How to start running - a complete guide for beginners. Running Training Programs Long Distance Pace Rule

A sedentary lifestyle often causes various ailments. This and problems with blood vessels and heart, and osteochondrosis, and obesity, and gastritis, And much more. You can prevent diseases and regain your health through exercise.

Running is the simplest, but nevertheless the most effective way to strengthen the body. But you need to run correctly, and if running is not yet a way of your life, you need to pay attention to the program for beginners.

First of all, you need to determine the place and time for running. Experts say it's best to start exercising in the spring or summer, as nature encourages you to be active at this time, and the greenery and sunshine will stimulate the desire to go outside and run.

It is advisable to choose morning hours, but still better focus on individual biological rhythms. For owls, who have difficulty getting up in the morning and are full of strength and energy in the evening, we recommend running in the middle of the day, but for larks it is preferable to run at dawn.

Important! Running on asphalt or concrete is undesirable, as this will negatively affect the health of your feet.

Where to begin

You need to start with a clear and clear goal. Without a specific picture and image, it will be difficult to start running.

Something must motivate a person, and even successful athletes always have a goal in front of them that they are striving for.

You can imagine an ideal body shape, a healthy and strong body, endurance, and so on. The main thing is that the goal is desirable, then the training will be successful, and you won’t have to drag yourself for a run, as they say, by the scruff of the neck.

Warming up before training

It will be easier to run if you warm up first. Warm-up is not only about activating muscles and improving blood circulation, it is also trigger for processes in the neuromuscular system. After warming up the body, the brain gives the command to the muscles to contract, which means they will be ready to run. In addition, after warming up, enzymes are actively produced that burn fat and increase the efficiency of the aerobic system. If you run without warming up, your body will become stiff and heavy.

Important! Abruptly stopping warm-up or running has a bad effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, so after running you should definitely walk for 2-3 minutes.

Unfortunately, beginners often neglect warming up, citing lack of time, and their workouts are more difficult and intense. Although it doesn’t take much time to warm up. It is enough to do a few exercises, walk a little or run in place for a few minutes.

and pulse

Breathing while running plays a vital role in achieving maximum results. Muscles will work intensively only when they are saturated with oxygen., which is delivered to them with blood.

The standard “inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth” stops working for beginners after covering part of the distance, and they begin to breathe frequently and shallowly. It begins to sting in the side, dizziness and yawning may occur.

Important! If the colitis is on the right side, it’s the liver, and if it’s on the left, it’s the spleen. This may be due to various reasons, but most often it is a load to which the organs are not yet accustomed.

You can eliminate these difficulties by gradually learning to breathe correctly. Why is the correct breathing technique to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth? There are two reasons for this:

1. Inhalation is a voluntary action, but exhalation is not.
2. You should inhale smoothly, this is what the nose is designed for. When exhaling, the lungs lose 3 liters of exhaust air, and the oral cavity will pass this volume faster.

As for heart rate, for beginners the norm is the formula 170 minus age. Raising your heart rate 15 beats above normal is considered acceptable, but after that you need to take a step and wait until your heart rate drops 30 beats, then you can run again.

Dress according to the weather

Of course, you need to dress for a run depending on the air temperature and weather conditions. In summer this could be a T-shirt and shorts, socks and a sun cap.

A In winter you need to dress in layers– first a T-shirt that will absorb sweat, then a turtleneck that will not allow the body to cool down, and then you need to wear a windbreaker or jacket that protects from the rain.

Women should choose a bra or tank top that supports their breasts.

Important! Clothes should not be very warm or restrict movement.

It is necessary to choose the right shoes - if the sneakers are uncomfortable, the harm from jogging will be more than good. Shoes should be comfortable and loose, walking sneakers are not suitable, you need running ones.

In addition, you need to know what surface you will be running on:

• soil - the sole should be soft with a dense mesh;
• highway - you need a shock-absorbing sole, with mesh in the upper part, so that your feet do not sweat.

In summer, the material must breathe, and in winter, repel water.

Plan

Beginners need Be sure to alternate between running and walking:

Program for Beginners

An example running program for beginners looks something like this.

