Here Are 7 Easy Running Tips For Beginners
Wellness December 14, 2023 Hannah Lamarque
If you’re looking for a way in which to get into exercise, running could be it. Good for the body and even better for the heart, the activity can work out your muscles in a number of ways, helping you to find your way onto the road to fitness. When you’re starting a new activity, however, it can be worth following a few specific stages in order to ensure you perform to your best possible level. Want to run the world? Just follow these steps.
- Invest In The Right Trainers
When it comes to running gear, it doesn’t get much more important than your shoes. Supporting your feet, legs and back, your trainers have to be strong enough to endure the shock factor of the road and flexible enough to allow for sufficient movement. If you’re not sure what style best suits your running technique, there are plenty of sports shops that can help you find the pair for you by looking at the way you walk and move. A good pair of trainers will help you tackle any distance, so don’t scrimp on your purchase.
- Join A Running Group
Finding motivation as a beginner can be all but impossible. If you’re struggling to find the momentum in which to keep going, then joining a running club can be a great solution. Introducing you to people at the same level as you, running groups will help to improve your speed and fitness and introduce you to a number of suitable exercise routes. Running might be an individual sport, but there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy it with others.
- Aim For Distance
When you’re first starting out, you shouldn’t focus on your running speed. Aiming for the fastest possible time can lead to over exhaustion and frustration and before long, you might be finished with the whole thing. Instead, try setting out on your run with a specific distance in mind. Pace yourself when you feel tired and take your time; the end point is finishing, not breaking any records.
- Make Running A Habit
In order to make the most out of your exercise plan, try to make it a regular part of your routine. Knowing that certain mornings or evenings are dedicated to going for a run will help you to become more familiar with the activity and incorporate it more easily into your everyday life. Following a regular routine motivates many people to get out of bed and into their trainers, so try setting yourself specific days on which to hit the tarmac.
- Take Walking Breaks
There is nothing wrong with breaking your pace every now and then to take things a little slower and in fact, regular walking intervals might help to build your level of fitness. If you find that you are struggling, slow down your speed and break into a gentle jog or quick walk. As long as you keep moving, your body is still being exercised.
- Set Small Goals
Running with purpose is a very difficult thing to do when you’re first starting out and in order to keep yourself feeling motivated, you might want to set yourself regular goals. Trying to increase your speed or distance over a specific period of time can help you to keep training, even when things get tough. You can even download exercise apps that will mark your progress over time. There’s nothing like a milestone to keep you motivated.
- Mix Up Your Training
In order to improve your running technique and speed, it pays to alternate your training sessions with other forms of exercise. Doing weight lifting and stretching can really help to strengthen your muscles and will enable you to meet your running goals much more readily. Improving the state of your general health will help you to become a better runner; it’s not just all in the legs.