GET ACTIVE

If you are joining in run2workday tomorrow and are in need of some inspiration, Virgin Active Health Clubs have the solution. Undergoing the right preparation before you begin any form of exercise is the best way to avoid injury, help you achieve your goals and – ultimately – enjoy the whole experience.

There is nothing worse than going out on your first training run, pulling a muscle and being unable to run again for six weeks. I have always preferred running outdoors to training in a gym, but the complimentary exercises that I picked up during an hour-long training session under the guidance of a Virgin Active personal trainer certainly gave me something different to think about.

My trainer, Jonathan Perry, is a running specialist and had me doing a range of strength and flexibility routines designed to help improve my core and enhance my running experience. After warming up on a foam roller, Perry had me focusing on my posture and leg muscles (above) by holding a medicine ball out in front whilst doing squats with one leg suspended behind in a TRX Suspension system. “The idea here is to recreate the motion of landing,” Perry told me. “It’s important to build strength in the key muscles you use when you run, especially where you land on impact with the ground. This can help improve your stability and reduce the risk of injuries while helping increase the power in your hamstrings and glutes.”

This was just the beginning of a session that finished with a 10-minute, high-intensity cardio workout on a rotating climbing wall. The beauty of over 30 Virgin Active Health Clubs across Greater London is that each one has something unique on offer for anyone who wants to exercise – from runners like myself to office workers, mums and families.

They also have beautiful swimming pools and spas to relax in and superb changing facilities. Those who register for run2workday also have the opportunity to warm-down and change in style by taking up the offer of a complimentary guest pass. Whatever sport you play, Virgin Active will help you to “Summer Your Socks off ” and be as prepared as you can be to enjoy the best of the warm weather. With five run2workdays on the first Thursday of each month, starting tomorrow, through to November, there is also plenty of opportunity to use one of its clubs to take your running to another level.