Run for the good times at the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Virtual Marathon

By
Team JustRunLah!
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The Gold Coast Marathon is an annual marathon race on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is Australia’s premier road race and is one of only two marathons in Australia to hold a IAAF Gold Label status. The event is held on the first Sunday of July each year with races and activities also being held during the weekend.

The world-class event, originally scheduled for 4-5 July 2020, was recently cancelled due to COVID-19 and the subsequent Queensland Public Health Order preventing mass participation events.

Events Management Queensland CEO Cam Hart said that although cancelling the event was an unavoidable and unfortunate decision due to the pandemic, the virtual run gives participants the opportunity to still connect with the event and achieve a personal goal ‘alongside’ thousands of other members of the event’s advocates.

This year has been a challenging one for most people and with so much preparation going into the event, participants are now given the chance to put their training towards completing the virtual event and still receive a sense of the good times on offer every July.

I was looking forward to returning to GCM2020 for a Full Marathon experience after I achieved my personal best at GCM2019. Whilst things have taken an unexpected change, I am signing up for the GCM Virtual Run Half Marathon to run alongside runners from all over the world in July to support one of my favourite races. I will be back in Gold Coast 2021!

– Loh Chooi Fern, Malaysia’s Fastest Female Marathoner

Choose your distance

While the Gold Coast’s world-class international marathon won’t be taking place on the road this year due to COVID-19, the virtual event will be free for runners, wheelies and walkers of all ages and abilities from all over the world to join and there are six distances on offer including the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Virtual Marathon, ASICS Virtual Half Marathon, Southern Cross University Virtual 10km Run, Gold Coast Airport Virtual 5km Fun Run and the 4km and 2km Junior Dash.

Participants can record their efforts from wherever they are in the world, and even don a personalised virtual race bib, while daydreaming about the Gold Coast’s famous flat, fast and scenic course located alongside the city’s renowned surf beaches and stunning broadwater.

Friends, family and foes will be vying for bragging rights with results available for all to see on the event website during the month of July and personalised finisher certificates shareable on social media with the event hashtag #GCM20.

I have run at the Gold Coast Half Marathon in 2015 and the Marathon in 2018. I felt disappointed that the 2020 edition is cancelled but I understand that the primary concern is for the safety of the participants, volunteers and supporters. I signed up for the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Virtual Marathon to show support to everyone who has put in great work in combating COVID-19. It is difficult to say no to the temptation to run in the Gold Coast Marathon. I will participate in the 2021 edition as long as my schedule permits.

– Loke Hon Wah, Singapore

How to participate in the virtual run

Register

  • Register for free here.
  • Choose an event, or if you’re up for it, take on one of the bundles of races to really challenge yourself.
  • You can even enter as a team so tell your friends and family to come along for the run and inspire and encourage each other to achieving a goal as a group.

Receive

  • Receive an exclusive e-Bib when your registration is confirmed

Download

  • Download the ASICS Runkeeper app on Apple or Android to participate.
  • Track your training runs, set measurable goals and see progress along the way—whether you’re just getting into running, training for the virtual run or trying to reach a new personal record, ASICS Runkeeper can help. It’s free for everyone. Please note that you only need the free version of ASICS Runkeeper (the upgrade to ASICS Runkeeper Pro is not required and is optional).

Record

  • Take on your chosen distance between 1 and 31 July, recording your run with your phone via ASICS Runkeeper, or by using your running watch (such as a Garmin) and syncing with your phone at the end.
  • Once you hit save on Runkeeper, you’ve crossed the virtual finish line! Your results will be uploaded to the live results and you can celebrate the good times!

Celebrate

  • Take some time to celebrate achieving a personal challenge and reward yourself for a job well done.
  • View your results online, download your finisher certificate and share your celebration photos on social media using the hashtag #GCM20 to inspire others to follow your lead.

What you will need:

  1. Comfortable clothing suitable for running
  2. Good quality running shoes
  3. ASICS Runkeeper app
  4. A smartphone containing the ASICS Runkeeper app, a Garmin running watch, or similar, or another method to record your run

Mark your calendar for Gold Coast Marathon 2021

Celebrate the 42nd edition of the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon and run for the good times on Saturday 3 – Sunday 4 July 2021 on the beautiful Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

Its famous flat, fast and scenic course located alongside the city’s renowned surf beaches and stunning broadwater plus ideal winter running conditions featuring low humidity, little wind and mild temperatures result in 60% of participants achieving personal best times each year.

Save your Gold Coast travel wish-list

Gold Coast is one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations known for its sunshine, golden surf beaches, beautiful broadwater, popular restaurants and cafes, exciting theme parks and accommodation for all budgets.

Beyond the buzz of this holiday hotspot, you will also find plenty of peaceful escapes where nature lovers can relax amid rolling green valleys, lushly cloaked peaks, and World Heritage-listed rainforests.

  • Whale Watching
  • Glamping in Scenic Rim
  • Miami Marketta
  • SkyPoint Climb
  • Warner Bros. Movie World
  • Relaxing coastal life

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So Long, Fast Food: 7 Healthy Snacks for College Students

By
Team JustRunLah!
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Photo credit: www.freepik.com

Trying to find a balance between gruelling study sessions, pulling all-nighters preparing for exams, and all sorts of other extracurricular tasks, it may seem almost impossible for a student to get the proper nutrition.

To complicate matters, students are often on a tight budget. Lack of financial stability holds them back from opting for healthier food choices.

Finally, living in a dorm also leaves its footprint on your nutrition. Indeed, it can be rather hard to cook healthy meals when all you have at your disposal is a microwave and a tiny mini-fridge.

Given the fast pace of life and extreme load, students are in the category of people who need to pay special attention to their nutrition. Studying different types of sentences, writing hundreds of essays, passing dozens of exams, and processing plenty of information every day – to keep your performance at the top, you really want to supply your brain with the right nutrients.

Now, the big question is – how can a student get his daily norm of healthy food? Although diving straight into healthy eating can be hard, one can get a smooth start by opting for healthier snacks. Good eating habits begin with small steps. So, here are the top seven snacks you can stock in your dorm to start getting the right nutrients:

Fresh Fruits

Fresh fruits are probably the first thing that pops up in your mind when you think of proper snacks. Indeed, fruits are full of vitamins and other essential elements that make them perfect for a quick snack.

DIY Mix of Nuts and Dried Fruits

Another great option for a quick and healthy snack is a trail mix made of dried fruits and nuts. Such a mix will provide you with the right share of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. 

It has been proven that nuts offer a variety of benefits, including lower heart disease risk. Dried fruits, in their turn, are rich in iron, which is an essential element for your body and brain.

Bonus tip: Add a sprinkle of dark chocolate to your mix to make it even more delicious.

Grapes

When it comes to snacks, the faster they are in prep, the better. In terms of time economy, grapes make a perfect quick snack. They are easy to take with and require no preparation. At the same time, grapes are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols and are low in calories.

Photo credit: www.freepik.com

Cereal with Greek Yogurt

Cereal is probably one of the most popular morning foods people of ages eat. Although there is nothing harmful about cereal itself, there is a way to make it even more beneficial for you! 

