Posts

Booty Bands: 4 Reasons Why You’ll Love Their Benefits

/in /by

The resistance from booty bands can make you a stronger runner

Booty bands: funny name, legit benefits. Running by itself is great. But if that’s all you do you might experience burnout or have an overuse injury. That’s why we’re always talking about cross-training! The benefits runners can see from cycling, swimming, and yoga are endless. Now you can add booty bands to the list! They’re inexpensive, lightweight, and you can work out with them anywhere. We breakdown what they are, talk about their benefits, and provide some of our favorite workouts. They’re especially helpful for first-time runners!

Booty bands explained

https://youraustinmarathon.com/booty-bands-benefits/Booty bands are small loop bands that can be made from different materials including rubber, cloth, and elastic. These bands usually come in sets with different weights and resistance. They can add additional resistance to natural movements like squats, lunges, slides, and kicks. While they are great for targeting your core and lower body, they can also be used for shoulders and arms. Also known as resistance bands, mini bands, butt bands, and hip bands. They’re a great compliment to your training, especially when you’re increasing your mileage.

Do they work?

Heck yeah they do! Once you work out with them you might realize that you’ve been slacking on working out certain muscles. Because of the added resistance, you will use more stabilizing muscles and feel the burn. They’re one of the simplest additions to your training/workout routine. They’re also great for preventing painful injuries like shin splints. Pro tip: add these endurance circuit workouts to your training too!

Benefits

  • Inexpensive
  • Easy to use
  • Durable
  • Lightweight and easy to pack/store
  • Adds a variety to workouts
  • Great for different levels of fitness

How to use them

Search booty band workouts on Google. You’ll discover so many options that you could literally do a new one each day. That is how versatile they can be. Here are some that caught our eye and that we added to our own workout lineup:

As you can see, we still take cross-training seriously. If we don’t have time to rock climb or ride our bike, we bust out our booty bands. There are times where we even add them to our warm-up routine. Do you already use booty bands and have a favorite workout? Let us know in the Austin Marathon Facebook Group or on Twitter!

How Cycling Can Help You Improve Your Running Performance

/in /by

Improve your running performance when you add cycling to your training

Are you a marathon runner looking to optimize your performance? Have you recently discovered marathons and want to learn more about training? Either way, maximizing your stamina, endurance, and physical fitness is crucial to improving your running performance.

Running is an activity that necessitates the use of leg muscles to a large extent. A complete training program is crucial if you want to improve your running performance. It’s important to exercise and strengthen all muscle groups. Fitness experts recommend that you cross-train. Cycling is a great way to cross-train. Riding your bike at least once a week can help you train smarter and improve your running performance as a marathoner.

Cross-training involves activities other than your usual sport. In the case of marathoners, it involves exercises other than running. You might run fewer miles, but cross-training helps engage more muscle groups, enhance endurance, and strengthen leg muscles.

Why cycling is beneficial

Many runners choose cycling for their cross-training and also follow this advice when increasing their mileage. Here are some benefits runners can take advantage of when they begin cycling:

Prevent overuse of leg muscles

Overuse injuries are very common in long-distance running. Integrating another activity can make all the difference between an overuse injury and making it to the finish line. Using the bike reduces impact on your body, especially your feet, while continuing to strengthen your leg muscles. Pro tip: if something doesn’t feel right, get it checked out! Learn how the Ascension Seton Sports Performance experts can get you back on track and headed to your goal.

Strengthen complementary muscles

While short distance runs or sprints can help build muscles, long-distance running is known to hinder muscle growth. The main muscle groups used in cycling are the upper leg muscles like your quadriceps and hamstrings. However, you also use your calf muscles, gastrocnemius, and soleus. Cycling also engages your core and back while giving your arms and shoulders a good workout. As a form of resistance workout, cycling builds and strengthens these different muscle groups.

Expand lung capacity

True, you’ll log fewer running miles by cycling. But you won’t sacrifice some of running’s benefits, like expanding your lung capacity. Simply put, the more fresh oxygen you take in, the more oxygen can be pumped to your muscles. That’s a good thing! While on the bike, you can also practice breathing patterns. The more you can comfortably control your breathing, the lower you can keep your heart rate. A lowered heart rate can relieve some of the stress your body experiences during training.

Cycling is an ideal addition that can better your aerobic system while being easier on your muscles, joints, and tendons. Riding your bike once or twice can improve your running performance. It’s a great complementary activity that can help you achieve faster running times and reduce the chance injuries. Do you cycle as a means of cross-training? Let us know why in the Austin Marathon Facebook Group or on Twitter.

7 Tips to Help You Run Your Best

/in /by

These 7 tips will help you run your best and get the most out of training

Run your best when you follow these 7 tips! There are some things that are out of our control, like the weather. But when you execute the things you can control, you truly run your best. These tips are as easy as relaxing while you run and as technical as checking your cadence. Keep these tips in mind when you’re training for the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon.

Runner runs relaxed during the Austin Half Marathon, one of our tips to run your best!

Stay relaxed and keep your body loose during your run.

Relax

Sounds simple, but we can unknowingly put a strain on our body in an effort to produce mileage or a certain pace. Really focus on relaxing your body. Unclench your fists and loosen your shoulders and jaw. You can even begin your run or workout at a slightly slower than normal pace to really dial in your breathing. Slowly increasing your heart rate at the beginning will help with relaxation.

