There鈥檚 an old adage among mountaineers: 鈥淐limb high, sleep low.鈥� It takes time to adapt to a lower-oxygen environment; in theory, this strategy aims to periodically expose the body to higher altitudes, which avoids putting too much stress on climbers all at once. But in practice, acclimatization isn鈥檛 so straightforward. The process varies widely depending on factors like general fitness level, the particular mountain, and home elevation. When tackling a high-elevation peak like (19,341 feet), most guides recommend at least a week of acclimatization in the region prior to attempting a climb. But what should hikers do?

The difference in elevation that climbers experience on the Rockies鈥� highest peaks is less extreme than that of Africa鈥檚 highest summit, though not necessarily less dangerous. Altitude sickness is just one of a variety of potential hazards they face; fortunately, most evidence suggests that even a single night spent at high elevation can reduce health risks that come with high-altitude climbs鈥攁nd the more time you can spend at elevation before the trek, the better. Here鈥檚 what we know about pre-acclimatization and sleeping at elevation to prepare yourself for a big climb.

Baseline Altitude

Climbing high-elevation peaks reduces blood oxygen levels, which is why many people develop altitude sickness. In the immediate acclimatization process, you more often and your body forces blood into the pulmonary arteries in the lungs. There are variations, however, in the long-term adaptation process and timeframe. Determining if or how long to acclimate depends on an individual鈥檚 starting elevation.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 in part a question about who we鈥檙e talking about,鈥� says Matt Formato, a lifelong athlete and founder of Mile High Training, an organization that specializes in home altitude training systems. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 a person that lives in Colorado, they鈥檙e likely acclimatized to some degree even at moderate altitudes in Boulder or Denver. They鈥檙e tremendously more acclimatized going into that 14,000-foot peak than someone who is coming from Houston.鈥�

, from sea level, it takes about 3 weeks to fully acclimate to 6,000 feet of altitude, 4 weeks to acclimate to 8,000 feet, 5 weeks to acclimate to 10,000 feet, and 7 weeks to acclimate to 14,000 feet. So, those who live at a higher elevation have an advantage when preparing to climb a peak.

Sleeping at Elevation Before a Climb

One of the challenges that new climbers face is unfamiliarity with common symptoms of altitude sickness, such as headaches, dizzy spells, and feeling nauseated and weak. But even in the absence of these symptoms, high elevations place a lot of strain on the heart and lungs. This is how many athletes manage to push themselves beyond their limits without even realizing it.

Research has shown that even a single night of sleeping at altitude significantly reduces the risk of while in the high country. Dr. Robert Shapiro, a cardiologist for Boulder Community Health, notes that even a single day spent at elevation before a climb can reduce the likelihood of sudden cardiac death . Furthermore, a randomized study published in the journal of the that sleeping in a mildly hypoxic state at home (in an altitude chamber or with a mask on) can help to reduce altitude sickness symptoms as well, meaning that hikers do not necessarily need to travel to prepare for the strain of elevation.

Anecdotal evidence from hikers suggests that spending time at the trailhead or at a campsite below a peak can make a difference, and many medical professionals agree. Aspen Hospital, which is located at an elevation of 8,000 feet, recommends a slow acclimatization process for best climbing results. The hospital suggests that visitors from out of state plan on sleeping in Denver for a night before ascending to Aspen. The 听鈥渘ot to sleep higher than 1,600 more feet per day,鈥� a number that the emphasizes as well.

Timing the Ascent

In addition to evaluating how to train or where to sleep prior to a mountain ascent, timing the ascent in relation to acclimatization can be complicated. Formato said that it 鈥渄epends on how much time you have and how high you鈥檙e going.鈥�

Beginners should err on the side of caution and attempt to give themselves extra time at altitude before scaling a peak.

鈥淐ertainly, for anyone [who is inexperienced and] going to do a 14,000-foot peak [in Colorado], go slowly. Go to Denver for a night. Breckenridge for two nights, then make your push,鈥� says Formato.

