5 Techniques to Run Better

Running is a natural activity of the human being that has followed us since the beginning of our existence, even throughout our evolution. Most of us at some point in our lives, either for fun or out of necessity, end up speeding up our pace in order to get to a place quickly or simply for the pleasure of activating our body.

However, despite being a totally natural activity and rooted in our existence, not all people know how to run correctly. It might seem that running is a totally simple activity that does not require a great background science; however it is not, or at least not completely. If we want to know how to run faster and without getting tired, it is necessary to follow a series of guidelines.

This is especially important when we talk about people who are doing this activity as a frequent sport in their lives. If we are running as part of our training, it is of the utmost importance that in order to obtain the best possible benefits, we know what things we should avoid and what things we should do when running.

When people look for techniques to run better, it is important to take the advice and instructions seriously, because sometimes for the pleasure of doing it our way or because of laziness, we end up exposing our body to mishaps.

From the way we place our feet on the ground, the proper way to take our strides, our rate of breathing, and even the way we swing our arms will all have an impact on running and results. That we obtain can vary depending on the way we are performing our exercises.

That is why today I want to show you 5 techniques to run better that you will need to take into account and apply when training.

What do you need

• Water
• Good nutrition
• Discipline
• Constancy

Instructions

First of all consider hydration:

1. One of the big mistakes of many new athletes is that they do not consider the amount of water they are drinking, both throughout the day and during sports practices.
2. When we are not well hydrated, we are risking our body to go through many mishaps especially if we have intense activity without adequate hydration. Our body requires water to be able to purge the toxins in it and maintain proper organic function.
3. Before running, most people do not drink water because they do not feel like it, that is, they are not thirsty. This is one of the worst mistakes you can make, because if you exercise without drinking water, you will only dehydrate your body even more and you will achieve prolonged, unnecessary wear and tear that could ultimately affect your liver and kidneys at an organic level.

Take care of your diet:

1. The main thing is to always have a good diet. This means that you eat food in order, without skipping meals and following a prolonged and balanced diet. Make sure that the amount of protein you consume, whether of plant or animal origin, is adequate for your needs as an athlete.
2. Always integrate fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates and proteins into your meal, this will provide the energy that your body needs to perform when running or doing any other exercise.
3. Ask a nutritionist what type of food best suits your needs. In general, eating 5 or 6 times a day, alternating full meals and snacks, is adequate. To give you a simpler example, start with breakfast, continue with lunch, lunch, snack and dinner. We will do this in order to provide the nutrients that our body needs, regularize our body and of course speed up our metabolism.
4. Never spend long periods of hunger, and never exercise on an empty stomach. This can be very counterproductive, as we could alter our blood pressure and weaken our muscles. The body eliminates muscles faster than fat, so if your body goes into starvation phases, it will eliminate muscles first and fat will remain longer, it is even possible that it increases, because by not receiving food, your body will convert each nutrient into energy and deposit it as fat in your body.
5. It is also recommended that you consume an extra portion of protein after training so that the muscles can regenerate more effectively.

Get the best posture:

1. It is important that you learn how to run properly. Keep in mind that if you run with poor posture, you could injure your body.
2. Make sure your head is always looking forward. We do this to avoid fatiguing the neck or dorsal muscles. It is also necessary that you keep your trunk straight, do not arch your back when running, as this could tire your back and chest.
3. We do not recommend leaning your trunk much forward or backward, as the weight can be disproportionate and end up exerting a greater load on our knees, which can tire you faster or injure you.
4. Don’t force your arms either, leave them half loose, bent at a 90° angle and with your fists clenched. In other words, a comfortable position, not forced. When you stride with your left foot, move your right arm forward, and when you stride with your right foot, move your left arm forward. Alternate the members of your body naturally.
5. Relax your shoulders and try to keep them straight but naturally. It is important that your elbows are not too far away from your body nor do you force them to be close. Just keep them comfortably next to your trunk.

Run carefully:

1. Avoid lunging with your heels, this can be very damaging. You’re better off landing on the midcourt. It can be a bit difficult at first, but it is the most appropriate to achieve the best results.
2. Avoid lifting your knees too high and fully extending your leg. If you stride too long, you could end up landing on your heels and the weight strike as well as the type of landing can backfire.
3. It is also important that you avoid taking very long strides or jumping a lot, as it can be harmful to our tendons. It is better to take natural strides, with a normal distance and trying not to force the distance or the jumps. Don’t try to get your feet off the ground too much. Remember you are running not jumping.

Have schedules and order in your exercises:

1. It is always necessary to do the exercises in order and without overdoing it. A very common mistake is when people run a lot to exhaustion and then go a long period without running again.
2. It is better, especially for beginners or intermediates, to run 5 to 10 minutes a day correctly than to run for more than 20 minutes with excessive or poor exercises.
3. It is better that you run and increase the level gradually. For example, if you currently run for 10 minutes straight at a certain speed today, you can increase the speed the following week and the amount of time the following week. So your body can take condition.

Tips

• Find more articles to learn how to run correctly on this site, we know they will be very helpful.
• Remember that you must wear comfortable shoes, that are your size and that are specially prepared to soften the blow of the strides, so you can get the best possible benefit and obtain a better physical condition.
• You need to allow your body to rest in order to regenerate; resting for 2 to 3 days in a row can be an excellent way to take care of yourself.