The Benefits of Uphill Running and Sprinting

With winter fast approaching, maybe the last thing you have on your mind is getting exercise outside. Maybe the weather isn’t (and won't get) bad where you live  - It’s still fairly warm here in Korea, with typical early November weather upon us. I’ve written about this because I've noticed that many runners avoid inclines, but I’ve found this running approach to be beneficial in a number of ways. My recommendation is definitely not revolutionary, but a lot of individuals don’t place enough value on the benefits of the activity of incline or hill work.

Although running strengthens your lower leg muscles primarily, your upper leg muscles are especially stressed by running up hills. Each one percent increase in the elevation angle on your treadmill requires four percent more energy. So, running say 8 km/h at a 15% grade requires as much effort and energy as running at 12.8 km/h on a flat surface.

Here is a useful treadmill calorie and hill gradient calculator: 42.195km.net/e/treadsim

A major advantage of incline running is less compressive forces being applied to the joints and soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) as opposed to running on flat surfaces. I have also found that there is less risk of injury (even with a high output of energy) because stride rates (speeds) are reduced and more control can be used than when performing a specific exercise such as running, cycling, walking, and even the elliptical.

Let’s think about it this way. If a car is on a flat surface and is going at 80 km/h then hits an incline, the speed of the car slows down due to the incline, yet the RPMs are still quite high. If the car were to continue at 80 km/h it would have to work even harder to maintain that speed requirement on the incline.

In our case, we are looking to keep our body’s “RPMs” high but not the speed. Incline/hill sprints targets the backside, strengthening and toning the booty and the hamstrings, not to mention the abdominal muscles and torso. 

Another selling point for running hills (if toning your butt wasn't enough) is that the muscle groups you use to climb hills are virtually the same as those you use for sprinting, so hill work enhances your speed by building strength. In other words, the benefits of running uphill will help you to running flats. And of course, there’s the obvious stimulation to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

How to start running uphill: think 'Eyes up'!

Most runners’ lean into the hill when they start running up it, usually by bending forward at the waist. While some degree of forward lean is necessary when running up a hill, a lot of people lean much too far forward. This negatively affects your uphill running ability in several ways. You decrease your working lung volume and can't open up as well. 

You'll want all the oxygen you can get going uphill. As well, leaning over at the waist causes strain on the lower back and overworks the hamstrings. By standing tall running uphill, you're better able to engage your glutes to help power you up the hill and helps open up your lungs to get in the oxygen you need.

A helpful mental cue to maintaining proper form is to think about “standing tall” when you run up a hill, since you’re unlikely to be leaning too far back. This is one of those mental cues that, while technically inaccurate, is still very helpful. Other helpful cues include “drive your hips” which reminds you to focus on using your hip muscles to power your way up the hill and extend your leg fully behind you. 

Once you’ve reached the top of a hill, be sure not to slouch over, since that will wreak havoc on your efficiency on the flats, too. Remember that your stride length and stride rate will decrease. So it is important to maintain form and keep using quick light steps up the hill versus trying to take longer steps.

When using a treadmill when running uphill, DON'T HOLD ON TO THE BARS! If you're holding on to the bars, you are angling your body in such a way that you're effectively reducing the gradient you are working at. If you have to hold on to them, the exercise you are doing is too difficult. Reduce the gradient or the speed. 

Drawbacks:

The common suggestion coaches give to run hills doesn’t always deserve quite the attention it gets. If you're training to compete on only flat surface, running on flat terrain is better than running uphill.

The reason for this is that running flat is less hard on your body. The reduced intensity allows for more training, and more training is a bigger stimulus for improvement to running performance at a VO2max pace than the relatively small difference in intensity. More training is better for pretty much any athletic goal you have, as long as you can rest adequately.

One thing that can be said about uphill running is that it doesn’t have quite the impact of flat running. Because it yields good gains to running on flat terrain it may still be a good supplement to normal running. And, of course, if you plan on competing in any event involving running on hills, practicing running uphill is essential, make no mistake.

So there you have it. I've been trying to switch up my cardio workout, alternating between biking and running uphill on the treadmill. I was once an avid flat-surface runner, but I find running uphill to be less hard on my joints but gives me the sweat and exertion I crave. What are your thoughts on the different ways to get your cardio fix? Leave me your ideas in the comment section! Until next time :)

"No Pain, No Gain?": How to Avoid Workout Injuries

So you got yourself a gym pass, or have invested into some workout equipment. Congrats, you've made the commitment to take your physical fitness to the next level!

