It’s a short, fast-paced workout awesome for increasing flexibility and building core strength while also reaping the power-gaining benefits of hill running. USAT coach Jessica Herschberg, of FTP Coaching in Nashville, Tenn. says her athletes can barely make the 10 rounds.

Kettlebell Hill Repeats

- Start at the bottom of a short, steep hill (roughly 150 yards)
– Perform 20 kettlebell swings (12-16kg for women, 16-20kg for men)
– Immediately sprint up the hill
– Walk back to start
– Repeat 10 times.

(If you don’t have a kettlebell, a dumbbell is a fine alternative.)

Proper Kettlebell Form:

Place the kettlebell between your feet. Hinge at the hips as if you are about to sit in a chair and bend the knees until your hands can grasp the handle. Start the swing by popping the hips forward until your knees are locked out, glutes tight and kettlebell reaches chest height. Let the kettlebell swing back between your legs, hinging again at the hips, and letting your wrists hit the sides of your groin so the kettlebell is tucked right underneath the buttocks. Immediately and explosively pop your hips forward again to perform the next rep. “You should feel this in your hamstrings,” Herschberg says. “Make sure you are looking forward so your shoulders aren’t rounded.”

The post Kettlebells + Hill = Killer Workout appeared first on Competitor.com.

Sue and Andrew O’Brien have run marathons together across the world.

The couple who runs together, stays together…right? Sometimes it doesn’t magically work to train with your mate. Take some love-on-the-run advice from the official “Couple on the Run,” Sue and Andrew O’Brien. They’ve run nearly 100 marathons—together—including a 2008 stint of eight marathons in eight countries in eight weeks. “We find running to be a form of meditation. Think about how good that is alone then multiply it many times over and that is what we experience running together.”

If your partner is a non-runner…

• Start slow, using the walk/run method until he or she develops confidence.

• Consider starting with other forms of exercise first, like a gym session or outdoor cycling.

If your partner is a different pace…

• Sign up for the same event and design your training program around both of your schedules.

• Share the track for speed workouts. Want a bit of competition? Give the slower runner a headstart and have the faster one try to catch up.

• Start hill work at the same location and cheer each other on as you cross paths.

• Try out-and-backs. Run out (then back) for 20 minutes so you can end the workout together.

If you don’t want to give up alone time…

• “Most times we talk about what matters, plan the future, solve problems, talk about writing. Some days we run in silence—alone together—but are very comfortable not having to talk.”

If you simply need to make it more romantic…

• Pack a picnic, and run to a new park/river/trail location to surprise your partner with a post-run feast.

• Enter a fun run and dress as a famous couple. “Running Rock n Roll Las Vegas dressed as Elvis and Priscilla and renewing your vows may be the ultimate, but it’s a lot of fun at your local 5k or 10k.”

• Plan a special running trip. “In April we are off to Paris to run the marathon as a celebration of Sue’s 50th birthday.”

The post Struggling To Run With Your Significant Other? appeared first on Competitor.com.

Every five years, the federal government (namely the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) creates new dietary guidelines. We’ll save you the trouble of sifting through the 95-page “Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010” document at Dietaryguidelines.gov and deliver the take-home messages released this week:

Balancing Calories
• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals—and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

The post Are You Following The New Dietary Guidelines? appeared first on Competitor.com.