So I’ve started now to run again about once a week since this has been one of the most ridiculously beautiful, mild springs ever on record here in Northeast Ohio. What I’ve begun to notice though is that my calves are starting to bulk up a bit, as they always do, when I run.

I tend to get bulky in a lot of places. My quadriceps also get bulky, and basically anywhere on my leg can get bulky. What I try to do to counterbalance getting bulked up, which is the opposite of what I want – I want to slim these parts on my body down, not make them more bulging, is do exercises that complement the bulking without furthering it.

Let me explain. I do stretching types of exercises such as pilates and yoga. I also make sure I stretch my muscles out right after I work them to help keep them looking “longer” and leaner instead of the muscle bunching up and becoming larger.

Pilates is an excellent exercise regimen to pair with things like running, jogging and weightlifting because it helps to keep your body long and sleek, and keeps the muscles conditioned to stay that way.  REMEMBER to always wear a great pair of shoes for running too – this is paramount for good form and injury prevention.

It also helps to tone them, and helps keep you more limber and lithe throughout your entire life. Being able to stretch and move around and stay flexible becomes more and more important as we age. It helps keep disease at bay and helps keep you mentally sharp and ready to spring into action at any time.

It also promotes good circulation and improved immunity (at least yoga does, I’m not sure I can say that about pilates, pilates are more of an appearance and strength exercise).

To get my calves nice and stretched out after a hard run, and to keep the muscles from cramping up, I do an extended downward dog. This is the inverted triangle pose that is a yogic posture. It’s excellent for loosening up the neck since you are inverted toward the ground and the gravity is taken off of you. It’s also excellent for the calves and the backs of the legs because it keeps them stretch out and warmed up.

I would only recommend doing this stretch after your run, not before since it’s a static and not dynamic stretch. Remember, dynamic stretches should be the stretch of choice before a run (this is the type of stretch where you are moving and getting the circulation going and the muscles warmed for action).

Have you seen these crazy looking athletic walking and running shoes that look like a foot skeleton yet? They’re actually very futuristic looking, but they look like on me, who needs a lot of arch and ball support in my shoes, they would cause a lot of pain in my foot and in my back!

I’ve never tried a pair on, but I’d venture to guess these are the types of shoes that only certain people can wear who don’t need a ton of support when they’re either running, walking or doing a lot of physical activity. Especially the kind that involves a lot of jumping around and joint impact.

But are appearances deceiving?  Let’s take a look what these barefoot athletic shoes are all about and talk about it.

The idea is that running and walking or moving around otherwise is most naturally done in bare feet. The barefoot running shoes, most notably made by Vibram FiveFinger now, are based on the idea that this is the best way to work out, but they also add extra protection and cushion that you wouldn’t have if you were just strictly going bare foot.

These shoes literally have five separate toe slots, just like the footie socks that were such a novelty back in the day. They even have socks that have the little toe pockets as well, to go with the shoes.  This is why you look like you’re in your bare feet when you wear them, because each of your toes is outlined.

The idea is also that when in your essential bare foot form, you are also helping to train your entire body instead of “casting” your foot in a regular shoe with all the padding, rubber, soles, and binding.  They supposedly help to make your body sync up, helping to train the nerves and muscles to become more efficient due to the minimal interference of all the unnatural padding of a regular fitness shoe.

There is also supposedly research out there that shows we can run faster and farther when in bare foot form (of course with protection, but with minimal interference from too much material and padding in the way).  There is also some evidence that we may be able to escape more injury by running in this more natural form.

The shoe maker Vibram recommends that when starting off using their shoe, you transition slowly as there may be an adjustment period.  They do say that they have a sole that protects from too much friction or injury.  Is the barefoot running shoe right for you?  I suppose you’d have to try them out!

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.

You can tell when your running shoes are breaking down because they just don’t seem to offer the same cushion and support.  All shoes eventually break down, and if you are using them for a high impact sport like running, then you want to make sure you are adequately protecting your joints, bones and ligaments by replacing the shoes every so often so you can get better protection from jarring and injury.

I can always start to tell when mine are ready to be replaced, becuase even the sidewalls of the shoe just don’t offer as much support. It’s mostly about the sole and cushion of the shoe as well as the arch support, but a lot of it has to do with the surrounding nylon and support system of the shoes itself as well.

