Running is very often at the heart of an overall fitness plan. Jogging, a slow form of running, is included to mean the same as running for the purposes of this article. Whether you run one or ten miles a day- or something in between- there are few exercises that are better for a person. The benefits of running are well known- the aerobic component, and also, the musulo-skeletal benefits- the strengthening of the leg muscles and also, the increased bone density that occurs as a result of the electro-bone stimulation from contact with the ground. But, running is not just a straightforward concept- here are some interesting examples of “outside the box” running ideas.
Running programs or routines can be made varied just based on the distance run, or, the speed factor- how fast are you running- with a time goal. These are two different goals- you may want to run more and more each day, or get faster and faster. Each goal accents different muscles and also can affect your lung function differently. Long distance running may well increase your overall endurance, whereas speed running may increase your peak capacity- your ability to perform at a very high level for a brief period of time. You can tailor your routine- speed or distance, depending upon your goals.
The surface of the ground can also have a dramatic affect on your running. One example is running in the sand- at the beach. If you run right along the shore- right near the ocean let’ say, it is not too difficult. However- try running in deeper, looser sand- that is not easy at all. As a matter of fact, it is extremely difficult because of the “give” of the sand- it absorbs your body’s energy. You can get into very good shape doing sand running- but, as with any exercise, make sure that you can handle it- it’s tougher than regular running- by far. A good thing about running in the sand is also that the impact on your knees and legs is far less than on any other surface.
When I taught karate- many years ago- at SUNY Stonybrook, our entire class used to run around- outside- barefoot. This may sound strange- even crazy perhaps- but it is done by karate teachers around the world- or it used to be. One great exponent of that was Mas Oyama- a past karate master- there is a great photo of Oyama and his students, running barefoot in the snow- at the beginning of one of his famous books- “This is Karate”. running barefoot on hard, or snowy ground, is not easy- and should only be done by people who don’t mind getting small cuts- but it is a serious karate training technique- designed to toughen one’s mind. It is not advisable for the average person.
Finally, one more example of an interesting running technique is running up- and down- stairs. I almost always run up a staircase- for example when I am catching a train, or anywhere else. Stairs provide a great hurdle for any runner- and you may find that running up five flights of stairs can be quite a workout- only do it if you are in very good shape to begin with.
The key thing to remember is that, even something as “boring” as running can be an extremely varied fitness technique- and it can take you to new heights- especially when combined with other exercises.
