How to run effectively
It sounds simple. You put on your shoes and your running gear, step out the front door and go for it, returning hours later satisfied you?ve made the best of your day. Unfortunately, it?s not quite as simple as that ? at least not if you want to make sure you?ll be able to run in a few weeks time without having sustained any injuries.
As well as risk of injury there?s also the chance that your running isn?t quite as efficient as it could be so you won?t be earning the maximum potential benefit from your workout. Luckily there are some easy ways to improve your technique and maximise your workout.
The number one thing to be careful of is how you are moving your body. Make sure that you land with your heel first, not the ball of your foot. Doing anything else can result in your foot rolling when you hit the ground which can cause serious injury over time. Also, make sure you are moving your arms enough; our bodies are made to synchronise so the more you move your arms, the more you knees will move. Move your arms fast, and you?ll run fast.
There are a number of things to avoid when running that are common mistakes by amateur runners and can be avoided easily once you?ve identified them. See if you are guilty of any of the following:
? Twisting your entire body to the side as you run
? Bending your body or head forward
? Jogging slower than you could walk at a fast pace
? Landing too heavily on your feet or striding too far
Maintaining a proper posture can be crucial to avoiding injury, so if you are guilty of any of these things see if you can stamp them out by reminding yourself of them when you run. If you feel you can?t stop, talking to a professional might help.
As well as physical methods, it?s also important to make sure you are looking after yourself internally as well. Eat well and try to aim to eat as many carbohydrates as well possible, which can be found in things such as rice and pasta. When running you?ll use glycogen which comes from carbs and you require a healthy amount of protein in order to add muscle. Try to eat something small an hour or so before you run and then something shortly after you finish. This will aid quick recovery. If you want to shower after a run, try a cold shower rather than a hot one, which helps flush out lactic acid.
Running more sensibly is one thing, but many of us also need motivation to continue running on a regular basis. One of the key ways to increase motivation is to keep a log of your fitness. There are several computer programs that will allow you to do some pretty accurate tracking, but you could do similar things for free using a spreadsheet program. This will give you encouragement because you?ll see yourself making quantifiable gains over a period of time.
If stats aren?t your thing, than perhaps people are. Find a friend who is interested in running and go out with them on regular sessions. This may well keep you more interested in the exercise, but make sure the person you pick actually enjoys running ? trying to drag along a friend who has no interest won?t benefit either of you. If you can?t find anyone, consider joining a running club. Most local communities have a running or athletic club available and the extra encouragement of your peers could be a massive help.
Above all, the most important thing to remember is to have fun. Once you?ve got the basic science of running and eating well sorted and the motivation of friends to keep you going, you?ll find everything quickly becomes second nature.