Running and Knee Pain Explained

If you have been running the beautiful paths that Denver CO has to offer and have been experiencing knee pain then you are in good company.  Let’s face it, every runner experiences some overuse or misalignment injury at sometime in their career.  We often misunderstand the symptom as the cause.  New science is showing us something different.

When you examine and understand the role of the knee in running, then you understand that when it hurts in the knee, the knee is actually one of the last places you should look to find the cause (rather than simply treat the symptom).

Run Lassie! Get help! And maybe get me asnack bar and a magazine - but not Cosmo, ok? I already read that one.

Here’s a great testimonial from one of my North Denver small group running conditioning classes:

As a runner who seemed to be injured a good majority of the time, I had come to accept that that would always be the case if I wanted to continue to run.

My mode of operation would be to run until the knees or the ITB flared up badly enough that I would have to get it treated by numerous practitioners who help with running injuries (acupuncturists, chiropractors, etc…). I joined a friend of mine for one of Jamie’s boot camps, immediately liked it and decided to stick with it. After a couple weeks of working with Jamie, I noticed I was feeling stronger and stronger on each run….and surprisingly, my chronic knee and ITB pain had disappeared.

I had read that strength training provides a huge benefit to counteract the imbalances in runners and therefore helps prevent injury, but I had never worked with someone who had such a good understanding of the body and its mechanics.

Jamie is extremely knowledgeable in which areas I need to target to build strength so the chronic pain goes away (and stays away). Strength training classes at most gyms were at best mediocre. They were repetitive and were not customized for my specific needs, therefore I was not seeing any results.

I am so thankful to have been able to benefit from Jamie’s expertise. Because of it, I am able to run more often and with more confidence than I have in many, many years!! Thanks Jamie!

Thanks Lauren for that nice post and thanks for trusting me with something as important as your running style.  It’s my pleasure to have been able to help you.

Want to know the principles I used to help repair Laurens Knee?

Click this link to understand how the knee really works

https://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/knee-pain-often-comes-from-foot-problems-an-explanation/

Now you understand the role of other parts of the body, take the time to think about which might be more misaligned or overwhelmed.

If the feet are flat, the shins are likely rotated internally which puts pressure on the knee.

If you have flat feet, you may have tight adductors.

If the foot has high arches then the shins are likely externally rotated which (suprise) puts pressure on the knee again.

If you have high arches, you may have tight glute muscles.

If your knee is stuck in the middle between the foot and the hip rotating against each other then the knee will send our pain signals.  If we address the knee without considering how the foot and hip are working then we are ignoring the major players.

For an accurate analysis you can see a physical therapist – I personally recommend graduates of the Gray Institute GIFT Program (of which I am a graduate!) for someone that will have true respect for the human body and its intrinsic complexity.

Red lights around your knees may be painful, but they are excellent for not getting hit by cars at night

Do you run in Denver and have knee pain?  I guarantee I can significantly reduce your knee pain within 4 weeks of treatment or your money back.   Email me at

Yours in health,

Jamie Atlas

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Denver Fitness: Why Running Red Rocks is the Best Workout In the World!

In Denver Colorado there is a mythical indian ceremonial ground just a few miles down from a place that is affectionately called ‘Red Rocks’.  Sometimes people like to run up these mythical stairs, perhaps drawn to the redness of the rocks or the beautiful landscape that comes with it.  One thing is for sure, when taking part in a boot camp class, the landscape certainly helps take one’s mind off of the intense fitness workout they usually face.

The old ‘last one to the top is a rotten egg’ trick…. never fails 🙂

UPDATE – RED ROCKS BOOTCAMP IS IN FULL SWING ALL YEAR ROUND!:

Details:

Our boot camp classes meet every tuesday, thursday at 6am, 815am on Saturdays.  Prices vary depending on how often you’d like to come.

