According to a report carried out in 2021 by the National Household Sample Survey (Pnad) in partnership with the Ministry of Sports, 24.6% of Brazilians said they practice street race or walking with some frequency. And, according to recent estimates, there are more than 5 million runners in Brazil.
The fact is that street running is a democratic sport and full of health benefits. However, it is not enough to just go out running to become a practitioner.
Charles Lopes, PhD in Biodynamics of Human Movement from Unicamp and professor in the postgraduate course at UNIGUAÇU College, explains that running without taking some precautions opens the door to a series of errors that can harm the body.
See below which are the most common and how to avoid them.
5 most common mistakes made when running
1
Only train what you like
There are several skills that must be trained to improve running performance, such as anaerobic resistance training, flexibility, motor coordination, maximum strength and power.
“All of this is part of good periodization, you can’t just go out running and say you’re an athlete,” says the professional.
2
Emphasize only training volume
Some runners think that to improve performance, they simply need to increase the amount of mileage they run.
“This tactic is definitely a mistake. Each phase of good planning has the right time to increase, maintain and (or) reduce the volume, which can even give faster and more efficient results”, emphasizes Lopes.
3
Do not perform load control tests
Each person has a specific work intensity and heart rate that is different for aerobic and anaerobic training. Therefore, the volume and intensity of the load must always be constantly evolving, so that it is possible to make adjustments to the training load safely to avoid injuries and be efficient.
4
Ignoring regenerative microcycles or performing inadequate regeneration
“There are microcycles that must be regenerative, where the training volume must be reduced, and perhaps the intensity as well”, points out the professional.
And he continues: “It is worth noting that simply reducing the intensity of training does not mean good recovery. That is why it is so important to plan your periodization well. Proper regeneration prevents muscle injuries and provides excellent results.”
Expert tip: Do a week of microcycle training.
5
Exaggerating the number of competitions
Lopes emphasizes that it is important to be aware that the regeneration period is extremely important.
“He must not make mistakes, otherwise the probability of injury increases and there is a risk of losing everything that has been built”, he points out.
Therefore, he states that participating in competitions without planning and in short spaces of time between one event and another will, sooner or later, end badly.
“The races must be well planned and evaluated according to the runners’ periodization”, he concludes.
