Running

Jump to: Form > Related Exercises > Standards

Running is a popular conditioning exercise used for improving cardiovascular endurance and body composition. Besides its health benefits, what makes running a popular exercise is its convenience. No gym membership required, all you need to run is a good pair of shoes and some space. Running is also versatile. From beginners to advanced athletes, a running workout can be easily tailored to any ability level. It can also be tailored to match specific goals. For example, an advanced athlete could do hill repeats to focus on improving strength and speed.

The Basics

Running is primarily used to improve your cardio. By changing the level of intensity, duration, and/or intervals, you can target different adaptations. Longer, less intense sessions improve your aerobic capacity while shorter, more intense sessions (often done as intervals) improve your power and anaerobic capacity.

Form

• Stand up tall, keeping your core engaged and shoulders back.
• Look forward rather than down.
• Maintain a slight forward lean.
• Keep your arms relaxed with a 90 degree bend in your elbows.

Related Exercises

Reviews

Performance Standard Ranks

The ranks assume that you are generally healthy, with no underlying health conditions or injuries and have the mobility to perform the exercise correctly. You can determine your rank by comparing your numbers to the tables below. Your rank is also tracked automatically when using our Workout Log feature.

Cardio Standards By Distance

The table shows the maximum time needed to reach each of the cardio ranks at different distances. The times on the table are based on competition data, world records, and the average time needed to attain each rank. To see personalized cardio standards for multiple exercises, check out the Cardio Standards page. You can also find your Cardio Score to see how you rank as part of our Fitness Score System.