Running your First 5K

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they want to know how good a physical condition they are in. The best way to do this is to enter a competitive 5K Running race. A lot of people begin with a 5K because its a middle of the road race that isn't too short or too long and a great one to start jogging and training for. A non runner in his first 5k race should not be thinking of winning or even of getting anywhere near the podium. Its important to know others who are running for the same reasons that you are and see how you measure up to those people. And once you finish the race, it’s a great motivator to keep on running on a regular basis.

Even if you are not a regular runner, the 5K Training is a good way to judge your physical standards and once you finish it, a great motivator to keep on running. Approaching your first 5K race is not something you want to decide one week before the race, its best to do it right and take some time to prepare. The first thing you need to do, especially if you are over 30, is get a doctor to certify that you are in good over health and that there is no medical reason why you should not run the 5k. The next thing is to begin your training program.

There is no fixed training schedule you have to follow. Its good to realize that no two people have exactly the same fitness levels. There are lots of books and internet site that can tell you how to prepare for the 5K Running race. Go through as many of them as you can and find the plan that suits you best. Do not be taken in by any plan that promises results in a few days – its not possible. The average training time required for a non runner to get in shape for the 5k is 6 to 8 weeks. If you feel that this is too short a time span for you, there are many programs designed a lower more measured progression that can extended to 10 or 12 weeks.

If you find the plan you have chosen does not suit you – it may be too easy and become boring or too hard and over stress your body – stop and try something else. It is important not to modify a training schedule yourself. Each schedule is designed on specific parameters and speeding it up or slowing it down may results in less than optimum results.

Most training programs will list warning signs that tell you that you are overdoing it or that the program does not suit you. Anything from muscle pain to soreness and diarrhea can be some of the results of some of these things. If you have any of these symptoms, stop, see if you are doing something wrong and if you are not, switch to an easier paced program. You always have to ask yourself why you want to run and the purpose and point of your running so you have good expectations.

 

Jogging History

Jogging, as an act of running over a distance at a measured pace, has been around since the beginning of man. The earliest cave dwellers who know it was not safe to be out in the wild after dark, knew from the position of the setting sun, when it was time for them to start moving back to safety at a brisk pace. The hunter, who often had to keep up with this prey over long distances before having a chance to strike, also learned the art of moving at a pace faster than walking over a long distance. These were the first joggers.

When the first human settlements sprang up in pre historic Africa and communities began to interact with ach other, the vast distances to be covered from one place to another made travelling at a walking pace unviable and so people jogged the distances. Perhaps that accounts for the success African nations have historically had in middle and long distance running.

But all this was just a way of covering distances in a shot time. Jogging as a form of exercise and physical training came into existence with the early Romans and Greeks who used slow distance 5K Running as a form of training their armies. Since both cultures also encouraged sports, athletes discovered running as a way of keeping fit and increasing endurance.

Some people say that the marathons in the Olympic games were some of the first forms of jogging but that may be a little bit of a stretch.

Jogging, in its modern form dates from Medieval Europe. It was at this time that that individual physical fitness became important. Track and field sports had spread all over Europe and since there were as yet no specialized training programs or equipment athletes had only the use of weights to build up their muscles and jogging over long distances to build up their stamina. Even the aristocracy took it up. Noblemen of that time placed a great deal of importance on their skill as swordsmen, both as a measure of social standing and well as at means of self defense in a lawless time when a solitary rich man was thought of a easy picking for a gang of thugs. Using a sword, either for the pleasure of fencing or as a means of self defense, requires far more stamina that most people understand. Really it was jogging that had to be done so one could gain endurance.

The first mention of 5K Running in print is a reference to it in Shakespeare’s 1593 play, “The Taming of the Shrew.” By the 17th century it had become a common form of exercise all over England since it involved no expensive equipment or special locations.

5K Running was first used in America in the 19th century as part of the training of boxers and football and baseball players. It was called roadwork then and remained a part of formal sports training until the 1960s when Bill Bowerman, the University of Oregon’s track coach saw it being used as a form of personal exercise and relaxation in New Zealand and brought the concept home with him. He popularized the idea and over the next few decades it grew into what is today one of the most popular forms of exercise in the country.

