Running/Jogging

is a very under rated exercise. I just came back from doing 3 miles. I try to run every other day 2-3 miles and always do a 1/2 mile warm up and cool down. I try to work on endurance and stamina more than anything else but for the ones trying to lose weight...I want to suggest power walking/brisk walking for a mile. It's a good way to get in that weight loss zone. Then building it up half a mile every week till you get comfortable. I suggest 3 times a week and stick to it. When you feel comfortable that 1 mile you're doing, tack on another 1/2 the next week, and so on and so on and etc and etc.

 

i just started running abiut two months ago. i go about a mile and a half 4-5 times a week. i have only lost but a pound or two, but my beer gut/handles have dissapeared. it just takes a little time before you notice.

 

Roller Blading is awesome too. It's good for your heart, your butt, your legs, arms, thighs, waist, stomach. And no pounding on your joints unless you fall a lot.

Plus it's a heck of a lot of fun!

 

Great Advice by All.

Exercise has such POSITIVE affects on your self esteem too!

 

stamina is the key for me. it seems the more regularly i do it, the longer it takes for me to get tired. then my body craves the work out.

i need to get into that zone, sav. i miss it. it's like once you get into the habit, the body just seems to be working out every time that same time of day that you do it. like clockwork, even if you are not actually jogging or brisk walking.

i like the idea that my metabolism is working great even without any effort on my part.

 

that's why lifting weights and putting on muscle is so important.

 

I started walking/jogging 3 weeks ago and in the middle of my second week got shin splints. A sharp pain to the front inside of my right shin, just about 4 inches above my ankle. I took two the next two days off to rest it and started back walking my 1 to 2 miles. I walk around my neighborhood on asphalt and have good running shoes. How does this work? Will my shins get stronger? Can I build up to running harder? What's the deal?

 

Agreed with Sav that it's great for losing weight - I took a year "off" running since we bought another house last June, and just started back 3 weeks ago. I do two miles a night, every night that it isn't raining (then I stay inside and do "The Firm" tapes my wife has.

FAN, here is a little insight on your shin splints/treatment, cut & pasted from WebMD.Treatment for shin splits includes rest, massage, ice, stretching, and strengthening. Rest and ice is sometimes the best treatment. You should also be stretching your calves and Achilles tendon. If you have the problem during running or walking, try warming up more and don't increase the speed too quickly. You can also try varying the speed and elevation of the treadmill if you use one instead of keeping it the same.

To stretch your calves:

1. Lean against a wall with one leg forward and the knee bent
2. Keep the rear leg straight, heel on the floor
3. Keep your back straight and lean your hips forward until you feel stretch in your calf. If you don't feel it too much, put your toe of the rear leg up on a tree limb, or a dumbbell, or any other small object, so that you bend the ankle more. Your heel always remains on the floor. That will increase the stretch.
4. To stretch the soleus muscle and Achilles (very important for shin splints), do the same calf stretch but bend the back knee slightly and you will feel the pull on your Achilles tendon.

Also, make sure your shoes are sturdy and give you lots of support, particularly in the arch. If your shins hurt, you should gently massage them and then ice them after you work out.

Here are two web sites with pictures of exercises to stretch and strengthen your anterior tibialis: www.bodyresults.com and www.nismat.org. You can also go to www.nlm.nih.gov and enter "shin splints" in the search window.

Sometimes shin splints are confused with cramping of the anterior tibialis muscle and usually occurs from the constant repetition of flexing the foot. The anterior tibialis is the muscle on the outside of the shin bone that flexes your foot. Imagine sitting in a chair and constantly flexing your ankle up and down (i.e., tapping your toe) with your heel on the floor and in short time you will feel the same type of cramping. People report the cramping more often on the treadmill than outdoor walking, the reason being that on the treadmill the foot flexes repeatedly without any letup (unless you vary the speed). In addition, outdoors you self-select the speed and you probably vary it a bit which helps prevent the constant flexing problem at the same speed as on the treadmill. If you raise the elevation on the treadmill it can be even worse.

Some people report that running is not as bad as walking. This is most likely due to the fact that during walking you take more steps (and more flexes of the foot) than when you run. When you run your stride is longer and your feet are in the air for a longer period of time, which gives the foot a break from the constant contractions.

You can try a few things if this is the problem:

1. Vary the speed on the treadmill and try not to walk briskly for too long.
2. Warm up at slower speeds until you feel looser.
3. The web sites that I already posted above have some good exercises and pictures that should be helpful.
4. If the pain starts, either slow down the treadmill, get off and walk around for a few minutes, or as some people do successfully, start jogging to give the anterior tib a break.

Cramping usually gets better as your muscles get used to the treadmill, but every once in a while it will still cause a problem.

Hope it helps - good luck!

 

shin splints.....the biggest problem with running is that it is high impact which is what causes shin splints and most other running injuries. for heavy people like me, my body can't take it...too much weight.

another exercise to strengthen the muscle and tendons where shin splints hit: Sit on a bench with your feet sticking over the edge (your legs are supported by the bench except for you feet). Place a dumb bell in between your feet and slowly raise and lower it with your feet. Go for higher reps....20-30..two or three sets. Let the weight stetch the muscle when lowering.