The uphill race
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about uphill running is the idea of fatigue, lungs exploding and legs on fire as well as accelerated heart rate, many muscles working with great intensity, lactic acid tending to build up very quickly, and fatigue suddenly coming to the fore. Given all these great difficulties that can be found in uphill running, there is a tendency to often reject this type of training without also considering its strengths, however. In spite of what one might think in fact, uphill running is that training activity considered very useful not only for runners but also for those who practice the most diverse sports. Of course, it should be pointed out that it is a strenuous and demanding activity, which especially requires a great expenditure of energy and that the only means to train and get used to this type of running is just to practice it regularly. As you perfect your technique and your autonomy over time, you will then be able to improve your running and tackle even the most difficult terrain with greater ease and confidence.
The benefits of running uphill
Uphill running brings, when practiced regularly, significant advantages and benefits to one’s physical and mental well-being. Among the first are undoubtedly the strengthening of leg muscles and an increase in power from the physical point of view. In fact, thanks to running it is possible to greatly increase the ability to work in the aerobic phase and thus to improve and regularize the rhythm of the heartbeat. Uphill running can also lead to the activation process of hypertrophy of the legs as well as tends to considerably improve blood circulation in them. This type of workout is then considered by leading fitness experts to be the best antidote for losing weight, because being so intense, it helps to burn fat much faster than normal sports exercise. Running and the various related aerobic activities are also believed to not only improve one’s physical well-being but also counteract states of anxiety and fear. Indeed, if one is experiencing a period of high stress on a psychological level, running will surely be the best antidote to succeed in counteracting it. Facing especially long uphill stretches helps to make the body more prepared to counter difficult situations during everyday life. Finally, from a physical point of view, running uphill helps a lot to reduce joint stresses because through such movement the achilles tendon and ankles are stressed.
Precautions and contraindications in uphill running
In uphill running, however, as in any other sport, precautions must be taken. Especially attention should be paid to specific tips and pointers related to body posture. First and foremost, it is important to increase stride frequency, tuning it and tilting the torso a little forward. The arms can be used to give more stability and power. It is then necessary to try to distribute the effort, that is, you should not immediately start by burning all the energy you have in your body but go step by step and gradually increase the intensity of the workout or keep it regular and constant. Absolutely fundamental then is stretching before running. In this workout the abdominals, glutes, lats, hamstrings and quadriceps will work most of all. For this reason, these will have to be the very muscles that need to be warmed up in order to perform the entire exercise well and without trauma. On the other hand, after the end of the run, so-called loosening exercises are necessary, which are useful in order not to lose the exactiveness of the normal stride. Thus it is necessary to do a short walk with different gaits where jumps, skips and accelerations are included, for example. Uphill running is not recommended for anyone with special cardiac and respiratory conditions or hypertension and diabetes.