Jogging Tip is now the best place to visit to meet others who enjoy jogging. Jogging tip is your perfect place to join with the rest of your jogging friends. Learn about training for a 5k and running your first 5K race. Visit the new Jogging TIp.com today to get your free jogging ebooks just for signing up to be a member of the jogging tip website.
 

5K Tips to Know

You have been training for the 5K Training for weeks. Your all hyped up and ready for the challenge. You’re eager to see how you match up against the other runners.  Its easy to get carried away and imagine yourself standing on the winner’s podium at the end of the race, being showered with praise and glory. It you do, that’s where things start to go wrong. Remember who you are. You are a good runner, able to run at a competitive pace and turn in a reasonable time at the end of the race. If you push yourself too hard and try to match the performance of the professional or semi pro runners who may be in the race, you will burn out, could hurt yourself and when you find them beating you, the fun may go out of running. Don’t forget that you are running to 5k for fun, exercise and to be able to see where you stand amongst your peers, not the pros.

The first thing you need to remember is that there is an etiquette to be observed at the starting line.  The pros will be in front, which is their rightful place. Why should they, who are the fastest runners, have to pick their way through a bunch of slower amateurs? It slows them down, will affect their race plan and does not benefit the slower runners in any way. Your place, as an amateur runner, it towards the back of the grid. You’re not going to come in first so what the professionals do does not concern you – let them speed off into the distance. Being in the back of the grid means there will be less of a crowd around you at the start of the 5k and you can run at your own pace.

Don’t worry about who overtakes you or whom you overtake during the race. There really is no importance that should be place on this. Worring about other people in the race who you want to beat or pass is not the right attitude. Run at a pace that is similar or just a little bit faster than what you ran your practice runs at. What is important is not what happens during the race but being able to finish it and see where you stand amongst the other amateurs of your age group and fitness levels. This will give you a benchmark by which to measure your own performance.

During your 5K Training training you should count your paces per minute or, if that is difficult, find songs that match your pace and listen to them. If you like to let your mind wander as you run, get a heart beat monitor and a set pace to match your heart beat. Stick to this during your 5K Training training and also during the race . Let the others bolt off the starting line like the devils are after them. Do your own thing and soon you will find yourself passing the puffing and panting runners who got carried away with the excitement of the race and forgot the basics of running and what they are running for.

Jogging Tip is now the best place to visit to meet others who enjoy jogging. Jogging tip is your perfect place to join with the rest of your jogging friends. Learn the best tips for training for a 5K and what to expect for your first 5K race. Come by Jogging Tip.com today to get your free jogging ebooks just for signing up to be a member of the jogging tip website.
 

 

Running a 5K

Okay, so you run for fitness and fun. You enjoy Jogging because it enables you to run along with others, unlike your normal practice which you do in solitary splendor. And you can measure you performance against that of your peers. The last is important. You should not expect to be able to keep up the professional runners or college athletes who will lead the race. As an amateur runner, it would be foolish to expect to be able to match their performance. Finishing the race on par with others of your sex, age, level of fitness and motivations is good enough. That means you are doing okay. But everyone would like to do better. And you can, without spending money on training, half a day doing roadwork or changing your lifestyle. There are a few simple tricks that you can fit into your training routine that will not perform miracles and keep you up with the pros, but at least keep you among the first of your equals.

· Don’t push to increase your 5K Running speed, but rather increase your distance. Keep to the pace you are comfortable with but gradually work the distance up to 6k. If you are wanting to feel better at the end of your race, then you need to work up to these distances and work outs at least 3 times per week.
· Pick you your speed for short bursts. Try for a 10% increase in your pace over a few hundred meters at some point in your training. Once you are comfortable, do this 3 or 4 times. Once again, do not try to increase you pace for the full 5k. The idea is to enable you to have the speed to overtake with ease when you need to.
· Try and include and incline or slope in your run. Sometimes running uphill can be great for your stamina. If you do this for only 1K out of the 5 you should be better as long as its no more than 1K.
· Practice increasing your 5K Running stride for the last 200 meters of your practice and slowly increase this distance to about 0.5k. Once again, increase your stride and not your pace. The idea here is to cover more distance with each stride, not to increase the number of strides. This will enable you to maximize your performance as you approach the finish line.

