are you still believing these running rumors
April 1stApril Fool's Day
Some people can run every day, some run three or four times a week, and some can only run properly on weekends due to work. In fact, as long as you maintain the habit of running, all these people can be considered runners because they have already integrated running into their lives. They don't need to be urged but run automatically and spontaneously.
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Will running make women muscular? Will running make calves thicker? The more you run, the better? Is running scarier than sitting for long periods? These claims are actually all unscientific! Have you heard these widely spread rumors while trying to exercise or lose weight? Today, Wuyan Zu will reveal the truth behind these myths.
There are reports of a 12-year study conducted in Denmark involving nearly 1,500 people, proving that running has a higher mortality rate than sitting. In reality, this study has three important conclusions: First, compared to sedentary people, even running just once a week provides significant benefits, with a noticeable decrease in mortality rate. Second, running 60 to 80 minutes a week, divided into 2 or 3 sessions, is the best way to run. Third, running more than 3 times a week at a faster pace for a total of 150 minutes did not yield benefits compared to sedentary individuals. However, the rumor only emphasized the third point. When looking at the study in its entirety, moderate running is still very beneficial to health.
There is no basis for the claim that running inevitably hurts your knees. Proper running can actually make your knees stronger. However, we must admit that incorrect running can indeed damage the knee joints, such as insufficient muscle strength, inappropriate footwear, overtraining, and improper running posture. During running, the knees bear significant pressure: one from body weight and the other from the impact generated by ground cushioning.
If you are overweight, don't rely solely on running as your only form of exercise. You can start with an elliptical machine or swimming. Long-term runners should choose soft grass or rubber tracks and wear running shoes with good cushioning. With these preparations, along with correct running posture and proper warm-up, running will not only avoid knee injuries but also help improve cartilage health.
However, one thing is true: compared to asphalt roads, the hardness of sidewalk tiles is higher, which brings greater impact on the knees and ankles. Therefore, try to avoid running on sidewalks.
If you still hold the old misconception that missing a day of training will lead to a decline in performance, the following data might change your mind. The website 'Runners Connect' summarizes some data related to aerobic exercise and rest time: For a well-trained athlete (with 4 to 6 months of continuous training), resting for up to 10 days will not result in a decrease in maximum oxygen uptake. However, if the rest period extends to 2 weeks, maximum oxygen uptake may gradually decline; after 9 weeks, it drops by about 19%; after 11 weeks, it may decrease by 25%.
Therefore, appropriate rest will not have a severe impact. Sometimes, reducing training volume can even improve your performance.
Many women are reluctant to run because they believe running will make their calves muscular and that once they have muscles, they will never slim down. There are two errors in this belief.
First, running does build muscle, but achieving such a level of running intensity is something even Olympic champions might struggle with. Running promotes the development of aerobic red muscles, which are endurance muscles and are long and slender. They will never become bulky like anaerobic white muscles, which is why marathon runners are always slim. Do you remember the nickname of the long-distance running queen Wang Junxia, 'Oriental Deer'? It described her slender legs. So this worry is unfounded, like A saying, 'Let's train for sprints!' and B quickly refusing, 'No way, what if I surpass Usain Bolt after two days of training?' Dear, you are overthinking it!
As for 'once you have muscles, you can never slim down,' that is even more of a myth. Maintaining muscles requires continuous exercise. To understand this, just compare Arnold Schwarzenegger's physique during his bodybuilding days and now, and you'll get it.
Based on past experience, hard training and sweating profusely always guarantee good results. But for running, this doesn't seem to be the case. On the track, the quality of training is more important than the quantity.
James O'Keefe and Carl Lavie, American cardiologists who love running, wrote an article in the journal 'Heart' in 2012, suggesting that those who love running should limit their exercise time to 30 to 60 minutes a day.
First of all, treadmills have been wrongly accused. Various theories about treadmill injuries include: the body not moving forward, high knee pressure, and the belt driving the run causing shear force. However, experiments have shown that the injury rate for treadmills and road running is the same. The only difference is that treadmills are indoors, so there is no wind resistance, making it less strenuous than running outdoors.
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