Injury Prevention

Attention anyone who does a sport, wears heels, or both: Body Glide is about to become the popular kid in your gym bag. A miracle product to say the least, this little stick prevents rashes, chafing, and blisters. Created by a surfer who was looking to cure wetsuit "hickeys" — minus the petroleum jelly mess — the magic balm was created. Already a hit in the swimming and triathlon communities, it's popular among other sports too.

Body Glide ($10) can prevent saddle sores with bikers, blisters with runners, and common rubbing irritations for all athletes. And aside from the original product, there's an entire line that includes SPF and even heat therapy. So, if you're looking for a product that prevents the uncomfortable, stays in place, and will help you compete (or strut) at your best; glide right into this fit tip!

When you ramp up mileage too fast or are new to running, you can be hit with the dreaded runner's knee, or pain and inflammation that occurs around or under your knee cap due to tracking issues with the knee cap that irritate the bony groove it sits in. It's different than knee pain that occurs from IT band issues, but runner's knee can make it hard to motivate yourself to continue your jogging hobby just the same.

If you're experiencing runner's knee, then make sure to R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compress, and elevate) if it's exacerbated after a run. And to prevent it from happening again, you'll need to strengthen and stretch your quads, calves, and hamstrings and incorporate lateral moves that strengthen muscles around your knee joint while improving agility. Read on for some of our favorite moves that do just that.

Quads

You can't go wrong with a wall sit — you can do them almost anywhere, and they are extremely effective for helping you strengthen your quads. To do a wall sit:

• Stand with your back against a wall, placing your feet about two feet out in front of you. Feet should be hip-distance apart.
• Bending your knees, slide your back down the wall until your knees are at 90-degree angles. Your knee joints should be over your ankle joints, so you may need to inch your feet farther from the wall to create proper alignment. Your thighs should remain parallel.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, and then stand up. Repeat for a total of three reps.
• To make this move more challenging, alternate between lifting your left heel for a few seconds and then your right. This helps to target your calves.

Hamstrings

Weak quads and tight hamstrings can be a recipe for disaster when it comes to your knees. Loosen up hamstrings and shoulders with this tip-over tuck hamstring stretch:

• Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart. Interlace your hands behind your back. Keeping your legs straight, bend at the hips, tucking your chin and bringing your hands over your head.
• Relax the back of your neck, and if the stretch is too intense, then release your hands, placing them on the backs of your thighs, and soften your knees. Hold for 30 seconds, and slowly roll up to standing.

Check out more hamstring stretches here.

Read on for two more exercises to help prevent runner's knee.

Beautiful scenery, a higher calorie burn, and a toned lower body are just a few things to look forward to when you start running outside. But if you don't play it safe, then you can just as easily be looking at a slew of new injuries, frustrations, and unmet expectations. Stay safe and make sure that your first outdoor runs are your best yet with these tips.

No. 1: Pick the Road More Traveled
When starting out, the last thing you want to worry about is getting lost. Before even lacing up your sneakers, do some research: ask friends where they like to run, use online running forums to find popular routes, and check to see if your park has designated trails. The more popular and visible the trail, the better. Well-used routes tend to have clearly defined pathways, they are often well-lit, and there's safety in numbers by choosing a trail that's populated with fellow runners. If you're feeling nervous, then opt to walk the route first, or ask a friend to go running with you. Wherever your run takes you, make sure to follow these basic running tips that will help keep you safe and out of harm's way.

No. 2: Start Slow (and Soft)
Aside from having to deal with what nature throws at you, running without the momentum of a treadmill is also more taxing on the body. The muscles have to work harder to push the body forward, and the joints take more of a beating from running on uneven (and harder) terrain. When you first begin running outdoors, don't expect — or even challenge yourself — to run as fast or as long as you do on a treadmill. Give your body time to adjust by gradually replacing treadmill runs with some that are outdoors, and keep your first few runs on the shorter side. You can pick up the pace and add mileage as your body acclimates. To make the transition easier on your joints and avoid injury, start by running on softer surfaces like grass, a track, or a wooded trail.

See the last running tip after the break!

You show up for an intense daily workout every morning, but sometimes what you do the rest of the day can dampen any progress. Here are four everyday habits that could be hurting your workout results.

You wear heels all the time: They may look good, but they also may be doing damage to your workout. A recent study found that regularly wearing heels shortens calf muscles, which can lead to a stiff Achilles' heel and muscle fatigue. These issues can lead to injury or off days when you work out, so limit your heel-wearing to twice a week, especially if you are training intensely.

You sit too much: If you've got an office job, chances are you're in a chair for most of the day. But there are many reasons why you should take regular breaks to walk around and stretch out your limbs. For one, sitting a lot during the day has been proven to lead to earlier death — even if you do clock in time at the gym. But it also hurts your workout by making you inflexible and causing body imbalances. This can be especially true if you spend a lot of your time crossing your legs while you sit, which decreases circulation, causes lower back or joint pain, or exacerbates workout-related injuries, so make sure you pay attention to both how long you spend in a chair as well as your seated posture. Read our tips for sitting properly in a desk, and don't forget to take breaks throughout the day.

You eat too much (or too little) before a workout: You know you need to fit in a workout before you start your day, so you wolf down your breakfast so you'll have enough energy to face your routine. Unfortunately, eating too much can hamper your workout by causing cramps or making you feel sluggish. But not eating enough before a workout sabotages your efforts as well — it's hard to motivate when you aren't fueled correctly for an intense workout. It may take time to figure out which snacks work best for you; these pre-workout snack tips may help you find the right fit.

You're not getting enough sleep: Lack of sleep zaps energy no matter what you're doing, and it can be especially true if you're trying to hold your own in gym class. If you've noticed that the quality of your sleep has gone down lately, then it's time to make getting better sleep a priority. Finish up your evening to-dos earlier so you can go to sleep an hour before you normally do, and make sure you build in time to relax before drifting off to sleep so you'll be less stressed and more likely to stay asleep. Read more of our tips on getting better sleep here.