Consider us your inspiring virtual fitness buddy, as we’ve partnered with Ryan Krane, Inc., a team of fitness consultants in Los Angeles, to give our L+C readers fit ready tips! The healthier you gives you increased endorphins, so you can be active at work and especially during all of your philanthropic adventures this Summer.

Here are some exercises that won’t take much time, but will give you a full-body workout in 5 or so minutes.

1. Plank to Push-up: this will develop core strength and improve upper body strength
Plank to Pushup: begin face down with your arms shoulder width apart and your legs extended behind you. While in the Plank, raise up one arm at a time until your arms are fully extended. Return to the Plank position and repeat. Do 1-3 sets of 10-15 reps.

2. Body Squats: works legs, core, and arms
Place your feet shoulder width apart with your arms out in front of you at shoulder height and squat down to the height of the chair, or to where you feel comfortable. Remember to keep your feet/knees facing straight forward. Do 1 to 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions at a slow tempo.

3. Lateral tube walking: works legs, primarily gluteal muscles
Place a resistance band around your ankles with your hands on your hips and walk laterally for 10-15 steps. Always remember to have your feet facing forward. Do 1-3 sets. This will burn.

4. Standing rows: works muscles in the mid back
Place a resistance band around a sturdy object and pull band back with your arms adjacent to your body while standing up tall and engaging your core. Make sure to squeeze your shoulder blades together when performing this exercise. Do 1 to 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions at a slow tempo.

Ryan Krane, Inc. Gives Back
Ryan Krane, Inc. is a supporter of The American Red Cross. Ryan Krane, Inc. is a fitness company dedicated to helping people move better, feel better, and live better. Their proprietary corrective exercise program, The Krane Training Method ™, relieves chronic pain, improves performance, and enhances quality of life.

As a corrective exercise specialist, Krane uses a variety of fitness equipment when working with his clients including foam rollers, resistance tubing, exercise bands, and Bosu balls to help them regain their postural alignment and eliminate their chronic pain.

For more information on Perform Better click here:
http://www.performbetter.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategories1_10151_10751_-1?kbid=5535

Our expert fitness consultant, Ryan Krane, has shared 4 key reasons why strength training is important, then elaborates for us on how to reduce a common (and sometimes painful) issue with runners, over-pronation.

Why Do Runners Strength Train?

1. Reduce tight muscles having to compensate for weak muscles

2. Slow down force on tight muscles

3. Strengthen hips which takes stress off of the lower back

4. Decrease over-pronation (when the foot moves too far inward), which is very prominent in runners

Reduce Over-pronation

Over-pronation occurs when the foot collapses too far inward stressing the plantar fascia (the area underneath the arch of the foot.) Normally, one pronates every time he/she walks, but excessive pronation is called over-pronation. When this occurs it affects the feet, knees, hips, low back and even the shoulder.

A few ways to reduce over-pronation…

Calves

Massage and stretch the calves to increase dorsiflexion at the foot/ankle. Dorsiflexion is the bending at the ankle. By improving the dorsiflexion, one will have more flexibility at the ankle, which will allow the foot to over-pronate less.

IT Band

Massage the IT Band with a foam roller or tennis ball to quiet down the tightness throughout this part of the leg. The IT Band attaches from the glute maximus and runs down the side of the leg into the knee area. When the IT Band is tight it will accelerate the force of the leg moving inward, which will cause the foot to move inward as well. It is often that tightness through the IT Band that promotes over-pronation.

Glutes

Strengthen the glutes to slow down the force of the foot moving too far inward. Most individuals who over-pronate have weak glute muscles and strengthening this area is a must. A simple exercise to strengthen glutes is lateral tube walking across a field/court/room. Place a stretch band around your ankles and move your leg sideways while keeping your feet forward.

Decreasing over-pronation, which is very prominent in runners, will help add endurance, speed and efficiency to your run and ultimately place less stress on your body.

So how do we get our heads back in the game?

