Placing your feet on the ground right under your hips when running is important for several reasons: 

Efficiency: 

When you place your foot too far in front of your body, it acts as a brake, lifting your body up rather than propelling it forward. This wastes energy as your body moves up and down instead of keeping your center of mass steady and focusing all energy on moving forward.

Reduced strain on joints and bones: 

Striking the ground in front of your body puts extra strain on your joints and bones. Placing your foot directly under your hips helps to distribute the impact more evenly and reduce the risk of injury.

Improved propulsion: 

To move forward effectively, you need to pull your foot backward. By placing your foot right under your hips when it hits the ground, you create a better position for pulling backwards. For extra power and speed, try using the "heel swing" technique by pushing your heel back and up, as if you're trying to kick backward and then almost kick your own behind.

Remember to practice the "heel swing" in small doses, as it can be challenging. However, it will improve your running efficiency and speed over time.

While calibration is not strictly required, we recommend it for the best experience during your initial use of FLOWRUNR. Calibrating helps you discover your natural movement rhythm and distinguish between different FLOWNUMBERS.

Alternatively, you can experiment with various workouts and utilize the adjustment feature in the player screen to fine-tune the perfect fit while in motion.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Our priority is ensuring you find the method that makes you feel the most comfortable and satisfied.

The frequency needed to maintain or improve your fitness depends on your current fitness level:

Fitness Level 1: 

If you're new to running or cardio-walking, start with 1x per week for the first week or two. Your muscles and circulatory system will adapt quickly, but your joints, bones, and tendons require more time. Gradually progress to 2-3x per week, and consider supplementing with easy, long walks for faster adaptation.

Fitness Level 2: 

For those with some prior experience in running or cardio-walking, begin with 1-2x per week for the first month or two before moving to 3x per week. Even though a workout may seem too easy, you may still experience soreness during the initial period.

Fitness Level 3: 

Regularly active individuals should aim for 3x or more workouts per week to improve. To increase the number of workouts, consider adding extra WALK or low-intensity RUN sessions.

When starting with FLOWRUNR, you may experience mild soreness even after an easy workout. It's essential to be patient and give your body the time it needs to recover.

We recommend waiting to do a new workout until you feel completely refreshed and experience no soreness. This general guideline applies particularly during the first month or two and will pay off in the long run.

Keep in mind that even Olympic-level athletes can become sore when changing their routines, and they often start slow and easy after a break. Your body is delicate, especially when adapting to new exercises or routines.

Being smart and not pushing yourself too hard too soon is the key to success. Always listen to your body and respond to the signals it sends. If you experience a mild, tolerable response, it's a sign that your body is adapting to the new workout regime.

When you try something new, your body needs time to adapt. Even Olympic level athletes can experience soreness when exposed to new exercises or different types of workouts. Their bodies can also be quite fragile in response to new stimuli.

So, when you start using FLOWRUNR, never underestimate the impact of a seemingly easy workout. The workouts are designed to challenge and stimulate you, even if it doesn't feel intense initially. After 24-48 hours, you may start to feel soreness in different parts of your body, which is a normal response.

Embrace the discovery of new muscles and sensations within your body, as it is a sign of growth and adaptation.

Micro-progression is a concept that involves increasing the workload in very small steps to help the body adapt gradually and comfortably. With micro-progression, the focus is on making the next step in your training so small that you hardly feel the difference, which allows your body to adapt more easily and minimizes the risk of pain or discomfort.

In FLOWRUNR's micro-progression plans, the idea is to start with very short and slow exercises that may seem almost too easy, and then to progress patiently, taking more time than what is typically suggested in the media. This approach is considered smart and sustainable, as it helps build your fitness without causing undue strain on your body.

The goal of micro-progression is to create enjoyable workout experiences that feel like rewards rather than punishments. By emphasizing a gradual and gentle increase in workload, you can help ensure that each workout prepares you for the next one while minimizing pain and discomfort.

Running slowly can be challenging for several reasons:

Muscle memory and habits: 

If you are accustomed to running at a faster pace, your body has likely developed muscle memory and a natural rhythm for that speed. Changing this habit and adopting a slower pace can feel awkward and unnatural at first.

Coordination and balance: 

Running slowly requires greater control, coordination, and balance. You need to engage different muscles and maintain good form to avoid overstriding or losing your balance.

Aerobic efficiency: 

When you run faster, your body relies more on anaerobic energy systems. Slowing down shifts the energy demand to the aerobic system, which may feel less familiar or comfortable if you are not used to it.

Patience and mental focus: 

Running slowly can feel mentally challenging, as it requires patience and a different level of focus. You may feel a desire to speed up and reach your usual pace.

To improve your ability to run slowly, practice good form, focus on engaging the appropriate muscles, and be patient with yourself as you adapt to this new pace. Over time, you will develop better coordination and efficiency at slower speeds, which will ultimately benefit your overall running performance.

The feeling that you are "cheating" when walking between run intervals might come from a common misconception that you should always be pushing yourself to the limit during a workout. However, incorporating walking intervals between running intervals is a valid and effective training strategy for several reasons:

Active recovery: 

Walking allows your body to recover actively during a workout. This helps in maintaining a lower heart rate and clearing out waste products produced during the high-intensity running intervals.

