🏃🏼‍♀️ The story of Katherine Switzer and the health benefits of exercise for women

NEWS:
New research on exercise for women 💪🏻  

Everyone benefits from regular exercise, but women may see bigger benefits than men and in less time too, according to a study published recently. Researchers looked at a group of 400,000 men and women in the United States over the course of two decades. They concluded that those that strength trained 2-3 times a week lived longer. Main point, a little bit of exercise goes a long way.

“Females exhibit greater vascular conductance and blood flow during exercise, with females having a higher density of capillaries per unit of skeletal muscle when compared with males,” said Dr. Tracy Zaslow

EXERCISE:
The lunge is a staple exercise for targeting the hamstrings and glutes. However, a lot of people do this wrong.

First, you want shoes that provide the stability. If you're unable to plant your foot without the wobble, I recommend doing this without shoes to start.

1. Start in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Take a big step so one leg is ahead of your torso and the other is behind. Your foot should be flat and remain flat while it’s on the ground. Your rear heel will rise off of the ground.

3. Bend your knees to approximately 90 degrees as you lower yourself. Remember to keep your trunk upright and core engaged.

4. Then, forcefully push off from your front leg to return to the starting position.

   
   Tips:

   • Your rear knee should not touch the ground.

   • Aim to keep your hips symmetrical. They should be at the same height. Don't drop the hip of your back leg or hike the hip of your front leg.

   • Contract your abdominals during the movement to help keep your trunk upright.

   • Your feet should stay hip-width apart during the landing and return.

INSIGHT:
Courage and taking action 🏃🏼‍♀️

Are you waiting for the right opportunity? Maybe its the new business you're thinking about starting. Or this year you’ll prioritize your health?

Katherine Switzer made history. She was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1967. Despite efforts from many people to remove her from the course she believed in herself and was courageous to go through. Switzer became a crusader for women's sports. If you’re waiting for the right moment, this is the time to take action.

"All you need is the courage to believe in yourself and put one foot in front of the other." - Katherine Switzer