The Fitness Thread

[Wombat del combate]

I'm trying and failing to craft a gag involving nudity and swimming; all I'm getting are willy-based ones.

 

[Langers]

Langers, have you actually got and been fitted for proper running shoes? And recently? If not do so sooner rather than later as it will help as you may be under- or over-pronating and that may be causing the issue.

Yep, got some at the start of the month. Definitely make a difference.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Good stuff. Did you get diagnosed with any pronation issues or are you running with neutrals? - I bought some new Brooks Vapors on Thursday ready for starting back running next weekend. Itching to get out with them sooner though.

With regard to the swelling issue, I'm staying in the sceptical camp - your body won't swell up for no reason (no nob gags please) and it might be to do with an underlying injury so I'd be concerned that there might come a point where it all blows up and you're out of action for some time - have you seen a physio or a had a sports massage? For instance, I fell over in late November and clearly did a ligament in my foot but took only three days off before starting running again (because it honestly didn't hurt and there was no perceived weakness): I saw a physio in December and he said I should have been off for three weeks minimum; so to say to keep ploughing on is arguably naive.

 

[The Bear]

I'm trying and failing to craft a gag involving nudity and swimming; all I'm getting are willy-based ones.

What sort of stroke did he go for?

 

[Wombat del combate]

I don't know, but he's a fan of getting a few lengths in.

 

[Langers]

No, they're neutrals. I used to have physio on my ankles when I did running in my teens. They swell up because they've had pretty much no exercise for over a decade. They're just weak and need building up.

It's common sense too - if it hurts, I don't run and I stay away from exercise for a week or so. If it hurts during exercise, I stop running. The swelling is minimal now so I'm not too concerned. It's less and less the more I do.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Good stuff. Did you get diagnosed with any pronation issues or are you running with neutrals? - I bought some new Brooks Vapors on Thursday ready for starting back running next weekend. Itching to get out with them sooner though.

With regard to the swelling issue, I'm staying in the sceptical camp - your body won't swell up for no reason (no nob gags please) and it might be to do with an underlying injury so I'd be concerned that there might come a point where it all blows up and you're out of action for some time - have you seen a physio or a had a sports massage? For instance, I fell over in late November and clearly did a ligament in my foot but took only three days off before starting running again (because it honestly didn't hurt and there was no perceived weakness): I saw a physio in December and he said I should have been off for three weeks minimum; so to say to keep ploughing on is arguably naive.

It's about finding the middle ground, if you just keep off the injury all together then it'll heal in a way to accommodate your couch potato lifestyle and as soon as you try to exercise again you realise it's tight as hell, possibly causing re-injury.

You can't just plough on as though nothing has happened but you need to keep as active as possible without doing further damage. Keeping the ligaments/tendons stretched out while they heal so they recover as they previously were is far easier than stretching them out when fully healed.

I've seen people argue elsewhere that running shoes can make things worse too. Some think it's better to practise a barefoot running technique to correct your technique rather than by bulky soled running shoes to compensate for under/ overpronation. Using your body to absorb the stress and shock through proper technique than the technology in the shoes doing it for you.

 

[thehistorymakers]

In the gym in Spain , I used to cycle between 16.25 and 16.75 klms an hour and burn off 600 calories in 30 mins.

In my gym , here in the UK , I cycled 19.25 klms , in 30 mins , burning 400 calories.

Used the same resistence.I sweated buckets , but burnt 200 calories less.

One of the cycles , can't be set up correctly.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

It is helpful to have different routes when running. It is best to have a challenging course that you do once a week, and work up during the week for it. Also, it does no harm to have a gentle run in the park, as running on grass puts a lot less pressure on the knees and ankles. And rest is important, sometimes a couple of days without a run can help the body to recover.

 

[Wombat del combate]

I've seen people argue elsewhere that running shoes can make things worse too. Some think it's better to practise a barefoot running technique to correct your technique rather than by bulky soled running shoes to compensate for under/ overpronation. Using your body to absorb the stress and shock through proper technique than the technology in the shoes doing it for you.

That is very true. If we started about that on here it'd be like the climate change thread version two.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

That is very true. If we started about that on here it'd be like the climate change thread version two.

I'd get bored long before we had that sort of saga.

 

[Johnny75]

I'd get bored long before we had that sort of saga.

Well you can stop talking bollocks for a start.

1) Ligaments and tendons are two different things, stretching one results in permanent damage but stretching the other is paramount for strength in the muscle and effective exercise.

2) Billions are ploughed into running shoe development so o denegrate that is insulting and makes you look silly. As Wombat said it is important to get fitted to prevent injury

3) Barefoot running has limited but effective science. It is very individual but does not reduce shock through the body but enhances it and distributes the force through the movement of the bones and muscles during the forefoot and and toe off phases of the gait cycle.

4) it is important to get every injury assessed and not find a middle ground. Pain killers and straps are important in the protection of an injured body part so other parts can function normally and not over compensate for the injured part.

If I were Langers I would go and ask a physio how to strap an ankle effectively for running short (sorry Langers) distances. Then buy tape, then strap the ankle for the next run. It will make a massive distance and protect the ankle.

However Mark, I will concede you got Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation correct. Important to note that you only keep the ice on for 15 minute spells, do not place the ice directly onto the skin and make sure the ice is crushed and distributed evenly across the injury.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Well you can stop talking bollocks for a start.

