Relaxation key to better performances

Great article in the NY Times on relaxation and athletic performance.

In a sense, relaxation goes against most athletes’ instincts. Mr. Hart likes to point out the way elementary and middle school children run. “The kids throw their heads back,” Mr. Hart said. “They think that the harder they go, the faster they run.” That sort of body tension is the first thing Mr. Hart tries to correct. “The quickest way to improve a kid is to teach him to relax,” Mr. Hart said.

But it’s also important for athletes to realize that relaxing does not mean slowing down. “A lot of athletes don’t know the difference between relaxing and not running,” Mr. Hart said. With runners, he said, the upper body must relax but, he added, “the lower body is going to run.”


Tips For Injury Free Running

Contrary to popular belief, running should not hurt your body. It is the way you run that is doing the damage and causing pain. Sadly, for many runners, injury becomes a regular inconvenience and a way of life, something that just has to be dealt with and endured. Running is a sport that has a competitive aspect to it. When competition comes before knowledge, the goal changes from minimizing stress to the body to minimize running time. This is when injuries begin to surface. However, with a little practice on technique, injuries are reduced drastically, stress to the body diminishes, and personal running times can be greatly improved. Remember, speed comes after form.

Poor running form leads to injury, wears the joints down at an accelerated rate, and puts high levels of stress on the body. Unfortunately, much of what the vast majority of runners believe they know about running technique is wrong. So what is good form and bad form? Bad form can consist of any or all of the following incorrect techniques, which will lead to pain and injury over time.

Over striding- This consists of when the legs move to far forward in front of the body, putting heavy stress on the knee joints.

Poor foot position- When the feet deviate from a straight line, the joints have to twist with each step. As they move forward while twisting, unnecessary wear occurs.

Poor arm movement patterns- Moving arms across the entire front of the body not only is a waste of energy, but unnaturally twists the hips and torso with each stride. It is an extraordinarily inefficient running style.

Clinched fists or tense face- When you clench your fists and tighten your face, you create tension through the upper body. This causes arm movements and torso position to change, leads to neck and upper back pain and will wear out the runner much faster.

Torso bent to far forward or backward- When bent to far forward, the air is constricted to the lungs and the impact the body receives from being out of alignment increases. When bent to far back, pressure increases on the lower back and over striding usually occurs, stressing the knees.

Landing on the heel of the foot- Your feet should not slap loudly as they hit the ground. Good running should be springy and quiet. Landing on the heel of the foot leads to more stress than any other running problem. It delivers an immediate shock to the lower back and can lead to chronic pain and even stress fractures.

Improving your running form can help you run quicker, more efficiently, and with less stress on your body. It helps to reduce the changes of injuries, and allows for a more pleasant run. Making these small adjustments to your form can literally mean the difference between an enjoyable complete run and a DNF (Did Not Finish)

Land on mid-foot- Although heel striking is very common for recreational runners, it is not the preferable way to run. Constantly landing on the heels wastes energy and jars the body. It can lead to significant stress injuries throughout the lower extremities, and even chronic pain throughout the entire back. It should be noted that most running shoes are designed for the runner who lands on their heel. Inevitably these shoes allow a runner with poor form to slide by and develop bad habits. Be wary of expensive running shoes unless you take the time to learn how to run!

Use gravity to pull you forward- Using your legs to push yourself forward will rob you of energy faster than anything. Try to relax, bend your knees, and lean forward at the ankles, rather than the waist. As you lean, gravity pulls you forward. Your feet will begin to come down underneath you, rather than in front of you. Your foot should never hit the ground in front of your body, as this puts maximum strain on your knees. Essentially, the runner’s center of gravity should be directly over the foot.

Posture- Focus on maintaining good posture. Keep your hips, shoulders, and ankles in a straight line. Good posture builds strong core muscles and allows the body to move more efficiently, using less energy overall.

Relax your body- Relaxing your leg muscles, in particular, lessens their resistance to forward momentum as you run.

Breathe- Inefficient breathing forces the body to work harder to meet its oxygen requirements. Breathe naturally and fully from your diaphragm, instead of shallow chest breaths.

Forward movement- Forward movement should not be muscular. It should happen by itself, because of gravity. When you have the proper form, gravity will carry you forward, allowing for an enormous reduction in energy output.

Running can be a sport that is done up until your final days if practiced correctly. Taking the time to learn about running is no different than learning golf, football, or any other sport. If you put in the time to learn, your runs will be fruitful, enjoyable, and your endurance and stamina will increase over time.


Feeling Stressed And Run Down? What Can I Do?

Whether you are in a high powered job, moving house, trying to get out of debt, managing to look after the kids whilst staying sane and having a life, day to day living can at times get very stressful. what then tends to happen is we start to feel run down and to top it all off we are then more prone to a virus or cold. Also our skin starts to tell everyone how we are feeling whether it is those tell tale spots or even worse eczema that we thought was long gone flares up once again. When we are feeling and looking this stressed and run down it makes it all the harder to perk ourselves up and get on with things. Instead we stay down and a situation that wasn’t that bad starts to get worse and our confidence start to go down.

Stress can quite simply be summed up as the pressure of having too much to handle. Stress can come from any situation or thought and what is stressful for one person may not be for another. There are many symptoms of stress including: Clammy hands, skin rash, sleep problems, alcohol abuse and depression to name just a few.

There are different types of stress. One is acute stress also named short-term stress. Acute stress can be caused by anything that for a short instance throws you off balance. This could be an instance of bad driving by another person or not being able to find your keys. These feelings of stress may be intense but will go away after a short while. Another type of stress is chronic stress also named long-term stress. This type of stress builds up over a period of time and does not go away. Chronic stress can often leave you feeling mentally and physically drained and run down. This type of stress can be caused by caring for an elderly relative or pressures of work.

You may be surprised to hear that not all stress is bad. Yes constant stress in your life can harm your health and relationships. Some stress can help you deal with change or even get through a challenging situation. Avoiding the negative effects of stress can be avoided by learning how to deal with stress better.

Once you have recognized stress what can you do? Firstly accepting that there will be times when you are going to be stressed will get you through those times a lot easier. To help you deal with the more severe stress then taking these few simple steps will help. Eating a well balanced healthy diet, exercising regularly, using relaxation techniques, spend time with people close to you and getting enough sleep.

Finally, learn how to step back and take a few deep breaths. Just by taking on board a healthier lifestyle and relaxing your body and mind can help you bounce back from stress just that bit easier. If you are suffering from virus or colds because your body is run down, because of stress or even the daily challenges of life then there are oral supplements such as aloeride available to buy that you can take.

Using Exercise to Relieve Stress












