Now that it is finally getting warmer, more and more people will dig their running gear out. And good for them. Running is a relaxing way of exercising, allowing one to be in peace with own thoughts. However, it may be a dangerous hobby if not done properly. Here is 6 advices from Blair Shular, a physiotherapist with the University of Alberta.

Running is a high-impact exercise. It is very easy to get hurt or to exhaust yourself beyond belief. Just in order to keep running fun you should listen to some specialist advises.

Go with the flow. You should not change your natural technique. By pushing yourself to make more steps, hold your arms in some kind of “correct” way, you are actually more likely to injure yourself. Your technique will improve the more you run, so don’t worry about it too much. Your natural way of running is the most efficient way for your current form. However, do not run on your toes – that is a bad habit to have.

Don’t overdo it. As with everything in life, progress has to come gradually. You cannot push yourself too far, because you will injure yourself. Take breaks and be careful.

Change your shoes. Of course, you already know that running shoes are extremely important. However, it would be better if you had more than one pair. As shoes will wear down, they will affect your posture, steps and so on. So you should wear several pairs at once to slow down the process.

Keep an even keel. Running uphill or even up the stairs sounds like a good exercise and it probably is. However, hilly terrain is more likely to cause an injury. You should run on flat surfaces, especially at first, as running uphill might actually cause runner’s knee.

Mix it up. Even though running is your exercise of choice, you should mix it up a little. Throw in some yoga or weight-training. It will help keeping it interesting as well as improve your overall physical condition.

Don’t stretch before long runs. Multiple studies have shown that stretching before running might actually increase the risk of an injury. You should not stretch before long running sessions. However, you should after them – it helps preventing muscle imbalances from occurring.

Finally, just remember to have fun. You’re here for the fun and fun only, unless you are professional athlete. In which case we just terribly wasted your time.

Jogging is a good form of exercising, but be careful.

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