To Run or Not to Run

Today being the ING New York City Marathon we wanted to give you some tips about running:
There are a lot of misconceptions among the general public about long distance running. We are sure you've heard at least once that the more you run the more fat you'll burn! FALSE! Despite what many people think, running long distances is not always the best way to burn fat and lose weight. So what should you do? You are much better off incorporating intervals into your running program for more effective results. These intervals consist of stages of all-out effort followed by a period of rest. This will allow you to burn more fat in a shorter period of time.

The fact is that long distance running will only be beneficial for weight-loss for a short period of time. In order to continue making your running workout effective you will need to run increasingly longer distances, which can intern lead to muscle break down. To avoid this, you're better off not worrying about whether you're running in the "fat-burning zone" and instead try to incorporate simple high-intensity interval training techniques into your cardio workout.

Long distance running is also not ideal for increased muscle strength in the legs. In fact, the more you run long distances the more slow-twitch muscle fibers you will build up in your legs. These slow-twitch fibers are well suited for endurance athletes but not suited for strength and explosion. This can easily be seen when observing sprinters, whose legs are very strong and defined due to the fast-twitch fibers developed in their legs. These fast-twitch fibers allow them to achieve higher top speeds and ultimately give their legs the explosion necessary to sprint short distances.

So, unless you are training for a long distance race, like the ING New York City Marathon, you're better off keeping your runs restricted to short distances and interval training. Make sure to keep the intensity high and give it everything you've got, leave nothing behind. For an example of a great interval training workout that is sure to leave you feeling burned-out, check out my post, "A Great HIIT Workout."

-Fazoo Fitness