If you love
a workout you can do anywhere, the thrill of competing in a 5K, or just know
that no other exercise is going to tone both your abs and your glutes as
effectively as a jog, you’re not alone. Nearly ten percent of people cite
running as their preferred method of exercise, and considering the inherent
full-body benefits, it’s no wonder those numbers continue to rise.
Just because
you think you know how to run doesn’t mean you’re necessarily doing it
correctly—or effectively. Whether you’re fueling up incorrectly beforehand,
making mistakes with your gear, or simply screwing up your form, there are
myriad ways you can botch this rote act.
1. Choosing the wrong shoes.
Before you even get out the door for your run, you may be
sabotaging yourself with the wrong shoes. Not only can opting for the wrong
shoes make it more difficult to run comfortably for a prolonged period of time,
it can also make you more injury-prone.
Choosing the right footwear is crucial. It’s important to
know your feet. Are you overpronator or underpronator? High arch or low
arch? Depending on your foot type, you’ll know if you need a shoe with
more cushioning or more stability. Choosing the wrong shoes can result in pain,
injury, and then, no running.
It is best
to go to a specialized running or athletic shoe store, where they do foot
analysis. With the help of the store employees, you can choose the best running
shoe for you, depending on your foot shape, size, and step and body weight.
2. Tightening your laces too tight.
While a
loosely-tied shoe can make you more susceptible to injury, over-tightening can
be just as bad. An overly-tight shoe can put pressure on the bones in your
foot, forcing you to adopt an uneven gait, while potentially limiting your
circulation, as well.
The worst
thing you can do is over-tighten your shoes. It will restrict blood flow. Plus,
it’s unbelievably uncomfortable.
3. Not pacing yourself.
It’s nice to
imagine that you’ll be ready to train for a marathon within months of starting
running. Unfortunately, that’s not true for most of us; in fact, pacing
yourself, especially when you’re still a novice, is one of the most crucial
things a runner can do.
One of the
biggest mistakes people make when they start running is choosing the wrong pace
and distance for their fitness level. If you are a newbie at running, instead
of starting with sprints or pushing yourself to 5 or 10 mile runs, start with
some shorter ones.
You don’t
want to feel completely fatigued or sore for the next days. Opt for a mile run
at a slower pace. Gradually increase your running speed and distance, because
if you increase your load too quickly injuries may occur.
4. Not breathing properly.
Breathing is
instinctive to all of us, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you know how to
breathe to best facilitate your run. The result? You’ll get winded and give up.
Breathing is
the essence of all movement. Without proper breathing, you won’t get enough
oxygen to your cells and fatigue very quickly. Find a breathing pattern that
feels comfortable for you and that you can maintain consistently through your
run, without any effort.
5. Opting for the wrong outfit.
While
choosing that cute, form-fitting outfit over your battered Guns N’ Roses shirt
may not seem like it would make much of a difference when you’re running,
trainers see it differently. When it comes to running and doing a
cardiovascular activity, run with slightly loose shirt to allow your body to
breathe, avoid overly-tight outfits, which may become uncomfortable, and
sticking with shorts instead of pants to avoid overheating.
However,
picking something you feel good in is pretty important, as well. In fact, research
suggests that activity-specific outfits, like running-optimized clothing, may
make you more motivated to stick to your goals.
6. Skipping accessory work.
Warming up
and cooling down aren’t the only ways you can improve your running technique.
If you’re skipping accessory work, like strength training, you’re not getting
as much out of your runs as you could.
Running by
itself has a pretty high impact on your joints: ankles, knees, hips and back.
Therefore, it is important to do specific accessory work that will help you
strengthen and stabilize your joints, preparing them for high impact forces
during running, as well as speed up healing and recovery process. Those
exercises should include strength exercises, such as single leg movements for
lower limbs, as well as core exercises, exercise for coordination and balance,
and stretching and mobility drills,
7. Neglecting your warm-up.
While you
may be eager to immediately hit the pavement when you’re out for a jog,
neglecting your warm-up can have some serious consequences. To help reduce your
risk of future injury, make sure that you stretch before you start running, and
ease into things at a gradual pace.
