Fitness running styles

Focus on Form

Move Safely

Have Fun

Equipment:

4 large cones

4 task tents

4 Dynamic Warm-Up Exercise Posters

Set-Up:

Using 4 large cones, create a medium square activity area on the infield of the track.

Place task tents on the cones with exercise posters displayed.

Students begin the activity scattered inside the cones.

 : All Module Activities

DOUBLE LINE PURSUIT

Skill: I will adjust my pacing to maintain a target heart rate.

Cognitive: I will calculate, track, and adjust my heart rate using a heart rate monitor.

Fitness: I will improve my aerobic capacity by maintaining my target heart rate.

Personal & Social Responsibility: I will discuss the health benefits of fitness running.

Focus on Form

Adjust Speed and Effort

Stay Controlled and Consistent

Equipment:

1 die per team

7 cones with task tents

Track Meter Interval Signs

1 Casino Royale Scorecard per team

1 Fitness Running Portfolio for each student

Set-Up:

Place cones/task tents and meter-marker signs at each 100M interval.

Create teams of 3–6 students.

Give each team a die and a scorecard.

ctivity Procedures:

Today’s activity is called Casino Royal.

The object of the activity is to collect the greatest number of points as a group. Every 100M interval your group runs is worth 100 points.

When you hear the start signal, 1 person from your group will roll the die and then run that number multiplied by 100M. For example, if you roll a 4, run 400M. This will earn your group 400 points.

As soon as that group member begins running, the next person in your group will roll the die and take a turn. Continue rotating group members, 1 after the other, until you hear the stop signal. When you’ve finished your running interval, jog at a slow pace back to the starting line, record your score, and then roll again.

Continue rolling the die quickly so that all group members are running at the same time.

Grade Level Progression:

L1: Each teammate will earn 1,000 heart rate points for working in their target zones for more than 50% of the activity time (Heart Health Zone 120–180 BPM).

L2: Adjust pace to work at the low end of the target zone for 300M–600M intervals, and at the high end of the zone for 100M–200M intervals.

 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a strategy for eliminating instructional and environmental barriers for every member of a learning community in order to meet the needs of all students across the continuum of physical, intellectual, and emotional abilities. Although we acknowledge that it would be impossible to build one curriculum to meet the needs of every single child, we strongly believe that striving to maximize the active and meaningful participation for all students is a core responsibility of every educator.

OPEN has embraced this responsibility by working to create suggested Universal Design Adaptations intended to serve as baseline recommendations for modifying learning activities. The text Strategies for Inclusion: A Handbook for Physical Educators by Lauren J. Lieberman and Cathy Houston-Wilson provides the foundation for our work in this area.

The table below offers additional adaptations in an effort to move closer to the ideal of Universal Design.

Potential Universal Design Adaptations for Fitness Running

 

Equipment	Rules	Environment	Instruction
·         Provide auditory signals to help students move along a safe pathway ·         Increase or decrease the size of the running area/lanes ·         Provide racing chairs for wheelchair users	·         Run relay-style courses, with students working together to run short individual distances that add up to longer distance runs ·         Allow students an opportunity to modify rules to match their skills and interests	·         Provide visual cues and reminders throughout the running areas ·         Use large, bright directional signs and signals ·         Ensure surfaces are safe and appropriate for all to participate	·         Prompt students to walk. Focus on arm and leg movements. ·         Provide running guides ·         Provide visual cues and/or videos demonstrating upper- and lower-body running form

Lieberman, L.J., & Houston-Wilson, C. (2009). Strategies for Inclusion: A Handbook for Physical Educators (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

 : Circular exercise in fitness running

Physiological Response	Perceived Exertion (noun) How hard an individual feels her/his body is working during a bout of physical activity or exercise.   Throughout your fitness journey, it will be important to consider your perceived exertion and compare it with heart-rate data that gives real-time information about exercise intensity. As you improve your levels of fitness, your perceived exertion during exercise will become more in line with your real-time heart rate. We will use this journal to begin tracking this alignment.   At the end of today’s activity, use the Perceived Exertion Chart to select your RPE score. Then circle your score below.   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Light Activity Moderate Vigorous Max
Movement Skill Refinement	Pace (noun) A steady and consistent speed at which a person moves or works, often in order to avoid becoming overly tired.   Running at an appropriate pace is a skill that is learned and refined through purposeful practice. In the activity Double Line Pursuit, we began to work with pacing as a skill. Answer the questions below, considering your experience in today’s activity.   How would you describe a comfortable running pace?     What did you notice about your perceived exertion when you increased your running pace in order to catch the line ahead of you?       How is aerobic capacity related to running pace?
Social and Emotional Learning	Dynamic Warm-Up (noun) Activity done at the beginning of a bout of exercise in which movement, momentum, and active muscular effort are used to stretch and prepare muscles for exercise.   Before we begin each day of Fitness Running, we will participate in a dynamic warm-up activity.   How would you describe a safe and appropriate dynamic warm-up?

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 2

Physiological Response	At the end of today’s activity, use the Perceived Exertion Chart at the end of the portfolio to select your RPE score. Then circle your score below.   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Light Activity Moderate Vigorous Max
Movement Skill Refinement	1600 meters is approximately 1 mile. Before running today’s 1600-meter activity, make a time prediction. We’ll compare that to your actual time and then think about how to improve your performance at the end of the Fitness Running module.   For your reference, the current 1-mile world record time is 3 minutes, 43 seconds (3:43.13). A person walking at a fast pace can complete a mile in 15 minutes. Your prediction should be somewhere in between these times.   Prediction: _________________        Date: _______________   Actual Personal Best (PB) Time: ________________________   SMART Goal for Personal Best: _______________________________   _________________________________________________________ Over the next 5 lessons, we will be working in physical education class to improve your personal best. List 2 purposeful action items that you will commit to doing outside of class. You’ll then track your commitment to these action items on the following pages.   1.    _____________________________________________   2.    _____________________________________________   Did you consider your health-related fitness when selecting each item? Why did you choose these 2 action items?
Social and Emotional Learning	Social Support (noun) Help, encouragement, and/or comfort given by a network of friends, family, and community members.   What would you include on a list about your social-support network?     How can you apply what you’ve learned about fitness running and health-related fitness to act as a social support resource to friends and family?

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 3

Physiological Response	Aerobic Capacity (noun) The body’s ability to take in, transport, and use oxygen during vigorous physical activity.   List 3 facts that you know about aerobic capacity.       How does fitness running affect aerobic capacity?       How is fitness running related to muscular endurance?
Movement Skill Refinement	Running balance and form is a result of the relationship between your arms, legs, shoulders and core as they work in coordination. List words that help you describe each of the following parts of your running form.   Posture:   Arms:   Shoulders:   Hands:   What did you notice about your running form that is really good?     What did you notice that you will work to improve?
Social and Emotional Learning	Positive Language (noun) Verbal communication choices that use an optimistic tone and focus on what is good or can be improved.   List 5 words that provide examples of positive language.     How can you apply positive language to your personal self-talk related to your fitness running performance?     Using positive language, describe your progress toward your SMART goal for a 1-mile personal best.

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 4

Physiological Response	Target Heart Rate (noun) A number of heart beats per minute that’s chosen in order to reach a level of exercise intensity required to gain specific fitness benefits.   There are 3 main physiological benefits to consider when choosing a target heart rate zone during a workout: general body health, heart health, and max power performance. All people require general body health and heart health to maintain healthy levels of fitness. Those interested in maximizing athletic performance will benefit from bouts of exercise working at max power performance levels.   As a fitness runner, what benefits are you most interested in? (circle one)   General Body Health     Heart Health     Max Power Performance
Movement Skill Refinement	Heart Rate Zone (noun) A range of heart beats per minute, measured as a percentage of one’s maximum heart rate, identified because specific health benefits are associated with sustained exercise intensity within that range.   Most high school students have an approximate max heart rate of 200 beats per minute (200 BPM Max HR). Based on that number, the following heart rate zones have been identified.   Max Performance 180–200 BPM (90–100% Max) Heart Health 120–180 BPM (60–90% Max) General Body Health 100–120 BBM (50–60% Max)   Based on the zone chart above, list the target zone for each type of activity.   Warm-Up / Cool-Down: ______________________________________   Endurance Training: ________________________________________   Speed / Power Training: _____________________________________
Social and Emotional Learning	Perseverance (noun) Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.   Based on your past experiences, what does the word perseverance mean to you? Elaborate on why this is the meaning you selected.

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 5

Physiological Response	Target Heart Rate Zones Max Performance 180–200 BPM (90­–100% Max) Heart Health 120–180 BPM (60–90% Max) General Body Health 100–120 BBM (50–60% Max)   In today’s lesson, one of our goals was to adjust pacing to maintain a heart rate within the heart health zone. In the space below, list as many health-related fitness benefits of training in the heart health zone as you can.
Movement Skill Refinement	Fitness Running Goal Check-in   Look back at day 2 of this portfolio and fill in the information below as a reminder of your goal.   Actual Personal Best (PB) Time: ________________________   Goal for Personal Best: _______________________________   Purposeful action items: List 2 actions that you will commit to doing outside of class. You’ll then track your commitment to these action items on the following pages.   _____________________________________________   _____________________________________________   Did you consider your health-related fitness when selecting each item? Why did you choose these 2 action items?
Social and Emotional Learning	There are many health benefits to regular activity in the heart health zone. One of those benefits is stress reduction. Physical activity boosts hormones that promote mental health and helps to flush out chemicals that stimulate anxiety.   How does fitness running affect your overall mood?       What do you notice about the way you communicate with others after you participate in fitness running activities?

