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Best neutral cushioned shoes

Saucony Triumph ISO 4

A real contender for the best cushion shoe on the market right now. Excellent at each level, from upper to midsole to outsole. A new full-length Everun midsole chews up miles easily out of the box, and the E-TPU compound holds its durability superbly. 90 + miles into the wear test and they are still superb. Just be warned, the new midsole may not suit the heavier runner as much as the previous midsole as it’s a lot softer than the Triumph ISO 3.

Positive

• A superb stretchy ISOFIT upper
• A full length Everun outsole
• An amazing update to an already good shoe

Negative

• Midsole may not be firm enough for the slightly heavier runner.

Brooks Ghost 10

A cushioned, neutral, traditional feeling shoe. They have a wide fit and respond nicely when you drive off from your toes. The 12mm ride height means that they might be particularly good for the older or heavier runner.

Positive

• Soft cruiser
• Smooth ride

Negative

• Not a fast feeling shoe

Nike Epic React

Nike’s most important shoe for some time. The new midsole foam delivers everything it promises. The shoe is very versatile; capable of extremely comfortable long-distance runs as well as being light and responsive enough for fast running longer distances racing. With nike claiming no durability issues, this might actually be great value for money!

Positive

• React foam works and delivers a fantastic ride
• Sock-like upper adds to the experience
• Extremely versatile due to bulk and lightweight

Negative

• Possibly too tight for the wider foot
• Question mark over outsole wear?

Mizuno Wave Sky 2

Slightly firmer, responsive Mizuno cushioning that gives as much energy back as you put into it. The new exaggerated Wave Plate is a real winner and the Wave Sky 2 is now a credible alternative to the Mizuno Wave Rider 22 for runners wanting maximum cushioning with that legendary responsive feel.

Positive

• New enhanced Wave Plate gives considerable extra spring
• Supple upper with great midfoot AeroHug security
• Forefoot cushioning is superb

Negative

• The removable PU feeling sockliner is far too heavy
• Maybe not enough lug for real versatility

Hoka Bondi 5

The cushioning is incredible and as always this is the kind of shoe runners looking for protection should consider.

Lightweight causing machine will look after you on long runs and even longer races. Low heel drop though might not suit some.

Positive

• Surprisingly light
• Good Traction
• Cushioning

Negative

• Tight toebox
• Sizes about a half size small
• Price

Best off-road shoes

Brooks Cascadia 12

The Brooks Cascadia 12 is a robust, smooth riding trail shoe designed to take on the elements. A great off-road shoe offers cushioning, responsiveness in a stable and grippy package.

Positive

• Smooth ride
• Grip
• Stable feeling midsole

Negative

• Some will say colours!
• Could be too narrow for very wide feet

Salomon Speedcross 4 Nocturne GTX

The GTX is a waterproof trail running shoe designed for a neutral foot motion, ideal for off-road training or adventure racing. The GTX is all about tackling challenging conditions comfortably and in control.

Positive

• Waterproof Protection
• Light weight
• Grip

Negative

• Not good on-road

Saucony Peregrine 7

Low-profile every day off-roader, The Peregrine 7 has a light weight and racy feel. The Peregrine 7 is Saucony’s long time off-roader and provides a comfortable and protected ride. A nice shoe to use at pace across a variety of terrains.

Positive

• Good breathability
• Nice, cushioned fit
• The shoe has a good feel to it

Negative

• Not great on really extreme trail

Hoka Challenger ATR 3

This versatile off-roader is comfortable over any distance. Smooth riding and responsive, the ATR 3 is a very comfortable long-distance cruiser and a short-session superstar due to its lightweight versatility.

Positive

• Lightweight
• Cushioning
• Well made

Negative

• Might struggle on very muddy terrains.
• It might be too narrow for very wide feet

On Running Cloudventure Peak

Mixes response and cushioning with protection to make it one of the fastest trail runners on the market. You can mix and match all day long and probably go a fair distance doing it.

Positive

• All round ability
• Cushioning
• Look great

Negative

• Good but perhaps not for extreme conditions

Best competition shoes

Nike Epic React

See our cushioned shoes section for details. These are the hottest new release and a much anticipated new technology from Nike.

Saucony Kinvara 9

An evolution of the 8 decent previous models, the Saucony Kinvara 9 has been refined slightly but retains its status as a leading firm and responsive neutral racer/trainer. The Kinvara 9 is one of the lightest mileage shoes available, and more than capable of handling longer (20K+ runs) but light enough to handle your speed work. In my opinion the best Kinvara so far!

Positive

• An almost seamless upper
• An amazing Marathon shoe
• One of the lightest training shoe on the market

Negative

• With a 4mm drop it may put off some heel strikers

On Running Cloudflow

A lightweight shoe that is great for racing or training off-road, it can mix racing with a fair amount of everyday road mileage. Easy to get on with from the very first run.

Positive

• Light and very cushioned

Negative

• Picks up rocks and stones too easily
• Not much support

New Balance Zante V4

This is a neutral training shoe that is fast and snappy underfoot, and urges you to go faster. The Zante V4 is a big improvement on the previous versions, and is now a little softer underfoot, and slightly lighter thanks to a new upper.

Positive

• Feels light and fast on foot for a training shoe
• Cushioning is much improved from previous version
• It’s a simple shoe, executed in a solid package

Negative

• The upper is a little restrictive in the midfoot area

Brooks Launch 5

Neutral, lightweight and versatile. Simple and brilliant for it, the Launch 5 delivers a great lightweight responsive ride. This is a high-performance shoe that offers exceptional value for money.

