Make sure you keep your back straight – don’t let your hips droop towards the mat or you could injure your back.
Make sure your back stays straight so that you don’t injure yourself. If regular pushups are too difficult, consider changing your technique. Instead of resting your feet on the ground, rest your knees on the ground and tuck your feet behind you.
Don’t push yourself too hard. [7] X Expert Source Kai NgCertified Running Coach Expert Interview. 12 February 2021. This part of the workout isn’t supposed to wear you out. Instead, you’re trying to get your heart rate up so your body starts absorbing oxygen more efficiently.
Push yourself as hard as you can during the one minute of running. Interval training doesn’t work properly if you don’t totally exhaust your muscles. This is called “going into the anaerobic zone,” or exercising the point where you’re literally gasping for breath. [9] X Research source Try to time yourself so that you run for exactly a minute and rest for exactly two minutes. It can be helpful to use a timer app on your phone or to purchase a stopwatch.
Repetition is important because it forces your system to absorb oxygen more efficiently. Over time, this raises the maximum amount of oxygen you can have in your blood. The more oxygen you have, the harder and faster you’ll be able to run![10] X Research source
When doing your regular running workout, add five minutes to the normal time you run every week. [12] X Expert Source Kai NgCertified Running Coach Expert Interview. 12 February 2021. This will slowly increase your workout and help you gradually improve. If five minutes is too much, start by adding one minute to your regular workout every week.
If you’re training to run a race such as a 5k, take a break from your regular workout once every few weeks and run the full 5k. Keep a journal to record your run times. You will start seeing a big improvement after a few weeks of interval training. There are many useful apps for phones that help you track your distance and time. [13] X Expert Source Kai NgCertified Running Coach Expert Interview. 12 February 2021. If you don’t want to run with your phone, consider purchasing a stopwatch to time yourself and running on a track to accurately measure your distance.
Do a set of walking lunges. Take a large step forward with your right leg so that your left leg is extended far behind you. Lower yourself until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Make sure your left knee doesn’t touch the ground and that your right knee is above your right ankle! Repeat for the left leg and do ten lunges per leg. [15] X Expert Source Kai NgCertified Running Coach Expert Interview. 12 February 2021.
Don’t swing your leg haphazardly or you may hurt yourself. Try to swing your leg in a smooth, controlled motion.
Do some standing quads. Stand with your legs together. Bring your left foot behind your back to your left hand, keeping your thighs firmly pressed together. Press your foot with your hand, taking care not to overextend your leg.