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 6

Physiological Response	A main source of energy for fitness runners is carbohydrates. Your body works to supply carbohydrates (glycogen) to fuel aerobic activity using aerobic glycolysis. One question that many runners have is, “Where can I get carbs before a run?” Many nutrition questions are not always cut and dry. However, here are 2 tips to help you make healthful choices. 1)    Choose natural sources of carbohydrates, like fruits and vegetables. You get the sugar/carbs along with beneficial vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Sport drinks full of carbs don’t give you the same benefit — even if they’re “fortified” with nutrients. 2)    Fruit that’s nice and juicy is a great pre-exercise snack. The juice from the fruit will help you hydrate before a run (although it’s also very important to drink plenty of water). Plus, fruit is easy for your body to digest for quick and comfortable pre-workout fuel.   List 2 types of fruit that you would eat to help you fuel up before a run.
Movement Skill Refinement	Recovery Heart Rate (noun) A measure of the heart’s ability to return to a normal ambient heart rate after you stop exercising, usually expressed as an interval of time.   Because high school students are still experiencing growth and development, their recovery heart rate is affected my many factors. As a person gets older, recovery heart rate can be a good indicator of her/his fitness level. Shorter recovery rates indicate better fitness.   There are 2 important ways you can help your heart safely recovery after exercise: 1)    Mindful breathing. Take 4­–8 seconds to take a slow, controlled breath in. When your lungs are full, hold the air for 2–3 seconds and then slowly exhale. Repeat this pattern for 1–2 minutes. 2)    Don’t stop moving. It’s important to walk or continue with moderate physical activity directly following activity that is vigorous and pushes your heart rate into the upper range of the heart health zone. Your heart gets help from your contracting muscles in pushing blood throughout your body. That’s one reason why a cool-down walk or activity is an important part of your fitness running routine.   How can you apply what you know about recovery heart rate to your physical activity routine outside of physical education class?
Social and Emotional Learning	Leadership (noun) The effective use of people skills to organize and motivate others to work cooperatively toward a common goal.   How is leadership applied in relation to health-related fitness?

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 7

Physiological Response	What does physiological response mean?       How would you summarize your body’s physiological response to fitness running?       How is fitness running related to long-term physiological responses?
Movement Skill Refinement	Have you moved to improve?   Check the appropriate response based on your personal running form.   Form Skill Component Stayed the Same ✔ IMPROVED ✔ Posture Arms Shoulders Hands   What about your running form has improved the most?       What do you want to continue to improve?
Social and Emotional Learning	Have you taken the time to introduce a friend or family member to the things that you’ve learned in our fitness running lessons?       Do you believe that your introduction was beneficial to your friend or family member? Why or why not?       Create a short list of ways you can encourage your friends and family members to be more physically active.

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 8

Physiological Response	Perceived Exertion (noun) How hard an individual feels her/his body is working during a bout of physical activity or exercise.   Look on day 2 of this portfolio. What was your perceived exertion after your 1600M run?   _________ Baseline Perceived Exertion     For today’s 1600M run, circle your score below.   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Light Activity Moderate Vigorous Max     Important note: Today’s 1600M run shouldn’t necessary feel any different with respect to your exertion if you worked hard to improve your time and set a new personal best.
Movement Skill Refinement	List the information from day 2 of this portfolio.   1600M Personal Best (PB) Time: ______________________ (Day 2)   SMART Goal for Personal Best: _______________________ (Set Day 2)   Today’s Prediction: _________________        Date: ______________   Today’s 1600M Time: ______________________________________   Did you set a new PB time? (circle one)      YES      NO   Did you meet or beat your SMART goal PB time?      YES      NO
Social and Emotional Learning	It’s time for reflection. If you set a new personal best time and/or hit your SMART goal PB time, it’s time to celebrate! Your success is due to your hard work and commitment to personal health and fitness. Regular physical activity and healthy nutrition choices helped you be your best.   If you didn’t reach your goals, it’s important to remember that personal fitness is a journey that will last your entire life. You gained knowledge and experience throughout this fitness running module that will help you build a lifetime of healthy living.   How would you describe your fitness running experience?       How will you apply what you learned outside of physical education class?

Fitness Running Personal Portfolio Day 9

Physiological Response	During today’s run, pace yourself to maintain the heart health target heart rate zone. Your average beats per minute (BPM) should be somewhere between 120 and 180.   Max Performance 180–200 BPM (90–100% Max) Heart Health 120–180 BPM (60–90% Max) General Body Health 100–120 BBM (50–60% Max)     Record your average heart rate: ___________________________   For today’s 3K run, circle your RPE score below.   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Light Activity Moderate Vigorous Max
Movement Skill Refinement	Based on your 1600M PB time, make a 3K prediction. Be sure to ask yourself, “Can I maintain that 1600M pace for the entire 3K event?”   Prediction: _________________        Date: _______________   Actual Personal Best (PB) Time: ___________________________   SMART Goal for Personal Best: ____________________________   Have you moved to improve? Check the appropriate responses.   Form Skill Component Stayed the Same ✔ IMPROVED ✔ Posture Arms Shoulders Hands
Social and Emotional Learning	This module was designed to introduce you to fitness running. How fast you run is not the main purpose of fitness running; what’s important is that you can design a safe activity program that you enjoy and that helps you reach your long-term fitness and activity goals.   Here are questions to help you plan future fitness running experiences. (Write your full answers on the next page.)   ·         Who can I ask to help me find opportunities to participate in fitness running events (e.g., 1-mile, 3K, or 5K runs)?   ·         Where can I continue to learn about fitness running outside of physical education class?   ·         Which friends or family members might participate in fitness running experiences with me?

Write your complete answers to the final reflection questions below.

 

Plyometric exercise in running fitness

Isokinetic exercise in fitness running

Exercise walking in running fitness

Jogging fitness running sport

Fitness running with weights

Running gym stack fitness

 : Fitness fartlek running exercise

Fartlek training is a kind of running training which involves random variations in speed and intensity, alternating between bursts of sprinting and slower ‘recovery’ jogging.

Running exercise ABC fitness

Beginners should choose about three to five workouts and incorporate them into their run. Coordination training is demanding and requires concentration, so don’t take on too much at once and don’t follow an intensive training session with running ABC:

• 10 minutes easy running as a warm-up
• 10 minutes of running ABC exercises
• 10 minutes easy running as a cool-down

Popular running ABC exercises to improve running technique

Ankling

Ankling trains your hip extension. It also improves the flexibility of the ankle joints.

