As you have noticed, running has been the big revelation of this confinement. Everyone put on their sneakers and took advantage of the sunny weather to get in on the action. running . A sporting practice accessible to all which nevertheless requires real attention and diligence during your outings.
If you are one of those newbies who have discovered running, Yosi Goasdoué , French Half-Marathon champion in 2015 and coach, shares his advice with you for starting running and progressing.
1. Set attainable goals
Don't start too hard, that's the best way to hurt yourself and form bad habits.
Start by knowing yourself better and mastering your stride over short distances like a 3km . This is how you will progress quickly and healthily.
Incorporates pace variations: alternates several times 5 minutes of running at a jogging pace and 1 minute of running at a fast pace,
Increase the duration of your jogging by 5 minutes each time you go out. Your goal: get to 45 minutes!
To gain tone in your legs, vary the playing areas: hill courses, stairs, sandy terrain, running tracks: find your style.
2. Be regular and respect your exercise cycle
As in all sports, it is diligence that will make you progress. It is essential that you find a ritual which will allow you to be regular and which will make you want to go out no matter the weather.
Start slowly, listen to your body and respect your exercise cycle. This goes through 3 stages: preparation, training and recovery.
There preparation is surely the most important moment of a session. This is the moment when you get your body moving and start warming up your muscles. For example, work on your mobility or do active stretching which are perfect for softening your stiffness and preventing sprains. You can find all our advice on this subject in stories on our channel Instagram .
There recovery , as for it, ensures your muscles return to calm and the necessary rest time between two efforts to avoid overtraining or injuries.
If you want to track your progress, download a application like NikeRunning or Strava. A good way to learn more about your practice.
3. Prepare yourself physically
Running efficiently, especially when you are a beginner, can be learned and it is important that you are physically prepared. The benefit of muscle strengthening while running is first of all to preserve joints trauma but also to stimulate the muscles used during exercise. Contrary to popular belief, it is not enough to work the legs, you must use a whole set of muscle chains starting from the feet, passing through the calves, the legs, the quadriceps and hamstrings, the abs, the back and even the shoulders.
We call this complementary physical work PPG (General Physical Preparation) . It allows us to do the right thing and thus improve the long term technicality of your stride .
4. Buy suitable equipment
No need for a large dressing room to equip yourself for running. Instead, choose quality, durable and multi-sport equipment that will evolve with you whatever your practice.
We advise you to wear clothes light , breathable and quick-drying because they will be suitable for all temperatures and will respect your body. At Circle, for example, all our t-shirts have a eco-friendly anti-odor primer which avoids unpleasant surprises during your training.
As for accessories, opt for a cuff . This will prevent you from holding your phone in your hand, which disrupts your posture and therefore your stride.
We advise you to make a stride test which will give you lots of information on your way of running. A good assessment which will also help you find the shoe adapted to your body shape and your needs.