How Does Victoria Beckham Stay So Slim?
By Ashley Mateo, SELF magazine
It's simple, she says: she runs! The skinny Spice-Girl-turned-fashion-designer told the UK's Daily Mail that she runs "'four, five miles every day on the treadmill." Find out how to make running work that well for you.
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It's no secret: step for step, running is the quickest calorie burner out there--you can torch 100 calories in only 10 minutes! Plus, repetitive activities, like jogging, evoke the body's natural relaxation response, which can deactivate the genes triggered by stress and calm you.
Need more motivation? A study found that men and women between the ages of 50 and 72 who jogged regularly were twice as likely to be living 20 years later as those who were sedentary. To hit your stride, follow these technique tips:
Look Forward
To stay upright and light on your feet, and to breathe more easily, imagine yourself suspended by a string attached to the top of your head, as if you were a puppet. While you hang there, gravity efficiently aligns your head, torso and pelvis. Keep that chin up: Direct your eyes forward rather than looking down at the ground.
Related: Need a running plan? Try one of ours!
Stick The Landing
Most runners strike the ground on their toes or heels, but ideally, you should land on the balls of your feet and push off. Heel strikers jam themselves into the ground, risking lower-back problems. Landing on your toes puts excess strain on your calf muscles.
Relax Fists
Keep hands loose. Imagine lightly holding a piece of paper between your thumb and second finger. Clenching your fists causes your muscles to contract, squandering energy.
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But keep in mind, pounding the pavement (or the treadmill) can take a toll on your body. To avoid aches and pains, try these stretches courtesy of Alberto Salazar, trainer to pro runner Kara Goucher. They'll help you stay loose and limber so you can go the distance.
Leg swings stretch the quads and hamstrings while also warming up your hips.
Stand alongside a wall, with your weight on left leg and left hand on the wall for balance. Swing right leg forward and backward, to waist height, 10 to 12 times. Switch sides and repeat. Next, leaning slightly forward with both hands on wall and weight on left leg, swing right leg in front of left leg, pointing toes up as foot reaches its farthest point of motion. Then swing right leg back to right as far as you can, pointing toes up as foot reaches its highest point of extension. Do 10 to 12 reps. Switch legs and repeat.
Walking knee hugs work your hips and hamstrings and also improve stability and balance.
Walk forward. With each step, grab your shin right below the knee and pull knee toward chest (as Goucher is doing at left). Alternate legs for about 10 steps. Try to maintain your balance over your standing leg.
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Walking butt kicks are a great warm-up for your quads. Walk forward, kicking lower leg back with each step, so foot comes up to butt, and grab it with your hand. Hold for a second and release. Repeat, alternating legs. Be sure to maintain balance over your standing leg and try to keep a straight line through the knee and foot you're stretching. A few kicks in the butt will get you going!
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Photo Credit: WWD
