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  • Posted by Laura
  • On 10th May 2018
  • 0 Comments

Do Couch to 5k the Right Way

There are a huge variety of Couch to 5k programmes available online and offered by gyms and personal trainers, but in principle they all offer the same thing: a roughly three – month plan for beginners to go from no running to being able to complete a 5km run.

What makes Couch to 5k plans so valuable is they provide a realistic, gradual structure that minimises the risk of injury, which is the main setback that will prevent beginner runners from making progress.

A great place to start is the NHS Couch to 5k website, which has a vast resource of reliable Couch to 5k articles, advice and guides.

Why do you need to take running slow?

Running is a high impact activity that places a huge amount of force through your body. With each strike, your foot hits the ground with five to nine times your body weight. If your joints and muscle aren’t conditioned for these loads, it’s easy to wear them out faster than they can recover.

Tendons are particularly vulnerable to injury as their dense tissue takes longer to repair than capillary – rich muscle. As your muscles adapt faster than your tendons, it’s easy to feel capable of running further than your body actually can. Even proathletes are guilty of this mistake.

By following a very gradual programme that starts with walk – jogging before progressing to uninterrupted runs – with plenty of rest days in between – your body has enough time to repair between runs, allowing you to progress smoothly towards your goal without injury.

What makes a good Couch to 5k programme?

What you do in between your runs is just as important as what you do when you’re running.

An ideal Couch to 5k programme will include full body strength training and stretches between running days to condition underused muscle and lengthen post – run tightness.

This will both reduce your risk of injury and speed up your recovery time.

Body weight exercises are more than enough to develop the strength and flexibility you need, so you don’t need to join a gym if you just want to complete a Couch to 5k programme. If you’re a complete beginner to both running and exercise, it’s best you stick to body weight exercises either way.

Single leg squats are particularly valuable to runners as it trains your gluteus medius muscle, which provides stability to your hips while you run. You can read more about the role of this muscle and how to train it by reading this blog by Andy.

You can find plenty of resources online for correct technique for body weight exercises, but it’s highly recommended that you receive guidance from a professional such as a physiotherapist or a personal trainer. Nothing beats a second pair of well – trained of eyes to make sure your technique is correct.

What are the benefits of the CGP Couch to 5k Programme?

We offer a complete Couch to 5k programme at CGP, which can be supplemented with as much or as little additional support as you need.

The main benefit of doing your Couch to 5k with us is that we can tailor the intensity of your programme and your exercises to your specific strength and ability levels, while also taking into account your injury history or any other medical conditions.

Should you start to develop any pain or tightness during your training, we’ll be able to react immediately with advice or treatment to intervene against potential injuries.

We’ve helped people from all walks of life and injury histories achieve running goals they never thought possible.

And with Mark, our in – house sports massage therapist, and Brian, our in – house Pilates instructor, we can provide everything you need to strengthen your body and help it recover to really make the most of those rest days. Regardless of whether you do your Couch to 5k with us, with someone else or by yourself, we recommend getting a full body check up with us before you start. This allows us to identify any potential problem areas in your body and prescribe specific exercises to address them.

We can also analyse your running technique and take a look at your shoes to make sure you’re starting on the right foot.

If you want to learn more about our Couch to 5k programme, please get in touch with us by emailing info@coventgardenphysio.com

Kevin Kong, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist

 