Positive

• Fit
• Comfort
• Value for money

Negative

• We would be being picky

Best support shoes

Saucony Hurricane ISO 4

Saucony are really pulling out all the stops with the Hurricane ISO 4. The biggest selling point of this shoe is the fact that it’s a traditional support shoe, but has the feel and performance of a much faster, lighter neutral shoe. It gives the opportunity for an over pronator to wear a very responsive product, not a stiffer support shoe they are probably used to.

Positive

• Full length EverRun cushioning
• Amazingly flexible for the support shoe
• Saucony Iso upper enhanced with plush tongue

Negative

• May not offer enough support for some runners

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18

The Adrenaline GTS 18 delivers a brilliantly cushioned smooth ride and a good level of support for the over pronator. Perfect for your everyday needs, this version will reinforce its reputation as a go-to motion control favourite.

Positive

• Cushioning
• Stability
• Ride

Negative

• Nothing much to dislike

Mizuno Wave Horizon 2

A great top end support shoe dressed in top end cushion shoe clothing!

This shoe is a top end wannabe cushion shoe, but with the addition of a Smoothride Support Wave Plate. It’s not for extreme over pronators, as it is built on a relatively narrow base compared to shoes such as the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18.

Positive

• Fan shaped Smoothride Wave Plate, gives solid lightweight support
• Top end cushioning delivered in a support shoe
• Soft, yet supportive enough upper

Negative

• The removable PU feeling sockliner is far too heavy

Nike Air Zoom Structure 21

This Nike Zoom Structure 21 is a workhorse, a shoe that offers a great package of stability and cushioning and ideal for any distance. Lighter and stronger than the previous version, the Nike Air Zoom Structure 21 offers a great combination of stability, cushioning, responsiveness and durability. A shoe for everyday easy running over any distance.

Positive

• Cushioning
• Lightweight stability
• Breathability

Negative

• More a stable than a motion control shoe now

Hoka Arahi 2

A very lightweight supportive high mileage trainer. Hoka One One are big, very big, but don’t let that fool you if you have never worn a pair. If you over-pronate but dream of a comfortable shoe that those Neutral runners get in abundance, the Arahi 2 is a great option to consider.

Positive

• Very lightweight for a support shoe
• Responsive rocker construction
• Great cushioning and wide platform

Negative

• Size might need a bit of getting used to

Warm up – it’s too important to ignore

Warming up is important before any form of exercise and especially for runners. It’s often forgotten about or not done. It can be a bit boring, you might just want to ‘get going’, you could be short of time… Let’s be honest, if it didn’t have any benefits, none of us would do it, but, there are too many benefits to warming up to ignored.

Warming up simply prepares the body for exercise:

• Muscles
• Ligaments
• Joints
• Tendons
• Nervous system
• Cardio vascular system
• And your mind!

By not warming up, you are putting your body at risk. The chances of tearing muscles and risking other injuries increases greatly without a warm-up, so take your time and factor in a little time pre-run for some gentle preparation.

To start

Start it slowly and think about warming up the whole body rather than just your legs. Getting upper and lower limbs moving will aid blood flow and get the body warm.

Start walking

You might have been on your feet all day but begin with a walk. Introduce some arm swings and shoulder rotations. A couple of minutes will do.

Shuffle

Break in to a walk/run – a slow shuffle. It is particularly important in cold weather. Get the tendons moving (they are less flexible, tougher and stronger than muscles) and the blood flowing through them. A strained tendon is a world of pain – it’ll take a long time to heel and may involve costly visits to the physiotherapist! We would recommend something like a 3 min shuffle.

Stretch

Now is the time to stretch, not before you’ve had a chance to get the blood flowing. A relatively short 10 minutes of stretching now will aid your run greatly. You’ll feel much better for it, you’ll perform better and remember, your risk of injury will be greatly reduced.

You might start with some upper body movements, hip circles for example, faster arm circles, body twists etc., then move on to the legs. Work each major muscle group. Stretch the quads, hamstrings, both calf muscles (there’s a longer one underneath the big one you see as your calf, Achilles tendon, hip flexors and ankle.

Stretch but don’t strain is the mantra. Ease in to a stretch position then hold for 30 seconds. Don’t bounce up and down, just relax and stretch keeping your breathing calm and rhythmic. Ease out of it and swap legs to repeat the stretch on the other leg. We would suggest 3x 30 seconds of stretch per muscle on each leg as a minimum. You should find that the muscles eases out and will get ‘longer’, i.e. you’ll be able to get more of a stretch on the muscle.

Ease in to your run

Too many time in the past our training group wanted to get ‘up to pace’ too soon. We were too competitive and just wanted to get on with it but, we were wrong and looking back, we needed to train more like the Kenyans.

I am lucky enough to live near a big park, 20 mins from London Heathrow airport. Many of the Kenyans and other great athletes including Mo Farah base themselves in the area during the summer months as it is a very short flight to all of the big European races they compete in. Kenyans (and Mo) do all of the above. They walk to the park, they all stretch, they then ease in to their run. They run at a pace we can all keep up with. They all shuffle along as a group, but I can tell you that the pace picks up as they warm up – it’s not long before many of us would be hanging on – and by the end of the run, these guys are flying! All this at 6am!!

So, start gently and pick the pace up as you go. Your body will thank you for it.

Post-run stretch

There is evidence that suggests that post run stretching is extremely important. It has a couple of big benefits:

1 – Gentle stretching now increases the length of the muscles. This is where you can gain long-lasting flexibility

2 – It will make help you recover and ensure that you feel better (less stiff) the next day

Be careful after a very tough session though and only do long slow stretching. 

