Musical Resources

A Running Debate
Runners Oppose USATF Headphone Ban
USATF Amends Headphone Rule
Headphones Allowed at Road Races
Running Music - Make your own playlist
Running Playlists
Running and Jogging Songs by BPM


Exercise of the Week:  Bicep Curl

Although you may not think about your arms being important when you're running, it's nearly impossible to run without moving your arms.  If you need to power up a hill or through a tough spot (like the end of a race), if you move your arms, your legs will follow.  Over the next four weeks we will start with some simple strength training exercises that are helpful for runners.  The four exercises (the bicep curl, tricep overhead press, row, and bench press) are all for the muscles in your arms.  In the fifth week we will put the four exercises together for a "tabata" workout.  This tabata workout is something that I generally do on my rest days when I'm training for a race.  It is a simple, yet effective, workout that can be done in 20 minutes.

Often times females are afraid of strength training. They fear that they will "bulk up" like men if they lift weights.  But strength training is important for females, especially as they get older and begin to lose bone density, leading to osteoporosis.  Strength training can reduce the risk of osteoporosis in women who do it consistently.  And don't worry, you won't bulk up like a man.  Instead, if you use less weight and do more repetitions or "reps" (the number of times you lift the weights), you will actually tone your muscles to look quite nice in those summer tank tops.

 
You can do the bicep curl either sitting or standing.  Start with a low amount of weight (3-5lbs in each hand).  To do the exercise sitting, sit in a chair, feet flat on the floor, stomach in, shoulders back, back straight, head up. Your elbows should be against your waist above your hips, your palms up holding the weights at about 90-degree angles.  Moving just your forearms, raise the weights to your shoulders, lowering slowly. Do two sets of 12 reps.  Between sets, you can do one of the stretching exercises that were taught in the previous blogs.