Diary

Diary options:

Some add:

• distance traveled in a certain period of time;
• speed;
• blood pressure and pulse;
• exercises that are not included in the program, for example, push-ups, squats, etc.

Important! It is better to supplement the main notes with comments about health status, injuries, amount of sleep, and so on. This information will help you get a detailed understanding of the benefits of training for the body.

You can start an online diary or use mobile apps for training.

Conclusion

Therefore, running not only heals the body but develops endurance and gives vigor, it is also a training of discipline and willpower. Having overcome the initial stage, regular exercise becomes a way of life, which involves proper nutrition and giving up bad habits.

Cardio training is the best way to keep your body in excellent physical shape and also lose excess weight. The biggest advantage of jogging is the accessibility of such activities. You can train both in the gym and at home on a special simulator, as well as on the street. This discipline is suitable for men and women at any age - the intensity and frequency of races depends on the level of training. In this article we will tell you how to start running correctly from scratch and what advice can be given on running technique for beginners.

The benefits of cardio training

It is very important to understand what task you are facing in order to prepare for its implementation. The benefits of active cardio exercise are as follows:

All muscles are involved. The legs are strained the most, but with the right step, the athlete learns to step softly on the track, bend his knees, thereby carefully distributing the weight over the entire area of ​​​​the feet. In addition to the calves, this is a good workout for the thighs, buttocks, abs, arms, and back - regular exercises help develop posture.

The heart muscles are trained. Regular jogging with the correct breathing technique gets your heart pumping. The pulse increases; it is convenient to monitor its frequency using a heart rate monitor - a bandage on the wrist. Blood flow increases, due to which all organs and cells are supplied with oxygen. Due to the uniformly increased load on the cardiac muscles, it becomes stronger, so it is easier to subsequently survive overloads. The risk of cardiovascular diseases is reduced.

The respiratory system is strengthened. Proper breathing leads to a systematic increase in lung volume. They are actively used, filled with air, and expanded. This increases the blood supply to the organ, the capillaries are filled with blood, tissue regeneration and rejuvenation are activated.

Excess weight goes away. Jogging leads to weight loss, if this is your goal, then you should simultaneously reduce your calorie intake, which is the best place for a beginner to start. During exercise, a transition occurs from aerobic combustion of energy from cells to anaerobic. This stimulates the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. But the rule for such exercises is to spend at least 40 minutes jogging.

There are many benefits of cardio training for health and keeping fit, but the conditions for doing it are also attractive:

You can study at home. If you buy a treadmill, you will exercise without leaving your apartment. At the same time, there is a chance to watch TV, listen to music or, for example, learn a foreign language. The advantage of this option is the greatest mobility - there is no need to go to the gym, and you also have the opportunity to take care of your body at any convenient time of the day or night, without paying attention to the weather. The downside is the price of the simulator. But if you make this investment once, you will enjoy it for many years to come.

Comfortable conditions in the sports center. Usually there are a lot of cardio equipment in any gym, so there will be no queues and no difficulty in getting started. The tracks are suitable for clearly controlling the duration and pace of running. Many systems have a built-in heart rate monitor.

Free jogging anywhere on the street. You can exercise in a nearby park, forest, outdoor stadium, or just do laps around your home. The advantage is obvious - it costs nothing at all. In addition, nature and fresh air have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and strengthen the body. You just need to buy suitable sneakers and sportswear. You can go out on the track even in winter, but for this it is recommended to purchase suitable equipment. The online winter clothing store offers suits and down jackets for an active winter. Modern stylish design and new generation synthetic fabrics are the key to a long life of branded models.

Affordable price. Whatever option you choose, you still won’t have big expenses. Comfortable sneakers and clothes are the minimum expenses for a healthy lifestyle and a good figure.

How to start running correctly - with the right motivation

The most important thing in playing sports is a clearly formulated goal. We will offer you a few phrases that you can say to yourself in the morning in front of the mirror:

I can fit into the dress I wore to my prom!

I will no longer have shortness of breath when I walk up to the 9th floor!