Get a goal and stay motivated

Why is it that so many people give up so easily?

Why is it that it’s not just small children who keep asking ‘Why?’?

Some days it feels like everything we do is questioned, and there are days when it is us doing the questioning.

Why do I need to go to the gym? Why am I going out for a run when it’s raining? Why do I bother with this fitness stuff when it seems my genes have decided the sport I’m becoming best suited to is sumo wrestling?

The truth is we need a challenge, something to motivate us, something to give us focus and something different to talk about at the pub. If we don’t have a goal there is a real danger we quickly lose interest and motivation in what we are doing and instead of making the progress we are well capable of we end up sat watching lowsy TV when we used to be training and with our training shoes used for nothing more than walking to the bar. Alternatively we launch into a fitness/diet frenzy that lacks focus, sees us overcooking it, and therefore, we are quickly left tired and fed up.

A goal is what will boost your motivation, get you out the door on a wet night and give you the succinct come back to all the negative types who dare to say that they don’t know why we bother.

Choosing a Goal

The key to choosing a goal is to pick something that is realistic, challenging, stimulating and definite.

There is no point in opting for that trek across Antarctica if you are not a fan of nippy autumn evenings. You have to pick something that, given the preparation you are willing and able to put in, you are going to be able to achieve.

This may be a women’s charity 5K (if you are already a woman, otherwise it may require preparation far beyond what you are willing to go through). It could be a marathon. This is where you need to start considering realistic and challenging at the same time. If you have not run a step before then the 5K is going to be achievable with eight to ten weeks of training. A marathon is not going to be something to consider for a while yet. You need to ask yourself, “How fit am I now and how long have I got before I need to be in shape for this event?” You need a challenge that you are able to build up to over time. If it is too tough you will become disillusioned. If it is too easy you will struggle to maintain motivation over time as you will arrive at the necessary level of fitness long before your goal arrives. A good pointer is to monitor your progress each month. Week on week your fitness will not change much and any changes may be outweighed by factors such as whether you had a busy week with work or the family.

Being sure you know what you need to do to be ready for your goal is another factor. Get some good advice. It is not just a question of whether you are doing too much or too little but whether you are putting your energy into the right things. Doing Usain Bolt style sprint training is not the best thing for running a 10K!

A way of dealing with this is to have short term and longer term goals. Be SMART (check out our smartish article). Shorter term you may want to commit to running three times a week or to running that 5K. Longer term you may want to aim for a marathon. Aiming for a 5K first, followed by a 10K, then a 10M or half marathon event will see you move towards your long term goal with other landmarks to maintain your focus and to celebrate achieving as you progress. Don’t look to jump the river in one go look for your stepping stones. These will help you keep that focus, you will feel positive as you cross off each challenge and you will not grow bored as you are always aiming at something different. Another advantage is that you will have far more idea of how to step towards you long term goal. Your fitness may progress faster or more slowly at different times and having a good way of monitoring this will help you plan. It can also be very positive to have another go at something you have done before. Having built up from 5K to half marathon you may do a month of shorter faster training and then target another 5K.

You may surprise yourself at how easy you find something that once seemed such a big challenge.

Choosing a different goal

Of course your challenges need not all be event based. To slim down to a certain size or to train a certain number of times a week can also give you focus. But events can be useful as they give you a specific date for a specific goal.

It can be very useful to train with someone as you aim for your goal. Even if your partner is aiming for something different you will find yourselves encouraging and motivating one another.

Make sure you give yourself every chance to succeed. If you have a definite goal then if you are feeling really tired or fighting off a bug you have no need to feel guilty about backing off the training for a week. You know it is better to do this and be back to normal training next week rather than wiping yourself out and taking the risk of putting your goal in jeopardy. And be properly equipped.

There may be days when you head out for a run when it is cold and wet, a weatherproof but breathable running jacket will make the world of difference. Wearing breathable, technical fabrics that are cut to allow your body to move in all the ways it needs to and that look the part will make you feel like going to succeed. Make sure everything helps you towards your goal.

The key is that whether it is you or someone else asking ‘Why are you doing this?’ as you pull on your training shoes you know the answer and can recall all the things you have already achieved.

Ways to stay motivated

– Have a specific goal

– Have a shorter term goals that act as stepping stones towards a bigger goal

– Set a date for when you are going to achieve your goal

– Reward yourself for all your successes along the way

– Look back at least one a month to see how you have progressed

– Find someone to train with

– Make sure you are properly kitted out

Exercise is good for you

Everyone knows it. But the problem is all too often when it is time to exercise you feel sluggish and far from the vision of health and vitality that seems only to exist in conditioner adverts.

The reason for this is that too often we separate our exercise from the rest of the day and fail to see how healthy we are we feel as part of a wider picture that also includes our diet and how we look.

All too often there is the wrong fuel or not enough fuel in the tank as you head out to exercise and that is why you do not feel or look as good as you should.

The good news is that are very simple steps that you can take to turn things around. You will feel better and be more able to exercise. Being healthier will also lead to you looking better thanks to better nutrition and exercise without painful and counter-productive diets.

Life can be frustrating. You are on a night out all togged up in expensive clobber then one of your friends walks in wearing a pair of jeans and white T-shirt – looking far better than you do. Not fair is it?