We recommend consuming high-fibre cereal with Greek yoghurt. Greek yoghurts are rich in protein, B12 vitamin, probiotics, iodine, calcium, and many other beneficial elements.

Veggies with Hummus

Just like fresh fruits, fresh vegetables can make a great quick meal. Now, add to rich-in-vitamin veggies a bit of high-fibre hummus, and you get a perfect healthy snack that is both beneficial and delicious.

Energy Bars

If you have a sweet tooth, energy bars will be the right option for you! 

Candy bars have always been one of the students’ favourite snacks. They are delicious, sweet, and seemingly nurturing. However, as most of you probably know, candy bars don’t really bring many benefits.

Luckily, there is a better alternative in the form of energy bars.

They are pretty similar to traditional candy bars. However, they are made of cereal and other high energy foods that provide you with quick energy. As a rule, such bars contain the right share of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. You can either make them yourself or buy them in a store.

Chocolate-Covered Almonds

Among all nuts, almonds are probably the most popular and beneficial ones. Almonds contain plenty of good fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre. Dark chocolate, in its turn, is one of the best sources of antioxidants existing today, so it has a positive effect on your whole body and brain. Mixed together, chocolate and almonds make up a perfect quick meal!

The Bottom Line

All snacks on our list can be very beneficial for your body and brain. At the same time, they don’t require much preparation and are easy to find in the nearest grocery store. However, these are just a few of the many healthy snacks out there!

If you decide to replace junk food with something more nutritious, you have plenty of options. You can opt for fruits, nuts, dairy products, veggies, and so on.

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New Study Explores The World’s New-found Love of Running

By
Team JustRunLah!
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  • Since the start of lockdown, more than a third (36%) of regular exercisers are more active now than before 
  • 79% of runners say running is currently helping them feel saner and more in control and 65% of runners say its mental benefits outweigh any other form of physical exercise; and
  • 73% of runners want to keep running as much as they are now after this pandemic ends
  • To support this newfound love of running, ASICS announces the start of a series of initiatives aimed at helping the world run – both during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

[9 JUNE 2020 – SINGAPORE] – Amidst the isolation of lockdown, the world has fallen in love with running – that is, according to the findings of a new, ongoing research study by ASICS. More importantly, the research shows nearly three-quarters of runners around the world plan to stick with their new exercise routine.

The study, which ASICS is conducting to better understand and support the changing needs of runners, spoke to 14,000 regular exercisers across 12 countries. It found that more than a third (36% globally) of them are more active now than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic began – despite most sports being brought to a standstill by social distancing measures. Meanwhile, figures from fitness-tracking app, Runkeeper™[, show that runners of every level are clocking up more strides, more often.

During April 2020, the app saw a 252% rise in registrations globally and a 44% increase in monthly active users compared to the same time last year. It also reported a 62% spike globally in people heading out for a weekly run. Put in context, in the days around Global Running Day last week, there was a +47.3% (globally) increase in people running compared to last year.

The study also reveals that for the majority of people, this activity surge is down to more than just physical health. Two-thirds (67% globally) say exercise helps them cope mentally when faced by challenging situations like the one we are in now and eight in ten (79% globally) runners insist that being active is making them feel saner and more in control. A similar number (81% globally) say running is playing a key role in helping them clear their mind while two-thirds (65% globally) insist its mental benefits outweigh any other form of physical exercise.

Running past COVID-19

Furthermore, runners across the board are keen to keep their active habits going when this crisis is over. Nearly three-quarters of runners (73% globally) say they want to continue running as much as they are now after the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end while seven in ten (70% globally) people who exercise regularly are determined to hang on to the important role sport and movement is currently playing in their lives. Perhaps most encouragingly, among those who only took up running after the COVID-19 crisis started, nearly two thirds (62% globally) say they plan on sticking with it in future.

Yasuhito Hirota, President & Chief Operating Officer, ASICS, says: “For most of us, life is full of anxieties, uncertainties and restrictions at the moment. As our study’s initial findings prove, a run has, therefore, become much more than just a run. It’s a way for people to put aside the extraordinary mental challenges of this pandemic. And importantly, it’s something which they want to maintain as lockdowns ease across the globe”.

“It makes perfect sense that people around the world have turned to running during this crisis. When you run, you literally sense yourself moving forward in life. You can feel your muscles propel you forward. Your actions take you somewhere. In a time when so many people feel trapped or isolated, running provides a direct, physical experience of freedom. By encouraging runners of all abilities to recognize and share how running makes them feel, ASICS is helping them fulfil their aspirations to keep moving” said Kelly McGonigal, PhD, health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University.

Helping the world run

ASICS is helping the world maintain and continue its new-found love of running by launching a series of new initiatives aimed at helping the world’s runners stay active and connected. These include:

  • Calling on runners of all levels to share their stories of how it has helped them via #RunToFeel
  • Continuing to listen to runners of all levels through ongoing research to better inform upcoming ASICS innovations and initiatives including a new virtual running format in September (more details to come)
  • Partnership with 42Race to host a Global Running Day Virtual Run regionally to raise funds for Breast Cancer Foundations across Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, and the National Cancer Society Malaysia
  • Offering free access to the ASICS Studio™ at-home workout app for everyone from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic through the end of summer (August 2020)
  • Hosting virtual races powered by Race Roster and Runkeeper™ to motivate runners and let them compete together safely
  • Allowing free access to the #RunToFeel Challenge in the ASICS Runkeeper™ app – with new challenges being added each month
  • All miles logged within the Runkeeper™️ app globally from June 3-10 will be counted as part of the collective ASICS pledge to GlobalRunningDay.org

Yasuhito Hirota adds: “Nine in 10 runners told us they feel best when their mind and body are connected – and never has that balance been more important than it is now. ASICS was founded on the belief that movement can help anyone achieve a sound mind through a sound body. Through our products and services, and by constantly deepening our understanding of their changing needs, we want to help runners of every level go further, perform better and protect themselves against injury – both during this pandemic and beyond.”

Get Involved

For expert advice, training plans and more information about how to run, people can follow #RunToFeel or visit www.asics.com/sg/en-sg/mk/run-to-fee

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Garmin® Partners PhysioQ to Support and Accelerate COVID-19 Research

By
Team JustRunLah!
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Garmin today announces an exclusive partnership with non-profit organization PhysioQ, connecting registered users’ health data from Garmin smartwatches to Neo, a connected self-monitoring system that allows users to proactively monitor their own and their family members’ vitals through the Neo mobile app. It is critical to track these vitals as these are indicators of health status – any abnormal vital readings would suggest possible health issues.

PhysioQ aims to provide affordable and easy-to-learn research tools, allowing anyone, from academic researchers to everyday citizens, to conduct health (physiological) research and further their passion for health science. Data from PhysioQ has been used by researchers in top institutions including Harvard University, Berkeley University, Boston University, McGill University, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute to name a few.

Medical professionals around the world are still trying to understand the implications and effects of COVID-19, everyone can do their part by regularly monitoring health vitals. Early recognition of symptoms will allow for timely medical treatment, and the data can easily be exported for medical professionals to refer to.

Available from 15 June, users can register their family members on Neo and keep track of each family member’s vitals including blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate, respiration rate, sleep and body temperature and receive real-time updates of these important vital signs. This will help users keep track of their family members’ health, especially older family members where abnormal readings could indicate underlying health issues.

Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)

The ideal blood oxygen saturation level should be between 95% to 100%. According to WHO’s Interim Guidance on COVID-19, patients suffering from COVID-19 have seen their SpO2 levels drop below 93%.

Respiration rate

Tracking respiration rate is valuable for monitoring overall health and well-being. A normal respiration rate for a resting adult ranges from 12 to 20 breaths per minute (brpm) and this will change depending on activity levels. The respiration rate for patients suffering from COVID-19 have been monitored to go up to 30 breaths per minute.

Heart rate

Heart rate can vary from person to person, depending on age and fitness levels. Resting heart rate is used as a key indicator of heart health and ranges from 60bpm to 100bpm. It is recommended for users to wear a smartwatch to track their heart rate throughout the day and night for a more accurate understanding of their heart rate data.

Users are encouraged to opt in to donate their health data to PhysioQ, the donated data will be anonymized and aggregated to aid medical researchers globally in the study to combat COVID-19 and other future pandemics. PhysioQ’s Neo app will be available on Android and iOS platforms for free and is compatible with Garmin’s range of smartwatches that tracks SpO2, including the latest Venu, vívoactive Forerunner 245, Forerunner 945 and fēnix 6 series which are available on Lazada, Shopee and KrisShop.com.

For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at garmin.com.sg/news/pressroom/ or follow us at facebook.com/garminsg, instagram.com/garminsg and youtube.com/GarminSingaporeAsia.

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Farewell The Smiling Runner, but not Goodbye!

By
Paradigm Runner
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A farewell tribute to Lee Hau Chern

It was the dawn of December 30, 2018, at SRK (C) Kg Sg Lembu when I first met him.

On that day, I joined a new group of runners for the first time for my trial run of Penang ECO 30km. With the morning sun barely awoken, I apprehensively scanned the unfamiliar faces in the dim light cast by the adjacent street lamppost. From amidst the sea of strangers, a guy with a smiling face approached me.

“Hi… I’m Hau Chern!” he introduced himself with a soft-spoken voice to break the ice.

And that was how our friendship started and that was how I would always remember him – Hau Chern, the smiling runner with the soft-spoken voice!

  • Group Photo (Dec 30th, 2018)
  • Wefie of Trail Runners (Dec 30th, 2018)

I still vividly recall that first day. After a brief introduction by our team leader Tham, our group of 16 hikers soon made our way up the small hill towards Taman Eko Rimba Cherok Tokun. Along the trail, we took a break and admired the panoramic view of Mengkuang Dam. Then we resumed our journey to explore the jungle paths, up the steep hills, down the treacherous slopes, while admiring the cascading waterfall and warily eyeing the durian orchards.

As the day progressed, we huffed and puffed, sometimes cursing, most of the time laughing, but we never gave up! During the trip, we exchanged life stories, sharing our running passion and dreams. We discussed at length about past and future trail events and we even joked about why we tortured ourselves when others were still sound asleep.

Yet deep inside, all of us knew that this was something we really enjoyed – the refreshing morning air, the breath-taking scenery from the peak, the great adventure of exploring Mother Nature, the never-say-die determination to take on the seemingly impossible and the satisfaction of staying the course!

  • Magnificent view of Mengkuang Dam (Dec 30th, 2018)
  • Team photo at the peak of Bukit Seraya (Dec 30th, 2018)

That 11-hour journey naturally brought us closer at the end, as we faced various challenges together during the 30-km hike. Whether it was those moments of shared hardship, the mutual encouragement to each other not to relent, the thrill of taking a group photo at the summit of Bukit Seraya or the group’s collective sigh of relief upon seeing the chicken farms at the end, these highlights brought camaraderie and a sense of togetherness among all of us.

Throughout the period of the next few months, we had several more hikes together, usually with the same band of ‘trail running brothers and sisters’, sometimes with a few newcomers. These hikes further strengthened our bond, as all of us learned more about each other.

During the 2nd trial run of ECO30 (Jan 2019), 28km Utara Runnaz LSD ECO Trail Run (May 2019) or ECO Global Running Day (June 2019) or other runs, whenever Hau Chern was there, he was always smiling, no matter how hard the challenges were, no matter how tough the going got!

Somehow he struck me as a guy who was as tough as nails when he ran the trail, yet as gentle as a dove when he talked!

  • Global Running Day (June 5th, 2019)
  • UTOP 2019 (Oct 13th, 2019)
  • UTOP20 Test Run (July 20th, 2019)
  • Utara Runnaz LSD ECO Trail Run (May 1st, 2019)

Finally came the day that all of us were eagerly waiting for – June 23, 2019! All our preparation would be tested during Penang ECO 2019. Though we registered for different categories (100km, 50km and 30km), most of the early finishers stayed back to cheer those still running.

I still remember our applause and greeting, when our smiling friend crossed his 30-km finishing line with a sense of achievement and contentment. The mutual feeling was that the extra satisfaction came from our hard work and joint training that we had undertaken over the last few months.

Hau Chern at the finishing line of Penang ECO 2019 (June 23rd, 2019)

Despite the recent COVID19 MCO lockdown, our running paths crossed again in May 2020. Somehow we were recruited as the members of RunXi team to join the virtual “Fourth of May 24H Team Ultra” run. Together with other 28 runners, our team collectively ran 846.7km and won 2nd place for the event.

Fourth of May 24H Team Ultra – RunXi team (May 4th, 2020)

When the fateful news of his demise arrived on the evening of May 31st, 2020, it certainly shocked all of us.

We have lost a great runner, but more importantly, we have lost a great friend! We were lost for words – how do we even make sense out of this?

But let us remember Hau Chern for how he has truly lived!

For me, he lived a full life, exploring his potential, fulfilling his dreams and going where his heart took him! He was a kind person, an inspirational athlete and a great buddy to have during hikes!

To our dear smiling friend, with the soft-spoken voice:-

Thanks for sharing part of your life journey with us! It has been great knowing you as a runner and as a friend! Though fate has deprived us of you, your memories will live on inside all of us!

The moments we enjoyed, the challenges we overcame, the jokes we laughed at, the running goals we dreamed!

May you run with the angels now, Hau Chern!

Farewell my smiling friend, but not goodbye,

You will always be with us!

By Chian Min, Liong

On behalf of The Band of Running Brothers & Sisters in “UTOP Trail Training Group” & “Fourth of May 24H Team Ultra – RunXi”

June 2nd, 2020

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Stay Fit and Healthy through Garmin’s Virtual Community Classes

By
Team JustRunLah!
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As we enter a new month, have you exhausted your list of virtual and home workouts? Unfortunately, sports, recreation and outdoor facilities will not be open just yet so we can’t go back to sweating it out at our favourite gyms. Fret not, be it adding on to your ever-expanding list of home workouts or learning about the benefits of Garmin’s wide range of smartwatches, Garmin has a variety of virtual classes for you to join in June.

GarminMyRun Virtual Workout with Garmin Ambassador, Arthur Tong

Starting from 9 June, work out together with Garmin ambassador, Arthur Tong, every Tuesday at 7 pm. A triathlete and strength & conditioning coach, Arthur is sure to elevate your workouts to the next level. Join him on Google Meet as he guides you through various mobility and strength exercises for 30 minutes that will get you working up a sweat. Unable to join at 7pm? Don’t worry, the session will be recorded and uploaded onto Garmin’s YouTube page.

