Thirty plus years or so, I have been saying that running is the most overrated form of exercise on the planet, while resistance training (RT), the most underrated. At that time, there was little data to support that position and only dumb muscle heads lifted weights and those truly interested in staying fit, losing weight, and having a healthy cardiovascular system, to add to their sense of superiority, did aerobics, usually in the form of running. The “enlightened” folks ran, the “knuckle draggers” lifted weights, and so it went for a long time. Even to this day, there’s plenty of people out there who think that, and they’re still wrong.



By running, I mean jogging, or what would be a moderate to low steady state type of running. That’s what I mean by running in this context. Other forms of running, such as sprint intervals and such, can be highly beneficial. My plan in this article is to lay out in broad strokes, with links to articles and studies, people can read up on that covers some of the claims and issues around running. The obvious comparison here is RT vs running, but while RT is superior to running for most effects some attribute to running as well as its own benefit, it’s not black and white at all. For example, there’s other modalities people can choose to get similar benefits seen with running in far less time, or less impact on joints*, or more beneficial movement patterns, etc., such as High Intensity Interval Training and such. So, it’s not like doing conditioning oriented work is to be avoided per se, it’s just that running has demonstrated itself to be sub par in most respects. The end of the day, much of it simply comes down to intensity, and most joggers/runners plod along and a lowish intensity for longer durations of time, whereas sprinting, various forms of HIIT/SIT, RT, etc, will be more effective all around for improving body composition (i.e., reduced bodyfat levels and or increased fat free mass) then running, as well as the benefits people associate with running, such as cardiovascular health and cardiorespiratory capacity. As most know by now (hopefully!) the entire concept of “burning more far for fuel with low intensity exercise” to supposedly lose greater amounts of weight as the loss model was debunked a long time ago. You know, the 80’s called and wants it BS aerobics for weight loss claims back. Sorry 80’s, it’s dead and gone for all but the most clueless left clinging to that nonsense. If one wants to lose that belly fat, high intensity excise is what they want.


Personally, I think running – in the form of jogging – simply sucks for most things, and I’m not alone that assessment by many a qualified coach, but more on that later…


Cont:


https://brinkzone.com/why-running-still-sucks/