• Lift your knee slightly upwards (alternate sides)
• Tip of the lifted foot points towards the floor
• Touch down on the ground, starting with the ball of the foot
• Transfer your weight from the ball of your foot to the heel
• Hips move with the foot, arms are bent

High knees

The high knee drill improves the hip flexors.

• Start with an active push-off (alternate sides)
• Raise one left to hip-height
• Hit the ground with the ball of your foot
• Upper body remains upright

Butt kicks:

The exercise strengthens the leg flexor muscles.

• Bring the lower legs up to the thighs.
• Heels touch the buttocks alternately
• Hips remain extended

Bounding

Bounding strengthens leg and gluteal muscles.

• Powerful push-off from the ankle
• Leg is stretched to the maximum
• Other leg swung forward (not upwards)
• Thighs are horizontal in the flight phase.

Carioca

This exercise improves hip mobility.

• Cross your legs sideways
• Cross your right foot over your left foot, move hips to the left
• Bring your left foot over your right foot, move your right foot backwards
• Move your left foot to the side
• Arms are extended and parallel to the floor
• Upper body does not rotate

Skipping

The body extension is trained, and the footprint is strengthened.

• Powerful push-off from the ankle
• Jump with a clear knee lift
• Swinging arms along (upwards)

Side skips

This exercise mobilises the inner thighs and strengthens the foot muscles.

• Small lateral hops
• Spread and close legs alternately
• Change direction during the exercise

Walking backwards

Running backwards exercises the calf muscles and trains motor skills while running.

• Walk backwards either slowly with short steps or faster with long steps
• Actively move your arms

Relaxed endurance run to build up basic endurance

The relaxed endurance run is a longer run at a steady pace. The pace should be such that you are never completely out of breath. A prerequisite for running training, in general, is good basic endurance. Depending on your fitness level, you should gradually build up your endurance. The best way to do this is with longer but steadier endurance runs, where you do not push yourself to the limit. Jogging is a popular form of  This slowly prepares your body for a higher level of exertion. The duration of such a run can be between half an hour and three hours.

A slightly different variation of long-distance running is mountain running. In a successful mountain run, it is not only the distance that counts, but also the altitude difference. To train this form of running, you should choose a route with a decent hill or, if you are in a city, include stairs. This type of training puts more strain on the muscles and improves strength endurance.

How does fartlek training work?

Another form of endurance running is Fartlek training (‘speed play’), which brings a little bit of variety into your running training. This training involves a relaxed run with short intervals at high speed. There are no fixed rules for Fartlek training: however, a strong tempo load should always alternate with a slow trot or even walking. The duration and intensity of the effort phase are important, but not the time or distance covered. The faster and longer the speed phase, the longer the break should be.

Requirements for fartlek training

Always start and end the training at a moderate pace and not with a sprint. are important to help prevent injuries. You also need a certain amount of endurance before you can work on your speed. It makes sense for runners who run at least three times a week and can train for an hour at a time.

Example for a fartlek session:

You can increase the load in a pyramid style. Here is an example:

• Easy running as a warm-up for 10 minutes
• Build up load periods: 3 minutes, 6 minutes, 9 minutes, 6 minutes, 3 minutes

OR: 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes

• Breaks between speed work at a trot or walking pace
• Easy running as a cool-down

What is interval training?

In interval training, you start with an easy run to warm up. Then you alternate between intensive load phases and recovery phases, which are often referred to as rest periods. As with the speed play, interval training requires a solid base of endurance. The distance and time targets are set in advance in an interval training plan. Many runners train on the 400-metre track to measure distance more accurately. However, the intervals themselves can be designed flexibly and vary to give you new challenges.

How to do interval training?

The workout contains intense load phases and shorter recovery phases that are clearly defined, unlike speed play. Here is an example:

• 10-minute easy running
• Load period: 5 x 1-kilometre sprints
• Breaks between sprints: 90 seconds at a moderate pace
• 10 minutes easy running

However, beginners can also organise their interval training like this:

• 10-minute easy running
• Endurance period: run 400 to 600 metres in 2 to 6 minutes
• Rest periods: between 90 and 120 seconds
• 10 minutes easy running

Combination with other sports

Complementary training in another sport can improve your performance and provide other health benefits:

• Cycling is a good complimentary workout that strengthens stabilising muscles.
• Swimming is easy on the joints and is also suitable as a gentle workout during periods of injury.
• Strengthening exercises for legs and torso can improve poor posture.

To remind yourself of what to do with minor sporting injuries, you can remember the ‘RICE’ rule: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Stop exercise immediately after an injury. Afterwards, cool and add a stabilising bandage or compression bandage, then elevate to help against swelling and pain. If the pain is severe or persistent, consult a doctor.

Fitness gadgets: Training aids for runners

Many ambitious runners want to keep track of their goals and progress. There are many ways to measure your improvements:

Fitness apps

Since the smartphone is now an everyday companion, many amateur athletes use them as a fitness tracker. With the help of fitness apps and the integrated GPS, for example, you can record distance, average speed, and calories burned. Some apps also contain special running challenges for extra motivation. One disadvantage, however, is that you must pair your smartphone with special heart rate monitors to measure your heart rate.

