Running

Taking part in your first triathlon requires commitment and can be a leap of faith. Whether it is a sprint triathlon, an Olympic distance triathlon, or an Ironman triathlon, you should have the right mentality, the right workout plan, and the discipline, if you want to complete it. Here are some great pointers on how to start training for a triathlon. Essential Gear for a Triathlon The traditional notion of a triathlon is that it is an expensive sport. However, in reality, it is not. In fact, you do not need to have fancy bicycles, aerodynamic clothing, or elite-level running shoes. Your first triathlon goal should be to complete it; not to qualify for a world championship. The following basic gear will easily help you prepare for a triathlon: A swimsuit or swim trunks, goggles, and a swim cap are essential. You could also get some paddles, fins, a pull buoy, and a kickboard if you want to do some drills in the pool; but this is not mandatory. A mountain, road, or hybrid bicycle that fits you. There is no need to have triathlon specific bicycles since these are mainly used by professionals. A pair of cycling shorts, since wearing your usual workout clothing can lead to saddle sores and general discomfort when riding. A pair of shoes that fit you and are comfortable will be ideal. Again, there is no need to purchase elite shoes. Balancing the Disciplines If you have asked the question of how to train for a triathlon, the answer is balance. But, how do you, in fact, create balance? While there are several ways to do this, it mainly depends on your current fitness level and the time you are willing to dedicate. Swim To many first-time triathletes, this is often the most difficult step;  since a majority of the races are done in open water. Moreover, swimming is heavily dependent on a good stroke technique. Even professionals continue to perfect their technique, since a small change could lead to marginal gains or losses. In your case, the best thing to do is to enrol yourself in a master’s swim squad in your locality and consult with the coach. If you are a complete beginner, your coach might be willing to personally train you for a reasonable fee. If you can swim, consult the coach, and let him/her assess you. If you are good, then you might swim with the squad, or you might be given special swim workouts that lead up to the big day. Bike Getting the perfect cycling training can be tricky at times since you need to work on power, endurance, technique as well as hydration. But, with a little bit of trial and error, it is possible to find a balance that encompasses all these elements, while also finding the time to train for running and swimming. Ideally, you should be able to schedule 3-5 cycling workouts that focus on power, endurance, and technique. Hydration is something you will eventually get the hang of - after a few workouts. For starters, it is best to start slowly with an easy 30-minute workout, then slowly increase the duration and the intensity. To make things easy and convenient, try using the Zwift app, as it provides great workouts for beginner triathletes. Your saddle time will increase your confidence and pedalling technique. Run The run is the last segment of a triathlon and is considered to be the most gruelling as you are already exhausted. Beginners should ideally have 2-4 days of run workouts that include long runs, interval training, and brick runs. This too can be planned with the help of Zwift. Start off slow with a run-walk-run workout to get the body to adapt. Brick runs will be new to a beginner triathlete because it incorporates cycling as well. Cycle for at least 30 minutes and run for around 5-10 minutes right after. This helps the legs get used to changing from one discipline to another. Transition Many professionals consider this to be the fourth discipline since the transition between activity can make or break your race. But since you are training for your first triathlon, just getting the hang of the basics is more than enough. After a swim, time yourself changing from swim attire to your cycling attire, and try to reduce the time taken to get dressed. Transition practice from the cycling to running can be done when you are doing brick workouts. Plan for Recovery There is only so much training your body can take. Doing every workout at the same intensity and having inadequate nutrition can lead to fatigue and injury. Thus, the importance of a triathlon training recovery plan. Stretching and Recovery Tools Planning for this is done best while planning out the main workouts. A typical recovery plan would include a good set of stretch exercises after every workout to keep the muscles relaxed and flush out excess lactic acid. You can complement a good stretch session with the use of recovery tools like SPRYNG. The pneumatic compression muscle recovery tool helps in increasing oxygenation of the leg muscles, improving blood circulation, and aiding the overall recovery. In other words, this is perfect for leg recovery after cycling, after running, and even after doing a good kick set in the pool. Hydration This is equally important for recovery. It is as important as the food in-take during and after workouts to help in maintaining the body’s energy. Think of it as fuel. Without the right fuel, the body will perform poorly. But, with the right fuel, it will do wonders. The general rule of thumb for recovery after sprint triathlon training or any other distance training, is to load on carbs and protein-rich food. Such foods replenish the body’s lost nutrients efficiently. This also helps in reducing calf cramps after running and leg problems. Race Day Prepare a plan the day before the big day. Consider the material you want to take on each discipline; what you want to wear, nutrition and your equipment, if any. This will make you more confident and help you avoid race day nerves. When you wake up for the big day, know that you have trained hard and prepared yourself to do it the best you can. All you have to do is execute the plan. Good Luck!

