Running is a very good workout to improve aerobic fitness, general conditioning of the body, strengthening of muscles and prevention of many illnesses by improving your immunity. It also uplifts the mood and provide mental relaxation. So, why not try a run? But it’s always good to garner some basic tips to enjoy full benefits of running and avoid any injury.
1.Warm up -in form of quick walking or climbing stairs and stretching your calves, hams and quads is important.
2.Proper footwear- A good pair of shoes is necessary to enjoy a pain free, injury free and comfortable run.
3.Alternating between walking and running-To start with you can alternate between walking and running. Gradually increase the running interval and replacing walking completely with running.
4.Frequency-3-4 times a week, 20-30 min/ day is a good start.
5.Progression-Increase the duration of your run every week. General rule of thumb is to increase the time by 10percent every week. So if you are starting with 20 min in week 1, you can increase to 22min in week 2 and so on. In terms of distance, if you ran 10km total in week 1, you can progress to 11km in week 2 and so on.
6.Keep yourself hydrated-drink whenever you feel thirsty.
7.Breathing- It’s better to combine both nasal and mouth breathing to ensure sufficient oxygen supply to the body while running.
8.Pace of running-Run at a moderate pace ,so that you can hold a conversation easily.
9.Start with small steps and avoid vigorous running to start with.
10.Strengthen your core, upper and lower limb muscles for better running performance and avoidance of injury.
11.Proper cool down is important to let your heart rate return to normal. You can do walking , easy jogging and cool down stretches of calves, hams, quads, back and shoulder.
12.Motivation-Use your favorite music or a run with a partner. It helps.
13.Relax your sore muscles with gentle massage after a run.
Stay informed and Start running. Enjoy your run!
Physio Insights 