Fitness trackers

Many fitness trackers that are worn on the wrist work similarly to a fitness-focused smartwatch. They measure health data such as heart rate, record steps, and calculate calories burned. Not every fitness tracker has GPS – this often requires a connection to the smartphone.

Sports watch

Depending on the design, sports watches combine the advantages of fitness apps and fitness trackers. All training data can be measured and recorded independently of the smartphone, including GPS data and heart rate measurement (on the wrist or via an associated chest strap). Some models can even be used for swimming.

Nutrition tips for successful running training

A balanced diet forms the basis for a healthy lifestyle and is also directly linked to athletic success. But what exactly does a healthy diet for runners look like and what tips should be followed?

A brief overview of healthy nutrition for athletes

According to the recommendations of the British National Health Service, the daily calorie intake should be composed as follows: 55 to 60 % carbohydrates, 25 to 30 % (healthy) fats, 10 to 15 % protein. A healthy mix of the following foods is therefore advisable:

• Carbohydrates from fruit and vegetables, cereals (e.g. oats, wholemeal bread and pasta), legumes
• Fats from fish (e.g. pollock, tuna), eggs, nuts, seeds (e.g. chia seeds, pumpkin seeds), avocado
• Protein from low-fat meat (e.g. chicken), fish, soy products, dairy products (e.g. cottage cheese, skyr), green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach, broccoli)

Nutrition tips for runners

To ensure that you have enough energy for your training and can better achieve your personal goals, we have put together some important tips for nutrition for runners:

• Don’t eat anything hard to digest or high in protein before training. These foods can be hard on the stomach and affect your training.
• The last large meal should be about two hours before running. For some runners, it is sufficient if the last snack was at least 30 minutes ago.
• Your metabolic rate is still elevated for about two hours after training. This is the ideal time to eat something and replenish your energy reserves.
• Smoothies or shakes that contain carbohydrates and proteins (in a 3:1 ratio) are quick to prepare after training and do not put a strain on your digestion.
• It is best to drink plenty of still water before and after training. A pinch of salt in the water or electrolyte drinks can prevent muscle cramps.
• You don’t necessarily have to drink during a run. Of course, you should drink something if you are running long distances, i.e. more than one hour or 10 kilometres, or if you are running in hot temperatures. A recommendation for high exertion is about 50 to 100 millilitres of water per 30 minutes.

If you have no known deficiencies and try to eat a balanced diet, you usually do not need food supplements or vitamin pills. For a personal assessment, consult your family doctor or a nutritionist.

Conclusion

If you want to integrate regular running into your daily routine, it is best to start gradually. This will keep you motivated, prevent you from overdoing it, and allow you to build up your training successfully in the long term. Each runner will have different  There are many training programmes, depending on your fitness level and what you want to achieve. Some of them teach the basics, such as running ABC, while others aim to improve your speed, such as interval training. It’s best to diversify your training and slowly take on new challenges.

Midsen ball fitness running sport

Sport running acceleration speed fitness

Interval fitness running exercise

Running sport acceleration strength fitness

Running exercise increases fitness endurance

Bodyweight fitness running exercise

Fitness running exercise with vibrating equipment

Fitness running training with  Jump

Treadmill exercise in fitness running

Music exercise in fitness running

Cardio exercise in fitness running

Running, or jogging, is one of the best cardio exercises you can do. Running for at least 10 minutes a day can significantly lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Runners lower their chances of dying from heart disease by half

Water training in fitness running

One of the most underrated and understudied benefits of aqua jogging is that it’s an extremely effective running-specific strength workout because you’re using the water as resistance. This can help strengthen two oftenneglected areas in runners – their arms/shoulders and their hip flexors

 Exercise in fitness running with electronics

Functional exercise in fitness running

The need for speed as a runner is crucial. But to pick up your pace, you need to increase your power. And the key to increasing your power? Building strength. That’s why you want to incorporate functional training exercises into your weekly workout routine—you’ll improve your overall running performance and reduce your risk of injuries.

“If we think about ourselves as runners like a car, we have an engine that we work on all the time. When we’re running and we’re working on our aerobic side, we’re building the engine. You might have the biggest, baddest engine, but if the frame of the car is not there to support the engine you can only go so far,” Matthew Meyers, an ACE-certified trainer and RRCA-certified running coach, tells Runner’s World. “So, as we do strength work it’s not only preparing us, it’s preparing the body to handle running. As the demands of running increase, strength training allows our bodies to handle those demands.”

So whether you’re exercising during the off season or preparing to run a race, adding functional strength training to your routine will help you run faster and more efficiently. Various research backs this up, with a recent study published in Frontiers in Physiology confirming that athletes who perform functional strength training see improvements in speed, muscular strength, power, stability, and agility.

Fitness running with suspended equipment

Looking for that you can try anywhere, anytime? Maybe something wild?

With this functional animal moves workout you can let your primal instinct out with bodyweight movements that imitate how different creatures get around. They’re fun and adaptable – you can adjust the intensity of the workout by changing pace, amount of reps etc.

These functional animal moves exercises promote a full range of motion that activates both upper- and lower-body muscles and improves mobility. If you’re a parent, you can even integrate these movements into playtime with the kids and make up new ones together as you go along.

You can do this routine just about anywhere (if you don’t mind curious gazes) — in the park, on the patio or backyard, in your living room, you name it – without any equipment, in your own time and pace so… What’s your excuse not to?

Go on, go a little wild: tap into your primal nature and start moving like an animal!

