Tips on how not to jog like a heffalump.

NewFrockTuesday

Im really enjoying my evenings at the gym and am working to increase distance on the treadmill. Ive noticed some very...i dont know what ill call them.....elegant....runners on the mills. They just seem to glide along with no effort at all and have very economical movement of arm and body. i, on the otherhand stomp along trying to copy them and their poise. I am failing miserably.
Hers my question, has anyone any tips on how to run properly? Id appreciate all imput as i really do want to improve my pace and rate of progress. Thanks!

Mr E

The key is 'heel to toe'.

Practice while walking first. Put your heel on the ground in front of you, and as you move forward, shift your weight from your heel to your toe. Then try it while jogging, and finally while running.

People who don't run properly can have serious knee problems (the impact of running by putting the foot flat on the ground can be very jarring on the knee joint).

Good runners (as in shoes) also make a big difference...

NewFrockTuesday

Thanks for that. Im in Westwood in Fairview and some of the people there are so amazingly fit im convinced they must be professional sportsmen/women. They look like they could just go on for hours and hours no problem and i want to know a few of their secrets!

kasintahan

I generally like Asics runners, they seem to fit my feet well (narrow).

Transform

purdee wrote:

Thanks for that. Im in Westwood in Fairview and some of the people there are so amazingly fit im convinced they must be professional sportsmen/women. They look like they could just go on for hours and hours no problem and i want to know a few of their secrets!

Their secrets are they do it regularly and have been doing it for quite some time.

I regularly run in westwood in Leopardstown and sandyford (but more outside), the treadmill is a good way to build the running up but at some point you will have to venture ouside.

Keep on keeping on and if you have any extra weight or are just starting out the running will be a little challenging - persist, persist persist and no excuses like time or being busy!!! For most when all is said and done more is said than done - no turning out like one of those please!

NewFrockTuesday

For most when all is said and done more is said than done

Thats a good one!!
I am about 1.5 st overweight so it is a bit of a slog. But im in my routine now and ive lost a stone so im doing ok. its not getting any easier tho.
I think natrual grace has alot to do with it and being very honest, Im not really blessed with that. I think a read through previous posts will testify to this.
Thanks for the help...I appreciate it and I love that saying!

incisor71

TmB wrote:

The key is 'heel to toe'.

I've tried this technique and it works well, given that I am not blessed with the natural grace of a runner. It does necessitate raising my knee a little higher than what I'm used to, so that the foot (the one moving to the front) will land on the heel rather than the flat of the foot. The longer stride means that I have to speed up the treadmill belt a little so that my legs move at more or less the same rate as before.

It hasn't improved my endurance on the treadmill (my least favourite part of the cardio work - that's a topic for a separate post) but I presume that it's moving my legs through a wider range of motion, and that's no bad thing... is it....?

Mr E

If endurance is a problem, slow your speed down..... Faster speeds are going to tire you out faster. Start at a slow jog, and try to last for a fixed amount of time (20 mins, perhaps). If you make it, pat yourself on the back, and increase the speed a fraction the next time you try!

incisor71

TmB wrote:

If endurance is a problem, slow your speed down..... Faster speeds are going to tire you out faster.

I tried that trick tonight - I normally jog at 10km/h and reduced it to 9 tonight. I found myself straddling the threshold between a fast walk and a very slow jog. So I ended up reverting to the 10km/h speed, and sticking with it... it does get a little easier after the first 5 minutes, but seeing as I've only been able to last 7 minutes when jogging... well, that speaks for itself. There's a long, long way to go. I know I have all the grace of a Panzer on a Grand Prix track, but I want to give this my best shot.

Could someone tell me what this "runner's high" (that the endorphin addicts talk about) actually feels like? In his younger days my eldest brother used to put on his running gear, uttering the quip "I'm going out for my fix." I never knew whether he experienced a rush of pleasure, or less pain, or less apparent exertion, or what. Regardless of the description, I haven't experienced any of these sensations, so it'd be nice to know what there is to look forward to!

kjt

Congrats on the running.
... And 7minutes isnt all that bad, Isnt it better than watching tv at home and doing nothing?

When I started I could only do about 5/10mins, and that was pushing it. I have never stuck with running propely but the other week I did 40min and was SO chuffed with myself. I have yet to do it again but shall try next wk.

Btw Have you tried listening to music while running, I find it helps me alot more. The beat of a good song, the momentum and also helps me from gettin bored and stopping

dermCu

If you were really intrested in improving your running style there is something called the alexander technique. I think it was developed for musicians but can be applied to loads of things including running.

A quick google gives: http://www.alexandertechnique.com/articles/running/

poobum

incisor71 wrote:

I tried that trick tonight - I normally jog at 10km/h and reduced it to 9 tonight. I found myself straddling the threshold between a fast walk and a very slow jog. So I ended up reverting to the 10km/h speed, and sticking with it... it does get a little easier after the first 5 minutes, but seeing as I've only been able to last 7 minutes when jogging... well, that speaks for itself. There's a long, long way to go. I know I have all the grace of a Panzer on a Grand Prix track, but I want to give this my best shot.

Could someone tell me what this "runner's high" (that the endorphin addicts talk about) actually feels like? In his younger days my eldest brother used to put on his running gear, uttering the quip "I'm going out for my fix." I never knew whether he experienced a rush of pleasure, or less pain, or less apparent exertion, or what. Regardless of the description, I haven't experienced any of these sensations, so it'd be nice to know what there is to look forward to!

