Is Running the best way to lose weight?
Here's an interesting article about running to lose weight and if it's right for everyone.
I personally go out for a long run very very rarely. I prefer to get my cardiovascular exercise through activities like basketball, football, or even cycling.
The article points out that running isn't the best exercise for everyone. The problem is that whenever someone says that they want to get into better shape, the first thing they decide to do is go out for a long run.
We perform exercises the way we move in our daily lives. If we spend the majority of our day sitting at a desk or hunched over doing work, these motor patterns carry over to the way we perform exercises. Before we go out and perform such dynamic and demanding exercises such as running, imbalances and weakness should be addressed first. Otherwise, injury is knocking on the door.
Running, like any other activity requires some degree of strength. Strength is the foundation to almost all exercises and movements. Everyone should incorporate strength training to build up a solid strength foundation before they perform activities such as running. In addition, strength training itself is a great way to burn fat!