Friday, February 27, 2009

9 practical reasons for you to start running.


Most of the people start running as a path to loose weight easily. However I started running to increase fitness & gain stamina. I getup around 5:45 & get in my tracks for run. It feels so relaxing under the morning sky & the smell of fresh air is soothing. People generally stay away from running because they think it is tiring & painful whereas running is a wonderful exercise with endless benefits.

I would try to list 9 benefits which will help you to get motivated.

Improved core stability.
According to Wikipedia “Core stability relates to the bodily region bounded by the abdominal wall, the pelvis, the lower back and the diaphragm and its ability to stabilize the body during movement.”. When you run your abdomen muscles kick-in & your back supports your movement. This makes your core stronger & enhances the stability.

Burn those calories.
Running is one of the best activities to burn a lot of calories in an easy way. The actual amount of calories burned depends on lot of factors like weight, miles run. It will help you to loose those extra pounds quickly and maintain a healthy body fat level.

Build a stronger lower body.
Do you that while running your calf lifts the heel about 15000 times per mile? This simple activity (i.e. running) works on every part of the body & helps building strong hamstrings, shins, tendons, thighs & hips. It increases the flexibility of the muscles which decreases muscle cramp & muscle tear.
Better Endurance.
Regular running improves endurance. It helps you maintain the quality of muscle force for a longer period. Running increases your strength, speed & stamina.

Improved metabolism.
You will have an improved digestion. Researches have shown that the body of a runner burns calories at higher rate for a longer period compared to a non-runner. It increases the resting metabolism rate.

Improved cardiovascular health.
Cardiovascular Disease is #1 killer & consumes several lives every day. Running forces heart to pump more blood which makes arteries expand-contract 3 times more than normal rate. This increases the elasticity of arteries. It helps in maintaining lower blood pressure levels & a healthy heart which will help you live longer to see your grandchildren.

Quick recovery from injuries.
The amount of training your body goes through while you run makes you less susceptible to injuries & also recover a lot faster if injured.

Reduce risk of Muscle atrophy.
Muscle atrophy is loss of muscle due to lack of use or disease. This increases with aging. Running helps you gain more muscle & maintain the muscle & bone density. A runner is at far less risk of losing muscles compared to a non-active person with a sedentary lifestyle.

Run for Fun.
Remember how we use to run when we were little kids. We use to turn the whole house upside down, that comes natural to us as kids. But as we grow we get into meaningless activities to make lemonade out of life’s limes & forget what fun is. Running is known to improve mood & make you feel happier. You would have already read about famous “Runner’s high” but that happens only in extreme running scenarios. But still personally running makes me high :) & it is great to run with a partner.

I hope you like this article. Feel free to share your stories & advice regarding running.


2 comments:

  1. Hey ..this has really helped me a lot to jump from bed and get into my treadmill shoes n suit on...all we need to do is prioritise things from time to time and keep health and fitness always at the topmost priority...isn't it!
    Thanks for reminding me the value of fitness..coz i wanna live loong to be with my loved ones...
    Keep Helping.
    bye
    TeaPea

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Snag,

    You are welcome here. You are absolutely correct there, we need to prioritize things and get time for ourselves to enjoy being healthy.

    Regards
    RP

    ReplyDelete