Get Fit Quick Tip:

4 Racing Basics

There are a few racing basics important to keep in mind heading into your race day. Here are 4 to commit to memory:

Embrace your nerves. Many athletes experience pre-race nerves. Nerves mean the event is important to you and you want to do your best. Nerves happen with uncertainty or with the unknown. Accept your anxiety simply as part of the process. Instead of allowing nerves to paralyze you, enable them to empower you.

Master the art of letting-it-go. You’re distracted by someone along the race course? Let it go. Your pre-race ritual was interrupted? Let it go. Another athlete cut you off at the hydration station? Let it go. Focus on your race, your miles.

Stick to your race plan. Never try anything new on race day. Only do what you’ve practiced in training. Stick to your pre-race meal plan. Your clothing. Your hydration schedule. Your pace.

Visualize your finish daily. Every night before going to sleep, visualize in full detail finishing your race strong. During your race when miles become tough, play back the well rehearsed mental picture of your strong finish. You’ll be able to change your emotional/mental state mid-race and reset your resolve to keep moving forward.

Racing? Here are your race prep basics.

Get Fit Quick Tip:

High Knees for Cardio!

If you’re looking to add a cardio component to your workout, consider High Knees. Great for runners, walkers and those looking for fast calorie burning, high knees provide a challenging and energizing interval option.

Begin standing. Lift your right knee straight up, adding a hop to the top of the range of motion if desired. Immediately return your right foot to the floor, and lift your left knee straight up, adding a hop to the top of the range of motion. Begin with a ten second interval and build from there. This exercise is for intermediate or advanced exercisers, without injury or illness concerns.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

High Knees Cardio

Commit to your fitness each week by joining #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday at 5pmP/8pmE On Twitter!

A journey to fitness will take dedication, commitment and resolve. However, you will never regret your effort. You’ll look better, feel better and function better through your daily activities. You’ll be able to lift, carry and have the energy to accomplish whatever the day brings. So if you’ve had any doubt about getting fit and healthy, don’t! Every workout, set and rep IS worth your time and effort.

Recommit to your fitness every Monday at #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat!

Here’s how to join:

Log into your Twitter account.

Enter #HealthyWayMag to follow the chat feed.

Participate by offering your answers to the questions posed for conversation. Question 1 noted as “Q1″, provide your Answer 1, noted as “A1.” Tagging your answers with #HealthyWayMag allows everyone to interact together.

Chat with others, pick up fitness tips, have fun!

Monday March 14, 2016 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat is Sponsored by Knuckle Lights:

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Commit to your Fitness!

Walk/Run for Function
It may sound cliché (or you’ve heard it before) but getting out the office and briskly walking round the block even for 10-20 minutes can make the baddest of days better.
Your mind will clear and re-focus from physically removing yourself from the environment, your mood lifted from the natural light and oxygen.
Try this 15 minute fat blast workout:
Brisk walk warm up
2 minute jog
30 second sprint
Repeat x5 before cooling down with a slow walk. Finish with stretching.

Head for the Hills
Hill walks/sprints are a great way of exercising the heart and lungs. Try your local park, woods or venture a little further, making a day of it at the beach or a national park. Vary the terrain: grass, gravel, sand all make a difference and keep it interesting. Running uphill (or some outdoor steps,) walking down and repeating is a great interval training workout of exertion and recovery at your own pace. You can track your progress by recording how many you can do – and see if you can beat it next time. Great fun for all the family so make a game of it!

DIY Bootcamp
Try making your own bootcamp either in your garden or a local playground. Look at what you can use for exercises, even as simple as throwing and catching a ball against a wall. Press ups, step-ups and tricep dips can be done on a bench. Pull ups, mountain climbers and knee tucks can be done using a climbing frame ladder.

Whatever your age and fitness level, you now have three variations of outdoor workouts, all with phenomenal effects. So if it rains, be your own sunshine!

Gen Levrant is an Advanced Personal Trainer and fat-loss specialist operating out of a private functional training studio in Southampton UK. For fitness tips, updates and further info: http://www.fasterpt.com/personal-trainer-southampton/or email Gen via gen@fasterpt.com. Follow her on Twitter @PTGen, https://www.facebook.com/FasterPersonalTrainingSouthamptonorvia Youtube Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82Jii13lkNY

Three Must-Try Outdoor Workouts by Gen Levrant