Live in Denver?  email info@bonzabodies.com or call 720 257 9328 to get a free pass to one of our classes

meet at the visitors center up top of red rocks.  just look for the 6’7″ Australian guy or a small group of friendly lookin’ people waiting for me to show up 🙂

As you can see, it is well worth the visit:

don’t worry – you don’t have to climb them all.  Just most of them.  Numerous times.

Multiple bands of Red Rock boot camp exercise groupies have been known to gather at various times of morning, but depending on what world famous band is playing later that night, sometimes will show up early in the afternoon to get a quick stair session in.

Some come well prepared to sweat.  Some just show up to play.  All leave with a smile on their face.  Here’s why:

Three reasons why a Red Rocks Boot Camp is the Best Workout in the World:

#1 – The air

If you like running, think of any stadium you might have been in.  Now imagine the traffic, industry and stagnant air you were breathing in.  The air at red rocks is worth bottling and selling – unfortunately you are at such a high elevation you might not get much in the jar!

The air is clean, but also it is thin – perfect for hardening any cardiovascular system to compete with regular sea-level loving folks.

#2:  The stairs

They come in a variety of punishing depths and widths, each with their own cardiovascular and muscular challenges.  It is almost as if climbing to the top of these stairs is to overcome gravity itself – which seems to get significantly more challenging as you keep going up…

Maybe its a heavier gravity area at the top of the stairs 😉  you know, increased density of rock and all that physics jargon.  Here is my new theory of Red Rocks relativity:    E = MC vomit

#3:  The people

Imagine going to a track meet.  Or maybe a spin class.  You might even like going to the gym with all its recycled air and minimal stairs 🙂

Every time I go to Red Rocks to teach boot camp I know I will see something I have never seen before.

It might be someone climbing up the stairs backwards on hands and feet.

Perhaps some collection of guys who have decided to risk skin cancer on 90% of their body in the middle of winter.

Or even just sitting back and absorbing the massive blend of people all accepting each other for just being there.  For releasing their inner child and just playing.

“Just one more round of stairs, Mom!”

So if you are in the Denver area and you have never been to Red Rocks, go check it out.  Go any morning (Saturday is always a popular day) and bring your running shoes – even if you have no plans to workout (you will at least look the part, right?).

The fever is contagious.  Seeing so many people with smiles on their faces may cause you to remember what it felt like to exercise without worrying about what ‘zone’ your heart rate was in.

So that’s my Red Rocks.  I urge you to go – but I also urge you to have fun with it.  Treat the large open landscape of rocky goodness with the same joy that you would a playground in your younger years.

Forget about the sets and reps and just experiment and play.  Do some smaller steps, bigger steps, side to side steps, funky push-ups, stretches on the rail, breathe deep, laugh with a friend and most importantly, feed your playful spirit.

Exercise should not be about how many calories you burned in that hour, but how much life you squeezed out of every minute of it.

Or maybe I’m crazy.  If you know me, then you already know my obsession with the integrative nature of the muscles of the body and the intricate muscles that hold us all together (which I guess answers the whole ‘crazy’ question)

Want to be part of a boot camp class at Red Rocks?

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I teach a class there every saturday at 815am.  If you are interested, you can email info@bonzabodies.com or call me on 720 257 9328 with any questions you might have, boot camp related or not.  or just comment on this post and I will track you down from there.

Now go get to Red Rocks and start a’ steppin’!

Yours in health,

Jamie Atlas

 

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The Best Sports to Play For Getting Sixpack Abs

Ever wondered why some sports build amazingly lean hardbodies with sixpack abs while others tend to be less ‘spectator sports’ than sports you watch for the love of the game?

Soccer builds strong legs and strong abs

The secret lies in the movement patterns and the physiological adaptations that lie in each sport.

Here’s a few common components you can often find in the more abdominally demanding sports:

Upper body movements integrated with lower body movements

The core must activate for the upper body to talk to the lower body, right?  Think a powerful forehand on the run or a swimmers kick coordinated with a long freestyle stroke

Repetitive movement patterns done in a powerful manner

Swimmers, volleyball spikers, sprinters, tennis players – all need amazing power to perform (and do hundreds of ‘core activations’ every time they train)

Lets break it down with a quick analysis of athletes that typically have great abs:

Volleyball:

ok Gabby - you can keep the volleyball... yes yes.. it's your ball.