I will boldly tell my friends: “I am for a healthy lifestyle”!

My children will have a lot to learn from me!

At 70, I will look and feel like I did at 40!

Determination is a quality of successful people!

The main victory is the one that is achieved over oneself!

In addition to such self-convictions, use small tricks.

The best way to start running with the help of motivating actions:

Reward yourself. Once you have achieved the desired results, please yourself with a purchase or enjoy an evening in a beauty salon. For a man, such a bonus could be a purchase at a fishing store or tickets to a match of his favorite team.

Focus on winning. Set a goal and strive for it. It must be within reach.

Record your results. This can be done using apps on your phone, but it’s more effective to create a visual reminder, such as a calendar. Here you can mark how many kilometers you have run and how many you have planned. At the end, the desired date should be noted with the indicated successes.

Formulate a varied training program. The right thing to do is not just start jogging, but also diversify your weekly plan as much as possible. Include other complexes in the exercises, alternate classes.

Compete. Choose a partner - a spouse, a friend, or an unexpected acquaintance on social networks. Boast about your successes, be interested in others. Such healthy competition will strengthen the fortitude of both.

Cover your expenses. Sometimes the best motivator is money spent. Buy an annual gym membership. Such spending will encourage you not to miss classes.

Combine business with pleasure. Download audiobooks or a good selection of music to your player. This will make your exercises much more productive.

How to start running correctly for a beginner - by walking

In pursuit of lightning-fast results, people often do not take into account their own strengths. The benefits for the body will only come when the muscles gradually become toned. Running is our natural ability. But due to the fact that we rarely practice it, the muscle frame has weakened. The same thing happens with the lungs. Due to the rare functioning of the organ at full capacity, breathing becomes incomplete. To avoid this, you need to alternate jogging with walking at first, gradually reducing the period of the latter action.

But the general rule is this: before each cardio workout, do a warm-up, and also start with a five-minute walk. You should finish your workout with the same steps.

How to choose clothes to start running

It depends on the time of year and the conditions in which you plan to practice. Suitable for warm spring and summer:

Leggings - they can be ankle-length or knee-length, the main rule is breathable and elastic material.

T-shirt, T-shirt or top - it is better to choose options that do not hinder movement and do not cause discomfort. Cotton or modern synthetic fabrics are best.

Socks – you should not buy short models, as they can rub your heel. Insulated or too thick socks are also not suitable.

Underwear – it is optimal to wear products made from natural fibers. For girls, special sports bras are suitable.

Trowel – when the weather is windy or cool. Buy options that are not restrictive, but also not too tight.

A cap or headband is a must if you are running in the sun. This will help avoid sunstroke or heatstroke.

Sneakers are the most important piece of equipment. When choosing them, focus on your own comfort. Also consider the degree of shock absorption - the sole should be high enough, but not hard.

Winter equipment Stayer

The company produces insulated jackets and overalls for active sports activities in winter. Ski and snowboard suits are on sale, as well as down jackets and trousers for daily walks.

This clothing is completely suitable for running in the cold season, it:

• moisture-repellent;

  wear-resistant:

  windproof;

  stylish and bright.

Breathing during training

To avoid shortness of breath and pain in the side, you need to take deep breaths in and out through your nose. This will evenly open the lungs and enrich the blood with oxygen.

Already during the warm-up, balance your actions with the way you breathe. It is strictly not recommended to hold air inside when your muscles are tense.

Another tip is to keep a rhythm and count your steps. You can adjust your breathing to your feet by choosing the optimal interval for yourself. This will allow you to concentrate and maintain a certain pace for a long time.

Warm-up: movement of all body parts

Without pre-warming the entire muscle frame, injuries are possible. The most popular are sprains and dislocations. They are easy to get if unheated muscles begin to actively do their work.

We have already advised you to walk to the stadium - 5-10 minutes of walking stimulates the body’s activity. Next you should pay attention to the whole body. To avoid missing anything, you can mentally start with the head and end with the feet:

neck – turns from the right side to the left, circular movements;

shoulders - swings, rotations, raising and lowering them to the ears;

elbows and wrists, even fingers should be stretched using compressions;

waist and chest - stretching occurs due to bending forward, sideways and backwards;

hip joints – rotation is suitable;

knees and calves - side swings and squats;

After this, you can start running.