Why has it happened? Firstly they are in shape. Their clothes show they are the shape they want to be. There are flat bits where things should be flat and curves where curves are what you want. Secondly their skin is in condition. Your skin is your body’s largest organ if you are not healthy nor is this organ, and unfortunately it’s on the outside of your body for all to see. Thirdly, they look healthy. They don’t look like their body has been achieved at the cost of much pain and suffering – they look alert, healthy and energetic. Forget designer clothes. If you look tired, haggard and out of shape the only way it is not going to show is if you are a police officer in full riot gear.

So what are you going to do about it?

Drink yourself fitter

The first thing to do to get fitter is to start drinking.

No, don’t hit the bottle. We mean water. Water is second to oxygen in the list of things that are vital for life. Your body is mostly made of water so if you don’t get enough you will suffer and experts believe only one in four people take in the recommended minimum of a litre and a half of water a day.

Being properly hydrated will improve your energy levels and improve mental alertness. It will help your body to clear toxins that it absorbs from food, drink and even the air we breathe. Water will help your body absorb nutrients and transport them to where they are needed. Your skin uses a lot of water so will suffer if you are not hydrated. Your brain is 85% water so a 5% reduction in body water can have a big impact on your ability to think effectively. Dehydration is a common cause of headaches. At first you may find yourself going to the toilet more regularly but stay with it – your body will adjust.

You will need more water than this if you are exercising. A simple way to see how much water you need to replace is to weigh yourself before and after exercise. Any difference in weight between the two is almost entirely due to water loss so for each kilogram you have lost you must drink a litre of water. Be sure to start exercising properly hydrate – your urine should be clear and pale. Drinking a lot in the last half hour before exercising is not the idea either. Not only may it make you want to go to the toilet but your body will not have had a chance to absorb it. Have a bottle of water on your desk or kitchen table and be sure to drink a little and often throughout the day and as you exercise. Drinking during exercise removes the need to play catch-up afterwards.

So if someone is looking in good shape and healthy the chances are they are properly hydrated.

Eat for energy

To stay healthy you must eat for energy.

Start the day fuelled. Make time for breakfast and remember to rehydrate. Breakfast is just that – you are breaking the fast having not eaten since the night before so get off on the right foot to make sure you are properly fuelled to start the day. Cut some fruit up to put on your cereal for extra nutrition. If absolutely necessary have a cereal bar, piece of fruit and juice to grab on your way out to eat in the car, train or bus.

Once you have started the day with proper fuelling keep it up.

At lunch time eat healthily. Even if you are on the road remember that food does not have to be hot to be healthy. Count the amount of fruit and veg portions you are eating – you should aim for between five and nine a day – salad as part of your sandwich filling and a piece of fruit will help you towards that. Beware of soft drinks too. Look to see how much sugar is in what you are buying – you will probably be surprised!

Eat sensibly and whether you are training at the end of the afternoon, first thing in the morning or late in the evening make sure you are properly fuelled. Trying to tone up or boost your fitness levels is not going to happen if you are running out of energy mid-session, or worse, going into it feeling drained. You need to maintain your energy levels all day for effective work and exercise. An energy drink can be a good way to stay hydrated and boost energy levels too. Good sports drink contain enough sugar/carbohydrate to keep your reserved topped up but not so much as to slow your body’s ability to absorb the water.

After training aim to replenish your energy supplies as soon as possible. Try to take in 300 to 400 calories of carbohydrate as soon after exercising as you can with the same amount again within the two hours of finishing. This may mean a snack straight after training followed by your meal proper or you may be able to eat a meal promptly after exercising. This period of time is often called the golden hour as research has shown in this period your body, particularly your muscles, are most able to replenish energy reserves. It is also beneficial as it helps your body absorb protein and prevents it breaking down protein in the body for fuel. The long and short of it? You will recover far more quickly and effectively.

Of course proper fuelling is not just about appropriate sources of energy. You also need the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals .

Create an exercise strategy

Creating an exercise strategy will make sure you stay fit and healthy.

You will see that what is needed is a shift in your routine. In the same way diets don’t work if you slide back into previous habits you need to make sure that the changes you make are sustainable. Part of making this happen is being willing to stick with it for long enough to become habit. Part of it is making realistic changes. But there are strategies you can use to make the changes feel more positive.

The first thing is to draw up a schedule of what exercise you are going to do. You may do this yourself but it may be worth getting some professional advices with your training schedule. Again, be realistic.

Knowing what training you are going to be doing and when helps you get into the routine and stops you worrying about it. Your exercise and training becomes like just another entry in your diary. You may not feel like that meeting today but you do it because there it is. It is no longer a question of whether you fancy it. Exercise is something that has its place like everything else. But don’t sign up to something that you will not sustain and will give up on as you feel you have ‘failed’. You are better up maintaining your enthusiasm by building up gradually. If you do fall away don’t over-react. Don’t stop. Reappraise and start a revised plan. It may just have been time for a change. Different commitments or fitness levels may mean what was interesting and stimulating before is no longer appropriate. Don’t become stale.

Another key strategy is to have a training partner. This may be someone you meet at the gym with or someone you run with. It may be someone you don’t often exercise with but have an agreed goal with that you both are working towards. Remember that meeting in your diary? You go because it is in the diary but also because someone is expecting you, possibly depending on you. Add this dimension to your exercise. Your training partner will give you encouragement. You can share the ups and downs of training. You can overcome the challenges together. It can also be good if you are slightly inhibited at the gym – having a training partner will make you more relaxed and help you to get on with what you are there for. Of course your training partner also adds a social dimension to training. This is great when you have a busy life. Exercising and socialising mix, you need both and won’t feel guilty when you are killing two birds with one stone and can tell yourself, and your partner, you have to go as someone is expecting you.