Participants are encouraged to go for a run post-workout to complement the exercises. Plus, stand a chance to win Garmin premiums and vouchers when you post your run on Garmin Sports app and social media with the hashtag #garminmyrun. 

Garmin Wellness Series

Keen to learn more about Garmin smartwatches? Tune in to Garmin’s wellness sessions held on Thursdays, 11 & 25 June 2020 on YouTube. Hosted by Garmin’s Community Manager, Edwin Shen, learn more about the body’s five key health indicators and how Garmin can support you to achieve your fitness goals. Understand the different series of Garmin smartwatches and how they complement your active lifestyle. 

On 25 June, Garmin’s session will be co-hosted with Arthur Tong sharing about how you can increase the intensity of your post circuit breaker training. Follow Arthur and Edwin as they bring you through various training concepts and simple bodyweight exercises that you can follow and how Garmin smartwatches can be used to track your training performance.

Join Garmin’s Weekly Virtual Community Ride

Prefer cycling and own a bicycle trainer at home? Join Garmin’s virtual community ride on Zwift every Thursday at 6.30 pm and stand a chance to win Garmin premiums. Follow GarminSG on Zwift and get ready to compete and train with other riders in this interactive virtual course that helps to alleviate the boredom often associated with indoor cycling.

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6 Signs You’re Overtraining and How to Prevent It

By
Team JustRunLah!
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We may feel that the more we exercise, the better our results will be. But the truth is actually the complete opposite. Our bodies need time to recover after the damage we have inflicted on them during a workout – and if we just keep pushing and pushing them, they will not perform as well, and the results we are looking to achieve will also be delayed.

If you’re wondering whether you might be guilty of overtraining (either doing too much or too often), let’s look at some of the signs, and most importantly, how you can prevent it.

Fatigue

Feeling a bit tired sometimes is perfectly normal – we all experience it. However, if you lack energy on most days, if you are sluggish and fatigued all the time, and if you are also doing a lot of exercise, chances are you are doing too much.

Pain

Pain is often the first sign of overtraining – and contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be in pain in order to progress. If you are often going through serious DOMS, make sure you cut down on the exercise and prioritize rest.

Trouble sleeping

While exercise is one of the best ways to improve the quality of your sleep, overtraining can keep you up at night, as your body struggles to repair itself.

In order to maximize your recovery time, make sure you are sleeping on the best soft mattress available, and that you are getting enough sleep every night.

Changes in your appetite

Feeling like you can’t eat anything or like you need to eat a lot more than usual is another sign of overtraining, and one that can be very harmful. If you stop consuming the calories you need, your body will suffer even more, because you’ll be spending a lot more than you are fueling your body with. If you start overeating, your results will suffer and you will start putting on weight.

A weakened immune system

Getting ill more often than you used to might mean your immune system is not up to the task of keeping illnesses like the common cold at bay. That can be the result of taxing your body so much that it has no resources left to give to your immunity.

This can open the door to a whole host of other issues, and injuries can become more common as you become less able to recover and focus.

Mood swings

If you are suddenly going through a roller coaster of moods, it may mean your hormones are out of whack, and that your cortisol levels are up.Cortisol is a stress hormone, responsible for a lot of good stuff in our bodies, but it also causes irritability and a generally darker mood.

Hot to prevent overtraining

If you have now realized you’ve been going overboard, the first thing you should do is stop your activities. Give your body seven days of rest, and only do some light cardio during that week. You might need to rest longer if you are in a really bad state, but a week should be enough in most cases.

To prevent the same thing from happening again, make sure you add rest day to your schedule. Rest days are not a sign of weakness, nor are they slacking off. They are actually the time when your muscles grow and when you become stronger.

Don’t work out too hard, and don’t push your body over its limits every time. And if you do, make sure you’ve also signed up for some proper recovery afterwards.

Don’t train when you are injured or in pain, as it will make things even worse.

Focus on the quality of your workout and not its quantity. You don’t have to spend three hours in the gym – if you train smarter, you can achieve the same results in 45 minutes.

Final thoughts

Overtraining is doing quite the opposite to your body of what you want to achieve – instead of making it stronger or fitter, it’s weakening it and causing all sorts of damage. Only if you fuel your body with the proper nutrients and provide it with ample quality rest time can it do what you’re aiming for: strengthen and improve.

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Make Abs Exercise At Home Fun With Your Partner!

By
Team JustRunLah!
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Are you sick of exercising alone and want to have more fun with your workouts? Here come partner exercises to the rescue. It is always fun to exercise with a partner/buddy and it’ll only push yourself further. According to research conducted by the University of Aberdeen, exercising with a buddy/partner will increase the amount of exercise done because of the additional layer of emotional support they receive. So, get ready to have lots of fun and set your core on fire!

1)Inchworm Hand Taps

Inchworm Hand Taps has the ability to strengthen and stretch different muscle groups at the same time, it’s ideally positioned to be included as part of an active warm-up, or as part of a high-intensity interval training routine.

  1. Stand tall, your feet roughly hip-distance apart.
  2. Take a breath in, then as you exhale, look down at the ground and start reaching your hands toward the floor in front of your feet, allowing your back to bend forward. Allow your knees to bend slightly, as needed, to enable your hands to reach the ground.
  3. Place your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Inhale and walk your hands forward, one at a time, allowing your heels to lift off the floor as your body begins to straighten. When your hands are directly under your shoulders, check your form—you should be in a full plank position with your core, chest, quads, triceps, and shoulders engaged, your body forming a straight line from heels to head.
  4. Give your partner a High-5!
  5. Keep your legs relatively straight and begin walking your feet forward, one at a time, toward your hands. This should provide a nice stretch through your hamstrings, calves, and glutes as your hips start lifting toward the ceiling. Exhale as you step forward.
  6. Stop when your feet are as close to your hands as you can comfortably bring them. Remember, you can bend your knees slightly to ease the stretch on your hamstrings, but try to keep them as straight as possible.
  7. Return to standing by slowly rolling your back up from the hips, straightening one vertebra at a time. Inhale as you go. When you’re back in the starting position, you’ve completed one repetition. Continue for time or repetitions, depending on your workout.

2) Partner Squat and Push-Up

Get in some squats and feel your arms burn with this two-in-one move.

  1. Assume a plank position and have your partner pick up your feet.
  2. Do a push-up—keeping elbows tucked and lowering slowly—while your partner squats down.
  3. As you push back into a plank, have your partner slowly stand back up. Repeat for 10 reps. Then, switch positions.

3) Knee Tucks

  • Sit on floor facing your partner, legs parallel to each other.
  • Bring knees to chest, then extend back out to the opposite side of your partner.
  • Return knees to chest and rotate sides for each extension.
  • Do 4 one-minute sets with 30-second rests in between.

4) Sit-up with a clap

Tone your tummy while high-fiving your partner on their hard work with this duo-fueled take on a core-building classic.