鈥淵our body starts producing red cells immediately, but it鈥檚 not going to be a mature cell for weeks,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e trying to pre-acclimatize, you want to give yourself a couple days ahead of time 鈥� It can take about for the body鈥檚 red blood cells to catch up with the low oxygen levels.鈥�

The key for hikers looking to scale high-altitude peaks this summer? Provide your body with just enough encouragement to begin to adapt to the high elevations. In situations where it鈥檚 difficult to acclimatize before a climb, Formato said that you can reduce oxygen saturation levels manually at home through altitude simulation tents, chambers, or hypoxicator masks. Purchasing these products can be pricey, but there are plenty of workarounds. Don鈥檛 want to buy an altitude tent? one in the weeks leading up to your trip. Also, for Denver locals, you can test what it鈥檚 like to work out in low-oxygen settings: is a gym with an altitude studio formally only for elite athletes. Now, anyone can book a free class and work out in a studio simulating anywhere from sea level to 18,000 feet.

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This article was originally published on .听

Joints undergo a lot of wear and tear in a life, especially if you鈥檙e an active individual. And while genetic factors certainly play a role in joint health, lifestyle is also key in keeping them in good working order.听

Common Joint Issues in Women

Regardless of your activity level, every woman is prone to joint issues. Some of the most common woes involve the lower extremities. 鈥淜nees are probably the most common, followed by hips, ankles and shoulders,鈥� says听, M.D., associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and director of arthroplasty research at Brigham and Women鈥檚 Hospital in Boston. Why the knees? Chen blames it on women鈥檚 anatomy, namely the angles of the bones from the hips through the knees and down to the ankles.听

Of course, there are hereditary issues, like rheumatoid arthritis, that can be difficult to prevent. But even arthritis comes with good news. 鈥淎rthritis is manageable and treatable and shouldn鈥檛 be feared,鈥� says听, PT, MSPT, physical therapist with Atlantic Spine Center in West Orange, New Jersey.

How to Keep Your Joints Healthy

So what should you be doing to keep them healthy and strong? Try these seven strategies:

1. Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Food and supplements can directly impact joints, Chen says. When her patients eat an anti-inflammatory diet, they report that their pain is reduced. Think about 听and turmeric. And while many people tout supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for joint health, the verdict is still out on how helpful they are.

2. Choose Joint-Friendly Activities

When it comes to activity, it鈥檚 a double-edged sword. 鈥淭oo much exercise can lead to joint overload, which can cause pain,鈥� Chen says. On the flip side, though, weight-bearing exercises are important for maintaining joint health, and activities like using the elliptical and bike riding are better on the knees than activities like running, she says. Walking on soft, even surfaces like tracks also can be better than walking on asphalt or concrete.听

3. Pump Some Iron

You know strength training can help maintain bone density, but it also can strengthen tendons and muscles, which, along with ligaments, form the support system for your joints. 鈥淎 stable support system reduces the stress on the joints during daily activities,鈥� Yalamanchili says. For joint health, aim for two听听every week, focusing on compound exercises that use multiple muscle groups.听

4. Get Some Sleep

As crazy as this sounds, sleep really听can impact your joints. 鈥淧oor sleep can result in less energy, which may discourage activity, leading to worse joint health,鈥� Chen says. Yet that pain can actually affect your sleep, leading to a vicious cycle. Bottom line? Getting enough sleep will help you maintain an active lifestyle, which will keep everything running smoothly. The Sleep Foundation recommends logging seven to nine hours every night.听

5. Don’t Ignore Joint Pain

This should seem obvious, but there are women who will brush off their pain, following the adage of 鈥渨alking it off.鈥� Yet if joint pain is persistent, seek medical attention so that you prevent a worse injury, Chen advises.听

6. Modify Activities When Necessary

If you are starting to have issues, 听versus quitting your exercise program, Yalamanchili says. For instance, if you鈥檙e doing high-impact activities and they鈥檙e starting to get the best of you, switch to low-impact activities or swap a strength-training exercise like a step-up for a lunge.听

7. Stay Active as You Age

This is perhaps the most important thing you can do for your joints because motion really is lotion. 鈥淛oint health improves with appropriate cardio activity,鈥� Chen says.听

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Next time you watch a group of elite runners, pay attention to their arms. You鈥檒l see that invariably鈥攔egardless of how high they carry their arms or what their hands do during the swing鈥攖hey all drive their elbows far back with each stride. This characteristic of good runners is more universal than any type of footstrike or leg swing mechanics.