Gabrielle Reece and assorted beach volleyball players have been on the radar for a long time – think about how a volleyball spike might work your abs…

Nothing quite says 'sixpack' like a hearty celebration

Sprinters

Just more proof that Australians are the sexiest race on the planet:

With abs like these who needs to worry about fashionable sunglasses!

Swimmers

Michael Phelps once said ‘I’ve never lifted a single weight in my life’.  How does he do it?  The answer lies in the abdominal control that comes from coordinating the legs and arms together to achieve the ski-doo like power he has through the water.

Michael Phelps abs quickly released a statement making it clear they had no affiliation with nor did they endorse the actions of Michael Phelps' lungs

Dancers

Now THIS is spirit fingers!

Yes, Dancers have great abs.  But it’s not because they don’t eat (well, it might be, but dancing is also an excellent ab workout that happens without any of that lying on the ground nastiness).

I don’t normally include Pole Vaulters in this list when I talk about abs, but this video of Yelena Isinbayeva is just too well done to pass over – check out her abs at 1:04, but more importantly, admire the artful way this video has been put together.  The animal kingdom is closer to us than we think!

So there you have it.  The best sports for sixpacks – of course, the endless hours of training required to master each of these may lend themselves to burning exhorbitant amounts of calories thus uncovering the layers of muscle beneath – yet another way to burn calories while not being chained to a cardio machine 🙂

So get out there and start building that six pack – who knows, you actually might actually make friends and enjoy yourself along the way!

Yours in health,

Jamie Atlas

Treadmill Running vs Outdoor Running – Which is Better? The Debate Continues

Running on a treadmill promotes muscle imbalances and hurts your ability to run in the real world.

I should probably lead off by explaining that I don’t particularly hate treadmills. I do however believe that the humble treadmill is probably one of the most misunderstood pieces of equipment in the gym today.

It is of course, hands down the most popular piece of gym or home equipment known to mankind.

However, successful as the treadmill might be at helping people exercise and catch up on Oprah or Ellen at the same time, it is not without its faults.

Used properly, the treadmill can be great way to burn fat and even works well for a getting the blood flowing before a workout. With it we can exercise any time of day, in any weather.

Live in Denver?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to get a free pass to one of our classes

Thanks also to this running technology we can take our workout indoors where our own HD surround sound media center ensures maximal distraction from the actual physical pain and distress of doing the task at hand. But don’t think that you are getting the same workout as if you were running outside…

Running on a treadmill is not the same as running outside or on a track

In fact, it’s not even close.

This picture and blog is brought to you by the letter ‘O’.

I think of treadmill running and running the same way dairy farmers compare cows milk to soy milk (I like soy milk, really I do – but it isn’t really milk, is it? But to be fair to the soy farmers, I might not be so keen to put it on my cereal if it was called ‘crushed soybean residue’ now, would I?)

Running on a treadmill actually develops imbalances in your running style and muscular development, which will lead to improper form and increased risk of injury.

Here’s why:

If you would, think briefly as to how the belt beneath your feet works.

If you place a foot on a moving treadmill it gets thrown back along the line in which the treadmill is moving – the treadmill is moving your foot back, not the foot moving itself back…

I will resist the urge to place a video here of people falling off their treadmills (although it was extremely tempting).

As you walk/run on a treadmill, the main difference your body experiences is related to the moving belt beneath you feet.

A treadmill moves you in a different way than regular running

Real world running

As you run in the real world, you are using a series of muscles combined with your momentum to create forward motion.

The crux of that last statement is ‘create forward motion’ – more specifically, your hamstrings and glutes pull back to drive your body forward relative to your planted foot in stride phase.

Whoah – I think I just accidentally channeled my college kinesiology textbook. Let me put that in terms my more-often-used primal brain can understand.

