Are you in good shape but want to get into better shape for a 5K or perhaps a marathon? If so, then consider the pieces of advice in the below article. These tips can help you get into the top notch shape in order to compete in your particular race.

If you’re a person who likes to walk for your daily dose of exercise, make sure you bend your elbows while you’re walking. Doing this will make you swing your arms faster and in turn you’ll move your legs faster. Not only will you either finish your work out sooner or go further, but you’ll burn even more calories while you’re doing it!

To get great looking abs, only do abdominal muscles 3 days a week. While working your abs daily may seem like the right thing to do, your abs actually need time to recuperate in between workouts. Taking a break and working on another part of your body will give your muscles the rest they need to get toned.

If you are looking for a way to save time and get an efficient workout, for the entire workout don’t switch weights, keep the same one. Choose your weight based on your weakest exercise. Pick an amount you are able to lift no more than 6 to 8 times. Use this weight, and do your routine in a circuit.

You can make your legs much stronger by performing your standard leg crunches in reverse. This causes whichever leg you have in the front to get a great full muscle workout. These crunches are almost exactly like the standard leg crunches, except you are not stepping forward, you are stepping backward.

To increase your running speed, you should try to increase your running stride speed. Do not try to increase the strides length. When running, your foot should always touch under your body, not in front of you. For propulsion, be sure to push off using the toes on your rear leg.

You should make sure to put your tongue near the roof of your mouth when doing any kind of abdominal work out such as crunches. This helps to protect your neck and will work to align your spine and back so that you do not put strain on these areas.

Never lift weights for more than an hour. If you continue lifting for any longer than that, your body will automatically activate a natural defense mechanism, which causes muscle-wasting and fatigue. Keep yourself on a strict time limit to prevent losing what muscle mass you have worked so hard to gain.

Use the same weight. To create strong muscle memory, use the same weight throughout every step of your workout. Muscle memory is important because it enhances your muscles ability to work harder. Once you have established a new weight, you can always increase that limit the next time you visit the gym.

Use lighter weights at a faster pace. Moving quickly with lighter weights uses the same amount of strength and energy as using heavy weights slowly. If you want to get the same benefits of a heavy workout in less time, try this method. Your muscles see no difference between the two forms.

If you are lifting weights to work your biceps, ensure that you use proper form. If you do it incorrectly, you can cause muscle strain. The proper way to life weight with your biceps is to slightly bend your wrists backward and keep it that way. Then, you want to release your wrists into their normal position, slowly. This can help you build muscle without injuring yourself.

Try to limit the weight lifting that you do to no more than three times per week. Your body will need time to rest so that it can recuperate and build muscle. Also, spreading out your workouts will prevent injuries, which can really help your chances of reaching your goals.

When you get home after a long workout, make sure to get as much rest as possible. As you sleep, your body builds muscles, which will increase your chances of looking the way that you want. Also, sleep helps to reduce anxiety, which can go a long way in hitting your fitness goal.

Before the beginning of your actual routine, find some good goals for yourself and define them thoroughly. If you want to build more muscle, lift heavier weights to increase the level of intensity on your body. If you’re interested in toning your muscle, do even more repetitions of lower weights instead of increasing the weight.

Therefore, if you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to getting into the shape you need to be in for your race. These tips show that you don’t have to be in your teens or twenties in order to compete in a 5K or even a marathon. You just need to put in hard work, and the results will follow.

Get Ready For Beach Season With These Fitness Tips was originally published on Spring