Overhaul your diary

Your diary is a small item but it can stand between you and optimal health.

So far the suggestions may have been fairly obvious but sometimes it is the things that are not so obvious which catch us out. Try keeping a diary for a week of what you do and how long you spend doing it. You may surprise yourself at how long you spend on some things and how little on others. In particular you may find that your leisure time is not as leisurely as it is piecemeal and disrupted. You may find that you are not utilising some blocks of time very well. You may realise how little rest you are getting.

Another aspect of your life to consider is the demands different activities place on you. When you see how many things you fit in to some days it might explain why you are tired at certain points of the week. You need to recognise that doing the garden, running around with the children or dancing half the night do demand energy. Are you getting adequate recovery from the busy days? Are there ways in which you can reorganise?

Spot the potential your diary has. Why do you drive the kids to their swimming lesson, drive home, and then turn around almost straight away to go to pick them up? Could you use a gym there or go for a run from the pool? Should you stay and read a book in the café? Is there scope for you to help out and log some more time with your children?

What do you listen to in the car? Music to help you relax, news to keep you informed, an audio book or a learn a language CD? Decide which the best use of the time is for you.

Work out how to get the necessary eight hours sleep each night (some people may want more like nine hours). You can only take out of your body what you put in. Napoleon Bonaparte may have suggested, ‘six hours sleep for a man, seven for a woman and eight for a fool,’ but don’t be afraid of aiming for his fool’s option, particularly when you live a demanding life.

Ease off the booze!

It is not just your water intake that can affect your health.

Drinking adequate water will have made a big difference to your health but you can also benefit from the right attitude to alcohol. Moderate levels of drinking can reduce your risk of heart disease. In 1997 the World Health Organisation recommended one drink every other day. In the UK it has been recommended that we drink no more than two to three units of alcohol per day for women and three to four units for men with two or three days each week with no alcohol. A unit is roughly one small glass of wine, half a pint of beer or one pub measure of spirits but this obviously varies with the strength of drinks.

Alcohol can also be an unthought-of source of calories. A pint of bitter may have up to 200 calories with a strong ale stout or cider having more than this. A small (125ml) glass of wine will probably have just less than half this amount (although sweet white wine will have more calories).

A switch to wine may also be beneficial because it contains something called polyphenols. These are antioxidants that are believed to help the body fight disease. For example as well as fighting heart disease a moderate red wine intake was found to help reduce the risk of catching colds by researchers in Spain.

Take steps, don’t leap

Many people try to make a big leap for fitness. Just be smart.

The reality is that good health and fitness comes as a result of smaller, more progressive steps. As you can see getting fit and revolutionising the way you look and feel is not a case of introducing one radical thing to your life.

It is about incorporating smaller, more manageable steps into your lifestyle to make sure you get the best out of yourself. You will feel less tired and fitter. Being able to exercise more effectively will help you to get your body into better shape. And these will combine to make you better able to cope with whatever ups and downs life throws at you at home, at work or in your social life.

Top 10 sciency facts to prove running is fab!

Running is the simplest form of exercise.

You are born, you crawl, you walk, you run. You start with running to the things you want and from the things you want to escape (you knew your parents wouldn’t believe it wasn’t you who shoved the biscuit into the video recorder).

Nothing changes. You run because it takes you from the things you want to avoid and to the place you want to be. Here are just a few examples

1. Stress busting. Regular running has been proven to lower stress levels. Running is a way of running from your problems. They always seem smaller when you get back from a run
2. Sleep. Get back to sleeping like a baby. Regular exercise can improve sleep habits and reduce anxiety. A better night’s rest makes us all look and feel brighter
3. Calorie Burning. As a child you never worried about your weight. Running burns energy – or calories as they are measured in when we’re talking about food. Running is a great way of weight control
4. Body Composition. Regular running reduces your body fat percentage, whilst toning muscle. The calorie burning even continues after you’ve run as your body rebuilds itself – it’s still you just better. You literally get in shape
5. Blood Pressure. High blood pressure is definitely something to run away from. Behind these visible changes your blood pressure will start to drop within a few weeks of training
6. Self-esteem. Confidence and self-esteem have been shown to improve in response to regular running, most likely in response to the health benefits
7. Achievement. As you get fitter and healthier your running will improve. This is true whatever your age. You get a great buzz from being able to run further or faster than before.
8. Heart. Your heart becomes a bigger and more efficient pump in response to regular training. You feel the benefits
9. Better Blood Cholesterol. Total levels should drop and the ratio of good to bad cholesterol (HDL/LDL) improves with regular training.
10. Bone Density. The impact of running makes your bones more dense (this does not happen in swimming and cycling), which becomes more important the older you get.

As if you needed proof… 

Stress Busting

People today are very busy and frequently face stress.

The trouble with being so busy and facing this stress is that the very steps that need to be taken to help us cope well are often the things that are squeezed out as we face the pressures of modern life. Time to relax, exercise and healthy diet all help us to deal with stress but are often the first things to suffer when the pace and intensity of life gets stepped up.

More and more research is being done which is linking stress with a variety of health problems.

Stress comes in different forms and from different sources. It can sometimes be hard to spot what is causing our stress as we may take it out on something other than the root cause. Irritation at another driver may stem from the conduct of another employee but you are not in a position to vent your frustration at them. You lie awake at night worrying about something trivial because work has short circuited your brain.

But stress comes in different forms. It can be both psycho-social, that is due to people and situations, or environment, arising from what is around us.

