Running Tips to Reduce Injuries and Increase Speed

Here are a few ways to reduce hamstring injuries and increase speed-Advice from Hall of Fame Coach Jim Bush

Hamstrings got you down? Two or three times a week, run a few 50 meter strides backwards, mixed in with regular strides. Make sure you are warmed up and have a smooth, flat and safe surface on which to run. Your local track or soccer field would be ideal. Coach Bush has his runners complete two backward strides before the intense portion of their running workout. After the hard workout, the runners complete two additional backward strides before the warm down phase. For the rest of us regular runners who aren’t doing fast running, simply do some forward and backward strides during or immediately after your run. Coach Bush reports greatly reduced likelihood of hamstring injuries. Jim Bush is a Hall of Fame track coach who’s been leading teams and individuals to National, World and Olympic titles for more than 40 years.

To increase speed, coach Bush recommends Springbak Springsoles to his athletes. The Springbak’s will increase your stride length and increase stride frequency(shorten foot plant time). Coach Bush comments,”My track runners all felt they got more bounce off the track. They felt like they were running easier and the Springbak Springsoles did improve their running times.” I go mainly on what I see and how the athlete responds and if they tell that it feels good, that they feel they’re getting off the ground quicker, than that what counts.”