Calf Strengthening Exercises for Runners

calf exercises for runners

Strengthening your calves isn’t just about preventing injury to your calves. It’s about protecting your lower legs as a whole. For example, if your calves are too weak, it puts stress on your Achilles tendon and shins. No runner likes dealing with a painful, squeaky Achilles tendon or going through the agony of shin splints. Include these calf exercises into your training routine two to three times per week to improve your form and help prevent injuries by building muscle in your lower body.  The difference between good calf exercises and great calf exercises is the time and attention you put into

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Lace-Up Your Running Shoes

CSC Treadmill Cardio Workout

3 quick & effective treadmill workouts (3-5 minute read) The cardio room. Maybe you dread it or maybe you love it, maybe sometimes it’s a little bit of both. Whether you are stuck in a routine or don’t know where to start when it comes to the treadmill, we’re here to spice it up for you. We talked with one of our personal trainers here at Commonwealth Sports Club, Andy Konz, to get some quick and effective workouts that you can add to your fitness plan to make you stronger and faster. Some benefits of the treadmill – it’s simplicity.

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Are Morning or Evening Workouts more Efficient for Weight Loss/Muscle Gain

There has been a long debate between morning and evening workouts: which one helps you burn fat and build more muscle? Some people claim that morning workouts burn the most fat and evening workouts build more muscle, but is this accurate? The truth is the best and most efficient workout is the one that you actually complete…period. Whether it’s morning, afternoon or evening, the time of day you get to the gym should really depend on practicality. For example, when do you typically have free time? What is your sleep schedule like? Is your goal to de-stress or energize yourself?

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Why Booties and Cookies Don’t Mix

Let’s face it, the holidays can be very challenging. Getting into the festive spirit tends to mean abandoning all notion of self-control and consuming insane amounts of sugar.  But you know what…? It’s OK!  The cookies are colorful and pretty, the punch looks beautiful and there is loads of candy, pies and all kinds of chocolatey treats at every party. So let your inhibitions go and give in a little! I gave myself just 24 glorious hours where I allowed myself unchecked treats including cookies, midnight snacks and candy all day long. I let myself splurge like this because I

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Video proof that two is better than one

BY MICHAELA YOUNGBERG AND HECTOR PLAZA Have you ever had one of those days when you wake up and say, “I’m going to skip the gym today because I’m just not feeling it,” or “I’m just so tired from work today, I’ll skip the gym today?” Then one skip-day turns into two and so on, then the next thing you know you haven’t been to the gym in weeks. Guess what… you’re not the only one. We’re human; we’ve all done it. One of the things that keep me motivated (and could motivate you too!) is looking forward to doing

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How to Prep Your Body for Long Office Hours

long office hours

Sitting at a desk in the office all day isn’t a zero-effort endeavor; your body compresses, grinds, and worries away at your joints and muscles when you sit that long. Add in repetitive motions from typing, writing, drawing, etc., and it’s easy to wear yourself to nothing over years of the 9-5. Fortunately, there are exercises you can do to prep your body for the daily grind and long office hours, keeping you fit and healthy all the way until retirement. (more…)

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Muscle Pain and You: 5 Tactics to Tame Your Soreness

muscle pain

Nothing takes the joy out of a hard exercise session quite like the agony of muscle pain long after you’re done. Even If you’re doing everything right, you’re still going to have to face the demons eventually: after all, the whole point of exercise is damaging your body just enough to motivate it to come back stronger. That doesn’t mean you have to let muscle pain run rampant, however, as we’ll show with these five simple tricks for taking the edge off of your post-workout agonies. (more…)

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Dig Deep: Finding Workout Motivation

workout motivation

Extra weight isn't going to just fall off while you’re sitting in front of the television, and your pecks aren't going to get any firmer unless you put in the work. No matter how bad you want to get fit, lacing up those sneakers and hitting the gym isn’t always as easy as it seems. While it can certainly be challenging, finding workout motivation is important if you want to see your fitness goals come to life. (more…)

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Breathing Exercises: Why It’s Crucial In the Gym

breathing exercises

When I was just starting out in the gym, my lifting buddy would always have to remind me to breathe. She’d joke about how red in the face I’d get as I was trying to improve my bench press. Thanks to her commentary, I realized that I wasn’t breathing effectively during my workouts and that I needed to practice! I’m sure many of you can relate. Breathing is such an unconscious action that we’re often unaware of how we breathe (or don’t breathe), especially when we’re focused on working out. (more…)

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