Proper Running Footstrike: 3 Steps To Improve It! - As a lot of you know by now, running boils down to a lot more than just putting one foot in front of the other. In this post we tackle proper running footstrike with 3 surefire steps to improve it! The way your foot hits the ground as you run tends to fall into one of three categories. Before we get into what they are, let’s first make something very clear. One isn’t better or worse than another. They are each valuable for some type of terrain, elevation change, section of a race, etc. Understanding when to use them, and how to blend them to find your most “neutral” footstrike for the long runs will be our key focus here.
Heel Style Strike: In this method, the heel hits the ground before the rest of the foot follows suit to land. This is one of the most common footstrikes we see, and here’s why: 1) If you spend most of your day seated, you’ve probably developed chronically tight hips. 2) Due to this, your stride reaches out much further in front of you than it needs to. Forefoot Style Strike: 4 Kettlebell Exercises And Workouts For Runners. When it comes to strength training for runners…there are no excuses! This KILLER workout requires just one kettlebell and a little bit of space! It’s pretty crazy how one little (okay not that little ) piece of metal can take ANY movement to the next level. We love the kettlebell for many reasons, but mainly for its versatility and ability to make a squat, deadlift, olympic lift, etc so much tougher!
Today we’re going to highlight two of our favorite movements: the squat & the push press. Together, these two make for some spicy strength training for runners. But before we get started…if you don’t have a kettlebell, don’t worry! This one’s pretty simple, on paper. You’re going to perform a squat just how you normally would, but now you’re going to hold a kettlebell tight to your upper chest for the entirety of the movement, and for all the reps thereafter.
Let’s break that down: You can hold the kettlebell by either the handle or the round base. Here’s your workout: Good luck, runners! How To Prevent Leg Cramps While Running. If we had a nickel for every time someone asked us how to prevent muscle cramps… Most of what we hear about how to prevent muscle cramps centers around electrolytes, salt tablets, hydration…all things to consume. While these do play a big role in preventing and undoing these cramps, there’s actually a lot more that we can control on our end, as the runner. A marathon is 26.2 miles of putting one foot in front of the other, without much change in body position. While many of us start the race with great, upright posture and a steady foot strike, we don’t always finish that way. Muscle cramps can creep up when your form falls apart. Hamstrings, quads and calves tend to take the fall first.
But, why them? The hamstrings and quads should always be working together when you run. Especially in a marathon, one or the other cannot physically handle the work alone. The Hamstrings cramp when: The Quads cramp when: The Calves cramp when: Breathe Breathing deeper will also help you to relax. Relax The Upper Body. Are Cushioned Shoes Bad For You. Cushioned Running Shoes: Do they HURT or HELP? So you know. Things in a running shoe post might get a little fiery, and maybe even a little weird. After all, few things evoke more commentary, more fervor, and more zeal than a (wait for it) conversation around running shoes. That’s right, runners tend to care WAY more about that thin (or in this case ULTRA thick) layer of rubber between them and the ground than they do about the next president… or the name of their next child… or…even the name of their current child.
Well, maybe not the last two things (sorry parents), but our footwear ranks pretty darn high in our day to day, especially when running or any other activity is concerned. And before we delve into some interesting stuff, that the current maximalist shoe trend might NOT minimize impact on our legs and prevent injury (for which shoes like the HOKA ONE ONE are now so famous), we have to look at our totally weird fetish-like relationship with shoes in the first place. Yeah you. Nate. How To Use Fat As Fuel. (Photo Credit: Chris Cardoza, Reebok). Note from Nate: Sorry folks but the reign of pre-race pasta dinners, breakfast cereals, and post run pancakes maybe be coming to an end.
Actually, it already has. This very informative post on fat burning and “metabolic efficiency” (ME for short!) Comes straight from PhD, metabolic-efficiency-training-specialist, sports nutritionist, ultra runner, and Ironman Isabelle Nadeau. You may have heard the saying, “abs are made in the kitchen” before. Yup, the muscles are there, you just can’t “see” them. In fact all the running in the world can only take you so far on its own. So…want to improve any of your run splits, but especially your half marathon, marathon, and beyond?
