COVID-19 Is Changing the Way We Move

Now gyms are closed, what type of exercise are you doing?

Over the past few days there has been an increase of people running on the roads & in the parks (yay, go you BTW). Keep in mind when changing how you exercise & when you increase a type of exercise quickly, it can lead you down the injury path. I thought I would write this blog post to give you some running tips so you can hit your stride quicker!

1. Increase your running slowly! I usually recommend the 10% rule as in only increase your distance by 10% each week.

2. Consistency is key. Try to avoid doing one long run or fast run where you absolutely smash yourself & then do nothing for the rest of the week. Aim for three runs per week to start off with some cross training thrown in.

3. Strength training is important for maintaining muscles for endurance. Now I know what you are going to say, “the gyms are closed Elissa, how can I strength train?”. Well, you can still do body weight or get a couple of your canvas shopping totes, fill them with clothes & voila weights! Things like squats, lunges, dead lifts, calf raises & glute bridges are great for strengthening running muscles.

4. Stretching is also important! Take the time to have a stretch after your run. Things to stretch will be calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes & hip flexors. Depending on your running style you may need to add in some lower back & shoulder stretches too.

5. While we are in this phase of physical distancing, we can still be social virtually. There are many virtual run clubs where you can be part of a community who will give you encouragement, tips & help you feel connected. Check out Strava (https://www.strava.com/), Garmin (https://www.garmin.com/en-AU/), Nike Run Club (https://www.nike.com/au/nrc-app) or join the ANZAC virtual run (https://www.virtualrunner.com.au/anzacday).

6. Running burns energy & you need to make sure you have enough energy to sustain the effort you are exerting. Not all foods are equal, learn what foods will give you optimal energy & help your body recover.

Hopefully these tips have been helpful for your running. The most important tip though is, if you feel like you might be running off on the wrong track, check in with your physio before the niggles become injuries that can take months to fix.

Happy Running!