The Power Of Music

"I just don't feel like it". "If only I had the motivation to do it". "It tends to get so boring".

Sounds familiar? There's nothing wrong with that, we all tend to fall off track from time to time and slack off with regards to our exercise programs, just as we do with other things in life. However, the past is gone with the past, and those who dread on the past never get anywhere. Meanwhile, those who pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and keep moving forward, are destined to succeed.

What is this all about, you ask? One word. Motivation. Motivation to keep you running. In exercise, in life, in everything.

In a study conducted by Professor Andy Lane, a sports psychologist from the University of Wolverhampton, 1,100 runners were put through a series of tests to better understand the effect of music while in the act of running. The findings showed that listening to motivating music (which is highly subjective by the way, a genre that may be motivating to me may not be motivating to you, and vice versa) improved performance on several levels.

 In another study conducted by Professor Costas Karageorghis from Brunel University, listening to music while exercising has shown in some instances performance benefits of up to 15% (which is a fairly high number might I say). The study also showed that music lowers the perception of effort while exercising. This means that instead of quitting your one hour session halfway, heading home and indulging in full-guilt icecream to make up for your feeling of failure, you actually finish the session because you wanted to. Why? You actually motivated yourself to.

Personally speaking, I got into the habit of listening to music while running sometime last year. Nowadays, I never go out for a run without my music. I won't say it's magic, but let's just say that when I'm feeling slacky, the beat drops, and I find myself giving it a 110% all over again.

So the next time you're heading out for a run, get yourself a pair of running earphones, hook them on, and listen to your favorite songs on the way.

If you've always needed that one push to exercise, this might be all you need.

You are your own motivation.

Running Basics - The Do's And Don'ts of Running

Running is a passion we all share at The Running Hub, but we all know and live by the saying "safety first". This video covers the basics of running, covering aspects you want to occur which will enhance your experience, and highlighting common mistakes which are holding you back. Enjoy!

Now that's what I call a short, concise, and to the point informational video!

I've summarized the wrongs we are prone to commit while running, as well as the rights we should be focusing on replacing them with, which Dr. Daniel Lieberman discussed in the video.

Over-striding: Or landing with your foot notably ahead of the center of gravity of your body, is commonly believed among runners to increase speed and efficiency. However, over-striding has been proven to only waste energy while running, and possibly lead to injuries.

Solution: Try not to lunge forward while running. The next time you go out for a run, attempt to land every step with your foot underneath your body. 

Landing on your heel: Doing this, you are just stopping your forward momentum and putting excess stress on your knees.

Solution: Try to focus on landing on the ball of your foot, with your foot positioned directly underneath your body in every step. This way, you keep your momentum while running, gain speed, and avoid injury.

Leaning forward: Leaning forward at the hips while running is also another invite for injury to come your way.

Solution: Instead of leaning forward, try to keep yourself in a vertical line, from the hips up.

Thumping: Landing on your feet in a very hard manner, also known as thumping, indicates poor running form. This sound indicates a hard collision between your body and the ground.

Solution: Keeping the contact between your body and the ground while running as light as possible should do the trick.

So, that about sums it up! One thing remains however, and that also comes from personal experience. Patience, patience, patience. P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E. Yell it out loud, spell it letter by letter, write it on a sticky note and post it on your forehead, whatever works for you. I cannot stress it enough. 

If you're newly introduced to the world of running, take it slow. Take it day by day, and aim for gradual, long term progress. This is a key for success in life, no matter what you're doing. Whoever came up with the phrase "baby steps" hit the nail right on the head!