You may wonder at the repeated warning about not trying to run faster. That's because since you are not a professional runner, it is taken for granted that you are running at a pace that you are comfortable with and which is appropriate for your age and sex. Pushing yourself to run faster can affect your long term health and take the fun out of running. Following these tips will not put too much additional strain on your body or increase the amount and type to training you do (remember, running is fun, not a chore or an end in itself). They will however, improve your performance as a runner and enable you to run 5k races with more confidence, stamina and do better without straining yourself.

Jogging Tip is a brand new website that is all about jogging. Jogging tip is your perfect place to join with the rest of your jogging friends. Learn the best tips for training for a 5K and what to expect for your first 5K race. Visit the new Jogging TIp.com today to get your free jogging ebooks just for signing up to be a member of the jogging tip website.
 

I Need Fat Loss Help!

I need fat loss help! That is what every overweight person says. If this is how you feel, you have to act. There are solutions for this problem. If you stick to an effective fat loss program to streamline your intake of food and make sure you get a reasonable level of activity everyday, you will surely shed the excessive fat from your body.

Have you ever wondered about the culprits of obesity? Genetic background, eating habits, activity level and metabolic rate are the main culprits for the accumulation of fat in the body. If your parents have a history of obesity, there is every chance of inheriting it. However, even that can be controlled by methods described later in this article. Consumption of food containing excessive fat and more calories also increases the body fat. Also food containing high amounts of carbohydrates can also cause accumulation of unwanted fat in the body. The carbohydrate, if not used up in the form of energy, will convert into fat and will get deposited in the body.

Now, the million dollar question – how will you strip your body of excessive fat? The whole process of fat loss can be classified into two categories. One category is comprised of ways to reduce your intake of fat. The other category contains ways to burn the fat already in your body.

Intake of fat can be reduced by a proper diet solution. The Truth About Six Pack Abs is one such solution. It’s an effective eating program that will help reduce your consumption of fat. This program was suggested by David Zinczenko, the editor of Men’s Health Magazine. The program recommends that you should switch to eating 6 times a day instead of the usual practice of three. The six meals include breakfast, lunch and dinner at 8 am, 1 pm and 6 pm respectively and three snacks at 11 am, 4 pm and 9 at night.

The whole diet should contain twelve ‘power’ foods. They are almonds and other nuts, beans, spinach, fat free dairy products, instant oatmeal, eggs, lean meat, olive oil, whole grain cereals, peanut butter, berries and protein supplements like whey powder. According to Zinczenko, a free meal can be eaten once a week. By ‘free meal’ he means anything you like in any quantity.

The second fat loss solution is to reduce the fat you already have by burning the energy or the fat the body maintains. Doing this reduces the fat and develops your muscles. The process of burning calories or energy is called metabolism. The people who have more muscle than fat actually have higher metabolisms than those with a higher percentage of fat. To speed up the loss of fat one should have a higher rate of metabolism. To increase the rate of metabolism, you should get plenty of physical activity everyday. One way to do this is to exercise.

Most fat loss programs use a combination of both these methods. Obviously, it works better when you can focus on both ways of losing fat. However, there are fat loss programs which give more importance to burning off fat. Either way, with meticulous adherence to the fat loss program, one can easily lose fat and become healthier!

Margerie McNab spent countless hours researching all of the fat loss programs on the market. Please visit www.perfectweight.org, you will find several programs that we have found to be the best.

Successful Ways to Lose Fat

Every day we see better and more innovative ways to lose fat. But how many of them are actually worth the effort? Some of them may seem too expensive while others don’t show quick results. Rather than just losing some pounds, you need to actually shed that fat mass which is stored beneath your skin as your reserve energy. We don’t actually need this energy now, as we have a very comfortable lifestyle and don’t have to worry about our food supply. So, let’s look at some ways to lose fat.