If you don’t
take few minutes to stretch or warm up before a run, you are increasing your
chances of getting injured. When you warm up your body before running, your
blood flow gradually increases and prevents you from pulling a muscle. A good
rule of thumb to follow, Include 10 minutes to warm up before each run.
8. Not being mindful.
Although
many people associate mindfulness with more meditative activities, it’s also
essential for an effective run. When you are being mindful, you will notice
when your body is sending you signals, whether you’re feeling good and energized,
or you are getting totally out of breath and really struggling.
When you are
not aware of how your body feels while running, you can cause yourself to get
injured by putting too much pressure on your joints, holding your breath, and
impacting the function of your lungs, or even falling.
9. Starting your run without hydrating.
A little
water can go a long way when it comes to making you a better runner. However,
it’s not just drinking during your workout that helps: the key to a better run
is making sure you’re adequately hydrated before you start.
Several
studies have shown that a loss of 5 percent body water inhibits your
performance by 30 percent. Therefore, make sure to drink plenty of water around
your workout time: before, during (especially if it is a longer run in
high-temperature environment), and after. As a rule of thumb, you need to
replace each ounce of lost body fluid by 2 ounces of fluids.
10. Not monitoring your heart rate.
You keep
track of plenty of metrics when it comes to your running habits, from how long
you’re exercising to your weight. So, why are you neglecting to monitor your
heart rate?
Heart rate
is a great monitor and tool to regulate the intensity of your run, as well as
it shows the progress of your fitness level. Imagine you are running at an
8-mile-per-hour pace, with a heart rate of 140. Six months later, you will have
a consistent 120 heart rate, at the same pace: great progress! Get a good heart
rate monitor and take advantage of the information you get out of it.
11. Clenching your fists.
Think your
legs are the only part of your body you should be focusing on when you run?
Think again. If you’re running with your fists clenched, you may be doing
yourself a major disservice when it comes to getting an effective workout.
Relaxing
your hands helps you focus your energy where it should be: on your running.
12. Eating the wrong foods.
The mistakes
we make running start long before we even lace up our shoes. The wrong foods
can wreak havoc on our energy levels, and may even make us more prone to cramps
while we’re exercising.
Half an hour
before you run eat a snack that includes protein and a complex carbohydrate
like whole wheat toast and peanut butter. You’ll see a difference in your
energy levels from when you ran with an empty stomach.
In general,
pre-workout meal: heavy on the carbs. Post-running meal: heavy on the protein.
13. Skipping interval training.
A nice, long
run can give you that much-desired runner’s high, but that doesn’t mean you
should sleep on interval training, either. In fact, shorter intervals may
expedite your weight loss without the wear-and-tear on your joints associated
with longer runs.
As a tip
when running for weight loss, try running in intervals. For example, you’ll
want to pick up the speed for high-intensity for about 30 seconds, drop back to
a speed that isn’t so exhausting, and once you’re recuperated, go back into
that intense run. Perform those intervals for 15 to 20 minutes 3 to 4 days a
week.
14. Neglecting your core.
One of the
best things about running is that it uses virtually every part of your body.
Unfortunately, many people forget to engage their core when they’re running,
making themselves less effective and more injury-prone in the process.
In terms of
form, use your core! Running is a full-body exercise. Engaging your core and
not only relying on your legs will help you run more effectively.
15. Skipping the cool-down.
While it may
feel great to end your run and immediately hit the shower, doing so is a pretty
bad idea. In fact, if you’re not cooling down, you may be setting yourself up
for failure in the long run.
Warming up
before a run, cooling down is equally important. Neglecting spending some
minutes to cool down, post running can have some serious impact on your
recovery. If you don’t gradually lower your pace after running by taking the
time to walk, lower your heart rate and stretch your body, then you are signing
up yourself for experiencing nausea, dizziness or getting leg cramps.
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