Have you ever heard of the ABC of running? With it you can improve your technique and thus run faster, further and better.
Another term for running ABC is running school. But whatever you want to call it, it's all about improving your running technique and style.
But with the running school you not only improve your style, but also prevent injuries.
Running ABC exercises should be regularly incorporated into your running schedule.
Table of contents
Why you need the ABC of running
In order to be able to read and write, you first have to learn the alphabet. It is similar with the ABC.
Because to be able to run really well and safely, you should be involved with running school.
This is how a running analysis works and why you should do one!
Running technique exercises are the basis for training that is easy on the joints and strength.
Only then will you be able to run further, better and injury free. It's about fine-tuning the movements.
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When we run, all we really have to do is put one foot in front of the other. Don't we? Yes, that's basically true. But you can still get a lot out of training with technique.
From a purely coordinative point of view, however, jogging is very demanding. You can observe this at running events.
The fast runners move gracefully, harmoniously and you don't see the effort on their faces.
Many who have not studied running ABC run with a hunched back, stiff hips, flapping arms, step on their heels, and make many other beginner mistakes.
If they walk like this regularly, soon their knees will hurt or tension of all kinds will appear.
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This is where running school comes in. With running ABC exercises you can improve these weaknesses and get a good running style.
Or in other words, running ABC exercises make it easy for you to run injury-free and fast.
With the running school
- you improve your coordination skills
- you increase the concentration
- you improve your speed
- you will get a better technique
- you improve your fascia tension
- you protect yourself from overloads
- you avoid injuries
- you bring variety into the training
Running ABC exercises that you should do regularly
First of all: Yes, it looks funny. But running ABC exercises deliberately work with exaggerations. You jump exaggeratedly high in the air.
But there's a good reason for that: it helps you strengthen your body and get a better feel for your movements.
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In addition, with running school exercises you consciously strengthen muscle groups that are neglected during normal running.
Important to know: Running ABC exercises don't work overnight. You need to do them regularly for months to see real progress.
Very important: Comfortable and well-fitting training shoes! The shoe must enclose your foot tightly and provide good support, otherwise it can end painfully! You can also do the running exercises without shoes, but then you should pay special attention to the ground.
Skippings - knee lift
The knee lift trains your core stability.
With a high cadence and small steps, pull your knees up.
Upper body and thighs form a right angle.
Hop Run
Some of you may remember this ABC exercise from your school days. At least we always had to do it.
During the hop run, you pull the knee up with force.
Swing the opposite arm actively upwards.
Heels
When angling, you push your legs out from the ankle and calf more.
You pull the foot up to the buttocks. The bent knee points downward.
At the same time you lead the arms along at a 90 degree angle.
The upper body is upright.
Side steps
This exercise is also called Side Steps or Side Gallop.
As the name suggests, you move sideways.
You close and spread your legs alternately.
Take small steps but many. Change the direction of movement regularly.
Change steps
This running ABC exercise requires a bit of skill. Be sure to start with side steps. If that works well, you can dare to alternate steps.
In this exercise, the right leg is placed alternately in front of and behind the left leg. And all this while you are moving sideways.
You stretch your arms out to the sides. This helps to keep the balance.
Running backwards
You can decide for yourself whether you want to take small or large steps. You can also alternate.
Actively move your arms.
When walking backwards, always make sure that the path is really clear. Just look over your shoulder.
Incremental runs
In this running school exercise, you start slow and then increase to a sprint.
To do this, you cover a distance of 80 to 150 meters. If you are advanced, you can also do it uphill.
Very important: Powerful arm swing and landing on the balls of the feet. Both at slow and fast speed.
There are many other running ABC exercises and combinations of the individual exercises.
Running school is not about doing 20 different exercises. Rather, it's about doing the ABCs of running regularly and consistently.
How to best perform the running ABC exercises
Well, now you know the exercises but when is the best time to do them? Before, after or during a run? Or as a separate unit instead of a normal run?
- Perform the running ABC at least 1x per week.
- Build it into your running workouts.
- Start with a short run-in.
- Start the running school when you are refreshed and not out of breath. Only then you can concentrate on clean execution of the exercises.
- Perform the exercises on a section of 5 to 30 meters. Return to the starting point. The pause will help you stay focused.
- Choose 2-6 running ABC exercises per workout. Do each exercise 2-4 times.
- Never do the running school after an intense running session
That's why strength training is so important for runners!
Running ABC for beginners and advanced
Of course, it makes a big difference if you're a running beginner or have been jogging for a nice long time.
Beginner
- 10 minutes easy run in
- Running ABC exercises on 10 meters: 3x hop run, 3x heels, 3x side steps
- 5 x 30 incline runs
- 10 minutes of relaxed run out
Advanced
- 10 minutes easy run in
- Running ABC exercises (3x Skippings, 3x Hoppserlauf, 3x Wechselschritte, 3x Anfersen)
- 10 x 100 meter steeplechase
- 10 minutes of relaxed run out
Why amateur runners should do running ABC exercises
It is precisely those who really need it who forego running school. Amateur runners are particularly at risk of injury. They train themselves in the wrong running style and then suffer the consequences.
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Almost all amateur runners avoid exercises from running school. For most, the goal is to accumulate many kilometers.
Otherwise you can't compare yourself with your friends and colleagues. And you can't enter a few kilometers in the training diary - it looks strange.
What will other runners think when I hop up and down the track like a bunny? Or?
Forget this thinking!
Running ABC is much more important than being able to write kilometers on your fitness tracker.
Running school exercises add variety to your workout. This ensures that you will never get bored.
This is how easy you can increase your calorie consumption while jogging!
How you can recognize a good running style
Even as a layman you can recognize a healthy and good walking style. Who has a good style, you can often tell even when walking normally. Those who have a hunchback in everyday life will most likely do the same when running.
How to recognize a beautiful running style
- The forearms and the hip bones work in parallel. This means that they support each other with every step.
- The upper body upright. The head does not hang forward. The gaze is directed forward and not at the floor.
- The arms swing with each step. They are bent at right angles and help you run.
- The shoulders are relaxed and straight. They do not tilt forward.
- When you step on the foot, you can tell if someone has studied the ABC of walking. The foot is always placed on the outside. It does not bend inward.
- With a fluid running style, the body's center of gravity remains almost the same. So you don't bounce in the air but stay pretty constant away from the ground. This way you can save a lot of energy!
Our conclusion
If you want to avoid getting injured while jogging, you should incorporate running ABC exercises into your training. The running school will help you improve your technique and become less prone to injury.
Have fun making it! :)
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