

Injuries:

Tendonitis of knees, Planter fasciitis or feet injury and shin splints are the most common race walking injuries. These all injuries related to muscles, which can be in either form like pulling of muscles, hardening of muscles, and low flexibility in muscles by keeping them long time straightened. As we know tendons are those fibrous materials which connect muscles with bones. Tendonitis of knees in race walking occur due to decreasing flexibility of knees as race walkers have to move forward by contracting muscles. With the time being the muscles lose stretch ability and become tightened. This tightened muscle pulls at the origin point and also in insertion point. One more disadvantage of tight muscle is that friction increases in joints and bursa is irritated. Bursa is a fluid-filled sac in joints.

Treatments:

Normally common treatment in case of injury or pain is rest and aspirin, but these are not treatment of injuries. These precautions just kill the symptoms for some time not cause. For tight muscles isolation of muscles is necessary. To release strain on tendons is stretching of muscles. Another treatment to avoid hardening of muscles is to stretch them gently after exercise. However, if you are suffering from muscle hardness, then digging a scar in tissue is the only treatment which can cure your injury.

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