11 Tricks to Become a Better Runner for Weight Loss
Running is one of the effective exercises to aid weight loss. Knowing how to running properly is another secret to faster weight loss, good posture, strong stamina and many more. Here is a list of experts’ opinion on how to run faster;
Loosen Your Grip
It is known that when most runners run, they tend to run with a lot of tension in them, especially in their upper body. According to Andrew Chaddick he states that a trick to indicate if you are running with tension is to run with a sheet of paper in hand, if it looks crunched up by the time you are done, you are squeezing too hard. Allow your hands to loosen its grip on a paper or at your sides to prevent wasted energy.
—Andrew Chaddick, MS, CSCS, a personal trainer at The Houstonian Club in Houston, Texas
Finish Fast
When runners become good in running they tend to know how to economize time for their benefit. This is the trick of finishing fast, using less muscle energy. This becomes easy when you push past a limit, which is your tired limit, Matt advised you wait until the last 10 minutes of a longer run and then speed up to an effort of level or seven on a scale of 1 to 10.
—Matt Fitzgerald, coach and training expert for Pear Sports and author of The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond ‘the Wall.’
Count your steps
This is important to do as you learn to know how you “move” and how to increase you step. “ Run normally counting as you would go, do this for 1 minute, count the number of times your right foot hit the ground and multiply by 2”. The fastest runners run in 180 steps per minute with feet close to the ground running with light and shot and speedy steps.
Dress the part
Your outfit plays an important role in the way you run. Your shoes can make a difference in the way you run and the outfits you use. They can help prevent injuries to the body. Research on the best and most comfortable outfit to use for your running sessions.
Let Gravity Assist You
According to Brandon, “Lean forward when you run and allow gravity to help propel you forward. Keep a straight posture, no bending in the waist. All parts should remain in alignment. This will make you more efficient and use less energy as you run because you have the help of gravity.”
—Brandon Mentore
Power Up Like a Piston
“Want to be faster? Don’t let your back leg trail but kick it up to your butt just like a piston. This generates power and repositions your foot faster for the next stride.”
—Brandon Mentore
Lead with Your Chest
When you run try and imagine that there is a rope tied to your breastbone that is pulling you forward. This helps with your posture and helps avoids rounding your shoulder or hunching over, helping you to breathe properly and giving little to no stress on your neck.
—Marcey Rader, NASM-certified personal trainer, ultra-marathoner, and founder of WorkWell Life Balance Solutions
Don’t Forget Downhill Running
Downhill running sets the pace for you to run with speed and at ease, the decline in height helps you to run faster than on a flat surface. To do, start with 3 or 4 repeats of 200 meters the first week . Be careful to take your time as there is a higher risk of injury.
—Rebekah Mayer, USATF certified running coach and national training manager for Life Time Run at Lifetime Fitness
Find Your Pace with a Negative Split
“Whether you’re running for time or distance, finishing faster than you started delivers a huge psychological boost. Time the first half of your run and try to beat that time on the second half. If you’re unable to pick up the pace, you know you went out a little too fast.”
—Andrew Chaddick
Land On Your Forefoot
“Running can essentially be distilled into a series of single-leg jumps—which can be very hard on your joints. This is especially true for runners who are heel-striking—analysis shows that even on hard surfaces, barefoot runners who strike with their forefoot generate smaller collision forces than heel-foot strikers.
Here’s a great drill to teach your body to land on your forefoot: Using a line of tape on the ground, practice jump roping with one leg while landing on the forefoot. Stay on the line without looking down.”
—Doug Joachim, a certified barefoot running coach in New York City
Run Around the Clock
“For perfect running form, your legs should move like the hands on a clock (Imagine tracing a clock with your pedal stroke on a bike. That’s where this clock would be in relation to your body.) When you run, think about bringing your foot up to the 12 o’clock position, reaching out to 3 o’clock, striking the ground directly beneath your body at 6 o’clock, then pushing off to 9 o’clock behind you. This circular motion mimics cycling and allows fast turnover.”
—Andrew Chaddick
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