When I don’t have as much bounce in my run or step, and I’m starting to notice my shins or my calves are getting sore much easier after a run, then I know I’m about due to go out and buy a new pair of the best running shoes out there – which I still feel are Adidas Supernova Glides (not the 2′s!).

You should really feel like you’re running on clouds when you first buy new running shoes - never settle for less than that. If you’re an avid runner, you no doubt have figured out what shoe works best for you.

Whether you are a seasoned and experienced runner, or you are just beginning to enjoy the fruits of this incredibly addictive sport and pastime, you need to train if you are going to run a marathon.  There are several marathons happening during the year. They occur in major cities and smaller cities. They can be hundreds of runners, or literally thousands of runners.

The Chicago marathon usually has about 40,000 participants believe it or not. These are not all seasoned runners either. Often times they are people who have signed up for the challenge and camradery of it all. They like to see what their body can do.

But if you are serious about running a marathon without crippling yourself for a couple days with soreness, or being too winded to keep going, then you should really start on some sort of training program. Often times training to run a marathon starts off with slow joffing and lighter distances, so that the body can slowly adjust itself to running.

Experts usually recommend you start off slowly so you don’t injure yourself or go too far and get so sore that you can’t even get out of bed the next morning, making training almost impossible.

A lot of marathon runners say that it’s more the mind than the body that gets you through the toughest parts of a marathon. If you’re strong of mind and heart, then you can push yourself mentally and physically into the next stratosphere of distance, or speed even.

Training for a marathon helps you train both your mind and body. It’s also all about building confidence in yourself that you can indeed do this thing that may have seemed totally daunting or nearly impossible for you at first.  Once you see what your body is capable of doing, it’s easier to talk your mind in to sticking with it.

I’ve used this theory on myself a lot when I’m doing a simple jog down the road in my outdoor jogs. I put a challenge out there for myself. I make landmarks for myself. I’ll say, ok if I can make it all the way down to such and such road, then I’m even better than I was yesterday. Or if I can run as fast as I can for five full minutes, then I’m really building my speed and stamina.

Things like that really help push you to the next level .But you should never write checks that your body can’t cash. Make sure you are doing things that aren’t going to jeopardize your body for the next week or two. You want discomfort, but you don’t want to be doubled over in pain or simply unable to continue on a physical level. That is just too much.

Take it slow, but make little goals for yourself every day.  As long as you keep doing that, then you will be built up to a full on marathoner in no time.

One of the best ways to make sure you keep a lean, sleek physique that’s not bulky or overly manly and “muscular” if you are a woman, is to combine a lot of stretching types of exercises with any weight lifting and cardio that you do.

Cardio is a must if you are going to get that lean look, since it is still the most effective way to get the heart rate up and strip fat from the body quickly and efficiently.  I have found that one of the best combinations for me personally to get lean and sleek looking (and I’m only 5′ 4″, so it’s tough for me to look this way), is to combine running and yoga.

Unfortunately, I run mostly when it’s nice outside, and since I live in Northeastern Ohio where the days can be extremely rare that you can get outside in the months of winter.  So then, I just have to resort to either an elliptical trainer or a treadmill and just run inside.

It’s just a lot tougher to keep your focus when you can’t be running outside past pretty green scenery, landscapes and other visually appealing and entertaining sights. Not to mention, you don’t get that same fresh air and the same runner elation that typically comes, for me anyway, more when I’m running outdoors.

I’ve found that combining running and yoga practice really makes me keep my weight at a nice level as well. The running provides me with pure cardio, a great heart pumping practice, and also great for trimming down my legs as well as my arms since I pump my arms quite a bit when I run.

The yoga takes those same muscles that I work so hard when running, and it stretches them back out. It keeps me flexible, and it also elongates my muscles, which helps me to keep that longer, leaner look, and helps to “stretch” my naturally shorter body out a little more, making me walk and appear taller.

It’s also great for flexibility, as well as mood. Studies have shown that women who practice yoga regularly experience much less depression, and tend to have healthier attitudes toward their life and toward stressful situations.  A good yoga DVD is worth its weight in gold, and if you combine this with running as your cardio practice, then you can get a sleek, mean, lean look that you are going for.