#its hard to get the rush at first hard to find the push to get you to it...im addicted to it.. i was a fat kid so i done alot of exercise then got skinny and realised i couldnt stop exercising! heres the simlist way i can think of explaining it....endorphins as far as i know are the sex hormone released to your brain after sex!(correct if wrong but its definatly something lilke that) same as people get addicted to sex they can get addicted to exercise. you exercise and you know itll hurt in the morning but f**k it who cares! such an addictive thing! not sur if iv described it well but man is it addictive!

seamus

incisor71 wrote:

I tried that trick tonight - I normally jog at 10km/h and reduced it to 9 tonight. I found myself straddling the threshold between a fast walk and a very slow jog. So I ended up reverting to the 10km/h speed, and sticking with it... it does get a little easier after the first 5 minutes, but seeing as I've only been able to last 7 minutes when jogging... well, that speaks for itself. There's a long, long way to go. I know I have all the grace of a Panzer on a Grand Prix track, but I want to give this my best shot.

7 minutes is fine. Try and increase it to ten minutes, then up your speed by .5 kph. You'll barely notice the difference in speed, but you may only last 7 minutes again. Constantly try to build it up like that. 1kph is actually quite a big step and can do more harm than good for your motivation.

What helps me is checkpoints. The treadmill(s) I use have a college track function, and obviously a timer, so when I feel like I want to stop, I go "Just to the end of this lap", or "Just to the next minute", and so on. My biggest problem actually is not getting enough sleep, and then going to the gym first thing. So when I try to use the treadmill, my legs just don't want to run, they want to go back to bed, and I'm ****ed after 5 minutes
It's a serious confidence killer.

incisor71

seamus wrote:

7 minutes is fine. Try and increase it to ten minutes, then up your speed by .5 kph. You'll barely notice the difference in speed, but you may only last 7 minutes again. Constantly try to build it up like that.

Current duration is 8 minutes (yay, organise the fanfare) but at least there's forward progress. Improvements are slow, but nevertheless I'm still constantly trying to gently nudge up the exertion level. I'm also planning - later on - to experiment with Fartlek training (synonymous with interval training) and with adjusting other treadmill parameters such as belt gradient.

And kjt was so right, having beat-laden music playing has helped enormously, I need to buy a few Ministry of Sound albums - it sure beats using the RTE news as a distraction!

Does anyone find that there are a few bad days when you try to keep moving but your legs just won't last the distance? If I can expect these days every once in a while, they needn't be so disconcerting.

Thank you very much indeed for all the help so far, folks - you've given me ample encouragement and visible light to the end of my proverbial tunnel. Much appreciated!

poobum

yeh everyon has bad days! thy can come from not sleeping enough or millions of other things! the point is to no mattr what try your hardest and not give up!

seamus

incisor71 wrote:

Does anyone find that there are a few bad days when you try to keep moving but your legs just won't last the distance? If I can expect these days every once in a while, they needn't be so disconcerting.

Yeah, as I said above. It's a real killer. All you can do is remember that it'll pass and try to keep going. A workout on a Saturday afternoon usually helps lift my spirits as I'll be well rested, and will usually have more stamina than normal.

WhiteWashMan

incisor71 wrote:

Does anyone find that there are a few bad days when you try to keep moving but your legs just won't last the distance? If I can expect these days every once in a while, they needn't be so disconcerting.

absolutely. there is nothing worse than getting ona piece of equipment and usuing as normal, only to come off it about 3 minutes later sweat soaked and wrecked!

leaving the gym in disgrace after only about 20 minutes of a workout becuase you just have no energy. happened to me 3 times ina ow last summer when it ws really hot and i got so upset i didnt go back to the gym for about 3 months!

segadreamcast

WhiteWashMan wrote:

absolutely. there is nothing worse than getting ona piece of equipment and usuing as normal, only to come off it about 3 minutes later sweat soaked and wrecked!

leaving the gym in disgrace after only about 20 minutes of a workout becuase you just have no energy. happened to me 3 times ina ow last summer when it ws really hot and i got so upset i didnt go back to the gym for about 3 months!

Yep, happened to me once or twice - just totally sapped of energy... normally I'd just do some gentler exercise (weights) or something after it...

I expect it'll happen to me again this summer - I'm about to go back to the gym after a year of LC studying at my desk, with my only exercise being walking... I haven't put on much weight really (0.5 stone maybe?) but, goodness, my endurance and stamina have gone to hell... I'm gonna have to build it up step-by-step as described on this thread *Sigh*.

P.S. - Has anyone been to westwood in clontarf? If so, is it good?

NewFrockTuesday

P.

S. - Has anyone been to westwood in clontarf? If so, is it good?
__________________

There are a couple of threads on this and the members are listed. There are a good few in here.
My jogging ceased altogeather for a while due to outside happenings but Im going back in tomorrow. I really missed the good humour I have after I have a good run. So, back to stomping the hell out of the treadmill, but Ive been practising the heel toe routine so Ill go with that! Thanks for all the advice.
Has anyone heard of a new shoe that corrects your posture and uses the muscles in your legs correctly? They are fairly new - cant rem the name of them - they are pricey at about €200. Just wondered if anyone has bought a pair?