Keep your hands relaxed, engage your core, and shorten your running stride. The shoes had a positive effect on stride length, plantar flexion velocity, and center of mass vertical oscillation. Choose clothes that are lightweight, wind resistant, and form fitting. Layer properly and cover your extremities in cold weather. A small study on endurance-trained runners pointed to the effectiveness of both strength and speed-endurance training in improving overall running performance.
The runners also reduced their training volume. To build muscle , lift weights or do bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges, and pushups. Stay active with sports such as swimming, kickboxing, or volleyball.
Create an intention for your training plan and stick to it instead of running at random. This allows you to have a purpose for each session and work toward a specific goal. Vary your plan to include endurance runs, high-intensity training, and strength training.
Get out on the track and run a few sprints, even if you normally run longer distances. A study found that trained athletes who did just six sessions of sprint interval training improved their running performance.
Sprint training has also been shown to improve endurance, strength, and power performance in runners while requiring less time and mileage than other types of training. Build up your mileage slowly, gradually increasing the distance every 2 to 4 weeks. This helps to ensure good posture, coordination, and balance, all of which will help to ensure your stride is on top form.
Balance out your strength-building routine with plenty of stretches and long holds to prevent muscle tightness and tension. Group members can be a healthy source of motivation, competition, and encouragement. This allows you to build consistency and get your body used to regular exercise.
Run hills to build lower body strength, burn fat, and increase your speed. Do sprint runs by running up a steep hill and cooling down as you walk back down.
A strong core establishes a solid foundation for healthy movement patterns so you can feel more comfortable and at ease while running. This helps to stabilize your back, build speed, and lower your chance of injury.
Exercise options include plank variations , single-leg Romanian deadlifts, and Russian twists. Endurance runs are longer distances done at a slower pace. This allows your body to get used to lengthy runs while maintaining a low-to-moderate intensity. Exercise and sport performance with low doses of caffeine. Run your knees straight up toward your chest, alternating between right and left legs. The combo of moving your feet quickly while assuming a plank position will make you crazy fast.
Get a leg up on fellow runners by adding yoga to your training plan. A study on male college athletes showed that twice-weekly yoga sessions increased flexibility in the joints and improved balance in ten weeks. Polsgrove MJ, et al. Impact of weeks of yoga practice on flexibility and balance of college athletes. Studies show well-rested athletes have better reaction times and clock faster finishes. Watson AM. Sleep and athletic performance.
The extra layers and fuel belts, that is. The less clothing and gear on your body, the faster your time — which is why the pros practically get right down to their skivvies to run. From new friendships to improved stamina to a boost in mental health, we break down all the health benefits of running. Are treadmill workouts more effective than running outdoors?
We spoke to an expert about choosing running indoors over the fresh air. Running is a great habit to get into. But within the practice, there are some unhealthy habits that risk injury. Here's what to avoid. After a long period of not running, getting back out there can be really hard even though it's worth it. This is exactly what it feels like. Curious if at-home cold therapy devices are worth the hefty price tag? We tried one to find out.
Here's our review. Kettlebells may look like the simplest piece of equipment in the gym, but they offer a ton of benefits for your body. Discover how kettlebells can…. Support is the name of the walking shoe game — but so is style. Maintaining good form while running will ensure that your body is operating as efficiently as possible, helping you to increase your running speed, as well as helping to prevent injuries. Running should feel natural and loose - you shouldn't feel tense or taut.
Try fartleks. Fartlek training involves varying your running pace at random intervals throughout your run.
With fartleks, you can run at a jogging pace for several minutes then sprint for a full minute, before resuming your previous pace. Do hill runs. Running over hilly terrain has been proven to gradually build up speed over time, so you should definitely incorporate some hill training into your workout schedule. Running uphill may be harder at first, but after a while of getting used to it, you will find it much easier to run on a level surface, and you'll run at a faster speed.
This involves running up a fairly steep hill for 30 to 60 seconds, at the maximum speed that you can physically maintain for that length of time. Learn how to breathe effectively. Getting the most out of your breathing can help to increase both your running speed and your overall stamina. This is because breathing deeply allows more oxygen into your bloodstream, which gives muscles more energy to keep going. You should inhale and exhale using both your mouth and nose, and aim to breathe into your belly rather than into your chest.
Look straight ahead. Something as simple as looking straight ahead while running can actually increase your running speed. Some runners have a tendency to look down at their feet or to look around them, taking in their surroundings, during their run.
While this is fine for people who are running for pleasure or just to enjoy the great outdoors, runners training for speed should aim to focus their gaze about 20 to 30 meters in front of them, always looking straight ahead. This is particularly useful advice for runners interested in racing - as it helps them to keep their eyes on the finish line! Lose weight.
Being fit does not necessarily mean that you are at your ideal weight, especially if you are eating large meals to compensate for an intense workout schedule. It is important to understand that the more extra weight you're carrying, the more effort it will require to complete your run. Listen to music. Although some running purists disdain the need for music while running, studies have proven that people who listen to music as they exercise show a significant increase in their power output,.
Keep a running log. Keeping a log of your workouts is a great way to track your progress and learn from every one of your runs, seeing how different conditions affect your time and speed.
