That’s when I found out that I’m practically destroying my knees wearing the wrong kind of shoes. People have different foot types and, if you’re jogging and running, you better get one. Foot type determines the way your foot distributes weight in a cycle of a gait (pronation). If you happen to over- or under-pronate (often times easily addressed by the proper shoes), it can damage your feet, knees and legs .

You can check your foot type by a simple wet test. Simply dampen your soles and step on a sheet of paper (see picture). The mark it leaves on the paper can tell you your foot type. As for what they mean.

Normal -A normal foot is considered to have normal pronation which means the foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls slightly inward absorbing the impact. People with such feet can practically wear any shoe though springing for a stability model would be best.

Flat (My foot type) – The flat foot overpronates meaning the outside of the heel rolls excessively inward to absorb impact. This excessive action makes people with flat feet more susceptible to injury. Best shoes would be stability models with motion control features.

High-arched - The opposite of the flat foot, high-arched feet causes one to underpronate (or supinate). This means that the impact is not efficiently absorbed through pronation. Best shoes wold be those that provide cushioning.

While these can tell you much about what running shoe is best for you, it’s always best to consult with experts. Try visiting a special running store that offer gait analysis as well so they can direct you to the best gear for your foot type.

Tags: workout videos, holiday workouts, Kim Strother

The first place to start is to ask friends and relatives if they have a chiropractor that’s really good. Once you have some names to start from, then you need to start doing your own research.

Here are some things that can help you make a choice between equally qualified chiropractors (or any doctor for that matter):

• What is the chiropractor’s feeling about his profession?
• Will he or she answer your questions quickly and honestly?
• What kind of techniques does they use?
• Is the office open at times convenient to you?
• Is the office location convenient?

These are just a few of the questions you can ask. You’ll want to notice how comfortable you are in the conversations. It won’t do you much good to use a doctor that you’re not comfortable talking to. Good communication is a key part of successful treatment.

Take your time and choose the chiropractor that’s right for you. You may want to go in an get a consultative exam when you’re feeling good. That way, the doctor will have a guideline to go by when treating you in the future.

Pilates is a form of exercise that focuses on the core muscles of the abdomen and back. These muscles help keep the body balanced and strong. It’s a method that teaches correct breathing methods and alignment of the spine.

Although Pilates is a simple exercise program, you should not underestimate what it can do for your body when practiced on a regular basis.

For people with severe back problems it would be wise to have a session with a Pilate’s instructor to learn the correct form before beginning a Pilates exercise program. This will help you see where your weaknesses are what you need to work on. It will be more expensive to work with an instructor than doing home videos, but will be worth it in the long run.

Consistent cycling can help you shed a few pounds, increase muscle mass, improve muscle tone, reduce stress and since it’s good cardio exercise, you can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Here are a few simple suggestions and safety tips to help you started:

• always carry repair kit
• take a water bottle with you
• keep your tires inflated correctly
• wear a helmet
• make sure your bike has lights and reflectors
• wear bright colors to keep yourself visible

If you’re not used to exercising, start out slowly by walking for about 10 minutes three times a week. You can gradually build up to 30 minutes 3 times a week.

Here are some of the health benefits of a consistent walking program:

• An increase in your overall fitness and the tone of your muscles
• Feel better and look better
• Increased energy level
• Feel less stress and deal with stress better
• Find that your sleep is better
• Reduce risk of heart disease
• Reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer
• Reduce depression and increase a more positive mood
• Improve outlook on life and feel better every day that you walk

You can start gaining all these benefits and more simply by increasing the amount of time that you walk each day. Find a time to fit walking into your schedule. You’ll look better, feel better and have a healthier life.

When you run, not only are endorphins released but with each pounding step you can begin to feel empowered. The ability to set a goal and reach it can build your confidence level tremendously.

It doesn’t matter if you’re running to the mailbox or running a 10K marathon, you’re going to feel better about yourself. The key is to set a goal for your training program and then work toward achieving it. The ability to achieve a goal is without a doubt the biggest self-esteem builder of all.

It’s important that you start any exercise program slowly and increase your level at a measured pace.

The idea is not to achieve your goal the first day, but to work towards something and then get there. “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and neither will your running ability be. Look for improvements over time and celebrate your successes. Be patient with yourself and you’ll reap all the benefits – physical and psychological – that running has to offer.

I’ve heard great things about yoga as a way to get some relief from recurring or chronic back pain. It’s also a great way to stay flexible as well as help maintain your health.

The most common form of yoga is Hatha yoga. This technique combines breathing and meditation with the movements. There are many different yoga poses and they can be adapted to your current physical condition.

Yoga is a great way to increase your flexibility, tone muscles, lubricate the joints and detoxify the body by encouraging proper circulation. All of these areas will help improve your health if practiced on a regular basis.

Many of the yoga poses will help strengthen your back and your abdomen, giving your body a strong core. You can accomplish this by learning and practicing yoga on a regular basis. The moves will increase in difficulty as your body gets stronger. Make sure you start out slow and work your way up to the more challenging levels.

They studied 3,000 people for over 11 years and also found that those who walked at least 30 minutes a day cut their risk of heart disease by 34%. If you didn’t know, heart disease is our nation’s number one cause of death. Can you see why this is so important?

When you go for a brisk walk, you’re strengthening your heart, lowering your blood pressure, improving your glucose metabolism (this is really important for diabetics), relieving stress and burning calories.

So take 30 minutes out of your lunch hour and go for a walk. Surely you can eat your lunch in the remaining 30 minutes. Now that you know how important it is, the decision to get started should be easy.

According to calorie-count.com, you burn 374 calories per hour walking behind a power mower. And, you can burn 408 calories an hour if you switch over to a hand mower. That’s more than you’ll burn walking 4 miles at a 15 minute mile pace (340 calories).

I never thought of yardwork as exercise until we moved to the country. Living in Atlanta, it took me all of 30 minutes to keep the yard looking nice. I was satisfied with a simple, non-electric lawnmower, some hand trimmers, a shovel and a rake.

Now, my “equipment barn” is stocked with a tractor (with backhoe, bush hog, grader and finishing mower attachments), a walk behind bush hog, more chainsaws and gas powered trimmers than I can count and my beloved stump grinder. My wife tells me that the 4-wheeler can’t be counted as a tool (she says it’s a toy), but I’m not buying it.

My project this weekend (and for the last 2 months) has been to clear as many stumps as possible out of a former 3 acre pine woods. My wife wants it to look “like a park.” So, needless to say, we’re talking about a lot of stumps.

So far I’ve ground down about 130 stumps and I have about 60 or 70 left to go. Weather cooperating, I’ll get it done next weekend. Here are some before and after shots. They’re not from the same angle, but you’ll get the idea.

So did you get your yard work done this weekend? You know, not only does it count as calorie burning exercise, it’s actually revitalizing. I love spending the days outside. I put in my earplugs, start up whatever machine I’m using and savor my time alone. Can’t hear the cell phone or the kids, so I get to be alone in my thoughts.

I use the time to appreciate the great things that I have in my life and plan for what I want to create in the future. Who would have ever thought that yardwork could be so valuable?