3 Keys To Finding Your Natural Running Stride

Home
>
Aerobics & Cardio
>
3 Keys To Finding Your Natural Running Stride

3 Keys To Finding Your Natural Running Stride

When I think back to when I was at school, my worst nightmare was running. I hated it, even more than football and rugy which I don't like even today. So I never thought that I'd be any good at running... until I found out the trick that I'm about to share with you now.

I realised that running was an important part of my cardio-vascular exercise, and that I needed to find a way to make it a little bit easier for me. When I used the treadmill, I was getting way out of breath way too quickly (less than 10 minutes, and that included 3 minutes fast walk to warm up). And yet I could go on the rowing machine for 20 minutes and hardly even notice it.

So something was wrong with my running technique.

Not knowing what to try, I just varied everything I could: speed, incline, the length of my stride, the height of my stride, and so on.

And these are the three tricks to running that made the difference for me:

1. Don't be afraid to INCREASE your speed!

I realised that I was actually running too slow! I've naturally got a long stride (I'm just over 6 foot tall), but when on the treadmill I was taking tiny little strides. Why? Because if I'd run at my normal stride, I would have run into the front of the machine.

By increasing the speed of the machine, I was able to stretch my stride out to a better length for me, which made my whole running style much more fluid, and therefore easier on me.

2. Don't be afraid to INCREASE your incline!

If you aren't using an incline when running, then you are effectively running downhill. This is because the tread itself is helping your legs' motion, rather than you actually pushing yourself forward. Similarly, if you run downhill, it's much easier because you don't have to push yourself up in the air as much to gain the forward distance you need.

So add a little incline to you run - not much, just enough that you can feel the extra push. Not only does this simulate running on flat ground, it also makes your motion more natural. Running downhill and running on the flat produce variations in your stride that make you more or less efficient. So by increasing your incline, you induce a more natural style to you movements.

3. Remember to focus on your breathing.

The final key is related to the other two. As my stride increased, and my effort increased, I found that my rate and depth of breathing changed so that I took one full breath cycle for every 3 steps. And that felt more natural than previously.

Sorry that's not a very scientific explanation, but "feeling natural" is about as best as it gets :-)

So there you go. Three keys to more efficient running, which you can experiment with. Some of this advice might sound odd (if you're running out of breath quickly, why make the running harder?). But with the principle of finding a more efficient pace for your body, it makes sense.

And by the way, almost overnight I doubled my running from 10 minutes to 20, with no real problem, and over time I increased to 45 minutes with a couple of 1 minute breaks to stretch and drink water. I can go more, but I start to get bored and also run out of time at the gym!

For more fitness advice, tips, and resources, visit FitnessEquipmentLinks.com

In The News:

• Working the muscles may boost brain power
Reporter-Times
You may be able to improve your memory by increasing your cardio exercise. We all know how important it is to exercise, but boosting your cardio can also increase productivity, and boost brain power. Cardio exercise provides the brain with chemicals ...

More city eves workout at gym to keep body, mind healthy
Times of India
Women show a greater interest in power yoga, aerobics, kettle bell training and cardio training programmes. Other than professionals, housewives and students and even elderly women too show a greater inclination towards cardio training.

Healthy Living: Challenge upper body muscles
Journal and Courier
However, aerobic (with oxygen) or cardiovascular exercise using the upper body is a hidden gem that can greatly enhance nearly everyone's level of fitness. Unlike upper body weight training exercises that improve muscular strength and mass by ...

CSU-Pueblo Notes
Pueblo Chieftain
The rec center, which opened in 2008, has gymnasiums, a swimming pool, racquetball and squash courts, an indoor running track, aerobic/dance studio, and cardio and weight equipment. The center is open from 6:30 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday and 11 ...

FITNESS CALENDAR
Asheville Citizen-Times
BODY COMBAT: Aerobic training program that combines moves and stances from a range of self-defense disciplines, Asheville Racquet Club. Call 274-3361. CARDIO-CYCLING: Forty-minute class for all fitness levels, 6 pm Mondays and Wednesdays, ...

Corral de Tierra Country Club, a Private Member-owned Country Club Located in ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Corral de Tierra's state-of-the-art Fitness Center offers Members cardio and weight training equipment. Members can make use of nautilus-style equipment that allows them to program and adjust weights to their specific capability or free weights to ...

and more »

Weekly Herald/CHRIS GOODENOW
HeraldNet
The club also added a new cardio exercise room upstairs. Erena Rombokh, of Edmonds, uses weights during a Body Sculpt exercise class in the new aerobics studio, April 16 at Harbor Square Athletic Club in Edmonds. The club also added a new cardio ...

Gear: Cardio exercise machines add fun features
Los Angeles Times
Suddenly, however, a new crop of stationary cardio exercise machines has livened up the indoor workout world, adding everything from Internet compatibility to ecology aids to creative new movement patterns. Here's some innovative aerobic body blasters ...

Your RX to Delay the Aging Process
Fox News
Since the intensity is higher, the total time of your cardio activity will be shorter (30 minutes or so). Muscle Strength The rate of muscle loss will affect both the aerobic capacity and the metabolic rate. The less muscle you have relative to your ...

New Straits Times
Funky fitness the zumba way
New Straits Times
By Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan | slizta@nstp.com.my 0 comments HUGELY popular among the celebrities, Zumba is now what aerobics was to the 1980s, minus the leotards and terrycloth head band. But to say that this Latin-inspired routine is just another ...
All I need is the rhythm...The Hindu

all 5 news articles »

Google News