I mean I used to run a lot in high school, but not much since then. I was in great shape back then and since I need to work on making myself better, that's naturally the best place to start. I love running, makes me feel much better.
In high school I could run for miles without stopping. I want to get even better than that. I only go running at night. Last night I ran for a couple blocks before I couldn't continue. Should I just do that, run until I can't anymore and gradually get better? Or should I pace myself more, like run for a block, walk for a block, run for a block, etc. for a set period of time? Or something else?
-- ~Halo Give into the Night. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a125/ShadowHalo/haloshadow1.gif
If you are only running a few blocks then you're pretty much starting at square one, huh? I would say for now just go out five days a week and jog one mile. Try not to stop jogging at any point. Once you can do a week of one mile runs w/o walking, bump up three of the days to two mile jogs and repeat. Take a slow progression up, if you run too far too soon you can really f*** up your knees, as I did this summer. Also, take five minutes after every workout to stretch if you don't want to get injured down the line.
Once you are able to run three to four miles pretty consistently (this could take six months or so) you should start incorporating interval training, tempo runs, fartleks, long runs and hill training into your runs.
And keep in mind that nutrition is just as important as the exercising itself. Cut sodas out of your diet, drink gatorade after workouts and water throughout the rest of the day. Most importantly, eat a ton of carbs and protein, especially within thirty minutes of a workout.
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"It's a magical world, Hobbes ol' buddy...let's go exploring!" - Calvin http://img.imgcake.com/calvinfinalpngpy.png
How do I know how far a mile is? I'm currently in a sub-division. There are no tracks or anything around like when I was in high school.
Also this may sounds weird, but what's the best form for running? The way I had been doing it was apparently putting too much pressure on my big toes and now they kinda hurt.
Gatorade is...eh. My nutrition teacher recommended chocolate milk after workouts. I usually have an instant breakfast and a PB&J sandwich after mine, maybe throwing in some almonds to go with it.
From: ShadowHalo17 | #003 How do I know how far a mile is? I'm currently in a sub-division. There are no tracks or anything around like when I was in high school.
Also this may sounds weird, but what's the best form for running? The way I had been doing it was apparently putting too much pressure on my big toes and now they kinda hurt.
Google Maps, I guess. Chart out some routes there.
I honestly don't know what to tell you for running form. If your toes are just sore, then they'll toughen up over time. How old/well worn are the shoes you're running in?
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"It's a magical world, Hobbes ol' buddy...let's go exploring!" - Calvin http://img.imgcake.com/calvinfinalpngpy.png
I've had these shoes for, hmm, over a year at least. They're not in bad shape though.
And I mean, I've noticed that there's two different ways for me to run. I can either stay on my toes, or I can incorporate my heels too and use the whole bottom of my foot. That leads to louder footfalls though. And I was told you have to run on your toes.
-- ~Halo There is no Crane, only Scarecrow! http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/3739/scarecrowq.jpg
Don't run on your toes unless you have shoes designed for it (or you're running barefoot, which you should only do in grass). You are using (I imagine) typical sneakers with a thick heel. To run on your toes you have to extend extra effort to not hit the ground with your heel, and that's probably leading to the toe pain.
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"It's a magical world, Hobbes ol' buddy...let's go exploring!" - Calvin http://img.imgcake.com/calvinfinalpngpy.png
Also, you could go based on time rather than distance. Whenever I go running it's usually for a half hour. Tends to be about 4 miles, but I don't really determine it based on that.
Do what I've been doing. Run on a treadmill while watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This helps me get through running without noticing the time so much. Though this might not help if you actually like running. I just cannot understand people who enjoy running. It's unfathomable to me.
-- "Filthy lawbreaker, unhand that vending machine!" - Casey Jones
I don't have a treadmill and I don't like running on one anyway. I do actually enjoy running outside. It's fun. And that way I can also take the dogs along with me.
-- ~Halo Live, fight, survive, as a family. http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7469/batfamily.jpg
I'm gonna do push-ups too. I just tried and I did 10... and it was kinda difficult. I used to be able to do about... 70 I think? I can't remember. I know I was trying to get up to 100 but I don't think I ever accomplished that.
I don't know if pushing myself too much will hurt more than help (as I've heard it definitely can).
If you're actually going for the cardio health of it and want to simply be in better shape, nix the long multi-mile runs and go for high intensity interval training. Take a 1/8th mile track, for instance. Walk a lap, jog a lap, sprint a lap, repeat. You want to constantly switch up walking, jogging, and sprinting, and keep your body guessing. This also trains your heart to slow its heart rate more quickly after exercise and helps you not be winded after short bursts of expended energy.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
personally i cannot stand running, it hurts my feet and joints too much. i just use an elliptical for cardio. i would suggest getting a cheap gym membership at planet fitness or something if you are serious about getting in shape, and focus on working out your whole body, just doing pushups probably isn't going to get the kind of results you want.