Since ancient ages, people have been trying to find that ultimate fat loss secret. In the process, many unhealthy habits developed in trying to lose fat. While it is still a common belief, you don’t need to start starving yourself to lose fat. In fact, cutting out on food in the wrong manner could actually lead you to put on more weight, as your body will actually start to store up any fat it does get. There are now so many better diet solutions that could help you to lose your unwanted fat.

A ketogenic diet is useful for rapid weight loss. This diet cuts off your carbohydrate foods for a specific time period before reviving it again using different variations – like you can make a shift from carb rich foods to protein rich foods and vice versa in a cyclic fashion or use targeted days when you eat carb rich foods and days when you don’t eat them at all! There are many other diets which you can use as well. Focusing your diet on foods that burn fat like high fiber breads, chicken, garlic, green beans, eggs, asparagus, cabbage, ball peppers, fresh juice and vegetables is always a good idea!

Intense workouts with plenty of water intake are the next method. There is no doubt that your metabolism increases with the increase in your daily activities. Regular and proper exercises are the way to beat the fat deposits that are holding onto your body. This will also give you an overall health improvement.

There are also natural ways to lose weight. For this you need to stick to a diet that is rich in complex carbohydrates, moderate in proteins, high in fiber and low in fat. With this you need to perform exercises that will build your muscles. You should also walk, run or do other cardio exercises for losing your fat. Make sure you keep track of the food you eat daily to calculate the calorie intake. In time, this technique works to kill the fat hidden in your body. Make sure that you get into a regular routine where you follow the natural weight loss method consistently.

Some studies have shown that hypnosis has helped in weight loss. This tool can help you in executing good diet plans as it gives you the needed will power to go through the entire schedule without cheating on it. Today there are also weight loss spas that help you lose weight while you vacation! They help you relax with massages, aromatherapy etc. while you lose your fat with their fat loss management techniques. Finally there are also fat loss supplements that act as dietary supplements to help you burn fat.

These are just a few of the ways you can lose fat. You can choose any of these methods and in extreme cases, even surgical fat removal is possible. However, you should choose cheaper, safer, and more natural home remedies whenever possible to get your self in shape again!

Margerie McNab spent countless hours researching all of the fat loss programs on the market. Please visit www.perfectweight.org, you will find several programs that we have found to be the best.

Tips to Buy an Elliptical Cardio Machine

An elliptical cardio machine is a kind of exercise machine. It offers an intense upper body and lower body workout and also a cardiovascular workout. Increasing the reduction of fats and calories in a person can be done by combining upper body and lower body routine exercises. Low impact is enough to reduce bone fractures and damage to the tendons, ligaments and joints. Meanwhile, most doctor will get an intesive cardiovascular workout from the elliptical cardio machine.

Getting the Best Elliptical Cardio Machine

The individuals usually invest in elliptical cardio machine purchases for home use. When in the market for an elliptical cardio machine, the size of the machine is one thing that you should remember. It is also important to consider where to place the trainer machine and also if it fits you or not.

Although most trainer machines are made to fit the average person, not all buyers of the elliptical cardio machines are average sized persons. It is suggested that you try the machine on for size before purchasing it. This is to make sure whether you are the right size for it. Your knees and elbows should not strike any of the parts of the elliptical cardio machine. Check the pedals and see if they are comfortable for your shoe size and have non-slip textures. This will keep you from slipping on them as you work out. You also should consider your weight when choosing an elliptical machine. Some machines may be too lightweight to have a person over 200 pounds.

The noisy sound that the machine makes as you use it is another thing to consider when buying an elliptical cardio machine. Some of the elliptical cardio machine or elliptical trainer models are not noisy but some may have an annoying humming sound. That's ok, but more important is how many calories burned on an elliptical trainer, while enjoying the performance of one.

It is highly recommended that you try out the machine in a quiet room similar to the quietness in your home. You also shoud find out if it is quiet enough for you. You can always have earphones on your ears and listen to music while working out. Since the humming sound of elliptical cardio machine can be more noisy, you should also consider the other people in your home.

