Are you looking for some of the best tips for an overweight beginner runner? You’ve come to the right place and you’re actually on the right path toward achieving better physical health and results. Running has many benefits, especially for the overweight person. Not only will it help you shed the extra pounds, it will as well increase your fitness level, reduce stress levels and the risk of cardiovascular problems, and so on. Nevertheless, running for overweight people is tricky. Injuries and setbacks are just around the corner. Below are 3 beginner running tips to keep your running program injury free and on the go.
Beginner Running Tip #1 : Start By Walking
If you find it hard to get through 5 minutes of running, then running is not the best option for you yet. There is nothing wrong with you. You’re okay. Running is not for the faint hearted. Therefore, the best way to start running is to start by walking first. Many people try to run immediately, but the strain on the body is immense and thus they just give it up.
At first, your body needs to go through the adaptation process so it can acclimatize to the motion of running and exercising. This is mandatory if you’re really out of shape or haven’t exercised for a while. As a result, you can start off by going for several 30 minute walks per week. As you feel more comfortable, you can introduce bits of running by following a Walk-Run-Walk pattern until you can run straight for 30 minutes without much huffing and puffing.
Beginner Running Tip #2 : Check Your Pulse
Keeping tags on your pulse will allow you mainly to do two things. First, it will allow to monitor your progress throughout the weeks of training. As your training progresses forward, your heart will get stronger and become more efficient at pumping blood to your body and working muscles. As a result, it will need less beats per minute to do the same job it used to do before. Therefore, any drop in your regular heart rate should be regarded as progress and that you’re on the right path.
Secondly, your heart rate can also help you spot overtraining syndrome before it gets any worse. Overtraining is the results of doing too much too soon. It’s one of the most common mistakes among novice runners. Therefore, if your pulse is 5-10 beats higher than its normal rate, then that should be a clear sign of trouble. All you need to do is take the day off. If that isn’t enough, then don’t resume training until your heart has dropped to its normal rate.
As a result, you should check your heart rate on a regular basis, and assess in which direction you’re heading to. Prevention is better than the cure, and spotting progress can boost your motivation through the roof.
Beginner Running Tip #3 : Listen To Your body
When running, some discomfort and pain is to emerge both during the run and afterwards. No need to worry here. What matters most is what you do with the feedback your body provides you with. Your body is your own best coach who can tell you when (and where) to keep on going or to stop. See, our bodies can tell us everything we need to know if we’re just willing to listen and adjust accordingly.
For instance, if you feel intense pain in your legs and chest, beware! Pain is there for a reason. At such a moment, make sure to back off or walk off the discomfort until you feel better. Ignoring the body’s signal of pain and overload can only make matters worse. Most running injuries are overuse injuries. Spotting them before they get any worse is the best strategy. Prevention is better than a costly cure.
The golden rule is to take care of yourself no matter what. Running is a great activity, but there is no reason to hurt yourself by doing too much too soon. Otherwise you’re just inflicting punishment on yourself and you should not be running anyway. Therefore, make sure to have fun and take action!