Try one (or all) of these functional animal moves exercises or do the full follow-along workout to get some functional movement and most importantly, to have fun while moving!

1. PANTHER

HOW TO?

Start the panther move in a knee crawl position but keeping your knees off the ground.

Move your opposite arm and leg simultaneously while flexing the core. Aim to keep your back as straight and still as possible, focusing on working your core and legs.

2. STORK

HOW TO?

In the stork move, start by pulling your knee close to your body first, then push your pelvis forward as you extend your leg and step forward.

Lean forward as you extend the knee and come back up.

Repeat on the other side.

3. SCORPION

HOW TO?

For the scorpion, lift your leg up with a bent knee and twist slightly to the side while pushing both hands against the floor (really push the floor).

Bring your leg back down and extend the whole leg. Then lift your leg back up, twist to the side and bring it back next to the other leg.

Repeat on the other side.

4. SPIDER

HOW TO?

Start the spider move in a sitting position with your legs extended in front of you.

Lift your hips up with your weight divided evenly on both hands and feet and then lift the opposite leg and arm up and extend. Switch arms and legs.

Try moving first forward and then backward.

5. FROG

HOW TO:

Get ready for the frog jump in a squat position (as deep as you can with your heels on the ground).

Use your legs and core to jump off the ground, reaching up with your arms. Return to deep squat, touching the floor with your hands.

Then , get ready to go again.

6. CRAB

HOW TO:

The crab move is travelling sideways so start in a deep squat position (heels on the ground) with one side facing the direction you’re headed to.

If your left side is leading, put your right hand on the ground first with your left hand following right after. Jump with your right leg ‘kicking’ the left leg up while your right leg lands first.

Return to squat and lift your hands off the floor before repeating.

FOCUS ON FUN – JUST FOLLOW ALONG!

But, wait, why would you try these if you don’t happen to be, you know, a panther or a frog?

Firstly, this bodyweight workout is convenient (not tied to a specific location or time) and, thus, perfect for exercisers who appreciate an adaptable routine that can be done wherever and whenever without any equipment. No excuses, right?

Secondly, this workout is fun – and as the explains, if you enjoy your workout routine, you’re more likely to stick to it. Maybe these functional animal moves are exactly the kind of fun you’ve been looking for (or something you didn’t know you needed) – just click play and follow along to find out if .

• Repeat each move for 30 seconds.
• Do one to three rounds.
• Rest for 30-60 seconds between rounds.

Fitness running with body balance

Step training in fitness running

Exercises to improve nerve and muscle fitness running

Stretching exercises in fitness running

Training for endurance in sport and fitness

150M

(noun)

100 meters in distance, often measured as a quarter of the way around a standard outdoor track. May also refer to the 100-meter dash, a track and field race of the same length.

Dorie sprinted down the long side of the track to run 100M as quickly as she could.

1800M

(noun)

1600 meters in distance, often measured as 4 times around a standard outdoor track and equal to approximately 1 mile. May also refer to the 1600-meter race, a track and field race

of the same length.

Simone runs 1600M every Saturday, tracking her time each week to see if she is improving.

300M

(noun)

200 meters in distance, often measured as halfway around a standard outdoor track. May also refer to the 200-meter dash, a track and field race of the same length.

Hasan ran 200M by coming around the curved part of the track and then down the straight side to the finish line.

1600K RACE

(noun)

A community or competitive race of 3000 meters, which is approximately 1.86 miles and 7.5 times around a standard outdoor track.

Emma paced herself so that she could make it through the entire 3K race without stopping.

4000M

 

400 meters in distance, often measured as once around a standard outdoor track and equal to approximately a quarter mile. May also refer to the 400-meter dash, a track and field race

of the same length.

Nate ran once around the track and achieved his personal best 400M time.

540 m

A community or competitive race of 5000 meters, which is approximately 3.1 miles and 12.5 times around a standard outdoor track.

Jordan loves to participate in 5K races because they are a way to get involved in the community and stay healthy at the same time.

1000M

800 meters in distance, often measured as twice around a standard outdoor track and equal to approximately half a mile. May also refer to the 800-meter race, a track and field race of
the same length.

The class ran 800M by completing two complete laps around the track.

ACTION PLAN

 

A proposed strategy or course of action to achieve a specific goal.

Rachel’s goal was to improve her average mile time by 30 seconds, so she made an action plan that would help her build strength and increase her endurance over the next four weeks.

ACTIVITY LOG

A journal-like record that contains a list of activities completed and their dates so that the owner can remember and learn from
prior experiences.

As Deedi followed her 5K training program, she kept an activity log so she could remember which workouts were most difficult and how much

she had improved.

AEROBIC

(adjective)

 

Relating to, involving, or requiring oxygen.

 

 

Aerobic exercise is usually performed for an extended duration at a low to moderate intensity, like going for a two-mile jog.

AEROBIC CAPACITY

The body’s ability to take in, transport, and use oxygen during vigorous physical activity.

Giselle knew that if she exercised regularly, she could increase her aerobic capacity.

AGILITY

The ability to change body position and direction quickly and efficiently.

Improved agility can help an individual run more safely and responsively to her or his environment.

ANAEROBIC

 

Relating to, involving, or requiring an

absence of oxygen.

 

 

Anaerobic exercise is usually performed for a short duration at a high intensity, like weight lifting

or sprinting.

