- Stretching your hamstrings and quads.
- Maintaining proper posture.
- Hydrating.
- Being aware of your surroundings.
All of these things are important elements and rituals for runners to perform. They all support a healthy, safe, and productive workout where you can push your pace and strengthen your craft. But the rituals you perform after your runs and on your rest days are equally as important as what you do on the road. Active recovery is an essential part of any runners training program. Not only does active recovery give your body and muscles the time it needs to heal and strengthen, but it helps prevent injury.
Depending on your pace, distance, and terrain, running is considered a moderate to high-impact exercise. That’s because running places strain on your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and back. When done correctly, running is a full-body workout that incorporates core strength and upper body stability. Working your body and all its muscles at the same intensity every day isn’t always best. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t exercise at all on your “rest” days”. In fact, you should perform some type of active movement 7 days a week. But knowing which type of exercise to do on your day “off” will help improve your performance the next time you lace up your running shoes.
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