4 Beginner Mistakes That You'Re Probably Making When You're Running

Posted on: 19 May 2016

So, you've purchased an activewear wardrobe and downloaded some workout music to your MP3 player. You're ready to run. While that's all well and good, you aren't necessarily ready to hit the pavement just yet. You first need to familiarize yourself with some mistakes that beginner runners tend to make so that you can avoid them yourself. Here are four of them:

1. Looking Down

When you first start out running, it isn't uncommon to watch your feet move. You want to watch where you are running and you want to see what's happening as you move. However, you need to have faith in yourself and your movement. You need to have enough trust in your body coordination that you can hold your head up high and look straight ahead. This will help protect your neck and maintain your posture, which is negatively affected when you're looking down as you are running.

2. Overstriding

What is an overstride? Overstriding is when your feet hit the ground before your hips. When this happens, a shock runs up through your leg. It's actually pretty commons with new runners. Ultimately, you simply need to start taking shorter strides (aka steps). Also, you want to try paying more attention to when your foot hits the ground and where it is in proportion to your hips.  According to one study, it has been determined that the best frequency of strides per minute for runners is 85. This may vary depending on your speed, but it is a good starting point.

3. Wearing Shoes That Don't Fit

If you aren't used to running, then there is a good chance that you are going to be sore the first few days – maybe even the first couple of weeks. However, if you notice that your feet are unusually sore, it may be because your shoes don't fit. They may be too tight. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to visit a running shoe store in your area to receive a fitting as well as a gait analysis. An expert will be able to help you pick out a pair of shoes that fit your feet properly and that will help prevent any potential injuries.

4. Skimping on Other Types of Workouts

While running can provide you with many health benefits, including stress relief, it shouldn't be the other type of exercise that you are focusing on. In fact, you should combine running with strength training. One study says that strength training helps to increase your running endurance. Because you'll be strengthening your muscles and body as a whole, it may help to prevent running injuries.

Ideally, if you would like to start running and you would like to do it the right way to avoid injury, you should consider speaking to a personal trainer who can help set you up with a customized fitness regimen that includes both running and strength training.

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