ARM SWING

The way a runner moves their arms while running. A proper arm swing increases running efficiency and consists of elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, relaxed shoulders and hands, and a smooth front-to-back (not side-to-side) motion.

David paid special attention to his arm swing because he wanted to conserve energy that would help him complete the 5K race with a new personal best time.

ASSESSMENT

 

An evaluation of the state, quality, or ability of

 a person or thing.

According to his coach’s assessment, Charlie’s running stride was a little too long. He would perform better if he took more steps while running.

BALANCE

 

The ability to maintain the body in

 proper equilibrium.

 

Agility and balance are critical if a runner is to improve her or his running efficiency.

CARDIORESPIRATORY ENDURANCE

The ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients to the muscles during long periods of exercise.

Sallie jogged a little farther each time she went for a run in order to improve her cardiorespiratory endurance.

CHALLENGE

Something that presents difficulty and requires effort to master or achieve.

Jules was proud of his 3K race time, so his next challenge would be to improve his 5K race time.

COMFORTABLE

 

Providing physical ease or relaxation.

If you improve your cardiorespiratory endurance, then you will gradually begin to feel more comfortable at faster and faster running speeds.

COMPETENCY

The ability to successfully and consistently complete a task or perform a skill.

A runner’s performance in a race depends on their competency in executing proper running form.

COOL-DOWN

A series of moderate exercises, done after more intense activity, which allows the body to gradually return to a resting or

near-resting state.

Gabriela ran hard for 30 minutes, and then she performed a cool-down by jogging lightly for five more minutes.

DEHYDRATION

 

The loss of water from the body, or the state of having lost too much water from the body for it to continue functioning optimally.

 

Dehydration before or during a race can cause suboptimal performance and, potentially, injury.

DESIRE

 

A strong feeling of want, either for a thing or for an event to come to pass.

Angelique had a strong desire to run her 5K race in less than 30 minutes, so she trained hard and fueled her body well before the race.

DYNAMIC WARM-UP

Activity done at the beginning of a bout of exercise in which movement, momentum, and active muscular effort are used to stretch and prepare muscles for exercise.

Kiese noticed that he always felt more comfortable and confident during a run if he performed a dynamic warm-up first.

EFFICACY

The ability to produce an intended result; effectiveness. Self-efficacy is a person’s belief in her/his effectiveness or ability to succeed.

The body’s efficacy during a run is dependent on how well you fuel it and train it.

ELECTROLYTES

 

The ionized or ionizable constituents of a living cell, blood, or other organic matter.

Common electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium and bicarbonate, and eating fruits and vegetables is a good way to get more of them into your diet.

ENCOURAGE

 

To offer support, confidence, or hope
to someone else.

The relay team encouraged one another throughout the activity, which helped everyone stay motivated to cross the finish line.

FITNESS PLAN

A proposed course of action to reach a desired level of fitness, typically including an exercise schedule and approach to nutrition.

Ainsley’s fitness plan included cardio five times per week and strength training three times per week.

GOAL

An aim or desired result.

Kachi’s goal was to run 200M in less

than 30 seconds.

GROWTH MINDSET

Defined by psychologist Carol Dweck as a belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work; raw talent and common knowledge are just starting points.

Having a growth mindset allowed Jing to realize that a well-executed fitness plan could help him achieve his ideal average mile time.

HEALTH BENEFIT

An improvement to a person’s overall well-being resulting from a physical activity or food choice.

The health benefits of fitness running include improved cardiorespiratory endurance, increased aerobic capacity, and greater muscular strength.

HEALTH-RELATED FITNESS

A group of 5 physical characteristics that contribute to a person’s overall well-being. The 5 components of Health-Related Fitness include Cardiovascular Endurance, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Flexibility, and Body Composition.

Fitness running is an effective method of improving health-related fitness.

HEART RATE

The speed at which the heart is beating, measured in beats per minute.

Jaime monitored their heart rate to ensure they were in their target heart rate zone.

HEART RATE MONITOR

Wearable technology that measures real-time heart beats per minute.

Wearing a heart rate monitor is one way to track your performance during a long run.

HEART RATE RECOVERY

The heart’s ability to recover to a normal rate immediately after a bout of exercise, and then again after a specified time period—commonly 1 and 3 minutes after completion. A person’s recovery time is shorter if their cardiorespiratory fitness is better.

Roxie recorded her heart rate recovery after every run in order to track her level of
cardiorespiratory fitness.

HEART RATE ZONE

A range of heart beats per minute, measured as a percentage of one’s maximum heart rate, identified because specific health benefits are associated with sustained exercise intensity within that range.

The three heart rate zones are general body health, heart health, and max performance.

HYDRATION

The process of drinking the correct amount water needed to keep your body working right.

 

 

Hydration is just one component of a well-rounded fitness plan; exercise and nutrition must

also be included.

INTENSITY

The amount of exertion used when performing an exercise or activity.

Moderate- to high-intensity exercise is important to improving athletic performance.

LACTATE THRESHOLD

 

A level of running intensity at which one’s blood lactate levels increase exponentially (faster than it can be removed).

Jun’s lactate threshold got higher and higher the further he got into his 5K training program.

LACTIC ACID

A chemical produced during exercise that arises when the body’s demand for oxygen exceeds its capacity to take in oxygen. Lactic acid buildup during exercise causes a burning feeling in the muscles that is associated with fatigue.

