One of the best exercises for your heart health is running. Learn how to get better at running and improve your health along the way.
If you want to learn how to get started, consider picking a race, running form, and using the run-walk method. By signing up for a race (regardless of how the type), you’ll have a goal to strive for and focus on. Afterward, work on your running form by using your natural stride: the more you run, the more comfortable you’ll feel.
If you’re a new runner, consider using the run-walk method to improve your running time. Use the following guide to get started:
- Beginners: run 10-30 seconds, walk 1-2 minutes, repeat for the duration of your run
- Intermediate: run 1-5 minutes, walk 1-2 minutes, repeat
- Experienced: run 6-8 minutes, 30 seconds to 1 minute, repeat
Another thing that may help is taking l-arginine supplements to help boost your endurance. L-arginine is an amino acid that helps increase nitric oxide production, a natural compound that relaxes blood vessels. As a result, blood can flow more efficiently throughout your body and deliver oxygen to the areas that need it the most.
Studies show that nitric oxide can boost your workouts, recovery time, and help with muscle fatigue. Moreover, l-arginine supplements may help decrease the amount of lactate buildup in the muscles during high-intensity exercises. If you’re looking for an effective l-arginine supplement, try L-arginine Plus, a formula that combines l-arginine with key vitamins and minerals.
Additional Training Tips
Make a Training Plan
A simple formula includes three training days per week, running 20-30 minutes on two days and 40 minutes on weekends. However, your individual training plan will depend on your goals, whether it’s for personal health or for competitions.
Choose the Right Gear
To get started on the right foot, you should use comfortable shoes, breathable socks, a timing device, and good playlists. Otherwise, you may have a bad experience that leaves you full of blisters and never wanting to run again.
Fuel Your Body
What you eat can also affect your running experience, so don’t overeat before running; your pre-workout meal should be no bigger than your fist. Also, make sure you eat one hour before your run to increase your energy levels and within 15 minutes afterward.
Drink Water
Staying hydrated is important when running, which means drinking water when you’re thirsty but not overdoing it. In addition, you probably don’t need to drink sports drinks if you run less than an hour at moderate intensity.
Losing Weight
While running helps burn calories, overworking yourself may also make you hungrier, so try increasing your workouts gradually. Running can help you lose weight but only if you don’t overeat, so pay attention to your calories as necessary.
Preventing Injury
To avoid unnecessary injuries, make sure you try dynamic stretching like squats, lunges, and form drills. If you experience side stitches, take a deep breath, arch your back, and run more upright.
Moreover, if you have a leg cramp or pain in your feet, simply stretch the affected muscles. Use these tips to improve your running workouts and have a good time doing it.