What are the basics of running?

Running is basically something we do every day. There are many benefits of running. It not only makes our body stronger, but also allows us to experience the joy of running. Of course, it is necessary to understand and know the basic essentials of running, because only by knowing these can we run better. Next, let us learn about the basic essentials of running.

1. Key points of head and shoulder running movements - keep your head and shoulders stable. Keep your head facing forward, do not lean forward unless the road is uneven, and keep your eyes focused straight ahead. Relax your shoulders and avoid hunching your chest. Power stretching – shrug. Relax and let your shoulders drop, then raise them as high as possible, pause, return to the original position and repeat. Key points of arm and hand running movements - arm swing should be a forward and backward movement with the shoulder as the axis, and the left and right movement range should not exceed the midline of the body. The fingers, wrists and arms should be relaxed, with the elbow angle at approximately 90 degrees. Dynamic stretching - raise your elbows and swing your arms. Place your arms one in front of the other in a ready-to-start position. Raise the elbow of your back arm as high as possible, then relax and swing forward. As the movement speeds up, lift higher and higher.

2. Trunk and hip running movement key points - keep upright from the neck to the abdomen, instead of leaning forward (unless accelerating or going uphill) or leaning backward. This is conducive to breathing, maintaining balance and stride. Don't let your torso rock side to side or move up and down too much. Actively push your hips forward when swinging your legs forward, and pay attention to rotating and relaxing your hips when running. Dynamic stretching - lunge and leg press. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, slowly press your body down until your muscles are tense, then relax. Keep your torso upright at all times.

3. Key points of waist running movements: keep the waist naturally upright, not too straight. Keep your muscles slightly tense to maintain your torso posture while paying attention to cushioning the impact of your feet landing. Dynamic stretching - forward flexion and extension. Stand naturally with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly bend your torso forward until your hands hang down to your toes, hold for a moment, then return to the starting position.

4. Key points of thigh and knee running movements: swing your thighs and knees forward instead of lifting them up. Any lateral movement of the leg is unnecessary and can easily cause knee injury, so the forward swing of the thigh should be straight. Dynamic stretching - bend forward. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Put your hands behind your head. Flex your body forward from the hip joint. Keep your back straight until you feel tension in your biceps femoris.

5. Calf and Achilles tendon running tips - the foot should be about one foot in front of the body, close to the midline. The calf should not be crossed too far to avoid strain on the Achilles tendon due to excessive force. At the same time, pay attention to the cushioning of the calf muscles and Achilles tendon when landing. When landing, the calf should actively dig into the ground backwards to make the body move forward actively. In addition, the calf should be swung forward in the correct direction, and the foot should be facing forward as much as possible, not turned outward or backward, otherwise the knee and ankle joints may be easily injured. You can check your footprints for reference when running on the beach. Dynamic stretching - wall heel raises. Stand facing the wall about 1 meter away, extend your arms forward to shoulder width, and support the wall with your hands. Lift your heels and then lower them, feeling the tension in your calves and Achilles tendons.

6. Key points of heel and toe running - If the stride is too large and the calf is extended too far forward, the heel will touch the ground, creating a braking reaction force, which can cause great damage to the bones and joints. The correct way to land is to land with the middle of your foot and quickly disperse the impact force to the entire sole of your foot. Kneel on the ground with your hips close to your heels and your upper body upright. Slowly apply pressure to the ankle joint until you feel enough tension on the toe extensor muscles and the forefoot.

Although running looks simple, it is not easy to master the basic principles of running. Of course, if we want to lose weight by running in life, then there is no need to strictly follow the basic principles of running. If you want to participate in running competitions, then it is better to understand some basic principles of running.