If you want to make progress in a particular activity, you have to practice it regularly – it’s no different with running. If you want to improve your running, you obviously need a well-structured running training plan but there are a number of other important factors that can affect your performance! We have now collected some of these.
1. Sleep
Sleep is one of the most important elements of a complete recovery, which is why you need to be conscious to get enough sleep! “Regeneration requires a slow wave of deep sleep. Cell division, cells in the bone marrow, red blood cells, and white blood cells are formed during a slow wave called deep sleep. This reduces your heart rate and slows down your metabolism and breathing. When deep sleep occurs, the body goes to rest, at which point the body has the ability to rebuild at the cellular level. With such an effective state of wakefulness, the body can never regenerate, so deep sleep is very important.
In general, for an adult, 6-8 hours of sleep is sufficient (deep sleep accounts for about 15-20% of sleep time). But it’s also very important to have a well-functioning agenda, to focus on regularity, which in this case means trying to go to bed at about the same time in the evening and get up in the morning on weekdays.
2. Proper nutrition
It is also a key factor, as if the car does not have the right fuel, it will not work or will malfunction. For runners, this means it’s worth adjusting your diet to your workout. To do this, it is important to be at least roughly aware of how much energy we need to consume in our daily lives and how much energy we use. It is also recommended to take care of the proper distribution of macronutrients to get all the important nutrients.
3. Cross-training
On the one hand, as a runner, it is worth incorporating forms of movement that are a little lighter, but have a good effect on the circulation and joints, give variety, and can help prevent injuries: such as cycling, swimming, yoga. On the other hand, there is a need for functional strengthening, that is, performing specific strengthening exercises, even with your own weight, that train the muscles involved in running.
Include cross workouts in your weekly plan because they not only strengthen but also help with regeneration! In addition, perform mobilization and stretching exercises every day, which also reduces the risk of injury.
4. Breath!
As a runner, mastering the right breathing technique can go a long way in making your workout a success. There’s no overriding general rule on how to “ breathe ” while running, just think of the huge difference between a low-intensity running workout or a hard part-time workout! For the former, for example, it is often sufficient to breathe only through our nose, while during a faster pace, as the intensity increases, oral inhalation also takes place, as this is how we try to meet the body’s need for oxygen.
The rhythm of breathing usually adjusts to the rhythm of movement, which is also a completely natural phenomenon.
What you should do as a runner in relation to breathing is to learn how to breathe in your abdomen. Abdominal breathing strengthens the diaphragm, promotes complete oxygen exchange, and increases lung capacity.
5. Running technology
There are countless solutions for its development, but it is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all, over-the-top running technique that is perfect for everyone, as many factors (body shape, age, cover, running pace, terrain, etc.) affect it. what is the right running style for us?
However, there are general guidelines that are recommended to follow, and you can read more about them here by clicking here. In addition, it is extremely useful to learn and perform running school exercises on a regular basis, as they can help a lot in both honing the technique and avoiding injuries:
6. The light should be easy!
This is a bit out of the list, as it is about running, not “garnishing,” but we definitely think it’s important to stress!
Low-intensity regenerative running workouts aren’t accidentally included in your workout plan! It is also in their name: regenerative. These light, slow runs are essential because they prepare the body for the next load without causing fatigue, and even speed up the regeneration process – that is, they help prevent burnout and injury.
So regenerative runs aren’t an ornament in the plan: the boogie might be in our feet that very day, and a tempo run would be much better – but let’s not do it! And don’t replace your regenerative run with a workout that was previously missed for any reason. Give our organization these very easy workouts too!