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18:05 19 Oct 21
An excellent experience. Both Kevin and Anthony are superb, I can't recommend them enough.
Joseph N’Guessan
Joseph N’Guessan
09:45 29 Apr 21
Highly recommend Anthony. Great service - understanding and knowledgable.
Geoff L
Geoff L
14:05 17 Mar 21
Kevin Kong at Covent Garden Physio is outstanding ! I have seen a lot of physios in my time but Kevin is by far and away the best ! He has taken me from long term back problems which were casuing me huge issues to fully functional again and sorted my knees out too. Don't waste your time and money on random physios.... go see Kevin and get great results !read more
Holly Lazarev
Holly Lazarev
05:35 26 Aug 20
I recently found myself suffering from a lower back and leg injury that brought with it very bad pain, numbness in my leg and also weakness. Seeing as I have a history of having herniated discs in my lower back, I just assumed that I was having another issue related to the discs in my back and I began to get concerned. Not sure what to do, I spoke to my GP who recommended trying Physiotherapy first to see if that would alleviate my issues and I did an online search and came across Covent Garden Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic. Not only were they conveniently located to where I live, but their reviews were wonderful so I decided to give them a call. My first point of contact was Victoria, the office manager and she was so incredibly kind, helpful and accomodating. She got me in for an initial visit right away and she recommended that I see Scott Branny for my Physiotherapy needs. Scott was so incredibly knowledgeable, kind, attentive and helpful and from my first visit with him up until my last visit, he always knew just how to help me feel better and get me on the road to recovery. Every exercise that he showed me worked magnificently and before I knew it, I was no longer experiencing any pain or weakeness and I was back to myself! I am so thankful and grateful to Scott, Victoria and everyone at Covent Garden Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic for providing such an excellent service and for being so kind and compassionate! I highly reccommend them to anyone in need of Physiotherapy! :)read more
Jay Owens
Jay Owens
13:41 03 Dec 19
Cannot recommend highly enough. Physio Anthony Vidis is genuinely a wizard, and has often managed to set me right in a single session. This makes Covent Garden Physio way more cost-effective than other places that might have you coming back week after week - and I have recommended him to many friends. Booking online is easy and convenient, they often have appointments available before/after work - and practice manager Victoria is helpful with bookings short notice. Don't go anywhere else.read more
Stevie Mann
Stevie Mann
11:42 29 Nov 19
Very happy with my experience here, the consultation was thorough and came out with a plan to move forward. Physiotherapist makes you feel at ease. Highly recommend.read more
Geoff Y
Geoff Y
10:11 10 Oct 19
My shoulders and neck are broken, well not broken but in a bad way. On a suggestion from a colleague, I went to try this out. I saw Anthony Vidis and within a few minutes he'd already started on a plan. He seemed skilled and knowledgeable, asking a lot of questions before he started any manipulation. The first session left me with a lot more movement and the second session even more so. Less pain and more flexibility has definitely provided a better life experience.read more
Dan Redfearn
Dan Redfearn
19:39 24 Sep 19
I was referred to Scott Branney due to a shoulder injury. This was my first physio experience and I have been very satisfied with the treatment I have received from Scott. Scott is very knowledgable, has set a really thorough exercise routine to compliment the treatment. On top of everything he's a really nice guy! Very happy to recommend him.read more
PB Creative
PB Creative
11:29 15 Aug 19
I've been receiving treatment from Scott for the last 8 months following shoulder surgery and have been very happy with everything throughout. Scott has done a great job in successfully rehabilitated my shoulder back to pretty much full health and has been very supportive and proactive in prescribing and monitoring my progress through bi-weekly checkups and home exercise programmes. In general, I have found Covent Garden Physiotherapy to be a friendly, welcoming and highly effective place to receive treatment and would highly recommend them.read more
Rachel Sloan
Rachel Sloan
20:53 31 May 19
I went to Covent Garden Physio with a groin injury three weeks ahead of the Edinburgh Marathon. My physiotherapist, Scott, was extremely helpful and as well as clearly explaining and quickly sorting the problem, gave me good advice for avoiding future injuries. Highly recommended!read more
Owen Turner
Owen Turner
16:57 25 Mar 19
My physiotherapist, Scott, was able to help me to sort my knee out in time to complete the London Landmarks Half. Very happy with the price and service. The advice he gave me on running technique will serve me well in the future, hopefully avoiding any future injuries due to bad form. Would recommend to friends and family!read more
Carlos Heywood
Carlos Heywood
21:11 05 Dec 18
Kevin Kong. Make sure to book him as he knows his stuff and can help massively.
Jennifer Tye
Jennifer Tye
12:20 10 Sep 18
Excellent. Smiley staff, great physio.
Giulia F
Giulia F
20:30 19 Sep 17
Had a very good experience. The team was very quick to book me in and answer my questions. I was visited by Anthony who was very friendly and helpful, he really helped me to fix my issue, explaining what had happened by my back and the pain was gone in 24h! Very good price for excellent service.read more
Ryan Jay
Ryan Jay
13:47 28 Feb 17
I have been seeing Andrew Marshall for the past six weeks, after my recovery of a hip replacement had slowed. I must say that the service has been fantastic, and I have felt significant improvements in the functionality and comfort of my new hip. Andrew has demonstrated a remarkable expertise on the muscular and anatomical factors regarding my recovery, but he always explains them in a concise, practical fashion. He answers questions brilliantly and ensures that I am comfortable and confident with each exercise before leaving me to progress through them. On top of this, Andrew's colleagues are friendly and the facilities they operate in are top notch. I would recommend Covent Garden Physio to anyone with not only hip issues, but any other injuries or recovery periods that they may need help with.read more
Pete McDonnell
Pete McDonnell
18:37 20 Feb 17
Been using Covent G Physio on and off for 10 years... from post surgery to sports injury. Recommended to a number of friends who were equally impressed. Physio, deep tissue and acupuncture .. very friendly, polite and professional staff ... issue sorted every time. Highly recommend them. And in a very interesting & lovely location. read more
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