"How can I run faster?" One of the most common question among runners. You can look on the internet and read magazines that feature the next "best workout" or “quick ways to get faster” but the truth is that there isn't one magic workout. The answer to this question is probably simpler than you thought.

Caroline Mather, R.N.; Ph.D said it best, "To get faster, you have to run faster". You don't need to search for secret workouts, all you need to do is pick up the pace. There really is no other substitute that will help you, or anybody run faster without actually pushing yourself from time to time. You body needs to get used to that elevated heart race, extra lactic acid, and all those other physiological processes going on so that when race day comes, you’re ready to go!

This doesn't mean you have to run fast for long periods of time. Alternate your running workouts from hard running days and light running days to break it up a bit. As you improve, you could even use 5K races as your "speedworkout".


You should be able to find at least one or two 5K races to participate in each month. To help you get faster at running, find a runner whom you know is a bit faster than you and then try to keep up with them during the race. You don't have to beat them to improve your own running speed; you're just using them as kind of a guide to challenge yourself….plus remember it’s a training race, so don’t beat yourself up if you can’t keep up with that faster pace. Over time, you’ll improve.


If you can't find local races you can still do your own "speedworkout" with a treadmill or running at an indoor or outdoor track. While you’re running simply pick up the pace every few minutes. A good example is the "45/15" workout. Many runners train with this workout prior to running marathons. What you do is run at a high rate of speed for 45 seconds followed up with 15 seconds of light jogging. Repeat for as many times as you can and then try to increase the number of repetitions you do each week.


Essentially what you want to do is learn how to turn your legs over faster. The faster your legs are turning over, the faster you're running. Another great training method to help increase the rate at which your legs "turnover" is to practice running up and down a hill. It doesn't have to be a really steep hill either so don't try doing this on a mountain - though I'm sure your legs would turn over quite quickly but you'd easily injure yourself as well. As you're running down the hill try to relax and let your legs turnover quickly and repeat a few times during each training session. The uphill is just as beneficial, because although you are moving slower, the legs have to recruit every inch of muscle to help with contraction, and you’re fighting gravity, hence why hills are so tough!

If you have any kind of knee trouble you should definitely not be running up and down hills as you could injure yourself. It would benefit you more to incorporate workouts such as the 45/15 to help you increase your running speed.

One final way to help you increase your running speed is to keep a running log or journal. Each time you run, write down how far you ran and what your time was. This helps you to see where you're at, where you've been and motivate you to get you where you want to go.

And for all my Diva runners.…Don't forget to Run Like a Diva!


Kendrick Alexandre Ribeiro
CSCS, ACE
Diva Running Coach

Looking to drop some weight in this new year and finally feel great about yourself! Lets do this...incorporate these easy to follow K-Tips into your lifestyle and watch the pounds drop!


1.) Make sure to buy bread, pitas, wrap that are whole wheat, organic and salt free--100% buckwheat is your best choice. There is no better way to ruin a good, healthy sandwich with the wrong buns!


2.) Avoid all foods that contain high fructose corn syrup --that includes diet sodas. High fructose corn syrup messes with you insulin levels, disrupts effective normal digestive processes, and ruins your taste buds.


3.) Before eating something...ask yourself "Do I have my protein? Am I avoiding white flour?""Low sodium?" Remember sodium bloats you up like nothing else....so keep an eye on that!


4.) Drink ginger tea...it acts at the cellular level for weight loss.


5.) Buy an egg genie (boils up to 7 eggs in about 10 minutes) eat 1-2 boiled eggs per day (replace the yolk with hummus)


6.) Eliminate alcohol from your diet until you have achieved your goal weight.


7.) Drink water with lemon and sprinkled lemons on most of your foods....the alkaline of lemons once digested helps neutralize and shrink fat cells.


8.) Replace your butter with Brummel and Brown natural yogurt spread, you won't even taste the difference and its much better for you.


9.) Find a friend to workout with, invest in a trainer or join a group fitness class. Accountability is key to your fitness success!


10.) Learn to do intervals.....your body learns very quickly how to save calories and maintain same pace for a long period. You don't want to save calories!...shock your system and do some hard intervals during your cardio. Try to do with a 1:3 or 1:4 activity to rest ratio for best results. (ie: 30 sec hard, 2 min easy)


11.) Sign up for my FREE fitness newsletter through my website: kbodyfitness.com It will keep you on track and motivated every 2 weeks!


LETS DO THIS! 2011 IS YOUR YEAR!!!

Why so many jumps Kendrick?!
Did you just invent that?!
But when I twist that way, its harder!
WTF...do you just sit at home thinking of ways to torture people?!
Ahh...my glutes are burning!
Ahh.....my abs are gonna fall off!
Are we on camera?
Do you want me to activate my ears while I'm at? Got everything else engaged!!

