Running vs. Stepping

[melanalyus]

Thought I'd give my 2 cents. I kickbox, step, pilates,weight train, & run. I run mostly in the summer (I like to train for races). My exercise regimen consists of 30-day cycles during the fall & winter. I kickbox & do pilates for 30 days, then I do step & weight train, then I repeat. The reason why I do this is because my body gets really efficient at one type of exercise if I do it too much. I can be an advanced stepper & run 2 miles and feel like collapsing. Or I can run a 10K & not feel like I"m going to die after 30 minutes of Tae Bo.

I guess what I"m saying is that your body will eventually get conditioned to running. But I must also say, once it gets conditioned, it won't have to work as hard (you become more efficient) and you'll burn less calories doing the same amount of work. In otherwords, when you can run 5 miles & feel like it's a breeze--then it's time to hit the hills or take it up to 7 miles.

Another rule of thumb: Stepping is comparable to running at 7 mph. Moderate exercisers should be able to run around 10 mph--which means you will burn more calories running (ie. work harder).

Just a few suggestions. I hope this helps.

 

[naughtoj]

I must highly agree with Melanalyus. I do think your body gets more conditioned to running when you spend a lot of time.....running. That is why I said stepping will not train you to be a runner.

I am much better off now with running and find that after mile 3 or so, I can somewhat "get into a groove". Usually my leg aches and problems have bad days and good days. Some days they never start to bother and some days they are burning 5 min. in. I really can see no pattern. But it happens with other activities as well, very much so with videos such as CM or Cardio Kicks. The other day it happened while rollerblading. I have always attributed it to the fact that about 70% of my muscle mass resides in my legs (think Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle) I say that in a good way

Angie..thanks for the concern and the tip. I must say I have read almost everything there is concerning running and I know the good surfaces and the bad. Shoes are also not my problem. Got fitted at a specialty running store. But, as I say, my problems are not on a daily basis, I just have good days or really bad days....

Just know that there is someone here to sympathize with your leg woes Yen!!!

Janice

 

[kimyenchu]

Thanks girls.

We are all crazy women I think - the pains we go through just to look good. Mind you sometimes when I am exercising, I wonder if I do look good at all! What with all that sweat and ugly faces I pull lifting weights up and down.

Yen

 

[kimyenchu]

Everybody talks about this Tae Bo. Do you have Billy Blanks? And if so, is it more advanced than Cathe's Cardio Kicks? I have that DVD and it's the only kickboxing video I have. I might invest in BB in the future.

Yen

 

[melanalyus]

May I put in another 2 cents? Tae Bo is just as comparable as Cardio Kicks. Cathe only has one full-hour kickboxing videos. Billy has several. They're entertaining & fun. I get a great workout from them...go for the advanced series.

I have to agree with others about the body aches. There's noway to determine prior to a workout how I"m going to feel. Sometimes I'm exhausted after 1/2 mile of running. Othertimes I have to quit because of time (not stanima or aches) after 12 miles. I wish there was some way you could determine how 'strong' you are before you workout. Same thing happens with other activities, ie rollarblading, step, kickboxing,...