In the article we talked about running for beginners - where a beginner should start if he wants to run. Play sports with pleasure and health benefits.

Running is one of the few sports that requires almost no material investments, special equipment or equipped places for training. Regular running of any load improves your mood, helps prevent excess weight and various chronic diseases, such as heart failure, type 2 diabetes and stroke. It's no wonder that so many people are now into running. Next, we'll tell you how to make running a safe and enjoyable activity.

How to prepare for running

For running, you will need comfortable sneakers or lightweight sports shoes. Make sure that these shoes are well ventilated and suit the structure of your feet. You need to pay attention to the instep of your leg, the possible slight degree of flat feet and its variety. It is advisable that the sole of the shoe has a little spring, cushioning your steps on hard surfaces. Also keep in mind that these shock-absorbing properties of the sole wear out over time, increasing the risk of various injuries (compressed discs, knee pain, and others). Experts recommend updating your shoes every 500 kilometers traveled.

Always plan your runs in advance. Determine exactly how much time you can devote to running and where it is convenient for you to do it. What time do you need to leave the house, and what route should you take? Remind yourself about your planned run in advance. This makes it much easier to incorporate something new into your regular schedule. You can find more detailed tips on preparing for regular jogging in our article .

Let's start regular jogging

When brisk walking for thirty minutes does not bring you any noticeable physical strain, you can move on to occasional running. Namely, during your 30-minute walk, switch to running several times for 1-2 minutes. Run at a speed that is comfortable for you. Gradually increase these running intervals over time. Continue this until you can run for 30 minutes without stopping. After each run, spend a few minutes bringing your heart rate back to normal by brisk walking and combining it with stretching your tight leg muscles. You can use the following set of techniques to gently stretch your muscles and ligaments.

Exercises to stretch muscles after a run

To ensure that the running process is not too tiring, so that the muscles work correctly and to create a harmonious load on the body, follow proper running techniques.

How to run correctly

How to avoid knee pain when running

Sports doctors recommend cooling compresses and small stretches as first aid at home for such symptoms. Cooling procedures should not last more than 20 minutes. To stretch a slightly painful knee, lie on the floor on your side so that the leg with the injured knee is on top. Now carefully bend this leg at the knee, bringing it back towards the buttocks. Keep your knees together. You can help yourself with your hand when bending your knee. Hold this stretch position for at least 45 seconds. This technique should be performed five to six times a day. In any case, after the pain has subsided, you need to visit a doctor and get a detailed analysis of the condition of your knee joints from him.

If after stretching the pain does not return within a week, you can continue your workouts. But if the pain remains, be sure to visit a doctor. You can't run with knee pain.

It is necessary to prepare your knee joints and the surrounding muscles and ligaments for training in advance to avoid injury to them and wear and tear of the cartilage. There are a number of exercises that strengthen the muscles that support your knees. You can perform these exercises as you warm up and prepare for a workout. Or you can include them in stretching and rest after training. Typically, people experienced relief and improvement in their knees after two weeks of doing these exercises daily.

