Starting from scratch: Where to begin ?

The world is clearly divided on the matter of running – some hate it, others love it. While some would do the harshest of dead lifts to dodge their trainer’s mandate to run on the treadmill, others would rather be running than doing anything else inside the gym (and even outside). Differences aside, running is one of the most effective cardio exercises and going by the term ‘runners high’, it is indeed one that gives a high adrenaline rush too.

Now if you happen to be a beginner and are seriously considering running the marathon, don’t jump the gun. You have to first learn about the correct running posture and then prepare yourself to run the marathon. We spoke to Daniel Vaz, NRC (NIKE Run Club) coach to learn the basics.

Running posture: Dos and don’ts

DO NOT LAND ON THE HEELS: When you run, your feet go through immense pressure. For example, in a minute, a runner strides 60 times on one foot at a force, which is 3-4 times your body weight. Now if you land on your heel, the same pressure travels up your spine sending high shock waves. It is always recommended to land on midfoot or forefoot. This helps your leg muscles to handle the pressure.

DON'T LEAN FORWARD: When you are running, stay upright. Imagine a string attached to your chest, which goes up to a tree top. This will give you a feeling of constantly being pulled up. Do not hunch as it can make you susceptible to injury.

DON'T OVER STRIDE: When you are running, your foot should land directly below your hips. If you overstride, your foot will land in front of the body with an exaggerated heel jerk and knees that are almost straight. This is an inefficient way of running.

TUCK YOUR ELBOWS IN: Some people aggressively swing their arms across their torso while running. Little do they realize that they waste a lot of movement with this swinging. Instead they should tuck their elbows in to save that energy.

Exercises to prepare for running:

When you are preparing yourself to run a marathon, you should alternate running and training days. If you are just starting your running journey, it’s good to combine jogging/running and body weight training on alternate days. If you are just starting, follow this - “First jog and let your heart rate peak. Once you are completely out of breath, walk to catch up on your lost breath, then jog again. Start with 20 minutes and go up as you feel ready.”

Here are some exercises you should do:

High knees

Butt kick

Power skip

Stiff legged movement

Squat jumps

Hamstring kick outs aka monster walks

Comments

Simple steps to deal with your sleep problems

Whether it’s down to anxiety, stress, a poor sleeping pattern or you’re just very unlucky finding yourself staring at the ceiling as the clock ticks by is something no one will enjoy. Everyone needs a goodnight’s sleep but achieving that isn’t always easy. So, what should you do if you suddenly find yourself unable to get to sleep? Well, thankfully there are a number of things you can do to help you get back to sleep. So, if you suddenly find yourself tossing and turning in bed try some of these tips. Listen To Nature Okay, this one might sound a little strange but don’t worry you don’t have to actually go outside. Listening to ambient sounds especially nature sounds might sound like it will just keep you awake but there is actually a lot of evidence to show that these sounds do help you sleep! It is believed that nature sounds achieve this because the constant sound is registered as non-threatening by your brain. So, on a subconscious level, these sounds help reduce the flight or f

Happy people are more willing to tackle social problems

A new study suggests that happy people—far from being self-centered or disengaged—are more willing to tackle social problems. There’s a stereotype about people seeking happiness—that all they care about is themselves. They look at the world through rose-colored glasses, and so they refuse to see suffering. If we want to motivate people to care about righting social wrongs, the thinking goes, then we must stoke people’s anger and fear. Now a new study refutes that narrative. According to the study’s findings, happier people seem to be more likely to take social action than their less happy peers.  Researchers surveyed three different groups of people to see how generally happy they were, then gauged how much they cared about a particular social issue. They also had people report on actions they’d taken in response to the issue, their future plans to take action, and, in some cases, their willingness to sign up on the spot to participate in social action. The first group consisted of

Blaming Others For Your Unhappiness

It is far easier to put the blame on someone else when things go wrong. You can blame your boss for how miserable your job is. You can blame your teacher for your inability to understand the lesson. You can blame your romantic partner for your failing relationship. You can blame your parents for your emotional struggles. And you can even blame the government for the poverty that you suffer. It actually makes you feel much better when you find fault in others, because placing the blame on yourself opens you up to feelings of regret, guilt and even shame. Doing so makes you focus on your own flaws and mistakes. And this may allow feelings of worthlessness to set in. But blaming others for your problems does not solve them. It only adds bitterness to your already miserable state. And by believing that others are at fault for your troubles removes your ability to take control of the situation. It renders you helpless and paralyzes you into simply accepting things as they are. In effect,

Networks

Search This Blog