Let's Talk About Running

[JLee9718]

I can't seem to get above 40 pushups twice a day. I think I need to do some bench presses to work up beyond 40. Maybe I should try doing them 3 times a day!

[Chico23231]

I have found running is great. I used it 5 or 6 times to remove myself from the presence of police.

In regards to exercise, its good too. Its all about finding your rhythm...

[DynamiteRave]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

I have found running is great. I used it 5 or 6 times to remove myself from the presence of police.

In regards to exercise, its good too. Its all about finding your rhythm...

You know Baltimore was the fittest city in the Nation a few years ago for a reason... Everyone there is busy running from the police.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

You know Baltimore was the fittest city in the Nation a few years ago for a reason... Everyone there is busy running from the police.

Fairfax and D.C. is were I got fit the most. Baltimore likes crack to, so that tends to help with weight loss.

[mike340]

Running should make you lose some weight unless you're doing intervals and/or anaerobic training. If you want to be lean but maintain or gain muscle weight in your legs (as well as get conditioning) try biking. If your knees start bothering you then biking is excellent since it strengthens the quads. They act as the "shock absorber" for the knees, so the stronger they are the more your knees are protected.
I know the weather is about to be crap, but assuming you have a bike you like, get a "Turbo Trainer", which is effectively a stand for your bike with an axle touching the rear wheel which generates resistance. I haven't checked prices lately, but I'm pretty sure you can pick one of these up for well under $200. One of the great benefits is that your position on the bike is the same as when you're outside riding (unlike those horrible LifeCycles). It can be boring, so if you can get some tapes of bike racing and put them on while you're training you'll feel like you're in the race. Putting on some tunes really helps as well.
Someone commented that you may get sore after the first few run workouts. I found that if it feels like you have lactic acid build-up at the end of the run (which will feel like soreness in the muscles) spin a small gear at fairly high rpms. What you're trying to do is get a lot of blood flow to the area to clear out the lactic acid so it doesn't degrade the muscles by sitting there, while keeping new lactic acid generation at a minimum. It's also really important to re-hydrate as soon as possible after the exercise. You want to eliminate the toxins from your system before they have time to do damage. (Think green;-)(Make sure your pee is clear afterwards.)
All of this is probably overkill if you're only going to run 2 times a week, but some of it may come in handy as variety/protection against injuries.

In relation to another post, women seem more frequently to do exercise without actually working out (i.e. not sweating.) Few people seem to use their glutes when they're running, as well as other exercises that could "really use them". By not using them, you're not using the largest muscle in the body, and losing out on the chance to burn all those extra calories, as well as firm up what a lot of people feel is the best looking muscle in the body. I happen to love the Roman Chair, which really works the "drive train" (i.e. glutes and hamstrings.) Since I'm going for endurance I usually do multiple sets with lots of reps in each set. Do NOT try this exercise if you have a bad back. Of course, since I'm getting close to 55 I'm not doing as many as I used to...

If you get more intense about it there's an excellent book by Galloway for runners over 40, but his main emphasis is how to train so you can meet your goals without getting injured.

Hope this helps.

[saden1]

I use to run everyday during the summer but I stopped because my knees started hurting. The doctor told me that every step during a run is equivalent to hitting your knee with a hammer with the force of your body weight and that it really isn't good for you in the long run.

Instead of running I hike, speed walk, use stairmaster, and ride the bicycle now. You can really get your ticker going much better with these exercises by increasing the pace at which you do them too and they don't cripple you as you get older.

p.s Running is overrated and fat people should never run to lose weight.

[724Skinsfan]

Just freaking jog for pete's sake. 40 minutes every other day, maybe indulge in a pushup or two and you'll be fine. It's just exercise and you don't seem to be interested in becoming a member of the Tarahumara Indian tribe. If you start getting too skinny for your preference crack open a case of beer and start packing on the calories. Little known secret to weight loss: Calories In < Calories Out.

[JLee9718]

Good exercise tips...I enjoyed this whole post which contained excellent replies. I hope this stays up and others add to it.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by saden1

I use to run everyday during the summer but I stopped because my knees started hurting. The doctor told me that every step during a run is equivalent to hitting your knee with a hammer with the force of your body weight and that it really isn't good for you in the long run.

Instead of running I hike, speed walk, use stairmaster, and ride the bicycle now. You can really get your ticker going much better with these exercises by increasing the pace at which you do them too and they don't cripple you as you get older.

p.s Running is overrated and fat people should never run to lose weight.

I cannot disagree more. Running is one of the very best cardio workouts there is. Running too much and too hard for your body can be counter-productive. But running appropriately for your fitness level can be great. It's all about working into the proper shape to make it successful.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

I cannot disagree more. Running is one of the very best cardio workouts there is. Running too much and too hard for your body can be counter-productive. But running appropriately for your fitness level can be great. It's all about working into the proper shape to make it successful.

With running there is no avoiding articular cartilage damage no matter what kind of shape you are in or how appropriately you run. In a cardio contest between running and using the stairmaster I would say the stairmaster is pretty competitive...next time you go to the gym try the stairmaster at half the maximum speed available and see what happens to you.

The only real advantage in running is that it maximizes your time which is why I use to run all the time. You can get the same type of cardio without all the long term health hazards.

[MTK]

Gotta say I really hate running, wish I could get into it, just can't. Plus it murders my knees. I stick with lower impact stuff.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Ran my first half marathon in Charlotte, NC yesterday. I finished in 2hrs 13mins, which isn't that fast but I'm still happy considering how out of shape I was in when I started training. I had a blast and I'm already planning on running #2 this spring. I don't think I'll try a full marathon any time soon but it's possible.

[Dirtbag59]

Running is good for cardiovascular health but avoid doing it to much. Traditional running uses up muscle and if overdone has the potential to actually make you age faster. Plus with your body type being on the leaner side you can easily make yourself to skinny.

I would personally recommend doing anything that encourages you to sprint. Me personally I like going to my local rink or skate park and do this thing where I skate fast on straightaways and slow down on turns.

Anyway the technical name for it is high intensity interval training (HIIT) and the benefits are great. Not only do you get your workout done faster (9-20 minutes) but you can even build muscle. You can also use anything to do it (treadmills, ice rinks, stationary bikes, basketball gyms, football fields, eliptical, etc).

The benefits are summed up best by this picture. On the left is a long distance runner on the right is a sprinter.

Also I would encourage you to invest in a set of kettlebells as kettlebells help you engage in both strength and cardio training. Here's some more links on HIIT.

HIIT: Supercharge your Fitness and Fat Loss
High-intensity interval training - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also one more picture for the road.