  1. Lay on the floor with your knees bent and feet pressed into the ground.
  2. Have your partner lie down facing you. Interlace their feet with yours.
  3. Squeeze your abs and reach your arms up, clapping hands with your partner as you reach the top of the movement. When contracting, squeeze your feet alongside your partner’s to prevent them from lifting as you sit up.
  4. Lower yourself back down in a slow-and-controlled motion. Aim for 10 reps.

5) Partner Bicycle Crunches

  • Lie faceup on floor, feet to feet with your partner.
  • Perform bicycle crunches, pressing into the feet of your partner.
  • Do 4 one-minute sets with 30-second rests in between.

After you’re done with these workouts, don’t forget to celebrate with your partner —both you’ve earned it!

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Advisory On Gradual Resumption of Sport and Physical Exercise Activities From 2 June Onwards

By
Team JustRunLah!
-

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce announced on 19 May 2020 that the Circuit Breaker will end on 1 June 2020 and that Singapore will gradually resume activities over three phases. This advisory covers sport and physical exercise/activity under Phase One, which will come into effect on 2 June 2020.

Return to Sport and Physical Exercise/Activity under Phase One

In Phase One (“Safe Re-opening”), public and private sport and recreational facilities will remain closed. However, Singaporeans should continue exercising to sustain their health and well-being.

a) Exercising at Home

  • Members of the public should continue exercising at home to minimise risks of community transmission.
  • Seniors who are more vulnerable to illness should stay home to exercise. Online resources such as https://circle.myactivesg.com/circuit-breaker, offer varied virtual classes and events, as well as tips and advice on home-based exercise.

b) Exercising Outdoors

  • Individuals may go outdoors, in their immediate neighbourhoods to engage in basic exercise such as walking, running, cycling or other similar exercises.
  • They may exercise with members living in the same household, although we still encourage exercising alone so as to reduce the number of people outdoors.
  • No one should linger outside after their exercise and they should return home immediately after they are done.
  • Safe distancing measures must be observed at all times between people of different households, and there must not be any gathering in groups.
  • Consequently, coaching by anyone from a different household is also not permitted.
  • Masks must be worn when leaving and returning home from exercise. Mask wearing is only not required when one is engaged in strenuous exercise such as running, jogging/brisk walking, cycling and other similar activities.
  • Masks must be donned after one has completed a strenuous exercise.
  • Observe exercise etiquette when exercising outdoors. Individuals can refer to the infographic on exercise etiquette to learn how they can do their part to keep themselves and the community safe.

c) Facilitating Contact Tracing

  • Members of the public should install the TraceTogether app to facilitate contact tracing.

Return to Sport and Physical Exercise/Activity under Phase Two

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce will decide on an appropriate time to move into Phase
Two (“Safe Transition”). In Phase Two, sports facilities, such as gyms and fitness studios, will be gradually allowed to re-open, subject to the implementation of safe management practices at the venue and for facility staff and users. The return to sport and physical exercise/activity under this Phase will be based on the following considerations:

a) Group Size Limitation. Limiting group size and minimising interactions within the group allows for community transmissions to be more effectively contained. The
permitted group size may be gradually raised over time.

b) Safe Distancing. Distancing requirements will influence the nature of activities
allowed and the capacity of sports facilities. For instance, safe distancing may
require sport formats involving deliberate body contact between participants to be deferred until it is less risky. However, technical training drills may still proceed. Sharing of common equipment would be discouraged. Safe distancing measures
will also apply to non-participants (e.g. observers) outside the field of play/courts.

c) Environmental Factors. Outdoor facilities with better air circulation would carry
lower risks than indoor environments.

Everyone Has a Role to Play against COVID-19

With the gradual easing of measures, Singaporeans must remain vigilant and observe safe distancing measures in place to minimise the risk of community transmissions.

As the situation evolves, measures may be amended accordingly. We will publish more updates on COVID-19 for sport and physical exercise/activity as and when available.

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Stay Home Covid-19 Exercises

By
healthobeing
-

Covid-19 has affected many of our lives since the beginning of 2020. It’s not just running as a hobby, those who go to the gym, swimming pools and public places for a ride will need to be monitored.

Continue
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5 Key Exercises To Improve Your Flexibility

By
Team JustRunLah!
-

Often overlooked when compared to things like strength training and conditioning, flexibility is the one thing that has a huge impact on your day to day life and sleeping habits. Why is it then that we don’t spend more time focusing on it? One of my goals during the pandemic was to become more flexible and (hopefully) get rid of the tight back and neck issues I’ve been having. In this article, I am going to share five key exercises that have improved my flexibility, and also helped improve other areas in my fitness!

Side Lean and Hold

The thing that gets me sitting in a desk all day is my lats and core flexibility. I always find myself tightening up during the day and this is mainly from sitting too much, which many of us struggle with working in an office environment. This is a great exercise to do throughout the day when you’re taking a break.

  1. Stand straight up with your feet together and interlock your hands.
  2. Bring your hands above your head and hold them up as high as you can. You’re then going to initiate the stretch while keeping your hands locked together.
  3. Stretch as far as possible to either side, keeping your legs straight and ensuring your upper body is the only thing moving. Hold for 3 seconds.
  4. Repeat and stretch to the other side. You should aim to do this exercise at least 5 times each side, a few times through the day!

Shoulder Rolls

This is an extremely easy exercise, requires no equipment and is perfect to right after getting out of bed or while you’re getting ready! There are only three steps and will only require a few minutes each day.

  1. Stand up with your back straight, and feet spread out shoulder width apart. Keep your arms loose and hanging down by your sides.
  2. Shrug your shoulders up as high as you can, then roll then backwards in a circle. You want to push as far back as possible and follow the same idea when you roll them towards the front. Repeat at least 10 times.
  3. Reverse the direction to work all muscles in your shoulders, bring them up and rolling them forwards this time. Repeat at least 10 times.

Lower Back Engage Stretch

The biggest area of flexibility I had to work on was in my lower back, every time I had to bend over and pick something up I felt like I was 100 years old! This is one of the hardest areas of the body to stretch so this exercise is one of my favourites, I do it every morning when I wake up and before I go to bed.

  1. Start on all fours and rest your glutes on the heel of your feet.
  2. Walk your hands as far forward as far as possible without letting your glutes leave the heels of your shoes.
  3. Once you feel your lower back start to engage and tighten up, hold for 5-10 seconds until your muscles start to loosen.
  4. Walk your hands 4 inches further from the previous hold, and again hold this position for 5-10 seconds.
  5. Relax and take a 10-second break before repeating. You can track your progress by marking where you place your knees and how far you reach out with your hands each day! You’ll notice a difference in only a few days.

Planks

You may be thinking this is a core exercise and what is it going to do for my flexibility, but planks are actually an excellent way to stretch your hamstrings as well as the arches of your feet. By keeping your legs straight and putting your weight on your toes and arms, you work your core and back strength at the same time as improving your overall flexibility.

