Best Fitness Blog

... By Karli Taylor

What’s the one piece of workout gear you can’t live without? Your ipod? A good water bottle? A matching track suit? Think again- the single most important piece of equipment to virtually any kind of exercise program -- running, aerobics, hiking, tennis, basketball -- is the right pair of shoes. A good pair of shoes can make or break your workout, so how do you pick the right pair?

The biggest mistake people make when they start an exercise program is just reaching into the closet and pulling out an old pair of sneakers, or going to the store and buying a new pair based on looks alone.

First, be sure you are looking for the right sneakers for the right activity. And yes, it does matter. A shoe made for running is very different from a shoe made for basketball or tennis, in a number of ways. Think about the way you move when you run – always forward right? Now think about tennis, or basketball or even soccer- you move sideways just as often as you move forward. This small detail changes the placement of extra support when a shoe is designed.

Those examples may seem obvious, but even walking shoes are different than running shoes. Runners land more on their forefoot when they strike the ground, while walkers have a heavier heel strike. Something this simple changes where extra padding is built into a shoe. If you are a walker who sometimes adds jogging or running to the mix, go with the runner as you need the extra padding more for the higher impact involved in the running motion.

What if you aren’t heavily into running, walking, tennis, or any one particular sport? What if you go to the gym occasionally, maybe play tennis with a co-worker once in a while, or shoot hoops on the weekend with the kids? For you, a cross-trainer might be the best choice.

Next step is to make sure the shoe truly fits. I know it seems obvious, but many of us have been walking around in shoes that are either too tight or way too big for most of our lives. Take the extra few minutes to get both of your feet measured the next time you buy shoes. It won’t take long, and the right fit will make a huge difference.

Regardless of what type of shoe you end up with, dedicate those shoes to working out only. By using your workout shoes as your everyday shoes, you will break them down much faster and the benefit you have gained form choosing the right shoe will soon be lost.

Keep in mind that even if you dedicate your shoes to a specific purpose, they will need to be replaced eventually. Most experts recommend that runners replace their shoes every 300-500 miles. If you don’t run enough to have a mile count, base the life of your shoes on the frequency with which you work out. If you’re exercising on a casual basis, you can make your shoes last a year, but if you’re working out at least 5 days each week, six months is pretty much your limit.

... By Karli Taylor

As the snow melts away and the sun begins to shine for a few more hours every day, the runners and walkers start to emerge onto the roads and let the dust start to pile up on treadmills in basements and gyms everywhere. If you are an outdoor enthusiast who has been inside for the past few months, there are some things that you have to keep in mind as you venture out onto the concrete.

Believe it or not, running or walking outside is HARDER!! Running on a treadmill is somewhat easier physically because the ground is being pulled underneath your feet and there's no wind resistance. Keeping that in mind, count on it taking about 5% longer to cover the same distance the first few times you hit the road.

Remember that the terrain on a treadmill never changes. Though you can increase or decrease the incline at will when running inside, the changes are under your control. Though you can pick a route that is fairly flat, keep in mind that there are always slight ups and downs on any road that can break your stride.

When running on roads instead of sidewalks, try to stay a foot from the edge of the road when there is no traffic as most roads are pitched slightly for drainage. Running on this sideways incline can beat up your shins and your feet, so if you run only on highly trafficked roads, try doing some track or trail run to give them a break every once in a while.

The last thing to keep in mind is pacing. It may take you a few runs to remember how to pace yourself. It’s easy to set a pace on the treadmill and stick to it, but with all of the variables that we have mentioned already, pacing can become very difficult. It’s better to start out at a pace that feels a bit easy, and if you are almost finished and you feel good, pick it up through the finish!