Triathlon is basically an endurance event that consists of multi-sports namely swimming, cycling and running in quick successions over varied distances. The triathlon participants are better known as “Triathletes”. These triathletes compete against each other in order to achieve the best course completion time which includes timed “transitions” between run, swim and bike components.

A beginner should be totally aware of the Triathlon training schedule and programs, before opting for one. Some of the steps given below which help a beginner provide a solid jumpstart and help him follow the triathlon training schedule that suits his needs. They are as follows:

Step 1: Signing-up for a Race- Most of the beginner triathletes tend to develop a vague idea about a race that they might want to compete in the future, without actually signing up for one. Committing yourself to a race is the first step that needs to be taken in order to send a clear message to your subconscious. This will help you follow the triathlon training schedule with proper dedication and efficiency.

Step 2: Analyze your swim skills- Swimming is one sport that depends more on from than the fitness levels. And because of the technical nature of the sport it is highly advised to invest your money on a on a good swim expert or a coach, who can provide you with proper guidance and help you improve your strokes by analyzing you in water. Checking strokes by videotaping yourself is also a preferable option.

Step 3: Running/ Walking Intervals- If you are a novice and not used to running for very long periods and distances, you should utilize and follow the run/walk intervals. This helps you built stamina and get used to the rigorous running sessions. Try out this method- To start, walk for 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Then run till you start losing some breath. Once you feel a bit exhausted, start walking again and regain your breath. Repeat this procedure 3 to 5 times by timing your run and walks each time. The next time you step out, try walking 30-40 seconds less than what you ran and continue to shorten the walk every time. After you reach a ‘steady-run’ mark, start to increase your running capacity by 10-15% every week.

Step 4: Choosing a Bike- When it comes to choosing a bike, there are plenty of options available and you are bound to get intimidated by them. But it is recommended that a beginner should always start with an old mountain bike. After getting some practice, you can move on to buying a new road bike. Ebay, Craiglist and Roadbikeclassifieds can help you gain some great deals on the used road bikes. If you are not comfortable with those “skinny tires” straight away, you can opt to practice on soft surface like local golf course or a park. This will help you attain better skills and confidence.

Step 5: Workouts- Practicing swimming, running or biking doesn’t really help you work all muscles. You need proper workout schedules to build the other crucial muscles and help you stay fit and uninjured. Hitting the gym for 30-40 minutes and 2-3 times a week will do well. Muscles such as lower back, abdominals and outer hip muscles should be focused on in order to build a perfect foundation for Triathlon event.

The above 5 Triathlon Training Schedule Tips will surely help you boost in the right direction and help attain perfect skills and efficiency during the event.

A 10K run is basically a 10 kilometer or an equivalent of 6.2 miles long run which is considered as one of the popular race lengths. A 10K is a shorter version of the road race which makes it popular among the beginners as well as the advanced athletes who don’t have long-term goals.

Why a 10K run?

There are several reasons for which people opt for 10K races. Some of them are listed below:

1. Athletes that aim for a half-marathon but want to try the shorter version first.
2. Runners that have already achieved the 5K mark and want to challenge themselves further.
3. The runners who train themselves for a half-marathon or a full marathon use the 10K training schedule in order to evaluate fitness levels.
4. Some also like to overtake their own records in 10K.

What is involved in the 10K Training Schedule?

For novice runners, the 10km distance might seem to be intimidating at once, but the 10K training schedules are not much different from the 5K schedules. However, a 10K race is not as easy as the 5K race. Some runners choose the 10K that they run each year, seeing if they can better their records on every attempt.

The 10K Training Schedule for Beginners:

Many beginner athletes and runners opt for the 10K distance. The reason behind this is that 10K can be considered an attainable distance and also because the 10K training schedule is not as time-consuming as the full or half marathon schedule. If you’re a novice and want to go for the 10K, here are some programs:

1. Run 10K Training Schedule: This 10K training schedule is a 10-week program which is designed for beginner runners who want to run a 10K race. The program also helps you built stamina for running more than 60 minutes at a stretch. Although, the program assumes that you can run for 20 minutes at a stretch.
2. Beginner’s 10K Training Schedule: This is an 8-week schedule specially designed for beginner athletes those who want to get to the finish line of a 10K race. This schedule assumes that you can run at least two miles at a stretch. Even if you’ve never run before, you can follow the step by step program for building a running base and then move on to the 10K training schedule.
3. Beginner’s 10K Training Schedule (Advanced): This is again an 8-week program designed for runners who can run 3 miles at a stretch and around 4 to 5 days a week. This 10K training schedule is a bit more challenging as compared to the normal 10K training schedule for beginners.