You jump into your new routine feet-first, putting lots of ambition and energy into seeing results. Before you know it, "ouch"... a workout injury stops you dead in your tracks. But before you go blaming yourself, know that a workout injury can happen to anyone, regardless of their experience or fitness level.
How did it happen?

I have just finished suffering from a pretty bad back strain, the first workout injury I've had in a long time. The cause: I thought I could go without stretching and warming up before my workout. Have ay workout injuries ever happened to you? What is your warm-up and stretching philosophy?

It could be that you've become so used to working out that you've forgotten about preventing injuries. Some injuries happen when you do the right activity too much or too often. Or it can be that you did the right activity the wrong way. Maybe you chose the wrong activity for your particular body type, or you weren't quite ready for that exercise.
 

There's all kinds of ways you can get hurt during work out. Muscle pulls and strains, sprained ankles, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, shin splints, tendonitis and wrist sprains and dislocations are the most common injuries.
 

In this post we'll look at some simple things you can do to work out and prevent fitness injuries.

Preventing Workout Injuries

There are simple steps that can help keep you injury-free during your workout. To make sure you're healthy enough to work out, check with a doctor before you start an exercise program if you haven't exercised for a long time, are out of shape, or if you're a woman over the age of 55 or a man over age 45.

 

Here are guidelines for avoiding injuries during your workout:

 

Warm-up and cool-down. You should warm up before every workout, and end with a cool-down period. A warm-up gets your body ready for exercise by gradually increasing your heart rate and loosens your muscles and joints so that your muscles are less likely to be injured when handling stress.

 

Some ways to warm up:

• ride an exercise bike
• jump rope
• jog in place for five to 10 minutes

A cool-down after you work out is important to bring your heart rate back to normal at a slow rate. Walking at a gradually slower pace for five to 10 minutes after you work out is one way to cool down.
 
Stretch. Stretch before and after you workout. This will:

• increase flexibility
• reduce risk of muscle soreness and injury

It's best to stretch after you warm up and cool down.

Ease into it. It starts out as just wanting to get more exercise. Then, you’ve forgotten about all those years since the last time you exercised and you do too much too quickly for too long with too much intensity. This end result to this is often injury.
 

When you begin an exercise routine or start a new workout program, start slowly. Then gradually build on the intensity, duration, and frequency. Don't push yourself too hard. As your fitness abilities increase, you will be able to challenge yourself more.

 

So if you’re new to weight training for example, start with weights you can lift for 8-12 reps, and do no more than three sets. When that gets easy, increase the weight by just a little bit at your next session. Almost everyone thinks they are in better shape than they are, which is how and why injuries occur.

 

If you overestimate your strength, you are more likely to injure yourself because of improper technique and the use of secondary muscles.

  

Vary your workout. While doing one exercise over and over will certainly help you perfect it, it can also set you up for a workout injury. Repeating the same muscle movements can lead to overuse and repetitive use injuries, such as shin splints, tendonitis, and never-ending muscle soreness.

Varying your workouts helps give your muscles adequate rest between workouts.

This is called cross training. If you overuse one set of muscles, you repeat the same muscle movements over and over which can lead to overuse and repetitive-use injuries such as shin splints and tendonitis. 

Some ways to vary your workout:

• run on day one
• lift weights on day two
• swim or cycle on day three

Know your body and its limitations. Customize your workout for problem areas. For example, if you have arthritis in your knees, you'll want to build up strength. But don't do exercises that actually hurt. And be sure to start out lightly.

Listen to your body. Know what your weak areas are and avoid activities that are going to push hard on that weakened area. If you're unable to slowly build up the intensity and difficulty of the exercise on the weakened area, then, to avoid injury, you have to avoid the activities that stress them.

For example, let's say you have a bad back, you should avoid doing back stretches on a stability ball. If you have weak wrists, weight lifting may not be your sport. And hip problems may make it impossible for you to join a spinning class. 
 

We all love to follow the "no pain, no gain" philosophy (I know I do, anyway.) Soreness is good, but pain is bad.
These two are different, and not knowing the difference can set you up for an injury. Assuming it isn't actual pain, as in torn ligament/cracked bones pain, the soreness that comes after a good, hard workout is a good thing, in a sense. While exercise makes the muscles work and use energy, microscopic damage to the muscle fibers drives muscle growth.