Want to optimize your body’s ability to run faster for longer periods, I.e. the universal running dream? Want to train for your marathon and ACTUALLY lose weight? It’s not the running, but the eating that needs attention! So without further ado… You guessed it, the fat burning athlete! Hill Sprint Workout Routine - 3 Expert Tips. At The Run Experience, we are BIG believers in hill sprints! Check out Coach Kirk’s best tips and running workout routine for introducing them into your training. What’s that saying? What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger? While running up a hill SUCKS, we do often find that the heart rate always comes down, you find your breathing again, the feeling comes back to your legs, and life goes on. So, what’s the point of enduring the pain? As with most things running: the harder something is, the more it’s doing for us. Hill work gets our endurance up.
We also love hill work because it’s a lower impact way to sprint. In this running workout routine, you can demand a really high effort level from your body without having to deal with the aftermath and “body beat-up” that flat ground sprinting can cause. When running up a hill, you’ve got to stay tall! As runners going through something challenging, our instinct is to put our head down and grind through. Keep your cadence up! Nope. Cross Training Workout For Runners: 6 Do's and Don'ts. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of information that’s out there on cross-training for runners! Check out Coach Nate’s 6 cardinal rules of cross-training to ensure you’re doing the right exercises for your desired goal! It’s important to identify what you want to get out of your cross-training that day. If you’re looking for something restorative, yoga is a great option.
Find a class or an online video to train in a way that restores your body, and improves your core strength, mobility, and breathing at the same time! If core strength and stabilization are your main focus, go for some pilates work. For a more full-body workout, TRX straps are ideal. And if you want a longer workout with a greater stimulus, hit the gym! Choose which equipment you’ll use based on your level of strength, and start counting those reps! Some days we have more aches and pains than others, that’s normal! But remember – these cross-training workouts alone won’t get you where you need to be by race day! Mix it up! 5K Training Workouts for Advanced Runners. So you’ve completed a few 5K’s. By now, the focus is no longer on finishing…but finishing FASTER.
In this article, we give you our most ADVANCED 5K training workout for improving your performance at the next race. The 5K distance is perhaps one of the most challenging out there. It’s too long to be considered a sprint and too short to be tackled long and slow, like the marathon. Being able to hold a desired race pace for the 5K comes down to TRAINING LIKE YOU RACE. The key here is to learn how to endure the suffering, before getting to that start line. Let’s take a look at this workout… You’re going to do three 1-mile runs. You’re going to rest 90 seconds between each round. But there’s a bit more to it. You’re going to need to measure out the 400 meter sections of your 1 mile course.
You’ll be adjusting both your speed and cadence (how many times your foot hits the ground per minute) as you go. Here’s the breakdown for how FAST you’re going to run each mile: This is where cadence comes in. Beginner 5k Training Workouts to Build Speed and Strength. Here’s the brutal truth, guys… in order to run faster, you need to RUN FASTER! 5K training for beginners is no exception. Use this workout to take your training up a notch! We get it. Learning to run is HARD. Learning to push past the point when you want to stop can seem next to impossible in the beginning. So how about breaking your workout up into more “doable” chunks? In 5K training for beginners, sometimes it’s more effective to work harder for several shorter periods of time, versus struggling through 20 minutes of hell, where it’s all you can do not to switch from a slow shuffle to a walk.
Here’s The Workout: 5 burpeesa 400 meter run45 seconds of restAlternate for 5 total rounds Hang on a second…what’s a burpee?! Let’s break this thing down. The Burpees: Every athlete’s favorite little method of torture. Well here’s why we LOVE to hate them. One HUGE part of 5K training for beginners is building stamina. The Run: If you have access to a track, you’ll be running around it once, each round. How to Train for First 5K - Tips & Training Workouts. You want to run a 5K, but where do you start? It can seem stressful to start planning your first 5k.
You may be coming back from a period off from running, you might be coming from a nonathletic background and are ready for a new challenge, or you may just want to organize your training a bit better. Continue reading our article below to get a better idea on how to run your first 5k. Keep reading for our 7 most important steps to get you on the right foot for your first 5K finish.
Check out The Run Experience website to see our 5K training program. Having a roadmap to your race is super important to stay consistent with your training and to run your most successful race. Finding the right pair of shoes is very important, but there are so many out there that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with style, colors, and brands.
Shoes come in 4 styles according to their cushion and support: Maximal, Stability, Neutral, and Racing Flats. Neutral shoes are the most versatile out of the 4 categories. Sprint Workout Plan.