Driving your arms backward shifts your balance more upright and forward, so that your feet can land closer beneath your body and push backward. Keeping your arms back also helps ensure that your movement and force all travel in a forward and backward direction; if your arms stay in front of your body, they鈥檒l tend to swing back and forth across the midline, misdirecting motion and wasting force in sideways and rotational movements.

Elbows Back

Keeping your arms back can do more for your footstrike than thinking about where your feet are landing. Where and how you land depends largely on the strength, mobility and mechanics of your hips, legs and feet, and, if altered without improving the underlying mechanics, usually ends up creating an unnatural, less-efficient stride.

Your arms, however, are not weight-bearing, so their movement can be more easily modified. They do, however, affect balance and cadence, and subconsciously influence what your legs and feet do. Thus, many who work with runners on their stride increasingly are finding cuing arms the most effective way to get people to start moving more efficiently.

The main thing they advise is to get your elbows back.

鈥淔or years now, I鈥檝e been teaching runners that a compact arm swing is the number-one 鈥渜uick fix鈥� to improve their running form, especially if they want to stop over-striding,鈥� says and founder Golden Harper, who conducts clinics on running form around the world. 鈥淲hile distance running, if your elbows come forward past your hips, that tends to pull your foot out in front of your body, causing an excessive heel strike or over-stride. Driving the elbows back improves running posture by driving the chest forward, opens up the airway, and propels the body forward.鈥�

Physical therapist and form researcher Abby Douek of says she鈥檒l often start with the arms. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 working with somebody on cues for running form, 90 percent of my form correction is arm swing,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f your arms are out in front of you, your trunk starts to bend at your waist. If your trunk is bent at your waist, you鈥檙e sitting into your hip flexors, which means you鈥檙e not using your glutes and you鈥檙e going to overuse your hamstrings.鈥�

RELATED: On the Beauty of Great Running Form

As far back as the 1950s Olympian Gordon Pirie advocated consciously stopping the forward motion of the arms to cue a quicker, backward-driving stride. 鈥淕et your feet back onto the ground as quickly as possible,鈥� he wrote in ”听This can be achieved by strong arm-stopping, which causes the foot to land quickly but lightly on the ball/front of the foot.鈥�

Coach Andrew Kastor says the one thing he typically yells in a race, where the runner can only hear and implement something simple, is, 鈥淓lbows Back!鈥� When you drive your elbows back, he says, it cues the legs to drive backwards. This is particularly key later in a race when you tend to lose power. Drive your arms back and your legs will follow.

How to Swing Your Arms Effectively

How do you know if your arms are swinging effectively? One simple cue is to pay attention to your hands. If, while looking forward at the road ahead, you can see your hands during the full stroke while you run, you鈥檙e probably carrying them too far forward. They should disappear below and behind your peripheral vision on each back swing.

Douek cues runners to touch their waistband with each stride, ensuring that the arm is driving back and opening up behind the body. Harper says to focus on keeping your elbows behind your hips听and only pumping your arms back, not forward. 鈥淏ack is an active motion; forward is just a recovery or passive motion,鈥� he says.

In his book, , Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi says he looks at his shadow听and makes sure he can see the bright triangle of light between his torso and upper and lower arms.

A more aggressive strategy comes from Tom Miller, exercise scientist, masters coach, and author of . Miller recommends carrying a two-foot-long, half-inch-thick PVC pipe across your back, held in the crook of each elbow, to keep your shoulders back and your arms from driving forward. The posture is a bit exaggerated, as it doesn鈥檛 let your arms recoil as far forward as they usually would even with an effective arm carriage, but it is great for mandating that you drive back rather than forward, and creates a revealing a shift in posture and balance.

Miller suggests using the pipe for the first half-mile of an out-and-back run, leaving it in a secure place, then picking it up for the last half-mile to reinforce the posture when you are fatigued. Or, if running in a group, pass it around on the run, using it for three to five minutes every few miles.