Most people find features of elliptical cardio machine as some of the biggest attractions of the machine. For instance, you can take one of the best available brands like Ironman Evolution elliptical trainer. Figure out what features are important to you and which can fit your budget. Some features are needed, especially for those who are working out on the machine for health reasons.

There are chances that you will trim down and stay healthy in a relatively safe way by using the elliptical cardio machine. This is why many doctors recommend a good cardiovascular workout in this low impact machine for their patients. And you will gain more benefits if using elliptical cardio machine.

5K Races and the Gear you will Need

If you are like most people who run for exercise and enjoyment, you will not be entering the 5k run to win. Or even to come among the top 25% of the runner. If you can achieve this, that’s fine, but it should not be your aim. If you do you will be pushing yourself too hard and could injure yourself and ruin the fun of the race. The winner are probably professional or semi pro runners and to try and outrun then is unrealistic. Their level of training and physical condition is greater than yours and is more than the average amateur runner needs. Run for the fun of it and to see how your stand among your equals, the other amateurs.

On the race day 5K Training stick to your normal routine. Trying something new in the race, such as a different stride or a different diet can cause problems that may affect your ability to run. If you want to experiment, do it a few weeks before the race so you have time to see if the new ideas suit you and if they do, have time to condition your body to them. The same applies to your running gear. You need to break in new sheos so don’t wear them in a race. Remember to never wear something on your race day that you have never worn before because you have no idea how it can effect your running.

Everyone will tell you to drink a lot of fluids before the race which is a good idea. Its good to remember that you really should still try to remain hydrated during the race. People often avoid this thinking it will slow them down. Make picking up a paper cup and drinking while Jogging a par of your training. Drinking while running means a lot of the liquid will spill but a good runner consume more than he wastes.

What you eat before a race is important. The best foods that you can eat are foods that are high in fiber and low in fat along with some carbs. Among the things you could try are  pastas, high carb and protein cereals mixed with bananas, oatmeal with raisins mixed in and bagels with jelly. There are a lot of books as well as internet sites devoted to food for runners. Many of these will be devoted to professional athletes but you will get some good ideas from them that you can adapt to your requirements and taste. Since an full stomach and running don't mix, make sure you eat your last meal about 3 hours before the race begins. During your training period you should start to try out different foods and really start to see what works well with your body and what your body doesn't like. Remember that you don’t have to stuff yourself with food to have energy for the race. More food on the day of the 5k does not mean more energy. On the contrary it will leave you feeling bloated and heavy and can slow you down. Stick to your normal intake amounts. The day before your race, you really don't want to start drinking lots of caffene or have anything that will remove water from your body that it will need for your race the next day.

Jogging Tips is the premiere website to connect with all of your jogging friends 5K Running . Jogging tip is your perfect place to join with the rest of your jogging friends. Learn about training for a 5k and running your first 5K race. Come by Jogging Tip.com today to get your free jogging ebooks just for signing up to be a member of the jogging tip website.
 

Jogging Basic Information

Jogging as a form of exercise is difficult to define. Saying that it is form of movement that is faster than walking and slower than running is really meaningless. If you are going at a pace of 6mph or less, then a common definition is that that is considered jogging. But since you may jog at a faster pace, a good way of looking at jogging, as opposed to running, is that when you run at your own pace for your own pleasure (or because you want to lose weight!) you are jogging and when you are in competition with others, it is running.

The origin of the term 5K Training is not known but one of the earliest recorded instanced of its use as a form of running or exercise is in Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” written in 1593 where the heroine tell someone to go jogging till his boots turn green. While running, or roadwork, has been around as a form of exercise and physical training for a long time, the modern concept of it came to America in the early 1960s when Bill Bowerman, the University of Oregon track coach, picked up the habit during a visit to New Zealand and popularized it on his return home. Today it is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the country.

There are different types of jogging. Some people combine various types and some stick to just one. It doesn’t make any difference because whatever form one tries, in the end it is still jogging.