Strength Training If you are a runner, adding strength training to your schedule can be very beneficial to you. It can set you apart from the rest. There are three main benefits of strength training for runners. Prevent injuries – By improving your overall strength, it will help to toughen your connective tissues, increasing your resilience towards injury. Increase muscular power - How to run faster? That is a question on every runner's mind. Strength training helps to produce a stronger force onto the ground so that you run much faster Improve neuromuscular coordination – If you’re wondering how to run efficiently, strength training is the key. It improves your running economy & leaves you with a smoother stride by improving the communication pathways between your brain and muscles. Adding strength training to your schedule 2-3 times a week is recommended to produce the most benefit to you as a runner. Many runners want to know how to run efficiently for long distances. A strength workout that incorporates core movements, would improve your posture and help maintain your running form for longer. This is accomplished by improving your overall stability and control of your movements. This helps you avoid form-errors, like rotating your torso or flailing your arms when you start to get tired, that cost you a lot of energy. A strong core also gives your other muscles a strong foundation to help them work at maximum capacity. So, there you have it! There are many reasons runners should strength-train. And the good news is you don’t need a gym—or any equipment—to get the job done. Read our article ‘The Pandemic has given a window for strengthening for runners'  to find out some great strength training exercises you can do at home. Fix Your Stride To answer your question how to get faster at running, a few adjustments to your running style can reap major rewards when it comes to mileage, injury prevention and speed. Paying more attention to your form will make you a more economical and efficient runner. How to improve running technique? Here’s 4 thing’s you can do to have a more efficient running technique Determine Your Foot Position Studies and experts disagree on what the best foot strike is. It is commonly promoted to land on your forefoot. However, you’ll be more economical if you land on the part of your foot that comes naturally to you. Altering that will only impact your running economy. Improve Your Cadence Cadence is your running rhythm, that is, the number of steps you take in a minute. Improving your cadence should help you improve your stride by helping you shorten it. Better Posture Posture is very important for your running form. Poor posture causes your body to work harder, your muscles to overwork and restricts blood and oxygen flow. Proper Body Positioning Keeping your muscles strong and at the proper place makes your muscles work less so you can run more efficiently. Your arms should be rhythmic and relaxed and should not be swinging back and forth across your midline. Your core should also be held tight to keep your body stable. Recovery Do your calves hurt after running? Well, you’re not alone! There are several home remedies for leg pain after running. We also recommend complementing your home remedies with SPRYNG Active Compression solution, a powerful and effective device to help speed up your recovery and get you back on your feet faster. It does this by mimicking your skeletal muscle pumps that occur after strenuous exercise, the device aids in the return of blood to the heart so swelling and muscle injury is reduced    

Being confined to the walls of our homes or apartments is something that is new for all of us. While this period may seem unnerving to some of us, what if we just took a moment to appreciate some of the good things that have resulted from this lockdown period. We can finally do all the things that we have been “too busy to do” , like spending time with our families, learning that new skill that we’ve always wanted to learn, setting new fitness goals, and being able to come out of this scary situation prepared (somewhat) to face anything! What will come out of the current situation, nobody knows! Let us instead focus on what we can control for now- being the best version of ourselves!During this period, you may have asked yourself the question, “how to work out from home without any equipment?”. Well, the good news is that there are plenty of exercises that do not require the use of any equipment. We won’t dive into that just yet. Another option for you would be to start running. Running is a versatile sport and exercise that almost anyone can get into. Why not take it a step further and set yourself a lockdown challenge of running a marathon? WHY NOT RIGHT!? If your lockdown goal is to start training for your first ever marathon, you have come to the right place. Let us take you through the ins-and-outs of preparing for this. What to consider for your first marathon? Don’t waste any more time, start training now! Use this time to begin your training. Training for a marathon requires adequate planning and preparation, so let’s start one step at a time. We recommend reaching out to a professional trainer or a friend who has competed in a marathon previously. They will give you key guidance and advice. Train for at least 16 weeks before you attempt to run your first full marathon. Apart from the mental preparation and working on improving your running mechanics, your marathon training will encompass two major areas of fitness – building endurance and strengthening.  Building Endurance 