  1. Place forearms directly on the ground with your elbows under your shoulders and extend your legs completely straight so all your weight is resting on your toes and forearms.
  2. Ensure that your back is completely straight and not sagging, and focus on breathing slowly and keeping your core engaged. You should not feel any strain on your back and all the effort should be in engaging your core.
  3. Hold this position for 60 seconds, or as long as you can.
  4. Repeat 3-5 times once per day

The Scrunchie

Ah yes, the “scrunchie” is an exercise you could do in your bed if you really wanted, but we don’t’ recommend that. It is best to do this on the floor or ground, using a mat so you can hold this position longer. This will help to stretch out your shoulders, upper back, glutes, and lower back! It’s really an all in one stretch that hits all the major parts of your body that seem to tighten up so it really has a major impact on improving your flexibility.

  1. Lie flat on the ground on your back, and bring your knees to your chest and hold them there with your arms.
  2. Wrap your arms around your knees, and interlock them gripping your forearms or wrists of the opposite hand as shown in the picture above.
  3. Squeeze them as tightly as possible, and bring your head up off the ground towards your knees as high as it will go.
  4. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 10 times at least.

Conclusion

The struggles of being inflexible are very real and during this quarantine time, some of us may find ourselves sitting for much longer periods than usual. There is also a lack of access to play sports and go to the gym, so we are forced to find different ways to keep our body in shape. Improving your flexibility will also go a long way in increasing your acceleration when running or playing other sports. We hope this guide was useful in helping you on your journey to improve your flexibility!

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What you can do (or cannot do) to maintain your personal and family’s well-being when the COVID-19 circuit breaker measures are lifted on 2nd June

By
Team JustRunLah!
-

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce announced on 19 May 2020 that Singapore will exit the Circuit Breaker when it ends on 1 June, and embark on a three-phased approach to resume activities safely.

The risk of a resurgence in community transmission remains high, so Singapore must be cautious as circuit breaker measures progressively lift. Safe Re-opening is the first of these phases, a gradual re-opening of some activities which will be implemented from 2 June 2020.

Economic activities that do not pose a high risk of transmission will resume, but social, economic and entertainment activities that carry higher risk will stay closed. Everyone should continue to leave home only for essential activities and should wear a mask when doing so. As seniors are a particularly vulnerable group, they should continue to stay at home as much as possible.

As more of us return to work and school, we must ensure that we conduct these activities safely, to minimise the risk of community transmission. 

Safe Re-opening covers four areas:

  • Safe Work
  • Safe Home and Community
  • Safe School
  • Safe Care

Physical fitness

  • Sports and recreation facilities, such as stadiums, public swimming pools, country clubs, gyms and fitness studios will remain closed.
  • Organised sporting programmes will remain suspended.
  • All recreational facilities in hotels will remain closed.
  • You can continue to exercise on your own or with individuals who live with you in the same household, around your immediate neighbourhood in open, uncrowded places.
  • Public parks will remain open, but gatherings in groups in these spaces must be avoided. Safe distancing must be practised even in open spaces. All carparks in parks, gardens and nature reserves will remain closed.
  • You can check how crowded the parks are before going for a relaxing activity or running at https://safedistparks.nparks.gov.sg/
  • You can also work out at home by following fitness classes or resources online.

Social wellness

  • Social contact should still be minimised and confined to family members only.
  • Each household will be allowed to visit their parents or grandparents staying elsewhere, to allow families to spend time and provide support to one another. However, every household should limit such visits to only one per day, and to not more than two persons from the visiting household.
  • Dropping off children at parents’ and grandparents’ homes for childcare will also be allowed, subject to the same limit of two visitors from the same visiting household per day.
  • All members of both households must observe good hygiene practices during the visit.
  • You can also continue to keep in touch with family members and friends through video calls or phone calls.
  • Retail outlets that provide items and services necessary to support the daily living needs of the population will remain open. Specific outlets in the malls will remain open for this purpose. These include supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, food and beverage outlets, and other outlets offering essential services. All other physical retail outlets shall be closed.
  • You can check how crowded the malls are before going to get your essential items at https://www.spaceout.gov.sg.
  • All entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars, pubs, karaoke lounges, amusement centres, billiard saloons, bowling centres, computer games centres and cinemas remain to be closed.
  • All attractions, theme parks, museums and casinos will remain closed.
  • All other public sector social and arts activities and facilities will remain closed. These include SportSG activities, community centre classes, museums, libraries and art galleries /performance venues.

Food and nutrition

  • All restaurants, hawker centres, coffeeshops, food courts and other food and beverage outlets will continue to remain open only for takeaway or delivery.
  • Food suppliers – including food and food ingredient production, food manufacturing, food processing, abattoirs/ slaughterhouses, food caterers, importers and traders, and food logistics, cold stores/ warehouses, food safety testing, supermarkets, convenience stores, grocery retailers, wholesale markets and wet markets – will remain open. You can be assured of the continued availability of food items.
  • Food delivery services are available on three key food delivery platforms – Deliveroo, foodpanda and GrabFood.

Personal care, health and wellness

  • Healthcare services such as specialist outpatient services, medical procedures, community-based services, and chronic disease management will resume, prioritised based on medical necessity and available capacity while maintaining appropriate safe distancing and precautionary measures.
  • Preventive health services, such as flu vaccinations, will recommence.
  • Complementary healthcare services will resume for one-to-one sessions, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) needle acupuncture will be allowed for all conditions.
  • Allied health services will be allowed except for group interventions.
  • Operators that provide hairdressing & barber services (all hairdressing services, beyond basic haircut services ), optician services and sale of optical products, laundry services for Essential Services will be available.
  • Plumbers, electricians, & locksmiths will be available.
  • Operators that provide motor vehicle recovery, repair and servicing services, aircon servicing, repair of consumer electronics, and household appliances, will be available.

Family and pet care

  • Community-based centre services for persons with disabilities will also gradually re-open to serve those who need the services, with safe distancing measures in place. Activities will be held in smaller groups if needed, and persons who have medical conditions are encouraged to remain at home to receive home-based support.
  • Residential and home-based community care services such as nursing homes, psychiatric rehabilitation homes, psychiatric sheltered homes, inpatient palliative care, home medical, home nursing, home palliative care, interim caregiver service, and meals delivery services will continue to function.
  • Senior care centres, day rehab centres, psychiatric rehabilitation centres, and day hospices will be closed. Selected centres will remain open to support those with inadequate family support, as well as intensive care needs. Such seniors can also be supported with home care services including meals delivery if needed.
  • Senior Activity Centres will gradually resume some activities in a safe and controlled manner.
  • Pre-schools will gradually re-open by levels from 2 Jun, with full resumption by 10 Jun, so that young children can be cared for safely while their parents return to work.
  • K1 and K2 children will return to school from 2 Jun. N1 and N2 children may return from 8 Jun. Infant Care and Playgroup children may return from 10 Jun.
  • Student Care Centres will fully re-open on 2 Jun, along with the reopening of schools.
  • Veterinary services will be open to provide emergency and non-elective services, including the hospitalisation of your pets.
  • Pet supplies stores will be open for provision of animal feed and basic pet grooming services are allowed.