You use the back of your legs to help drive your body forward as you run. You propel from the back of the legs to keep yourself moving.

Non-Real world running

If I am on a treadmill, I no longer NEED to pull my body forward with the back of my legs. My left foot lands, the treadmill drags it behind me and I land the right foot before the left gets dragged back too far. I am essentially lifting the back foot forward then cushioning the impact with my knees without needing to pull the leg back (since the machine does that for me).

To simplify in a different way, we can break the lower body down into three major phases of a running movement:

1. The impact on the foot on the ground
   
2. The swing through of the back leg to the front
3. The pulling back of the planted leg to drive the body forward and into the next stride

Here it is again with the major muscle groups being used for each phase:

1. The impact (Quadriceps and Calves)
   
2. The swing through (abs and hip flexor)
   
3. The pulling back (hamstrings and butt muscles)

Starting to understand my sick and twisted mind? If you are with me so far (and kudos to you if you have managed to read this far down the post without falling into a state of catatonia) then you now understand why I believe this to be the truth:

When you run on the treadmill, the treadmill robs you of #3 (the pullback phase)

Where this really becomes a problem is when have been running on the treadmill for a while then decide on a nice day to go for a 5K jog outdoors instead… The result is a run that puts your joints and muscles into an exercise they have not been truly prepared to do.

Be creative with your cardio

So mix it up, people – or at least add some more hamstring work to your exercise routine. I am of course referring to the exercise routine that you say you are going to do but always end up running again on leg day because you don’t really know what to do and those sweaty jock dudes are always hogging those machines anyway.

No more excuses. Go work those hamstrings and butt muscles to balance out your overdeveloped quads and hip flexors! Need help with ideas? Get yourself a free introductory session with a personal trainer (or if you are really desperate, ask me).

Or just go running outside as much as you run inside. Hows that for a happy compromise?

Yours in health,

Jamie Atlas

Live in Denver?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to get a free pass to one of our classes

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Triathlon Related Injury and Overtraining Can Be Avoided: Triathlete Advice

Most triathletes drive themselves into the ground trying to ‘get in their hours’.

Some triathletes are wildly successful with a minimal amount of training.

A majority of triathletes integrate a gym workout into their training without any real understanding of how to workout for triathlete shape.

Most triathletes believe that if they want better results, they need to put more hours into the pool/track/spin class with the instructor that wears the tight bike shorts.

Here is the normal training program 90% of triathletes seem to love:

Swim.

Bike.

Run.

Repeat in a variety of order and progression until you have forgotten where you live and the names of your children.

If you are about to start training for a triathlon, have been training for one or have a friend that does triathlons, know this.

As in most things in life, at a certain point your repetitive training cycle will reach a ‘point of diminishing returns’.

By doing the same three movements repetitively you pull your body into a series of tightnesses and muscle imbalances you

A list of common injuries sustained by triathletes:

Chondromalacia Patella (runners knee)

Achilles tendonitis

Thoracic tightness

Swimmers shoulder

What can be done? Here are the top three things you can do:

check your gear

Having the correct gear that is correctly alighned to you is very important.  If you can afford it get your bike tuned and your shoes checked (most upper end shoe stores nowadays will check video as you run on a treadmill – it isnt an exact science, but its better than guesswork).

recover hard

Just as you work hard, make sure you recover hard as well.  Massage, hot baths, footrubs, all those things that tough athletes aren’t supposed to do but things that your body needs to stay performing at a high level – you are in this for the long run, right?  Or would you rather be an elite triathlete for 2 years and have a career ending injury then?  Your call.

get specialized advice

Personal trainers are many and varied in their training – find a few that are able to speak ‘tri’ and see what you come up with.  If you have someone that knows what they are doing, a few sessions later you will understand your body much better than you could ever imagine.

