From childhood, after taking the first steps, walking becomes one of the simplest physical activities to perform. After a while, running becomes part of everyday life, whether in children’s games or in the hectic routine of everyday life.
As a regular practice of exercise, however, race requires some basic care to maximize the benefits and reduce the risk of injury.
The choice of the best place, the right footwear and the frequency and intensity of practice are among the guidelines given by specialists in health and sports.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of aerobic activity per week for adults, and an average of 60 minutes per day for children and adolescents.
According to the Pan American Health Organization (Opas), regular physical activity helps reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, slow cognitive decline and can bring improvements to memory and brain health.
start slowly
Before starting any physical activity, it is recommended to carry out a medical check-up, especially for those who have been stationary for a long time.
Professor and physical trainer Marcio Atalla says that initial guidance from an expert can make all the difference for beginners in running.
“First, to strengthen the musculature involved and to protect the joints, this is very important. Then, why can an expert give you some tips on running techniques that will make all the difference not only to minimize the impact, but also so that you can run with less effort and, therefore, manage to run for longer”, he explains.
For those who have never practiced running, it is recommended to start slowly. First with walks, so that the body gets used to the movement. Then move on to midterm walking with moments of running.
One of the initial basic guidelines is to intersperse the long period of walking and go for a short run to adapt your musculature, your physical conditioning to withstand the race. One of the strategies for those who are going to start running is exactly this: intersperse a good walk with a short period of running.
Marcio Atalla, physical trainer
Choose a suitable place
For beginners to the race, the choice of place is the starting point for a good use of physical activity. “The ideal thing is for the person to be, if possible, in a more airy place, which does not have direct sunlight, on a more regular terrain, which does not have so many holes, which greatly increases the chances of injury”, says the orthopedic doctor Gabriel Pecchia, from Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz.
“Walking and running are contemplative activities and deserve a quiet place. It is not pleasant to run close to cars, go up curbs and go through holes, also because there is also a risk of sprained ankles, especially for those whose ligaments and musculature are not up to date”, adds Leandro Macedo, coach of athletes and speaker, in a statement.
The expert claims that parks are great choices also for the safety issue. “You have to enjoy the landscape and breathe fresh air. We who run usually say the following: we don’t go out for a run, we take our mind for a walk ”, he highlights.
Pay attention to proper footwear
Although there is no consensus on the most suitable type of footwear in the midst of the wide variety of existing options and technologies Currently, specialists are unanimous in affirming that, to begin with, it is enough to choose a running-specific sports shoes and be in good state of use .
“Choose a place at the beginning, if possible, where the impact is less, like dirt, grass or even a mat. Even if you’re going to run in a harder place, like asphalt, it’s important to choose a shoe that is comfortable and running. It is important for you to minimize the chance of having some type of injury”, recommends Atalla.
Respect your limits
The physical trainer states that, for people with good fitness who can run more easily, there are at least three basic types of training.
“A workout is much more intense, your heart rate it is close to 80 to 85% of the maximum frequency. It’s a workout you’re not going to be able to do for a long time, 20 to 25 minutes,” he explains.
A second type of workout is longer, with a maximum heart rate around 60%, which can last from about 1 hour.
“There is an interval training, which you give a sprint , which is a pretty intense run, can reach nearly 100% of your maximum heart rate. So you can recover with a very slow walking time and then do another ‘shot’ “, continues.
The expert highlights the importance of respect one’s own limits to prevent the benefits of exercise are converted into injuries .
“It is very important for us to respect our rhythm and a good way for us to understand this is by observing our body. If I’m out of breath during the run, if I finish the run and I’m exhausted, I spend the rest of the day very tired, if I even have trouble sleeping because of the run or if the next day I’m very sore. These are some signs that this running intensity is above what is recommended for you”, points out Atalla.
Precautions to avoid injuries
the practice of running is not recommended as a daily physical activity .
It is recommended that you run four times a week at most. On other days, you can even have aerobic training, but without impact, such as cycling, swimming and elliptical, but it is important that you include training to strengthen and gain muscle mass in your schedule.
Marcio Atalla, physical trainer
Strengthening the muscles can help reduce the risk of injury.
“The precautions to avoid injury are: good shoes, having a great schedule, in addition to exercises that we call educational, which will improve the quality of the race, with the strengthening of the muscles involved, such as bodybuilding to gain muscle mass”, he says. Atalla.
in relation to stretching the Orthopedist from the Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz says that there is no restriction, but that currently muscle strengthening should be a priority.
“The stretching to be done is light, it can be done before and after the race, in about ten minutes, something shorter than in the past, this is enough to loosen the muscles a little, without exaggeration. To avoid injuries, muscle preparation is much more important”, he points out. “A well-guided training by a professional in the area and the equipment, such as suitable tennis shoes, are also very important”, he adds.
Take good care of your body
A balanced diet, recommended as part of a health strategy integral health is allied with the practice of any physical activity.
The Food Guide for the Brazilian Population, from the Ministry of Health, recommends preference for natural or minimally processed foods, in addition to valuing varieties of plant origin as the basis of the diet.
In addition to preventing cancer, diets based on nutrient-rich foods strengthen the immune system against different types of infections. It is recommended to avoid ultra-processed foods and beverages, which are typically industrial formulations produced by modifying original foods and combining different ingredients (know how to identify ).
“For those who run in the morning, it’s not good to leave with an empty stomach or too full. The ideal is to eat something light and healthy, have a juice and only then go out for the activity. For those who are going to run in the late afternoon, a light snack, about two hours before the race, is perfect”, says Leandro.
Source: CNN Brasil
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