Common causes of psycho-social stress are working too hard, financial worries and relationship difficulties. One of the first things to do is to recognise where the stress is actually coming from. Allocate some time to consider this. But before you get down to the nitty gritty, take time to download and clear your mind. You could perhaps go for a walk or a cycle ride to clear your head. Then take out a clean sheet of paper – it may even help to do this in a quiet place, such as a remote picnic bench so you are not disturbed or influenced by what you see around you. Divide your sheet of paper into the key areas of your life: occupation, family, relationships, attitudes and goals, and start to include as many relevant points as you can in each section. Think of how long you spend on each and where your priorities lie. You may be surprised at how you have crept towards spending your time and energy.

You can now start to see out where the stress is coming from. Then start to consider each point in turn and look at ways in which they can each area of stress can be dealt with.

Sometimes you will need to make substantial changes to one or two areas of your life. Other times, it might require smaller adjustments to more areas. You might need to give some things up or you might need to re-organise your time more effectively to take account of what your priorities really are.

The way you train your mind to think is an important part of reducing stress. Try to have positive thoughts and attitudes. Challenge your own perspectives on a few situations and try to look for positives in them (and in the people too). Set yourself goals and targets and work towards them. Positive changes are not going to be easy initially as they will take you out of your ‘comfort zone’ but that’s the paradox – the ‘comfort’ zone of your current routine is the reason you are stressed! Give yourself credit for the changes you make and steps towards your goals. Have you seen golfer Tiger Woods quietly punch the air after a good shot? Even he knows the importance of rewarding himself and building a positive attitude.

Environmental stress can affect us as we are exposed to such things as tobacco smoke, mobile phone radiation, too much or too little sunlight, or excessive noise.

There is evidence that these types of environmental stress contribute to an increased burden of free radicals. This in turn can result in a wide array of diseases and contribute to premature ageing.

The other key issue to look at when considering stress is exercise. Inadequate exercise and poor diet combine to have some very harmful effects.

Exercising not only burns energy and builds muscles, it is also invaluable in helping your body get rid of any toxins you do have in your body. Sedentary lifestyles lead to a build-up of toxins in the body!

Many people consider that they are too busy to exercise. You may not have the time or energy to copy Mo Farah’s training regime, and that would not be desirable, but it is not an excuse to do nothing. A goal should be to do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, a minimum of three times a week. That should not be too ambitious. It may mean heading for the gym three lunchtimes a week and eating a sandwich at your desk. It could mean walking the kids to school and jogging home the long way. Maybe you get up earlier on a Sunday. It could be that by going to the gym or for a run straight after work you miss the rush and so have a quicker and easier journey home.

Sometimes introducing exercise can help a healthier lifestyle by removing a negative and adding a positive. For example, you drink less on Saturday night as you have to get up and run. You skip a pub lunch and go for a swim. Five time Olympic gold medallist, Steve Redgrave, has said that routine was the key to him getting a huge amount of training done without ever thinking about it. Use this trick yourself. Have slots set aside to train and stick to them. It can be a great help if you have someone to train with who you are committed to meeting. Finding someone to talk to about training is also worthwhile. If time is tight do what you can. A 15min run is better than no run.

We have spoken about the need to get rid of free radicals, and of helping your body to cope with the demands modern life places on it. If you are exercising strenuously, it’s a good idea to increase not only your water intake, but also your antioxidant and mineral intake. It is virtually impossible to eliminate many sources of environmental stress, so this is another reason to ensure you are consuming adequate quantities of natural antioxidants.

We offer a range of nutritional products to help you ensure that your body is as well-equipped as possible to deal with everything modern life can throw at it.

Keys to managing stress

Managing stress. How to do it:

• List the key areas of your life and their demands on you
• See which areas cause stress
• Decide what your priorities are
• Make changes where they are needed
• Look for positives and think positively
• Set yourself goals
• Praise yourself for successes

Cut our ‘environmental’ stress

How to cut down on environmental stress:

• Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke as much as you can
• Minimise the duration of calls on mobile phones and/or fit a radiation protection device to your phone
• Don’t allow yourself to get sunburned or excessively tanned, while at the same time don’t lock yourself indoors permanently!
• Air your house regularly to avoid a build-up of toxins from carpets, furnishings, fabrics and other sources
• If you drive a car, replace your pollen and pollution filters regularly and when in cities switch your heating or air-conditioning system to its re-circulation mode
• Consume organic products as far as possible to avoid unnecessary pesticide absorption; this also means you can avoid peeling fruits like apples and pears as the skins (and seeds) contain important nutrients and antioxidants.

 

Adding Exercise to your routine

Key points of adding exercise to your routine:

• Exercising burns energy and strengthens muscles
• Exercise helps your body get rid of any toxins
• Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, a minimum of three times a week.
• Establish a routine to help you continue exercising

Use these guidelines for making exercise easier:

• Use lunchtimes to go for a run or a swim
• Try walking the kids to school then jog home the long way
• Get up earlier on a weekend for a run
• Look for slots in your diary where it is easier to train
• Train with a partner who you are committed to meeting up with
• If you are short of time do a shorter session rather than missing it completely

Drink Yourself Fitter

Knowing how much to drink will boost your health and fitness.

Being properly hydrated is good for your skin and digestive system, it helps your concentration, prevents headaches and aids your body with flushing out potentially harmful toxins. Follow these steps to stay hydrated and healthy.