Miller also recommends making an elastic harness that wraps over your shoulders and loops through your thumbs to keep your arms high and elbows back. Harper, one of Miller’s pupils from a young age, iterated on the idea to create the an updated design that is simple, effective, and comfortable enough to use consistently, even during speed workouts or races.

Release May Be Required

You may, however, need to do more than retrain habits to get your arm to swing behind you and maintain that posture comfortably throughout a run.

鈥淕etting your elbows back is often inhibited by tight chest and shoulder muscles,鈥� says Laura Bergman, sports rehab specialist. 鈥淭he problem is, no matter how much you concentrate on it, the tissue is shortened. I can give you all the exercises in the world, but you鈥檝e got to release that tissue.鈥�

RELATED: Want to Get Fit? Keep Your Running Simple and Consistent.

To correct this, you need to the muscles in the front of the body鈥攃hest, sides, shoulders and arms鈥攁nd strengthen the muscles in the back.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think everybody needs an actual physical therapy intervention,鈥� Douek says. 鈥淏ut most people need foam rolling and a daily stretching routine for shoulders and back, because we are so forward as people鈥攐ur shoulders are forward, our heads are forward.鈥�

Getting that forward-hunching posture pulled back puts us back in balance鈥攁nd brings us closer to the light, smooth stride of those in the front of the pack.

—

Jonathan Beverly is 国产吃瓜黑料’s senior running gear editor and author of .

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Runners often develop a type of tunnel vision. Case in point: In 2006, Scott Douglas went to India to cover a five-day stage race in the Himalayan foothills. The day before the race, he and the eventual winner went for a run from the race headquarters in Mirik. There was a small lake with a perimeter path nearby that was perfect for the occasion鈥攖hey could easily settle into a rhythm and crank out several 10-minute loops until it was time to call it a day.

When Douglas got back to the lodge, his wife, Stacey, asked, 鈥淲asn鈥檛 that amazing!?鈥� It turned out that Stacey had also gone to the lake for a stroll and had come upon a couple dozen women celebrating the Diwali festival. Clad in bright yellow and red wraps and head scarves, they squatted next to the lakeside trail with big bowls of bananas, melons, other fruits, vegetables, and flowers as offerings.

Douglas can relay these details, thanks to a photo Stacey took, but he hadn鈥檛 noticed them鈥攏ot on the first loop around the lake, or the third, or any other one. Without making a conscious decision to do so, he鈥檇 been entirely focused on his run.

RELATED: Running and the Mind

There are far loftier examples of intense concentration in running history. In the 2004 Olympic marathon, Deena Kastor didn鈥檛 realize she was in the bronze-medal position until the final 100 meters. During the 2018 Boston Marathon, which was run in an apocalyptic rain-and-wind storm, eventual winners Des Linden and Yuki Kawauchi didn鈥檛 know they had taken the lead until well after doing so.

Some of this seeming tunnel vision stems from runners focusing on what are known as 鈥減rocess goals,鈥� such as running the next mile as well as they鈥檙e able, rather than thinking about outcomes, such as winning an Olympic medal. Also, during hard efforts, seasoned runners are good at suppressing strong emotions like anxiety that can lead to focusing on distracting and irrelevant information.

Let鈥檚 look in more detail at how successful runners hone their ability to concentrate on the task at hand to the point of seeming oblivious to much of what鈥檚 going on around them.

Thinking About Thinking

Throughout his career as one of the world鈥檚 leading exercise psychology researchers, Noel Brick asked athletes ranging from beginners to Olympians a simple question: What were you thinking? The answers provide fascinating insight into what athletes think about during peak performances. Brick has lost count of the number of times he has sat captivated as athletes recounted how they struggled with, and overcame, the challenges they experienced when racing and training.

One of the most common themes that emerges is that running fast is incredibly hard, both physically and mentally. This is true for novices and Olympians alike. But what separates the best from the rest is their ability to extract exceptional performances through a process of deep focus and concentration. These athletes know what they need to focus on and, more importantly, have the mental tools in their kit to do it. Take this example from an elite cross-country runner whom Brick interviewed following one of her toughest races:

I went through two and four [kilometers] on the back of the leading group. And going into the third lap, I started falling off the leading group. And it was everything for me to stay attached [because I was distracted by a spectator] and suddenly I just lost a second鈥檚 concentration, and it was like, 鈥淒on鈥檛 lose concentration, concentrate now,鈥� and I covered the move. I finished second in that race. But if I had fallen off that group, I wouldn鈥檛 have gotten back on and that would have been it.

