5 Tips for Running Safely During Winter Season

Running is one of the best, easiest, and cheapest forms of exercising. It's great for cardio training. The low speed and long period running has low impact on your knees but is great for your endurance. You only need a good pair of running shoes and a comfortable set of clothes and you are good to go. You can even take your kid and put him/her in a stroller for some bonding time at the park or your pet dog for a much-needed exercise. All these sound too easy for every day running.

However, all these simple and easy things become unusually hard and even dangerous during winter season. First, there is probably snow everywhere and the road is more slippery making it extra dangerous for runners. Second, you would have to brave the cold wind and make your legs and feet work despite what could be freezing temperature. Third and definitely not the last, the thought of running versus marshmallows and a hot cup of chocolate over bonfire do not make things any easier for a runner.

Despite what seemed to be the disadvantages of running during the winter season, this is not at all impossible. In fact, experts say it could be easy once you get the hang of it and that you might even find it more enjoyable given the fact that you can run for as long as you can without drenching in sweat.

If you are open to the possibility of running during the winter season, here are some tips from the experts on how to run safely yet effectively:

1.     Know your goal.

Go back to square one and ask yourself why you want to run in the first place. Are you prepping for a race or simply vowed to get better and fitter? If running is the closest exercise to your heart, it would not at all be hard to know your goal and follow it. Knowing what your goal is will get that motivation inside you going. Once your goal is achieved, do not forget to reward yourself before moving on to your next goal.

2.     Stay Motivated.

It is easy to be motivated but not as easy to stay motivated. Knowing what your goal is will easily get you motivated but how do you stay motivated especially during the winter months when it is way more appealing to stay at home and pig out with the whole family?

A great tip here from the experts is to have a running partner and figure out a schedule that works for you both. Through this way, you would find it harder to back out on your goal because someone is waiting for you. In fact, you can even encourage more people to join. Statistics has it that group runs are very popular during the winter season.

3.     Pick the Right Clothes.

In any other season, you can literally wear what you feel comfortable running with. But for winter season, this is not the case. You have to pick the right clothes. By right, it means to layer properly without overdressing as is the usual case for first time runners in winter season.

Experts say to dress 15 to 20 degrees warmer but not more than that or you might have a harder time running due to heavy clothes and possible risk of overheating. But dressing 15 to 20 degrees will keep you warm enough to let you finish your running goal for that day.

Another great tip here is to go outside and test the weather. If you feel chilled, then you probably are wearing the right clothes but if you feel warm despite the chilly weather, tone it down by removing a layer.

4.     Get the Right Accessories.

This is equally important as picking the right clothes. They go hand in hand. Remember that you will know you are wearing the proper clothing if you feel kind of chilly once you get out the door? The trick to keep you warmer is through accessorizing. Through this way, you can put it on when you feel it is extremely cold and remove it if it gets warmer.

The appropriate accessories every runner in winter must have are running jacket that totally blocks wind and moisture, hat, headband, gloves, and may be ear muffs depending on the person.

5.     Pick the Right Time of Day to Run.   

Experts say that it is best to run during daylight hours where one can also get his/her much-needed dose of the sunshine vitamin. However, this does not mean that running under a light snow fall and a gazillion stars is not enjoyable. This will actually depend on one’s preference.

What would be a great idea here is when there is sun, run and make the most out of it. For those gloomier days, get the group together and run under a blanket of stars and may be camp out for some snack with bon fire afterwards for a more pleasant experience.

Remember that the only difference in running during winter is the weather, you will likely have to change your running outfit and add on a bunch of other accessories to keep you warm but the rest like food, water, and supplies remain a staple. Experiment on running in the winter and you just might love it. Just watch for those slippery trails though.

Advanced Cardio Boxing Trainings Tips

Cardio Kickboxing Classes

If you are looking to kick and punch your way through a workout that really allows you to test your endurance and strength, you might be ready to try advanced cardio boxing. This type of training can be pretty intense, but it can also help you achieve fitness levels that you never thought possible. Advanced cardio boxing training programs are the latest fitness craze that is here to stay. This type of fitness program not only focuses on strength, balance and coordination, but is also offers many healthy benefits. With a mix of finesse and cardio workout, you get the best of both worlds. However, these kind of training program exercises are not for those that aren’t already physically fit (read more on livestrong).

