To start running, it is important to create a training routine, invest in good running shoes, stretch before and after training and start by alternating walking and light running.
Running has several health benefits, such as preventing cardiovascular diseases, helping to combat anxiety and depression, strengthening bones and helping you lose weight. See all the benefits of running.
To start running training, it is also essential to consult a cardiologist to assess your heart health, in addition to receiving guidance from a physical education professional to avoid injuries.
How to begin
Some recommendations to start running are:
1. Make one check-up doctor
Make one check-up It is very important to start running training, especially for people with a sedentary lifestyle, as it is a cardio exercise that demands a lot from the cardiovascular system.
Therefore, it is recommended to consult a cardiologist to assess your heart and general health status.
This consultation is also important for people who have diabetes or high blood pressure, to have specific guidelines, such as taking a snack on the run to avoid a hypoglycemia crisis or having a watch that monitors blood pressure and heart rate, for example.
If you want to start running training, make an appointment with a cardiologist in the region closest to you:
Taking care of your health has never been easier!
2. Invest in good running shoes
Investing in good running shoes is important because the shoe must provide stability and absorb the impact of your steps to avoid injuries or pain in your knees, spine or hips, in addition to being important to take into account the type of footfall, which can be neutral. , pronated or supinated.
Read too: 9 main causes of pain when running (and what to do to avoid it)
3. Wear comfortable clothes
Wearing light clothing, with breathable fabrics that help sweat dry quickly, is also important to feel more comfortable during the run, and may have pockets to carry personal items, for example.
In addition to clothes, you should invest in socks suitable for running, which absorb sweat but do not retain moisture. Cotton socks should be avoided, as they do not dry easily and can increase friction with the feet and cause blisters.
Read too: Compression socks for running: what they are for and how they work
For women, it is also important to have a top or bra that supports your breasts.
4. Stay motivated
To stay motivated for running training, it is important to have an achievable goal, create a routine with defined running times and define where the run will take place, whether on the treadmill, on the street or on trails, for example.
Furthermore, it is important to establish how many minutes of running will be done, which for beginners is more important than worrying about pace and distance. Little by little you can increase the running time and also the frequency of training.
Another way to maintain motivation is to exchange experiences with other runners, join running groups, and respect your own body’s limits.
It’s also interesting to offer yourself rewards, such as doing an activity or eating a food you like, for example.
5. Stretching before and after
Stretching and warming up before running is important to prepare your muscles and joints, improve blood circulation and increase your fitness for running.
Thus, you should do stretches for the front and back of the thigh, calf and back, for example. After stretching, you can warm up by walking lightly for a few minutes.
After the run, you should stretch again. See how to stretch before and after running.
6. Maintain good posture
Maintaining good posture while running helps prevent injuries to your knees, legs, back or hips.
Therefore, it is recommended to keep the hips in a neutral position, without leaning forward or backward, the head up in line with the spine, back straight and shoulders relaxed without bending forward.
The hands should be cupped or relaxed and the arms should move back and forth, with the elbows at 90 degrees.
7. Control your breathing
Breathing during running is also important to help maintain your running pace, and it is usually recommended to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
This breathing can be done at different frequencies, such as 3:3 in which you take three steps to inhale and three steps to exhale, or 2:2 with two steps to inhale and two steps to exhale.
There is no rule for breathing, the most important thing being that the person feels comfortable.
However, to make breathing easier during the race, you can warm up your breathing by doing diaphragmatic breathing, inhaling deeply through the nose, without moving the chest, but moving the abdomen during inhalation, and exhaling the air slowly through the mouth.
Read too: VO2 Maximum: What it is, how to measure it and how to increase it
8. Stay hydrated
Before, during and after running, it is important to maintain your body’s hydration, as water and minerals are lost through sweat.
So, for beginners, before running it is recommended to drink about 2 glasses of water, 2 to 3 hours before running, 1 glass about 10 minutes before training and take sips of water every 20 minutes of training.
After running, it is also important to stay hydrated by drinking 1 to 2 glasses of water within 30 minutes of training.
9. Be careful with your diet
Nutrition for the race is also very important, both to improve performance during the race and to promote recovery.
Therefore, it is recommended to eat foods rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fiber before running, about 60 minutes before training. Check out some pre-workout food options.
After the race, it is recommended to eat foods that contain carbohydrates and proteins, within 1 hour after training, to help with muscle recovery and reconstruction. See other tips on what to eat after training.
The ideal is to have guidance from a nutritionist who can indicate what to eat before and after training, individually and according to the race goals, especially for beginners who want to lose weight.
Read too: Does running lose weight? See how to do running training
10. Start slowly
Starting running training slowly and gradually increasing it is important to avoid injuries and maintain motivation.
Therefore, to start running, it is recommended to do interval training, walking for 5 minutes and running slowly (jogging) for 1 minute.
As you feel comfortable, you can decrease your walking time and gradually increase your running time and stride speed.
Running worksheet for beginners
The following table shows a running training suggestion for beginners:
This spreadsheet serves only as a guide, and the person should do the training alternating between walking and running for as long as they feel comfortable running, and preferably with the guidance of a physical education professional.
Gradually, you can increase the running time until it is no longer necessary to alternate with walking.
Read too: Training to run 5 and 10 km in 5 weeks
