mb said:Flipstress,
One key to injury prevention is getting the right shoe. Running shoes are generally classified as cushion, stability or motion control shoes. Cushion and motion control are on the ends of the spectrum and stability is in the middle. The type of shoe that you need depends on your running mechanics.
If a cushion shoe is optimum for your for example but you are running in a motion control shoe there is a much better chance of injury.
If you are biomechanically efficient you may be able to get away with any shoe but if you have defects in your stride the shoe is more important.
In general you get what you pay for but a cheap shoe that is matched to your running mechanics is better than an expensive shoe that isn't.
There are several self tests that you can do to determine what type of shoe is best but for a beginner it is to ask around and find a good running shoe store. A good store will ask you about your running? How many miles/week? Previous shoes, etc? Tell them that you need help determining the type of show that you need. They should find a shoe that fits and then take you outside and have you run up and down the street or something similar so that they can evaluate your stride mechanics.
On finding a running shoe store:
(1) I have never found a good running shoe store located in an enclosed mall.
(2) If you ask what kind of shoe it is and the say "Nike" or worse yet "red" just turn around and walk away.
(3) Go to a specialty running shoe stores. Tri shops are also usually very good. Triathletes compare notes alot and if they're not good they don't last long. Both are much better than general sporting goods stores and department stores are the worst.
(4) The best running shoe stores tend to hire runners.
(5) Ask a local runner about the shops near you.
Road Runner Sports (a mail order place) has a pretty good catalog that describes shoe types and some of the self tests. They probably have the info on line but I have never looked. If I'm getting a new model of shoe I will typically go to a running shoe store to try it on etc. and buy at least the first pair from them but after that I will usually buy mail order. Save $10-20/pair.
There is a lot of advice in the magazines and books on how to start running and what you should do to prevent injuries. Some have plans in table form, etc. Some of the more common advice is below:
(1) Start with one or two days a week and only a mile or two or whatever you feel comfortable with. Walk if you want to. Nothing wrong with that. Run/walk/run programs have become very popular for beginnners and have even been used by marathoners and ultramarathoners. I have heard of guys doing 100 mile races where they stopped and walked for a minute or two every 10 minutes or so and set personal records.
(2) Don't go so fast and so far that you are exhausted and do not enjoy it. If it isn't fun you aren't going to keep it up. Don't make it a job.
(3) Don't increase mileage by more than 10% a week.
(4) Every fourth week decrease your mileage by 50% and let your body rest. (The next week you can go up to the same mileage as the previous week.)
(5) If something hurts rest. (I have a real hard time following this one.)
(6) Cross train. Mix up running with swimming, biking, roller blading, kayaking, cross country skiing, tennis, b-ball or what ever it is that you like to do.
Sorry this is probably way more information than you wanted but you hit on a favorite topic.
Good luck,
MB
ash said:36, 6'1", 165lbs, waist 32
AltaRed said:I've been advised by doctors and by reading health articles that power walking does every bit as good as running and less wear and tear on the joints. It's the cardio-vascular workout that is the key objective.
Rich_in_Tampa said:I job 2-3x per week
Scrooge said:Or at least that's what you subconscious would like you to beleive!
ash said:36, 6'1", 165lbs, waist 32
I'm coming up on the big 6-0. I'm 5' 11' and weigh 182. I exercise regularly. Walk 3 to 4 miles 3 times a week and swim .75 to 1.0 mile 3 times a week. Still have "love handles" and 36" waist. I'm on meds for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Exercise is not a cure all but is a great stress reliever for me. Oh well! Grumpy
Hmmm, well, weight control is directly related to health, and exercise is a key ingredient of weight control, and I believe there have been numerous studies that seniors are healthier when they exercise. Are you disputing causality?
So, Razz, now that you're done attacking the questioner, do you have any studies or other data to back up that assertion?razztazz said:That's right. Exercise only has minor influence around the fringes. people get fooled or fool themselves into thinking their exeise is keeping them healthy but 90% of the time it's the fact they are naturally healthy and that allows them to keep up all the exercise.
razztazz said:You watch too much TV. Didn't read what I said. Just spoutin what the Boss tells you to. Too bad
Laurence said:Hmmm, well, weight control is directly related to health, and exercise is a key ingredient of weight control, and I believe there have been numerous studies that seniors are healthier when they exercise. Are you disputing causality?
razztazz said:That's right. Exercise only has minor influence around the fringes. people get fooled or fool themselves into thinking their exeise is keeping them healthy but 90% of the time it's the fact they are naturally healthy and that allows them to keep up all the exercise.
Weight control is about burning the same number of calories that you consume. I
I trust you are joking?
razztazz said:Not entirely. I wate 1500-200 calories every day for 29 yrs worked out 1-2 hour every day for 20 yrs., GAined weight. Blew out a knew exercising and developed a heart problem... went on the Atkins diet and lost 30 pounds in 5 months on minimum of 2000 cals per day and felt better than I had at least 10 yrs. It's more than SIMPLY a calorie game at least for some.
Of course not. Do the study youself., But you wont because it's easier to believe what the TV man tells you to belive. Account to all the ill health cause by exercise. Disprove what I said. The TV man wont let you. Doesnt matter to me.
razztazz said:It's more than SIMPLY a calorie game at least for some.
wab said:Well, those calories you consume have to go someplace, right? There is some evidence that a high-protein diet increases thermogenesis, so a low-carb diet might be burning more calories as heat, but I don't know if that's been well established yet.
In any case, exercise will help burn calories. And if you build muscle, your baseline metabolism should increase as well. If you exercise hard, you'll grow more capillaries and improve your O2 utilization. Your HDL will increase. And your bones will probably get stronger too.
razztazz said:Not entirely. I wate 1500-200 calories every day for 29 yrs worked out 1-2 hour every day for 20 yrs., GAined weight. Blew out a knew exercising and developed a heart problem... went on the Atkins diet and lost 30 pounds in 5 months on minimum of 2000 cals per day and felt better than I had at least 10 yrs. It's more than SIMPLY a calorie game at least for some.
Of course not. Do the study youself., But you wont because it's easier to believe what the TV man tells you to belive. Account to all the ill health cause by exercise. Disprove what I said. The TV man wont let you. Doesnt matter to me.