The 10K Training Schedule for Intermediate Runners:

This schedule is specifically for runners who have run at least one 10K race and are hoping to improve their time. The schedule also demands for addition of speed training to the training regimen. This 8-week training schedule will help you improve and run your fastest 10K.

So choose the right 10K Training Schedule for yourself and start the run!

Several runners and athletes worldwide follow the ‘5k training schedule’. A properly planned guide and some relevant tips can help you cope up with this training schedule. A 5k training schedule can help an athlete achieve the promises of a training plan that are ‘Endurance’ and ‘Speed’. Even Olympic runners and athletes follow the 5k training schedule.

What kind of runner are you?

The 5k training schedule that best suits you, depends on the type of runner you are. 5k runners are mainly divided into 3 types:

1. Speed Runners: Speed runners are aggressive runners who always strive for maximum speed. If you are a speed runner, you can use a 5k training schedule that stresses on speed, though some endurance is always necessary to go with your speed.
2. Endurance Runners: Endurance runners need to focus on their stamina rather than the speed.
   Their 5k training schedule generally consist of long running programs and intervals. Speed training is also incorporated and cannot be totally neglected.
3. Marathon Runners: Marathon runners need to work on a combination of both speed and endurance. The 5k training schedule for these kinds of runners are different from those of speed and endurance runners.

Thus it is very important to know the 5k training schedule you need to follow. Wasting time and effort on the wrong program is not at all desirable.

The 5k Training Schedule may include the following:

A ‘treadmill’ can be an effective mode for your training purpose. Several athletes and runners have also proven and benefited from the running experience on a treadmill. The stationary running might deprive you of the real experience but it still helps you provide a better running economy.

Besides the treadmill, ‘track running’ should also be included in your 5k training schedule. A track running is sometimes confused with road running. A ‘track’ is considered softer than the road, and thus the surface is said to yield to every stride of yours. This type of training can also be followed by the beginners i.e. those not training for a track run. This kind of training helps your tendons and muscles become more flexible.

Some runners also combine the 5k training schedule with the 10k program in order to increase their efficiency, but it is recommended to switch to the 5k program during the last weeks of training. As long as you know the way to go, you can also use the 5k training schedule as part of your half marathon training schedule. It is always better to start your training with the 5k schedule, followed by the half marathon and finally the marathon phase.

Just a few days before the race, a moderate to high intensity session should be included in the training schedule. This helps you provide your muscles some extra strength. A few days gap before the race day allows muscles to ease up to just the optimum level required for a powerful run.

The Workout routine

The workout is also an essential part of the athlete’s training schedule. After knowing the 5k training schedule, one should decide on the type of workout to be followed. Instead of one long workout, the athletes should opt for two longer workouts. The idea behind this is to control the muscle tension. This further helps in improving your efficiency and performance.

Browsing the internet for 5k training schedules is also a good option. In all we can say that, following proper training plans, schedules, tips and workouts for your 5k routine will help you achieve your 5k running goals and thus help you step on to the next level in no time.

If jumping over fences, somersaulting benches, leaping onto walls or sliding down rails sounds something adventurous to you, then “Freerunning” could be your cup of tea.

What is Freerunning?

Freerunning is better known as the “art of expressing through motion”. Originated in France, freerunning involves a runner, also known as a ‘traceur’, who attempts to pass several static obstacles in the quickest and the most straight forward manner possible, using skills such as vaulting, jumping, spinning, rolling, climbing and flipping. Freerunners use these obstacles to enhance their motion and create a forward flow. This sport is mainly practices in urban areas which include plenty of structures, such as fences, buildings, walls and rails.

The Initial Stage

There are a number of freerunning organizations and clubs present with the new ones popping up all the time. Try looking for a club near your place or simply Google ‘freerunning’ for a list of such organizations that are available in your neighborhood.   New clubs welcome new members, who help them learn the basics well, provide proper guidance on fitness and exercise. Even if you cannot look for a local club, try collecting your friends together at a freerunning spot around your home or streets. This is the best part about this sport, that ‘It can be done just anywhere’.

Physical Fitness

It is essential to have a very good, all-round physical fitness level before even attempting your first free-run. The emphasis is done on both, the ‘stamina’ and the core ‘muscles’. Exercises such as stomach crunches, press-ups, chin-ups will help you build your arms, shoulders providing core strength. Running and jogging should be done on a very regular basis in order to keep the legs and joints in healthy condition. In order to avoid any type of injury or joint and muscle strains and sprains, you should always warm-up and stretch all parts of the body before a freerunning session.