A set of exercises to stretch and strengthen the knee joints

How to enjoy running

1. Improve your running. To make running fun, use a variety of equipment. For example, a pedometer will allow you to calculate the exact distance you managed to run, the number of steps you took, the number of calories you burned, and more. There are also a large number of mobile phone applications with special running programs that work in real time. They will help you improve your running technique, adjust your speed, and help you improve your endurance. For example, application in English, where a virtual trainer tells you when to walk and when to run, helps you set up proper breathing, plays invigorating music for you, and so on.
2. Set yourself a specific goal. At any fitness level, setting goals will always help you achieve more and stay motivated. In addition, seeing your goals achieved will give you a real appreciation of your progress and physical development. For example, you can organize a small running competition among your friends and work colleagues. This will be a good motivation to improve your physical shape.
3. Run with a friend. You are very lucky if you have friends with similar physical abilities who, just like you, want to try running regularly. Mutual support, a spirit of competition and a mutual desire to diversify running routes, running programs and so on will turn your joint runs into pleasure and consistently good health. Pay attention to social networks - most likely, there are many communities of running and sports enthusiasts in your city that you can join and find like-minded people.
4. Keep a diary of your runs. After each run, try writing down the distance you ran, the duration of your run, the route you took, your heart rate during and after the run, and how you felt and mood. This will give you a clear picture of your development in sports, help you find the optimal running speed, determine your favorite jogging route, and so on. Without a diary, all this information, unfortunately, will be forgotten. Many running enthusiasts keep such diaries online, in their blogs or communities.
5. Add variety to your runs. Running on the same track every day is boring. Listening to the same music over and over will also stop making you happy over time. Try to choose different and interesting routes: through parks, nice pedestrian areas or along forest plantations. Change the music you listen to, choose a comfortable rhythm of music that matches the rhythm of your running. Or try running in the park in silence, giving yourself a break from the noise. Plan your running routes in advance.
6. Come to sports clubs. The best way to start running regularly is to join an existing running club or community. They often have running groups based on the fitness level of the participants, coaches, and well-designed routes or treadmill running programs. Such clubs also regularly organize internal competitions and other interesting sporting events.

Conclusions:

A sedentary lifestyle often leads to the occurrence of many diseases, including: disorders of the heart and blood vessels, gastritis, osteochondrosis, obesity and much more. To regain lost health, you need to include physical exercise in your lifestyle. The most effective and simplest option to strengthen the body is jogging. But before you do it, you should know what running is for beginners.

The benefits of running and contraindications

Running is accessible to almost anyone, but it is necessary to approach the beginning of exercises wisely. People do running training for various reasons, but the main ones are losing weight and improving the health of the body. Running has the following effects on the human body:

• breathing becomes more intense, as a result of which every cell of the body begins to be intensively saturated with oxygen;
• Almost all the muscles of the body are subjected to stress, they are strengthened and trained;
• the heart pumps blood faster, which leads to faster metabolic processes and improved human well-being;
• sweat is released more actively, as a result of which harmful substances are actively removed from the body;
• During running, endorphins are produced, which reduce stress and help get rid of depression.

Despite the abundance of advantages, not everyone can do running. Training is contraindicated for the following health problems: arrhythmia, congenital heart defects, mitral stenosis, heart failure, thrombophlebitis of the legs. Therefore, before choosing a sport such as running, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Running technique for beginners

A running program should be designed based on your initial fitness level, health status, training goals, and more. To prevent running from harming your health, you must strictly follow certain rules.

Clothes and shoes

For your feet you need to choose good sports sneakers. They should be equipped with shock-absorbing heel pads and shin guards. Sneakers should fit firmly on your feet, but not squeeze them. Tight shoes will cause swelling in your feet. If running classes are held at a stadium, you can use sneakers - the surface there is quite smooth and even the smooth sole of a sneaker will be quite appropriate. When running in nature or around the city, it is recommended to wear sneakers.

Warm-up

You should start your running sessions with a thorough warm-up of your body. Regular walking at a brisk pace is good. After a few minutes of walking, you need to do simple exercises - swinging your legs and arms, bending and turning your body, stretching your back, rotating your limbs. Such exercises will circulate the blood throughout the body, warm up the muscles and prepare the body for the upcoming loads.

A running program must begin with a warm-up. This is especially important for beginner runners, since their body is not accustomed to the long-term intense stress that the body is subjected to during running activities. For experienced runners, one walk as a warm-up is enough, followed by a smooth transition to running.

