How to Improve Your Running Efficiency

What is pickleball? Pickleball is a sport that combines different elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It can be played indoors or outdoors on a badminton sized court with a slightly modified tennis net (it needs to be slightly lowered). It is played with a paddle and a small ball with holes in it. You can play in either doubles or singles (doubles are more common). This game can be enjoyed by all ages, with a multitude of skill levels and mobility ranges. What are the rules/basics of pickleball? The head of the paddle must not be above the highest part of the wrist at contact. When serving: The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc when the ball is first struck, after that, when the paddle comes in contact with the ball, it must not be above waist height. When serving, the servers’ feet must be outside of the court (not touching the court or the outside extension of the court ex. sidelines), at least one foot must be behind the baseline on the playing surface (see pictures below)  The serve also must go cross court to the opposing side

Proper Bike Fit  Proper frame size The best way to ensure a bike fits you properly is to stand over the frame and see if there is about 2.5-5cm or 1-2 inches of clearance between the bike frame’s top tube and your groin. The graphic below outlines the various parts of a bike frame.

Planning The key to any successful running plan is to not do too much too soon by starting slowly. It is important to listen to your body to prevent injury and optimize performance. A progressive plan will be individualized to your current fitness level, fitness goals and daily schedule. Another key aspect to planning your run is mental preparation to overcome mental blocks. Goal setting is a great way to increase motivation by internalizing your success as you reach each milestone. Start by setting realistic, short term goals that will build on your success over time. Getting into a positive mind set can also be helpful for mental preparation before you set out on your run as well as during the run. Take time to address the positive feelings that you normally experience after a run. Reminding yourself during your run that you are capable and have achieved success in the past is helpful to push you through negative thoughts of stopping short.  Incorporating some of these tips can help you run longer and faster to achieve your running aspirations. Below is a link to runner’s world which details a twelve-step running/walking progressive plan to slowly introduce more running and less walking over a twelve week period. As the link explains, you should work at your own pace and if you need to repeat a step numerous times, listen to your body and repeat it as long as needed. https://www.runnersworld.com/beginner/a31707889/best-beginner-running-plan/

Do you have a desk job? Do you think you have bad posture? Good news- perhaps there is no ideal position for sitting or standing. There is a strong belief amongst rehabilitation professionals that not spending too much time in any static/stationary posture might be a key to avoiding “bad posture”. Healthy postures and a proper workplace set up can certainly help an employee’s productivity at work and reduce the likelihood of repetitive strain injuries down the road. Regular breaks sure can go a long way in helping your work efficiency, so start putting those smart devices to use and set reminders to move from your static postures every 20-30 minutes!

There are numerous benefits associated with strength training including increased muscular strength and endurance, stress relief, sleep improvement, and musculoskeletal pain management. As such, there are more than enough reasons to incorporate strength training into your daily routine and keeping these in mind can help keep individuals motivated to continue training. We all know how difficult it is to keep up with exercise and training but having a better understanding of the benefits will be a big motivational factor to continue!

There has been some debate over the years on whether or not caffeine is a healthy choice. At The Right Move, we’re big coffee fans so we’ve done some research on the subject and there are actually tons of health benefits that come from caffeine. So, you can enjoy your morning cup (or three) without feeling guilty or worrying about causing damage to your health! The Mayo Clinic notes that drinking 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day is safe for healthy adults. They note that this is the equivalent to four cups of coffee per day, but that all depends on where your coffee comes from. This is good news for those who need more than one morning coffee! If you stay in the range of what’s safe, caffeine has so many health benefits. There are so many incredible benefits, but here are a few of the positive effects caffeine has on our health: It Reduces The Risk Of Diabetes Research shows that drinking 5 cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of developing diabetes. This is mainly because of the high level of disease-fighting antioxidants found in caffeine. Drinking sugar-free coffee daily can make you less likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes. It Improves Muscle Performance and Stamina Research has proven that consuming 140 to 400 mg of caffeine 30 to 60 minutes before exercising can improve both speed and endurance. Caffeine slightly increases your heart and breathing rate by stimulating your nervous system. Additionally, caffeine, when mixed with carbs, can replenish muscle glycogen concentrations faster after exercise. This is why caffeine is often used in energy drinks to increase stamina. It’s Good for Your Cardiovascular Health A few cups of coffee per day can give you a healthy heart! Caffeine constricts your arteries by infiltrating the receptors that line the blood vessel walls. This causes your blood pressure to rise. A research at Brooklyn College has found that men who consumed 4 cups of caffeinated beverages daily are less likely to suffer from heart disease than those who never took a sip. Drinking coffee has been found to reduce the risk of stroke by 22% as well! It Can Help You Lose Weight Drinking caffeinated drinks can often times help in weight loss. Regular drinkers often report a decrease in appetite, resulting in weight loss. 300-400 milligrams of caffeine in any form (cola, tea, or coffee) is enough. It Improves Your Memory Caffeine increases the level of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. This is associated with attention, concentration, learning and memory. So, it has a positive effect on memory and cognitive function! Caffeine can provide various health benefits, but is only possible with the right dosage of caffeine. Excessive intake of caffeine has been reported to cause adverse effects on your health, so it’s important to stay in that 0-400 mg range to get the most benefits to your health!

Shockwave therapy is a relatively unknown treatment option in the public eye but is one that works especially well for nagging injuries, athletes, as well as those with chronic pain. Whether you’re experiencing soft tissue discomfort or have a medical condition such as tendinitis; shockwave therapy can offer you quick, effective relief!