Tag: fitness

Which Seasonal Superfoods Should I Eat In Winter?

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

In the winter months more than ever it’s important to take care of yourself. Eating the right things will give you the best chance of avoiding those horrible and inconvenient winter illnesses, as well as boosting your running performance. Superfoods are a prime example of the best foods you can put in your body, and there are some seasonal variations which will really benefit you at this time of year. A superfood is a nutrient rich food, considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. This week on the Mohsin Salya blog I’ve put together some superfoods which will boost your health and performance through the tough winter months.

Broccoli

Always associated with this time of year, there’s no denying broccoli is super. Just 175 grams of broccoli supplied 276 per cent of your daily vitamin K needs.

Good for: Vitamin D levels. Especially key during the winter months as many people in colder climates become vitamin D deficient due to the lack of sunshine.

Kale

You’ve probably heard about all the benefits of Kale already. There’s no denying it’s a superfood, as it’s loaded with the compound xeathanthin, best known for helping to prevent age-related loss of vision.

Good for: Vitamin K and manganese – also known for protecting your body’s cells against premature aging. After all, you want to be able to run for as many years as possible.

Winter Squash

Better known in the butternut variety, winter squash is an annual fruit representing several squash species.

Good for: Offering a wealth of potassium and beta-carotene. Winter squashes also provide fibre, vitamin C and B vitamins.

Spring Greens

Despite the name, spring greens are available all year round. Known as collard greens in the US, they are a type of cabbage that lacks the hard heart.

Good for:  Being particularly high in fibre, magnesium, potassium and calcium (more than a quarter of your recommended daily allowance in 190 grams cooked). Magnesium and potassium are crucial for healthy blood pressure, and studies have shown that spring greens may improve blood-flow to exercising muscles.

Brussel Sprouts

Famously hated at the Christmas dinner table, it’s really worth re-considering leaving your sprouts. With light steaming, the fibre in the sprouts can work to regulate cholesterol levels.

Good for: As well as providing cholesterol-lowering fibre, a 100 gram serving can also provide most of your daily vitamin C needs. They also provide as much vitamin K as broccoli does.

 

Enjoy your greens!

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

The Best Fitness Classes for Runners

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi there – welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Even if you absolutely love to run, you can’t run all the time – this will just set you up for injury and burnout. Runners are well known for having imbalances and weaknesses, as running is a high-impact, repetitive motion. Therefore, switching up your routine by adding group fitness classes can address the holes in your fitness. Not only that, but it will mix things up in a social and fun environment.

However, with all the different fitness classes on offer, knowing how to pick the right one can be confusing. In this post I’ve listed my suggestions on which fitness classes runners will get the most benefit from.

Treadmill classes

This is the perfect stepping stone for runners who are new to group fitness classes. Treadmill classes combine approximately 30 minutes of intense running intervals with another 30 minutes of strength training. This is done in a high energy studio with loud music, which is great for motivation and a definite change from your usual quiet run. These classes are great for encouraging you to push yourself harder and introduce you to speed and tempo work.

CrossFit

CrossFit focuses on total-body strength and power moves, including squats, deadlifts and thrusters. Because of this, it can be a complete game changer when it comes to optimising your running efficiency. With CrossFit, you get a huge upper body component that other runners may overlook. The stronger your upper body, the more your body can stay in control and work as a single unit rather than having your upper body flail around like many other runners’.

Indoor cycling classes

The biggest benefit of cycling is that it’s low impact. As a runner hitting the pavement regularly, this can take its toll on your joints. Taking part in some cycling can enable you to take some stress off your joints whilst still getting a great cardiovascular workout. Even though running and cycling are both lower body dominant exercises, cycling emphasizes a slightly different blend of leg muscles then running does. When it comes to reducing the muscular imbalances and preventing injury, this is critical.

TRX classes

TRX (Total Body Resistance Exercise) naturally challenges the core and the stability of the body, which is incredibly important in running. When working with a TRX, you will learn how to fight instability, which will come in handy when you’re out running and are getting fatigued. It will also help with different types of running, such as when you’re trail running.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

 

Hip Strengthening Exercises Every Runner Should Do

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Some runners sometimes shrug off the importance of strength training when it comes to avoiding injury and improving performance. However, strength training should be part and parcel of your training program, as it will help you in many ways, including avoiding injury and improving your performance.

One of the regions you should be focusing on as a runner, to increase strength and mobility, is your hips.  The hips are one of the most important, and yet ignored, aspects of biomechanics. Hip weakness is a major injury root-cause, so when it comes to warding off running pain (especially knee pain), your hip strengthening exercises are some of the most important you can do.

By committing to a hip strengthening routine two to three times a week, you can increase stability and support of your core region. By starting with one set of eight reps and gradually building on it so that you are doing three to four sets of 12 to 15, you should start noticing major improvement in less than two to three weeks. Here are some suggestions:

Single Leg Bridge

  • Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms pressed against the floor by your sides. Lift your hips, tone your thighs and squeeze your glutes.
  • Next, raise your right leg up in the air as straight as possible, keeping your foot flexed and extending it whilst raising your lower back. Lift your hip as high as possible by engaging your abs and pressing down through the left heel.
  • Hold the position for five to ten seconds, and then lower your hips to lightly touch the ground. Now switch legs.

Donkey Kicks

  • Get on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips, and your wrists aligned under your shoulders.
  • Draw your abdominals in as you gradually lift your leg behind you until it’s almost parallel to the floor, with your knee bent and your foot flexed.
  • Hold this position and pulsate your flexed foot towards the ceiling by engaging and squeezing your glutes. Keep the motion small and controlled with the muscle doing most of the work.
  • Focus on the muscle, and avoid using momentum. Also make sure you keep your back straight and spine in a neutral positon.
  • Lastly, return to the starting position and complete one rep.

Bird Dog

  • Get on all fours on your hands and knees with your palms flat on the floor and shoulder width apart. Your knees should be directly under your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Make sure to keep your lower back and abdomen in a neutral position.
  • Next, engage your core to keep a good balance. Raise your left arm and extend it straight out in front of your body as you raise your right leg and straighten it behind you.
  • Hold this position for three to five seconds, and then return to the starting position and repeat.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya