The Best Running Shoes for Beginner Runners

Anyone interested in weight loss or general fitness can benefit from incorporating running into their exercise regimen. The faster you move and the more you weigh, the more calories you burn. But, running can be hard on your body. Be prepared to invest in one important piece of equipment before you hit the pavement: A quality pair of running shoes.

Why Shoes Are Important
While running, your feet may slam into the pavement with enough force to injure your feet, knees, back and leg muscles. Your everyday tennis shoes may be great for walking, but probably won't provide the cushion and support you need for running. The right running shoes support the arch of your foot and help keep your feet and ankles appropriately positioned during your run. As a beginning runner, it is especially important to find shoes that assist your form.

Look at Your Feet
Before you can choose the right shoe, you need to familiarize yourself with your feet and running style. One of the first things you should do is get a gait analysis at a local fitness shoe store, preferably one that specializes in running shoes. During this analysis, you'll obtain measurements for your foot length, width and arch height. You'll also try out a few pairs of shoes while you run to determine your pronation (how much or little your foot rolls inward) and other running style characteristics. If you don't have access to a gait analysis, you can obtain some information yourself. Wet the bottom of your foot and make a footprint on a flat surface. Based on the size of the band connecting your heel to the front of your foot, you an determine the size of your arch. A wider band means a lower arch, or flat foot.

Types of Shoes
Based on the physical characteristics of your feet and how you run, you can choose from stability, motion-control, neutral-cushioned, trail, or performance-training shoes. Approximately 70 percent of people can benefit from stability shoes, which keep the foot from rolling inward toward the arch, or overpronating. Those who have severe overpronation, such as flat-footed individuals, where they land on the outside of their heel, but roll inward hard need motion-control shoes for additional support. Runners who don't have this problem and, in face, land in the middle of their heels and roll to the middle of their toes can use a neutral-cushioned shoe. These shoes absorb shock over a larger area. Trail shoes are designed for grass, dirt and other soft surfaces. Reserve performance-training shoes for races. Since they are lightweight, you'll pick up speed, but you lose out on cushioning.

Customizing Your Shoes
Despite your gait analysis and choosing a shoe that felt great in the store, they could cause some minor discomforts for you when you actually get to running in them. For example, you may feel some abrasion on the top of your foot or the heel slides up and down. Rather than returning the shoes, there are a few tricks you can use to customize your shoes. You can try lacing around any tender spots on the top of your foot rather than over them. If necessary, you can use two shorter laces in each shoe for the top and bottom three eyelets only.

Sources
Runners World: How Many Calories Are You Really Burning?
Runners World: The Best Running Shoe for You
Women's Running: The Beginner's Guide to Running Shoes
Active: How to Pick the Right Running Shoes
Active: What Is Gait Analysis?
Active: Customize Your Shoes With These Tricks

Workout like a Soldier: Basic Military Training Exercise

Whether enlisting in the Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force, a potential soldier's physical fitness is evaluated and enhanced through various workout programs. Even those who simply want to be as fit as a soldier can transform their bodies into combat machines by completing military workouts. Just be aware that military fitness has different goals with a combination of exercises that build strength, flexibility and stamina.

Keep Military Time
Military life means early morning workouts, so prepare to be an early bird. Basic training workouts begin around 5:00 a.m. In basic training, recruits run a few laps, stretch, and perform a series of calisthenics, such as pushups and jumping jacks. You'll also need to work in pull-ups, sit ups, lunges, running and other exercises that challenge all of the major muscle groups. That's not to say that you're daily workouts are over. Soldiers often work their bodies at different intervals during the day.

The Ruck March
The Ruck March, according to Military.com, requires fast-paced walking carrying at least 45 pounds. As if extra weight wasn't enough, this hike happens off-road on rough terrain. Adding weight and picking up the pace means you'll burn more calories. Walking on loose dirt, grass, sand, gravel and other uneven surfaces requires more balance and use of additional muscles. If you want to be soldier-fit, you'll have to dig in and put your body to the test.

The 2-Mile Army Run
Endurance is an important component of military fitness, which is why Army recruits must complete a 2-mile run in at least 13 minutes for men and 15.5 minutes for women. At a steady pace, that's a speed of 6-9 mph, depending on age and gender. Military.com suggests a 6-week training plan for beginners to even become fit enough to begin training for the 2-mile run. It recommends using a treadmill. Machines that offer programmed workouts and manual speed control can help you incrementally improve your fitness.

Combine Your Workouts
Military conditioning uses a combination of cardiovascular, flexibility and resistance training. Accomplish this mix through circuit training, wherein you perform a series of exercises in immediate succession. Don't take a break between exercises; just move from one exercise to the next until the entire series is complete. Most military circuit training programs are 20-30 minutes and combine exercises such as pullups, situps, jogging in place, bicep curls, jumping jacks, bench presses, and dips. You may do each exercise for one or two minutes, or until you reach your limit. Just put in the time.

When you feel like your arms or legs will break, the sweat is burning your eyes and you hear that voice telling you can't do anymore, just remember that your mind will give in long before your body does. Buck up, soldier. You can do it.