Whether you’re a beginner looking to start your running journey or a seasoned long-distance runner aiming to improve your endurance, these plans provide structured workouts tailored to your level of experience. By following this plan consistently, you’ll build strength, increase your stamina, and take your running to the next level. Let’s lace up those shoes and hit the ground running!
This workout routine is designed for beginners starting their running journey. It spans over seven weeks and gradually transitions from walking to running.
- Weeks 1-2: Focus on brisk walking for 30 minutes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Incorporate cross-training (XT) on Wednesdays, and rest on Thursdays. Resume walking for 30 minutes on Fridays and either rest or incorporate short run-walk intervals on Saturdays. Rest on Sundays.
- Weeks 3-5: Continue with brisk walking on Mondays and Tuesdays. Wednesdays include XT, and Thursdays are designated for rest. Introduce short run-walk intervals on Fridays, gradually increasing running time. Saturdays consist of longer walk-run intervals. Rest on Sundays.
- Week 6-7: Progress to longer run-walk intervals on Fridays and Saturdays. Continue with brisk walking and XT as scheduled. Sundays remain rest days.
The routine gradually increases the duration and intensity of running while allowing adequate rest and cross-training. By the end of the seven weeks, participants are expected to accumulate 145-175 minutes of physical activity per week, building a foundation for future running endeavors.
This workout routine is designed for long-distance runners aiming to improve their performance gradually over several weeks. Let’s break down each component of the routine in detail:
Weekly Structure:
- Weeks 2, 3, and 5: Each week progressively increases in intensity and mileage to build endurance and stamina effectively.
Daily Workouts:
Monday:
- Distance Runs: Ranging from 2 to 3.5 miles, focusing on maintaining a steady pace to build aerobic endurance and stamina.
Tuesday:
- Interval Training: Incorporates intervals of faster-paced running alternated with periods of usual pace. The duration and intensity of intervals gradually increase each week, enhancing speed and cardiovascular fitness.
Wednesday:
- Rest or Cross-Training (XT): Provides recovery time for muscles while allowing for optional cross-training activities such as swimming, cycling, or strength training to maintain overall fitness.
Thursday:
- Hill Training: Introduces hill repeats to the routine, enhancing leg strength, power, and speed. The number and duration of hill climbs increase progressively, challenging the cardiovascular system and improving running economy.
Friday:
- Rest: Essential for muscle recovery and injury prevention, allowing the body to adapt to the training load and prepare for the upcoming long run.
Saturday:
- Long Runs: Gradually increasing in distance, these runs simulate race conditions and build mental and physical endurance essential for long-distance events.
Sunday:
- Rest: Another day dedicated to rest, facilitating recovery and reducing the risk of overtraining or injury.
Total Weekly Mileage:
- Progressive Increase: Mileage gradually increases throughout the weeks, with peak distances reached in weeks 10 and 11.
- Variability: Mileage fluctuates to accommodate recovery and adaptation, ensuring a balance between training stress and rest.
This detailed workout routine incorporates a combination of distance runs, interval training, hill workouts, and rest days strategically structured to enhance endurance, speed, and strength for long-distance running. By progressively increasing mileage and incorporating varied training stimuli, runners can optimize their performance while minimizing the risk of overtraining and injury.
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Red Bull 10 bodybuilding exercises to run better
Exercise 1: Push-ups (10 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Strengthens abs, shoulders, and arms, improving posture and arm movement during running.
- Instructions: Lie face down, hands by your chest, toes on the ground. Push your body up while keeping your torso straight, then lower back down almost to the ground.
Exercise 2: Dumbbell Rows (12 reps each side, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Strengthens upper back for better torso balance.
- Instructions: Kneel with one knee and hand on a bench, body horizontal. Hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand, pull it up keeping your elbow close, then return to start.
Exercise 3: Dips (12 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Strengthens arms and shoulders, helping to maintain a straight running posture.
- Instructions: Use a bench for support, lower your body by bending your elbows, then push back up using your arms.
Exercise 4: Step-ups (12 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Works main leg muscles and improves running power.
- Instructions: Step onto a bench with one foot, push up bringing the other leg up, then step back down. For more challenge, hold dumbbells.
Exercise 5: Squats (15 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Strengthens major running muscles, reducing injury risk and improving flexibility.
- Instructions: Stand with feet slightly wider than hips, lower into a squat as if sitting in a chair, then return to standing. Hold a kettlebell for more difficulty.
Exercise 6: Walking Lunges (8 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Improves leg balance, stability, and coordination, increasing stride length for faster running.
- Instructions: Step forward with one leg, lower body and rear knee towards the ground, keep the front knee above the ankle. Push back to start and alternate legs. Hold dumbbells or a medicine ball for more challenge.
Exercise 7: Single-leg Deadlifts (10 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Strengthens glutes and hamstrings, improving running power and stability.
- Instructions: Stand straight with a weight in one hand. Lift one foot off the ground and extend it behind while leaning forward, keeping the back straight. Return to start and repeat on the other side.
Exercise 8: Superman (10 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Strengthens mid and upper back, improving running posture and stride efficiency.
- Instructions: Lie face down with hands near ears. Lift chest and shoulders off the ground, engage abs, and keep the gaze down to avoid neck strain. Return to start.
Exercise 9: Hip Bridges (15 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Targets glutes for more efficient running, helps maintain proper hip alignment.
- Instructions: Lie on your back, arms by your sides, feet flat on the floor. Lift hips to form a straight line from knees to shoulders, hold briefly, then lower back down. Extend arms overhead for more difficulty.
Exercise 10: Leg Raises (15 reps, 2 sets)
- Benefits: Strengthens
sources: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/beginners/a772727/how-to-start-running-today/ & https://www.redbull.com/be-fr/exercices-musculation-course