These are just some of the comments that I hear from clients on a daily basis....along with some other profanity made towards me and my exercises......but its ALL GOOD....its a love/hate relationship! At the end of the day...I know that my clients got an effective, safe, full body workout! And they come back for more the next week =)

The other day I was asked: "Kendrick, why do you do what you do the way you do" Took me a good 40 sec to register the question in my brain…(to many dang do’s got me all out of whack)....but I finally answered and I wanted to share with all of you just in case you are wondering as well.

First off, I could not see myself doing anything outside this industry. I have gone through phases in my life in which I doubted myself, but lately its been all positive and I’m heading towards the dream of helping people live a healthier life on a bigger scale. Since I run 3 separate pages with over 5000 total followers on facebook…..I take full advantage to offer K-Tips of the day, workouts of the week, inspirational quotes, recipes, and other healthy stuff for whoever is interested….The other day I received a short facebook message which reminded me why I’m in this field. "Kendrick, I have been living by ur K-Tips that you post up everyday on ur facebook since u added me as a friend and obrigada por voce*—and ur tips I have lost 10 lbs on my way 2 getting that pre baby figure back." * “Obrigada por voce”= “Thanks to you” in Portuguese….and shes not even Brazilian! That came from someone in Pennsylvania whom I never met before. It feels good getting the day started with comments like that.

If you've trained with me before...you know that I am not your typical trainer.

• I don't carry a notepad with me and write down all the reps and exercises you did for that day. One...I am more concerned with observing your form, and training you the way your body is feeling that day....I can't penalize you for not feeling up to par a certain day...everybody has those days. Next, the human body is incredibly adaptable....the way to truly strengthen the muscles is "muscle confusion" Thats the only way they'll get stronger....hence why we never do the same workout 2x....ever! I'll know when getting stronger with some of the basic strength tests exercises that I hide throughout the workouts (ie: single legged exercise, planks..and a few other secret ones =)

• 3 sets of 12 of same exercise....another one you'll never see at my studio! We may do up to 2 sets of the circuit, but never 3 sets of the same exercise........The reason? Again we want to challenge the body at different angles, so while we may activate the same muscle groups 3 or more times in one session....we'll never do it using the same exercise....plus it makes things more exiting.

• Bands, Balls, Bosu and all the other "circus" toys. When you pick up your kids, or your grocery, do you follow the same plane of motion (in a perfect straight line) from the ground up? Never! This works the same in our workouts. The key is functional training.....which trains the body to stay in tune with motions that you'll use in everyday life....all while engaging the core as well. The "circus" toys allow for activation of minor muscles as well, especially around the joints in order to strengthen those joints and improve overall balance and coordination.

• Jumps! Yea yea, everybody hates this! But the only way you get out of doing them is if you have some kind of knee/back problem. First we must understand that there are 3 main energy system in the body. Oxidative system: activated when you do any activity over 2 min (usually cardio) Glycolitic system: activities lasting 30-90 sec (most weight training is done in this zone) ATP-Creatine Phosphate system: activities lasting 10 sec or less........and that is the one most ignore...hence why I incorporate jumps into our workout....it recruits fast twitch muscle groups and really spikes up the heart rate! Activating the ATP-CP system also trains the body to flush toxic out faster (lactic acid, stress hormones) leading to faster response times in stressful situations!

• Full body exercises! This is a simple one...we have to engage as many muscles as possible during an exercise...you'll never find yourself doing just standing biceps curl. They'll be more like bicep curl with alternating lunges. More muscle activated=more energy required=more calories burned! Period.

• Circuits!….I pick 3-4 exercises….either focusing on single sided exercises per round (right leg squat/step up/ lunges) or blood shift exercises engaging both limbs…an upper body exercise followed by a lower body exercise followed by core or cardio. Usually we’ll do the circuit 2 times around and each round lasts anywhere from 3-5 min…with about 15-20 sec rest between exercises and about 1 min rest between circuits. Blood shift exercises basically trains the body to adapt to changes in blood pressure ultimately allowing the body to maintain normal levels in blood pressure as well as adjust to stressful situations more efficiently.

• Core! Almost every exercise will engage the core….which is the connection from the upper body and lower body. I can’t stress enough how important a strong core is…..prevents you from many injuries such as back problems and bad posture.

• Glutes! Another extremely important area in which we focus at every session. The glute is a huge muscle and it handles stress/weight much better than your lower back (which usually does most of the work if you have weak glutes)

Now I can’t share everything that I do with my clients (gotta keep them on their toes =)

I CAN tell you this: Any clients who has stuck with me long enough has achieved their goals……..trust me, if they are physically able and disciplined, I make sure they achieve their goals in a safe, effective manner.

I love what I do and as long as my clients are getting those positive results (or negative if we are talking weight loss) I’m going to be doing what I do the way I do!

HAVE A HEALTHY DAY!!!