This should be every long-distance runner's mantra! Building endurance is a key component of your training program for a long-distance run such as a marathon. It takes time and commitment. However, once you get started on this, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll start to see progress and improvements in your stamina. Soon enough, you’ll find that a distance you once found challenging, becomes much easier.
 Strengthening "Wait, I’m supposed to do something other than running to train for a marathon!?". Yes, supplementing you running with strength work will only help you become a better runner, reduce your likelihood of getting injured and make you feel great all-round. That being said, you don’t necessarily need to become a gym-rat in order to work on your strength training as a runner. Strength workouts at home for beginners would typically incorporate movements that target your core, legs and glutes! A few examples would be planks, bodyweight squats, stationary lunges, back extensions and glute bridges - these are also great exercises for beginners to lose weight at home. Recovery is your best friend At some point during your training, you will experience leg pain after exercise or even muscle soreness. It’s part of the process, so do not let that throw you off. If you’ve ever wondered why legs pain after exercise, it’s because your muscles have worked harder than they're used to, just in a different way. This causes microscopic damage to your muscle fibers, resulting in muscle soreness. Fear not, as this type of muscle stiffness is normal, doesn't last long, and is a sign of your improving fitness. Here are some home remedies for leg calf pain and soreness experienced after a long run. Foam Rolling According to research, foam rolling regularly can decrease exercise fatigue, and reduce your likelihood of being sore in the first place. Static Stretching These can help release tension in tight muscles. Stretch until you feel a slight pull and then hold that position for about a minute. Repeat the stretch several times until you feel the tension leave your muscles. Hydration 
Loss of electrolytes is one of the main reasons of sore calf muscles. Therefore, it is advisable to increase your consumption of fluids in order to get relief from sore muscles. Recover with SPRYNG Active Compression Solution Recover within the convenience of your home in just 15 minutes . Improved circulation and increased oxygenation to your muscles are some of the benefits that come with using SPRYNG Active Compression Solution. It is a scientifically proven way to help you recover faster and better than ever before. Buy Now

Due to its relative simplicity, running is often considered to be one of the easiest activities to engage in. As a result, running has become one of the more popular past times of any sports enthusiast, regardless of the generation they were born in. The major popularity over the decades has resulted in many pushing their physical boundaries on the track and on the road. This is very well documented with the ever-improving timings recorded in the Olympic games. An efficient running technique, apart from physical fitness, is one of the primary factors that make for the ideal run. Furthermore, the running gait makes up for more than half of your running technique. Hence, before going into the nitty-gritty of it all, let us first understand what a running gait is. What is Running Gait? In simple terms, the running gait is the way your foot moves every time it hits the ground This is not the same for every runner, regardless of whether they are seasoned marathon runners or newbies. According to gait analysis research, there are three known running gaits that occur depending on the physical structure of the athlete. These are supination, pronation, and neutral. Each of these gaits have their pros and cons. Before asking the question on ‘how to improve running gait?’, it is important to first understand these distinctive gaits. Supination Supination, sometimes called under pronation, is the rolling motion to the outside edge of your foot with each step. This can be due to several reasons that can range from your physical structure to the shoes you wear. In most cases, however, supination can be traced to the physical structure of the foot. Many supinators often have high, rigid arches that naturally roll the foot outwards. In addition