So mix up your training – go see a personal trainer to get ideas on how to ‘open’ your body up.  Get a massage, for goodness sake!  Triathletes in general spend ludicrous amounts of money on their equipment and leave their body to fend for itself.  Just as you wouldnt pay thousands for a nice car and put a beat up engine in it, you hurt your performance by buying a great bike and gear only to neglect the actual driving force that puts up the real effort, your body.

Yours in health,

Jamie Atlas

Your Off-Road Fitness Training is Ruining your Running: Here’s Why

Is your training making your body better at going front to back when you should be going left-right?

The latest nike free outfits for runners - super light and high breathability. Not much support though, if you know what I mean

The action of running involved acceleration, power, strength and control in multiple dimensions at multiple times – to fail to train for this is the fail to train for running.

The 3-D movements we live in can be categorized roughly in the following:

FRONT-BACK (think pushing a door open)

SIDE-SIDE (leaning to the side to see around the big guy in front of you at the concert)

ROTATION (turning to check yourself out in the mirror to see how your butt looks – you know you do it)

If you were to guess what plane is dominated by the running action, you might say the rotational – and you would be right. We also require the side-side plane to work well for us (think about your weight shift in your body as you stride – without that control you would find yourself off the path very quickly) and lastly, the front-back plane to work to make sure we dont fall forward or backward as we run.

If we all agree on the above statement, then the following planes (in order of importance) are most relevant:

1. rotation
2. side-side
3. front-back

If we stop to think about the machines in the gym and the classic exercises we do, something becomes apparent. Here is that same list of exercises again this time with a plane analysis.

1. bicep curl (front-back)
2. tricep pressdown (front-back)
3. squat (front-back)
4. bench press (front-back)
5. inside grip lat pulldown (front-back)
6. ab crunch (front-back)
7. front shoulder raise (front-back)

Hulk MAD! Hulk Pull Down!

Ask yourself the following question:

Do ANY of these machines/exercises require me to move in a rotational plane?

Do ANY of these machines/exercises require me to move in a side-side plane?

Do we all agree that the least important plane for running is the front-back plane? Why is it that the majority of machines and exercises are designed to move us in the front-back plane? It is for a simple reason:

Your average gym machine exercise gives you the same workout exercises that bodybuilders have been doing for the past 30 years!

Do you see many bodybuilders on the running track? Me neither. Their bodies have been taught to look good,but not necessarily to move well.

So, if you want to be the big guy in the gym and the slow guy on the track… then by all means continue to pound away at the reps. But if you have ever stood next to a 14 year old boy or girl and watched then run smoothly and with perfect form as they cruise past you, know this:

It is as important to HAVE the strength as much as it is to have the strength IN THE RIGHT PLACES.

So what can you do?

There are many important resources out there that you can reach for. I might advise one of three approaches:

1. Get a personal trainer to offer to show you some side-side or rotation exercises
2. Integrate one leg and one arm exercises into your workout (you land on one leg at a time, right?)
3. Focus on reps that are powerful, not slow and controlled – running is not a slow and controlled movement and (once you have correct technique), neither should you be.

Yours in health,

Jamie Atlas

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Yoga and Crosstraining can Slow Down your Running speed: Here’s Why

Sure, your body has trained hard to be a running machine, but what else do you do to improve your bodies ability to hurtle itself forward?  If you were to take conventional wisdom, you might believe that one of the following would help:

• Crosstraining
• Yoga
• Working out
• More running

What happens if you eat too many skittles.

All of the above can certainly help to improve the bodies ability to run, but do they specifically improve the bodies ability to run?  Even more specifically, do they improve the bodies ability to absorb impact?  This is key to consider, since we can improve our bodies ability to accelerate through each stride, but what about how the body reacts and responds when it hits the ground?

So lets go through your options for what conventional methods would have you do.

CrossTraining:

Positives:

• Depending on activity, probably one of the best options
• improves general strength
• Focus on different muscle patterns not already overloaded by running

Negatives:

• Fails to address potential weaknesses that may already exist in the body

It was then that Janet realized that she had discovered the 'reverse charlies angel' pose

Positives:

• Improve flexibility
• gain inner peace

Negatives:

• Are you stretching muscles that are already loose, increasing muscle imbalances?