1. Aim to drink approximately 2 litres of water each day. For a more accurate guide you should drink 30-35ml of water each day for each kilo you weigh. (So 70kg means 70 x 35ml = 2450ml = 2.5l)
2. After exercise drink a litre of water for each kilo of weight you have lost. (Almost all the weight you lose is due to water loss)
3. Don’t worry too much about sodium/salt replacement as this is likely to happen through your regular eating
4. Tea can count as part of your fluid intake as if you are used to drinking it tea is unlikely to have a diuretic effect (to make you pee more). But aim to base your hydration around water
5. If you are exercising for 30min or less it is probably not necessary to drink while exercising
6. If exercising for more than 30min aim to drink 150ml to 200ml each 15-20min. See Point 2 to help you work out if this is adequate/more than necessary for you as fluid needs will vary with temperature/activity/effort level/size. If your weight has not varied you have got it right. If you have gained weight you have drunk too much (assuming you were hydrated to start with). If you have lost weight you need to drink more
7. Get used to drinking while exercising. Practise makes perfect. Many people find a half empty bottle is easier to drink from than a full one while running. It can also help to hold the water in your mouth before swallowing rather than trying to do everything at the same time and gulping down air with the fluid.
8. You need to drink during a longer race, say 10k or over, so get used to taking fluids onboard. Check out our race day hydration article.

There have been some concerns in the media about people ‘over-hydrating’. This is called hyponatremia and is when drinking excessive amounts of water and not replacing sodium means that blood sodium levels fall dangerously low. Following the points above should help you stay hydrated while avoiding this problem.

A balanced life and exercise routine will make you fitter and healthier.

Better balance will also bring you more enjoyment. Learn how to keep your fitness in balance and live a healthier life.

Your mother probably told you, “You either do it properly or not at all.” We don’t wish to sound too like your mother but we will say, “It is better to do it properly.”

You often see people in gyms with an enthusiasm to get fit that leads to them neglecting good technique. This is particularly true with strength training. Because they are trying to do too much of an exercise or work against too great a resistance their technique has gone to pieces. They are in danger of doing themselves harm. Good posture and good technique are vital for any exercise.

Bad technique puts you at risk of injury as parts of your body are taking a strain they are not designed for. This excessive strain can easily lead to injury. Bad technique means the parts of your body that should be working the hardest are not. This means that you blur the picture of what is being done by any given exercise. It may be possible, for example, to lift a heavier weight or do more repetitions of it, but if it is not the muscles that are meant to be working that are bearing the burden you have a false picture of how healthy those muscles are (as well as straining other parts of your body). It is better to be ‘honest’ and use good technique.

Bad technique also means that ‘postural’ muscles are not being called on to do their job. There are some muscles, particularly in your trunk, which have a role primarily in maintaining your posture, but other muscles are often called into action to help these out. Techniques such as Pilates work on the principle of calling muscles into action to maintain posture in a way that either isolates them or places an additional burden on them.

If you slouch at your desk you get bad posture, partly due to habit but also because the muscles that keep you sat up straight lose strength and balance. Exercise is a way of strengthening these muscles. You may be amazed at the flat stomach and shaped back of someone who seems to do very little work on their ‘abs’. But this often comes about because they maintain good posture while running, lifting weights and even picking up shopping bags. Their ‘core’ muscles are constantly being called into action and so are well trained.

Think of what you have seen or done in a Pilates or yoga class and you will realise that maintaining posture can place big demands on different muscle groups! When you start having bad technique at any activity, including sitting at your desk, it is often that these muscles are not strong enough for the job. If they are constantly in action they will be strong enough to help you maintain good posture in a variety of activities and help you to avoid injury.

Good technique and good posture is important for avoiding injury.

Bringing Balance

Some people approach exercise in an imbalanced way. Bringing balance to your training will make it more enjoyable and more effective.

A common fault is to look at one area you want to flatten or develop and focus on this too much.

It may be a desire to flatten your stomach means you spend a lot of time on similar abdominal exercises. Or for some it may mean an unusual amount of bench pressing to build up the chest or ‘pecs’. It is easy to see why people place a lot of emphasis on ‘mirror muscles’ but the best way to shape up is to do a mix of exercises.

A good regime of cardiovascular work such as running will help burn calories and keep your stomach trim and make your muscle definition look better all over your body. Exercises that also include your back muscles will help to prevent injuries due to imbalance.

Often it is not the muscles you think that cause the problem. Weak back muscles can make your posture more slouched. The result is you look as though you are carrying more weight around your middle than you are. Likewise strong upper back and shoulder muscles will give a man the V-shaped upper body more readily than lots of bench pressing. Endless arm curls to shape your arms up may seem a good idea but the shape of your arms can be more affected by the tricep muscles on the back of your arms.

Developing one set of muscles without the group that work in the opposing way can cause imbalance problems. Developing muscle groups that surround the ones you are mostly concerned about also gives you a big advantage. For example, don’t just do those endless bench press exercises to shape your chest. Do some shoulder presses, long pulls, lateral pull downs and pull ups too. These work other muscles around the chest and shoulders so they will help shape your chest and enable you to do more work on the bench/chest press than if you were just banging away at the same exercise all the time.

Establish a training routine that includes all major muscle groups. After each activity think what the closest thing to the opposite of it is. Even endurance athletes can benefit from some weight training to improve their strength and reduce their susceptibility to injury. If you have worked the front of your legs think what you can do to exercise the backs and side of them.

