Should I Run?
Should I run is a question I have fielded from any number of gym members and personal training clients over my many years as an Austin personal trainer and gym owner. It is widely held that running is the purest and most effective form of cardiovascular exercise as it pertains to weight loss and weight management, but I digress. Running is a fine activity for some, but certainly not for most people as it can cause a lot of serious damage to not just joints, but incredible muscle and connective tissue imbalance as well.
So, who should run for cardiovascular exercise if most shouldn’t? People who are physically light and have incredible running technique. All others should avoid running unless they’re being pursued by a large animal with big teeth. Even then, it’s questionable. When we run, we are striking the ground with an average of 2 to 3 times our body’s weight per stride. That’s a lot of pounding when you consider how many strides you would need to run even a single mile. When we run, our ankles, knees, hips, etc, are all effected by the impacts. As mentioned previously, so are certain muscles and connective tissues. For example, it’s no coincidence that most runners have tight iliotibial bands and that plantar fasciitis is rampant amongst them as well. Tight hips, tilted pelvis’, and low back pain are conditions and maladies that occur just as frequently and can put a real crimp in your mobility and therefor, your quality of life. These conditions are all treatable and to an extent, preventable with proper lengthening and strengthening of certain muscles, but when you think about it, if it’s that involved to just remain injury free, why not pursue a different form of cardiovascular exercise that is less injurious to the body?
Should I run for weight loss? No, I don’t think you should, especially if you’re carrying extra body weight. How about looking at hitting the swimming pool instead? Swimming, rock climbing, rowing machines burn significantly more calories than running, and are a whole lot less stressful on your body. It would be silly to lose weight while simultaneously causing unnecessary damage to your body, especially when there are other options. The best thing to do, is to find an experienced and qualified personal trainer, and see what the best options for cardiovascular exercise are for you.
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Andy
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