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. 

From the minimalists perception of running, the very padded and cushioned modern form of running shoe can actually contribute to running injuries.  Instead of shock absorbing for the body, modern running shoes allow the runner to land on their heels, which causes stress continually to their knees, hips and backs.

The trend towards minimalist running seemed to gain momentum with the book “Born to Run” that came out in 2009.  The athletic shoe companies responded to this trend by developing many different “natural” and “minimalist” designs of running shoes.  The best clothes for working out, and the best shoes, as we all know, can make all the difference in our workouts!

Among shoes designed in response to the minimalist trend for running shoes are the Vibram FiveFingers, the Merrell Barefoot True Glove and the Nike Frees.   The Vibram Five Fingers encase your toes individually and consist of just a layer of rubber to protect your feet and have no support built into them. 

The Merrell Barefoot True Glove is very lightweight at about 6 ounces and does have tread for slippery or rough surfaces the runner may encounter.  The Nike Frees are a balance between traditional running shoes and the barefoot shoes by offering just a little support for the runner.

Not all runners should make the change to minimalist running if they’ve been running in traditional shoes well, have good running form and have been pain and injury free.  Other runners, who have had pain or injury, may want to change to the minimalist shoes.

 The switch must be undertaken gradually or you’re very likely to injure a muscle or get a stress fracture.No matter what kind of shoes a runner opts for, they should be aware of maintaining better alignment while running for a better foot strike, landing on the mid or forefoot instead of the heel. This is a healthier running form, lessening the risk of running injuries or pain.

I am constantly on my husband about stretching before and after he works out. He never does it, and always wonders why he easily gets injured. While I can get him to do it occasionally, he stubbornly believes that he doesn’t need to stretch before he exercises, especially if he’s just weight lifting.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth. You should always warm your body up before you work out, no matter what kind of workout you’re doing. Think of your muscles as a rubber band. If you warm a rubber band up, it would be less likely to snap and break or tear because you’ve warmed it by stretching it out, making it more pliable and less brittle.

Your muscles are really no different. They need to be warmed up, stretched out, and made more pliable by physically warming them up. Why do you think so many people get injured when they’re moving heavy furniture, or doing things where they would not normally warm their bodies beforehand?

It’s because they haven’t warmed that muscle yet, and go right into using it when it’s still in a sort of dormant, brittle state.  This is how you get muscle tears, pulls and over extensions.  I’ve done it myself, and guess what? It was always when I knew I had not adequately stretched my muscles and gotten them warmed up!

It’s especially easy to do it when you haven’t been as active in a while. Doctors see an influx in patients with injuries in the spring time. People tend to over do it in the spring because they’ve been couped up all winter long, and tend to get outdoors and go overboard, or go overboard with their other exercises in the spring time .

That spring fever hits, and you forget that your body isn’t adequately prepared to be vigorously worked any more.  It’s especially important when your body isn’t used to physical activity, to make sure that you feel those muscles are “warm” before attempting anything like running or jogging, or doing any type of vigorous, high impact working out.

Dynamic stretching, which is light jogging in place, or moving one part of the body like the arms, to warm up the muscles and get the blood pumping to the muscles so they can become warmer, is very good for any type of workout. In fact, dynamic stretching should be done before working out, not static stretching, which should only be reserved for after the workout.

Stress fractures are actually easier to get than you think from physically exerting yourself for longer periods of time, or simply holding too much weight – whether it’s your own body weight – or carrying something that is simply too heavy for your bones to bear the weight of.

Stress fractures are quite common if you are a runner, do not wear the right kinds of running shoes, or have a good treadmill for running, which has a comfortable padding on it that eliminates or greatly reduce the bouncing and pressure that occur on the joints and the bones in the feet and the legs when you run.

High impact sports such as basketball, gymnastics, and wrestling can cause stress fractures.  Usually stress fractures result in a dull pain that seems fairly persistent in the area where you have hurt something.  They generally will heal on their own, but it’s important to know you have one so that you can know not to favor that side of your body, and to be careful and not make it worse.

