People start running for a variety of reasons. Some run because they want to lose weight, improve their health, compete in races or try something new. Whatever your reason is for running, you'll experience many physical, mental and emotional benefits from the sport. Here are some great reasons to get started with running:
- Running improves your health
- You can lose weight
- You can experience something new and different
- You can train for a specific goal
- Running will help you feel good about yourself
- Running improves your energy levels
- Running can help with stress relief
Whether you want to run for health, fitness, weight loss, competition, or fun, you'll need to learn the basics about running. Get started with these resources, including advice on how to run, beginner training schedules, and injury prevention tips.
The following is the advice for runners who want to increase their speed and prevent injuries by developing flexibility.
Warm Up and Cool Down: Stretching is important during your warm-up, before you run, because it increases blood flow to the muscles. But stretching during your cool-down may be even more important.
Don’t Overstretch: While stretching can promote flexibility, stretching too far actually can damage the muscles—particularly if you’re recovering form an injury. By overstretching, you create an automatic myotatic reflex that actually will cause the muscle to recoil to protect itself from tearing and injury. Also, don’t bounce while stretching. Holding your stretch in a static position works best.
Combine Stretching and Strengthening: A good time to do your stretching exercises is while resting between lifts during your strength training. Strength training will not decrease your flexibility, as long as you do it properly and perform your lifts through their full range of motion.
Use RICE: Health professionals frequently promote RICE as one way of treating an injury: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.
Resist Aging: Studies show that a sedentary lifestyle is a bigger factor in decreasing flexibility than aging. If you stay active aerobically and use stretching to maintain your flexibility, you will look and feel younger because of the way you move.
How to Run: FAQs
Q.1. What do you need to know to get started with running, including proper form and technique?
Improving your running form can help you run quicker, more efficiently, and with less stress on your body. Follow these tips to work on perfecting your running form.
Look Ahead. Your eyes should be focused on the ground about 10 to 20 feet ahead of you. Don't stare at your feet. Not only is this proper running form, but it's also a safer way to run because you can see what's coming.
Land Gently
Don't be a toe runner or a heel-striker. Try to land on the middle (ball) of your foot, and then roll through to the front of your toes.
Keep Hands at Your Waist
Try to keep your hands at waist level, right about where they might lightly brush your hip. Some beginners have a tendency to hold their hands way up by their chest, especially as they get tired. Ironically, you may actually get more tired by holding your arms that way and you'll start to feel tightness and tension in your shoulders and neck.
Relax Your Hands
As you run, keep your arms and hands as relaxed as possible. You can gently cup your hands, as if you are holding an egg and you don't want to break it. Don't clench your fists because it can lead to tightness in the arms, shoulders, and neck.
Check Your Posture
Keep your posture straight and erect. Your head should be up, your back straight, and shoulders level. Check your posture once in a while. When you're tired at the end of your run, and you feel yourself slouching, poke your chest out.
Relax Your Shoulders, Too
Your shoulders should be relaxed and square or facing forward, not hunched over. Rounding the shoulders too far forward tends to tighten the chest and restrict breathing.
Rotate Arms from the Shoulder
Your arms should swing back and forth from your shoulder joint, not your elbow joint.
Don't Bounce
Try to keep your stride low to the ground and focus on quick turnover. Too much up-and-down movement is wasted energy and can be hard on your lower body.
Keep Arms at Your Side
Avoid side-to-side arm swinging. If your arms cross over your chest, you're more likely to slouch, which means you're not breathing efficiently
Q.2. How should you breathe when running?
You should breathe in and out through your mouth when you're running. Your muscles need oxygen to keep moving and your nose simply can't deliver enough. Deep belly breathing allows you to take in more air, which can also help prevent side stitches.
As a beginner, try to run at a pace at which you can breathe easily. Use the talk test to figure out if your pace is appropriate. You should be able to speak in full sentences, without gasping for air. Slow down or walk if you're running out of breath.
Q.3. Which is the best surface to run?
Although they offer softer surfaces, running on sand or grass may actually increase the risk of injuries in runners. Although softer than pavement, sports medicine experts report more sprains, strains and even tendonitis from running on uneven and inconsistent surfaces like the beach or grass. Because each step creates varying pressures and forces in the feet, ankles, knees and hips runners most constantly adjust to the surface. Not everyone has the skill or ability to do that easily.
These natural surfaces also tend to slope, and this also creates a dangerous off-center force on the ankles and feet. Over time, running on uneven surfaces can result in tendonitis, inflammation of joints and tendons and even fractures.
This doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't run on the beach or on trails. Softer surfaces can be great for reducing stress and impact. Running on smooth, soft surfaces, such as trails, running tracks, dirt roads, smooth fields and sand is often a better option for many people. It is far less stressful than concrete and other pavement, but you need to pay attention to the variability in the terrain to have the safest experience And no matter where you run, you should pay attention to the running surface, because changes in the terrain can occur at any time in any place.
Running is a great exercise that can be incorporated into any routine and can be done by people at any level of fitness. It doesn't require much equipment - just a good pair of running shoes, and proper clothing - and can be done almost anywhere. Just put one foot in front of the other and go.
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