Training For Life

Advocates of barefoot running argue it’s the way evolution wants us to run—and they’re right. However, this ignores the fact that we spend the majority of our lives locked into regular shoes. Rarely do we go barefoot anywhere.

Before you start running in your new barefoot running shoes or minimalist shoes, let your feet adjust by wearing them to the store, the office, and around the house. Next, work on building strength in the tiny muscles on the bottom of your feet, also known as your foot intrinsic muscles. Here's how:

 

• Short Foot: From a seated position with your shoes off, cup the bottom of one foot—without curling your toes—so that it makes a ‘cave.’ Cup your hand against a flat surface to use as a reference. Once you’ve got this down, the next steps in the progression are maintaining this foot position while standing, while performing a lunge, and eventually while balancing on one foot.
• Toe Spreading: Sit barefoot. With one foot at a time, spread your toes apart as best you can, hold for two counts and release. Think of it not as creating a claw with your foot, but rather as trying to move your toes independently from each other.

When you’re ready to hit the road in your barefoot shoes, start with a half-mile run and work up to your regular distance over a two-week period. After you run, take a tennis ball or golf ball and roll it back and forth along the arch of your foot, focusing on sore spots. Do this for 30–60 seconds per foot to ease soreness and improve your barefoot running.

Arturo Espitia Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA

Posted under Cardio, Diet, Fitness, Health, Lifting

Q: Is it better for me to run before lunch or before dinner?

A: The best time of day to run is the time of day that you will actually do it.

That being said, running in the morning before work may be the ideal time to run fast and burn fat.

 

After you exercise, your body enters a state of “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption,” or EPOC. Your metabolism is soaring during EPOC, especially if you’ve just performed high-intensity intervals (like the ones in this workout). So you’ll burn more calories throughout the day.

What’s more, research shows that your heart rate may be lower in the morning, which would allow you to run at a higher intensity with a lower perceived effort compared to other times when your heart rate is higher. So hitting the road early might be the ideal time to set a new personal best.

No matter what time of day you choose to run, always fuel up first. Eating and hydrating helps you feel energized so you can perform your best. Try a healthy snack with combination of carbohydrates and protein, like a glass of chocolate milk or toast with peanut butter.

Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA Arturo Espitia

Posted under Cardio, Diet, Fitness, Health, Lifting