Jumping and Landing

As mentioned, you need to use these obstacles for your run. Using these obstacles to make your path is what turns it into a ‘freerun’. A beginner should always start with small objects before onto the bigger ones. The small objects should be a couple of feet high and not more. Simple vaults over benches and low railings should be tried first. More the obstacles you try, more you’ll get to learn spotting better opportunities and challenging routes.  But it is strictly advised to not take on much too soon because accidents do happen. The sport should be played well within the limits.

Kit Requirements

Freerunning doesn’t cost you much, when it comes to the kit requirements. The sport generally involves wearing light and comfortable clothes. Loose clothes are much preferred, as the emphasis is on movement and whatever you wear shouldn’t restrict any kind of body movement by any chance. Athletics gloves can be added to the kit to provide a better grip and protection against rough and abrasive surfaces like concrete, bricks, etc. The most important part of the kit is the ‘pair of shoes’. A good pair of freerunning shoes is necessary for the surface grip, especially off the slippery rails and vertical objects. Plenty of such shoes can be easily looked-up on the web.

In this article I will give you with an overview of some important beginner jogging tips.

Beginner Jogging Tip 1: It is never too late to start jogging

It does not matter how old you are, exercise is good for you. It has been proven in many scientific studies that regular exercise provides you with lots of benefits such as more energy, less possibility of getting cancer & heart disease,
improved sleeping patterns & this list is never ending!

Beginner Jogging Tip 2: Start with a jog / walk program

I always advise beginning joggers to start with a jogging program that consists of both jogging & walking. As a beginner you’ll, firstly, not be able to jog far. And if you did you would expose yourself to a high risk of jogging injuries & health problems.
You need to really start slowly & build up that stamina & those jogging muscles. You can make fantastic progress in a short amount of time & the chances that you will actually enjoy the jogging & keep on doing it are much higher.

Beginner Jogging Tip 3: Keep a jogging log

A jogging log you put the basic information about the exercise you have done. So how far did you jog, how long did it take, what type of jogging did you do (e.g. jog/walk, easy jog, interval), etc. You could also enter additional information like your average heart rate during the jog, how you felt, what the weather was, etc.
You keep a jogging log for a few good reasons. One of those is that it absolutely provides extra inspiration when you observe your mileage increase week by week. One more is that it provides an option to look back later & find out why a certain race did not go as planned, why you got injured etc. A log is a valuable tool for beginning & more experienced joggers.

Beginner Jogging Tip 4: Tangible Goals

Start jogging with a goal in mind. This could be weight-loss related or performance related. For example, set yourself a goal of jogging 30 minutes non-stop in twelve weeks time or losing 5 Kg in 3 months. If you don’t have concrete reasons or goals to keep jogging, it will be tough to keep on going when the going gets hard & the initial eagerness starts to fade. Believe me, it happens.

Just imagine if you could jog 10 miles easily, then how fast would you be able to do a one-miler?
There is nothing as important as easy jogging.

It has been scientifically proven that a person who is active has a better and healthy lifestyle than a sedentary person. Thus, exercising benefits the general health and fitness of an individual to a great extent. Many people think that working out means spending hours in the gym, but this is not true. There is a difference when you exercise for maintaining your general fitness, and in exercising for maintaining a good health. No doubt, both are related to some extent, but then an individual can figure out a schedule for himself/herself and then work out accordingly.

Exercising perhaps provides the greatest of health benefits. If you are not a gym person, then jogging is what is meant for you. By jogging for some 20 to 30 minutes daily, you can get the best of benefits and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Jogging can be considered as the easiest of all exercises and is perhaps one of the most economical ways of keeping you healthy. You do not need mush of a skill or athletic ability to jog. It is just a simple running exercise, and is thus considered to be the most ideal exercise for people of all age groups.

Jogging is one of the exercises that place very little stress on the joints, and also the person is less likely to be injured while jogging. All you need is some comfortable shoes, and your pair of sneakers, and there you will be all set to go and jog. You need no coach, or any one else to accompany you. Jogging can help in strengthening your heart, and also help you in shedding those extra pounds. When you go out to jog, you live those few hours for yourself. This helps in maintain your mental peace, and thus helps in reducing your mental stress. Also it helps in enhancing the endurance of an individual.

You can go and jog at perhaps any time of the days, but it is advised not to go for jogging, at least for three hours after a meal. You need not fix a time, and work accordingly. Whenever it is convenient for you, you can go ahead and jog, and make yourself feel more health. But the best hours to jog are the early morning hours and the early evening hours. Try to follow a routine to get the best health benefits.

Using a scale to measure your weight doesn’t indicate that you are overweight or healthy. The important thing is that the internal composition of your body tissues. Excessive fat is no doubt a real problem that can bring in the health risks such as blood pressure and diabetes. Problem of the overweight people is that they think that a smaller number in the scale reading only means that they are healthy but that’s not true.

