Run Faster and Get a Longer Stride
If you are in track and field or cross-country, run marathons or simply love to run for the health benefits, running faster and with a longer stride should be a top goal for you. The faster you are able to run, the more competitions you will win. If you have a longer stride you will put less strain on your joints.
Instructions
1. Work your abdominal obliques. These muscles run from your upper leg (around the hip) to the bottom of your ribs. The obliques are important for running faster and getting a longer stride, and exercises can help strengthen them. One good exercise for obliques is to lie on your back. Lift your knees so they are at a 90-degree angle. Twist your knees to the side, trying to touch them to the floor without lifting your back off the floor. Switch sides and continue for 10 reps.
2. The muscles in your legs also help you run faster. Lunges help strengthen the muscles you use when you run. Include lunges in your exercise regime. Add dumbbell weights to increase the difficulty. You can also walk and lunge at the same time. Take a long stride and step down. Bend your back knee to the ground. Lift up and take another step. Continue this for 20 step-lunges.
3. Go for a run. Take the longest strides you can. It will be a bit difficult at first, but you will get better at it. On your next run make sure you match the length of your strides and try to make them longer if you can. Continue to do this to run faster and get a longer stride. Be aware of your strides.
4. Get faster. Use a timer or stopwatch to time your runs. If you run at a track you should know how many laps equals a mile. How fast can you run a mile? Test yourself. If you can run a mile in 15 minutes today try to run it in 14 minutes tomorrow, and so on. You are your own competition.
5. Run on hills. Running uphill and downhill will help increase your stride and get you to run faster. Running on hills will strengthen the muscles it takes to run and force you to get a longer stride. For every run you go on make sure you hit at least one good hill. Going uphill will help you run faster and running downhill will help you get a longer stride.
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