Body position

Correct body position is not as important as some experts claim. The main rule here is a feeling of maximum comfort. According to professional runners, the body should be kept in a position that is most comfortable. But novice runners are still advised to adhere to certain rules:

• Relax. You should not raise your shoulders or tense up. A tense, compressed state will not affect the effectiveness of training, but will take away valuable energy. This rule applies to long runs. It is impossible to run short sprint distances in a relaxed state.
• Place your feet correctly. Beginner runners are recommended to place their foot on the heel, rolling onto the toe. You need to push your foot off the surface with your toe. If your calf muscles are well developed, you can run on your toes. With regular running over many years, you can learn to place your foot on the entire foot at once - many professional athletes do just that. But for beginners, such a running pattern will be extremely difficult.
• Keep your head up. There is no need to look at your feet during training. If the route does not involve a race with numerous obstacles, you can safely look ahead without fear of tripping and falling. You shouldn't turn your head either, as this creates extra stress. And it can even lead to loss of consciousness.
• Housing location. The torso should be slightly tilted forward. This running technique for beginners will help relieve excess stress from your back and save energy.
• Don't flap your hands. It is recommended to keep your arms slightly bent at the elbows; their movement should be uniform, corresponding to the movement of the lower extremities. For some, it will be more convenient not to move their arms at all while running. Here you should focus on your own feelings.

Apart from the correct position of the body, the remaining rules are purely individual. You need to focus on your own feelings and choose the technique that seems most comfortable.

Breathing and pulse

Proper breathing is the most important point in running training. You should breathe rhythmically, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. The exhalation must be 2 times longer than the inhalation. This technique will allow you to run easier and will provide maximum benefits to the body.

If jogging is needed for weight loss, you should not pursue high rates, but the duration of training. Running for beginners should definitely include heart rate monitoring. It is advisable to keep it at 120-130 beats per minute. By monitoring your heart rate, you can regulate the intensity of your workouts, speed up and slow down correctly.

A good running workout usually lasts at least 30 minutes. But for beginners it will be quite difficult. You should start with small, five-minute runs a day, gradually adding time, no more than 5 minutes at a time. After just a couple of weeks, your endurance will increase and running for a long time will become much easier.

Running program

Beginning runners must have a proper training program. The program will allow you to quickly achieve better results. You can create a training schedule yourself, guided by the characteristics of your body and the level of initial training. If you can’t create a program yourself, it is recommended to use an existing plan:

The table shows that running should be interspersed with walking. In the first week, after every minute of running, you need to devote 2 minutes to simple walking. A similar program is required to get the body accustomed to physical activity. It is strictly contraindicated to immediately switch to an aggressive pace, since this will certainly lead to damage to muscles or joints, or will negatively affect the condition of the heart.

You should not run fast - you need to do it evenly, not exceeding a speed of 7-8 km/h, and be sure to monitor your breathing. If it goes astray and the heart beats too fast, you will need to reduce the load.

If such a program is not suitable, you can adjust it to suit yourself by changing the running duration and increasing the walking duration, as well as choosing the most convenient training time. Classes can be arbitrary, but they should be conducted at least 3 and no more than 5 times a week. The body should rest 2-3 days a week.

If you've been inspired to run outside, the best time to start your first run is late spring or early summer. The daylight hours are long, the temperature is comfortable, the absence of precipitation and unpleasant disasters increase the chance of starting to run. When the rainy fall begins, you will already have developed a running habit, and you will not have as much difficulty experiencing the weather's threats.

What time of day should you run?

Run when it's convenient. Start from work or study time. But it is advisable to allocate certain hours in your busy schedule for jogging, since you yourself will endure the jogging and eventually forget this matter. When you run in the morning, don’t forget to warm up - this way your body will wake up and invigorate. Many people prefer morning jogging; it gives them energy to accomplish something bigger and energizes them for the whole day. In addition, running in a city where almost no one has woken up yet, where it is very quiet and deserted - atmospheric and romantic.

Where is the best place to run?

Run where you feel comfortable and easy. You can visit a sports club and run on a track, which is especially important for the cold season. Or you can go out into the fresh air and run in the park, in the forest, or just around the city. For beginners, a stadium is a good option - there is excellent surface for this type of activity and there is no need to monitor the environment like on the street or in a park. You can do a combination, for example, do workouts on weekdays at a stadium or treadmill, and on weekends go out into the forest and enjoy nature.

What shoes are most comfortable?