Working out:

Positives:

• Chance to work upper body
• Improve power, speed and strength

Negatives:

If done incorrectly, can:

• tighten up the body
• shorten stride length for running
• increase chance of injury

More running:

Positives:

• You already know how to do this very well

More practice on technique

Negatives:

• Joints do not get rest
• Muscles do not get rest
• Strong muscles get stronger, weak muscles stay weak
• Traditional workouts have you working out in a completely different way to which you run

Confused?  Don’t be – make the best, more informed decision based on your schedule and do what works for you.  Remember that every body is different and that your training should be different for you.

Yours in health,

Jamie Atlas

Runners and Triathletes: 3 Exercises That Are Guaranteed To Help you Run Better

Most Running Programs are not designed for Runners.

They are likely excellent programs in themselves – their major fault is that they usually work your body in a completely different way than the actual movement of running.

Spiderman was dangerously close to finally catching the 'Lycra Bandits'

The runners and the dumbbells should be friends:

When weightlifting started to enter mainstream popularity, many runners found themselves ‘hitting the gym’ in the quest for faster times.

Unfortunately for the majority of the runners diligently working out , they mostly experienced slower times, greater fatigue and increased incidence of injury. But why was this? Part of this was that they were working out without the science available today, but beneath this was a major factor:

Your average ‘running workout’ has no consideration for the actual sport of running

Do you run with one leg at a time, or two legs at a time? If you ran one leg at a time would it make sense to teach your body to be better at pushing off one leg at a time?

The answer becomes evident if we look more closely at how you naturally run:

Kangaroo vs Leopard

Kangaroos use both feet at the same time to move forward

Do you run by using two legs at once – like a kangaroo?

Notice how the rear leg and the opposite foreleg are on the ground at the same time - similar to how we naturally run

Or with opposing legs – like a racehorse?

Do most of your exercises have you working out two legs at a time?

Would it also make sense to exercise opposing leg and upper body segments at the same time?

What if I told you that most of the exercises your program has you doing are probably of little or no use to your running prowess?

Common exercises that give poor ‘return on investment’ in regards to running

• squats
• leg presses
• leg curls
• leg extensions
• adductors/abductors
• bench press
• lat pulldown

Your exercise program should reflect how you run. Most don’t.

The below picture demonstrates how we run using one leg forward while swinging the opposite arm forward with each step.

As demonstrated in this picture, as you run you counter-rotate through the upper body (notice how every leg has the opposite arm forward?)

Here’s a quick 3 minute video that shows the #1 exercise for every runner or triathlete to do.

Just to be sure, I have included another 2 exercises in this video just to be sure you don’t leave unsatisfied:

Watch the video below to see the exercises that will have you running at your best ever!

If you only have 20 minutes in the gym, do the above exercises for 3 sets of 10-15 reps each side and you will see marked improvements.

You now have an exercise for your upper body, core and lower body that are all designed to help you run better.

Just a few of the changes you should see from doing the above exercises:

• Improvements in your running strength/times and technique
• Elimination of those niggling injuries that come from long runs
• Greater return in your time and effort invested in the gym

if you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Never run on a treadmill again pt 1

Never run on a treadmill again pt2

which is best: treadmill, bicycle or elliptical?

Jamie Atlas

https://jamieatlas.wordpress.com

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Treadmill, Bicycle or Elliptical machine? pt 1 the Treadmill

If you choose the wrong machine for your fitness goal, you may end up with less results than you planned for.

This is part 1 of a three part series.

I will start with the treadmill, since that is one of the most popular pieces (although I have been known to trash treadmills, they certainly have their place in the gym and deserve a fair comparison). Click here and here to read my attack on the misunderstood and often misquoted treadmill.

People often get confused as to which is the better option for their workout – treadmill, elliptical or bicycle. The decision can be difficult to make without the right information.

Mimes. Easily confused, but not as creepy as clowns.