However, after intense exercise the muscles need to replenish their stores of fuel. Make sure to feed your body well. And proper rest is crucial - this is when your muscles repair the microscopic damage and grow.

If you don't rest and refuel properly, this could push you to the point of pain. If you feel pain, stop your workout and rest for a day.

Fuel your body. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after you work out. A good rule of thumb is to drink this amount of water:

• 8 ounces (about 250ml/1 cup) about 20 to 30 minutes before working out.
• 8 ounces (about 250ml/1 cup) every 10 to 20 minutes during your workout.
• 16 ounces (about 500ml/2 cups) after your workout.

Eat a small meal or snack every two to three hours to keep a steady source of fuel for your body. After your workout, eat a healthy carb and protein snack to replenish your energy stores.

See a trainer. Before starting a weight-lifting or exercise routine, consult a trainer. He or she can show you how to work out correctly. The trainer will help you create a safe and realistic exercise program.

Keep in mind that while almost any pro can give you some pointers worth listening to, you should make certain your trainer is aware of your personal characteristics, including your age.

There is such a thing as a trainer pushing you too hard, and that can increase the risk of injury. Be sure to voice any limits, trouble spots or concerns that you have.

Dress right. Wear the proper gear for your workout. If you are a runner, wear a good pair of properly-fitting running shoes. If you are a biker, always wear a helmet.

Rest: Working out every day is fine as long as you’re not feeling pain, But remember that tired muscles are an invitation to injury. So give yourself adequate time for particular muscle groups to rest and recover. Rest days give your body a chance to recover between workouts, thereby helping prevent injuries.

Treating Workout Injuries

No matter how careful you are, injuries can happen. If you develop a workout injury, follow the RICE method to keep your injury from getting worse:

• R: rest the injury
• I: ice the injury to lessen swelling, bleeding, and inflammation
• C: apply a compression bandage to minimize swelling
• E: elevate the injury to reduce swelling

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can be taken to ease pain and inflammation from the injury.

Most workout injuries will heal on their own in four weeks or less. If the injury has not improved within a week, or if it gets worse, seek medical care. And always use common sense. It's best to seek medical advice if the injury concerns you.

Until you are fully healed, avoid doing the activity that triggered the injury. And avoid any activity that puts strain on the injured area.

You can still be active as long as you don't stress the injury. Staying active may help you heal quicker than if you take to the couch. Try a new workout while your injury heals. For example, if you sprain your ankle, exercise your arms instead. If you hurt your shoulder, work out your legs by walking.

After you have fully recovered from your injury -- pain-free for more than a week -- start back slowly. Don't try to work out with the same intensity you did before your injury. You will need to rebuild your muscle strength and endurance. It may take a few weeks of regular exercise to regain your pre-injury fitness level. If you push too hard and too fast, you may injure yourself again.
 

Care of www.webmd.boots.com/fitness-exercise/guide/avoid-workout-injuries?page=4 here are some tips for avoiding injury while performing six types of common exercises. 

 

1. Jogging

Potential injuries: Knee and foot problems, including torn meniscus or cartilage injury.

How to avoid them: Wear good shoes; rest between sessions; don’t work through the pain; ice your knees.

2. Ski machines and air-walking devices (like the Gazelle)

Potential injuries: Hip, leg, lower back problems due to hyperextension; knee injuries due to locked in position.

How to avoid them: Don’t pull your legs apart farther than you would during a natural stride. Try to keep some flexibility in your knees -- don’t lock them tight.

3. Yoga

Potential injuries: Wrist sprains and hip problems.

How to avoid them: Don’t put excess weight on your wrists; reinforce them with supports; don’t let anyone "push" your body into a position it doesn’t naturally go into without pain.

 

4. Leg extension exercises and leg press machines

Potential injuries: Kneecap dislocation or bruising; aggravation of arthritis in knee; disc problems; tendinitis.

How to avoid them: Never lock your knees. Don’t put your foot under a bar or other rigid equipment that forces your leg into an unnatural position.

5.   30-minute circuit training workout (like at Curves)

Potential injuries: Torn rotator cuffs; shoulder damage from doing too much too soon.

How to avoid them: Don’t feel obligated to do the whole 30-minute routine when starting out, especially if you feel pain. Stop, rest, and don’t push down too hard.

6. Assisted dips

Potential injuries: Shoulder, elbow, wrist dislocations; muscle strains; ligament tears.

How to avoid them: Don’t use a dip machine that requires you to drop down so low that your shoulders come up to your ears.

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