Triumph in a footrace鈥攈owever that鈥檚 defined for you鈥攐ften requires winning the battle that takes place within your mind. For athletes like the one quoted above, this means resisting a range of different distractions. Some are external, like a spectator who momentarily captures the athlete鈥檚 attention. Others are internal thoughts, like worry or the sometimes-irresistible urge to stop or quit.

So how do they do it? What tools do athletes use to remain focused and on task? Just as important, how do they get their concentration back if they lose it?

Tune Out or Tune In?

The first answers to these questions began to emerge in the late 1970s. Across a series of studies, psychologist William Morgan and exercise physiologist Michael Pollock interviewed recreational and elite distance runners to discover what they focused on during training and competition.

Their findings revealed that national- and world-class marathoners adopted what Morgan and Pollock called an 鈥渁ssociative strategy.鈥� , these runners 鈥減aid very close attention to bodily input such as feelings and sensations arising in their feet, calves, and thighs, as well as their respiration; . . . [their] pace was largely governed by 鈥榬eading their bodies鈥�; . . . [and] they constantly reminded or told themselves to 鈥榬elax,鈥� 鈥榮tay loose,鈥� and so forth.鈥�

The details of what elite runners paid attention to when racing surprised the research team. Up until this point, the consensus was that it was best to tune out from bodily sensations. After all, if running fast was hard, then surely paying less attention to physical feelings would be better than focusing in on them.

But Morgan and Pollock soon realized that these elite marathoners were different from the recreational athletes they usually interviewed. Not only were their physical performances miles apart, literally and figuratively; so, too, were their mental strategies.

What non-elites preferred to do was adopt a range of distraction strategies. In other words, they preferred to tune out from the physical sensations they experienced. They did so by thinking about past memories, imagining listening to music (remember, this was pre-earbuds), singing, or, for one runner, visualizing stepping on the faces of two coworkers she detested.

With these two separate ways of thinking, we鈥檝e now got a dilemma. What is the best way for athletes to think? Which type of strategy helps most: tuning out or tuning in?

These were the questions that grabbed Brick鈥檚 attention when he began to plot his PhD research in 2012. By 2014, he had published on the attentional strategies of endurance athletes鈥攖hat is, what they focus their attention on. In it, he sifted through the evidence supporting distraction, on the one hand, and association, on the other.

The Case for Tuning Out

Before we can answer this question, we first need to consider a much simpler one. What do we mean by best? If better鈥攖hat is, faster鈥攑erformance is the goal, then athletes probably want to avoid being distracted at all costs.

But that鈥檚 not the full picture. In Brick鈥檚 review, he noted that distractions, such as daydreaming, conversing with a training partner, or focusing on scenic views, can help to reduce boredom and make a run more enjoyable. In other words, when the outcomes are less about going faster and more about feeling better, then distraction is best. A recreational runner whom Brick interviewed :

My mind just wanders whenever I鈥檓 out. It鈥檚 as if it鈥檚 a freedom. It鈥檚 my time and it鈥檚 me thinking about my things, you know? You鈥檙e not sitting in the house or you鈥檙e not working or you鈥檙e not thinking about things. You鈥檙e just thinking about your things.

What these insights tell us is that distraction has its place in our mental tool kit. It can be a useful way to manage our emotions, especially when we need to switch off, chill out, and get away from it all.

One great way to do this is to spend time in natural spaces, such as the countryside or a park. increased brain activity relating to calmness and meditative thoughts when people exercise in a park versus crowded urban settings. In the latter, brain activity linked with negative thoughts such as rumination has been found to be much higher than when people exercise in more natural settings.

But this is only half the story. Although positive distractions like nature have benefits, performing to the best of their capabilities is a more immediate priority for athletes during competition. In these instances, tuning in might be a better approach than tuning out.