Education and learning

  • School bookshops and retail shops selling school uniforms will be allowed to resume
  • For Primary and Secondary Schools, students from graduating cohorts will attend school daily, while other cohorts will rotate weekly, alternating between Home-Based Learning (HBL) and returning to school for lessons.
  • For Junior Colleges (JCs) and Millennia Institute (MI), up to half of the students will return school at any one time. JCs and MI will prioritise the return of JC 2 and Pre-U 3 students, with some rotation of students from the other levels.
  • For Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), polytechnics’ lessons and tutorials will remain online. Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students will rotate weekly between online and on-campus lessons. For both, students will return primarily for practical and lab sessions. Autonomous universities (AUs) students from the Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Technology and Design will carry on with online lectures and tutorials. They will return primarily for practical and lab sessions, including capstone and final-year projects. Students from other AUs will be having their vacation.
  • For Special Education (SPED) schools, students’ return will be staggered from 2 Jun, all will be back in school by 8 Jun.
  • All staff and students will need to wear masks or face shields when in school or on campus.
  • Co-Curricular Activities, enrichment activities and tuition will not resume.

Workplace safety

Besides essential businesses that are already operating, more Singaporeans will gradually be allowed to return to work. This starts with businesses that operate in settings with lower transmission risks, including:

– Most manufacturing and production facilities, eg. semiconductors and medical technology; and
– Most businesses with employees working in offices and setting that do not require interactions with large groups of people, eg. finance & insurance, and IT & info services.

  • Tele-commuting must be adopted to the maximum extent in businesses that re-open. This means those who have been working from home so far should keep doing so, and employees should go to the office only where demonstrably necessary, e.g. to access specialised systems/equipment that cannot be accessed from home.
  • Employers must put in place and enforce safe management measures at the workplace, and employees must adhere strictly to them. Checks will be conducted, and non-compliant businesses will have to close their workplaces. More details of MTI’s advisory on the gradual resumption of business activities can be read here.

Spiritual wellness

  • Religious services will remain suspended and places of worship can re-open for private worship, i.e. with up to 5 members of the same household praying together at any one time.
  • Where necessary, places of worship may continue to conduct funeral rites but should involve no more than 10 people at any one time.

Financial wellness

  • All financial markets in Singapore remain open, and payment services are unaffected.
  • Banking services will continue to be available through online channels, ATMs and bank branches.
  • Insurance, broking, custody, asset management, and financial advisory services will also continue to be available.
  • Some branches of banks and finance companies and customer service centres of insurance companies may close temporarily because of reduced customer traffic.

Others

  • Essential services, such as national security, law and order, regulatory enforcement, government communications, public healthcare services, transportation, foreign affairs and embassy services, border control, civil defence, critical infrastructure, utilities, greenery and animal management and environmental services will continue.
  • Key physical centres that provide help to needy Singaporeans, such as residential social services and social service centres will also remain open. 
  • Blood donation services will remain in operation, and residents are encouraged to continue donating blood during this period. As part of the additional precautions put in place for safe distancing, donors are highly encouraged to make appointments for their blood donations. Please visit HSA’s website for more information: https://www.hsa.gov.sg/blood-donation.
  • Marriages solemnisations involving up to 10 persons will be allowed to take place in-person again.
  • All government-managed columbaria (Choa Chu Kang, Mandai and Yishun Columbarium) will be remain closed.
  • During the period of closure, installation of urns into niches may continue, with permit from NEA. Next-of-kin may be present but should be limited in number, with proper safe distancing observed.
  • Choa Chu Kang Cemetery will remain open for burials, and Mandai Crematorium will remain open for cremation services.
  • Operators that provide funeral-related services (e.g. funeral directors/undertakers, crematoria, columbarium, funeral parlours) will be available.
  • Families can continue to gather for wakes and funerals, with no more than 10 persons at any one time.
  • Operators that provide telecommunications (Fixed, Mobile and Internet Access), data centres, broadcasting services (radio and television), postal services, security printing services, the publication of newspapers, waste Collection & disposal services, environmental hygiene monitoring & public cleansing services will continue.
  • All home-based businesses that operate using a delivery/collection model will be allowed to resume.

* To check if a business may resume: https://covid.gobusiness.gov.sg/permittedlist/

Social Responsibility is Key

  • Social responsibility is critical in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
  • Those who are unwell, even with mild flu-like symptoms, should see a doctor immediately. They should not go out into the public for any other purpose, and should not come into close contact with others.
  • All should adopt safe distancing and good hygiene practices even at home, and encourage your friends and family to do so as well.
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5 Burpee Variations To Burn More Calories

By
Team JustRunLah!
-

Burpees are the perfect full-body workout and burn tons of calories. You will burn more calories when you include burpees into your exercise regime. Don’t skip burpees – they will boost your confidence and motivation.

Benefits of burpees

  • Strengthen the abs and core
  • Work your upper body and lower body
  • Require multiple muscle groups which leads to more calories burned!
  • Boost your cardio and muscular endurance
  • Strengthen your willpower to push your limits
  • Fit in great high-intensity workouts with an afterburn effect
  • Require the whole body to work together in a functional way

Here are 5 burpee variations you have to try!

1. 4-count burpees

  1. Start in a squat position with your knees bent, back straight, and your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lower your hands to the floor in front of you so they’re just inside your feet.
  3. With your weight on your hands, kick your feet back so you’re on your hands and toes, and in a pushup position.
  4. Keeping your body straight from head to heels, do one pushup. Remember not to let your back sag or to stick your butt in the air.
  5. Do a frog kick by jumping your feet back to their starting position.
  6. Stand and reach your arms over your head.
  7. Jump quickly into the air so you land back where you started.
  8. As soon as you land with knees bent, get into a squat position and do another repetition.

2. 6-Count Burpee

  1. Starting position- Standing straight, arms fully extended upward.
  2. Down phase- Knees are in contact with elbows. The hands will remain in this position during the course of the exercise.
  3. Plank position- The feet are projected backwards. The elbow joints are locked at 0 degrees and the back is straight.
  4. Down position- the elbow joints achieve 90-degree flexion on the eccentric phase of the push-up and return to 0-degrees during the concentric phase.
  5. Up phase- Knees are drawn back to the elbows.
  6. Ending position- Standing straight, arms fully extended upward.

3. Flat Out Burpee Tuck Jumps

  1. Start standing with your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Bend and put your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a high plank. Bend your elbows and lower yourself until your chest and stomach touches the floor.
  3. From here, press into your hands like you’re doing a push-up, extending your arms and bringing your hips off the ground. Jump your feet back under your hips into a squat position, then immediately explode upwards in a tuck jump, driving your knees towards your chest.
  4. Jump as high as you can, raising your knees up, and then try to land softly with bent knees.

4. One-Legged Burpee

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms by your sides.
  2. Bend your knees and reach forward to place your hands on the floor, while also lifting one leg behind you.
  3. Kick your standing leg straight out behind you and immediately lower your entire body down to the ground, bending at the elbows. Keep the lifted leg off the ground the entire time.
  4. Use your arms to quickly push your body back up and hop your standing leg back underneath your body, bringing your floating leg up, slightly bent, so it’s still off the ground.
  5. Jump straight up into the air, reaching arms overhead. Place the floating leg back on the ground after you land, to end in start position.

5. Half Burpees

  1. Start in a deep squat with your legs wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
  2. Reach forward to place your hands on the floor right beside your ribcage.
  3. Kick your legs straight out behind you and immediately lower your entire body down to the ground, bending at the elbows.
  4. Use your arms to quickly push your body back up, and bring your legs back to the starting position.