Making the most of your advanced cardio boxing training is all about remembering these easy tips:

Remember to Stretch

Since cardio boxing is full of many different movements, it is essential that you take the time to prepare your body for each and every workout. All of these movements that you will be performing during cardio boxing can pose a threat of injury if your muscles are not loose. If you want to limit the risk of injury, you need to make stretching a priority. This complicated form of exercise takes time to master, but you can’t let that keep you from staying motivated. This training routine is specifically designed to be grueling and difficult to learn. It is challenging, but if you put in the work it is possible to become advanced.

Builds Progressively

Cardio boxing is not something that you learn right away; instead it is designed to build progressively. In an advanced training program more will be thrown at you at once, but you will still have time to build your skills and endurance to levels that are expected. Performing the movements correctly should always be your main concern. Speed is important in cardio boxing, but you still want to hone your skills and focus on technique. Many of these explosive moves that you will be performing are focused in your lower back, elbow, neck, shoulder and other prominent joint areas. Your moves will be explosive, but you will be able to build your strength and muscles over time (more here).

How to Be Safe

Safety should be one of your main concerns when you begin an advanced cardio boxing training program. The best way to stay safe is to remember to go slow and be easy with your kicks and punches in the beginning. When you first begin training, you should not start throwing full kicks and punches right away. In the beginning you can probably borrow some gloves but if you are serious you should bring your own gloves. If you're a boxer that's not a problem of course and if you're not, you can easily get some affordable boxing gloves from brands like Grant worldwide, Ringside, Title or Cleto Reyes. During training you want to stay slow and steadily increase your progress as you become more familiar with the moves. Overextending your joints can lead to injury, but if you start slow and steadily work your way up this injury risk will lessen. If you are performing intense and grueling cardio boxing workouts, you should look to limit your training to only 3 times per week just to be safe.

For Who?

Advanced cardio boxing training is suitable for everybody who's already sporting and physically fit. You can go to the classes with your partner, kids or friends. It's fun but exhausting ;) This kind of condition training is not only perfect for boxers but also for every other sporter. If you are still building up your condition then start easy with these exercises. 

Is Boxing Right For Kids?

 If you are not familiar with boxing, it is easy to assume that this sport is a little too dangerous and violent for kids. However, once you learn what boxing is all about, you will quickly learn that this sport is ideal for children of all ages. It might be an individual sport, but there is so much that your child can learn from regular boxing workouts.

You might be a bit hesitant at first, but here is some additional information about the sport of boxing that might ease your mind a bit:

Being Hesitant is Normal

If you are a bit scared or hesitant to put your kid into the world of boxing, you are in the majority. On the outside, boxing seems like a dangerous sport that sort of promotes violence. However, this is not the case at all. Boxing is just as safe as any other sport and it involves teaching your child how to fight in a competitive and responsible manner. If you want to make sure that your child is ready for boxing, there are a few ways you can make safety a priority. Making sure that kids always way the right protective gear and equipment keeps them safe and allows the amount of injuries that occur to be minimized.

Choose the Right Instructor

The best way to ease your mind as a parent is to pick the very best boxing instructor for your child. This will ensure that your child has the supervision that is required to keep them safe at all times. An instructor that is expertly trained has a lot of knowledge that they can teach. Keeping kids that choose to box safe is all about ensuring that they have qualified instructors to show the way. This sport is all about technique and honing skill over time.

Boxing Has Rules

The fact is that kids will not be allowed to just start wailing on each other during training. There are rules and guidelines that must always be followed. It might be a new experience for your child at first, but they will pick up on the rules pretty quickly. Once they learn the rules of boxing, it will be a process over time as they get better with their form and technique.

