Running is the easiest and most enjoyable way to stay in shape. Make it an integral part of your daily routine and you’ll start to notice positive changes. You don’t need much to get started—just a pair of quality running shoes and a willingness to change some of your habits. It doesn’t matter whether you choose the treadmill or the park near your home. Don’t worry about whether to run in the morning or evening, either. The important thing is to get started.
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What are the benefits of running?
Running has many benefits. It’s suitable for everyone, regardless of their weight or fitness level. If you’re a beginner, of course, you should start slowly to avoid injury or overexertion, which could have the opposite effect. Running revitalizes the whole body—it’s one of the best ways to combat high blood pressure, shortness of breath and a runny nose. It helps maintain muscle tone and improves circulation. It gets all your muscle groups in shape: when we run, it’s not just our legs that work, but also our abs, arms and neck. One of running’s biggest benefits is the intensity of the exercise, also known as cardio. It helps reduce the stress we’ve built up during the day and throughout another working week.
What are the health benefits?
Most people associate running with weight loss. It’s true that running regularly can affect your appearance, but you may be surprised by the health benefits hidden in this physical activity.
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We’ve briefly summed up all the benefits of running for you, and we’re sure you hadn’t even considered most of them.
- Running strengthens the heart and increases the number of capillaries and red blood cells. This makes the heart stronger.
- The muscles’ capacity to use the oxygen delivered to them increases. A well-trained heart pumps more blood per cycle than an untrained one. And as blood flow increases, so does the amount of oxygen. All organs and tissues receive more oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood.
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- Relieves stress. Nervous tension and fatigue during the day lead to a buildup of waste products in the body. Sweating heavily helps you get rid of them, and running is perfect for this.
- When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins. They’re known as “happiness hormones,” and for good reason: when their concentration in the blood increases, you feel a mild euphoria and your low mood lifts.
- Mental activity increases. As you run, your brain often comes up with creative solutions to problems seemingly on its own. Increased oxygen flow contributes to this, helping the central nervous system function more actively.
- Regular running improves immunity by increasing red blood cell and hemoglobin levels in the blood. At the same time, it lowers cholesterol, reduces hunger, and improves intestinal motility. Combined with an improved metabolism, all this helps normalize your weight.
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- Regular running also has a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system. It is especially beneficial for older people because it helps prevent degenerative joint diseases and osteoarthritis.
How should you get started?
It would be a mistake to start running as soon as you leave home or enter the gym. First, you need to warm up for a few minutes. Spend up to 5 minutes on easy exercises such as squats and stretching your legs, arms, etc. After your run, do a few muscle-stretching exercises as well. To add some strength training, you can follow your run with squats, sit-ups, and toning exercises. This will help burn excess fat.
When and how much should you run?
We recommend jogging. This type of running is the safest for your joints. The pace is a little faster than a brisk walk. To measure it more accurately, check your heart rate: it should average 100–110 beats per minute, but no more than 120. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to alternate running with walking, then start running again once your heart rate has recovered. If you train regularly, after 10–12 workouts you’ll be able to maintain a heart rate of 110–120 beats per minute, which is most beneficial during exercise. Listen to your body and gradually increase your run from 10–15 minutes to 30 minutes—that’s enough for a full workout. Warm up and cool down for 3–5 minutes. If you combine running with strength exercises for problem areas, your total workout will take about 1 hour. Running 2–3 times a week is enough to start seeing changes in your body. After that, you can keep it up every day without it feeling like a burden.
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Running is a natural function of the human body. Its greatest advantage is that it’s simple and natural to do, while offering countless benefits. So grab your running shoes—we’ll see you on the treadmill!