Running for shape – How to start running and do it right?

A common injury among runners is the knee joint injury, due to its location between the hip, ankle joint and the foot, which is the first recipient of the ground. In addition, runners’ common nightmares are muscular system injuries caused by poor strength preparation. Therefore, an important element of any training programme is to structure it in such a way that it includes appropriate strengthening exercises that will prevent or minimise the likelihood of an injury – says Krzysztof Łyp, physiotherapist and motor preparation trainer at the Zdrofit Academy.

Your strength base and awareness of your body in space are as important as going the next kilometres. Appropriate preparation and consistency allow us to overcome further barriers. Without an appropriate training stimulus, we will not jump over the limits imposed by our own body. By acting on the principle of programmed training, we will be able to reduce the likelihood of an injury, and thus constantly pursue our passion for running – suggests Krzysztof Łyp.

In the main part of the training, in the starting phase, it is worth focusing on a relatively small load with an average number of repetitions and playing with pace. You can use pace work, pauses in critical phases of movement, dynamic exercises, and unilateral exercises – says Krzysztof Łyp. – To feel good in the various phases of the run, it is also worth focusing on one-legged work in various sequences of movement. As your advancement progresses, you can introduce exercises on an unstable surface – he adds.

No matter what your training goals are, a runner’s body needs adequate rest. Only a well-rested body can undertake further physical exertion, making the exercises more efficient – sums up Krzysztof Łyp.

When starting to run, it is worth looking at how our motor system behaves. The stance phase is 60% of the gait cycle. It includes heel-to-ground contact, eccentric braking, full foot loading and foot roll. The remaining 40% is the transfer phase. It is about rebound, acceleration, proper transfer, and braking. As for the running pattern, it is characterised by the fact that there is no double support phase. In short, it consists of the stance phase – shock absorption and rebound, rear and front, the flight phase, meaning ascending and descending, and the swing phase, both rear and front – explains Krzysztof Łyp.