Unfortunately, society has wrongly advised the population trying to lose weight to just run, or individuals trying to get fitter for their sports to just run every day. However, running is not the best way to get fit, but it can be effective when you know how to run well.

Alternatively an easy way to improve fitness without the ongoing strain that running can produce is to adopt Strength training into your exercise regime. Regular and frequent strength training develops and improves your body's ability to control and perform movements more effectively and efficiently. And you get all the health and fitness related benefits as a result of Strength Training.

Strength training can also improve your running ability. It will help align your body by creating body awareness, body control, and with the right guidance fix any muscular imbalances you may have that may cause improper running technique. This all transfers into improving your body to tolerate stress, and move more efficiently, therefore setting you up for optimal running technique and control.

One effective way that we can utilise Strength Training is in circuit format. This will improve not only your strength but cardiovascular fitness also!

If you do want to run, Learn to move well. The emphasis needs to be on technique!

Our body is like a car, the wheels must be in alignment in order to drive straight and in control on the roads. This means less risk of the car swerving into another lane or worse, swerving off the road and crashing into something. It can be quite difficult to handle and dangerous too.

The body works the same, if we don’t know how to align the body to perform in the most optimal way, we will increase risk of acute or chronic injuries occurring. This is where I stress to learn to move well first, before running every day. You may do more harm than good.

How can you learn to run properly?

The best solution is reaching out to a Running Coach or Strength Conditioning Coach who has experience with teaching good running mechanics and understands human physiology and anatomy. This will then give you the best opportunity to learn how to run with correct technique and have a structured running program where you will gradually build tolerance to running intensity over time

Establishing a better sense of awareness, control and technique of muscles and limbs when developing running technique will set you up to run more efficiently and effectively with a much lower risk of injury.

If you need any guidance with your strength training or running technique please reach out to us.

Nathan Palenkas
Strength Coach