Running to get back in shape?

Dare to venture out of an early morning and you’ll see plenty of people running.

 

It’s become a fast favourite of those wanting to get back into fitness.

 

Truth is though, that running isn’t the best way to ‘get back into shape’ or even to get in shape in the first place.

 

Such an activity is good if you want to become a better runner, well, provided you’ve got good form to which I will point out that hardly anyone does.

 

Hence why the injury rate is so high.

 

Below are 6 alternatives for getting back into shape that are far more productive and beneficial over simply pounding the pavements.

 

1 – Skipping

2 – Calisthenics

3 – Kettlebells

4 – Odd Object Lifting/Carrying

5 – Movement Culture

6 – Sprinting (on grass or a race track)

 

In all fairness training methodologies are nothing more than tools at our disposal to be used.

 

The only real prerequisite that I personally stye is this:

 

Whatever you’re choosing to do, learn to do it properly.

 

Too many people allow their ego to get in the way, often thinking they will ‘get good’ at something first before hiring a coach or asking for help.

 

Foolishness, utter foolishness.

 

This is because by the time you do hire someone to help you’ve not got a false & inflated sense of your own ability, not to mention form problems that need to be be addressed.

 

Usually that means people needing to regress and get worse, much worse in fact, before they can improve due to having so much to fix.

 

Of course people dislike this, blaming the coach/instructor.

 

I’m going to be honest with you, it’s rarely if ever the coaches/instructors fault, and 98% of the times anything that causes us issue is often a result of our own choices.

 

Even in this time of isolation & Online instruction you’ll find someone to teach you the way.

 

You’re either ignorant or arrogant to not utilise the help offered to you.

 

Speaking from a place of both ignorant and arrogant past experiences I can vouch for this mistake being one YOU don’t want to make, trust me it’s not worth it.

 

Give the above some thought.

 

Remember, running may be the easiest thing to do because it’s ‘free’ yet in the long run you’ll be made painfully aware that it was never free because nothing ever is.

 

The fee often comes in the form of ankle, shin, knee, lower back and hip pain, sometimes to the point of total debilitation and having to retire from running entirely.

 

So my dear people, don’t be a fool, hire or at least speak to a professional first.

 

Enjoy,

Ross