The Case for Tuning In

When Brick dug deeper into the results of more than 35 years of research, he soon discovered that the effects of association strategies on performance were much more nuanced than previously thought. When athletes focused excessively on bodily sensations like breathing or muscle soreness, their performance suffered. Doing so made tasks feel harder. In contrast, strategies like keeping relaxed or optimizing movement technique improved performance, sometimes without increasing how hard a task felt.

involving 60 experienced runners helps to explain some of these nuances. These individuals completed three 5-kilometer runs, once on a laboratory treadmill, once on a 200-meter indoor running track, and once on a flat outdoor road route. Half the runners鈥攖he association group鈥攚ere asked to tune in every 30 seconds during each run to the heart rate and pace readings on their watch. The other half were assigned to a distraction strategy of listening to music through headphones. All participants were instructed to run as fast as they would like during each 5-kilometer run. The research team also recorded how good or bad runners felt, how hard each run was perceived to be, and their final 5-kilometer times.

In line with research on other distraction strategies, the findings revealed that those who listened to music felt calmer and more tranquil during their runs. Runners also felt better when running outdoors than they did in the indoor settings.

RELATED: A Real-World Test of Whether Fresh Minds Run Faster

In terms of performance, however, runners in the heart rate and pace-monitoring group ran faster than the music group by an average of 1 minute and 47 seconds. In a sport in which participants obsess over every second of a race time, that鈥檚 a significant difference!

Just as interesting were the effects of location on performance. Although 5-kilometer times were slower on the treadmill than both the track (by 3 minutes and 46 seconds) and the road route (by 4 minutes and 2 seconds), running on the treadmill felt hardest. This was most likely because of the treadmill environment, devoid of mental stimulation or distraction. In this setting, athletes probably focused on little else other than how tough their run felt. In contrast, running the outdoor road route, the fastest location of all, felt easiest.

The Takeaway

Periodically monitoring bodily sensations and tuning into pace allows for better performance. In contrast, tuning out might result in a slower pace but can help make an activity feel more pleasant. In effect, our focus matters, and when best performance is a priority, then having the mental skill to focus effectively is essential.

Adapted with permission from , by Noel Brick, PhD, and Scott Douglas, now available in paperback.

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When it comes to the best stretches for outdoor athletes, the emphasis tends to be on lower body movements. It makes sense: Your hamstrings, quads, and calves work hard to keep you healthy and mobile. However, upper body stretches are just as important鈥攅specially if you鈥檙e a climber, triathlete, or cyclist. Many of these stretches will feel basic, which underscores the point that sometimes you don鈥檛 have to get complicated to get results.听

What to Focus on With Upper Body Stretches

If you want to have a well-balanced recovery routine, make sure to target the pectoral muscles of your chest, the deltoid and rotator cuff muscles in your shoulders, the triceps and biceps in your upper arms, and the rhomboids, traps, lats, and serratus anterior muscles in your upper back. By giving attention to each of these key areas, you鈥檒l maintain flexibility and mobility in your top half.听

The Best Upper Body Stretches for Outdoor Athletes

Some of these movements are great for a dynamic warm-up before starting an activity, while others are good recovery options. By integrating these stretches in your regular routine, you鈥檒l feel more mobile and flexible throughout your upper body.听

1. Arm Circles

This movement is a great dynamic stretch to do before beginning any workout to help open up your chest, shoulders, and upper back.

How to do it:听

1. Stand upright with good posture.
2. Bring your arms straight out to the sides in a T-shape.听
3. Slowly rotate both arms forward, tracing small invisible circles with your fingers. Keep your elbows straight. Gradually increase the size of the circles with each rotation.听
4. Complete 15 arm circles.听
5. Reverse the direction of your circles and repeat.

