There are only a very few people who would say no to being able to run a little bit faster and get more of an intensive workout at the same time. No matter what your chosen distance is, and how relaxed your attitude to the sport is, a quick all-out effort is nothing short of exhilarating.
If you’ve been running at a very steady pace for a while, it can be all too commonplace to hit a plateau. However, luckily there are a number of different techniques which you can employ in order to build endurance as well as learn how to run faster without you getting tired. As you begin to push yourself a little harder, if you set new performance goals for your runs this can help you to stay motivated as you discover how far (as well as how fast) you are able to go.
When you first begin, improvements in your running workouts come easily and quickly. Just by doing more running as opposed to you were before, your body becomes better conditioned. In addition, you get faster. At some point in time, however, those speed gains stop coming so easily and it is necessary for you to start mixing up your workouts and training.
What To Introduce?
You can accomplish this by introducing intervals, tempo sessions as well as other types of workouts to your training routine. It’s very important not to overdo the amount of fast training you do, as that will raise your injury risk. However, having one or two speed-focused sessions a week – alongside your easy and steady runs – will assist you to become a faster runner.
Another way of improving your speed is to hit the gym and work on your leg and core strength. Weight training, whether or not it is with bodyweight or added weight, assists with building leg muscles and core strength assisting your body sustain faster speeds more easily as well as keeping your posture strong when fatigue creeps in.
Well-developed muscles are vital for protecting bones and joints. This means less chance of stress fractures in addition to other running injuries. Weight training has also been shown to increase bone density and enhance connective tissue so reducing your risk of tears and breaks.
Bulgarian Split Squat
When running at any speed over any distance, you’re consistently on one foot. This means that it’s good to train in that way whenever it is possible:
- Get into a lunge position. Your knees are bent and your back foot needs to rest on a bench 12-15cm off the floor.
- Lower yourself until your front thigh is nearly horizontal.
- However, don’t push your knee past your front foot. Drive through your front heel and then back up to your starting position.
Deadlift
The deadlift works pretty much every muscle in your body however with a specific focus on the back of the body. That goes through your hamstrings, glutes as well as lower back, which are all quite important for sprinting:
- Bend at your knees and grasp a barbell with an overhand grip. Your hands must be shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the bar to thigh height with the movement driven by your leg muscles as well as by the forward movement of your hips.
- Pause and pull your shoulders back, then lower the bar.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you would like to discover additional information about workouts, and the correct method to adopt when working out, you need to do our Personal Training Diploma. Read more by following this link.