They have to know the fact that it’s basically an imbalance between the calories intake and the same burned through the physical activities. For example if you take 2000 calories daily and burning only 1800, than those 200 will tend to make you overweight in certain period of time. This is because that surplus will be in your body I form of fat that will make you look fat.

Now you have understood the cause of the problem and the obvious solution is to exercise to burn those extra calories. You should have to go slowly and steadily because if you go with fast pace you will get bored. If you do so then you will probably not work out after sometime.

That’s why you must have a systematic and regular exercise plan. If you try to lose say, 15 pounds in around 10 days time by vigorous exercise than you will exhaust yourself very early and may also hurt yourself because doing so much exercise in too short period strains the body. The other fact is that you will surely gain more weight in next 10 days because the body will need more energy after a vigorous work out and you will eat more than usual. Ultimately you will get more overweight than now.

Here’s comes the benefits of running jogging. This exercise is of slow and steady type. This helps in work out of all your body muscles, hence a total body workout. You may have read articles on the benefits of running either on net or in the books. This is the oldest form of exercise which is still in fashion. You must be patient in getting the result from this. As stated earlier it is a slow and steady type. There are also mental benefits of running. As it involves a lot of oxygen, it refreshes the mind and brain and the person feels mentally relax. So go and try it out and see your problem fading out.

You will never run out of health if you are engaged in running and jogging. Benefits of running & jogging are numerous if you exercise them regularly and in a definite proportion. As its build your stamina and make your heart strong because in running excessive pumping of blood is required which eventually makes heart strong. It makes bones and muscles strong because they have tendency of become weak if not used or we can say exercised. It is also an anti-aging exercise. Thus follow it to stay young.

Knowing the benefits of running and jogging you must be pondering to include it in your daily routine. But unlike many articles on the benefits of running here I am exposing some of the facts which you must have notion about. Unlike other forms of exercises it is a bit demanding. It requires more effort and dedication from your side and because of this most of the people leave this in midst after trying it for a week or so. But that is the big mistake because at the end this exercise will give you more than the hard work you had putting in.

This form of exercise is seldom associated with weight lose, but the results are not immediate. The truth is that to lose weight the body must be adapted to the physical activities. One has to consider the fact before doing anything of this purpose of losing weight. If you doesn’t take care your breathe will tend to get hard and other psychological effects will follow which will make no good to you. You must first adapt your body by doing slowly and in small quantity and then keep on increasing the intensity and frequency. Without this you will only harm yourself and will be the victim of dilemma that running will not help you in losing weight.

You can also consider warm up exercises before going for the running directly. Like the stretching, walking a brisk pace, etc. Warm up exercise are important because if you directly put your body under the great pressure of exercise then your body will react adversely and you my land up in hospital. Another important thing is the running company. If you have someone who can company you in this it will be of great help because you tend to do more exercise without knowing it.  So do make running part of your daily schedule slowly but steadily.

Most of the people try to lose weight through leisure running or jogging. Perhaps you do the same but didn’t notice much change in your waistline. You are not feeling that your health is improving. But you see images of people who are healthy doing jogging or running on national television or in health magazines. Thus you think it must work for you as well. But the truth is other way round,

It is good only on the national television, because to promote healthy lifestyle running or jogging is the best way. This is because it a type of exercise in which everyone can involve. But the experts know a little better than what is being advertised.

If you are jogging faithfully for quite some time, you must know the truth. Jogging doesn’t really help in losing weight. Jogging may help in losing weight, if you jog for 3 hours a day, you will lose weight as you will burn enough calories. But generally everybody jog for at most 20 minutes for each session which is a very short duration as compared to 3hours.

If you want to lose weight desperately then go for sprint running. It is much more effective than jogging even if you do it for 10 to 30 seconds. This is because you burn more calories as the intensity of exercise is more than that of jogging.

A study has shown proved the above fact. Two groups were asked to engage in exercise. First group was asked to engage in sprint running and other in jogging for a period of 6 weeks. After 6 weeks it was found that the jogging group achieved almost zero result but there were significant results in the sprint running group. They manage to trim down there waistline.

The findings were not astonishing. This is the reason you don’t see fit people doing jogging almost 6 days a week. They do interval training or hit the gym for the same to build strength. To improve fitness is the best and the only way to be healthy. For this you have to increase your metabolism to the expectable level. Intensity exercises boost metabolism and this is why sprint works.

This method of interval training is preferred by many weight loss experts. They have seen it working over many years and they emphasizes on it. It can be done indoor and outdoor as well. So doesn’t get disappointed if are unable to hit running tracks.