Run wisely: 5 crucial principles for jogging workouts

Basic training principles

"All runners sooner or later come to these basic principles of running training. Regardless of whether a runner is preparing for the Olympic Games, a national championship, solely focusing on health, or losing weight, the runner must understand the principles of sports training and build their sports or physical activity life accordingly. Otherwise, results will not be achieved," says Goloborodko.

The basic principles of running training can be summarized into 5 points:

• Consistency
• Gradual Progression
• Accessibility
• Individuality
• Variability

"All successful training programs are based on this. Neglecting even one of these principles leads, at best, to a lack of progress for the runner and, more often, to injuries or excessive training, resulting in discontinuation of sports activities," warns the nutritionist.

Consistency

"In running, short-term goals cannot be set. One must think in terms of years and decades, not weeks or months. If you need to achieve a specific short-term goal (such as passing an exam at a university), you still have to fit this short-term goal into the overall context," says the expert.

If you want to lose weight before summer, you should structure your training program so that your weight fluctuates no more than a few kilograms, and then you will naturally lose weight in the summer, losing more water during workouts.

There is no point in "gathering and running 30 km on Sunday" if that's all you do throughout the week. It's infinitely better to run for 30 minutes consistently than 30 km after the rain on Thursday.

Gradual progression

"The main direction of training is from simple to complex. First, you need to master the platform you are currently on, and only then can you move on. Many athletes and amateur sports enthusiasts 'burn out' due to a sharp increase in loads. Passion is an integral part of sports. But a cool head helps turn that passion into real achievements," emphasizes Goloborodko.

Any addition of new exercises or new types of training must be very gradual to minimize the risk of injuries.

Accessibility

Excessive efforts lead to destruction. All sports achievements we rightfully admire are prepared by years of training and are almost never destructive.

Individuality

There are no identical training plans that fit everyone. There are methodological foundations for training on which running programs are based, but each runner must constantly listen to their body and adapt programs to themselves.

"You can't copy a champion's running plan and become a champion. You can't read how a girl trained and lost 7 kg in 7 weeks, and by copying her training, achieve her result. You need to understand and comprehend the essence of the training process and build your own program," says the expert.

Variability

One of the most common mistakes runners make is the monotony of training.

"The human body has a unique feature - the ability to adapt. The body gets used to monotonous loads and stops responding to them. Variability can be achieved even within a 400-meter track, but it must be present in training at any level," explains the nutritionist.

Therefore, it makes sense to change the speed and distances while training.