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Understand the Truth About Your Health With Garmin Health Monitoring

By
Team JustRunLah!
-

There is a plethora of smartwatches readily available in the market, one to suit your every need. However, understanding what the latest technology offers and how it benefits us might be difficult for many to comprehend. Here is a short breakdown on how these Garmin smartwatch features assist you in making smarter and healthier choices as we get through this difficult time. 

Heart Rate

The heart is the center of all activities in our body. Beyond understanding your health condition, heart rate monitoring allows you to understand the physiological value presented by each heart rate zone and how it can effectively help you to set and achieve your fitness goal. With Garmin’s Elevate technology, it provides accurate data 24/7, allowing you to check your heart rate variation each day and your heart rate condition during exercise. 

Respiratory Rate

Breathing is an important body function that we take for granted daily. Having a low respiration rate is an indication of a healthy body. On average, an adult’s normal respiratory rate is up to 20 breaths per minute (brpm). Under stress, our respiration rate naturally increases to provide more oxygen to the body. However, rapid breathing could result in severe respiratory distress. Doing breathwork exercises help you relax, manage your stress level and improve your concentration and sleep quality. 

Pulse Ox (SpO2)

Pulse Ox (SpO2) is the measurement of your blood oxygen saturation level. While it seems more applicable to athletic individuals in tracking their performance, your blood oxygen saturation can influence your sleep quality as well as your overall well-being. Monitoring of your SpO2 works together with sleep monitoring to aid in understanding your sleep patterns and cycle. Daily checks on your pulse ox can help with managing health conditions through early detection of respiratory issues like pneumonia, where oxygen saturations are lower than normal.

Sleep Monitoring

Having adequate and quality sleep is important in building the first line of defense against illnesses and maintaining healthy body functions. When the body reaches the deep-sleep stage, our body recovers and repairs physically. Whereas in the REM stage, important mental processes such as synthesising memories and emotions happens. When monitored together with the level of blood oxygen saturation and the number of times you toss and turn during your slumber, understand the quality of your rest and how your day could affect your goal of achieving better sleep quality. 

Stress Tracking

Garmin’s smartwatches use heart rate variability to track your stress levels throughout the day. Heart rate variability (HRV) is the measurement of the time interval between heartbeats as opposed to your heart rate which is the number of beats per minute. HRV focuses on the small fluctuation of the heart which would be an indication of sudden stress imposed on your body. 

Moderate Exercises Help Boost Immunity

Boost your immunity by doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises each week. A mix of strength and cardio exercises can help to improve the efficiency of blood delivery to the whole body, strengthening your body’s metabolism and promote muscle recovery that aid in building your immunity. Garmin smartwatches provide insights by monitoring the intensity of your workout with your heart rate and provides recommended recovery times to ensure proper rest in between activities.

It is important for us to reconnect with our bodies and take some time to better understand the various health indicators. Monitoring our body paints a clearer picture on the different steps we can take towards making smarter and healthier choices that would benefit us on the long run.

Find out more on Garmin’s health monitoring here. 

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Staying injury-free while running

By
lynnoblast
-

When I started my running journey 4 years ago, I didn’t think much about sustaining injuries – after all, I’m young and it’s just simple running, right…? Wrong. I soon learnt that even running short distances can injure a person if it isn’t done properly. Here are some lessons I’ve learnt based on my experiences!

1. Always do a proper warm-up and cool down.

It’s important to warm up your muscles and get your heart rate up before the run so that they don’t get a shock when you first start running, which may cause undue stress on both your muscles and heart. Also, after your run, you should properly stretch your muscles to ensure that the lactic acid doesn’t build up in your muscles. It also helps to gradually lower your heart rate after a workout.

This is the warm-up I usually do before a run! It’s simple and warms up the legs slightly.

My cool-down stretches will cover most of the muscle groups involved in running:
– calf stretches (lunge position against a wall)
– ITB stretches (Cross your legs while standing and bend your body down towards the opposite side from the direction you crossed. Eg, if you cross your right leg over your left, then you bend towards your left)
– thigh stretches (lift one leg up towards your butt and use your hand to hold it there) 
– glute stretches (in a sitting position, open your legs to stretch your inner thigh. Then, cross one ankle onto the other thigh, and bend your torso downwards. Repeat for the other leg.) 

2. Watch your posture when running

When I run in the parks or park connectors, I see a lot of people having different running postures that will result in injury in the long run, pun intended. Watch YouTube videos to see the correct posture you should adopt – hands should be loosely held at 90 degrees, near your body. Torso should be kept straight, yet not stiff. It helps if your core is strong enough to maintain your posture. For your legs, landing on your midfoot is the best and most efficient running posture to prevent impact on your knees. Try to keep your feet pointed forward rather than outwards/inwards (I’ve been seeing a lot of this!) If you’re unable to sustain a good running posture, you should consider doing some exercises for core strength, calf raises, squats and lunges.

For strength training exercises, I recommend blogilates and global triathlon network. They have very good exercises to strengthen various muscle groups!

3. Wear a good pair of shoes suitable for your feet

It is extremely important to wear a pair of good shoes! Not all expensive shoes are good for everyone. You need to try and see which type of shoes are suitable for you. For example, I have really bad bunions and wide feet. Because of that, I need shoes that have a wide top, as well as good support so as not to strain the ligaments in my feet since they are already strained due to my bunion. I tried a pair of shoes that had better cushioning (hence, softer) but it ended up giving me a lot of pain in my foot and toes. I ended up reverting back to Asics, which I feel gives me the best support and gel cushioning, even though they are heavier.

Just 3 simple ways to get you started on being injury-free while you run! Hope this helps (:

Note: any reference to any brand/youtuber is based on my personal experience and I did not receive any form of reward in any way.

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Strengthen Your Core with These Moves!

By
Team JustRunLah!
-

Your core is your center of gravity, and a strong core allows for stronger functional movement throughout exercise and everyday life. Whether you realize it or not, you should be engaging your core constantly whether you are doing a workout, standing in the kitchen cooking a meal, or sitting down at work. A strong core will help prevent injury and promote more efficient workouts overall.

Here’s how you can build strength in your core, with absolutely no equipment and at the comfort of your own home.

Hollowman

Lie down flat on your back and contract the abs, pulling the belly button towards the floor. The arms and legs should be held straight out from the body with hands and toes pointed. Slowly raise shoulders and legs from the ground.

Planks

Planks are an ideal exercise for the abdominal muscles exactly because they engage all major core muscle groups including the transverse abdominus, the rectus abdominus, the external oblique muscle, and the glutes. Read more about 8 plank variations that will strengthen your core.

Leg Raise

Lie on a mat on the floor, face-up, legs extended. Place your hands underneath your lower back and glutes so your pelvis is supported. Begin to raise your legs toward the ceiling, pressing your thighs together and keeping the legs straight. Lift until your hips are fully flexed and you can’t go any higher with straight legs, then lower back down and repeat.

V-sit

Sit with legs extended and torso off the ground, your body forming a V shape

Superman Pull

Lie flat on your stomach with your arms straight out in front of you. Raise your arms and feet off the floor, keeping your core flat on the ground. Hold the raised position for three seconds and then lower your arms and feet back to the floor.

Try to incorporate these core exercises and feel the difference in your body!

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