Running is a great way to improve well-being. To start running, you need a pair of shoes, and a willingness to move at your own pace. But what type to choose, so as not to harm your health? Read on – we will consider the main directions of this type of physical activity, and along the way, we will find out which type of run is the most useful. Make yourself healthy as you learn about it. Are you ready? Let’s run!
Recovery
It is performed the day after a hard workout, whether it’s a gym, crossfit or functional training. The goal of a light run is to make the blood circulate, and the muscles to relieve pain. The pace at this point is not important.
Ideally, you should include two such workouts per week. They will allow you to quickly restore the performance of damaged muscle fibers.
Interval
This type of run is a mixture of high-intensity bursts of speed with breaks for jogging and rest.
What is the point in interval running? Short intense series of accelerated, followed by periods of recovery of lesser intensity, will make it possible to burn many calories in a short time, challenge strength and endurance. Science confirms this: interval training improves productivity more than moderate-intensity training, according to a study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Intervals allow you to train at a faster pace than during other types of running, thereby you can bring physical fitness to perfection.
Fartlek
Do not forget that running should not be serious hard work – it should be fun! Fartlek is a fun running exercise that you may have already done before. This is similar to interval training, but not as intense.
You yourself set a goal, for example, make you go until you reach that road sign or maybe that tree in front. Then you slow down the pace to recover, and then pick up speed until you reach the red car parked at the end of the street!
Fartlek in Swedish means “high-speed game”, so play with a run and get unbelievable pleasure from it.
Cross
Its main feature is the use of natural terrain as a route: rugged terrain, hills. During ascents, you won’t be able to alternate walking and running, as in trail running, for example.
Unlike running on the road, the terrain is constantly changing when moving along the trail. It’s better to get your playlist sorted on mp3 juice before you start it. You run along trails, rocks, mud and grass, and possibly even through the snow. In addition to the technical side of the moment, you can carefully listen to the body and sensations. By concentrating on each step, you will begin to think less and listen more to emotions. This will allow you to enjoy outdoor sports.
With it you will increase strength and stamina. Constant climbs to the hills and descents from them train the gluteal muscles and hamstrings, the strength of which is necessary during running.
During descents, keep an eye on the support, landing on the forefoot to soften the blow. Use your hands for balance.
Sprint
Sprint is a short-distance race that must be run at maximum speed throughout the journey. As a rule, it takes from 60 to 400 meters.
Sprint training is important because it helps to improve physical fitness. In addition, they help to develop rapidly contracting muscle fibers, build muscle, increase heart rate and increase calorie burning. Along the way, you will develop agility, speed of reaction, coordination of movements.
Sprint is also recognized as the best “burner” of fat. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that a high-intensity workout such as sprint burns a much more significant amount of total body weight and fat than unhurried jogging.
If you are constantly training in the gym and are preoccupied with a set of muscle mass, then you will not find the best explosive, short “rocky” set. According to studies conducted by scientists from Australia, aerobic exercise is necessary for bodybuilders. After 15 seconds sprint, increase muscle mass. Thanks to the sprint, the metabolism will accelerate, and changes in the structure of muscles will occur. The synthesis of enzymes will intensify, and as a result, the muscles will become stronger and increase in volume.
Tempo
This run is easier to explain as an exercise performed with effort in a mode of moderate intensity. To make sure that you are doing everything correctly, you should perform a conversation test: if you are able to say two or three words at the same time, then you are running too slowly. If you can’t say a word, then you’re running too fast.
The advantage of pace running is that when properly performed, it increases endurance: in fact, the body learns to move faster and longer.
Progressive
The essence of this type of running is a gradual increase in pace, increasing in progression. This is when the pace at which the run ends is faster than the pace at which it started. Each kilometer should be faster than the previous one until the intended pace is reached.
Jogging
This type of running is considered the most useful. The American College of Cardiology has conducted research for 12 years, the results of which have amazed everyone. It turned out that runners who practiced fast running like sprints, interval and progressive, are more prone to sudden death. Conversely, lovers of quiet jogging showed the lowest mortality rates.
The fact is that jogging improves the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to muscles that begin to work more efficiently. As a result, the more you train, the better your heart works, and this reduces the risk of a heart attack.
