What happens in your body when going up and down slopes running

The workouts slopes are one of the classic face to the preparation of any race, especially if it is in mountain (which definitely is very rare to find a flat terrain, but that’s the beautiful part of the mountain races) or if it is long distance. The training Uphill, conducted once a week and combined with series, short runs and other longer, help us to strengthen our lower body, take control of our body and prepare for the kilometers to come.

Usually we are very afraid of the steep climbs, although the most critical moment when we can suffer an injury is in the downhill. This is how your body responds when it is up and down sloping hills.

Climb slopes: ideal to strengthen the lower train

You know: on the day that you have the training of slopes you will suffer in the climbs (although you will probably also enjoy on the slopes). The 30-second sprint, or one or two-minute slopes at a steady or progressive pace help us strengthen our entire under-train : an ideal long-distance training.

During the ascents, the impact that our joints receive is much smaller than the one that we usually generate in plain. Of course, we compensate with an intense work of glutes, hamstrings and twins, all forming part of the posterior muscle chain.

They also work the flexor of the hip, which helps us to raise our legs to take strides, and the quadriceps, which help us to push us up.

The right technique for climbing hills

The correct technique to climb slopes efficiently indicates that we must take shorter steps but maintaining a good stride pace, activate our entire central area to avoid flexing the hip too much (leaning down is counterproductive when climbing hills), propel us from the Toes and help us with the movement of the arms when impelling us.

Lower slopes: control and stability

The moment of the descent, although it may seem much simpler than the climb, is actually more critical when suffering an injury. Usually the descent is made after having climbed a slope, when our body accuses more fatigue, and having the force of gravity in our favor can cause us to lose control and end up on the ground.

During the descents the joint impact is much greater than in the climbs or that on flat ground, reason why many people experience pain in the knees after a pronounced descent. In addition, during the descents the work of the muscles is of eccentric contraction (while they are elongated), and can generate muscular micro-ruptures that can take us invoice.

The Right Downhill Technique

Running down slopes requires great control of our body, especially if the slope is very marked. Leaning slightly backward in order to keep your feet, hip and shoulders in line, will give us a good position to descend safely.

Keep a constant rhythm throughout the descent, without accelerations and abrupt braking (it is frequent, if we get out of control, feel that we pack down and try to brake down damaging our knees), will help protect our joints from the effort.

Integrate the slopes into your routine little by little, combining different intensities and times in different workouts. And remember to rest appropriately to facilitate recovery : the day after the slopes, you may need to dedicate it to active rest.