Running is one of the easiest and most accessible sports with health benefits. Running improves blood circulation and therefore improves the cardiovascular system, oxygenation of all organs and tissues, and due to active sweating the body is cleansed of accumulated toxins.
Knowing a few rules for safe running technique will help you avoid mistakes and injuries.
Don’t slouch. When running, keep your shoulders slightly relaxed and straight. Keep your head straight, otherwise if you look under your feet while running, you will slouch involuntarily. If you slouch, you will not breathe properly, which will reduce the flow of oxygen to the muscles.
Correct arm position. When running, the optimal angle of bending the elbows should be 90 degrees, that is, the arms are bent at a right angle. Make sure that the arms do not move across the body, but only back and forth. Proper arm movements will help during running by reducing the strain on your back.
Watch your stride length. Lean forward and try to take easy small steps. By leaning your body forward, you will be more comfortable locking the position of your hips, preventing them from making the wrong movements. When running on hard pavement, be sure to keep your knees slightly bent and pointing forward, but not up.
The correct foot placement should not be forgotten. There are several types of foot placement: rolling from heel to toe, midfoot placement, toe-to-midfoot, toe-to-midfoot, heelless technique (used for short sprints). The safest way to set the foot will be to load the midfoot. Avoid loading only the back or front of the foot.
Proper breathing. Try to breathe through your nose, this will trap road dust and allow clean air to enter your lungs. In winter, the advantage of breathing through your nose is that the air will be warmed when it enters your lungs, reducing the risk of catching a cold. If you feel the lack of air – then breathe with your mouth and nose at the same time. The main thing is that breathing while running should be rhythmic. Help to make a deep inhalation with your abdominal muscles, and on the exhalation completely release the lungs from air.
Knowing the correct running technique will make your workout safe and maximize your benefits.