Other benefits of jogging:
- During the race endorphins are produced, so jogging acts as a natural antidepressant, which, as you know, raises the mood.
- Suitable for both beginners and experienced runners. Ideal for the elderly, athletes, recovering from injuries, overweight people.
- For centuries, exercise scientists have believed that vigorous exercise can weaken a person and put them at risk of illness. The magazine Frontiers in immunology, which published studies of American immunologists, says the opposite. Moderate-intensity exercise, such as jogging, actually enhances the body’s immunity to the disease. This applies to both short-term illnesses (upper respiratory tract infections) and long-term illnesses (diabetes, cancer).
- Blood pressure decreases, which is one of the risk factors for a heart attack or stroke. Also, improves your immunity levels against diseases.
- Good HDL cholesterol rises. HDL cholesterol removes deposits of bad LDL cholesterol from the blood and sends it to the liver for excretion. An excess of LDL cholesterol is associated with diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as it blocks the flow of blood to the heart.
- Diabetes is prevented. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to the occurrence of type 2 diabetes, as it is overweight. Jogging is able to cope with cause and effect.
- The risk of cancer is reduced. This is believed to be possible due to the effects of running on hormone levels.
Each run is unique in its own way. Whatever type you choose, you will definitely feel its advantages and disadvantages. Let us dwell on them in more detail.
Four benefits of Running
- You will overcome the plateau effect in training. The American Heart Association calls jogging a great way to gradually increase your workout intensity. So there is a chance to reduce the risk of injury that would not allow you to train for several weeks.
- You will protect the body from the negative effects of stress. Whether you are a bodybuilder, a fan of Hatha Yoga or a football player, you will face stress anyway. Studies by the Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research at the University of Otago in New Zealand have shown that aerobic exercise, such as jogging, improves brain function and protects it from stress.
- You can easily deal with depression. During depressive moods, the level of cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress, rises. The Center for Molecular Medicine, in conjunction with the Clinical Neurology Department of the Center for Psychiatry Research in Stockholm, conducted studies that examined the levels of cortisol in people seeking treatment for depression . After 12 weeks of constant exercise, those who exercised regularly during the study had lower cortisol levels. Therefore, people who suffer from increased anxiety, and a tendency to depression, are encouraged to run.
- You will retain the flexibility of the spine with age. Between the vertebrae in the back, small floppy disks act as protective pads. Disks are, in fact, bags filled with liquid that shrink and wear with age and with a sedentary lifestyle. Long sitting increases the load on these discs. Running saves the size and flexibility of these drives. Studies by scientists from Deakin University in Australia showed that runners who ran at a speed of 2 meters per second had better disk mobility and the optimal amount of natural lubricant in them. The healthier these wheels are, the more flexible you will feel when moving throughout the day.
Five drawbacks of running
- Running causes joint problems and injuries. Constantly repeated strokes harm (both in the short and long term) bones, especially on joints, such as the knee, which is prone to injury. If you run along the sidewalks for long distances, wear unsuitable shoes, there is a risk of injury.
- Running causes muscle imbalance in the body. That’s because runners neglect upper body workouts and prefer to run more. They have developed legs, but the upper body is weak. Therefore, everyone needs to strengthen the upper body to maintain balance.
- Runners are not flexible and often get muscle injuries. The key to effective training is a warm-up before the race, muscle stretching. Then the body will quickly enter into working mode.
- Running is harmful in large numbers. Too much training leads to a state of chronic stress and fatigue that occurs when you overload the body, exceeding its ability to recover from too intense races. When you achieve overtraining, then you cease to achieve success in all areas of life. Strength drops, distance increases. You become slower, weaker. The mood worsens, and you become ill.
- Decreased potency. Although exercise has a positive effect on libido , the University of North Carolina has proven that extreme training, such as marathon running, has the opposite effect. This is due to a decrease in testosterone production after intensive training. Add to this mental and physical exhaustion, and as a result, you can only think of sleep.
Summary
Running is the best way to strengthen the cardiovascular system and improve blood circulation , thereby creating the basis for other activities. Strength training develops muscles, which means that the body burns fat reserves more efficiently. As a result of a combination of strength training and running, your performance will increase significantly. The main thing is to choose the type of running that is most suitable for you, which will bring pleasure day after day.