NHS Choices Couch to 5k
The NHS Choices 'Couch to 5K' is a running plan that helps absolute beginners get into running. It’s free, easy to use and extremely effective. Since the programme was launched, at the start of the year, the Couch to 5k podcast has been downloaded by over one million people.
The programme can be used by anyone who wants to take advantage of the many proven benefits that running has to offer, including improved physical and mental fitness, stronger heart and lungs, stronger bones and healthy weight loss.
Couch to 5k is aimed at people who’ve never run before as well as those who want to get back into leading a more active lifestyle. Overall, it’s the prefect way of getting fitter and living healthier!
How it works
The Couch to 5K plan is designed to get you off the couch and gradually work you up to running 5K or half an hour, in just nine weeks. The plan involves three runs a week, with a day of rest in between. There is a different plan for each of the nine weeks.
A common problem when trying to get into exercise is that we can overdo it, feel defeated and give up when we’re just getting started. Couch to 5K works because it starts with a mix of running and walking, gradually building up your fitness and stamina. Week one involves running for just a minute at a time, creating realistic expectations and making the challenge feel achievable from day one.
Couch to 5k podcasts
NHS Choices has developed its own set of Couch to 5K podcasts to help you on your way to achieving your running goal. The podcasts features a friendly narrator, Laura, who guides you through each session, explaining when you need to run and when it’s time to walk.
The podcast also features music that's designed to motivate you through the workout. The podcasts take you on three runs a week, leaving at least a day of rest in between each run.
There is one podcast for each week of the plan - except in weeks 5 and 6, which feature three individual podcasts. This is because weeks 5 and 6 act as transitional weeks, which aim to progress you from a mix of running and walking into running for longer blocks of time.
You can read more about the NHS Choices Couch to 5k plan here and you can also download the Couch to 5k podcasts for free.