Injury prevention: 

Mixing walking intervals with running intervals reduces the overall stress and impact on your joints, muscles, and tendons. This helps to minimize the risk of injury, especially for beginners or those returning from a long break.

Building endurance: 

For those new to running, alternating running and walking intervals helps to build up cardiovascular endurance gradually, making it easier to transition to longer continuous running periods.

Mental benefits: 

Incorporating walking intervals can make a workout feel less intimidating and more achievable, leading to greater motivation and consistency in training.

Remember that every individual is unique, and what works best for one person might not be the same for another. The key is to listen to your body and adjust your training plan according to your needs and goals. Walking between running intervals is a smart and efficient approach to training and shouldn't be seen as "cheating."

Absolutely, walking is indeed an efficient way to do cardio for various reasons:

Low impact: 

Walking is a low-impact exercise that is gentle on your joints, bones, and tendons, making it suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.

Improved cardiovascular health: 

Walking at a brisk pace can elevate your heart rate and strengthen your cardiovascular system, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and stroke.

Calorie burning: 

While walking may not burn as many calories as running, it still contributes to overall calorie expenditure, supporting weight management and overall health.

Accessibility: 

Walking requires no special equipment, can be done anywhere, and is easy to incorporate into your daily routine, making it a practical and sustainable way to improve your cardiovascular fitness.

Mental health benefits: 

Walking has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote overall mental well-being.

Versatility: 

Walking can be used as a standalone activity or as a supplement to running, helping to build endurance, recover from more intense workouts, and prevent injury.

In conclusion, walking is an efficient and effective way to do cardio, offering numerous health benefits with a lower risk of injury compared to high-impact exercises like running. Structured walking workouts, such as those offered by FLOWRUNR, can further enhance the cardiovascular benefits and make the experience more enjoyable and engaging.

Walking at a fast pace can be challenging for several reasons:

Unfamiliarity: 

Walking fast with high cadence is not a common activity for most people, and our bodies may not be accustomed to the specific movement patterns and muscle activation required for fast walking. As a result, it can feel awkward and difficult at first.

Coordination: 

Fast walking requires precise coordination between your arms and legs, as well as maintaining proper posture and balance. Developing this coordination takes practice and patience.

Muscle strength and endurance: 

Walking at a faster pace engages different muscles and requires more strength and endurance compared to walking at a leisurely pace. Your body needs time to adapt and build the necessary muscle strength and endurance to maintain a faster walking speed.

Cardiovascular fitness: 

Fast walking demands more from your cardiovascular system, requiring your heart and lungs to work harder to deliver oxygen to your muscles. If your cardiovascular fitness is not yet up to par, you may find it difficult to walk fast for extended periods.

Flexibility: 

Fast walking involves a greater range of motion in your hips, knees, and ankles, and may demand more flexibility than you're used to.

The key to becoming comfortable with fast walking is to practice consistently and be patient with your progress. As your coordination, muscle strength, endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility improve, you'll find it easier to walk at a faster pace and enjoy the numerous health benefits it offers.

It's important to be aware of and listen to the signals your body sends you, especially when it comes to your "weak link." A "weak link" can refer to a more delicate joint, a small tendon, or parts of the body that may not be perfectly symmetrical. This "weak link" plays a crucial role in determining the pace at which you can progress.

Though it may be tempting to push through using the "No pain, No gain" mentality, especially when the rest of your body feels ready and the workout seems easy, it's wise to take a cue from Olympic-level athletes. They understand that ignoring the "weak link" can lead to minor injuries that can prevent you from training consistently and effectively.

Unfortunately, you cannot adjust a downloaded workout. This feature is intended to provide a great workout experience in remote locations. You will only have access to the specific version of the workout you downloaded. However, you can download different versions of your favorite workouts to ensure you have access to various options.

While it's ultimately your choice, we highly recommend doing the warm-up. Gradually increasing the workload helps prepare your body, reduces the risk of injuries, enhances your performance, and overall improves your workout experience. All serious athletes understand the importance of a proper warm-up.

Preparing for a cold-weather workout can require a slightly different approach. Here's what we recommend:

Put on your workout clothes.

Add extra warm layers on top, including gloves, a beanie, and warm socks if necessary.

Walk around inside your home until you feel significantly warmed up.

When you can't tolerate the heat anymore, remove your extra clothes and head outside.

This passive warm-up method will help you on cold days and provide a more enjoyable workout experience.

It's normal to take breaks occasionally due to life events, sickness, or vacations. When you're ready to return to your workout routine or Micro-progression PLAN, it's essential to ease back into it.

One approach is to take a few steps back in your PLAN or even start with the first workout to gauge your current fitness level. If you've only taken a short break and feel strong, you may resume where you left off, but it's still recommended to give your body a few weeks to adapt.

A general rule of thumb is to go back one step in the PLAN for every two weeks you've been away from training.

Keep in mind that if you've been ill and bedridden for over a week, you might have lost significant muscle strength. Recovery time varies greatly from person to person. For elite athletes, recovering from eight days of high fever can take up to eight weeks to regain their previous fitness level. Be patient and listen to your body as you work your way back into your routine.