I've been trying to run. I can run about 2 miles in 20 minutes but its hard for me, and Im making all sorts of mistakes. Im uncertain how to breathe. I have no economy of motion(i waste movement). not sure about foot placement, arms flailing etc. im not sure where i should be looking (when im on a treadmill) my eyes wander. should i focus on a singular point? and again, my breathing is inconsistent. in through the nose out through the mouth? both? and mentally, im weak. i get 2 minutes in and my thoughts are , "pain pain pain, this sucks suck sucks..." i want to be healthier and a stronger runner. any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated
I'm the same way... My shins start to kill after about 5 minutes. People have blamed my technique, but I don't know what it would be... When some of my friends just said, "Well you're running wrong..." I said "How the **** do I run wrong?" Wish I could help, but I'm kinda the same way. I hate running, don't hate playing sports/lifting, but I hate running.
Knees up, arms at your side with CONTROLLED swaying. It should be a natural movement don't flail. In the nose and out the mouth....thats how I breathe. Take DEEP long breaths in your nose. Its REALLY hard at first but if you adapt to it it will really help your stamina and breathing long term. Also a small tip....sometimes I think I'm out of breath but what I really am is thirsty. I take a small sip of water WHILE I'm jogging (dont stop) and that makes me feel a lot better. I'm not expert but I jog 30 minutes everyday. Lost nearly 30 pounds and have just 5 more to go. EDIT ADD ON: I see that you're on a treadmill (missed that reading through the first time) when I'm on our treadmill I look straight ahead as if I were in the street wary of cars . But I find it MUCH easier to jog/run outside around the block.
I agree with that. The only time I use a treadmill is when its pouring rain outside, or when I want to take it light for a day at a slow/controlled speed. I just go around my block every day for half an hour, I try to see how many times I can go around each day. It's sort of like a challenge really. Sometimes my legs kill me....but you just have to keep moving. Another bit of advice....NEVER eat before you run. Just don't do it, bad idea. Wait an hour or two after.....then run.
http://www.mapmyrun.com - go there, find yourself a nice outside route. at first don't run the whole time. run for a minute then walk for a minute then run, etc. for as long as you plan on running for. you have to start where you're at not where you want to be.
I like to mix it up as well. I usually jog until I get tired, walk a little, then jog again. As long as your heart rate stays up it isnt that big of a difference. I personally get better results this way.
I run 5 miles 3-5 days a week (depending on how lazy/busy I am that week) and some of the tips here are pretty solid. First off you have to train your body to not quit damnit. Your body will want to quit you got to suck that **** up and get the **** over it and do it. That's the only way you're going to be able to break it. It's hard, but you'll never truly improve until you do that. Breathing deeply from your nose and exhaling through your mouth is how you do it which has already been explained. Being a tall long legged mother****er gives me an advantage, but my younger step brother is 5'11" 205 and in even slightly better shape than me so really it's mind over matter. Your shins/ankles/knees might hurt. If you're really that bad then that might be a personal thing but unless you're about to cry or you think you're doing damage, suck it up, man up, and do what you set to accomplish. How much in life is truly easy that you think getting in shape will be too? It will get easier once your body adjusts to it, just like lifting weights.
See I just go balls to the wall I feel like if i quit in the middle then I'm not ready yet. To each his own I'm sure though.
also; if you are running/walking/etc and still eat like **** you will not lose weight. just because you are doing exercise doesn't mean it will do you any good if all you eat is mcdonald's breakfast, noon & night.
What I end up doing is after my runs I take a break to get 100% (usually consists of me laying on my sidewalk completely gassed haha) then do 150 meter sprints 5 times, each time getting back to 100%. The muscles you use from running are already tired so it just wipes you out, and the sprinting shocks your muscles so the next time you run your pace it's strengthened. Over time you really see results.
Yeah if you're really serious about your fitness you have to take your food intake seriously too. Allow yourself one don't give a **** day but eat healthy the rest. There's no nutrition in fast food, if you want your muscles to properly grow they need everything they can get.
A decent pair of running shoes can help w/ the pain as well. I was having some trouble and I went to a running place that observes your step and helps you find a shoe that best supports your feet/step. Helped me quite a bit.