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I'm "kind of a big deal". http://img.imgcake.com/cyclo/Cyclopngegpngre.png
From: CalvinbalI | #011 I personally can't stand running on a treadmill. I can't help but constantly look at my progress, and it just goes so much slower that way.
From: ShadowHalo17 | #014 I'm gonna do push-ups too. I just tried and I did 10... and it was kinda difficult. I used to be able to do about... 70 I think? I can't remember. I know I was trying to get up to 100 but I don't think I ever accomplished that.
I don't know if pushing myself too much will hurt more than help (as I've heard it definitely can).
What? I never work out even and I can't do less than 25.
Now sit up it's different, I do 10 and I want to die.
If you're looking for the simplest routine for the most immediate results to help you get back into working out, just focus on pull-ups, dips, and squats. The dips target your chest and triceps, the pull-ups (or chin-ups) hit those biceps and upper back (and a little on the shoulders), and the squats hit your quadriceps and core and a little bit in your ass. Toss in a little bit of running into this, and even if you go three times a week to the gym and do a few sets of all of these (challenge yourself, obviously), you'll feel a big difference.
Whenever you're starting out--or, hell, even if it's all you ever do, it's pretty effective--go for stuff that hits several areas at once. Don't go to the gym and hit the free weights and start curling your biceps. Quickest way to get demoralized.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
I have no money for a gym membership as I have no job. I used to love running, so this is more for me to just... go out and do something that I like. Something to distract me. I think exercising will make me feel better.
-- ~Halo Now you learn the mistake of challenging me. http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/2734/hieis.jpg
Ideally you should not be striking with your heels, because they do not absorb impact as well as other parts of your foot, but running on your toes isn't entirely accurate either. Toes are primarily for sprinting; for long distances the best place to strike is the ball-middle of your foot, but as Calvin said some shoes make this hard to do.
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What is this, some kind of joke?! Go, then. There are other worlds than these.
Ayuyu posted... Also just a question, is sprinting any useful? Because I REALLY love sprinting, going fast is the best feeling ever.
Gotta love releasing the SANIC in me.
Yes, sprinting is very useful for high intensity interval training. Let's pretend that you cut run a mile. On one hand, you can jog the entire mile at a steady pace. On the other, you can evenly distribute the distance between a fast walk, steady jog, and sprint. Let's say you go 1/3rd of a mile at each speed.
You'll burn about the same amount of calories as you would jogging the whole thing at a steady pace. However, you're doing a lot more for the health of your heart and a lot more for your overall conditioning, since you're training your body to not exhaust itself after short extreme bursts of energy. Whereas you could jog several miles every day, but you might sprint about a tenth of a mile and be completely exhausted and out of breath due to your body's unfamiliarity with the extreme demand on it in a short burst.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
The thing I love the most about sprinting is that even dodging the simplest of thing (like a telephone pole or something) feels like the best thing ever.
Atm it,s kinda risky though with all the snow and ice, like I sprinted last week and I almost slipped a few times.
From: futuresuperstar | #025 Yes, sprinting is very useful for high intensity interval training. Let's pretend that you cut run a mile. On one hand, you can jog the entire mile at a steady pace. On the other, you can evenly distribute the distance between a fast walk, steady jog, and sprint. Let's say you go 1/3rd of a mile at each speed.
But let's say I just want to sprint? Because jogging isn't really fun.
Would it still be good or should I do as you said?
futuresuperstar posted... And don't use a treadmill. Kinda crappy for your knees, and running is already one of the harder exercises on your legs, in general.
This reminds me: Running on grass rather than cement and concrete is much better for you.
You can skip jogging if you want, you just need to keep up the switching between walking and sprinting at random. Having the "third gear" of jogging, so to speak, just helps keep your body off-guard. You might walk 50 feet, then jog, then sprint, then walk, then sprint, then jog, then sprint, then sprint, then jog, then walk, then sprint, then jog, then sprint... the variation is handy.
If you just walk and sprint, it's pretty much just alternating between the two. Which isn't bad at all. You just might enjoy the extra gear that offers more freedom and more change of pace, since doing HIIT is about preparing your body for anything and training it to adapt quickly.
And yeah, running on grass is pretty good. The best is running on those indoor tracks that use that sort of foamy ground that absorbs some of the impact.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
Swimming is kinda fun though I still get scared if I go underwater without pinching my nose, but then again I suffered from hydrophobia as a child so I guess it's normal.
From: Ayuyu | #021 What? I never work out even and I can't do less than 25.
Well hey, I just pushed myself to do as many push-ups as I could and I managed to pump out 25. It was difficult but I did it. Still, I used to be able to do at least 60 with no problem. Sucks that you have to continue working out to remain in shape >_>
-- ~Halo Live, fight, survive, as a family. http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7469/batfamily.jpg
futuresuperstar posted... And don't use a treadmill. Kinda crappy for your knees, and running is already one of the harder exercises on your legs, in general.
Just for the record, what makes you say it's bad for your knees? I use a treadmill all the time, and just from thinking about it I don't see why it would be worse for your knees than pavement. Actually...
"Smooth, cushioned surface is easier on the joints"