HEALTH

The best way to beat your mile time

“Build up to one- or two-minute easy/hard efforts. That let’s your body get used to the effort, and you’ll get faster over longer distances.” – Cami Stock, running coach

Tone up without bulking up

“Using your own body weight for resistance is the best way to build a lean, sculpted body as opposed to building bulkier muscle.” – Kwame Davis, fitness trainer who works with top models like Karolina Kurkova

Get ready the right way

“Always prepare muscles for new or intense activities. Do jumping jacks or power skips while swinging your arms. And wearing the right gear in the cold keeps your muscles insulated and less prone to soreness.” – Qiana Martin, pro soccer player

Burn more calories without even realizing it

“Increasing the incline on a treadmill or walking uphill is a great way to burn calories.” – Kelly Gonzalez, fitness consultant

Keep on movin’

“For all sports, the off-season is the time to build speed, agility and strength. Since most sports have running as a standard requirement, you should run at least one to two days a week.” – Jon Gallo, pro trainer

To score a “most improved player” prize

“Set short-term goal like, ‘I’m going to connect my first passes to teammates.’ When you do it, that success breeds confidence and then you can go on to the next goal.” – Daryn “Ozzie” White, soccer coach

How to stay positive when you aren’t seeing results

“Make small changes every day. There may be a million reasons you can’t go for it, but find the reasons you can!” – Sasha Cohen, Olympic silver medalist figure skater

Don’t go overboard

“You should only exercise six days per week—max. Over-training is just as bad as under-training.” – Michael George, celeb trainer

Stand out at try-outs

“Some girls wear bright-colored headbands or shorts. It’s obviously not a huge deciding factor, but we do notice.” – Jen Woods, volleyball coach

Get outside

“Even a 10-minute walk [outside] increases your energy since your brain waves react differently with nature than concrete and electricity.” – Andrea Metcalf, fitness expert

How to perform under pressure

“I think back to practices when I nailed the dives, and that gives me the confidence boost I need.” – Jessica Parratto, elite diver

Find the energy for your sweat sesh

“A few minutes of exercise can boost your mood and energy. Sometimes it’s just about getting out the door.” – Ramona Braganza, Gold’s Gym celeb trainer

Bounce back from a not-so-hot day

“I perform my best when I’m having fun. If I have a bad competition, I take the positives from that and hope to improve next time.” – Bobby Brown, pro X Games skier

Get fit—fast

by GL | 2/1/2016