2. Trunk Twists

This is another great stretch to add into your warm-up routine to support your upper back and shoulders.听

How to do it:听

1. Stand upright with your feet planted hip-width distance apart. Bring your arms out to the sides in a T-shape.听
2. Keep your hips square. Rotate and twist your torso from right to left, opening up your obliques, back, and chest. Gradually increase the speed and range of motion.
3. Twist for 30 seconds.听

3. Chest Stretch

If you鈥檙e looking for a post-workout recovery movement, this is a great stretch to turn to. Focusing on the pectoral muscles in your chest and the front of your shoulders, this exercise is particularly helpful for cyclists who spend a lot of time hunched over in an aerodynamic position.听

How to do it:听

1. Face a doorway with your arms out to the sides in a T-shape.听
2. Step your right foot far enough forward through the doorway so that your arms catch on the sides of the entrance. You should feel a stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders.听
3. Keep your spine neutral, gaze forward, and core tight.
4. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.听

4. Shoulder Stretch

As the most mobile joints in your body, your shoulders do a lot. To offer them some relief, try this post-workout stretch.听

How to do it:听

1. Bring your right arm in front of your body. It should be parallel to the floor. Keep your elbow straight.
2. Hook your left arm under your right and use it to pull your right arm across your body, toward your left shoulder. Your right hand should be pointing to the left.听
3. With your left hand, gently press behind your right elbow or the back of your upper right arm. Keep your right arm straight.听
4. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Switch sides and repeat.听

5. Overhead Triceps Stretch

After swimming, lifting weights, or practicing yoga, this stretch can open up your shoulders and triceps.听

1. Straighten your right arm and lift it overhead. Bend your right elbow and reach toward the top of your spine with your right hand. Your right elbow should point toward the ceiling.听
2. Press into the back of your right elbow with your left arm to deepen the stretch. By doing so, your right hand should be able to reach a bit further down your back.
3. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
4. Switch sides and repeat.听

6. Eagle Arms

If you are an avid yoga practitioner, you may be familiar with this arm variation. But beyond being a part of your asana sessions, this stretch is a great go-to move for softening the muscles in your back and shoulders.听

1. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed in a comfortable position.听
2. Hook your right arm under your left. Press your palms together.
3. Lift your elbows to shoulder height.听
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Switch sides and repeat.听

After practicing eagle arms, move into another yoga arm variation, cow face pose, to stretch your chest and shoulders.听

1. Sit in a comfortable seated position on the floor.听
2. Lift your right arm up. Bend at the elbow and reach for the upper part of your spine.
3. Bend your left arm and place it near your left hip. Reach toward your right arm with the back of your left hand pressing against your spine.听
4. Unless you are extremely flexible, your hands likely won鈥檛 touch. If they do, interlace your hands to open your chest.听
5. In either case, hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
6. Switch sides and repeat.听

7. Neck Stretch

This gentle stretch can help loosen up your and your upper traps to help relieve tension in your neck.

1. Wrap your right hand over your head.听
2. Place your right palm slightly above your left ear.听
3. Gently pull your head towards your right shoulder. You should feel a stretch along the left side of your neck.
4. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds.听
5. Switch sides and repeat.听

8. Downward Dog

You likely think of downward dog as a lower-body stretch for your hamstrings, calves, and glutes. However, it鈥檚 also one of the best upper body stretches to do after exercising, as it targets your back, shoulders, triceps, and forearms.听

1. Come into a tabletop position. Your hands should be slightly in front of your shoulders. Your knees should be underneath your hips. Curl your toes under your feet.听
2. Spread your fingers apart. Your hands should be as wide as possible. Press your palms into the floor.听听
3. Lift your knees off the floor and press your heels down as you raise your butt toward the ceiling. Your body should be folded at the hips in an inverted 鈥淰鈥� shape. Make sure your chest faces your thighs.听
4. Engage your core. Keep your neck and spine neutral.听
5. Hold for 30 seconds.听

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Even the most avid runners experience a day here or there when they just don鈥檛 feel like running. We鈥檝e all struggled with running motivation at one point or another. Taking a day off from running can be harmless, but it depends on why. If your reason for not running is hunger, tiredness, physical strain or an overwhelming desire to be a couch potato, no harm done.

If, however, you find your enthusiasm waning and you don’t know why, you may want to resist the urge to take a day off. Even though a lot of us view running as a hobby we love, it’s still a healthy discipline that takes determination and effort when the motivational blues come around. To help you fight the urge to slack on your running routine, follow these motivational tips. Some of these pointers are inspired by my personal experience as a clinician working with clients in treatment for substance abuse (for whom finding the motivation to stick with newfound sobriety is critical) and are proven to motivate those who need it most:

Set Goals for Yourself and Track Your Progress.

