How to practice running

★ Posted on 12-09,2024

There is no fixed pattern in running movements. As long as the movements of various parts of the body can be coordinated and smooth without causing nervous movements, it is probably an effective running movement.
First, you must have good body posture, and the prerequisite for good body posture is proper muscle strength. Some exercises that can strengthen muscle strength, such as sit-ups, push-ups, squat jumps, pull-ups, etc., are beneficial to maintaining good body posture and obtaining effective running movements.
The standard running posture is to keep your head and torso upright, your body quite relaxed, your head raised, your eyes looking straight ahead, your arms drooping naturally, and your fingers lightly clasped slightly towards the midline of the body. When you step forward, your feet are directly under your body's center of gravity.
Beginners to running often make the mistake of taking too long a stride; that is, when the foot steps forward, the position of the foot at the moment it hits the ground is in front of the body's center of gravity. Some other common mistakes include: when the feet are on the ground, the toes point inward or outward; the body bounces too obviously; the arms swing too much or swing in the left and right direction. Running movements should be as smooth and natural as possible, and all over-emphasis on movements should be reduced to a minimum.
Never run on your toes, this is a common problem for beginners. In this running method, every time the toes touch the ground, the calf muscles and heel keys bear a considerable load, which will cause pain in the calves over a long period of time. For endurance long-distance running, it is reasonable to run with the heel or the sole of the foot on the ground.
The combination of breathing is very important to a runner's speed control. Based on the author's experience, it is a good idea to match the number of steps with breathing. When maintaining an even speed, exhale in 4 steps and inhale in 2 steps. When accelerating, exhale in 3 steps and inhale in 3 steps. When oxygen consumption is large, exhale and inhale in 2 steps.
Intensity control: The key to control is to determine the most appropriate running intensity, that is, the required pace. First understand the heartbeat response of running, and then adjust the running speed. By trying again and again, it's not difficult to find the right speed.
The formula is: (220 - age - heartbeats per minute at rest) × 75% + heartbeats per minute at rest
Example: Age 40, heart rate is 80 beats per minute at rest
Then (220-40-80) × 75% + 80 = 100 × 75% + 80 = 155
That is, this person is the most suitableThe training heart rate is 155 beats/minute
Running injuries: Common running injuries include: tibial periosteum inflammation, knee pain, muscle strain or even rupture, muscle key inflammation or fracture, etc. The biggest cause is excessive movement - too much and too fast. Therefore, we must proceed step by step and gradually enhance our motor function.
Muscle soreness at the beginning is normal. The reason is that the muscles are stimulated by new stimulation. As long as the running method is correct, the soreness will gradually disappear.
Warm-up exercises and stretching exercises before and after running must not be omitted. In addition to preventing injuries, they can also reduce fatigue and soreness after exercise.
There are 4 basic elements of running training: endurance, strength, speed and rest.
Endurance
If we think of running as a pyramid, with the most advanced competition once or twice a year as the top of the pyramid, the foundation of endurance is the base of the tower. For runners seeking fitness, the base of the tower is of most interest. But for most runners, the tower base is the beginning and end of the entire program. Without a good foundation, higher-intensity strength work and speed work are impossible. Some runners often ignore the plan, which adversely affects our running. In fact, we can design our own running plan well, especially during the annual time to lay a good foundation for endurance training.
Power
As we age, our physical and mental endurance has dropped to the edge of a cliff. A decrease in muscle protein is a typical condition that occurs with age. In older adults, falls and fractures are common due to reduced muscle strength and extreme frailty. Research shows that strength training can also effectively reduce the frequency of falls and fractures in the elderly.
Regardless of age, runners rarely make the effort to build muscles other than their legs. However, regularly arranging a series of simple upper body strength exercises in daily training will effectively improve the trainer's running ability. The goal is to improve shoulder and arm strength and endurance, as well as abdominal and back muscle strength. By using their arms properly, runners can improve their performance by nearly 12%. The average runner who doesn't know how to use his arms is unlucky. The longer the distance he runs, the more tired his arms become. The arms are effective in maintaining stride because they act like a metronome to rhythmically drive the rhythm of the legs.
Increase upper arm strength with simple push-ups. Don't do push-ups too fast, and pay attention to the width of your arms to strengthen your back, shoulders, and arms, all of which will play an important role in the final stages of a long run. Don't do too much all at onceJust start doing it 4 to 5 times, and then gradually increase the number of times as your strength increases. The great thing about doing push-ups is that you use your own body weight to provide resistance,3 without investing in any equipment.
Another important muscle when running is your abdominal muscles. A weak and flabby abdomen means that during the final stages of long-distance running training and competition, your stride length decreases, your chest shrinks, and the total amount of air transported to your abdomen decreases. In addition, due to poor abdominal muscle strength, it may cause trouble to the waist muscles opposite to the abdomen. The solution is to do sit-ups in a planned and regular manner. This exercise exercises the back, waist, and abdominal muscles. Integrating upper body strength into your daily running routine is as simple as doing it as you would a clean-up exercise after your daily run. Start with 10 sit-ups, 5 push-ups and 20 dips, then increase to 12 sit-ups, 6 push-ups and 24 dips after two weeks.
Strengthen your running strength as much as possible. Once you have a certain endurance foundation, the easiest way to increase your stride is to run on hills. When training for mountain running, you can start slowly. An ideal mountain run would have a mountain trail length of 400 meters, and the slope of the mountain should not be too steep, so that the back kicking strength of the legs can be exercised without over-straining the muscles. Secondly, try to run uphill as much as possible. Because when you run downhill, the impact force of the ground on your feet, ankles, knees and legs increases (about 4 to 5 times your body weight). When you run uphill, the impact force will be much smaller, which is more conducive to strengthening the strength of the thighs and stretching the Achilles tendon. Reduce your stride length when running downhill.
Speed
For a runner, there are many ways to conduct speed training: go to the track and field and repeat various short distance runs; play speed games; run down quickly from above; participate in competitions, etc. . Speed ​​training is possible for everyone, but it is more effective for the elderly because it maintains the good biomechanical structure of the human body while maintaining gait, both of which will gradually disappear with age. There are three ways to increase speed:
⒈Increase cadence ⒉Increase stride length ⒊Increase both cadence and stride length
The first method is preferable to the second method. Increasing the stride length will cause the stride length to be too large, which will cause some biomechanical problems and sports injuries.
Speed ​​training, especially in track and field, should be about gradually (and painlessly) increasing cadence and stride length. The important thing is to improve gradually. Speed ​​training on the track is important for developing a feel for speed while also providing an opportunity to improve running form.
Rest
Of the 4 elements of running, many runners have laid a good foundation in training endurance. haveRunners balance speed and endurance very well. However, few runners take this important part of rest seriously. There is enough evidence to prove that rest is the most important factor among the 4 basic elements. Running brings us many benefits, and these benefits are all obtained at a cost. In running, this price is the repeated process of constant destruction and reorganization of muscle tissue in the body. Running endlessly will eventually lead to muscle damage, and in running we think of damage and overuse as synonymous. And muscle tissue becomes stronger than before after resting.
In order for us to stay healthy, injury-free, and run better, we need to follow some basic principles when running.
1. Run a few fewer days a week.
2. Replace 1 or 2 days of running each week with some low-intensity training. Such as swimming and aerobics.
3. Incorporate some walking activity into your running training.
4. Carry out stretching, yoga, massage, etc. in a planned way.
5. Apply the same theory to your daily life. We should learn the art of rest and relaxation just like we learn to work. By learning to rest and relax creatively, our bodies and minds can recover and become stronger.

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