Even Joggers Need Strength Training
Author: Jonathan Wong, Singapore Personal Trainer And Fitness
Expert
If you have read much of my work, you will know that I'm not a big
fan of jogging. However, the fact is that many people jog. My
writing is not going to change that. Some people jog for
psychological reasons, it makes them happy to feel sweaty. Some jog
for the social interaction, some jog because its the easiest form
of group exercise, some jog to raise funds for a charity. All these
are acceptable reasons.
Unfortunately, the injury rate for joggers is really high. We live
in a very sedentary and de-conditioned society so most of us are
weak to begin with and have poor motor control and muscle firing
patterns. This means injury.
Add this to the fact that most new joggers push themselves too hard
too soon, and don't do a suitable warm-up, the statistics make
sense. The majority of new joggers get some kind of injury in the
first 6 weeks of starting a jogging program. Shin splint, plantar
faciatis, ankle sprains, back pain and other problems.
I'm here to help! Here are several reasons why joggers NEED
strength training. This is not a recommendation, its a requirement.
Do you want to maintain proper function and health?
Jogging is an imbalanced activity. Well... all sports have some
kind of imbalance, but in jogging this is made worse because these
imbalances are repeated hundreds of thousands of times over a year
with every stride.
The most common imbalance that I have seen among joggers is what is
called "quadriceps dominance". Joggers use their thighs a lot. They
hardly ever go into a deep squat position or into a sprint stride
or into a "athletic stance".
This means that their glute complex (butt and butt-area muscles)
are underpowered. The glutes are essential for proper posture, knee
health, and back health.
Strength training also improves running efficiency. Studies show a
8-10% improvement over 11 weeks of strength training. To put that
into perspective, that's something like 10-12 minutes off your half
marathon time!
Targeted strength training is the only way to get these underused
muscles to balance out with the overused ones.
Jogging reduces the body's immune system function. That's just the
way it is with long distance activity. Strength training improves
immune system function.
Jogging reduces muscle mass (that's bad!). Strength training will
help maintain it.
Jogging does not help you in old age. I have mentioned this many
times. Maintaining strength and power is what keeps us happy,
healthy and functional all the way to the finish line. Strength
training helps in this critical area as well.
Ok this one is not a universal truth like the previous 4, but from
my experiences, joggers don't take as much care of their nutrition
as strength training athletes do. Many see jogging as an "excuse to
eat poorly, after all, I just burned a thousand calories".
The truth is, everything we put into our mouths is a chance to get
better or a chance to get worse. In addition, it is IMPOSSIBLE to
out train a poor diet. Remember, your body is worth more than the
most expensive Ferrari! And we wouldn't put low grade petrol into
the Ferrari... but we often do that with our bodies which have to
do more and last longer than any car!
There we go! Real life reasons how strength training can help a
jogger. Like I said before. Any reasons NOT to strength train? I
will cover some common objections in a future article. Meanwhile
joggers, go do some dead-lifts, then thank me afterwards.
http://coachjon.com/articles/training/joggers-strength-training.htm