Here is the answer I like to give when asked for preferences (and no, I am not open to offers from equipment companies to bribe me – although I do really like the StarTrac total body trainers – the variety on those things is awesome!!)

The answer I like to give whenever asked “what is the best equipment/exercise band/workout video/lycra spandex catsuit” is always the same:

“it depends”.

It depend on what you are after, it depends on what your history of exercise is, and it depends on what injuries you might have and sometimes it just depends on how you feel on the day.

Live in Denver?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to get a free pass to one of our classes

Before I get into the major differences, here is something to consider. If we can work more muscles then we will burn more calories.

However, we need to make sure that our joints do not get overloaded at the same time. A key phrase to remember when deciding what to use, is the phrase ‘repetitive patterns’.

Repetitive patterns can be a major cause of joint pain, muscle imbalances and unfashionable sweaters from your Granny at Christmas.

Repetitive patterns of movement can wear your joints out faster- repetitive patterns in sweaters are just destructive to your sense of fashion… Seriously – is that guy wearing…. a leather kilt?!

When I select a machine, I am always careful to make the workout on it just a little different than last time (which is why you need a workout program) – whether it be foot position, incline, speed, stride length or just mixing up the programs. I want to make sure I am giving my body a different input – and I do this for the folllowing reasons:

By mixing up the variables on any given machine, you can improve your results in the following ways:

Increased overall cardiovascular ability – if we continue to do the same program our level of cardio can become stagnant, even decrease.

Decreased chance of injury – by training in different ways, I give key muscles a chance to rest while other neighboring muscles have a chance to work – this allows my body to recover partially while working a variety of muscles in different ways.

Reduced boredom – lets face it, we all want to enjoy our workouts more. The only way to keep things fresh… is to keep things fresh! Mixing up the programs at least keeps us guessing – and if we can make sure we feel the burn at the end of it all, then we are on track to improve our results but also on track to make sure we are motivated to turn up for the next workout!

The major differences between the ‘big three’:

Treadmill:

When you take a step on a treadmill, every step is just a little bit different. You can reduce the range of your steps or increase them if you are jogging/running. It also means that different muscles are being worked and a variety of muscles means better results when compared to a locked position (such as you would find with an elliptical or a bicycle). however, it means that if you are tight in the hips, you might be walking with a reduced range as opposed to an elliptical making you take longer strides which would lengthen out your hips (and so the paradox unfolds). So if you have tight hips I might recommend spending more time on the Elliptical – or to tackle the problem at the source, try doing some hip flexor stretches (this gal does a great job or explaining what your hip flexors are and how to stretch them).

I like:

I like that you are able to self-select your own stride and I also like that it means you are working your body in a slightly different way with each step.

I like that you can do a large variety of things on the treadmill like walking and running (which may not seem like a bunch, but the action of walking, jogging and running are all thoroughly different movement patterns with different muscles and loads

I don’t like:

I don’t like that people crouch over the treadmill as if they are about to make out with the start button.

I don’t like that people hang on to the rails as if they are about to get pulled under the moving belt.

Major advantage: Your body uses more lower body but also rotates as you walk/run which means more muscles worked and more calories burned for your time spent watching Ellen/Oprah/That guy from the money channel who just yells and smashes things all the time.

Major disadvantage: Higher impact than bike or elliptical means joints get more of a pounding compared to a bike or elliptical which means you must be more careful with your program variety as you progress.

Overall:

The treadmill is an excellent piece of equipment – although misunderstood by many.

Do not confuse the action of walking/running on a treadmill with the action of walking/running on real ground (again, Click here and here if you are interested to know why). It may look the same to our untrained eyes, but your body knows the difference – just like my wife knows a fake gucci.

I couldnt tell you the difference even if you showed me the ‘made in china’ label (made in China means they are fake, right?), but with one glance – she knows.

I’m not sure what is worse – buying a fake gucci or making ‘mans best friend’ wear a high fashion backpack. I bet all the other dogs beat him up as soon as he gets to doggy daycare.