· The most popular for of 5K Training is the casual or routine jog. There are a lot of people who get jogging into their daily routine and there are some who get it in when they can. They run for a variety of reasons – to keep fit, to lose weight, to clear their minds or just because they enjoy it. This kind of running can be done by anyone under any circumstances.
· Treadmill running is popular among those who do not have a place to jog outdoors or those who prefer an easier for of this exercise. Treadmills are gentler on the joints and the resistance, speed and incline can be adjusted to personal preferences and also varied to provide differing amounts of exercise.
· The more physically fit and those who enjoy the outdoors often go in for trail running which is more demanding. This involves running over wilderness paths and trails, on uneven surfaces and often up steep hills. Those who are hooked onto this type of 5K Running will never settle for anything else, if they have a choice.
· Some joggers enter races. These can be of any distance for a few miles to a full marathon. Their aim is not to win but to by measuring themselves against professional or semi professional runners, to be able to set their own personal goals, milestones and running targets.

Jogging is one sport that needs no special equipment except for a pair of good running shoes. The gear we just metioned is really what you are going to need, but there is plenty more running gear out there but its not essential.

Jogging Tip is a brand new website that is all about jogging. Jogging tip is your perfect place to join with the rest of your jogging friends. Learn about training for a 5k and running your first 5K race. There's lots of time to come to Jogging Tip.com today to get your free jogging ebooks just for signing up to be a member of the jogging tip website.
 

Gym Exercise and Training Mistakes

Going to the gym for some fitness exercise and training should only have one main purpose- to stay fit and healthy through exercise. Going to the gym should be trying to achieve that purpose and nothing else. But sadly, there are certain mistakes that many people going to the gym make that can keep them from fulfilling this purpose. There are certain mistakes that even experienced gym rats make that prevent them from getting the very best benefits that going to the gym offers. Here are some of them:

Socializing at the Gym True, it can be easy to get to know a lot of people while visiting their neighborhood gym. But the mistake that they make is that many tend to focus more on socializing instead of trying to keep fit. It seems that a lot of gym members may have the wrong notion of going to the gym if it is socializing they're after. The gym may be a good and ideal venue to meet up with other people who are also eager in eventually getting fit and healthy, it isn't really what the gym's purpose is. One should try to keep their socializing at the gym in check because it can just as easily prevent one from using the gym to the utmost advantage to stay fit.

A Goal-less Exercise Another mistake that most people at the gym make is having no fitness goals to begin with. It can be easy for many to try and get into a fitness regimen without any goal in mind. They can go through the necessary work out without ever wishing to get anything from it. Many think that just going through the motions would be sufficient enough. But this is where many can be wrong.

Many may think that going to the gym to work out would be good enough to keep fit. It can help provide some visible results, but such a practice would not last without having fitness goals. The important part of going to the gym is to try to make it a regular habit. Making it a habit allows one to get into a fitness regimen more regularly. Without a fitness goal in mind when going to the gym, a person can be quite difficult to make the gym visits become enjoyable and worthwhile. In short, going to the gym can easily become boring after just a number of visits.

Without a fitness goal in mind, any fitness program would easily just be considered as something to get over with. Proper motivation to keep going would lack in the very serious sense. And without getting one's heart into the fitness regimen can easily make it become even more boring to do. A simple fitness goal can help provide the necessary motivation since there is a sense of accomplishment attached to the fitness regimen. Too Much Exercise Without Rest Becoming too engrossed in a fitness program can also be a mistake. Some very serious gym rats can sometimes be so into the program that they try to outdo themselves to the point of exhaustion just to see results. And at times, this can mean not getting enough rest after bouts of too strenuous exercises. It may be good that some people take their training seriously. They are motivated enough to get into the highest levels of fitness. But with everything, too much can be a mistake. Some can be put at risk of getting injured in the process.

Serious fitness buffs can easily do very strenuous exercise and training routines without breaks. "No Pain No Gain"- that can be the attitude of some gym people. But it can also work at a rather negative way. The result of too much exercise is strained muscles. The body can break down faster than it can be repaired. A balance should always be made between physical activity and some recovery time. That would be the only way to enjoy the best benefits of any fitness program.

For the latest fitness information