• Remember: do not use old, non-running shoes that have been sitting in the closet for 10 years. Otherwise, someday you may feel a sharp pain in your knee and end your workout earlier than planned. Worn-out sneakers may have irregular soles that may be uneven or roll inward.
• Purchase special running shoes from a sports store. Ask a sales consultant to help you with your choice, pay attention to the structural features of your foot.
• If you are not overweight, then you do not need to choose the coolest models with shock absorption and a powerful heel. It will be much more comfortable to put your feet in light sneakers with thin soles. These shoes will gradually strengthen your feet and allow you to run with proper form.
• The size of your running shoes should be small, your toes need to feel free, otherwise you can easily become acquainted with nail diseases. And definitely don’t wear shoes that are too small for you!

How to start running correctly

A running program for beginners does not include the advice to “run as one runs.” In order not to relearn and get used to moving correctly, you need to do everything technically correctly from the very beginning.

To understand how to start running in the morning from scratch, try to keep track of the following points:

• Don't jump on your heel and don't extend your leg forward. This will cause injury and pain in your knees. You cannot run like this barefoot or in shoes without a cushioned heel, as it is very painful.
• Gently land on the wide part of your foot first (the one in front) under your center of gravity, not in front of it. Then the entire foot lands softly and easily. The touch of the heel in this case is natural, not too heavy.
• Running for beginners should not be loud, move quietly and easily. Imagine yourself as a predator who must move quickly but silently.
• Keep your back straight, relax and lower your shoulders, tighten your abs a little.
• The hands should be free and relaxed, the elbow should maintain a right angle, and when moving the arms, they should not cross the center line (the middle of the chest).
• To understand how to run correctly, take short steps, you don’t need to imagine yourself as Uncle Styopa, move your legs more often, but don’t jump up and down.
• Look forward, not down, in front of you.

How to dress when running

When the question is asked how to start running correctly, the answer is immediately looked for on how to dress correctly. You can wear any sportswear that is comfortable for you. The best material for running is synthetic, as cotton quickly gets wet and sticks to the body. Girls should buy good sports underwear - secure and with wide straps.

As for how warm clothes to wear, the rule here is: when jogging, you always wear one layer less than in a normal situation. When you go outside, you should feel a little cool and want to throw a warm jacket over your T-shirt. Don't worry - these feelings don't last long, you'll warm up as you run. There is no need to put on a bunch of woolen clothes in the hope that the fat will come off with sweat - this does not make you lose weight at all, but rather dehydrate, losing useful substances, which is extremely harmful for the body. You won’t be able to lose fat this way; it’s better to do a body massage and body wrap after running, for example honey-mustard wrap is very beneficial.

A beginner's running plan involves running in a lightweight T-shirt and shorts in the summer, and a long-sleeve T-shirt or synthetic tracksuit in the fall and spring. If the temperature on the thermometer approaches zero, feel free to put on a windbreaker.

Where to buy clothes and shoes for beginner runners?

There are well-known sports stores that will help you start this difficult path to improvement:

• Adidas Group CIS;
• Nike;
• Puma;
• Reebok;
• "Planet Sports";
• "Sportmaster"

How fast should beginners run?

How fast to run and how long should beginners run are the most common questions from people who have just embarked on the path of sports. Often men start running very fast, their ambitions simply turn into a mockery of the body, and this is bad for health, namely for joints, lungs, heart, etc. In order to run fast, you need to prepare the foundation: muscles, ligaments, joints. This can only be achieved by running slowly over kilometer distances.

A pace that is comfortable for running is one at which you have the opportunity to speak, not in individual phrases or words, but in whole sentences. If you feel that it is becoming difficult to breathe and your pulse is too fast, you need to slow down and start running more slowly. It doesn’t help - just take a step to restore your breathing and pulse, then run again. Speed ​​at the initial stage is not an indicator that you should pay attention to. It is much more important to gradually increase the time of continuous easy running at a mode and pace that is comfortable for you, i.e. endurance.

How long should beginners run?

To figure out how much you should run for beginners, follow the weekly mileage rule: increase it by no more than 10 percent from the previous week. To avoid running a half marathon and treating acquired injuries, know when to stop and don’t rush to lengthen the distance.