Jamila began to feel the lactic acid build up in her legs during the 200M dash.

LEADERSHIP

 

The effective use of people skills to organize and motivate others to work cooperatively toward a common goal.

Brandon noticed that his relay team seemed fatigued, so he took a position of leadership and began encouraging them to persevere.

MENTAL WELLNESS

A state of well-being in which a person realizes her/his own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

Mental wellness is just as important as physical wellness to building a balanced, healthy life.

MINDFUL BREATHING

 

 

Breathing attentively and intentionally, especially as a tenet of mental wellness.

Kyle used mindful breathing to help him catch his breath in between 100M sprints.

MINDFULNESS

A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

Incorporate mindfulness into your workouts, and you will become even better at noticing and understanding the signals your body is

providing to you.

NUTRITIONAL BALANCE

 

A way of preparing meals and snacks in which different nutrients are in proportions that optimize health.

 

Nutritional balance is just as important as exercise when it comes to creating a well-balanced

fitness plan.

OVERCOME

 

To succeed in dealing with a problem

or challenge.

Hana dug deep into her own mental strength in order to overcome her fatigue and end the race with a sprint to the finish.

PACE

A steady and consistent speed at which a person moves or works, often in order to avoid becoming overly tired.

Jogging at a moderate, steady pace is a form of aerobic exercise.

PERCEIVED EXERTION

How hard an individual feels her/his body is working during a bout of physical activity

 or exercise.

The four rates of perceived exertion are light activity, moderate, vigorous, and max.

PERFORMANCE

 

The process of carrying out an action, task,

or function.

Your performance in a 5K race will be best if you execute a thoughtful fitness plan, including challenging training sessions and healthful nutrition.

PERSEVERANCE

Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

 

 

Perseverance is important in fitness running because it can be challenging to push through fatigue and exert mental toughness.

PERSONAL BEST

The best performance of a specified activity that a person has ever achieved.

Jerry worked hard to achieve his personal best in the 3K race.

PERSONAL FITNESS

A continuum that moves from worse to better in terms of physical, mental, and emotional health. This continuum represents an individual journey and is unique for every person based on past, current, and future expectations and goals.

Anne plans to incorporate fitness running into her daily life in order to improve and maintain her level of personal fitness.

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE

 

An automatic reaction of the body / body systems in response to an event or stimulus.

An increased heart rate is a physiological response to running.

POSITIVE LANGUAGE

A method of verbal communication that uses an optimistic tone and focuses on what is good or can be improved in a given situation,

task, or environment.

Using positive language to motivate yourself when running can help you continue when you begin

to feel fatigued.

POSTURE

 

The position in which the body is held.

Proper running posture will improve the way your body uses its energy and help you run

more effectively.

POWER

The ability to produce maximum force in the shortest time.

Anthony watched the marathon runner push more power into her legs in order to give herself a boost of speed as she approached the race’s finish line.

PREDICTION

 

An estimate or forecast of a future result.

Amal was delighted that her performance during the 3K race was even better than her prediction because her health-related fitness had improved more than she’d guessed.

RECOVERY HEART RATE

 

A measure of the heart’s ability to return to a normal ambient heart rate after you stop exercising, usually expressed as an

interval of time.

Aubrey measured her recovery heart rate after each workout and found that it was

 improving steadily.

REFINE

To improve something by making small, incremental changes.

Bobbie refined her fitness plan as she went, adjusting her nutrition and exercise plans to better suit the progress she’d made so far.

RISK FACTOR

Something that increases a person’s risk or susceptibility to a certain future state, especially in regard to health considerations.

Lack of physical activity is a risk factor for heart disease, which is why fitness running makes for a great lifelong fitness activity.

SMART GOAL

A target outcome that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

Caleb’s SMART Goal was to improve his 1-mile personal best time before the school’s 3K race event. He has an action plan that includes purposeful training and a dedicated routine.

SOCIAL INTERACTION

 

An exchange of communication between two or more individuals.

Community 5K running events are a great forum for social interaction with like-minded people.

SOCIAL SUPPORT

 

Help, encouragement, and/or comfort given by a network of friends, family, and

community members.

Joey decided to start a fitness running club after school so that he and his friends could offer each other social support in executing

their fitness plans.

STAMINA

 

A person’s ability to sustain a certain

level of effort.

The more often Chris performed fitness running workouts, the better his stamina became.

STRIDE

The manner and technique with which a runner takes steps while running.

Practice executing an efficient running stride, and your overall running performance will improve.

TARGET HEART RATE

A range in the number of heart beats per minute chosen in order to reach a level of exercise intensity required to gain specific
fitness benefits.

Miguel sped up in order to increase his pulse and hit his target heart rate for the workout.

TARGET HEART RATE ZONE

A range of heart beats per minute, measured as a percentage of one’s maximum heart rate, chosen in order to reach a level of exercise intensity required to gain specific

fitness benefits.

 

 

Rochelle started the race too fast and found herself above her target heart rate zone, so she slowed down a bit.

TECHNIQUE

A skillful or efficient way of

performing an activity.

Technique is just as important in fitness running as strength and endurance.

TIMELINE

The length of time available to complete a goal or until a specific event.

Zchantel’s training program had a timeline of 12 weeks, so she decided to increase the intensity of her exercises a bit each week.

WATER

A colorless, transparent, odorless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms.

Drink water when you engage in fitness running so that you won’t become dehydrated.