Looking back on your log and recording your miles will also give you some added motivation when you need it. Part 3. Stay healthy. Running fast isn't just about exercising more. You will want to make this a "whole body" experience by maintaining a proper diet, hydrating, and keeping your entire mind and body fit. A healthy diet is essential for runners, as intense, high-energy workouts can take their toll on your body.
It is vital that you replace the calories you burn during a workout with healthy, vitamin- and nutrient-rich foods, which help you stay in peak condition and perform to the best of your ability. You should eat plenty of animal products like chicken, lean beef, eggs and dairy products such as milk and yogurt. These foods contain high-levels of protein, which is an essential energy source for runners, as well as lots of iron and zinc, which support the production of red blood cells and protect the immune system.
Calcium from the dairy products also promotes strong bones. You should eat whole-grain cereals with added protein for breakfast. These will set you up for the day and help you feel fuller for longer. The healthy carbohydrates will also give you energy, eating pizza,chips, and dont eat vegetables a great choice for an energy-boost before, during and after a run. Small portions of whole-grain rice and pasta rather than their white counterparts, which are void of nutrients are also a good mealtime accompaniment to lean meat and veggies, making dinnertime healthy, tasty and satisfying - a much sought-after combination!
Fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins, nutrients and good carbohydrates, which help keep you full throughout the day, without piling on the calories. Don't peel the fruit and veg, however, as the skins are the most nutritious part!
You should also try to vary the colors of the fruit and veg you eat, as the vibrant colors of different fruits and vegetables actually result from the various, healthful, antioxidant pigments they contain. For example, tomatoes get their color from lycopene, while sweet potatoes contain the beta-carotene that makes them orange! Drink plenty of water. It is essential that runners stay hydrated, both during their runs and in between, as dehydration can lower the supply of oxygen to your muscles, causing you to run slower.
However, contrary to popular belief, drinking eight glasses of water a day may not be the best way forward, and may even cause over-hydration, which can be dangerous in extreme circumstances. To find out how much water you should be drinking a day, follow the formulas below: Men: Men should multiply their body weight in pounds by.
Women: Women should multiply their body weight in pounds by. If you bring a sports bottle with you to drink water while you run, don't feel as if you need to be chugging away at it constantly. Current research recommends that you should drink when you're thirsty - no more, no less.
Avoid sweets and greasy foods. Junk food and candy may give you an instant energy boost, due to their high levels of sugar and fat, but that boost will rapidly be followed by a crash, leaving you feeling slow and sluggish. Stick with natural sources of sugar and fats for the same boost, without the negative side effects. If you're really craving something sweet, go for a banana, which is full of natural sugars but will keep you feeling full and energized for much longer than a bar of chocolate.
If you're craving fats, eat a tablespoon of peanut butter, on its own or spread on some wholegrain toast. Drink coffee. Conventional wisdom would hold that drinking coffee before running is a major no-no, as coffee is a diuretic which increases the risk of dehydration.
However, studies have shown that consuming a cup of coffee - or other caffeinated drinks - prior to running can actually give runners an extra burst of speed. Get plenty of rest. In addition to eating well, staying hydrated and training effectively, you also need to make sure that your body is getting the rest and recovery time it needs to perform well.
Pushing your body too hard can result in exhaustion and injury, which may put you out of the game for some time. To prevent this from happening, make sure that you give yourself one or two rest days a week,. Part 4. Stretch before you run. Stretches are a great way to increase flexibility, improve performance and reduce the risk of injury while running. Rather than traditional static stretches stretch and hold , dynamic stretches which incorporate movement have been proven to be more beneficial for runners.
Do leg lifts. Swing one leg out to the side as far as you can swing it, and then swing it back across your body in front of your standing leg, as far as possible. Repeat this stretch ten times on each leg.
Do tin soldiers. Keep your back and knees straight, and walking forward, lift your legs straight out in front in an exaggerated march, and flex your toes towards you. Too easy? Add a skipping motion. Do ten reps with each leg. Do butt-kicks. Kick your own butt? You bet! While standing, walk forward, and swing your legs back and up, trying to kick yourself in the glutes. If this gets to be too easy, do it while jogging.
Do lunges. Step forward using a long stride, and keeping the front knee over or just behind your toes, lower your body by dropping your back knee toward the ground. Walk using that movement. Maintain an upright posture throughout the stretch, and keep your abs tight for maximum benefit. Once again, do ten reps on each leg. Do pike stretches. It's important to have a strong aerobic foundation before you begin incorporating speed training into your workout routine.
Corkum recommends that new runners or runners that have taken extended time off spend at least four weeks building up their endurance before beginning speed workouts. Building this endurance will also help you establish a routine to become a more consistent runner, which is important for building speed.
Here is a sample month long workout schedule provided by Springer for moderate to strong runners looking to improve their speed. For the speed training days, make sure you add in a 10 minute warm up run at the beginning of your workout and a 10 minute cool down run at the end.
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It indicates a way to see more nav menu items inside the site menu by triggering the side menu to open and close. Ava English. To run faster, you should incorporate speed workouts like tempo runs and fartleks. You can also try weight training and hill runs to improve your speed. Overall, to become a faster and stronger runner, it's important to stay consistent with your training schedule.
Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Ava English is a freelance health writer.
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