Tag Archives for " running "
September 12, 2016
- in fitness , guest/interview by allan
You Can Run Pain Free | Brad Beer
In this episode, we meet Brad Beer, the author of You Can Run Pain Free. Brad Beer is a physiotherapist in Gold Coast, Austrailia. He works with professional athletes and Olympians, along with everyday runners (or wannabe runners) to help them pursue their sports without pain or injury.
What are the benefits of running?
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Increased longevity
- Lower risk of stroke
- Lower blood pressure
- Lower risk of heart disease
- Lower risk of diabetes
- Improvements in body mass index
- Reduction in depression
- Improvement in cognition
Five step method for evaluation of running
- Discovering the running body
- Running with great technique
- Understanding running shoes
- Hips stability
- The power of rest
What's your running body?
This first step is critical.
Understand your flexibility
- Floppies – Hypermobile individuals. Need strength training to protect their joints.
- Flippies – In the middle of mobility. May need a mix of both strength mobility training,
- Stiffies – Non-mobile individuals. Need mobility training to protect their joints.
Know your optimal body weight for running.
If you're carrying too much body weight, you'll be putting too much strain on your joints. Losing a little weight, even if it isn't body fat, will mean less stress on the body.
Running screen/evaluation
Using a 10 point checklist, a running expert can evaluate your running form. This checklist looks at the length of muscles, endurance tests, mobility, etc. You can get the full checklist from the book.
Links
running.physio
Learning to run, running to learn
A recent meta-study entitled, “Neuromodulation of Aerobic Exercise: A Review” revealed interesting findings on how aerobic exercise such as running can affect the brain. First, running and aerobic exercise can help to regulate cortisol, a stress hormone. Engaging in running or another aerobic style of exercise can also trigger the release of endorphins. This is often seen when runners are able to achieve the “runner’s high” and experience a relaxation effect. When this is coupled with cortisol regulation, it creates a great opportunity to reduce the individual’s stress.
The study also revealed that aerobic exercise increased brain-derived neurotrophic factors. When the brain is in a beta state, it is highly alert and poised to deal with high-stress situations. However, you don’t want your brain to be in such a situation for long. In the alpha state, the brain is still alert, yet this is more of a flow state. The mind and body know what to do and are able to relax as they complete their functions. This is the state that is achieved.
It was also found that aerobic exercise prompted production of serotonin, which affects emotion and memory. The serotonin is actually converted to melatonin, which aids in sleep. This may help the brain in its ability to recall memories or information. Additionally, dopamine was also increased, which has benefits with short-term memory, motor control, and cognition.
The benefits of aerobic exercise are clear, but how can you find the right level of intensity for you? Find the happy medium of where you can say a few words while running or exercising, but yet you can’t comfortably carry on a conversation. The key is to monitor how you are feeling. Of course, you will want progression, but it is important not to overdo it. An enriched environment is also beneficial to your results, as it can lead to greater longevity, according to one study. In the end, adopting running or other aerobic exercise has great health benefits and is certainly worth consideration for inclusion in your fitness routine.
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music