Should you run every day?

You shouldn't run every day, otherwise your muscles won't have time to recover. In addition, it is psychologically difficult to run every day. You will start skipping workouts, and then give them up altogether. Don't forget to recover and rest. Run no more than three times a week.

How to breathe while running

Breathing is a natural function of our body, which should not be regulated by the person himself. You've probably read on the Internet that you need to breathe only through your nose, or that you need to set a specific number of inhalations and exhalations for a certain number of steps. This can be compared to how you control your heartbeat, which is impossible. Don’t bother yourself with this, just breathe deeply and evenly.

How to start running for a beginner: warm-up, cool-down and stretching

Warm-up is a short workout before a run, its task is to speed up the heart rate and thoroughly warm up the muscles and tendons, preparing them for unusual loads. Typically, warm-up includes walking at a brisk pace and physical exercises, which each of us did in physical education class - various turns, squats, bends, swings, circular movements of the head, shoulders, hands and limbs.

A cool-down is always done after finishing a run. A quick and abrupt stop is very harmful to the heart, lungs, and muscles, so at the end you need to slowly and happily jog or walk at a calm pace for 5-10 minutes.

Stretching is always done after a run, its purpose is to speed up your recovery and avoid unpleasant muscle congestion. Just stretch in every possible way, but if you know how to do the splits, then you are doubly lucky!

What to eat before and after a run

There is no need to eat specifically before running. In 30-60 minutes you can have a snack with something light and carbohydrate, for example, a banana or a sandwich with cottage cheese. If you are a fan of sports nutrition, you can eat a protein bar. Eat complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal or wheat porridge, 2-3 hours before. It is not advisable to eat protein, fatty or heavy foods several hours before a run.

Don't forget to drink water after your workout to avoid dehydration, and if it's hot outside, take some with you.

After training, you shouldn’t eat everything you find in your refrigerator under the pretext of “compensating for the calories burned.” We have to disappoint: with loads that occur at the very beginning of a sports journey, calorie consumption is small, in contrast to appetite. Example: half an hour of running at a speed of 9 km/h with a runner weighing 60 kg - this is only 270 kcal, about one small cake.

Running Plan for Beginners: How to Run 5K in 2 Months with the Couch to 5k Program

For anyone just starting to run, we recommend a simple and understandable running training plan developed in the USA – Couch to 5k. This program is widely known among beginning runners and is based on a combination of running and walking. By carefully increasing the load, your heart, muscles, ligaments and joints have time to get used to them without serious injury or harm to health. In total, this program provides 3 workouts per week, they last about half an hour, or a little more.

After 2 months, a beginner will be able to easily run 5 km in a half-hour segment.

What you should pay close attention to when using the plan:

• If you are overweight, it is better to first start walking regularly (and control your diet). Running is a very heavy load on joints and ligaments, take care of them.
• If you have heart or breathing problems, consult your doctor before starting from scratch.
• You should not skip the first lessons of the program, even if they seem too simple for you. The goal of the entire plan, which lasts 9 weeks, is not to learn to run 5 kilometers at any cost, but to gently adapt an unaccustomed body to the loads, making them uncomplicated and enjoyable. Therefore, you should not deviate from the plan and reduce it.
• Always, without being lazy, do a cool-down and warm-up, this is necessary in order to warm up the body, and most importantly, the heart.

How to use the plan for a beginner:

• if you are the owner of a special watch for sports, then simply set up interval training using segments by time or distance;
• you can train at the nearest stadium - the length of any standard circle there is 400 m;
• you can download the application to your smartphone, it doesn’t cost much, it’s available for both Apple and Android;
• In order not to spend a lot of money, you can train with a simple watch.

Natural oils and esters that can be added when taking a bath will help you relieve stress from your muscles after a run and speed up the weight loss process:

• walnut oil;
• cacao butter;
• red hot pepper oil;
• cypress ether;
• cinnamon ether;
• orange ether;
• wheat germ oil;
• lime ether;
• black pepper ether;
• juniper ether;