Running is one of the best ways of increasing the rate of metabolism. The practice also aids in toning your body muscles. Although, this is the case, many people don’t know how to make running easy. To guide you here are some of the things that you can do not only to make your run easy, but also fun:
Start With Easy Miles
If you are new in running, you should not bother yourself with running long distances. This is because this will strain you a lot and you will most likely give up. The best way of going about it is starting slowly. For example, you can start by running 200 or 300 meters and then increase the mileage as you get used to the exercise.
If you are running in an area where there are many hills, you should avoid tracks that have high hills. Experts recommend that you should avoid hilly tracks during the early stages of the training; however, if you have to go up the hills you should ensure that they are not steep.
Change Your Uphill Technique
Running uphill is usually difficult as you have to do extra work to overcome gravity. To make your uphill run easy you need to use the right techniques. One of the things you need to do is to avoid leaning forward at the waist.
This is because when you lean forward you tend to inhibit your ability to flex your hips and drive your knee up.
Leaning forward also inhibits your ability to extend your leg behind you and as a result you don’t have enough power to go up the hill.
The final disadvantage of leaning forward is that it destabilizes your body’s center of balance thus making your run very difficult.
To be on safe side you should make every effort to ensure that you run standing tall. Doing this will not only stabilize your center of gravity, but it will also ensure that you spend minimal amount of energy running thus make your run easy.
Relax Your Hands
Many runners make the mistake of raising their arms especially when running uphill. It’s also common for the runners to run while clenching their fists. Doing this makes your run difficult as it tightens you all over your body.
To make the run easy you should run with your arms relaxed close to your body. You should also ensure that your fists are unclenched.
Learn How To Run Downhill
Many runners tend to lean backward when running downhill which is wrong. This is because leaning back destabilizes your center of gravity.
The best way of going about it is leaning forward a little. You should avoid leaning too far forward in order to avoid getting out of control.
Appreciate Nature
When running you should not only concentrate on your running, but you should also take time to appreciate nature. For example, if you are running near flowers, you should take time to enjoy the beautiful flowers. The same thing applies when you are running near other beautiful sceneries.
How to Run Efficiently
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Proper Running Technique
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I wish I would have known this information when I first started running. I started off running too far on steep hills without being relaxed and running correctly and suffered a knee injury. I’m now taking it much slower and enjoying it much more.
I had the same problem and changed my running technique on running hills and it really helped. If you can avoid hills that is the best thing to do, but if running hills is unavoidable, proper technique is a must. Just follow the great advice in this post.
When running, I only run on flat terrain. I find it hard going uphill and downhill. It is like I would slide down and injure myself. I will try leaning a little bit forward the next time I run downhill.
I have been running competitively for about 6 years now. This article is very precise! Another thing I found that helps me is running with a friend. At first you may not be able to talk and run at the same time but once you get in shape, having a person to talk to takes your mind off of the physical pain you are enduring. It also helps the time pass quicker and makes your runs more enjoyable.
Great advice! While training for a race this past summer I developed so much frustration due to the lack of progress on my endurance. After some serious pondering and research, I realized my technique was the problem. Having asthma has never been easy especially while being an athlete. I had to learn breathing techniques and the proper form before I could increase my endurance. Sometimes we overthink and just need to let our bodies fall into natural form. Clear your mind and everything falls into place.
These are wonderful tricks! I live at the bottom of a hill, and usually run in other directions to avoid it. Next time I go for a run I will have to try these out! To distract myself while running I tend to think of other things, like how I will organize a certain section of my home. This works better for me than focusing on nature, as I really don’t enjoy nature. Thank you for the tips!
I need to get back into running. I used to always run indoors on a track, since it is a flat and even surface, and in a weather controlled environment. I take for granted the beauty of nature, and how this can have a positive affect on my workout. I can see how running outdoors can have a relaxing quality to it, when you appreciate all that is around you.
Running is a great exercise not only for the cardio aspect and to tone muscles, but it is also a good mental workout. Running is a challenge, and whether you are running long distance or short bursts, it will challenge your mind. Your mind might be thinking it is time to stop, but as a runner, you have to fight through that negativity. I like in the video how she advised to incorporate plyometrics, weight training, and core training into your workout to become a more efficient runner. This is because you want a powerful lower body and a strong core to be the best runner you can be. Also, the article hit the nail on the head when it comes to clenched fists. If you clench your fist while running, this expends energy from your body. As a runner, you are going to want all of the energy you can get to finish your workout strong. So, keep those fists unclenched and relaxed while working out for a better outcome.