• It’s absolutely important that you get a sufficient amount of rest. Don’t oversleep, either. Believe it or not, it’s actually unhealthy for you and can cause you to be groggy and a bit more all over the place throughout your day. 7-8 hours a night is enough and will get you going.
• Eat healthy. I know, I know. I’ve said this a million times before, but for good reason. Don’t skip meals, eat too much, or eat too little. Prepare yourself a breakfast every morning; pack a lunch; and have dinner when you arrive home. Trust me — you’ll feel much better with a good amount of food in your system!
• Smile! A better attitude can easily turn around a stressful situation into one you can handle better. Don’t let anything get you down — harness your stress and turn it into positive energy! It’s easier than you might think. Just try it.
• Save time to work out and work on your fitness. While you do, you can also use it as time for yourself to simply be. Clear your mind; don’t let it brim with everything that is stressing you out. Like I mentioned, a positive attitude can easily change a bad situation. Plus, you’ll be shedding pounds and feeling better.

Seems easy enough, doesn’t it? While the vacation is over, it doesn’t mean the fun or good times should stop!

Proper training builds strength and endurance. Mindset strategies improve focus and build confidence. Both components, physical training combined with mental game strategies, are necessary for high performance.

Elite athletes view performance, and winning, from a different set of lenses. Where elite athletes place their focus and attention is different from average athletes.

1. Motivation – There is a burning desire to be the best you can be. Being good enough is not enough. Elite athletes possess a deep need to always improve, taking their performance to the next level.
2. Initiative – Driven athletes don’t wait to be given permission to do something. They are the leaders in all they do, setting the standard for excellence.
3. No Excuses – Full commitment is necessary to be the best. Instead of viewing obstacles as problems, elite athletes approach them as challenges to overcome. The goal is the primary focus.
4. Determination – All challenges have solutions. Elite athletes are actively looking for the opportunities to help them reach their goal. Failure is not an option.
5. Strengths Based Approach – Focus on strengths. Elite athletes know where they excel and use that to their advantage. Find the best approach based upon your strengths. Also develop the skills necessary to minimize weaknesses.
6. Extra mile – A strong commitment sets up elite athletes to go the extra mile. Even when no one is looking, they continue to push themselves to be the best they can.
7. Tough Minded – Athletes are expected to do things which stretch them all the time. Tough minded athletes acknowledge the discomfort, but don’t let it stop them. Taking risks, and pushing through their comfort zone, is part of the champion mindset.

A success mindset is more natural for some than for others. Fortunately, it is not a birthright. Similar to new techniques and skill sets, a champion mindset can be learned.

Consider your level of commitment to your sport. Are you satisfied? If yes, that’s great. If not, then you can choose to change it accordingly.

The best way to begin the process of developing a champion mindset is to be coach-able. Become a student of excellence. Who can you learn from? Role models are excellent for witnessing success principles in action. Your coach and trainer want the best from you, even if they don’t always do a great job of giving you that impression. If they are approachable, find out what suggestions they have for you to improve your performance.

Be on the hunt for opportunities. They are all around you. The champion mindset focuses on the solutions, not the problems. Elite athletes are creative in their approach to challenges, willing to take a risk. They are all about results. Focused attention on solutions, while maintaining a positive mindset that reaching your goals are possible, will change your approach to challenges. Instead of excuses, you will be seeing opportunities to be the best you can. A champion mindset sets you up for success in all aspects of life.

Activity: Identify your goals. Be as specific as possible. Be willing to learn what is necessary to help you reach your goal. This means becoming a student of your sport. Winning is not just about physical abilities, it is about learning the underlying principles which make excellent athletes. Experiment. Work on one new skill at a time. You are more likely to succeed with steady effort instead of an all-out approach.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your FREE Start-up Kit “The Top 7 Mistakes Even the Best Athletes Make” available at: http://expertsportsperformance.com

Go to the above link to receive the champion mindset secrets to reaching your goal and begin building more confidence for winning results during competitions.

From Loren Fogelman, the Sports Performance Consultant, founder of Expert Sports Performance, a company devoted to teaching athletes around the globe how to consistently achieve peak performance levels, maintain focus during competitions and create the confidence to reach their BIG goals.