Running tips ? As in not getting hurt.

[bjc]

Katharina,

Unusual, but if it works! Being comfortable with what you do is important for continued success.

BJ

[Kattt]

Back to needing a little help.

Firing the glutes.

I know they fire when I go fast or take longer steps and somewhat they are engaged all the time, but what is a good way to fire them “more”? By holding my hands back there while running I could tell my left maximus was doing more than the right one. Am I correct that they fire more at kickoff?

I find it interesting that it is hard for me to know in advance if I am going to have an ok run, a good  one or one that just drags along. Several times I was feeling great and expected all this extra energy and at least in my little 2 miles that never manifested. Other times I almost skipped my run feeling a little out of sorts and then got a surge and had a great one.

[bjc]

Your experience with good and not so good runs is pretty common. It can take the warmup period or longer for the quality of a run to manifest itself. I know for me it can take up to 30 minutes on occasion to sort out the quality of a run. That is why I keep insisting on consistency of training since our first impressions of what a run will be like are often not accurate.

As to your glutes.  Not surprising one leg is working harder than the other.  Prone leg extensions will help.  There are other exercises as well, but these are a good starting point. Here is a link to a good description:

 

Another assesment tool: I think from  “Anatomy of a Runner”

To start this test, stand in front of a chair with your feet under it and your knees touching the seat. Put your arms out in front of you. Now squat down and try not to let your knees push into the chair. If you find that your knees are hitting the chair or you are even moving the chair, your glutes are not working properly.

If the knees come forward into the chair, you are initiating the squat movement with your quads. This places unnecessary stress on the knees. The object of this assessment is to try to initiate the squat from the hips (i.e. stick your butt out before your try to bend your knees). Starting a squat from the hips will engage the gluteus maximus.

[Kattt]

Great info BJC, thanks!

I will test myself when I get home and check out the video as well.

 

Makes sense that it takes a certain distance to really get into the run and see how it is going to go. I have had 3 nice 2 mile runs this week but I am craving a longer run now. Hopefully on Saturday I will be able to do something more :)

[Roger Caffin]

Sue and I go running for up to 8 km very early in the mornings (<6am). Yeah, we can be half way through the run before we wake up!

Cheers

[Kattt]

@BJC I really struggled to not push into the chair with my knees. I did figure out how I should be doing it though. Are those squats good exercises besides the testing?

[bjc]

Kat,

You can absolutely use the squat as an exercise. The chair will keep you focused on pushing out your butt and activating your glutes. Squat to parallel and focus on squeezing your glutes as you come back to a standing position. I like the video of the leg extension because placing your hands on your glutes tells your brain what it should be doing.

BJ

[Roger Caffin]

That’s all very well, but having gone into a squat, how do you get back up again????

Cheers

[W I S N E R !]

A similar version of the squat/chair exercise that I was taught is to squat facing a wall.  Toes an inch or two from the wall, nose an inch or two from the wall, squat deep while keeping the back straight, keep the head level, keep the heels down, avoid splaying out the knees too far.  Do it wrong and you’ll find yourself craning your head upwards so you don’t drag your nose or you’ll bump your knees and push yourself backwards.  It’s good for teaching form for squatting with weight as it keeps you from getting your knees out in front past your toes.  Really opens up the hips.

Funny how run quality changes over the course of a run.  I had an 8 miler the other day that was absolute hell for the first 3 miles; dead legs, low energy, just not feeling it.  Forced myself to push on though.  Hit the first stream crossing (which was deep), got excited, and had a fantastic run for the next 8 miles.  Conversely, it’s crazy how fast what starts as a good run can fall apart sometimes.

[Author]

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