You know a Sunday is well-spent when some brilliant speakers are generous enough to impart knowledge that you can actually incorporate into your life. My morning was spent attending a seminar where Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh, a senior teacher of BKS Iyengar yoga, and Dr Dilip Nadkarni, renowned orthopaedic surgeon, came together to share tidbits of wisdom for better fitness.

According to Dr Nadkarni, we are all running—running towards something (like success), away from something (like an annoying neighbour!), or just towards good health. If you belong to this last category, then know that running towards good health takes more than will and determination. Below are the seven ‘S’s of running summed up by Dr Nadkarni:

Suppleness: Agility or the ability to run freely and happily—not the slow-motion sprint of Bollywood actors.

Strength: Weight-train to make your muscles strong enough to carry your body weight, but without overloading or jarring weight-bearing joints like the ankle, knee and lower back.

Stamina: When a filmi villain doesn’t have sufficient stamina, the cops catch him. When you don’t have enough stamina to sustain a long run, the cop within you, also known as poor fitness levels (yes, very philosophical), will catch you.

Style: The synchronised motion wherein each foot has the ability to happily kiss the ground as the next one lifts itself up off it.

Shoes: Don’t just pull up your socks, put on those running shoes too. Investing in a good pair of shoes is crucial to avoiding injuries.

Slimness: A well-toned body, where only biceps bulge and nothing else.

Stitch-in-time: Don’t save working out for the weekend. Ensure that you invest time during the week pursuing some form of exercise.

So are you running yet?

Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar