5:00 am...you wake up to the sound of your alarm, jump out of bed, throw your running clothes on, and in less than 5 minutes you're out the door running.
The first few steps are pretty crunchy as you dust off the fuzz from the nights sleep. Your knees are achy, your feet hurt, your backs a little tight, you really don't feel like you've hit your stride until about the 3rd mile...but its ok...you're going to get your run in before sitting down at your desk at 8 am. This is the mentality of many athletes. It seems to be the new norm to jump right into your workout and feel pretty crappy up until you're about 1/3 of the way finished with it!
This mentality often leaves athletes with nagging injuries, broken down, and watching from the sidelines. Taking 5-15 minutes to consistently prepare your body for your run goes a long way when it comes to staying healthy and performing your best!
If you prepare your body for running, you will not only feel better, but you'll perform better as well.
So here are 3 ways to feel great on your next run!
1) Give your ankles some love! (2-4 minutes total). Use a voodoo floss on your ankles. Wrap the ankle then walk around and perform slow calf raises for about a minute or 2.
2) Take 5 minutes to loosen up and prime your body for movement. Open up your hips AND prime your hips and midline for running with the Bulgarian Split Squat and the inchworm!
Note: No Load needed for Bulgarian Split Squats. Prop your rear foot up on your car, a curb, a bench, or anything else elevated. This is a great way to actively open up your rear hip and improve stability on your stance leg.
3) Warm up for running by....you guessed it...running! 5 Minutes of Run Drills is what you need.
There is no better way to warm up for running than by intentionally practicing how you want to run. Take 5-10 minutes and work run drills to prime your body for the motor pattern you wish to run. Here are some of my favorites.
If you are experience chronic pain when running, you most likely need to address your running mechanics!
To fix your problem you need to find a clinician who understands running mechanics, the rehab process, and understands your goals to help you get back to the activities and sports you love. They will guide you along your journey, let you know what's normal and what's not normal, and they will get you back to the things you love in the quickest most efficient manner possible!
Interested in improving your running mechanics? Watch the video below!
Here at Ground to Overhead Physical Therapy, we help athletes all over the country run faster and resolve their chronic pain. We do this with 3-D video running analysis and individualized run coaching. Helping athletes focus intently on the areas which they need help in the most!
Questions about the content within this post? Interested in a 3-D Video analysis?
Interested in how you could eliminate your chronic pain and improve your performance?
or
Send me an email at Tancini@groundtooverheadphysicaltherapy.com .
I'll be happy to help!