to the natural foot structure, other elements such as the occurrence of ankle injuries, iliotibial band (IT band) syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis also affect the degree of supination. In many cases, the injuries mentioned are good indicators to know if you are supinator yourself. Rectifying your gait to minimize the aggravation of injuries may be quite a difficult task. Hence, a conscious effort along with specific footwear is recommended. A temporary treatment for sore legs, which could be caused by the running gait, can be found in Spryng since it eases the muscle tensions in the calf muscles and in the iliotibial bands (IT bands). Overpronation Over-pronation is the opposite of supination, in which the foot rolls excessively towards the inside edge during each step. The main reason for over-pronation is the low arches and flat heels in the foot, which force the foot into landing in such a way. Constant over-pronation often leads to stress on the shin area of the legs that lead to shin splints. These at times s can escalate into hairline fractures. Just like the supination, you should be able to understand if your running gait is an over-pronation by analyzing the aches and pains you feel after a long run. Most people suffer from over-pronation. Since it can be quite hard to change one’s technique, it is important to address the leg cramps while running and injuries that arise due to this gait. SPRYNG has got you covered with its innovative compression wrap that aids in recovery of the legs. Neutral This type of gait is considered to be the middle ground of running. This is because a neutral running gait often has bits of pronation and supination mixed in it. In simple terms, this running gait is described as the rolling of the foot slightly outwards in the initial phase of the gait and an eventual inward motion in the latter phase. This makes the impact evenly distributed throughout the foot and up through the entire leg. Here, the big toe and the second toe plays a major part in the stabilisation and push off from the ground. People who have a neutral running gait also have similar injuries to that of overpronators, such as shin splints, and sometimes can experience sore calves while running. However, it is very rare for fatal injuries to occur for individuals having a neutral running gait. Sometimes, shin splints may cause swelling in the legs, and home remedies such as the Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation method (RICE) is often recommended. However, you can now recover faster with SPRYNG by your side as well! The patent-pending pneumatic compression profile of SPRYNG helps flush out any unwanted of fluid build-up in the legs, expediting the recovery process This will get you back into your running shoes faster. The Debate There is a lot that has been researched and discussed among the sporting community about the ideal running gait. These heated debated have come to several varying conclusions, leaving many amateurs unclear as to what the most efficient gait is. Well, the answer is simple. There is no real ideal gait, as it solely depends on the individual and his or her skeletal and muscle structure. In other words, the most efficient gait is your natural gait, and whether you pronate too much or pronate minimally, it does not matter. What matters is that your footwear can cope up with your natural gait. Researchers argue that the most common injuries such as shin splint and IT band issues are a result of wearing the wrong footwear for your running gait. Stability shoes are recommended to be used by athletes who have an overpronating gait. Those with neutral and supinators are often recommended to wear neutral shoes with lesser stability elements on them. How to Perform a Simple Gait Analysis Yourself Now that you know that any gait is good, it is still important to know what type of gait you fall into. For that, you would need to perform a gait analysis. There are many ways of performing such an analysis at home, and one of them is the ‘wet foot test’ that examines your barefoot running gait to ascertain your motion. If you are still skeptical about your gait, do try and look at the worn-out heel of your shoe. This will make it easier to understand how your foot strikes the ground. However, if you want an accurate check of your running gait, it is highly recommended to participate in a gait analysis conducted by speciality running shoe stores, as they use high tech telemetry to study your movement. By performing such an analysis, you will be able to identify the right shoe for your corresponding gait, reduce the risk of injury, and perform at your best. In short, you can belong to any of the running gaits and still be an efficient runner. Even if you do ask the question ‘why do my legs hurt when I run?’, remember that it is normal to experience pain after a long run or practice session. There are always remedies to recover from that pain, and SPRYNG certainly does help!  

