Looking after your body
during Get up to Five
Over the 8 weeks with Get up to Five you'll have a higher level of motivation, you'll be training to levels that will help you grow and you'll find new belief in your ability.
We love this stuff, it's what we are all about but there's one thing that can instantly take you away from this place - injury.
There are a couple of things you can do to help reduce the risk of getting injured:
shoes
Stretching
Your body is about to start running which will deliver many benefits but running does put stress on your body which can cause muscle soreness.
Stretching is vital to help remove soreness and prevent injury. Our coaches will be taking you though stretches at the end of the sessions we do together but we want to make sure you are doing them when you are doing your own sessions.
Download a stretching guide for runners here: Stretching Guide
Print this off and keep it somewhere close by, you now have a plan that will help you look after your body as you get into running. We can't stress how important it is that you do them!.
We'd love to promise that you won't experience any soreness but we can't! The good news is that stretching will help remove some soreness and by the end of this you may even enjoy the feeling as it's a reminder of how your body is working and getting stronger.
Muscle Balance Test
Over the years that we have been doing Get up to Five and our other running groups we have found that we get about a 10% non-completion rate due to injury.
While some of these injuries come from freakish accidents, the majority are injuries that stem from muscle imbalances that can be avoided through specific strengthening work. We want you to be aware of this and make sure you do all that you can to complete your goal without injury.
For this reason we have set up a relationship with the physiotherapy team at Active Health (Christchurch) and Capital Sports Medicine (Wellington) to help your body be safely prepared for the next 2 months of training.
One of the best things you can do for you body either now or in the early stages of running is to get a Muscle Balance Test done. We honestly can't recommend this highly enough, especially if you have had injuries in the past! There is a cost but it will be money well spent.
To book a Muscle Balance Test:
Christchurch:
Active Health
Phone: 03 383 6290
(let them know you are with Get up to Five)
Ask for at appointment with Kate or Bevan.
Address: 545 Manchester Street
What to take with you to the assessment:
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Appropriate exercise clothing
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Running shoes
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Wellington:
Capital Sports Medicine
Phone: 04 499 5732
(let them know you are with Get up to Five)
Ask for at appointment with Hazel.
Address: Level 5, 187 Featherston Street
What to take with you to the assessment:
-
Appropriate exercise clothing
-
Running shoes
Pre-existing injuries or returning from injury
If you have a pre existing medical condition or have struggled in the past with injury, do seek advice from a medical professional before you start this programme.
If you are unsure as to whether you should do this programme, get in touch with us and we will send you the programme that you can show to your GP, physio, or other specialist you are working with so they can give you guidance on this.
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We want you to be safe and use the programme in a way that is going to help your body grow and strengthen.