Take time off

Listen to your body, whether you suspect an injury or just don’t feel good. The last thing you want is to have something minor become a major issue. If you have to take more than a day or two off, visit a specialist and get checked out. Ascension Seton’s Dr. Martha Pyron specializes in sports performance. If there’s something wrong she’ll diagnose it and help you build a plan to get back to running. 

Get more sleep

Feeling a little sluggish since you’ve increased your mileage? Add one extra minute of sleep per night for every mile you run that week. If you run 30 miles per week, add 30 minutes of sleep. Your body repairs itself when you sleep. Make sure you give your body enough time to do what it needs when you begin asking more of it.

Runners hydrate with nuun at the Austin Marathon expo. Proper hydration is one of our tips to run your best.

People try different nuun hydration flavors at the 2019 Austin Marathon expo.

Hydrate

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s extremely vital. At a minimum, you should drink 30-50 ounces every day. The more active the are, the more you should increase that amount. Make sure you have a good balance of water and an electrolyte-infused fluid, like nuun hydration.

Lift weights

Don’t run every day, mix it up. Cross-training is important to prevent overuse injuries. You work your muscles differently and build strength when you lift weights. When lifting weights, focus on a lighter weight with more reps. If you can’t make it to the gym, build your own workout that includes push ups, sit ups, squats, and lunges. Not a fan of lifting weights? Cross-train with these five non-running activities.

Check your cadence

The average runner’s cadence should be 150 steps per minute. You don’t have to count this in your head! Every runner is different, especially if you’re just starting out of have been running all your life. Under Armour makes knowing your cadence seamless. Their bluetooth connected shoes, like the UA HOVR Velociti 2, sends the information from your run directly to their MapMyFitness app. The app even provides personalized coaching tips! Tracking your cadence, mileage, pace, and other running-related data will help you see improvement.

Focus on your stride

This coincides with the first tip to relax. Your stride improves when you relax. Don’t overstride or run on your tippy toes. You want your stride to be smooth and comfortable. This better optimizes the energy your body uses and helps avoid injury.

You will ask more of your body as you increase your mileage. It’s important that you take care of your body. Incorporate these tips so that you can run your best. Do you have a tip that helps you run your best? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

See Improvement During Your Training with these 9 Tips

/in /by

Incorporate these 9 things runners do every day to see improvement

There’s always room for improvement. This includes everyone, from beginners to elites! But you need to see the improvement you’re making. How else will you know? If you’ve started training for the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon or Austin Half Marathon, make sure you incorporate these 9 tasks so you can see your improvement!

Keep a running log

Track your Austin Marathon training with the MapMyFitness app to see your improvement!

Use the MapMyFitness app during your Austin Marathon training to see improvement.

How will you know you’re improving if you don’t track your progress? Write down your mileage and time in a notebook or track that data via an app to see your improvement. We recommend Under Armour’s MapMyFitness.

Schedule runs like meetings

Be prompt. Invite friends. Meet at a certain spot. Start on time! If you think hard enough you’ll find ways to delay the start of your run. Just get started! Invite friends so y’all can hold each other accountable. Note: this doesn’t mean you have to run every day.

Eat right

Your body needs the proper fuel in order to complete the tasks you ask of it. If your body doesn’t have the proper fuel, it won’t run as well as you want. Eat healthier foods, increase your hydration, and make sure you eat at appropriate times. Eating right can also help you recover from your long runs faster. Use our long-run recovery timeline!

Have a running buddy

Runners cross the 2019 Austin Marathon finish line and see each other's improvement.

Train with a friend for Austin Marathon and see each other’s improvement on race day!

We can’t stress accountability enough! It’s a major factor in making sure you get that run/workout done. You can also catch up with your friend(s), discuss upcoming events, and talk about training. You’ll both benefit. Having a running buddy is also a great tactic to ensure you get out of bed in the morning. Here are 5 more tips to help you make your morning run!

Cross-train

Swim, bike, lift weights, do goat yoga, row! If you just run, you use your muscles in one way and one way only. Cross-training forces you to use all of your muscles in different ways. This can increase your strength and decrease the chance of injury.

Stretch/foam roll

Runner foam rolls after 2019 Austin Marathon, a great tip to see improvement during training!

Foam roll often during Austin Marathon training so your body can recover quicker!

Take care of the muscles that take care of you. Stretching and foam rolling allow fresh blood to flow to the muscles. This speeds up recovery and helps prevent lactic acid from settling in.

Rest

Probably the most important way you can take care of your body. Proper and well-timed rest allows your body to repair itself. If your training plan calls for a rest day, take it!

Stay consistent

Consistency is key. This goes for all runners, from beginners to elites. Follow your training plan and stay true to it. Consistency prepares your body for what you’re asking of it. Remember, life happens. If you have to miss a day try to switch it up with a planned off day. Don’t try to make up the missed workout by pairing it with another workout.

Set goals

Make sure you have something on the calendar that you’re working towards. This is a great motivator and helps you keep your eyes on the prize. If your goal is the Austin Marathon, create bi-weekly or monthly goals that will get you to your big goal. This prevents burnout and feeling like your goal is unattainable.

If you’re consistent and stick with it long enough, you’ll see improvement! That’s what excites runners and keeps us training for our goals. Is there a way you see improvement that we didn’t mention? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.