Health & Injuries
Running for beginners is an intense cardio exercise, it engages almost all of your lower body and a major part of your arms and shoulders. After a run, your muscles become tender and vulnerable to injuries.
Recovery is hence the most important aspect of every run. But more than knowing what you should do, you must know what you shouldn’t do. Beginner runners have a tendency to make these 5 easily avoidable mistakes after a run-
During a run, your body loses a lot of water in the form of sweat. It is thus essential to replenish your body with water before dehydration hits you.
Your body needs to eliminate the metabolic waste for which you need water as well. Hydrating your body or drinking electrolytes will also help your body gain the energy it has lost. It will supply your muscles with nutrients and oxygen they lost during the workout and will help increase your stamina.
Remember how your old science textbooks hyped up the word ‘inertia?’ Any object will tend to remain in a state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. Your muscles are no exception to this rule.
An abrupt stop to running can cause injuries to your muscles. Explicitly adding a cooling down duration is essential in a workout plan for beginners. You must start cooling down at least five minutes before you stop running. Reduce your speed gradually and walk for the last minute. After the workout, stretch your muscles and soothe them with the help of foam rollers.
Running uses a lot of energy because all your body’s resources including muscles, joints, tendons, and bones get engaged in the intense workout. This depletes your body’s glycogen stores. A runner’s diet needs more nutrients than an average person’s.
If you don’t replenish the system with all the nutrients, it will not have the resources needed to promote muscle growth and recovery. So make sure you consume enough carbs and proteins as well as vitamins and minerals after every workout.
You may not have the time and resources to shower after every run, but that does not mean that you can let the sweat dry itself off. Not cleaning off sweat can lead to possible bacteria’s issues and make you itchy and uncomfortable. The least you should do is take a dry towel and wipe off sweat from areas like the armpits, behind the knee, inside the elbows and neck.
Sleep is for the smart. You don’t have to sleep right after your run but make sure you slip in extra hours in your rest hours when you start running. Sleeping is a very important part of recovery that helps your body recover from all its previous workouts.
Now that you know everything you need to avoid after a run, there is no reason to be afraid of doing things wrong. With these running tips up your sleeve, you can hit the track with a confident and motivated mind-set and establish that running program you always wished for.