More Than Just a Workout

The best part about kids partaking in boxing is the boundless benefits that they get access to. Not only is it a great form of exercise (overall condition and muscle strength) but it also helps to build confidence. The right boxing program has the ability to make your child start to believe in their own abilities and skill-set. This sport teaches discipline and goes beyond just physical strength. It is a sport that will teach your child many lessons along the way that can have an impact on their life.

Stay Involved

As a parent, you should always stay involved with the sports that your child participates in. Boxing can be a huge boost for your kid, but you need to put in an effort as well.

Get proper boxing gear

You don't need to buy a full outfit for the first lesson but if your kids likes the workouts and would like to continue to train boxing, then you should not buy the cheapest gloves for him. Get good advice and ask the instructor what kind of boxing gloves he would need. You can get more info about boxing gear for recommended brands like Grant Worldwide, Cleto Reyes, Title and Everlast. What is important is that his hands are protected good enough to start with sparring and bag trainings. There are so many different types of boxing gloves available so make sure to get proper advice. And remember that your kid and you have to enjoy the sport as well!

A Few Tips On Planning A Weekend Hike Trip

A weekend hike trip can be more fun than docking yourself at a pub or blasting your woofers while driving down an expressway to a downtown bar. Hiking is rejuvenating, it is exciting, the adventure will replenish your energy instead of fatiguing you and you would learn more than you can imagine. No matter how old you are, where you live, how much you earn and who you have living with you, there is always enough opportunity to plan and go hiking. It doesn’t really matter if it is for a weekend or a weeklong vacation.

But, planning such a trip calls for smart thinking. If you haven’t planned a similar adventure before then you need some tips to guide you along (more here). Here is some advice that can help you to have a great weekend, hiking on some of the easiest or some of the toughest trails that you consider accessible from where you live.

• A weekend is a short period. Don’t plan a huge trip and don’t go very far. If you spend hours or perhaps more than half a day traveling, then the whole purpose of a hike trip becomes irrelevant. You should not tire yourself or anyone during the traveling. Pick a place that is close to where you stay. If the place is far enough, then choose to take a train if possible or a bus. Try and avoid driving. It is likely that one person will not be doing all the driving but being in a car for several hours is always taxing. Hence, pick a place that is nearby which would take just a few hours. Else, take a different route or conveyance option which will get you to a far place faster and more conveniently. The bottom line is, travel less and hike more, toil less on traveling and spend more energy and effort on hiking. That is the secret to a great adventure.

• The next tip on planning a good hiking trip for the weekend pertains to the choice of trail. You cannot pick a trail randomly, especially not considering the expertise of the people. You cannot go on a trail that involves rock climbing if you or those traveling with you are not accustomed to or trained in rock climbing. Choose the challenges based on your expertise or abilities and then add some. There should be something new that you have not done but that should not be beyond the possibilities for everyone involved.

• Take the right equipment with you! Even a short weekend away, hiking in the mountains or forests, you need to pack the most essential equipment. If you're sleeping in a tent, you shouldn't forget to make the agreement who packs the tent. How many can sleep in the tent is important as well. Everybody should take a sleeping bag as well. If it's really warm then a thin cotton bag should be sufficient. Next to the tent and sleeping bag, you need to eat. So make sure you bring a camping cooker and food with you. Take a torch with you so you have some light at night. Nowadays almost everybody hikes with a GPS device and if you have one, you should know how to use the navigation maps etc. If you don't have a hiking GPS then you should bring normal maps with you which is smart anyway (also when you have a GPS) because a map will never run out of batteries! Good hiking GPS devices (read more hiking GPS here) are for instance Garmin eTrex, Monterra and Montana and the Magellan eXplorist.

• The selection of people who would go on a weekend hike trip is also very important. You cannot take all your friends. You cannot all be novices or amateurs. There has to be a blend of experience and inexperience, friends and professionals and more importantly, everyone should be on the same page. If you take one unhealthy person or one person who is unwilling to go the distance then your entire group will fall back and all of you will have a very poor experience throughout the trip. Thus, choose your group wisely. If you all are inexperienced, then have a guide or a pro take you through the trail.