On my drive home, I always catch the same people running on the side of the street. I admire their determination, sometimes running in the rain or the snow. They all start running for a great reason. To lose fat, to stay healthy or to feel good. That’s why they choose to put themselves through that pain. But do they need it? No.
I get the fact that it’s appealing because it’s simple, free and easy. Just throw on a pair of shoes and go. But there’s a much better way of achieving these benefits without having to pay for it later.
I often talk to people who loved running until one day their body couldn’t. They enter their forty’s or fifties with bad knees. Sometimes it’s so bad, surgery is the only answer. If they avoid surgery they won’t be able to enjoy the little things like playing soccer with their kids – affecting their quality of life.
No matter what type of running technique they adopt or the type of shoes they wear the impact is still there. Every explosive step absorbs their bodyweight. Sometimes the knees aren’t the problem and the weight shifts to the joint above or below it. Giving them hip, lower back or foot issues. It’s the repetitive ballistic action that’s the problem. Running without resistance training isn’t good for their posture either.
If the goal is to get lean, be healthy and gain energy while actually benefitting from your work later on in life. You can’t beat resistance training.
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Jean-Luc Boissonneault is an author and CEO of Free Form Fitness and Free Form Academy. He’s a Health Coach, Elite Personal Trainer and Health & Fitness Expert. He’s a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and has appeared often in top fitness magazines. He specializes in longevity, mental performance and body sculpting for business leaders. He has placed first in Canada as a drug free bodybuilder. Has published 3 books and has performed countless seminars.
