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Our reporter Ma Zuoyu Intern Zhang Jiale

The health benefits of running need not be described in detail, which is why more and more runners want to run with their children.

However, for teenagers, running needs to pay attention to more details than adults.

So, what age is suitable for children to run? How much do they run every week or month is good for their physical development?

How old is it to start running training?

How old a child is suitable for running is a topic of constant discussion in the running circle and even in the education circle.

"After all, at this stage, the patella and kneecap, including other cartilage ligaments, have not yet matured. If you want to train for long-distance running, you can start at the age of four. "

In fact, a few years ago, Dr. McCambridge of American Children's Sports and Health Consulting Institute pointed out in a research report that until adolescence, children's main exercise focus is to master sports skills, not endurance training, and truly purposeful endurance exercise should start at the age of 65,438+04.

Golden Harper, a veteran runner and founder of sports brand, also gave a similar view with his personal experience.

He took part in the first marathon in his life when he was 10, and ran for 2 hours and 45 minutes when he was 12, which was the best among children aged 12 in the world at that time. But now when asked when it is appropriate for teenagers to start running training, he always says:

"/kloc-It is best not to do too much physical training before the age of 0/0, because the periosteum that lubricates human joints will not grow well until later."

How much running is appropriate?

So, how much should a child run when he starts running?

"Children's running is in accordance with the principle of gradual progress, and the initial running amount should be controlled at several hundred meters." On the control of running amount, Wang Xiaogang gave professional advice.

"When children are training, they must pay attention to their physical condition. They should not run too much, and the amount of training increased every week should be controlled within 10% of last week. "

Step by step is the same principle for most senior coaches to run for their children. Harper thinks that training age is far more important than physiological age-a person who doesn't run at the age of 16 jumps directly from 0 km to 50 km every week, which is more likely to be injured than a person who starts running at the age of 13 and increases to 50 km at the age of 16.

When running with children, parents can't ignore the power of role models.

Perhaps the discussion about "how old should I start running" and "how much children should run" is too intense, and many adult runners ignore other children's problems when running.

"Parents are role models for children, and children will learn the behavior of adults, including the habit of running, through imitation." In an interview with Runner's World, Coach Harper pointed out the importance of parents as "runners" when children run.

Harper always instills the idea of "running like a Kenyan" in children during running, telling them that in addition to running step by step, they should also learn to protect and strengthen their leg muscles after running.

"The focus should be on teaching them how to keep exercising in their lives and how to protect themselves."

Not only that, in the eyes of these senior running coaches, the biggest difference between children's running and adults' running is that adults can be "lonely", but children's running is absolutely impossible.

"Adults should tell their children that your achievements in running or your help to your health are the achievements and help of the whole family."

In Harper's view, such a concept will make it easier for children to have a positive interest and motivation in running. "In addition to encouragement, one way to stimulate children's interest in running is to show them their love for running."

This is why "running the second generation" has become one of the topics that attract more and more attention in running circles in recent years.

Love is more important than ability.

Encouraging children to stand on the runway and feel the benefits of running is the correct behavior. However, if children are not interested in running, parents must not be forced.

"If children are eager to run, support them. But if children don't want to, they should help them choose other sports. "

This is coach Harper's advice to parents through personal experience. Harper himself said in an interview with Runner's World that he started running seriously when he was eight years old because he was eager to get the golden "big trophy". He really likes running, but his sister doesn't like running.

Fortunately, my family didn't force my sister to walk the runway. It was not until high school that his sister joined the track and field team for socializing and found herself interested in running and gifted.

In Harper's view, the influence and motivation of personal preference is far more important than talent and ability. "If you put too much pressure on children, they will only hate sports."

Of course, if children like running since childhood, then the correct concept of running and competition is also very important. The most misleading thing is that running and marathon are two concepts.

"For many adults, it is very difficult to run a marathon once a year. So don't let your children participate in sports that challenge their physical limits, such as marathons. "

Proofreading: Ding Xiao