Those of you looking to lose weight should not be afraid of doing a few exercises on the weights. The cardiovascular exercises such as running, cycling or the cross trainer will burn calories. While it might not be such an obvious way of losing weight including strength training to your routine raises your metabolism for a prolonged period and so you keep burning the calories long after you have left the gym, gone home and eaten. If your exercise is predominantly cardio (or if you are female) you are highly unlikely to ‘bulk up’ so don’t worry about that as a danger. In fact strength training for women has many positives and when done as part of an overall fitness routine can bring big health and fitness benefits.

If you are a guy who is looking to get in shape then don’t just pound away at the weights. When you see the World’s Strongest Man Competition you will see incredibly powerful guys who don’t always have the greatest muscle definition. Mixing some cardio work in there will shift some of that layer of fat. It will also give you a bigger base of fitness or ‘conditioning’. This means you will be able to do more training and so get fitter than someone just doing weight training.

This will not only be healthier it will also make your exercise routine more varied and interesting. By alternating types of session or the muscles you are exercising within a session you allow your body more recovery time before you go back to doing similar work again.

Variety and balance will keep your interest and enhance the fitness benefits of your training.

Stength training – “Will I bulk up if I strength train?”

No!

In most cases women should not worry adding bulk by strength training (also called weight training or resistance training). In fact strength training is a great form of exercise to include.

Here are just a few of the reasons:

1. Men are able to bulk up due to their levels of testosterone (the ‘male’ hormone) being higher. Women have far lower testosterone levels and so, except in rare cases, are not able to build large muscle mass
2. Muscle takes up less room than fat. As you burn fat and improve muscle tone the inches will actually disappear.
3. Women tone up rather than bulk up. Better tone will mean a firmer, more shapely body.
4. Muscle will help you burn calories. Fat is ‘dead weight’ as far as your metabolism is concerned. Muscle needs maintaining – that means calories being burned!
5. Better muscle strength improves ability to do other forms of exercise – further boosting your ability to get and stay fit.
6. Strength training reduces the risk of osteoporosis (brittle bones).

So, there are our six reasons to lift some weights. Don’t be afraid, you’re not going to start looking like a body builder. Keep the weight relatively light and do more reps. This will ensure that you get toned rather than big.

Good luck!

Blisters are a pain!

Blisters are painful. Those horribly sore burning red areas usually on your heels and toes reminding you of the discomfort you suffered on the way to getting them. Worst still, they don’t go away quickly and affect your everyday life afterwards, let alone your next run if that’s even a possibility.

Blisters appear on the outer skin and often fill with fluid. They’re sore and often itch. Worst still, if you get a blister and have continued to push through the pain, sometimes because you’ve felt you have little choice (you might be midway through a marathon for example), the blisters can burst and the skin splits showing the raw flesh underneath. Oh, I remember that pain very well!

Causes and prevention of blisters

Most foot blisters occur due to ill-fitting footwear and also an increase in friction between the foot and shoe or the sock and the foot.

Friction is the enemy of all runners. The rubbing causes heat build-up and rapidly becomes uncomfortable. Check for the causes:

SHOES

1. Do your shoes fit well enough.
2. Do you have enough room at the end of the shoe, a fingers width when standing?
3. Do they slip at the heel?
4. Are they tight across the front of the foot causing your toes to bunch and rub against each other?
5. Do your toes have enough room to splay out?
6. Toe box height – do you feel like you have enough?
7. Is the heel tab of the shoe too high and rubbing on your heel?
8. Do the shoes have any internal seams that are rubbing?

SOCKS

1. Do they have an inner seam that rubs? Usually at the very front of the sock.
2. Are the socks made of a decent tech or cotton material? Other sports socks such as soccer socks would not be recommended.
3. Do your feet remain dry? Moisture can lead to blisters – either sweat, getting wet on a run such as running through a puddle, or maybe taking water during a race and spilling on yourself.

Shoes can be changed. We’ve covered things like seamless uppers, lacing and heel lock-down in our reviews to help minimise the risk of ill-fitting shoes. Having enough room in the forefoot with benefit your toes and making sure they’re long enough will stop blisters at the end of the toes or losing a toe nail or two.

Socks can also be changed. Some people wear two pairs of thin socks to minimise the risk of blistering in a race. If there is any rubbing, one sock rubs against the other and not your foot. You’ll need to try this in training before race day though. Some socks are made with a double layer of material to replicate this, but most are one piece of material and running specific socks can be quite high tech. Although they might have a high price point, it’s often worth buy a couple of pairs of great anatomically designed socks for those special occasions like the very long runs and racing.

Friction is the thing that make the blisters pop up and fill with fluid. The body produces fluid in response to friction to try and protect itself. Another good method of minimising the risk of friction is to rub some Vaseline or an anti-chafing balm on those high risk areas – heels, outside of little toe, top of toes, ball of your foot etc. I did this for my marathon races and it worked well, but again, worth practising on training runs.

As stated, blisters can last a while and the difficulty is, allowing them to heal without more constant rubbing from everyday shoes. Although painful, most do not While most blisters don’t present a serious risk although they should be treated correctly to reduce the risk of infection.

Treatment for blisters

Popping the blister with a needle!

That was the old method of dealing with a blister, right?! This is not recommended as it could lead to infection via an unsterile needle. Breaking the skin to allow bacteria to enter is not a good idea.

If the blisters are very bad and affecting movement, leave them to shrink back down. If still there after a few days, go and see the doctor to have them dealt with professionally.

If the blister has popped, clean it thoroughly with soap and water. Dry thoroughly then apply an antibiotic ointment and keep applying it until it has healed.

There are a number of blister treatment materials on the market. Band-Aids specifically for blisters, gel pads, blister treatment patches etc. They will all protect the area and allow it to heal while providing some comfort with luck.