GQ_South_Africa_2017

OCTOBER 2017 GQ.CO.ZA 107

One step at a time

Focusing on the step turnover
automatically fi xes other posture issues
as your foot will naturally land closer to
your centre of mass, as this is the easiest
point from which to take another step.
The treadmill is a great way to practise
this because it keeps you at a consistent
pace. More steps doesn’t necessarily
have to mean more speed, it just means
your feet are on the ground for less time
during each step, which also means less
force going back up through the body.

Watch your landing

The number of steps a runner takes per

minute will usually determine where they

land on their foot. It is quite diffi cult to

land with a heel strike if you’re running

at more than 180 steps per minute.

A runner who sees themselves as

a jogger who likes to stick to slow

speeds can still have a high step count.

Though debated, a mid-foot strike is best

for fi tness and weight-loss. Sprinters will

tend to be more forefoot strikers and

heel striking is mostly down to the types

of shoes runners choose to run in.

Gym

exercises

to make

you a

stronger

runner

Strong before long

If your hips and ankles are balanced it
will be much easier to run in an effi cient
and economical way. Far too many
runners try to change the way they run
before making their bodies strong and
fl exible enough to handle it long-term.
Once the smaller supporting muscles are
strong the general rule of thumb is to aim
for 180 steps per minute. Start on the
treadmill and count the steps on your
right foot for 15 seconds; you should be
hitting about 23 steps on the right foot in
those 15 seconds.

PUMA IGNITE Netfi t

running shoes R2 799

STANDARD PLANKS

Planks are excellent for strengthening not only

a host of abdominal muscles but also your hips,

back and glutes.

KETTLEBELL WALKING LUNGES

Kettlebells are more effective than dumbbells,

working a wider range of muscles. The kettlebell

walking lunge will work your hamstrings, glutes

and quadriceps.

SIDE PLANKS

Count your max reps on each side and then

swop that number around. So if you can do 30

on the right and 20 on the left, then do 30 in

two sets on the left and 20 on the right. This

will strengthen the weak side and maintain

the strong.

BOSU BALL SQUATS

The squats don’t need to be too deep, just low

enough that you feel like you are losing your

balance. These are excellent for balance,

proprioception and strengthening the supporting

muscles in the ankles, shin and calf.