Put a bounce in my step without breaking it, please.

February 29, 2008 12:57 PM

I'm looking to get physical, but how can I avoid injuring myself when shifting from a sedentary to a mildly more active lifestyle?

I'm a young guy (20) who, while not dramatically unfit, is still dripping with teenaged lethargy... I'm looking to gain a little more endurance and energy in general by taking up jogging in the Montreal area (that is, avoiding gyms as much as possible as I'm shy like that).

The main thing I'm asking here is what exercises/stretches would be most useful to do in the lead up to my initial stints of jogging? I've heard stories of people damaging their knees and ankles pretty badly when just diving into athleticism without preparation, so I'm looking to reduce the pain while maximizing the gain.

Thanks

posted by RollingGreens to sports, hobbies, & recreation (10 comments total)

This isn't exactly about exercises and stretching, but it's a proven way to get you up to speed (so to speak) while minimizing the stress and chances of injury...

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
posted by matty at 1:07 PM on February 29, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Stretch before and after exercise. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds; don't "bounce". (For me, hamstring and calf stretches are the most important.)

(The advice I wish I'd received when I first started running in my teens: switch to cycling and skiing. I ran for about four years before getting smart.)
posted by phliar at 1:11 PM on February 29, 2008

There's no evidence that stretching before running reduces injury and some that it contributes to it.

There is weak evidence that some stretching after running helps you become more flexible, but not much that it helps with injury prevention or repair at all.

Just run slowly, you'll be ok. Human beings are designed to run.
posted by OmieWise at 1:26 PM on February 29, 2008

If you are concerned, there isn't anything wrong with a starting with a brisk walk and then work you way up to a jog.
posted by mmascolino at 1:35 PM on February 29, 2008

NY Times has something to say about this.
posted by OrangeDrink at 1:37 PM on February 29, 2008

You have the best thing possible going for you: you're 20. I can't imagine you could do much of anything that your body wouldn't repair in a day. At least that's the way it was for me.

That being said, I second the calf stretching. I personally stretch after I run and find it helps with recovery time. I also suggest you taper up. Start running three times a week and taper up slightly week to week.

Also, while all I can offer is anecdotal evidence, I started running at 20 and have logged 400-500 miles a year for the last 31 years. I don't have a shred of knee or ankle pain. My personal theory is that consistency gets it done and it's the people who hop on and off the exercise bandwagon who open themselves up for injury.

Running's cool. Lots of time to spend in your own head. You'll grow to cherish it.
posted by lpsguy at 1:44 PM on February 29, 2008

I've been running off-and-on for the past year or two, but I finally got serious this past Christmas. I finished the Couch to 5K (which I really recommend, especially Robert Ullrey's podcasts), and now I'm up to 3-5 miles three times a week.

I don't stretch. I did at first, but then I picked up Jeff Galloway's "Women's Complete Guide to Running." He believes, as OmieWise says above, that human beings are designed to run. He says in the book that's come "full circle" on stretching, and that he no longer recommends it for beginners. He says you're far more likely to injure yourself that do any benefit. (Here's some more from him about it.) Instead, I make sure that I start every run with at least five minutes of brisk walking, and I do a similar amount at the end to cool-down.
posted by web-goddess at 1:59 PM on February 29, 2008

I hate gyms too so I took a learn-to-run clinic from the Running Room.

It's one night a week for the class. The first half is discussion. Then you run. Then you stretch together. An hour total.

They also offer two weekly open practice runs - Wednesday and Saturday. This is when people from all their clinics, LTR right up to marathon, gather and break up into groups to run. These are optional.

In the LTR you gradually increase the number of minutes you run, with one-minute walk breaks. So you start at one minute running, two minutes walking for about half an hour. Do that three times the first week. The next week do one minute walking, one minute running. Every week after that increase one more minute of walking. In 10 weeks you will be running 10 and walking one three times, which is basically a 5k. (You do a 5k the last week of class.)

They don't teach speed or distance in the LTR, they only concern themselves with time. The first weeks happen to be about 3k, and you work up to about 4.5-5k. But the point is running one minute consecutively, then two, then three, and onward. (They specifically espouse doing the walk breaks. Even some marathoners run 10:1.)

Some notes and observations:

1. Running is very inclusive. Everyone is super happy to see newbies, so you never feel like you don't belong there because you're not elite enough.

2. The clinic is perfect in that there is an element of accountability, but you don't have to do the actual running with anyone if you don't want to. It's good to run with people because being able to talk is a good measure of whether or not you're at a safe pace. You should be able to converse lightly. But you could run at the back or front of the pack or whatever and not worry about it.

But you're only in the class once a week, and you can run the other two times totally alone if you want. (Conversely, if you enjoy running with people you go to their free practice sessions on Weds. and Sat.)

3. The first half of each session talks about various health & safety subjects -- choosing shoes, posture, cold-weather and hot-weather running, stretching, biomechanics, etc.

4. People of all types run. I thought that I didn't have the body type for running, but there were small people and big people, old and young, even disabled people at the weekly practice runs. It was very eye-opening.

5. Races are the most positive, fun, uplifting experience ever. It feels so great to hear even total strangers cheering when you come into the finish line! Even if you're not that fast. It just is a major high that can not be overstated to finish a race. (Plus they give you free stuff.)

The Running Room is a fantastic organization. I really recommend you check out their clinics -- I know there are a few locations in Montreal.
posted by loiseau at 2:34 PM on February 29, 2008

<threadjack> For an interesting, sciency-natural-historical-anthropological take on this "designed to run" notion, try Bernd Heinrich's Why we Run: A Natural History.</threadjack>
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 2:34 PM on February 29, 2008

Re: lpsguy's never getting injured running.
You still have to be smart about it. Choose shoes that work for you. If you start to notice knee pain or shin pain, see whether it's your shoes, or the surface you're running on, or if you need to be doing different stretches, or what.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:08 PM on February 29, 2008