I used to run 3 miles per day probably 5 days per week at about a 7 minute mile so I wasn't setting the world on fire, but moving ok. Jogging sucks monkey ***, when I realized that and went to a natural stride it made all the difference in the world. For me the shin & knee pain went away and I was able to breath in rhythm once I stopped trying to jog and focused on my natural running stride. Early on when I was just getting into it I would work in an interval, run for 1:00, walk for 1:00 and on up the scale until I was able to cut the walking breaks down and continue to run. I was always very goal oriented so I would pick a target off in the distance and focus on that and let everything else kind of flow in. As DS84 said above invest in a good pair of shoes it really does make a difference. After I ran I always did 10-12 minutes of jumprope at the end until I was ready to fall over. I personally need to find that discipline again because I'm all doughy now and look like the stay-puffed marshmallow man. When you think you have to stop make yourself take a few more steps you can often work through that fatigue. Stay hydrated and don't let yourself get so lightheaded you fall and crack your head open. Update us on your progress.
thanks for all the advice and encouragement guys. i had a good first week of working out. to be honest, the hardest part of the running was my legs being sore. i started lifting this week too, and so my legs have just been so heavy(whole body really). but i was able to run 2 miles in under 20 minutes without stopping, so i was happy with that. i run on a slight incline too, just figure it'll be better for me, and make actual running all the more enjoyable when i get out there. i havent really done any working out since the end of 08', but im not heavy or unhealthy really, so im pleased yet not impressed with myself. the problem with pushing myself too hard is, its not good for my heart rate to be too high. and im used to going hard with the weights. but with cardio, its not good for a thirty-something yr old to keep his heart rate in the 180s(should be 150). and thats where my real pain kicks in. but the breathing tips helped. but its too hard to run outside. i just dont have the time to goto the gym, then go out running separately. i need to bang it all out fairly quickly because of my schedule.
Sethdaddy, I am by no means an expert, but I have to know how to run for maintaining my standards for PT in the Army. Everyone has given great advice: good, quality pair of running shoes, breathing techniques, even drinking a small sip of water while running. The only advice I can give is this: Have a fantastic mix on the iPod. One that is always upbeat. Focus on the music and a point straight ahead. The music will keep your mind off the pain, the focal point will keep you focused on the finish. When you reach that point, pick another and run to that. Continue this until you are finished with your run. This technique breaks up the run so you aren't constantly thinking "have I gone my two miles yet," "when will this be over," "God this sucks," etc. Also, as Alex pointed out, keep your arms controlled and tight to the side. BUT keep your hands relaxed. Don't keep a tight fist. Keep your fingers extended (think of the robot), or let your hand "flop" at the wrist. If you run on a treadmill, you need to incline it to at least 1 so it will mimic running on a track or the road. When you do move to the outdoors, you will be more prepared. Let us know when you hit "the zone." That runner's high kicks ***!!!!!
Lots of good advice, but I would like to add one thing. I played soccer very competitively at one.point, and believe me, you learn how to run playing Soccer. A wise coach once taught me to breathe through your nose as much as possible. You lose much more moisture when breathing through your mouth. This was the same coach that made us run continuously for 1 hour. He didn't care about distance, just duration
I am really strict on my diet during the week. I eat white meats, almonds, oatmeal, fruit, veggies, and whole wheats. I eat what I want on the weekend and have my weekly 6-12 beers as well. I find this works best for me because it kinda gives you a reward to look forward to and it keeps weight in check. I also run 25-30 minutes each morning during the week before work.
If you are running for a while, make sure you are walking it off at the end. Don't just stop, or you will have a lot more acid in your muscles and they will hurt more. Walking for a bit will circulate your blood more and give you a better cool down.
One of the most incredible and interesting books I have read in a long time is called BORN TO RUN Book Description Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong. Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder. With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run. It's also available through various bit torrent sites as an audio book http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/512...topher_McDougall._Read_Fred_Sanders_FerraBit_
I don't think much of his ideas, frankly. Sure, we evolved to run barefoot on the savannahs...but there wasn't much broken glass, old hypodermic needles, asphalt or motor oil on the savannahs. Also, most of us have been wearing shoes nearly since birth and have adjusted to them.
Wow, I came in to this forum with your same questions. I've recently started running/jogging since the 1st. I've been going 3x week but only two miles at a time starting out. I can't seem to get my breathing right either. My legs don't hurt, but I'm gasping for air. I will try in deep thru nose, out with mouth. Plus my shoulder always starts to bother me about 1.5 miles in. I wonder if that's cause I'm holding my arms wrong? Or Is that just cause I'm out of shape? Also was wondering if there were any dangers, healthwise, of running in bitter cold temps?
Your eyes should be focused on the ground about 10 to 20 feet ahead of you. Don't stare at your feet. Not only is this proper running form, but it's also a safer way to run because you can see what's coming.
