DOWNHILL: HOW TO RUN DOWNHILL

Many easy runners don't see frowned on the descent. They are intimidated, they think that is likely to cause injury. Not so the runners, that instead the face as any other unevenness of the ground. The hard runner lives in a positive way because he knows that on the slope you can decide the races. But he also often ignores that running downhill is also an excellent means for training specific strength of lower limbs and quickness. The goal of this article is to provide a set of practical guidelines on the most appropriate and rational way of dealing with the descent and to transform it into an effective means of training.

The importance of style

First of all some technical guidance: the descent is not making contact with the back of the heel. Is the lateral part of heel which should touch the ground first, but the feeling has to be to rest on the whole plant, not only of the heel. If your support is correct you will hear your back free and does not receive any kickback. Also feel the quadriceps work harder. Be careful not to pull back from behind, as the instinct would suggest, because doing so would advance legs too compared to bust in stance phase. With his back foot perpendicular, the racing action will be more smooth and effective. The arms must be kept as in normal race on the plain, with forearms that skim the iliac crest of the pelvis. Increasing the speed it may be that the action of the arms is broken: it is normal at the beginning, corrects itself automatically as you buy sensitivity and, above all, balance. Must point down but not forward, towards the end of the descent. Finally, downhill you will gain speed. To zoom out, simply shorten the distance. After this sort of "technical review", we enter into the details.

What is it for

1. develop strength eccentric, or that kind of strength helpful to all the runners, that muscle grows when it resists to the weight of a resistance (in this case one of his body).

2. Does capture fast action, qualities essential for those dedicated to short races, including those on the track, but also for specialists of "half" and marathons, which must develop it into periods away from that specific preparation.

3. Improve coordination; a feature that allows you to make less expensive and more effective racing action, especially in critical moments such as overtaking or the race, and that allows the runner to feel comfortable on any type of track.

And now to work!

The workouts that I propose that you will find summarized in the table below, are courses on downhill slopes from 2 to 6% and lengths from 100 to 1000 meters. For the first few times I suggest you maintain them on asphalt. Afterwards, especially if you plan on racing on dirt, you will conduct the work on rough terrain. Obviously, I recommend always concentrates on running technique. As regards heating, shall be such as to properly prepare the organism pretty intense effort that is going to accomplish. Each fast runner has a way of warming up, so it seems unnecessary to provide guidance in this regard. As regards recovery, instead the table is indicated in minutes is the one between individual repetitions and between sets. Between a descent and the other is running very slowly, preferably back to the starting point.

Five workouts to try

(BY Kirti Mah)