The Covid-19 pandemic has made the world come to a standstill.  Many professionals have been forced to quarantine themselves and are practicing social distancing. Exercising and staying fit is one of the most important things to consider at a time like this. This is so that your body’s immune system is strong, and you stay healthy.  However, over the duration of the lockdown, many have found it difficult to maintain a proper running routine that incorporates adequate physical activity, or have they?  Slight adjustments to your normal routine will result in a viable workout.  Discussed below are just some of the main aspects of working out at home you should consider when finding the right work/life balance. Workouts at home There are many home workouts out there for both amateur and frequent runners. Regardless, all runners must consider two broad elements. These are the strengthening aspect of running and the cardiovascular aspect of it. Strengthening Aspect Long-distance running relies a lot on the muscles of the leg and your core. It is important that you make maximum use of this time to engage in strengthening muscle groups in the legs, such as the glutes, calves, and the hamstrings. For this, several leg workouts at home can be done without any sort of equipment These include exercises such as burpees, air squats, walking lunges, and single-leg lateral jumps, to name a few. These leg exercises at home can be mixed up with some other core exercises like planks, Russian twists, and bicycle kicks.  This combined routine makes it possible to create a circuit training workout that strengthens important muscle groups required for long-distance running. If you have resistance bands or simple weights, you could take it up a notch by adding this equipment into your plan.  However, it is the cardiovascular aspect of working out at home that is critical. A daily workout like this will only take around 30 minutes to one hour, which allows you to slot in a good workout at home even during a weekday. Cardiovascular Aspect The cardiovascular aspect of long-distance running is one of the more difficult things to maintain.  This leads many athletes to worry about drops in performance. However, there is nothing to worry about!  If you have a treadmill, an elliptical machine, or even a stationary bicycle, these machines can function as viable alternatives. But what if you do not have any of these machines? Well, there is an increasing trend of many people running various distances on their rooftops, in their driveways, and even on their own stairway to make sure that their cardio gains are not lost.  That is what you should do too! Of course, you may not build your cardiovascular fitness and this routine may be very boring. That said, you will certainly maintain your cardiovascular fitness! This makes it easier to return to peak performance once the pandemic is over. Running for at least 30-40 minutes two times a week, at a comfortable pace is more than enough for you to maintain a good base of fitness.  Muscle soreness/leg pain While adjusting to this new routine of yours, there might be a chance that your muscles and legs experience soreness or pain. This soreness is often caused as a result of strenuous exercise. If you do experience sore hamstrings after running or any leg pain after exercise, always make sure that you do a proper warm down and allow your legs and body to rest. This recovery can be further accelerated with Spryng SPRYNG’s patent-pending pneumatic compression helps relieve your sore muscles after running, or, for that matter, your sore muscles after any other workout.  SPRYNG’s compression helps flush out any lactic acid and other fluids from the muscles.  This allows for adequate muscle recovery on your calves and shin area. Additionally, if you do want to take care of your body as a whole, it is always important to stretch after every workout. Even if you do not engage in any sort of strengthening or running workout, stretching is highly recommended. Stretching Stretching is an important element to consider when you are working out from home/   It reduces the time taken for muscle recovery after running and also allows muscles to easily adapt to various other exercises. In other words, stretching keeps the muscles loose and flexible so that you can perform demanding workouts from home. The main stretches that should be done frequently are glute stretches, hamstring stretches, calf muscle stretches, and groin stretches.  By considering all this, your workouts do not necessarily have to be as long as it would normally be outdoors. This allows you to schedule a healthy routine, even in a lockdown situation! In conclusion, maintaining a healthy workout routine whilst working from home is not that difficult.   It does not take much time and does not require any sort of special equipment.  You will only exert a little more than an hour when considering the main workout, the cool down, and the stretching. So, go ahead and find a routine that best works for you!