From the Couch to Running 5km?

Fitness question of the day:
Are you ever too heavy to start running?

First let me say this. If you send me questions via any of my social media outlets listed below I will do everything in my power to answer your questions. I am blessed with the passion and knowledge to inspire and help people with their fitness journeys, so I will do everything possible to help.

The answer is NO with a few caveats. Almost everyone is capable of building the fitness and endurance necessary to power walk or run.
 

The first step in goal achievement is a GAPS analysis and recognizing the barriers to success. This is particularly important when someone hasn't been recently active, may not be at their ideal weight, and don't necessarily have the support of the people around them. Changing the way you think and behave is a crucial step to "being the change you want to make".

 

Below I have outlined some of the key elements to ensuring walk - run success:

1. Build daily habits: it's essential to carve out specific times each day and "Just Do It". The stages of change model suggest that it will take proximately 6 months from the time you have taken action to create a semi-permanent behavior change. Important daily habits might include:

• Planning healthy snacks & hydration,
• Scheduling specific times into your calendar,
• Seeking professional assistance or
• Finding a running partner.
• Plan b. If the weather is terrible have an indoor option available

2. Assessment: almost everyone has significance muscle imbalances, previous injuries and/or joint pain. Starting a running program without reducing these imbalances with corrective flexibility and strengthening will almost always lead to setbacks. The number one reason why athletes don't achieve their goals is lost training time. Don't let your goals be derailed because you have succumbed to injury and/or pushed too hard at the beginning. Seek professional assistance for the following: a functional movement and cardiorespiratory assessment. My favorite running functional assessments are the Bridge and Overhead Squat. Here is a link to the Bridge assessment on the BCPTI YouTube page. Below is a self assessment guide to the bridge. If you have 2 of the more of the issues in the middle column, corrective exercise is suggested before starting your running program. https://youtu.be/ifTR1peipks

Set-up and Procedure: ·         Cue clients to lie face up with feet hip width apart (level 1 & 2), and knees bent to 90°. The arms are crossed and hands placed on opposite shoulders (as shown). ·         Low Function: Set core and lift both hips from the floor until full hip extension is reached ·         Hold this position while the assessment is performed ·         If successful the clients perform level 2 ·         Mod Function: ask the client to lift 1ft and fully extend the leg so the upper thigh remains in the same plane / equal height of the support leg. Perform a record test information for both a R and L leg lift. ·         High Function: same as 2 but ft are shoulder width.

Spine not neutral = significant arching / lordosis in low back, rounded / kypohotic upper bac R  L  Hamstring Spasm Lacks ROM / hips are flexed Plane change (Sagittal) Hips Flex / Drop  L  or  R Plane change (Frontal) Hips shift  towards the L  or  R Plane change (Transverse) - Hips Rotate Down on  L  or  R Thighs move apart / abduct During or before hip extension is complete Weight on the outside of ft / ankles supinated.

 Level 0: Pain while trying perform the movement or fails level 1  Low Function 1: 2ft bridge ft hip width (90' knee bend)  Mod Function: 1ft bridge - ft hip width (90' knee bend)  High Function: 1ft bridge - ft Shoulder width (90' knee bend) If1 of these errors is significant or 2 or more of these errors are notable, the client has not passed that level. Passing level 2 or 3 is also based on symmetry. A score of 1 on R, 2 on L = 1

3. Create accountability: this can be as easy as setting reminders on your telephone or as complex as using today's fitness technology to track your workouts. To help keep things fun and interactive, I'm a big fan of using heart rate and GPS enabled equipment. FitBit, Garmen & Polar are reliable brands in this market. Most of which have online software that links back to your social media & is transferable to your personal devices. Run groups or partners can help here as well. Most running groups will meet 1-3 times per week. Another option is to achieve a running goal (i.e. a 5-10km fundraiser walk - run event). Deadlines are a great way to keep you focussed and fundraising the perfect guilt trip to stop you from quitting.



FitBit's are a great tool for tracking running / walking steps, heartrate & calories / day / session It is also syncs with a # of online nutritional tracking tools. It's a great tool to keep you on track. Mine fitness tracking App on my phone is set to 10,000 steps. I make sure I hit it 6 days a week.



Lift is a new very cool - very interactive live streaming software that allows you be personal trained
no matter where you are in the world. You're just a cell tower or WiFi connection away from great professional assistance.

4. Create weekly and monthly goals: another system of accountability is the training program. Training programs offer a form of professional assistance which can help crystallize your daily habits into short term goal achievement. There are a lot of great walk run programs available online. Find one that suits your specific needs, goals and fitness level. Otherwise, all BCPTI graduates know how to assess and track your cardiovascular progress. Many of our graduates work for Steve Nash Fitness Clubs, where your membership comes along with a complimentary Goal Assessment.

5. Put you first. Most highly productive people know this rule well. Putting you first means that your own personal happiness, health and wellbeing, and the daily habits associated with it are performed first thing in the morning. The research clearly shows that people who do this are happier and have more gratitude and those who do not.

My top 5 tips for starting a successful running program are:

1. Start slowly using a combination of walking and running. It's important to minimize impact wall building your leg endurance. Try alternating between low impact activities such as stair climbers or swimming.
2. Rome wasn't built in a day but it was built. building your cardiovascular fitness and lower body and muscular endurance will take time. Set short-term (i.e. weekly) and long-term goals (i.e. 6 months) goals to ensure it is built.
3. Use your glutes. I'd rather see people powerwalk with long strides over running or what I refer to as yogging. Many runners due to the sitting disease and using short strides fail to extend their stride long enough to activate the posterior chain. This can lead to a number of quad dominant me hip ankle lower back problems. 
4. Recover Recover Recover. Many people forget to eat, hydrate (sorry coffee with your friends doesn't count) and warm up prior to activity. And, very few runners ever stretch and foam roll after they're done. Days off in between running sessions are also essential to prevent overuse injuries. Here's a link to a great Blog on foam rolling science and technique. http://www.bcpti.ca/practical-research-review/ 
5. Use your arms. The arms actually help drive your legs and integrate your core muscles. I suggest swimming, arm swings, and or light battle rope drills on days in between you're running sessions. These exercise techniques help your metabolism high, build endurance and keep you away from negative behaviours during the off days :)

Final Thought!!

If there's one thing I've learned during my 20 years in the fitness industry it's this. Regardless how great your six pack, glutes, legs, or biceps look, if your health or ability to move were taken away you would trade all of it in within a New York minute. As well, research indicates that people who score higher on cardiorespiratory fitness, live longer, healthier more functional lives. It just so happens that running & walking are amongst the most accessible and biggest bang for your cardio buck. So challenge yourself & start moving today.

We'd love to receive your fitness questions via social media, so add us at:

Website: www.bcpti.ca
Twitter Instagram or Periscope: @BCPTI
Facebook: BCPTI
YouTube: arctraining71 or British Columbia Personal Training Institute
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/pub/chad-benson/16/8a8/2b9