Your body knows the difference between being on ground and the treadmill. It doesnt mean it isnt good for your body and it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it every now and then. But it does mean that if you are doing it so you can go on a hike or go running in a triathlon that you should consider

Elliptical: to be continued

Bike: to be continued

What do you think? Am I missing a piece of equipment that you totally love?

Send me your equipment name and why you love it and I will write a review on it for all to see.

Jamie Atlas

Live in Denver?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to get a free pass to one of our classes

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Never run on a treadmill again (pt. 2)

Treadmills don’t change direction – which is a problem.

The reason it is a problem is because that puts you in a running pattern so straight that it causes you to use your joints and muscles in a way you were never designed to.

Ponder our fellow predators for a moment.

Of all the animal kingdom, we are the only one that runs for personal enjoyment

Most other animals develop their ability to run from a survival instinct. If they cannot chase down the slowest zebra/antelope/meal of choice, they go hungry that day. They learn to run, dodge, creep, change direction, sprint and jog as part of their hunting strategy.

But they rarely do it in one direction. Their ability to change direction with speed is usually directly correlated to their ability to catch their next meal.

Humans don’t need to run to escape predators. However, even after generations of laziness our hunting instincts are still strong – take for example of the young child and the voracity with which they set upon the unsuspecting ice cream truck. Natural predatory instincts if ever I saw them.

Seriously… Does any other song spike adrenalin through the system quite like the ice cream truck song?

(While we are on the subject, is it just me or does that guy have the cruise control set on ‘just a couple of mph faster than an 8 year old kid can comfortably run’).

What most of us fail to realize is if we are on a real surface (such as an outdoor trail), we are constantly changing direction, turning corners, moving on uneven surfaces and generally switching up our running pattern and loading our muscles differently with every step.

If we are on a treadmill, we have no choice but to run in a straight line.

If he’s not careful he might tear a ‘hamster-ing’

The next time you watch animals or small children play, watch how they move.

You will notice they will rarely move in a straight line for any extended period of time, but instead will follow a zigzag pattern (without necessarily any rhyme or reason). Just a few of the positive result of this type of ‘play’ is that they develop different muscles, have healthier joints and better balance.

Because animals often run or chase each other in a play-like fashion, I might also be bet they probably enjoy themselves while running around haphazardly… Certainly more than the docile folk you see strolling on the treadmill at an easy Sunday afternoon pace whilst reading one of the latest New York times bestsellers (come on people! It’s a gym, not a Barnes and Noble – at least get a glisten on your brow, for heavens sake!).

Okay Mr Smartypants Personal Trainer – I have been running in a straight line

Whats the big deal about that?

Heres why:

Identical movement pattern repeated equals the same joint pattern of wear and tear, which equals a fast road to Joint Pain City – population, you.

If we move the same joint in exactly the same direction and hit the joint in the same position repeatedly, we can wear the joint down faster and use the same muscles too much, creating strength and flexibility imbalances.

However, if we ‘spread the wear’, our joints have a better chance to regenerate, to be healthier, more functional and be able to keep moving for longer.

A few ideas for balancing the load on your muscles/joints:

Vary the speed, incline and modality of your cardio workouts to make sure you are using the joints in a slightly different intensity, patten and direction each time you hit the gym.

Running on different types of surfaces, whether an outdoor running trail, indoor track or local park, the most important factor to consider is variety. Keep your joints working on different surfaces and you guarantee a variety of wear (not to mention stronger joints and better muscle tone).

As the saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life”. Given what we now understand, maybe they should change the saying to “Variety is the secret to stronger, healthier knees, ankles, hips and muscles that surround each of those joints”.

Yeah, I agree. The first way is a little easier to say. But so less imaginative, don’t you agree?

How are YOUR joints? What do you do to mix up your cardio to make your workout a bit more curvy and less straight? Sharing is caring, I always say.

Jamie Atlas

https://jamieatlas.wordpress.com

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