They will heal on their own, but you have to make sure you stay off of them for a while, or at the very least, take it easy on that part of your body.  It is of vital importance that you replace your athletic shoes often if you do high impact workouts or sports on a regular basis.

This is because the soles and cushioning that absorbs shock breaks down fairly quickly. If you experience high impact on a frequent basis, this is especially true. You may even want to consider replacing your running shoes every  three to four months rather than the standard 6-12 months that most people follow who work out moderately.

It’s easy to go without even knowing you have a stress fracture. Many people may ignore it and think it’s just a temporary sore spot. We all get sore in certain places, but it always goes away.

If the symptoms are persistent or causing you a lot of discomfort though, you should really go get it x-rayed so you know whether you should continue with your high impact activity or not, and to consult with your doctor about any new treatment options.

Running is an excellent form of exercise, in my opinion. For me, in the summer, there’s nothing like taking a jog out in the fresh air, past the corn fields in the backroads by our home, and just enjoying the feeling of being free, and using my legs what they were meant for.

I’m not a big “runner”, in that I don’t do sprints, but instead take a slower gait and jog, but there are some times when I’ll sprint short distances and alternate jogging and running to really get my metabolism going. 

One thing you have to be really careful of when running, especially if you’re just starting out, is to protect your back and your joints from being damaged.  Running is excellent for you, however, there is a high risk of back and joint injury because it is considered a high impact sport.

To lessen the blow of the concrete or pavement on your joints and back, it is absolutely impertive that you get a really great pair of running shoes. Without good running shoes, you are putting yourself at risk for injury and discomfort. 

Excellent running shoes will absorb the shock of the impact every time your foot hits the ground, so you get a smooth, impact free exercise, instead of a jarring, potentially damaging exercise.

My favorite pair of running shoes right now is the Adidas Supernova for women.  I don’t like the Supernova II’s, because in my opinion, they were not as well cushioned as the Supernova originals.  They make you feel like you’re running on air.  They work well on pavement and cement.

Another way you can help ensure you are running without to much jolting and pressure is to run on a rubberized track. This may be hard to find, but if you have a high school near you, many schools are now turning to these tracks because they lessen the amount of injuries seen in sprinter and track runner.

They are a much softer and safer surface to run on. We have on at the high school near us, and although it’s hard to find a time when it’s not being used by their track or football team, it’s excellent on your feet and joints whenever we do find a free time for it.

Running with the righ posture is also absolutely essential to protecting your back and joints from injury or damage. Too many people run with the wrong posture, which puts more pressure on their joints, and can make the back and neck strain to stay straight.

Run straight up and down, but not so that you’re bouncing up and down too much, rather that you’re driving forward.

Jennifer Aniston has long been the envy of women across the world for it’s incredibly toned appearance. She also tends to look very long and lean even though she’s a fairly petite woman, clocking in by some accounts at just 5’5″, which is shorter than what she looks like on film or in pictures.

Even past 40, she has maintained the lean physique of a twenty year old, and many women are clamoring to keep their bodies that fit and toned looking after they pass that magical age of 40, which seems to be a marker of fabulousness if you look even better than you did ten to fifteen years ago when you hit this age as a woman.

I must admit, in some ways I’m looking forward to hitting forty, just to see how well my body holds up. I do take care of myself, I try to eat healthy, and I’ve been working out since I was fourteen years old, so I’m curious to see how father time treats me when I start to really get up there in years.

Jen Aniston has notoriously followed a strict diet of avoiding excessive carbs and also has been very disciplined in maintaining a good workout regimen. She has been an avid runner as well as a yoga devotee, but she also has said she sprinkles other fitness activities in there too.

Like anyone else, she would have to keep it interesting and fun to keep working out at a pace that will keep her looking this great.  Many envy her toned, tanned arms, including myself since my arms have always been a source of frustration for me.

She has even said in past interviews that she’s not taking any magical pills, but it’s just good, old fashioned exercise and diet that has kept her looking so youthful and radiant for all these years. 

I love that she says that. She’s not one of these actresses who looks fabulous but says she eats crap all day and never likes to work out. I’d love to smack women in the public eye that say stuff like that – it sends such a bad message to other women around the globe!