|
The Fitness and Health Report
Information for a Healthy Life
November 2001, Issue 28
Walking And Running Treadmills
We hear regularly from
people who ask us what the difference is between walking and running
treadmills. Here's the honest to goodness truth. If you are a runner or a
walker, a good sturdy frame and quality build is the best way to go. There
are good treadmills that can handle someone running on them, and then
there are poor quality treadmills that have a hard time holding up to
people walking on them.
Misinformed
salespeople are the main reason for perpetuating the walking/running
treadmill terminology. The way to sell someone up to another treadmill is
to find out that they may jog on it and then proceed to tell the buyer
that there are walking treadmills but they will need to spend more for a
running treadmill. It sounds better than telling the buyer that they sell
low quality goods in the low price ranges.
Treadmills with
cheaper frames and thinner decks will have problems handling runners. The
reason is that during tests, both walkers and runners exert the same
amount of force over the same amount of distance. Since there are fewer
footfalls during the running pattern though, the impact and force are
greater for the runner over the same amount of distance.
The best statistics we
have seen came from a local university many years ago. They calculated
that a walker typically exerted about 2 times his body weight with each
step he took against the structure of the treadmill. A runner exerted
about 4 times her body weight against the structure of the treadmill with
each step. Since the runner had about half the number of footfalls to
cover the same amount of distance, the force was equivalent over the same
distance but was highly emphasized at each impact.
For practical
purposes, lets consider an average 180 lb. man. If he walks on a
treadmill, an average man will have roughly 2100 footfalls per mile. If he
exerts 360 lbs. per footfall, he will exert 756,000 lbs. of force against
the treadmill over the course of the mile. Are you wondering how
treadmills hold up at all yet??? The runner will exert roughly the same
756,000 lbs. of force over the course of the mile but each footfall will
be closer to 720 lbs. of force against the treadmill since there are
approximately half the number of footfalls.
In our buyer's guide,
we suggest that a runner spend at least $500 more for the purchase of the
treadmill than he was planning for this simple reason. $500 extra will buy
more quality. In some instances though, you are buying some improvements
in the frame and other areas that are visible and you would be surprised
to see what is under the motor hood. We suggest either a serious
investigation since treadmills are a serious purchase for most people or
refer to our ratings. We don't distinguish between walking and running
treadmills on our site because we believe that a good quality treadmill
with hold up for both types of users but if you are wanting to go cheap,
it would be advisable not to run on it.
The Excuse-Proof Stretch
You would think that
with all the benefits stretching has to offer, more people would be
rushing to take advantage of it. "Not only does regular stretching keep
muscles pliable to always perform at their best but it also helps the body
flush out excess lactic acid, the waste byproduct of exercise," says
Joseph Bernstein, M.D., director of sports medicine at the University of
Pennsylvania Health System. "For these reasons, incorporating some form of
stretching into your workout can significantly decrease your risk of
injury, as well as lessen the amount of muscle soreness you may experience
the next day."
Giving your muscles
the "wringing out" they rightfully deserve after a workout doesn't have to
be the time-constraining burden most people envision. "A good stretching
routine doesn't always have to be a lengthy process in order to be
effective," says Dr. Bernstein. In fact, you can loosen up almost every
major muscle group throughout your upper and lower body in just one
minute. Really. Dr. Bernstein advises incorporating this four-step stretch
into your workout.
Starting pose Position
yourself in a crawling pose on the floor, resting on your hands and knees.
Your palms should be flat on the floor, feet and hands about
shoulder-width apart.
Move #1 (stretches
spine, rear deltoids and upper back) Lower your head and slowly round
your back upward as far as you comfortably can, keeping hands and knees
pressed to the floor. Breathe deeply and maintain position for 15 seconds,
then return to starting pose.
Move #2 (stretches
chest, abs and lower back) Slowly tilt your head back so that you're
staring at the ceiling. Now slowly drop your hips and arch your back as
much as feels comfortable. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold
this pose for 15 seconds; return to the starting pose.
Move #3 (stretches
shoulders, arms, hamstrings and calves) Keeping your hands in place,
gently raise your rear end towards the ceiling, straightening your legs as
you go. Your feet should end up flat on the floor with your body
resembling an upside-down V. Lower your head in line with your arms and
hold for 15 seconds, then return to starting pose.
Move #4 (stretches
chest, upper and lower back and abs) Finally, straighten your legs out
behind you, extending your toes so that the tops of your feet rest flat on
the floor. Lower yourself to the floor, leaving your hands palms-down
alongside your chest. Now, without moving your legs and hips, slowly peel
your head, chest, and stomach off the floor, curling your torso up and
back. Use your arms for support, straightening them as you go, but resist
the urge to push yourself up. Lean back as far as you comfortably can,
hold for 15 seconds, and return to the starting pose.
And there you have it.
That wasn't so hard, was it? In just seconds you've stretched your entire
body. Remember, although these moves seem effortless, like any other
stretches, they should be done after your muscles have been warmed up with
some activity. "Just because this doesn't take much time to do doesn't
mean you can do it anytime you like," warns Dr. Bernstein. Stretching an
inactive muscle that's cold can do more harm than good. "The best time to
stretch muscles is after they're warm from activity," he says. For maximum
results, try this move immediately after your workout (or sport), or
perform a five-minute, low-intensity warm-up (such as brisk walking or
light cycling) beforehand.
- Myatt
Murphy
This article is
provided by GymAmerican.com. You can view their site and similar articles
at http://www.GymAmerica.com.
|