Knowing why you鈥檙e running in the first place can help you set short and long-term goals for yourself, and determine a training program that aligns with these goals. If you鈥檙e running to lose weight, for example, it may help to invest in a training watch or smartphone app that helps you keep track of the number of calories you鈥檙e burning on your runs. Just the prospect of seeing the number of calories you鈥檙e burning with every 10 strides can be motivation enough.

Think About How Good You鈥檒l Feel After Running.

鈥淧lay it forward鈥� is the lingo we sometimes use in the recovery field to help clients think through moments when they may feel inclined to relapse. If you鈥檙e weighing whether to run five miles or veg on the couch with a bag of potato chips and your favorite episode of Seinfeld, play the two scenarios forward to how you鈥檒l feel afterwards. In many cases, the positive anticipation about how you鈥檒l feel after you run can be a great incentive.

Schedule Your Runs.

Scheduling your runs鈥攎uch in the same way you schedule other appointments鈥攇ives it priority. Conversely, when that chunk of time isn鈥檛 blocked off on your calendar, it鈥檚 easier to let it get crowded out by other commitments. Some people need this concrete visual reminder to stick with a running discipline, especially if a habit of daily exercise is new to them. When running is already on your schedule, it is also harder to turn down (it almost takes more effort to replace that space in your schedule with something else).

Give Yourself Visual Cues to Run.

The mere image of a syringe can prompt cravings in an addict who used to shoot up to get high.听A similar dynamic can engender the development of healthy habits. For example, a friend of mine who once was a serious runner used to put her running shoes at the front door as self-motivation for those long, early morning runs. Other people go so far as to sleep in their running clothes, or put their running shoes on the floor next to their bed.

Run with Others.

There is accountability in groups, and sometimes it鈥檚 more fun to run with others. Join a running club or pair up with a friend who is serious about getting in shape. This way, too, you increase your various motivations to run, so that on any given day when running itself isn鈥檛 doing it for you, the friendly camaraderie of others may still be a draw.

Get Some Fun Running Clothes.

Sometimes looking good can help you feel good鈥攐r at least can motivate you to try out your new athletic gear. Maybe it鈥檚 time to trade in that ratty old sports bra and T-shirt for some real runner鈥檚 clothing.

Put on Some Motivational Music.

Don鈥檛 underestimate the power of an upbeat tune to help you get going鈥攅specially listening to the same songs. For example, imagine sitting on the couch, waffling over whether to run. By turning on your workout playlist, those first few notes will trigger the muscle memory from former workouts to the same music, and your body will make your decision for you to get up and go.

Decide to Run a Portion of Your Usual Workout.

That鈥檚 the advice of writer and runner Dorothy Beal. 鈥淲hen I think I have a pretty good excuse for why I can鈥檛 roll out of bed鈥攈ello 4 a.m. darkness鈥擨 tell myself I don鈥檛 have to run what is on my schedule for the day. I just have to run two miles. If after two miles I want to quit and run home, that鈥檚 okay. Out of all of my years of running, I may have only come back after two miles once.鈥�

Make Things Interesting.

If you’ve been running the same route, try something new for running motivation. Add a challenge to your run such as training for a local 5K, playing 鈥淚 Spy”, brainstorming a trip itinerary, coming up with story ideas for that book you’ve been meaning to write, or running to a specific location, such as a beautiful lake with a bench for a victory rest break.

Reward Yourself for Going.

The more you鈥檙e able to associate running with a fun and positive reward, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to run. It doesn鈥檛 have to be a big, expensive reward.听Find something you can do for yourself that you enjoy, whether it鈥檚 a small treat, a favorite show, or a dollar in your piggy bank. The more immediate the pay-off, the more effective it will be at habituating you to approach running as something to look forward to rather than to grin and bear.

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About the Author

Anna Ciulla is the Clinical Director at听听where she is responsible for designing, implementing and supervising the delivery of the latest evidence-based therapies for treating substance use disorders. Anna has a passion for helping clients with substance use and co-occurring disorders achieve successful long-term recovery.听

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