This is a question that gets asked a lot. Heck, it’s a question that I had until I figured out on my own that it’s after about a year of solid use for me personally .That is, if I’m using my running shoes to do what they are for – running – on a regular basis. My husband on the other hand, doesn’t use his as much so he could probably go longer and make it about two years between new running shoes.

I was reminded about how important it is to use a really good pair of running shoes recently.  My husband and I wanted to take a jog around the neighborhood the other night. It was a beautiful day. Not too hot, one of those perfect spring days where the humidity here hasn’t quite picked up yet, so even when it gets warm, it’s still very breezy and very comfortable.

For decades, running shoes have been cushioned and designed in various ways to cushion and coddle our feet with many layers of rubber and gel.  The theory behind all of these layers was to be a kind of “shock” absorber for our arches, heels, knees and backs.  The traditional running shoe provides needed support for many runners and they should stay with them if it’s working well for them.

For some runners, however, particularly runners who have had frequent pain and injuries, these runners may want to look into a gradual transition into “minimalist” running.  There are some in the field of the science of running that feel that barefoot running, or as close to it as possible, is better. 

One way to make your workout more effective is the addition of ankle and wrist weights.  With each part of your exercise routine, you will be further toning your muscles and building your strength.

The use of ankle and wrist weights doesn’t have to start and stop with your workout time.  They can be used while you go about your normal activities of daily living.  Just don’t take this principle to such an extreme that you are wearing them constantly as this can cause undue strain on your joints.

I saw one of the most interesting and novel fitness concepts the other day, reading through the news as I typically do several times a week to keep up on current events and happenings.  It’s actually cool too, because it probably helps you to really wake up quicker and get into the mode of getting ready faster, because it helps send blood to vital parts of the body faster by getting your blood pumping first thing.

It may not be for everyone, but I certainly think it’s a neat idea!  And oh, it also may not match your decor, but there’s nothing stopping you from putting this thing right under your nightstand!

Hmm, this may soon be something you see a few people at the ol’ office using – or not. When I first read about this, I thought it sounded like quite a fad, and also I thought that it really might contribute to back pain if used improperly, but now I sort of think it’s a nice novel idea for helping to train and tone your core (your abs) while you’re sitting down for long periods of time.

We have two new and exciting pages here at Fitness News. One of them is about something that a lot of women worry over, and also that happens to be very hard to manage and get rid of or reduce the appearance of – cellulite. Cellulite reducers, our new page, shows you ways that you can reduce it’s appearance, in addition of course, to exercise. Exercise is still key to reduce cellulite because it keeps the circulation moving and also tones the problem areas where cellulite most commonly occurs.

One of the best things I ever did for myself and for the comfort of my workouts (thereby making them more likely to stick to), is to start buying the kind of lightweight materials that are out now, a lot of them by exclusively fitness clothes companies.  There are quite a few actually at Target, with their store brand of workout and active clothes, and that’s actually where I got my first piece of lightweight, breathable clothing for the gym (or at home, whether you work out there or at a gym).

My husband and I were both way over due for a good pair of running shoes. You know how that can be when you’re trying to watch your money, it tends to fall by the wayside since a good pair of running shoes can run over a hundred bucks. But the fact is that if you run fairly often, which we do in the summer since we have a lot of nice outdoor areas to run in, you should really replace your running shoes about every 6 months to a year for maximum support. The support can break down that quickly, depending on how many miles you run at a time as well.

I didn’t really have any fitness related gear on my Christmas wish list, namely because the things that I want still, like a heavy bag that you can only hang from the ceiling and a medicine ball, were just things that I knew I was going to buy on my own when I had the spare cash or time to go looking and bargain shopping for them.