1) Ligaments and tendons are two different things, stretching one results in permanent damage but stretching the other is paramount for strength in the muscle and effective exercise.

I know, i was generalising, you wouldn't want a stretched ligament otherwise you'd lose stability in the joint.

2) Billions are ploughed into running shoe development so o denegrate that is insulting and makes you look silly. As Wombat said it is important to get fitted to prevent injury

I'm not insulting running shoes or their development at all. I'm just saying they can lead to further problems, as can things like reading glasses, you under/over pronate then your technique and thus body mechanism for dealing with the forces is wrong, if you control your bodies exposure to those stresses via something like barefoot running, easing your way into then you naturally have to alter your technique to compensate, over time your body will naturally alter your technique to cope. If you run in shoes designed to negate the effects of your under/over pronation then your body doesn't get the extra stresses/strains and assumes all is well, the under/over pronation may even increase as your body doesn't know anything is wrong.

Of course neither approach is going to work perfectly for everyone, if you heavily under/over pronate then even minimal exposure to barefoot running is probably going to cause you great problems. If you only ever run in your running shoes then specialist shoes which compensate for the faults in your technique probably aren't going to be an issue either as they're always there to when you're putting your body under those stresses/strains. If however you do lots of other sports involving running where you can't wear those shoes, like football for example, then you lose the support from the shoes that your body has become used to and you can possibly do yourself a bad injury as a result.

3) Barefoot running has limited but effective science. It is very individual but does not reduce shock through the body but enhances it and distributes the force through the movement of the bones and muscles during the forefoot and and toe off phases of the gait cycle.

It doesn't reduce the shocks and forces but it improves your bodies natural capability to deal with them, rather than relying on the cushioning effect from your thick soled shoes your body alters it's technique, different muscles strengthen, it's something that needs to be eased into very carefully and even then isn't guaranteed to work for everyone. Like with many physical ailments there is only so much the body can do to compensate, you can try all you like to coerce your body into adapting but sometimes the fault is just too great and you need that outside influence to cope.

4) it is important to get every injury assessed and not find a middle ground. Pain killers and straps are important in the protection of an injured body part so other parts can function normally and not over compensate for the injured part.

If I were Langers I would go and ask a physio how to strap an ankle effectively for running short (sorry Langers) distances. Then buy tape, then strap the ankle for the next run. It will make a massive distance and protect the ankle.

Every injury is going to be different, as is everyone's body, so obviously different treatment will be required in different situations. Whenever i've been to the physio i use though, he's always advised me to avoid straps and supports wherever possible, he feels it's better to allow the body to take the strain so it's reminded what sort of forces it will have to endure when it's healed, thankfully i've never had an injury so bad where i've felt i couldn't cope without a support so i'm not sure what his advice would be in that situation. He has told me in the past to take anti-inflammatories where time or otherwise doesn't allow for RICE as they will help reduce the swelling but he still see's them very much as a backup, he's always warned me against taking anything with any pain killing effect if i'm going to exercise on an injury though as it'll reduce my ability to know if i'm pushing too hard and damaging it any further.

However Mark, I will concede you got Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation correct. Important to note that you only keep the ice on for 15 minute spells, do not place the ice directly onto the skin and make sure the ice is crushed and distributed evenly across the injury.

Anytime I've ever had to call on his services he's sorted me out in no time so i'm more than happy to follow his advice.

 

[Johnny75]

I'm not sure you understand biomechanics, injury or running shoe construction as what you've said above isn't correct. You've written the above as fact rather than opinion and the science isn't there to back you up. To understand barefoot running (or any running), knowledge of all 3 needs to be decent and I wouldn't advise anybody to attempt the change without getting said knowledge.

I guess your physio is entitled to his opinion, it is contrary to others but if it works for you then great.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

I'll bow down to the resident expert's opinion then, as i said, it won't take me long to get bored of this argument.

It's something I've read a little about when trying to find the best ways to treat and avoid different injuries i've suffered with, mainly when i used to go to the gym, but I never looked into any of it with any great interest and certainly wouldn't devote any real time in studying it. I've found things that work for me and i'm perfectly happy with the service of my supposedly contradictory physio who hasn't steered me in the wrong direction yet.

 

[Del Woppio]

I'm going to read this page to Matilda when she won't sleep.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

I'm going to read this page to Matilda when she won't sleep.

Climate thread status achieved with minimal effort.

 

[thehistorymakers]

I used to run a lot. Always ended up with injuries.My dad ran and won many competitions.His knees are shot away now . Most people I know who ran have ended up with severe knee problems.I have never met a gym instructor , who recomends running. I never used to listen to them , but know I run only a few times a week.I find other ways to do my CV training.

I enjoyed running.It gave me a great buzz.My only limited advice , is listen to your body.If some part of you is hurting , rest it.If it continues hurting.See a doc .

Find something , with less impact on your knees to burn calories.

As far as teainers go , everyone has their own preferences.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

7.2 mile run this morning. Felt I had some more left but was bored. Nice weather though, should have run to the pub.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

28 minutes for 5K this morning knocking 90 seconds off my best and 8.5 miles on Sunday which is the distance I am training for in June (peaked too soon!)