Warm ups

September issue of Women's Health -- check out a fall fashion guide in this issue too!

Time to get those muscles moving. Ease into your workouts.
The importance of stretching and easing into a workout is key to preventing injuries. Also, to help you perform your best.

If you don't stretch before your workout, your muscles won't be warmed up and ready to go, and psychologically it can make you feel more out of shape and be frustrated. To avoid that feeing, spend 10 to 20 minutes stretching.

In the September issue of Women's Health, a short blurb explains that Australian researchers discover that warm-ups help increase the contraction speed of muscles, helping them prepare for action.

Warm-ups usually will mimic something you'll do in your planned workout. If you want to run, spend a few minutes walking at a brisk pace, then take the next minute or so jogging at a comfortable speed -- a speed where you aren't winded.

A warm-up lasting at least five minutes is great, but don't go too long.

Runner's issues

ALWAYS be sure you have shoes that fit your foot.

Running can be a great cardio warm up, and a workout if intense enough. It's also a great way to get those lungs back into shape, or to train for a marathon...But, running does come with it's own set of side effects, unfortunately.

As I read on the Huffington Post website, there are several things that can happen to our bodies when running.

Shin splints, that stabbing pain in your shins, from your muscles and tendons covering the shinbone getting inflamed. Keep them elevated, and ice them to treat the pain. Also, if you want, you can take a break from running on cement, which isn't good for your knees as well.

Knee pain: Pain around or behind the kneecap...All the pounding on pavement, downhill paths and weak hips, as well as imbalances can cause this to happen. AGAIN, try to stay closer to the softer paths for running, and a more flat surface for running. If you do choose to go running downhill, maybe calm it down a bit, not run so long, and or just walk.

walking or running?

So, as we know, walking and running both take different tolls on our bodies. Yet, do you ever wonder which burns more calories? The obvious answer would be to think, um running or jogging, of course. BUT! Just wait.

Yes, if a person walks faster than someone can jog, (which is true in some cases)then the walker can go longer and burn more calories. Funny right?

But in general, if a jogger runs faster than a walker and goes for a longer period of time, then yes, jogging will burn more calories.

Remember, it's mostly about the speed you maintain through out your workout.

(Save your knees too and stick to a treadmill or elliptical.)