4 basic tips to run faster

Intuitively, when we want to improve in an activity, we usually think of training more. This means, more time, more distance and/or more intensity. However, there comes a time when one stagnates and training more does not improve.
At this point, it is when you wonder what you need to do to continue the progression and continue to increase performance capacity.

Running is a basic motor pattern. This means that anyone in the world who does not suffer from any type of physical limitation and has not had any problems in the sensitive phases of their physical development is capable of running. But just because everyone knows how to run, does not mean that they are capable of running well. We only have to look at a road race, the many variations of the running pattern that runners use. And it’s not just a matter of performance. We can find runners in the top positions with a disastrous running technique.

For all these reasons, if we want to improve our running performance and be able to sustain higher speeds with the same effort, it would be good to keep these following key points in mind:

1. Run slow but run.

   Running is one of the most traumatic activities you can subject your body to. An adaptation process based on repetition and a progression in terms of time and adequate distance is necessary. Only in this way will we achieve the necessary strength so that our muscles and tendons work like springs and create not only the force for the impulse, but also the ability to recycle the impact of the stride and take advantage of it for the next one.
   Therefore, go for a run regularly and try to increase your workouts slowly but consistently throughout each week. For baseline, a 10% increase per week would be a good progression.

2. Run with the whole body.

   You run with your legs, but for them to work effectively, the whole body must help through compensatory movements and isometric muscle contractions.
   Perform technique work to help find the optimal arm movement, trunk and hip posture, core stabilization as well as unilateral exercises that allow the correction of asymmetrical patterns, will favor that for the same effort, we run faster.
   There are many exercises to work all these aspects. Stay tuned, I’ll be posting a routine with some basic exercises soon!

3. Think about the biomechanical aspects and how you should adapt them to each circumstance.

   The support of the foot, the amplitude and the cadence of the stride are the three fundamental variables with which you must play to adapt to the different slopes, the type of terrain, the wind and even the degree of fatigue. Derived from these variables we will obtain, thanks to a Stryd (if you have one) the contact time with the ground and the degree of reactivity. By analyzing your sessions, you will be able to assess if you are biomechanically efficient or not. Take advantage of the technology that you have at your disposal to improve as a runner.

4. Includes technique exercises every day.

   The moment of the warm-up, in its final phase, can be a good moment to introduce 4 basic technique exercises that can be useful to finish activating the body before moving on to the most intense phase of the session and also to improve the pattern of the race. For this reason, do not waste the opportunity to put some straight doing skips, the Russian, strides, kicks to the buttocks,… or any typical exercise of technique. Remember that day to day is what adds up!